It took them days to track down and kill all the knights. Each time, Josie and Sam noticed how the elder Winchester changed. Actually, the huntress was going to give Dean a chance when this was over. No more promising Andy because she might never be able to avenge him. But the person Dean was becoming was not the one she was beginning to develop feelings for.
Dean, too, was cool with her when he was near his blade. Sam had to forcefully take it away from him every time, but it became more difficult with each murder and Dean found it difficult to part with his beloved treasure. Sam moved the box with the blade far enough away, hoping that when the weapon had no effect on his brother, his brother would return to normal. But it was already too late for that.
While Dean was better able to control the urge to kill when he wasn't holding the knife in his hand, it built up and often kept him up at night. He even dreamed where the blade was, but forced himself not to go for it. Just because of Josie. He felt that she was avoiding him a little, even though they had become closer over the past few days and weeks. Again and again, Dean tried to restore this closeness and joined her, but it wasn't the same anymore. Without a word, he sat down across from her at the kitchen table.
"Hey, what's up?" she murmured, with a coffee mug in one hand, while looking up from her book in the other hand.
"I wanted to ask if you have plans for today"
"Why? Do you?" she replied evasively.
He took a small piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. Puzzled, she looked at the folded paper and then in Dean's eyes. She unfolded it skeptically and breathed out a sigh of relief when she only recognized the tattoo motif, which also adorned Dean's and Sam's chest.
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She was afraid that he wanted to hand her a message that would have been a bit overwhelming for her at the moment. It was always difficult for her to reject Dean when he always tried to be who he was before the Mark of Cain.
"I thought it was about time for you to get a tattoo," Dean said with a warm smile.
He was dying to do something alone with Josie again, and maybe a visit to the tattoo studio was harmless enough for her to agree.
"Yeah, I'm still amazed I've never been possessed by a demon!" she admitted, considering the subject, "Where do you think a good spot for that would be?"
He thought for a moment and looked her up and down. With a smile, Josie cocked her head, she had expected Dean to name an intimate spot directly, but in fact he took her question seriously.
"How about your shoulder blade?" the hunter finally asked.
"Sounds good," Josie agreed, folding the paper again, "I assume you want to come with me?"
"If you let me"
"Of course !" she assured him, reaching out to touch his cheek.
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Intuitively he closed his eyes as she touched him. She smiled softly at him and lingered in the loving gesture.
"I need someone to hold hands when the pain gets too much," she whispered and he looked into her eyes with delight.
A short time later, the two hunters entered a small tattoo studio. Somehow Josie was glad to have Dean with her, because she probably would have changed her mind, given the smell of disinfectant and the low hum of the tattoo machines, which reminded her strongly of a dentist's drill.
"Don't worry sweetheart, I won't hurt you, at least not yet," the tattoo artist joked, noticing Josie's confused look.
She handed him the template and told him where she wanted it.
"Well then, come with me," he grinned and led her to his artists' corner.
Seeking help, the brunette turned to Dean, who loved to follow her.
"Your first tattoo, sweetie?" the tattoo artist asked, drawing the pentagram on her shoulder.
"Yes," she whispered, staring at Dean, who took a seat in front of her.
"Josie, relax, it's just a pen and not a needle," Dean calmed her and was amazed at how scared his tough huntress was.
Josie, however, tensed with every touch and when the soft hum sounded, she narrowed her eyes expectantly. Dean sympathetically gave her his hand.
"I'll get started now," the artist warned and applied the fine needles.
Surprised, Josie opened her eyes and looked into Dean's grinning face.
"It's not as bad as I expected," she admitted, "why isn't anyone telling me that?"
"You never asked," Dean replied with a shrug.
"What kind of tattoo is that?" the tattoo artist asked interested.
"A partner tattoo," Josie answered with a wink and Dean immediately pulled his collar aside to show his.
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"Are you both part of a satanic cult?" he continued chatting.
"Oh no, I'm definitely not a friend of Lucifer's since he possessed my brother and dragged him down to hell where he tortured him in his cage," Dean said honestly.
The tattoo artist stared at the hunter for a moment, but then he started laughing out loud.
"It's a good one!" he laughed and went back to the tattoo.
Josie just smiled a little and Dean shrugged his shoulders. It was always funny to see that as hunters they were not taken seriously when they spoke the truth. Even if Lucifer personally told someone he was the devil, no one would believe him.
"Well, we're done," the tattoo artist said after a while, handing Josie a mirror.
"And what do you say?" She asked Dean, who just nodded contentedly.
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From now on he didn't have to worry about Josie being possessed. And she wasn't entirely wrong about the partner tattoo.
