Fic: Lost Love
Title: Lost Love
Author: joans23
Rating: PG
Paring: Gen, slight Dean/Sam
Summary: It's all about Dean. SPN AU.
Notes: This probably makes absolutely no sense, but I woke up with this thing niggling at my brain this morning and it just won't let me go to sleep before writing it down. Title and cut from Bought & Sold by Neko Case.
Dean stays two steps back and watches their clasped hands swaying between them like a pendulum. When they can make out the sounds of the approaching school yard, they let go and the space between them doubles.
Dean doesn't say anything when he slips into the first open gate and Sam just keeps his eyes firmly on the ground as they keep walking.
*~*
"That's all very well, son, but you know I can't register you boys without your father's signature."
"Yes ma'am, but he had to leave early so he could be in time to sign up at the mine. I'll tell him to come in later and fix that for you."
"I'm sorry, but ..."
"That's okay. I'm sure he's just around the corner. If I hurry, I could still catch him. Come on, Sam."
They run down the block and Dean is strangely disappointed when they turn and the street is eerily empty ahead of them.
*~*
Dad's cheeks are smeared with black soot and his hands are open, begging, reaching up towards the sky. His shoulders are wedged tightly against the narrow stone walls and he's blinking against the snow falling down into his face. There's blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Dad!"
"Dean? What is it?"
"Nothing, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep, Sammy."
*~*
"When's Dad coming home?"
"When his shift ends. Now eat your breakfast."
The phone rings, but Dean doesn't bother answering it. He just grabs his coat and Sam and slams the door behind them.
*~*
People are gathered around the shaft like it's a grave site, but instead of a lowering coffin, they are staring mesmerised at the ash floating up from the bottom.
It's snowing upside down.
Sam is shivering and Dean wraps his arms around him from behind. He's surprised at how thin Sam is, how bony his shoulders are. He lets Dean hold him until the worst of the tremors stop, his back hard and straight against Dean's chest, then shrugs him off, like he's unneeded. Unwanted.
*~*
They hand them a small bundle of their father's clothes, unwashed, but neatly folded. Dean remembers when he took them off; he sat naked on the hard wooden bench in front of the lockers for a while. His shoulders were stooped, the hair on his broad chest an impossible black mess of wiry curls. He looked up, right at him for a second, almost, and reached for the blue overalls.
Author: joans23
Rating: PG
Paring: Gen, slight Dean/Sam
Summary: It's all about Dean. SPN AU.
Notes: This probably makes absolutely no sense, but I woke up with this thing niggling at my brain this morning and it just won't let me go to sleep before writing it down. Title and cut from Bought & Sold by Neko Case.
Dean stays two steps back and watches their clasped hands swaying between them like a pendulum. When they can make out the sounds of the approaching school yard, they let go and the space between them doubles.
Dean doesn't say anything when he slips into the first open gate and Sam just keeps his eyes firmly on the ground as they keep walking.
*~*
"That's all very well, son, but you know I can't register you boys without your father's signature."
"Yes ma'am, but he had to leave early so he could be in time to sign up at the mine. I'll tell him to come in later and fix that for you."
"I'm sorry, but ..."
"That's okay. I'm sure he's just around the corner. If I hurry, I could still catch him. Come on, Sam."
They run down the block and Dean is strangely disappointed when they turn and the street is eerily empty ahead of them.
*~*
Dad's cheeks are smeared with black soot and his hands are open, begging, reaching up towards the sky. His shoulders are wedged tightly against the narrow stone walls and he's blinking against the snow falling down into his face. There's blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Dad!"
"Dean? What is it?"
"Nothing, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep, Sammy."
*~*
"When's Dad coming home?"
"When his shift ends. Now eat your breakfast."
The phone rings, but Dean doesn't bother answering it. He just grabs his coat and Sam and slams the door behind them.
*~*
People are gathered around the shaft like it's a grave site, but instead of a lowering coffin, they are staring mesmerised at the ash floating up from the bottom.
It's snowing upside down.
Sam is shivering and Dean wraps his arms around him from behind. He's surprised at how thin Sam is, how bony his shoulders are. He lets Dean hold him until the worst of the tremors stop, his back hard and straight against Dean's chest, then shrugs him off, like he's unneeded. Unwanted.
*~*
They hand them a small bundle of their father's clothes, unwashed, but neatly folded. Dean remembers when he took them off; he sat naked on the hard wooden bench in front of the lockers for a while. His shoulders were stooped, the hair on his broad chest an impossible black mess of wiry curls. He looked up, right at him for a second, almost, and reached for the blue overalls.