Mervin Motel
South Dakota
April
The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with the faint scent of antiseptic mixed with the more comforting aroma of takeout. Dean leaned back against the headboard, a few pillows propping him up, his side still throbbing from the Vamp encounter. It wasn't the first time he had taken a beating, but this one felt different. Maybe it was the deep puncture wound or the knowledge that he needed to be more careful. Either way, he had to take it easy for a while, and it chafed against his instincts.
He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, wondering where Sam was. He had sent his brother out for dinner, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stomach the effort of cooking. Besides, Sam was always the one who could find the best greasy spots.
As he shifted slightly, a jolt of pain shot through his side, reminding him of his injuries. He grit his teeth, trying to ignore it, but the discomfort was persistent. He reached for his phone, feeling a rush of anticipation as he unlocked the screen. There was a text from Sheva, and his heart skipped at the sight of her name.
𝐇𝐞𝐲, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧. 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲. 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮!
A smile tugged at his lips despite the pain. He wanted to respond, to reassure her that he was alright, but before he could type out a reply, there was a knock at the door.
"Finally." He muttered, pushing himself up gingerly from the bed and making his way to the door. He opened it to find Sam standing there, arms loaded with takeout bags and a couple of drinks.
"Here's the feast." Sam said, grinning as he squeezed past Dean into the room. "I thought I'd get us something hearty. You need to eat to heal, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah." Dean replied, forcing a chuckle as he settled back on the bed. "Just don't put any vegetables on my plate, alright?"
Sam rolled his eyes but set the bags down on the small table. "No worries. Just good old-fashioned burgers and fries. Nothing fancy."
As Sam began unpacking the food, Dean's phone buzzed again, pulling his attention away. He picked it up. It was just a reminder.
A pang of guilt hit him. He wanted to tell her that he was okay, that he was just dealing with a scratch. But the truth was, he felt far from okay. The injuries had knocked him down a peg, and he hated it. He quickly typed back,
𝐈'𝐦 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
"Who are you texting?" Sam asked, glancing over his shoulder as he arranged the food.
"Just Sheva," Dean replied, trying to keep his tone casual. "She's checking in on me."
"Oh. You're still on that?" Sam said with a knowing smile. "You should call her when you're up to it. You know unless we get a hot nurse who comes in to clean your wounds." Sam teased.
Dean opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Bobby's voice came from the doorway. He stepped in, looking a bit worn but purposeful. "Boys, I'm heading out. Got some leads on that darkness we're tracking, and I'll need to check a few things out."
"Be careful, Bobby." Dean said, his voice firm despite the pain that still lingered. "We know how dangerous this could get."
"Always am." Bobby replied with a nod, but there was a heaviness in his eyes. "Just keep your head down, both of you. This darkness isn't something to take lightly."
