Sam's Map

[27jj]

Title: Sam’s Map

Author: 27_jaredjensen

Word Count: 1,450

Characters: Sam, Dean, gen

Summary: Written for the Dean-focused hurt/comfort comment-fic meme for the prompt at the end.

A/N: sorry, the sneeze aren't spelled out, but they're there.

***

Every once in a while, Sam and Dean find themselves having to sleep in very close quarters.

Sometimes it’s a motel that only has a room with a single bed. Sometimes they’re in the Impala, which is a little cramped when it comes to sleeping room.

Tonight, it’s camping. A hunt for a Wendigo has them in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a forest thick with trees, only a small tent to protect them from the biting cold. They’re about a days’ distance from the Impala, and according to Sam’s map, another day and a half to the Wendigo’s lair. Except for the fact that they’d been lost, according to Sam’s map, for about three hours.

“I can’t believe this,” Dean grumbles for the tenth time before pulling a hand out of his pocket to wipe his runny nose. “We’re going to freeze to death, lost in the middle of the freaking woods because you can’t seem to-”

“Dean!” Sam stops walking and drops his bag. “I get it, I messed up, end of story. We’re stopping here for the night.”

He pulls his back off and drops it next to his duffle, then turns and starts walking away.

“Start setting up the tent. I’m going to get firewood,” He calls over his shoulder.

When Sam comes back, he reassures Dean that he’s pretty sure they’re not lost.

“The Wendigo’s lair is only about eleven miles that way…or maybe it’s that way…” Sam wraps his arms around himself and turns a slow circle, scanning the trees as if looking for some kind of clue that will tell them the right direction. “But according to this map, we shouldn’t be too far from-”

“Fuck your map, Sam. Let’s just head back to the Impala.”

Sam cups his hands to his face, blows into them for warmth, and gives Dean his best bitchface.

“That’s why we brought a tent, Dean.” His words are muffled. He sniffles, wiping his wrist under his nose before blowing hot air into his hands again. “We’re not going all the way back to the Impala.

Suck it up.”

“Y-you suck it up. It’s friggin’ cold out here. I can’t feel my nose.”

Sam ignores him, begins to pitch the tent.

“Need help?” Dean asks sarcastically.

“Yes. You can put-”

“Where are the sleeping bags?” Dean cuts him off, not really interested in helping with his brother’s stupid idea of a tent.

He gets no answer, however, and sighs before crouching beside Sam.

“Okay, fine, I’ll help.”

Sam remains silent next to him, staring at the ground.

“Sam?”

“I forgot them.”

“Forgot what?” And then, he realizes what Sam’s talking about. “Seriously, Sam? Are you kidding me?”

“Dean, I’m sor-”

“You suck, Sam, you know that?”

***

They set up the tent in silence, except for an occasional sniffle from matching runny noses from the cold air.

They bump into each other when they climb inside and are forced to lie down, the tent too small to even sit up in it.

“S-since you forgot the sleeping bags, I g-get th-the blanket, b-bitch.” Dean pulls the blanket over his head and turns his back to Sam, and Sam rolls so his back is to Dean. Seconds later, there’s a sharp intake of breath followed shortly by an enormous sneeze, causing Sam to jump.

“Dean?” There’s another ear-splitting sneeze and a groan from Dean.

“Great. Now the Wendigo knows where we are,” Sam mocks.

“I’b pretty sure-” Dean stops to sniff wetly, congestedly, “that your loud bitchigg earlier tipped it off…hetchSHUH!”

“Dean? What the hell?” Sam rolls over so he can see Dean, and Dean looks over his shoulder to see his accusing glare. “You sneezed earlier too, when we were hiking here.”

“So? You godda sue be for it?”

Dean rolls his eyes, but unconsciously raises a fist to his face, rubbing it in circles against his nose.

“Oh my God, you’re sick, aren’t you? How long have you been sick?”

“Sevedty weeks, Sab.”

“Ha ha. You gonna be able to sleep?”

“Dot if you keep talkigg.” There’s another intake of breath, another sneeze, and a loud, gurgling sniffle. Sam props himself up on one elbow, leans over, and Dean can feel him pressing against his back.

“You try to feel my forehead, I will break your hand.”

***

They’re both still dressed in their clothes, boots and jackets on, and after awhile Dean is shivering violently despite the stolen blanket. He rolls over to face Sam and sees that his brother is wide awake and shivering, almost as much as he is.

Suddenly, Dean’s glad for the small space. He unwraps himself from the blanket, drapes it over the both of them.

“I hate camping.” His voice comes out hoarse, and talking makes his throat hurt all of a sudden. Sam just nods and turns so he’s a little closer to Dean.

“Sorry for getting us lost.”

***

Sam wakes up and it’s still dark outside. There’s a loud, rattling noise that at first he thinks is the wind, until it halts abruptly and is followed by a long fit of coughing.

“Dean? Damn, you sound like…”

“Like I’m dying?” Dean rasps out between coughs. “No shit, Sam.”

“…like you have a really bad cold.” Sam frees one of his arms from the blanket and presses the back of his hand to Dean’s forehead.

“Okay, maybe the ‘flu. You have a fever.”

“No, Sam, your hands are just freezing.”

“Well, your sweating and shivering and coughing and sneezing. So you’re sick.”

“Fine,” Dean snaps before he wrenches to the side to sneeze twice. “Damnit, my throat!” He feels Sam’s icy hands on his neck, probing his glands.

“’the fuck I say about trying to feel my forehead?”

“Maybe we should try to get back to the Impala…I don’t like the way you’re sounding.” Sam’s hands are cupping both his forehead and the side of his neck again, and it’s a little suffocating.

“Yeah, we definitely need to get you out of here, Dean.” Sam’s voice is laced with panic, but its fading quickly, and Dean closes his eyes, welcoming the silence that sleep brings.

***

Dean opens his eyes to Sam in his face, saying his name.

“That’s it, Dean. Wake up, come on.”

“Where…?” He sneezes wetly before he can get anything else out.

“We’re gonna get you back to the Impala, okay? Just need you to get up for me.”

Dean feels himself being pulled up by his arms, and then he’s leaning against Sam, who’s really warm.

“Wendigo?” He wheezes, then coughs.

“Doesn’t matter. Just gotta get you back.” Sam starts walking, so Dean has to start walking, but his legs aren’t working properly, so Sam mostly ends up half dragging him.

“I think this is the right way,” Sam chatters in his ear, and Dean thinks it’s supposed to be reassuring.

The trek back to the Impala seems longer than before, and they aren’t even sure they’re headed in the right direction. Sam keeps up a steady one-sided conversation and a steady pace.

They stop after about an hour, but it seems like it’s been a hell of a lot longer, and Sam manhandles Dean so that he’s sitting against a tree.

“S-Sam…” Dean isn’t sure what he was trying to say, but the thought eludes him and is replaced by four tremendous sneezes followed by a coughing fit that leaves him struggling for breath. Sam rubs his back and feels his forehead and then rubs his back some more, even when he’s done coughing.

After a few minutes, Sam hauls him back up, and they’re walking again. He doesn’t remember most of the journey, except that he feels like ass and its freezing cold and Sam walks too fast.

He’s about to tell Sam to leave him to die when he hears his brother’s excited voice in his ear.

“Dean, the Impala! We made it! Come on, just a little bit farther.”

***

Dean can barely keep his eyes open when Sam finally deposits him in the passenger seat. He sags against the door after Sam closes it and moans.

“Sam?” He whispers when Sam has climbed behind the wheel.

“Dean? What is it? Just hang in for a bit longer, okay?”

“Can I…” he stops to cough. “Can I see your map?”

Sam starts to nod, then his expression turns to confused.

“Wait, why?’

“Please, Sam?”

“Okay, okay. Here. Why do you-” A loud, trumpeting sound fills the car as Dean blows his nose into the map.

“Thanks,” Dean grins sleepily, dropping the snotty, crumpled paper into Sam’s still outstretched hand. He then sneezes, coughs harshly, and closes his eyes, resting his head against the window.

***

Prompt: Dean comes down with a cold/flu thing when they're deep into the woods on a camping trip hunting... something. Sam has to help him make the loooong trip back to the car. Lots of sneezy, wheezy, grumbly Dean, and handsy Sam, pretty please!

[Lady Blessington]

You make me happy.

[swann_ee_song]

Definitely giggled out loud at Dean's treatment of Sam's map....

That was. In a word: HOT.

[shygreeneyes]

Oh, BOYS! That was just adorable.

[obsessed]

Both boys shivering, lost, and cramped together?

With one sick?

Ooooooh, lovely. <3

[aggedy_ann]

Grins.

The poor map

[ID2006]

Definitely lovely

[27jj]

You make me happy.

YOU make ME happy, so I guess we're even:)

Definitely giggled out loud at Dean's treatment of Sam's map....

That was. In a word: HOT.

Hehe I'm glad you liked it and thought it was hot, that makes me smile:) Thanks!!

Oh, BOYS! That was just adorable.

Thank you!!! Glad you liked it:)

Both boys shivering, lost, and cramped together?

With one sick?

Ooooooh, lovely. <3

I know, I jumped on that prompt so fast!! Thank you for reading!!

Grins.

The poor map

=D Yes, poor map:) Thanks for reading:)

Definitely lovely

Thank you so much!!

[scarlett_ohara2]

You make me happy.

Um, seconded?

P.S. The first line of this actually made me think this was going in a completely different direction... you know, a very... familial thing...

Anyway. LOVE. Especially Sam's comment about Dean's sneezing alerting the Wendigo to their presence, and Dean's response that Sam's bitching probably already had. Priceless!

[27jj]

You make me happy.

Um, seconded?

P.S. The first line of this actually made me think this was going in a completely different direction... you know, a very... familial thing...

Anyway. LOVE. Especially Sam's comment about Dean's sneezing alerting the Wendigo to their presence, and Dean's response that Sam's bitching probably already had. Priceless!

Awww, THANK YOU!

And yeah, that first line...I wasn't really sure it was a great way to start and I still don't think it is, but I just wrote it and then forgot about it...

Anywho, thanks so much for reading:)

[ooo]

Hehe, I loved all Dean's complaining in this one! Especially "’the fuck I say about trying to feel my forehead?". And the sneezing on Sam's map...haha, oh Dean.

[iluvsneezes]

This is awesome! I always get excited when I see you've written something new.

[telltale]

I love you so much right now.

[27jj]

Hehe, I loved all Dean's complaining in this one! Especially "’the fuck I say about trying to feel my forehead?". And the sneezing on Sam's map...haha, oh Dean.

Awww thanks! Writing complain-y Dean is so much fun:)

This is awesome! I always get excited when I see you've written something new.

Thank you!! That means so much to me:)

I love you so much right now.

THANK YOU!!

[sneezysammy345]

I love the fact that Dean blew his nose using the map. That'll teach Sam.

[PortlandLove]

amazing

[Always-a-Ginger]

LOL Love Dean threatening to break Sam's hand almost as much as his treatment of the map.