Keeping Warm, SPN

[Zwee]

Hey guys! Sooo... It's my birthday!! Right now! And I really like giving back on my birthday because the one thing that makes me the happiest girl in the world is making other people happy! So this story is for you guys!

And while I know this story can only please some, it's at least something. And it's both Sam AND Dean, because that's more of a people-pleaser than if I had just picked one Winchester.

Anyway! Here you go! I hope you all enjoy it, because if you do, it's like presents for meeee! Yay!

~*~

The wind whistled through the trees, echoing eerily throughout the snow-dusted graveyard. The frigid air was undisturbed by snowflakes for the time being, but the wind was enough to make anyone seek shelter from the cold.

Sam was glad for the lack of snow, as he was cold enough already, and most certainly did not want to be wet as well as freezing. He heard his brother stifle a sneeze and frowned. He shivered, pulling his hat down over his ears.

He hadn’t wanted to wear that hat. He’d protested that it was stupid and tried to leave it behind on the bed, but Dean had ignored him and made sure Sam was wearing it as soon as they were out the door. Sam was grateful for it now; without it, he’d most likely have frostbite from the unrelenting chill. Even if it did have a pom-pom sewn to the top.

“Sam,” Dean grumbled, “keep it still.” He was digging up the grave of Mr. Elton B. Greenley, the spirit that had been haunting its old mansion for nearly a century. Sam was supposed to be holding the flashlight, but he was shivering so badly it was beginning to look like a rave inside the pit.

“S-s-sorry.” Sam clenched his teeth to keep them from chattering, and crossed his arms tighter against his chest, trying to keep the flashlight as still as possible. The bitter wind made his nose and eyes sting, and he held a mittened hand up to his face just in time to catch a shivery sneeze against the soft wool. “Hih-hih-kktshhhoo!” The mittens were Dean’s idea as well.

“Sam!” Dean snapped, the sneeze having stolen his light.

When Sam gave another soft sneeze “hih-kktshchh!” into his cupped mittens, Dean softened a little.

“Look, how about you finish digging? I’m all sweaty and warm, and you’ve been sniffling for half an hour now.”

Sam shivered again, nodded silently and helped his brother out of the hole.

Dean was able to hold the flashlight still for some time before the wind pulled all the residual heat from his body and he was left trembling. He swiped at his nose, stifling a sneeze of his own, but managing to hold the light steady. “Hhh-GSHHuhhh!”

The digging wasn’t doing Sam much good either. His fingers were stiff and could not grip the shovel properly, and his arms were too weak from constant cold to make much progress.

It started to snow. That was just great. Soft white flakes drifted down upon the two shivering, sniffling brothers, covering them in a light dusting of icy wetness.

After what felt like hours, he finally felt his shovel strike something solid.

“D-Dean.” He said quietly, then coughed.

“F-f-finally, jesus.” Dean muttered, pulling salt and gasoline out of the backpack beside him. His nose was running now, and he swiped it on his sleeve for lack of tissues.

Sam cleared away the rest of the dirt from the coffin, cracked it open, then hopped out of the hole quickly.

Dean finished the job by sprinkling the salt and fluid all over the bones, then threw a match on them and stepped back, coughing hard into his shoulder.

Sam felt his breath hitch and muffled another sneeze into his elbow. “Hup’tschoo!”

“Gesundheit.” Dean’s voice was rough now.

“Thanks.” Sam moved closer to the fire for warmth, but the smoke just made him sneeze some more. “Ihh-tshhyew! Huhh… Etshhoo!”

Dean felt in his pockets for tissues but came up with nothing. After a moment, he said quietly, “C’mon Sammy. Let’s go get warmed up.”

The younger one nodded, sniffling, and followed his brother back to where they had parked the car.

They clambered inside, and Dean cranked the heat as high as it would go. He felt a sneeze coming on as he waited for the vents to offer something other than cold air. Pulling a phone number-marked napkin from the dashboard (he probably wasn’t going to call her anyway) he braced himself. “Huhh… HhhGSSHOO! Heh’ETSHH!! Huh-huh-HUPTSHHHOO! Damn it!” He frowned.

“Bless you.” Sam said, turning to his brother. “This sucks.”

“What?”

“You’re getting sick.”

Dean bristled at this. “You’re getting sick.” He shot back.

“Exactly.” Sam sighed, sputtered out a few rough coughs.

“Shit, you’re right.” The older one’s frown deepened. “Why won’t the friggin’ heat turn on?”

“C-can we just drive? The cabin has blankets and a fireplace.” Sam reasoned, hugging himself to keep warm.

“Yeah, okay.” Dean pulled out of the graveyard, guiding the sleek black car to the cabin the brothers had been inhabiting for the past few days, as it was much closer to the Greenley mansion than the nearest motel.

The cabin was small, just one large, multi-purpose room and a bathroom attached, but they boys didn’t mind, being used to motel rooms with almost the same layout.

Dean started making a fire while Sam gathered two blankets from the car and retrieved the extra two quilts from the linen closet. It was going to get cold tonight.

After they got the fire to burn competently, the boys changed out of their cold, wet clothes, then got into bed.

“Hhh-kkshhhoo! Hih-hih-hihtshhhew! HUPtshhhh!” Sam groaned, feeling around for a box of tissues before he felt something soft hit his face. It was Dean’s bandana. Sam murmured his thanks, but Dean was already asleep.

~*~

“Sab?” Dim light came through the window as the sun rose above the horizon, spilling its weak beams over Sam’s face, but he was still soundly sleeping. Dean tried again, clearing his throat, but his voice was still congested. “Sam. Wake u—Uh-HUTSHOO! Huh-GISSHhhoo!”

The younger one stirred, opened his green eyes a crack, and immediately twisted around to sneeze as well. “Hih-ihhtschh! Huh-kitshhew!” He sat up, turned back around to see Dean’s sleepy, pale face about a foot from his own.

“Why are you in my bed?” Sam mumbled sleepily.

“I’m not. You’re in mine.” Dean obviously wanted an explanation.

“I guess I was just… really really cold.” He shrugged. “Do you want me to go back?” Sam’s puppy eyes were in full use, and he shivered at just the thought of leaving the cozy warmth of his brother’s bed.

Dean sighed. “Nah, it’s fine.” He answered nonchalantly, but honestly, he was glad his brother was there. Without his heat, Dean was sure he’d be freezing, as the fire had died away hours ago and the snow was piled high outside the window.

Sam’s dimples appeared for just a moment and he mumbled, “kay” before slipping his nose beneath the blankets once again for warmth.

“Just… don’t steal all the covers.” Dean said.

Sam nodded. After a few moments, he was sleeping again.

Dean curled up a little more, leaning just slightly into his brother’s heat, and let his eyes slip closed.

“Sleep well, Sammy.” He whispered.

Sam sniffled and sighed in response.

The sun rose further in the sky, painting a gold sunrise over the snow-covered hills. By the time the clouds had eclipsed it completely, the sick boys were both fast asleep.

~*~

THE END

Let me know if you liked it! I love you all so much! <3

[Ciuty80]

oh yeah that was really cute!

and my comment is your present

thank you so much for sneezing sam AND dean!!

[Sawyer]

You're the beeesssst. YOU ARE SUCH A PEOPLE PLEASER, I noticed! You always try to add in one of everything, or both of something, so that everyone is happy! And you do a really great job of that! I liked this a LOT, oh my god, recently I've been craving something where they are just cold (because that's such a vulnerable human thing, isn't it?) and you certainly delivered!!! Like, the hat and the mittens! OH MY GOD, muffling sneezes into mittens, and the flashlight, and they are BOTH SICK and they know it!

And I liked how Dean retorted that Sam was getting sick, like some sort of comeback, and then Sam was just like "yeah, you're right" and the weather didn't help them at all (which I loved) and the sniffling (oh my goddd, I love that some people get runny noses when they're cold, it's so cute I can't stand it) and coughing and rough voice and everything, oh man, the cutest. The best.

And! The! Bed sharing! IT'S SO COZY, and they're both sneezing and trying not to be sentimental girls about it but they're so comforted by each other's body heat and whatever, and that's actually adorable, and they're going to sleep the day away IN THE SAME BED with stuffy noses and scratchy throats and god I owe you A LOT because this is jusssttt really really good thank you thank you

[SpookyScarySkeleton]

That's so cute, loved this fic <3

[Akahana]

This is THE MOST adorable Spn sickfic I have ever read. I'm just going to put that out there. Happy birthday and I hope you had fun writing it because I had fun reading it

<3 <3 <3 <3

[SexualOddity]

Oh my goodness, you are just so ridiculously nice! Not only do you buzz around the stories board with the sweetest, most thoughtful, comments on everyone's work, but you even want to write stuff for us on your birthday. Wow, I'm so thankful, and I really hope you're having an amazing day. I LOVE that this is just at the very beginning of the cold, that's my favourite, favourite time. When I read the bit where they acknowledge each other getting sick and realised that they were saying it for the first time I had to go back and read from the start again just to enjoy them noticing each other's symptoms. LOVE! And oh my God the idea of them in the hats and mittens, freezing and sick but still having to work through it. So great. You made me smile

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

(I'm not known for my speed, so it might be a while, but if there was anything you'd be wanting that I can do for you as giftfic let me know, otherwise - since you say it makes you happy, - please know that this fic made me very, very happy too

[kendisima]

“Bless you.” Sam said, turning to his brother. “This sucks.”

“What?”

“You’re getting sick.”

Dean bristled at this. “You’re getting sick.” He shot back.

“Exactly.” Sam sighed, sputtered out a few rough coughs.

I LOVED this part. Such an adorable story! And happy birthday

[Hedgehog]

Happy belated birthday, Zwee - and thank you for your nice little story-present for all of us.

[sadie22233]

This was...omg it was so good!!! Sam and Dean bed-sharing AHH

[RoseJellyfish]

“Bless you.” Sam said, turning to his brother. “This sucks.”

“What?”

“You’re getting sick.”

Dean bristled at this. “You’re getting sick.” He shot back.

“Exactly.” Sam sighed, sputtered out a few rough coughs.

I LOVED this part. Such an adorable story! And happy birthday

SAME, I was going to pick out the same part. Too cute!

Happy belated birthday by the way, I'm so mad that I didn't see this yesterday! D:

This was a welcome help for my SPN cravings lately. Everything about this is perfect <3 Well done.

[LeadaAlexys52]

Happy (Belated) Birthday Zwee! I love this amazing cuteness!!! Thank you for it!

[Zebra]

Oh, Zwee, this is wonderful!! Two sick Winchesters sharing a bed?!?!?! You've definitely pleased the people! Sam's puppy eyes are totally melting my heart right now! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[Always-a-Ginger]

This was so adorably ridiculously cute! Wish my brain was able to be more coherent. Happy birthday to you! and Thanks!!

[Zwee]

@Ciuty80: Thank you so much!! You're sweet!

@Sen Beret: Aaaaggghhh, I love that you notice EVERYTHING we literally have the exact same taste it's scary. I have that! The cold/runnynose thing! And Jared does too, his nose gets all pink, it's too adorable!! Hee hee, thank you, you're the nicest ever. I'm so so so glad you liked it! I'm so happy right now, you have no idea!!

@DeathNoteOwner: Aw, you loved it? Thanks!

@Akahana: Are you being serious?? Ohmygosh I don't even know what to say thank you thank you thank you! :D I had a lot of fun writing it.

@SexualOddity: Aww, thank you thank you! That is so sweet! You're SO nice. The beginning of the sickness is my favorite part too! It's so teasing and sometimes slow to come on, and when the person realizes... <3. And then when the person's companion notices!! <3 <3!

I know it's taken me FOREVER to reply to this, but if you're still interested in writing me a story, I would cry with happiness! That's so nice and thoughtful and I'd love one! Just let me know!

@kendaahhll: Aaahh, thank you, and thank you for the birthday wish! I'm really glad you liked it!

@hedgehog: Thank you! AND, you're welcome!

@sadie22233: <3! I love bedsharing... Thank you!

@sweetlucky14: Oh, I'm ALL too familiar with SPN cravings! Thank you for reading, I'm so happy you enjoyed it!!

@Alexys52: Hee, thank you! I aim to please, sooo...

@g123: Aww, those puppy eyes... <3 Thank you so much! I love hearing that!! You're great.

@Always-a-Ginger: Haha, thank you so so much! I've been there. And thank you for the Happy Birthday!

You guys made my week!! Best birthday gifts ever! <3 Thank you all so much for reading and for your sweet comments!

[SexualOddity]

Of course. Anything particular you'd like to see?

[LovelyLinda]

Ahhh, Zweeeee!!!

Happy be-be-belated birthday!!!

I'm sorry I haven't been able to comment earlier,

I was traveling. I was in Scotland =D

Lovely place, by the way. But also freezing cold if you happen to sleep in a totally drenched tent on Skye.

But the nature is stunningly beautiful <3

I love your story sooooo much!!

I especially love their brotherly quarreling like "What are you doing in my bed?" --- "Nooo, what are youuuuu doing in myyyy bed?!?"

Aww, just soooo sweet <3

I even saved your story on my computer, usually I don't save a lot of stories, so, that's absolutely a compliment!!

I hope you're doing fine, haven't heard from you in a long while!!

Lots of love, Linda

[Introvertedme]

Awwwwwwww! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! This was totally perfect oh my god. Gahhhhhhhh! *two* sick winchesters? You trying to kill me?! love, love, LOVE. <3

[sneezysammy345]

This is ADORABLE! I love this! So cute! Sammy must have randomly moved to Dean's bed during the night, needing his big brother. AWWWWWW. Plus, Dean leaned into him *happy dance*