Fic: Don't Forget to Breathe (PG)(Gen)(SPN)
Title: Don't Forget to Breathe
Word Count: 391
Rating: PG
Fandom: Supernatural
Summary: Sam has nightmares post-Cage, and Dean helps the only way he knows how.
Note: Written for a prompt over on comment_fic; Prompt: “Supernatural, Sam and Dean, Dean comforts his brother after he has a nightmare about the cage.”
Dean wakes up suddenly, blinking into the blackness that surrounds him. He's not immediately sure what's awoken him, but then the strangled moan from the other bed tells him all he needs to know. Dean's usually a pretty light sleeper-- being a hunter for almost all of his life has taught him that sadly essential skill --but he tends to go dead to the world if he's not on a hunt and nothing is coming after him. However, Dean's always been tuned to Sam's needs, ever since that day that Mary and John brought his little brother home from the hospital, all pink and squalling and there in his life and his heart.
Dean pushes back the thin, scratchy covers and pads silently over to Sam's bed, his vision quickly acclimating to the dim light just visible through the curtained window of the motel room they're sharing. Sam's curled up in the tightest ball he can manage while still being on the bed, his hands fisted in the pillow and the sheets twisted and snarled around his legs. The moans have turned to wordless mutterings, strings of broken syllables and mushy noises that mean nothing to Dean and everything to the slumbering man that is his brother.
With a sigh, Dean pushes at Sam's shoulder just enough to catapult his brother into a slightly higher plane of awareness. It's mainly to stop Sam from strangling Dean as the older Winchester lays down behind the younger, but also to try and make the heartbreaking noises stop. Sam relaxes bit by tortuous bit when Dean snuggles up to him and holds him close; Dean's got one arm slung loosely over Sam's waist and the other is tucked up so he can gently card his fingers through Sam's shaggy hair, trying to soothe and reassure the both of them that Sam's not alone.
The two brothers don't talk about these quiet moments in the dark-- what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas --but Dean's willing to do it for as long as Sam needs him to. He's been taking care of Sam for so long (Sam was his far before that fiery night of Take Sam and go!, but that just cemented it; he never gave Sam back) that it's second nature, just like breathing. And Dean wouldn't stop for the world.
Word Count: 391
Rating: PG
Fandom: Supernatural
Summary: Sam has nightmares post-Cage, and Dean helps the only way he knows how.
Note: Written for a prompt over on comment_fic; Prompt: “Supernatural, Sam and Dean, Dean comforts his brother after he has a nightmare about the cage.”
Dean wakes up suddenly, blinking into the blackness that surrounds him. He's not immediately sure what's awoken him, but then the strangled moan from the other bed tells him all he needs to know. Dean's usually a pretty light sleeper-- being a hunter for almost all of his life has taught him that sadly essential skill --but he tends to go dead to the world if he's not on a hunt and nothing is coming after him. However, Dean's always been tuned to Sam's needs, ever since that day that Mary and John brought his little brother home from the hospital, all pink and squalling and there in his life and his heart.
Dean pushes back the thin, scratchy covers and pads silently over to Sam's bed, his vision quickly acclimating to the dim light just visible through the curtained window of the motel room they're sharing. Sam's curled up in the tightest ball he can manage while still being on the bed, his hands fisted in the pillow and the sheets twisted and snarled around his legs. The moans have turned to wordless mutterings, strings of broken syllables and mushy noises that mean nothing to Dean and everything to the slumbering man that is his brother.
With a sigh, Dean pushes at Sam's shoulder just enough to catapult his brother into a slightly higher plane of awareness. It's mainly to stop Sam from strangling Dean as the older Winchester lays down behind the younger, but also to try and make the heartbreaking noises stop. Sam relaxes bit by tortuous bit when Dean snuggles up to him and holds him close; Dean's got one arm slung loosely over Sam's waist and the other is tucked up so he can gently card his fingers through Sam's shaggy hair, trying to soothe and reassure the both of them that Sam's not alone.
The two brothers don't talk about these quiet moments in the dark-- what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas --but Dean's willing to do it for as long as Sam needs him to. He's been taking care of Sam for so long (Sam was his far before that fiery night of Take Sam and go!, but that just cemented it; he never gave Sam back) that it's second nature, just like breathing. And Dean wouldn't stop for the world.