Set After: The Benders (Season 1)

Not mine and so on and so forth.

Sam had been surprised when Dean had swept his hand slowly past Sam's as they were walking. The younger brother had determinedly shoved his in his pocket hoping that it had been an accident and that Dean had in no way tried to hold his hand.

Then, having checked into a rundown motel a few miles out of town, away from any police, Sam had collapsed heavily into one of the beds and started to drift off to sleep.

"Sammy? Are you awake?"

Sam turned his head to look at his brother who was half sitting up; an unfamiliar look of concern plastered across Dean's face.

"What?" Sam muttered into the soft pillow.

"I was really worried I was gonna lose you today dude." Dean said, sitting up completely and swinging his legs out of the duvet to the floor. Sam turned his head back towards the wall.

"Careful – you're beginning to sound like you care..." Sam trailed off, drowsily.

"So what if I do?" Dean snapped, "I'm man enough to admit it." He joked.

Sam grunted sleepily, settling himself more comfortably around the pillow.

"Do you mind not falling asleep while I'm having a moment of sentimentality?"

There was a gentle snore from Sam in response. Moving forward, Dean knelt by his brother's bed and slid his palm into Sam's.

In shock, the taller brother abruptly sat up and glared down as Dean attempted to intertwine their fingers. However when he glanced up at Sam's face, he sheepishly withdrew his hand.

"You're my little brother," Dean explained, "And you mean stuff to me, y'know? So don't scare me like that again; got it?"

Sam leant forward and knocked his forehead against Dean's and then, with exaggeration, patted his shoulder.

"Congratulations," He said, smiling into Dean's face, "I think today's therapy session was very constructive."

Dean threw him back on the bed, "You complete ass!"

Then pulling himself up onto the bed, he roughly grabbed Sam and pulled him towards himself in a gigantic hug.

Sleepy as he was, Sam was still a little weirded out by this sudden show of affection. Cautiously, Sam patted Dean on the back, while simultaneously trying to lean out of his arms.

Not letting his brother go, Dean planted a gentle kiss on Sam's forehead, and then on his smooth jaw. By now Sam was very weirded out.

"Dude! What are you doing?"

His arms sliding away from Sam's frame, Dean lay down on the blank side of the bed.

"Has anyone ever told you that you college boys talk too much?" He yawned, falling asleep.

Sam just rolled his eyes, and tried to swap beds but found his legs were trapped beneath a rather heavy Dean. Resigned, he lay down on the spare pillow and rolled over towards the wall. Just as he was drifting off, he felt two warm arms wrap around him, and smiled to himself as his so-called 'tough' brother snuggled up against his back.

Choosing Dean as a substitute for the duvet, Sam easily fell asleep against the warmth; silently vowing to nearly die more often.