Supernatural Imagines: Book One

Don't Give Up On Me

Characters: MoC!Dean x Reader

Warnings: Mark of Cain angst, comforting Dean at the end

Summary: Seeing how the Mark is affecting Dean, you try to lift his spirits with Christmas Pie. He takes this opportunity as something else.

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Christmas was right around the corner, and to kick off the holiday, you wanted to bake some treats for you, Sam, and Dean. It's been a tough year with the Mark of Cain, Dean inheriting that Mark, and dealing with the aftermath of it all. It wasn't fair to Dean to take on such a responsibility which is why you wanted to try and help him with that.

Over the years, you and Dean have gotten close, but you two have never stepped over the invisible line that would transfer your relationship into something more. With him taking the Mark, it made it a lot harder to try to be something more because he was so distant with everyone. It made your heart quench in pain for him.

Dean started isolating himself, drowning in alcohol because he thinks that is the only way to deal with his problems. He's pushed both you and Sam away whenever you two tried to help him feel better. Every fruitless effort was met with doors in your face, words thrown at you, and him running away for the night.

With Christmas being so close, you hoped that the thought of baking delicious treats for everyone would make Dean realize that no matter what he said to you, how he said it, or how much he pushes you away, you were always going to be there for him. Luckily, you went shopping the other day and bought all the ingredients you would need to make these apple pies with. Not even a pissed off Dean could deny your apple pies.

Mixing the dry ingredients in a bowl, you made sure to keep it at a consistency before adding in the wet ones. Making the dough for the pies were the easiest part since baking came so easily to you. It was one of the things you did to relieve you of your stress. Something about making the perfect dessert calms your nerves in the way books did for Sam or driving Baby did for Dean.

Deciding on two pies for right now, you kneaded the dough for the first one, flattening it out to make the crust. With the excess dough, you used it to turn that ball into strips which you will use later on for the top when you weaved them together.

While you let the prepared dough harden a bit, you made the jam and jelly that you would put inside of it along with cut up apples you marinated. This was going to be the best damn pie Dean has ever tasted, and you knew it would make him feel better.

After getting the jam and jelly ready, you layered the pie with jam, apples, jelly, apples, and continued that pattern until it was complete. Next was the weaved pieces of dough which took a bit of time. When you were all complete, you placed it in the oven to cook while you prepared the second pie.

Dean was in his room, listening to music, trying to tune out the rest of the world while the mark on his arm throbbed, begging for attention. Sam was you doing whatever he was doing, but it wasn't his brother that he kept thinking about. It was you.

He hasn't been the best person to you, and he's noticed that after every bad night, you were there the next day to try and make him feel better. It was sweet, what you were trying to do, but he couldn't bear this weight on his shoulders to you. He knew what he was doing when he took the Mark, but he didn't know what it would really cost him.

His relationships were faltering, everything he ever cared about and loved was starting to disintegrate as if they didn't mean anything. He wanted to scream, cry, and apologize for the mess he created, but the Mark wouldn't let him. All he wanted to do was run into your arms and never leave. He had a huge crush on you but being close to you would only end up hurting you, and he could never do that to you.

Picking up his phone, he went to change the song when he smelled his favorite dessert: pie. Knowing it was you who was making them and why, he decided it was time to apologize to you for the way he was behaving. He got up and left his room, following the delicious scent to the kitchen where you were, mixing the dough together in a bowl.

Looking up, you saw a shameful Dean walk into the kitchen. Your heart ached for him, and you knew by the look on his face why he was here.

"Hey, Dean. I'm making some pie for you. It's almost Christmas and I figured instead of cookies or gingerbread, I'd make you a pie instead. One is cooking," you informed him, going back to mixing the dough. It was almost ready to shape.

"I'm sorry," he choked out, making you freeze. "I know I've been a dick lately, and I want to blame the Mark, but it's all on me. All you're trying to do is make me feel better, and I push you away. It's not fair to you."

"It's okay, Dean. We all have our demons, and I can count a number of times where I shut you out. Did you give up on me then? No, so I'm not going to give up on you," you shrugged. Dean stared at you with unshed tears in his eyes but nodded.

"Do you need any help?" he asked, pointing to the mess you made. Looking around, you tried to think of the best way Dean could express himself, and when your eyes landed on the dough, you had an idea.

"Actually, yeah. Why don't you knead the dough for me? I can get the jam and jelly ready while you do that."

"Sure," he nodded and walked towards you, taking the dough out of the bowl once he reached it. The two of you worked in silence for a little bit with Dean on dough duty and you on jam and jelly. There was no need of words, but the longer the silence stewed, the more Dean's mind screamed at him.

His breathing started to pick up, but you didn't notice. The voices in his head started to yell nasty things at him, and the Mark started throbbing a bit more. Thinking everything is fine, you mixed the ingredients, but jumped when Dean yelled out. He started punching the dough as hard as he could, and you were thankful you made a lot of it otherwise he would hurt his hand on the counter.

The only reason you didn't interfere was because you knew he needed this. Plus, he was really working that dough. Punch after punch, Dean kept going at it until he stopped with a sigh. The kitchen got really quiet again, and you walked over to him before bringing him into a hug. He hesitated for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around your waist, burying his head in your neck.

Feeling his hot breath on your neck, he let out shaky breaths until you could feel water on your skin. Dean was crying, and all you were going to do was be there for him just like he was for you.