Outside, convenient clearing in the nearby woods, late afternoon

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean found a convenient tree to sit under, and settled down, back against the trunk. He took a long drink of his Mountain Dew, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

The headache he'd had since the end of karate this morning was still there. He thought at first it was just caffeine withdrawal; he'd had a grand total of half a cup of coffee in the last two days so it was possible. Hence, the Mountain Dew. It hadn't helped.

The dorms had suddenly seemed too small, too crowded and too stuffy so Dean had abandoned them and ended up out here in the woods. Which was...nice. It was quiet, there was a slight breeze and he could almost smell the impending rain in the air.

He'd be quite content if he could just get rid of this damned headache.

[OOC: NFB, locked to them that know who they are]

Comments

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"He's only a danger because of those fuckers who are after him. Which they won't be if he was in an entire different time. Which he would be with us, one without a direct link to when he's from. That's kinda the point of the whole thing." Feeling suddenly restless, he got to his feet and started to pace. "And the whole being a jerk thing is just a front. Hell, you should be used to it, you've called me on acting like a jerk when I'm trying to hide stuff often enough!"

[likethegun]

Sam stood up too, because sitting down made him feel small compared to Dean, and that was the last thing he wanted right now. "Yeah, I'm used to you acting like a jerk, but that's exactly what it is - acting. That's not how you are all the time. It isn't a front with Alec." He sighed, letting himself sound as angry as he was starting to feel. "I don't understand why you care about him so much. Especially since I seriously doubt that he shares your concern when it comes to us."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"You know that for sure that it's not a front for him, do you?" Dean asked, a little taken aback at the Sammy's anger. "You know there's nothing more to him than that?" His headache was getting worse and was brining with it a little dizziness as he paced restlessly. "I care because I've got glimpses behind that front that you don't think is a front. Of course he's not going to be great with people or feelings -- he hasn't had a chance to learn. But that doesn't mean he's a lost cause."

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

Alec could hear them now, as loud as their voices had become since the beginning of the conversation. It wasn't anything he didn't know, mostly, but none of it was anything he wanted to hear out loud.

He thought about leaving, letting them have their conversation in private, but this did concern him. Alec stayed, watching them, and listened.

[likethegun]

"Fine," Sam said. "You can teach him how to deal with people. Make him your special project while we're here for all I care. But to bring him home with us? What are you going to tell Dad, Dean? 'He's a stray cat, he followed me home, can we keep him?' I don't think that's going to work." Sam shook his head as he watched Dean pace. "But you know what, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you and Alec can be the set of good little hunters that Dad's always wanted, and I don't have to worry about living up to that anymore."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean stopped and turned to stare at Sammy. "Is that what this really is about?" he asked with a disbelieving laugh. "You being freakin' jealous?"

He shook his head and laughed again and moved to start pacing again but his feet didn't seem to work right and he stumbled, catching himself on a nearby tree trunk to stop his fall. That's when he noticed his hands were shaking.

He pulled it away and held it up in front of his face, watching with an almost clincial detachment as his it shook. He felt.. weird. Not quite all there. He looked up at Sammy over his shaking hand and said, "Guess I shouldn't have had that last Mountain Dew."

Then he keeled over like a tree being cut.