Work Text:
HEARTBEAT
By Shorts
The room was dark and silent. Too silent. There wasn't even the occasional sound of a car or truck passing by on the remote highway where the motel resided. Sam sat up, trying to dispel the sensation of isolation that gnawed at him. The weight of the silence pressed down on him, smothering him in the heavy cloak of darkness. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, unable to shake the unsettling feeling.
Earlier, they had checked into the motel after a hard drive across two states, which Dean had done most of the driving. Lack of sleep resulted in Dean being exhausted and irritable, wishing only to stretch out and sleep uninterrupted until morning. With barely a word, he quickly undressed, taking a swan dive into bed and was fast asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Past experience had taught Sam that the best solution was to give Dean his space and set about getting ready for bed, apart from his brother. They didn't sleep together every night, but often enough to become accustomed to sharing a bed. Sighing, Sam rubbed the back of his head, unable to ease the tension that was creeping up his neck.
"Dean," hissed Sam, straining to see the dark form of his brother lying in the next bed, but silence was his only answer. Gambling Dean was dead to the world, he quietly rose from his own bed. Gently, he lifted the covers and slipped next to Dean's solid form.
Dean shifted slightly, his head turning to the side, but did not awake from sleep.
Moving with extreme care, Sam settled alongside Dean, molding himself against him. Scooting further down the bed, he rested his head on Dean's chest and carefully draped an arm across to hug him lightly. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the strong, steady heartbeat beneath his ear. The comforting sound pushed back the empty silence and the ominous feeling of disconnection. He tightened his hold as the smooth rise and fall of Dean's chest lulled him into a sense of security.
"Sam?" mumbled Dean, his hand automatically coming to rest in Sam's soft hair. He ran his fingers through the silky strands, sighing as he drifted toward the twilight land between dream and reality. A wave of affection flowed over him as he lifted his head and opened one eye to look down at Sam practically wrapped around him.
"Sshh," hushed Sam, concentrating on Dean's heartbeat.
"What are you doing?" asked Dean, his tone hushed, but still ignoring Sam's shushing.
"Listening," answered Sam, his voice soft, barely above a whisper.
"To what?" asked Dean, frowning slightly. He glanced around the room, straining to hear in the dark.
"To you," said Sam, pressing even closer against Dean, tangling his legs with Dean's.
Raising his eyebrows, Dean blinked and tried to decipher what that was supposed to mean in Samspeak. "Okaaay." He dropped his head back down on the pillow, too tired from the road to continue the riddle that was Sam.
A small smile graced Sam's lips at the relaxed play of Dean's fingers in his hair. Breathing deeply, he inhaled the familiar scent that was unique and was solely Dean. Turning his head slightly, he placed a soft kiss over Dean's heart and settled back down.
"I'm too wiped out, Sam," murmured Dean, sliding his hand from Sam's hair down to his shoulder and giving him a slight hug. "Unless you need me to . . . ."
"Go back to sleep," said Sam. "That's not why I'm here."
Dean made a non verbal reply as he once again lifted his head and pressed an affectionate kiss on the top of Sam's head before surrendering to sleep.
The menacing silence had been vanquished and Sam drifted off with the siren of the heart that loved him unconditionally.