5th hunt ♟ accidental video

[sonofabitch]

[It's no secret that the bracelets have a habit of working when you least want them to, especially in the dead of a night. Dean is already asleep when it hits him, a flood of dreams that are all a little too vivid to sit well with his psyche. He only registers that faintly, though, because they feel so real, like he's living a different life, or maybe a future one. It's horrific, though, worse than his usual life. Flashes of teeth and blood and black ooze, trenchcoat and plaid and holy crap Sam needs a haircut.

He wakes with a sickening jolt, that feeling that of falling in a dream and only waking when you've hit the ground. His head is pounding, crammed full of a new life, missing some of his pretend one (though he won't know it), and he sits up groggily to hold his head before looking around. It takes him a second to process, well, everything, and once he has he's tearing off the sheets and running for the door.]

Sam?!

Comments

[video]

[swedge]

Dean? [she pauses, frowning.] You okay?

[Maybe it's the look in his eyes when he wakes up, but she's worried.]

video;

[sonofabitch]

[He takes a while to reply, trying to school his expression but unable to hide the hints of confusion and worry on his face.]

Jo? Yeah, I'm—

When did you get here?

video;

[swedge]

I went out for a run but-

[she stops, recognizing the fact that wasn't what he meant. She frowns a bit.]

You're kidding, right?

[sonofabitch]

[The look on his face clearly states 'no I'm not kidding' in the raise of an eyebrow and an unimpressed pout in the line of his lips. It's not even the issue of her being dead in his time period since he's long gotten over that. It only took so many supposedly dead people showing up in the city before you just learned to adjust your worldview.]

No, and I wasn't talkin' about a run around the block, either. When did you get to the city? Or have you just been shy about saying 'hi' on the network?

[swedge]

[Jo knows that look all too well, and in response she crosses her arms over her chest. He doesn't get to do that to her, not here.]

I've been here for over a month, Dean. I've been living here, with you and Sam and Cas and Bobby, for over a month. [She's confused, really confused, but it's not like she's going to let Dean know that. Instead, she frowns some more.] What's going on with you?

Video.

[stakes]

Oh my god, Dean! [ Something isn't right. She can sense it. ] Dean? What's wrong?

video;

[sonofabitch]

Nothing. [The last thing he wants to do is worry Buffy. She's tough, but he doesn't like burdening his friends if he doesn't have to. Besides, he's fine. Really.]

I just—

Those crash courses in what we've missed back home ain't fun.

video;

[stakes]

-- Oh. Yeah, those. Euueechh. Had one awhile back. [ She doesn't want to talk about her right now, though. She's too happy to see him. ] God, you have no idea how good it is to see you.

[sonofabitch]

Yeah, it left a splitting headache on its way out. [A face that shows exactly what he thinks of that. But then his expression turns a little confused.] You act like we haven't seen each other in months or something.

[stakes]

A lot's happened since the last time I talked to you, Dean. Like, a lot a lot.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

[ Arthur saw the same exact thing happen to Morgana. He thought it was simply because of her Sight, but - perhaps it's just another of the gods' games. ]

Trouble sleeping?

video;

[sonofabitch]

[It had happened to enough people that Dean at least knew what it was, but it had still be shocking in the moment. Don't worry, he won't be calling in sick for work.]

No more than usual.

video;

[pratentious]

[ Because that is clearly what he's worried about here ... ]

Mm, glad to hear it. I often wake in fright when I dream of Morgana, it's quite understandable.

[ Sibling-tease, fuck yeah. ]

[sonofabitch]

[Priorities, Arthur, they're important for the once and future king to have.]

I hear ya. The number of nightmares I have about Sam's sideburns...

[He even pretends to shiver for added effect.]

[pratentious]

I've run across a man here whose hair has grown to occupy the vast majority of his face.

[ He gestures to the sides of his face, oddly reminiscent of muttonchops ... ]

Perhaps they should meet. He might serve as a cautionary tale.

[Offline]

[smartwinchester]

[Sam runs head first into Dean, on his way to shake his brother awake from his nightmare. His eyes are wide as he catches Dean by the arms, gripping his brother tightly.]

Dean, I'm right here --

[His eyes hold concern.]

What's wrong? What happened?

offline;

[sonofabitch]

[Dean breathes a little easier with Sam there, concrete and alive and all that good stuff. His eyes might look a little wild, but that wasn't necessarily something new.]

A dream. One of those crappy montages of all the things I've been missing back home. [He frowns suddenly, eyes widening with concern.] You're still okay here, right?

offline;

[smartwinchester]

[Sam holds nothing but concern in his eyes as he tries to sort out what has Dean freaked out so much -- and he lets his older brother do the older brother thing, asking whether or not he's alright, because a good chunk of Dean's nightmares have to do with Sam doing something stu --

-- wait.

Suddenly, the concern turns into something of a dumbfounded expression as he digests what Dean has said -- and then, from dumbfounded to sad to suddenly tired and the youngest Winchester pulls Dean forward into a tight hug, his heart suddenly heavy for no inexplicable reason other than the fact that Dean is no longer from that more peaceful (ha) time.]

Yeah, I'm fine.

[It's murmured.]

Cas fixed it. It carried over.

[sonofabitch]

[Even though he'll grumble about it later, Dean accepts the hug and returns it, holding Sam tight and squeezing his eyes closed now that the other can't see it. Maybe he even lets the hug last a little longer to he can collect himself and go back to just looking pissed off at the world. He can't help but feeling a little tired too, though, the extra weight of knowledge and first-hand experience heavy on his mind. It was one thing to be told about what had happened and another to live through it, feel the emotions and countless heartbreaks he'd had to fight through.

But for now he'll focus on Sam, because he's here and not literally a world away like he had been the last thing Dean remembers before waking up.]

Good. [Right, Cas.] Where is he? I owe him a fist to the face. Or twelve.

[smartwinchester]

He's --

[And there's half a beat of silence as Sam stares at him, a little confused, before the younger Winchester scowls slightly.]

You're not punching him in the face, Dean. He saved me. I think he's more than made up for what he's done in what he's given up for the both of us, don't you think? You don't need to hold it against him any more than you need to hold it against me. Let it go.

[Offline] /laaaate

[ofthursday]

[When Castiel sees this, and hears Dean shouting, he tells Daphne he'll be right back and then goes in search of his friend.]

Dean?

offline;

[sonofabitch]

[Dean also decks him one purely out of principle, but he's still a little off-balance from the sudden years of fresh memories buzzing around in his head. So he sort of just staggers towards him before leaning sideways against the nearest wall.]

You're an asshole, you know that?

offline;

[ofthursday]

[Castiel just stares at him as he staggers, wanting to help but not sure if he should. At Dean's words, he pretty sure he made the right decision in not moving.]

So you've told me. What for this time?

[It's not snippy, just kind of resigned like he's used to this. Which he is.]

[sonofabitch]

[*almost (jesus)

Well fine just stand there and watch him cry]

Mostly the same crap. It's a little different living through it, though.

[Dean straightens a little, rolling his shoulders as he feels a little more awake and grounded.] What time are you from? Specifically.

[ofthursday]

It is.

[He hasn't really had it happen to him yet, but the difference would be pretty clear. And now he's more than a little unsure of himself, because if Dean's lived through any of the things he hadn't before, then Castiel has no idea how they stand.

But he answers the question, after a moment.]

We are in the institution, with Sam. I just told you it would be better this way.