Dean rolled off Sam and stared up at the sky, breathing heavily, exhausted. Sam was in no state to get up either.

Still sweaty and breathless, Dean's radar was still on full alert and while the steady wind rustling the treeline masked a lot of noise, he could hear the distinct sounds of footsteps approaching.

"Hey guys are you two oka- Oh," the stranger's voice stopped there, realization dawning.

Sam, still out of breath and disoriented, rolled over onto his stomach and looked up. Mouth agape, sweat-slicked and red-faced with exertion, he just stared at the teenaged boy standing a few feet away.

Dean heard the kid start chuckling, like he'd just caught them doing something inappropriate, and rolled his eyes. He'd let Sammy field this one.

"Dudes, like, I'm all for pride and everything but unwritten rules you gotta stay in your car if you're gonna do shit, you know?"

Dean groaned angrily, still on his back.

"Public indecency, y'know," the kid added.

With a small huff of exasperation, Sam let his head fall to the grass.

"Guys?"

Dean heaved a sigh, realizing that Sam was out for the count and unwilling to deal with the kid. Slowly, he brought himself up to sitting and twisted around to stare at him.

"You here with a girl?" Dean asked gruffly.

"Yeah man. She's in my car," he said pointedly. "You guys're ruining the view."

Dean grimaced and wiped a hand down his face.

"You two didn't come here to do a bonding ritual, did you?"

"Is that a come-on?" The kid retorted and took a step back. "You guys're like eighty," he added with disgust.

"Oh my god," Sam groaned, having listened to this exchange. He sighed and got up into a kneel. "Just answer. The question," Sam demanded, his anger coming through loud and clear despite his raspy voice.

Dean started to stand up and he stepped over to Sam to help him out as well. The kid eyed them: their movements made it look like they were injured.

"Are you guys okay?" the kid asked, now slightly concerned.

Neither brother felt like answering him. Once Sam was up, Dean glared back at the kid.

"So? Bonding ritual?" Dean prompted roughly. Sam sighed tiredly and started limping past the kid while Dean just stayed still, fixing him in his gaze.

"Uh," the kid glanced as the tall one passed him. God, they were both pretty tall actually... and intimidating. "N-no... I just wanna get to second base, man..." he trailed off meekly.

Suddenly Dean smiled and nodded. He pointed at him.

"Good kid," he said, his voice like gravel, and flashed a charming smile of approval before he too started limping in his brother's direction.

The kid watched them as they trudged to their car. He inwardly shrugged, figuring he'd done his job. He could go back to the car and Kelly would be pleased with the now unobstructed view. With any luck he'd be able to try out unclasping her bra with one hand...

Sam and Dean practically fell into the front seat of the Impala. Dean closed his door first, reminding Sam that he had yet to close his. With a slow, effortful reach Sam dragged the door towards the car and let it slam shut.

"I never thought it would be a category but that was the gayest case we've ever taken," Dean murmured. Sam grunted a laugh that slowly turned into snickers. He turned to Dean, smiling as his low-grade laughter continued. Dean tilted to meet his little brother's gaze. At first he saw nothing but amusement but then he squinted at his kid brother in the dark, finding Sammy's demeanor a little too impish...

"You knew!" Dean shouted, shocked. "You totally knew, didn't you!"

Sam started laughing for real now even though he was shaking his head.

"No no not like all of it but I knew we had to like hold hands and stuff-"

"Whatever you totally knew," Dean retorted as he started the car up.

"I didn't!"

"You did. I'm never trusting you to do spells ever again. New rule we're never doing spells again," Dean announced over Sam's cackles.

Sam started coughing and calmed down.

"I'm okay with that. Never again," Sam agreed.

"Never again. And we never speak of this ever again either," Dean added. Sam put his hands up.

"Solemnly swear."

"Cross your heart and hope to die," Dean mumbled playfully. Sam smiled.

"I cross my heart and hope to die."

"Starting now."

"Starting now."

They were ten minutes out from their motel when Sam broke his promise.

"You know, it's really not that big of a deal that our bond beats a teenage romance. Long-term relationships last like four months for teenagers," Sam surmised.

"I don't want to talk about it," Dean replied dully, causing Sam to laugh. "Let's go to a bar and get drunk."

Sam frowned with approval, nodding his head.

"Sounds 'bout right," he agreed lightly.

The following morning they were out of town, on the road, and looking for their next case. Sam wondered whether last night had actually been that bad in Dean's opinion. Surely not: Sam didn't feel weird about it. Why would Dean?

But while they'd been at the bar... Dean hadn't put the amulet back on.

Sam was annoyed at himself. It was such a small observation that seeded a level of insecurity he hadn't thought existed. Shouldn't exist. Obviously small trinkets aren't ever an indicator of the bond they have. It helped in the ritual but Sam's was just a small scrap of paper with his childhood nickname scrawled on it. Love expressed itself in a variety of ways between two people that shared it.

But... Dean had worn it every day ever since he'd given him the damn thing.

And as they'd carried on throughout the night, Dean just seemed completely oblivious that it was missing.

Dean pulled into a gas station and got out. Sam joined him outside the car and Dean nodded to him.

"Hey d'you know where we put the stuff from last night?" he asked casually. Sam popped a piece of gum into his mouth and ticked his head toward the back of the car.

"Trunk," he garbled before walking past to go into the small station.

When Dean joined him inside, Sam gave his brother a double-take, spotting the familiar black rope around Dean's neck, undoubtedly ending with the amulet against his chest under his shirt. Sam eyed it, feeling sappy that it made him so relieved and happy to see his brother wearing it again.

"What?" Dean asked, his poker face on, knowing full well what Sam was looking at.

"What?" Sam tried to cover.

Dean feigned ignorance and went to go look in another aisle.

Still, as soon as he turned the corner, he couldn't help smiling to himself.

"Sammy's such a girl," he mumbled quietly to himself, deep affection lacing the insult.

The End

Writer's Note: Oh my gosh it's been so long with this fic. I finished In Less Than Twelve Hours and it felt so damn good to finish a story I thought I'd write this one out. Thank you so much for reading and please comment/review if you can spare the time! ~ Alex