Dean eyes Rachel as she stirs a deep magenta smoothie. Sam notices this and shifts his head around to catch Dean's eyes.
"Hey," he says, snapping his fingers softly.
"Hmm?" Dean realizes he's stared a bit too long and breaks his gaze. Clearing his throat, he apologizes. His fork plunges into a fried egg, piercing the yolk. Dean watches as the yellow stuff runs down onto dark toast and across bacon that was more fat than meat.
"Somebody seems a bit nervous," Rachel remarks, offering a smile. "Meet the Parents, huh?" She asks, nudging Sam, who gives a small smile and an awkward laugh.
"I don't think you used that-" Dean trails off. "Nevermind." He wears a fake smile, trying to coax more out of the pair. "So what? Family man now, huh?"
The couple exchanged a glance and Rachel giggled.
"I wouldn't say that. I mean, there's no ring yet." Sam takes a sip of his water and shudders at the metallic taste. "I introduced her to some classic movies last week; that's why... Meet the Parents..." He smiles at her failed reference attempt.
"What, she's never seen it?" Dean turns to Rachel, who just shrugs, beaming.
"I guess you could say I was sheltered." The perfectly white toothy grin still peeks out between her lips, swiped with a translucent red gloss. A gray hoodie hangs loosely on her shoulders; it's Sam's, printed with Stanford University's own logo.
Dean couldn't help himself. "How old are you anyway?"
"Dean," comes Sam's sharp, pointed warning. Rachel's eyes are wide, not knowing how to answer.
He apologizes and avoids eye contact with either of them. Something is off, really off, about this whole situation. But he isn't about to say anything. It had been a year since he'd seen his little brother, the only physical thing left of their parents' besides himself. He's not about to ruin what could be his last chance with him.
The trio continue the meal in near-silence, the brothers simply relishing in one another's company again. Old jokes and stifled laughter pass like they used to, but still an awkwardness hangs like a string connecting the two. Rachel feels that something in the air between them is weird, but doesn't say anything. She constantly swirls the straw in her drink around, but doesn't put her lips to it at all.
Dean notices and falls silent. Sam sees the weird look on his brother's face, but ignores it. They could talk later, when it was just the two of them. Instead, he wraps a lanky arm around his girl, rubbing her shoulder with his thumb. He knows that Dean doesn't believe him. Either that, or he thinks something is up. But, that doesn't matter. He is determined to prove it isn't a show.
"Okay, weirdos," Rachel calls from the safety of Sam's arm. The words snap them out of their respective trances. "I think breakfast is done. Let's go home," she pleads, looking at the two plates of half-eaten food.
Sam starts, "Oh, hon, I don't really think-"
"No, come on, I'd love to see the new place, Sammy Boy!"
"Well, it's a hotel, Dean. Not exactly a-"
"I'm aware." Piercing green eyes end the discussion. He feels that his brother has something to hide. "What, you got a kid holed up with a hot nanny you don't want me to see?" He chuckles and Sam returns the laugh, albeit nervously.
"Nah, no, no kid. But, uh... Sure! Um, let's go, then." Sam raises his arms in defeat, his eyebrows raised in a playful manner.
"Great." Dean smirks.
He doesn't know what's up, but he's determined to find out.
YOU ARE READING
THE THING ABOUT RACHEL ➶ A SAM WINCHESTER SHORT
Fanfiction❝TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY: YOU SURE KNOW HOW TO PICK 'EM, SAMMY.❞ having finally been reunited with sam, dean gets to meet his new girlfriend, whom he doesn't like. he thinks she has too many secrets. he's right. {spn season 4 au} you can read the pr...
