Small Cuts (Supernatural Dark!fic)

f i f t e e n

"Under the surface, my love
But beware, beware, beware
And take it slow tonight"
Today I Saw The Whole World (Acoustic)  - Pierce The Veil 

The faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead buzzed through the bunker as Amara stood in the training room, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. After the emotional exhaustion of the night before, she wasn't entirely sure how she was supposed to focus on training with Sam and Dean today. Her body still ached from the flashback, and her mind was a jumble of memories and confusion. But she needed this—something to ground her, to distract her from the heavy thoughts swirling around her head.

Dean was already there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his usual gruff expression in place. He was back to his old self, or at least he seemed to be. The sharp, sarcastic edge was there, but Amara could feel a subtle shift in him—something that had softened after their moment the night before. He wasn't saying anything about it, of course, but there was a warmth in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

"You ready for this?" Dean asked, his tone rough but playful.

Amara nodded, though her nerves tingled under her skin. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Dean gave her a small smirk, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good. Sam's been talking about pushing you a little harder today. Let's see what you've got."

Amara tried to focus, but her gaze drifted to the door as Sam entered the room. He was carrying an old leather book, flipping through the pages with the same focus she had seen in him so many times. But when he looked up, there was something different in his expression—something sharp, as if he had been observing everything with a quiet intensity.

The tension between the brothers was almost palpable, though neither of them was saying anything. Amara could feel it, the way the air seemed thicker, as if an unspoken competition had started brewing between them. Sam's gaze flicked briefly to Dean, then to Amara, lingering a little too long for her comfort.

Amara glanced at Sam, who had been more intense today than usual. There was something in his eyes, something sharp and dangerous that made her stomach flip every time he looked at her. Sam had always been calm, controlled, but today, there was an edge to him that left her on guard.

"Ready?" Dean asked, his voice rough but playful as he pushed off the wall and stepped toward her.

"Let's do this, Winchester." Amara replied, playfully, though her nerves were on edge.

Dean gave her a quick nod before gesturing for her to move into position. "Good. I want to see how much of yesterday's training stuck."

They began the usual hand-to-hand combat routine, Dean testing her with strikes and counters, all while keeping his protective edge intact. She managed to block most of his attacks, surprising herself with how much her instincts had sharpened. But even through the physical exercise, she could feel Sam watching her—observing, studying. His presence was heavier today, and the air between them felt different, charged.

Dean pulled back after a particularly successful takedown. "Not bad, kid. You're getting the hang of this." He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at Sam. "Your turn, Sammy."

Sam stepped forward, his gaze locked on Amara, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. His intensity was palpable, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing just beneath the surface.

They circled each other slowly, Sam's eyes never leaving hers. "You've got good instincts," Sam said, his voice calm but edged with something darker. "But you're still holding back."