Gratuitous Clinic (SPN)

[Anilkex]

Okay, so this is based on a prompt from the awesome SexualOddity over on the marvelous Senberet's Anniversary Meme. The prompt was:

The boys hear reports about several deaths following stays at a new and popular allergy clinic. Since Sam and Dean both have allergies themselves, it's the easiest thing in the world for the two of them to check themselves in. What takes them by surprise is when they actually start to see a difference from all the treatments and tests. Of course, things aren't quite what they seem.

This is the first fic I've ever posted that is a work in progress. I will finish it, it will be timely, but I've never written something so gratuitous in my life, so it's almost a little embarrassing. That said, I am enjoying writing it, as S.O. keeps giving me more things to wriggle in here. And I will make them work. Because I do that.

There is language, because I cannot write a SPN fic without it. It'd be like Cas without a trenchcoat.

One more thing - I swear there is a case in here somewhere. Dead people = case, right? Even if the boys are sneezing? Riiiiiight.

============

“I dunno, man.”

“Dean. Come on.”

“You know I hate doctors. I hate being poked and prodded and answering questions about how I feel. It’s fucking bullshit.”

“Look at this picture I found online of the nurses that work there.”

…

“So...Jackson, Mississippi, huh?”

xxxxx

As the Impala rumbled down the highway, Dean brushed a hand under his nose. “Okay, so run this by me again, now that you’ve duped me into thinking there are actual hot nurses working at this clinic.”

Sam hid a smile by biting his lip, as he adjusted the laptop propped on his knees. “Okay. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Jackson, Mississippi is the worst city for allergy sufferers in the whole country. It scored a perfect 100 on their rating scale, which prompted several allergists to set up business there. The pollen count is supposedly horrible, and most of the people who live there are on medication of some sort.”

“Dude, you’re making my nose itch just by telling me this story. There had better be, like, something really cool for us to kill if you’re dragging me to pollen central in the middle of spring.”

“Trust me, there is. So this one clinic, Marrenville Allergy Center, has had five patients die after receiving treatment. No connection between the victims at all, other than allergies and this center. So I’m thinking...we both have allergies...why not check in and see what’s what?”

Dean shook his head. “This sounds like it’s gonna be a torture fest.”

Sam shrugged. “People are dying, Dean. Dyyyyyying.”

Dean reached over and smacked Sam on the arm. “Shaddup.”

Sam laughed. “Okay, so these people were found in their homes, all within two days of leaving the clinic, their airways shriveled up.”

Dean wrinkled his brow. “Shriveled up? What, like, dried up tubing?”

“Something like that, yeah. No signs of forced entry, no evidence of murder. Just...shriveled up airways and five dead people from asphyxiation.”

“Dude, that’s gross.”

xxxxx

They strolled into the clinic, anxious and wary. Neither of them liked to discuss their allergies - it wasn’t a proud moment to fall prey to a sneezing fit while your dad is teaching you to shoot something across a field of ragweed. John wasn’t a dick about it, but they knew it irritated him.

By the time they were called for their appointment, Dean was twitchy.

Sam bumped him with his elbow as they walked towards the exam room. He hissed, “What’s wrong with you?”

“This place gives me the creeps. And please note, Sammy, no hot nurses. Anywhere. I hate you, right now.”

Sam rolled his eyes, biting back a retort as they entered the small room.

“Please have a seat!” A pleasant looking gentlemen in a white lab coat waved them to comfortable chairs that sat opposite the exam table. The nurse closed the door with a slight clicking noise, and the doctor washed his hands in the small sink.

“Hello! I’m Dr. Morgan. We’re so lucky to have brothers with severe allergies applying together!”

“Well, we do everything together, so why not this?” Dean flashed a grin, and clapped Sam on the knee. Hard.

Sam squirmed out of Dean’s reach, and asked, “So, your receptionist mentioned that you were interested in family studies?”

“Oh yes, we’re interested in how allergies are related to genetics, especially among siblings.” He sat down on a stool, an over-eager smile on his face.

Dean gave Sam a look. This guy is nuts.

“So, what do you need us to do?”

“Well, we have some forms for you to fill out, some general questions to answer, then you can return tonight, check into our clinic, and we’ll get started on relieving you of your symptoms!”

Dean blinked. “That’s it?”

The doctor laughed. “Well, it sounds easy, but there’s a lot that’s involved. We need to do some extensive testing first, to find out which allergens trigger the most severe reactions. We specialize in respiratory reactions, so we need to isolate exactly what, pardon the phrase, sets you off. Since you’re in the family treatment program study, we’ll also need to test each of you with the other’s most severe triggers, to measure the reaction in each of you. Once that’s done, we can start you on a treatment!”

He’s waaaaaaay to excited by this, Dean thought.

Sam furrowed his brow, processing all the steps involved in this setup. “In other words, we’re going to feel really bad, before we can feel better?”

The doctor’s smile faltered a bit. “Well, I suppose, but we’ll be monitoring everything very closely. You’ll stay here the whole time, so there’s no contamination from outside. We want pure results, so we can provide you with the maximum relief.”

Dean slapped his hands on his knees. “Great. Where do we sign up?”

[SexualOddity]

Embrace the gratuitousness! If you can't do it here, where can you do it? (And I love it, seriously, I do, it's like my own personal heaven).

Plus you know, they are there for a case. Saving people, hunting things etc. They can put up with a little bit of pain for a good cause, I reckon.

[Lace Butterfly]

OMG this is amazing, please continue!! I am loving where this fic is heading.

[Anilkex]

Cripes, this is gonna be loooooong....

==========

They returned that night, duffel bags full of clothes and minimal weaponry. They weren’t sure what they would encounter, but they also didn’t want a stash of weapons discovered in their bags. As they entered the clinic, Sam was rubbing his nose against the back of his wrist.

“Jesus, the air is just...thick…”

“Yeah, I know. I have a feeling it’s gonna get thicker. Just...get inside and let’s get this started.”

They checked in, and waited in the front lobby until a young lady led them into the back, through a series of doors, to the motel clinic. They were taken to their room, and told to change into hospital scrub-like clothing.

“So...we’re starting tonight?” Dean asked as he fingered the soft blankets neatly folded at the bottom of the bed.

“Oh yes, we know it’s a hardship staying away from your home, so we like to start promptly.” She smiled sweetly, and closed the door gently as she left.

“I hate this already,” Dean grumbled, shoving his things from the duffel straight into the dresser.

Sam stopped unpacking, and sat on the bed. “What’s going on? You’ve been sour ever since we took this case. What, five sets of shriveled lungs isn’t fucked up enough for you?”

Dean sighed. “No...I just…this was one of those things we never talked about, you know?”

“What, having allergies?” Sam looked confused.

“Yeah! I mean, we’ve always had them, we’ve dealt with them, but...we knew it was something that bugged Dad, it’s something we always have to consider when we’re hunting, but we don’t...we don’t share about it.”

Sam’s eyes widened a little. “That’s what this is about? You just don’t wanna talk about it?”

Dean grumbled, “Thanks for making me sound like an ass, Sam.”

Sam shook his head. “Nonono! I didn’t mean…*sigh* it’s a case, Dean. I’m not asking you to talk to me about how pollen makes you feel. I want to find out what killed those people, and stop it from happening again. So just...suck it up, or something.” He went back to unpacking, being careful to hide the weapons under all his clothing.

Dean sighed. “Yeah, okay, you’re right. I just - “

Before he could finish, there was a knock at the door. They shared a look before Sam opened the door slowly, only to reveal Dr. Morgan, clutching a clipboard and looking very eager.

“Hello, there! Are we ready to feel better??”

Dean shot Sam a withering look, and Sam quickly replied, “Absolutely! What do we need to do?”

“Great! Sam, I thought we could start with you. Dean, in about fifteen minutes, Dr. Kline will come for you. Tonight will be mostly asking questions, and a little exposure to various triggers! So if you’re ready, Sam, let’s get going!”

As he left the room, Dean mouthed, Waaaaaay too excited…

Sam nodded, and left the room.

xxxxx

Dr. Morgan took Sam to a small exam room. There was a small table in the middle of the room, a comfortable looking office chair, and a very cozy, deeply cushioned armchair opposite the table. On the table was a large box of Kleenex, already open, with a soft, white tissue protruding from the top. There was a small cabinet in one corner, with a glass bowl of marbles for decoration. Dr. Morgan gestured for Sam to sit in the extremely comfortable chair, into which Sam sunk.

He realized this was the most comfortable chair he’s ever sat in, and it only took him a couple seconds to find the optimal comfort spot.

Dr. Morgan sat in the office chair, and pulled out a pen and his clipboard. With a click, he ‘opened’ the pen, and made a couple notes.

“Alrighty, Sam. First, I want to ask you some questions about your allergies, and I want you to answer as honestly as possible.”

“Sounds easy enough. Shoot.” Sam smiled.

“Oooooo-kay. How long have you had respiratory allergies?”

Sam thought for a minute. “I guess...my whole life? I mean, I didn’t really notice something was off until I was maybe...eight. I always had runny noses and stuff, but really knowing that some things made me feel worse than others didn’t occur to me until I was eight or so.”

The doctor made some notes, and continued with the questions. “So when you were eight, what sorts of things made you realize something more was going on?”

Sam squirmed a little in his chair. Now he understood Dean’s apprehension. It wasn’t like he pretended his allergies didn’t exist, but even with Jess, there wasn’t an actual discussion surrounding them. They were there, and that was that. This felt weird.

Not to mention he had to partly lie about some things, like hunting.

“Um. Well, we moved around a lot when I was a kid, and some places were just...harder to breathe in. When I was eight, I noticed it more because I played soccer, and being out in the field...especially after a lawn mower went through it…” He shrugged at the memory, hoping they would move on to something else.

No such luck.

“Sam, I need you to be a little more specific. What was bad about being in that field?”

Sam shifted in his seat again. “Okay...um...I had a hard time running up and down the field when my eyes were watering, making it impossible to see the ball. I couldn’t catch my breath after running, because...the smell of the cut grass just…”

The doctor glanced up from his notes at Sam, waiting expectantly.

“...just because I was sneezing so much. I couldn’t get a breath between them, sometimes.” He automatically rubbed his nose at the memory, and he could feel his cheeks turning red.

The doctor nodded his head and made some notes. “What else triggered those sneezing fits, Sam, besides cut grass?”

Sam thought harder. “Um...no animals, actually. But, ragweed for sure, some flowers, just...pollen in general. Like today...it was really hard to breathe, you know? The air felt thick, and stuffy, like there was all sorts of crap in it, and I felt it all going into my lungs.” The more he talked, the easier it became, he realized, and it actually felt kinda good being able to express these frustrations.

“So no animal allergies that you know of - it’s primarily plant based. What about dust?”

Sam rolled his eyes as he remembered the last haunted house he and Dean dealt with, stumbling out the front door barely able to see from his reaction to the dust inside. “Dust is bad, too...and pollution, and, I guess, mold…” Fuck, that’s a lot.

“What are your symptoms?”

Sam blinked at him. “Uh, the usual? I guess?”

“Which is…?”

“Um...runny nose, congestion, my eyes itch and water, headache, shortness of breath, and sneezing. A lot of sneezing.”

“Excellent.”

How is that excellent? It sucks.

The doctor put the clipboard down and smiled at Sam. Dean was right - he was way too happy about this. Something feels wrong.

“Now, we’re going to expose you to just a couple allergens, and see how you react overnight. Nothing major - I promise. We do want you to sleep. But you will feel uncomfortable. Tomorrow, the real testing begins.”

Sam licked his lips and took a deep breath. “Okay, sounds great.”

Dr. Morgan left the room for a minute, and came back with a clear, plastic container that held several plastic baggies. Inside each bag was a different plant. Sam swallowed hard when he recognized the long, thin stalks and bright yellow flower buds on the end. His eyes flickered to the doctor’s face before refocusing on the bags.

The doctor sat back down and gestured to the container. “Sam, in these bags are various plant allergens. I’m guessing you can identify at least a couple of them, just from the way you’re sitting and staring.”

Sam blushed a little more, and tried to appear more relaxed. “Oh, it’s fine. I mean, this is why we’re here, right?” He wasn’t sure, but he thought his voice was sounded a little strained as his dread for the upcoming hours filled him. His nose twitched in response to his worrying brain, and he absently reached for a Kleenex.

“Now, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to open these bags, one at a time, and just measure your response. It’ll feel a little strange, having someone watch you while you’re having a reaction, but try to relax and not fight it. Okay?”

Sam nodded. Sure this was okay. Five dead people. This has to be okay.

“Great. Let’s start with...the ragweed.”

Not trusting himself to talk, Sam just nodded. The doctor opened the bag, and shook the contents onto the table. Sam sniffed and wiggled in his chair, trying hard to relax and just react however he needed to react.

That wasn’t easy - his hunter instincts were flaring, and it took a lot of focus so he didn’t fight it.

“You’ve spent a lot of time fighting your reactions, haven’t you?” The doctor’s question broke Sam’s concentration, and he quickly looked across the table.

“What? Yeah, I - I...uh...heh-”

“Don’t fight it, Sam. Just let yourself react.”

Sam nodded again. His mouth was open, and he brought his wrist to his nose. He sniffed, and realized his eyes were watering. The plant stalk was small, but it still affected him. The reaction wasn’t very strong, but the itching and the urge was there.

“Heh--hehhhhhh--HEH-Hp-ITSCHEW!” He sneezed against his wrist, completely forgetting that he had a Kleenex in his other hand. Quickly, he wiped his nose and smiled apologetically at the doctor. But the doctor wasn’t watching him. He had his eyes on his watch, and was making notes.

Sam craned his neck to see what was being written, but didn’t get very far before another tickle distracted him. “Wow...this...this is...it’s...I - hehhhhhh...HIHHHHHH-t’SHHUH! *sniff* Whoa…ub...I…*sniff* I cad’t...HTSHHCH!”

He pitched forward, his head almost touching his knees. He rested there a second, willing the itching sensation to go away. Then he remembered he wasn’t supposed to do that, so he settled for sighing and sitting back up. He rubbed his eyes, and blew his nose.

“Sorry...I just...I...Ehhh….hehhhh…heh-EHTSCHEW!”

“Okay, Sam, tell me what you’re feeling right now.”

Sam blinked at him through watery, itching eyes. He sniffed, grabbed a few more tissues, and blew his nose again. “Okay...well...I feel the codgestiond startindg...by dose is already stuffed up… *sniff* add there’s...I beand...by dose is … is-hhhiiiiiiihhhhh - shit - I...it…” Sam’s eyelids fluttered as he lost his concentration. He brought the Kleenex to his nose, only to drop his hand back into his lap, then back up again. His voice rose higher with every word, and he was drastically inhaling in between words. “EHHHHH-TSHHCHUH!”

The flood gates now opened, Sam sneezed for a good minute straight, barely able to pause in between. When he’d reached the point of wanting to beg for the ragweed to go away, the doctor placed it back into the bag, and sealed it up.

It didn’t really matter, though, because Sam was already too far gone. He knew his face was red and streaked with tears, and that his nose must match his cheeks in color.

The doctor simply took notes, not bothering to look at Sam at all. Sam barely noticed. He was too absorbed by the effect that one small stalk had on his entire body. He flopped back against the chair, almost panting, Kleenex pressed firmly against his nose.

“Alright. Let’s try another one.”

Sam blinked blearily at him. Another one? He wasn’t done with this one.

“Ub…”

The doctor didn’t seem to hear him. He rifled through the baggies until he found one with large, pink flowers attached to wilting stems. Sam had never seen those flowers before, but he eyed them warily all the same. He knew his nose, and therefore his whole system, was already sensitive and primed, so it wasn’t going to take much to set him off again.

He fidgeted in his seat yet again, trying to find something case related in this whole situation, but all his brain kept coming back to was that weird plant and wondering if he was allergic to it. The doctor paused and glanced up at Sam. Suddenly very self-conscious, Sam sat up straight and flashed a quick smile, while again bringing his wrist under his nose.

He sniffed, and noted that his eyes were starting to water again.

The doctor gestured with his pen at Sam. "Eyes watering again?"

No shit. "*sniff* Yeah...i'b ndever seend those before..." Sam waved a hand towards the flower. He coughed a little, and sniffled again.

The doctor smiled. "They're beautiful, aren't they? It's just a wildflower, nothing special." Sam let the dismissal tone wash over him, too busy scrubbing his nose with the back of a hand to quell the incessant itching.

"So besides the watering eyes....?"

"Oh...right...uh...*sniff* by dose is ruddindg...add obviously I'b stuffed up..." He paused to cough lightly into the tissue he forgot was still gripped in a fist.

The doctor nudged the tissue box closer, and Sam quickly reached for a fresh handful, dropping the used one into a trash can he just noticed on the floor next to him.

"No sneezing yet, though."

Sam shook his head, and blew his nose. “Feels like andts are crawling id by dose, though. All the way idto by luggs...lundgs...ugh…”

The doctor breathed a slight laugh. “I understand what you’re saying, no worries.”

Sam nodded thankfully, his mouth open once again and his eyes widening a bit. “Hiiiiiihhhhhh…*sigh* *sniff* It...hehhhh-hehhhhhh…” Sam froze, mouth open, eyes closed, hand wavering in front of his face...until….

Nothing.

“*sigh* Gah...it’s right there….but...hehhh…*sigh* *sniff*”

He smiled apologetically, dropping his hand back to his lap. The tickling was driving him crazy, his easy admissions were a little unsettling, and he vaguely wondered what was happening to Dean while he was sitting here literally smelling flowers.

He almost missed the doctor’s next words.

“So let’s increase the allergen level and see what happens.”

The doctor reached over and opened a second bag with the same flower, only this time, there were five of them crammed into a gallon-sized Ziploc.

As soon as he dumped them onto the table, Sam felt every ounce of control leave him, as the fit completely enveloped his entire body.

“Ichhhtt! Titchhh! Hih’Chhhh! It’titchhh! Huh’Shhttt! It’Titchhhh! Hihchhhh! Huh’Eitttttchh!!”

He couldn’t see what the doctor was doing, and frankly, he didn’t care. The itching had turned into an almost burning sensation, and he couldn’t keep up with how fast his body reacted to the pollen. Tears streamed down his face, soaking the tissues he pressed against his nose in a futile effort to minimize the mess he more or less knew he was making.

After what felt like hours, but was probably barely a minute, Sam noticed that the flowers were gone, and a cool breeze was caressing his face. At one point, he was actually able to draw a breath, and he heard the hum of machinery. Assuming some sort of air filter had kicked in, Sam thankfully sagged in his chair, only to rock forward with three more sneezes.

The doctor sat very still, clipboard and pen now gone, his hands clasped in front of him.

“How are you doing?” He asked the question, as if Sam were able to answer.

“heh-TSCHEW!” Sam sneezed into a fresh wad of tissues, and wiped at his eyes.

Dr. Morgan nodded, “I understand. We’re going to get you back to your room, now. You did really well, Sam. We’ll do some more testing in the morning, and hopefully by late afternoon, we’ll have a treatment ready for you to start!”

“Great,” Sam croaked, his voice shot.

[SexualOddity]

Ohhhh my goodness. I have to go out. But I'm coming back to comment on this one!

[NorthernLady]

I've read everything back at the Sen Beret's LJ but I had to come comment here:) Allergies (and Sam) aren't really my thing but it was so impossibly HOT! First the discussion they had about not talking about it, just like Cas and Porno (teehee) and of course the fact that Sam has to describe his reaction WHILE having it... gawd... I'm melting here. Now I'm more of a Dean girl so waiting for the next chapter is gonna be HELL *fidget* but i'm sure it's gonna be worth the wait.

Somehow I expect Dean to have a harder time than Sam with this because he's used of being the strong and dependable one Now admitting weakness is not in his nature

[SexualOddity]

Okay... oh gosh. I love this so much I can't even say. It's cool that they are suffering a little to begin with just from being in Jackson, much as it's about the clinic primarily, I love that you didn't miss the chance to have them react a little to the local allergens first.

It's kinda sweet how out of their comfort zones they are, especially Dean, how strange it feels them to be open about weakness and to deliberately put themselves into vulnerable positions. I LOVE all of the suspense, it's feel suspenseful anyway because I'm so excited to see what happens but it's extrasuperpowered suspense because they're so apprehensive about it as well.

It's TOTALLY my headcanon that in order to play soccer, Sam always had to put up with some pretty terrible grass allergies. And you MENTIONED that. I love you.

In fact, ALL of the allergy talk is just amazing. I didn't think it would get to me as much as it would, but just him talking about it, finding out more about his experience of it, and then the delightful little memories that the discussion brings up. Urgh. Wow.

Oh gosh and then the testing. There's something so hot about him wanting to fight it but just having to hold back those defenses and let the allergies take over. I know you don't always like to spell out the sneezes but I'm so glad you did in this because they're just perfect. I love how they're so fast and strong and the little differences between the sounds of different ones. Oh and the false starts and the itching, and the hovering on the edge of a sneeze. Man, it's so sexy, I just don't know what to do with myself. I actually felt awful for Sam when the doctor wanted to try another flower, which is crazy because this is amazing and I want MORE but, ugh, poor guy. He needs to take a minute!

The stuffy talking is really cute and Sam trying again so that the doctor can understand him is adorable.

And THEN I love when things are starting to settle down, but his throat is a mess and he's still sneezing. Often fics stop after the intense part of the fit, but I think there's something just as sexy (maybe even a little bit sexier) about the aftermath, when they've got a little more time to be able to process, to be able to feel the continuing itching, and be frustrated about it, in a way that doesn't happen quite the same way at the start because there's all the anticipation about what's coming.

Following on from that, I was imagining the pair of them searching the clinic that night, but maybe they've not really settled from the allergy testing, and they have to concentrate really hard to keep from bouts of sneezing, maybe they come across some samples in their search and there's a close call where they nearly get caught. (Again, please, please, ignore this if it doesn't work for you or you don't like it. I only mention it because you talked about getting extra suggestions in a positive light up there, and I am SO obsessed with this fic I can't stop imagining how things might pan out).

Again, I just can't thank you enough for writing this. It's just absolutely my perfect fic. I love so much that it exists.

[MaiMai]

Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod THIS IS SOOOOOOOOO PERFECT!!! I love this so so so much aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see what happens next!!! This is such an amazing concept and so brilliantly written eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[Sawyer]

You know how I usually have a lot to say? I'm speechless... I'd just like to echo everything said above me. Because. Oh my god.

(I never know whether to comment here or on LJ... but since a lot of people have said a lot here I thought it might make more sense...)

[Seniorstatus14]

Oh my goodness!! This is absolutely amazing!! And the way you describe allergies is perfect! People without allergies (You might have allergies, I don't know) and most authors usually just write about the sneezing, congestion, runny/ stuffy nose, itchy/ watery eyes, but they forget or don't know about the sinus headaches or the sore throat and you wrote them in there which makes me extremely happy!!

[MonaLisaSmile]

This was so unbelievably HOT! Oh my goodness! You killed me. I am so so so excited to see what happens next! Maybe Dean's turn for torture? Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be great!

[Bongo]

That mysterious flower the doctor brushed right over seems suspicious...

[stephab13]

Hoooooooooo boy. Yes. Uh.... yes. I like this! Another!

No, seriously, this is brilliant. Brilliant prompt, brilliant writing, brilliant characterisation, just... everything. Brilliant.

Can't wait for more! Please!

[sadie22233]

this.

this is...

amazing.

[Always-a-Ginger]

So incredibly awesome. Just...bravo.

Anxiously awaiting the next update!

[Anilkex]

So...thank you for the awesome feedback! I'm enjoying this one. Sexual Oddity has things she needs to read, so I have things I need to write. Anyway...it's Dean's turn, and I loooooove writing Dean doing anything,

p.s. Senberet - can you find what I put in for you? Hrmm??

xxxxx

When he got back to the room, Dean wasn’t there. Sam crawled onto his bed, and lay on his side, still breathing from his mouth because the congestion hadn’t faded yet. They gave him the big box of tissues from the exam room, and he clutched it to his chest like a scared child needing his stuffed bear.

Sam closed his eyes, and grimaced in pain. They were so swollen and red that it hurt to look at things, it hurt to rest them, it hurt to just have them in his fucking head.

Maybe Dean was right - maybe this was a stupid case. He couldn’t concentrate on anything case related once those bags appeared. There were so many questions he’d planned on asking - specifics on the treatment options, what other patients are in the facility, what’s the average stay for a participant in the study. But one look at the ragweed, and it was game over.

He groaned, and buried his head in the pillow, sniffing.

The door opened, and he’s assuming Dean entered the room, because he didn’t bother turning around.

If it was a monster, he’d let it kill him. Seriously. Right now, that was totally okay.

“Sammy?”

The bed dipped and he felt a cool hand on his brow. Sam peeled open one eye to peek at his brother. He feebly raised a hand in greeting, dropped it back on the bed, closing his eye with a ragged sigh.

Dean inhaled sharply at his brother’s appearance.

“Jesus, Sam...what happened?”

Sam cleared his throat, wincing at the pain. “Ragweed...wildflowers...it was a fuggig bess.” He barely recognized his voice - it sounded like it felt - raw and coarse.

“Fuck...hold on…” Dean got up, and Sam heard water running in the bathroom. A few seconds later, Dean sat back down and laid a cool, wet washcloth on Sam’s eyes. Sam hissed in pain for a second, then sighed and let the water soothe the irritated...whole top of his head.

“Where were you? Did they test you?” Sam rasped.

Dean shook his head, even though Sam couldn’t see him. “Snuck out to take a look around. You were right - something’s wrong about this place. There are tons of rooms - all locked. Haven’t seen or heard anyone else. Didn’t find a lab, didn’t see another patient, no employees, nothing.”

Sam sniffed. “Baybe because it’s dight tibe?”

Dean grimaced. “Okay, seriously, don’t talk anymore. Just...lie there. Didn’t they give you anything to make this go away?”

Sam would’ve rolled his eyes, but they hurt too much. He settled for raising his eyebrows from under the cloth.

“Oh….right. Sorry.” Dean ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “I dunno...there’s something weird going on here, but if being here makes you like this - “

Sam interrupted him with a massive sneeze, rocking him forward so he crushed the box of tissues. The washcloth fell off his face and onto the blanket. He flopped back onto the pillow and waved his hand dismissively. “Ndo...I already started. Leavindg ndow would look suspicious. But baybe you should go...ndot do this…”

Dean shook his head, replacing the cloth on Sam’s eyes. “Fuck you - I’m not leaving you here alone.”

There was a knock at the door.

Sam cracked open his eyes and gave Dean a warning look. At least that’s what Dean thinks it was.

Be careful.

Dean nods, and answers the door.

“Hello! You must be Dean. I’m Dr. Kline. Are you ready to get started?”

Dean took one last look over his shoulder at Sam, coughing against his elbow and groaning. He swallowed hard.

“Yeah...let’s go.”

xxxxx

Dean’s apprehension grew as they made their way down a long corridor. Sam’s the one who deals with shit like their health. Dean figured if he was alive, it was all good. Anything else was just a piece of suckage that needed to be ignored until it passed.

Allergies were like that. He couldn’t get rid of them. He’s tried. He couldn’t really control them. He’s tried. The only thing he could do, was stave them off when necessary, get the job done, then succomb to whatever needed...succombing to.

But right now, Dean was supposed to give his control issues the middle finger and willingly be overcome by an allergic attack.

Why not grease himself with bacon and summon a Black Dog while we’re at it?

He sighed as they turned a corner. How can he protect Sam if he isn’t in control? How can he keep people safe if he can’t keep a decent breath?

…

How can he pick up this gorgeous chick at the end of the hall if his face ends up like Sam’s?

Dean stopped following Dr. Kline, and sauntered up to a blonde in a white lab coat. “Well, helloooo…”

The woman looked up, smiling politely. “Hello.”

He thumbed over his shoulder at Dr. Kline, who just figured out that Dean wasn’t behind him anymore. “I’m here for a family study. When I’m done, you wanna...go grab a beer?”

The woman’s eyes lit up, as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ears. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, and Dean thinks….Gotcha.

Then…”Mr. Winchester? This way, please.”

Dean rolled his eyes at the woman, and she blushes. “I’ll catch you later…” He flashed his most brilliant smile, waggled his eyebrows, and reluctantly turned to follow the doctor inside an exam room. He saw her fan herself out of the corner of his eye, and he mentally patted himself on the back.

Dr. Kline waved Dean into a plush armchair, which Dean confidently sat in. Distracted by thoughts of blonde-on-Dean sex, he forgot why he was uncomfortable in the first place. This wasn’t a big deal - he could do this.

Frowning, the doctor sat opposite Dean and pulled out a clipboard and pen. “Okay, let’s start with a couple basic questions.”

“No problem, Doc.” Dean crossed his legs and grinned.

Frowning more at Dean’s flippant attitude, the doctor continued. “So...how long have you had respiratory allergies?”

Dean thinks for a moment. “Well...I guess, always.”

“Would you be more specific?”

More specific than always? Is he kidding?

Dr. Kline must have sensed Dean’s confusion. “What I mean is, when did you first notice that you had them?”

Oh.

Dean scratched his head. “Um...I think around the time my brother was born...so I was four. My mom had this vacuum that she used to help Sam sleep...it was the motor or something that just lulled the kid right into dreamland. But it was old, and it kinda...kicked up dust around the house. I remember coughing a lot and always having a runny nose until Dad bought a new one.” Dean smiled a little at the memory. It was so long ago.

“I see...what else triggered a reaction other than dust?”

Dean uncrossed his legs and ticked items off his fingers. “Pollen, some flowers, cats, goats, - “

Dr. Kline blinked. “Goats?”

Dean grunted. “You have no idea. Me and Sammy were down in Texas, um, helping a friend on his ranch. He had these...really big, mean goats that would terrorize the other animals.”

Goats worked instead of Chupacabras, right? Sure.

“And what happened?” Dr. Kline sat back and tapped his pen against the clipboard.

Dean shook his head at the memory, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Okay, so we’re out in the animal pen, and we’re trying to round up the sheep and stuff, when this...um...huge goat...comes over and starts harassing the sheep. Sam had to get the sheep to safety on one side, while I was dealing with the...goat...on the other side.”

Dean was so engrossed in the story, he didn’t even flinch at sharing the experience with a complete stranger.

“I knew there was trouble when it got close and my eyes started watering like crazy and my nose just starts running like a faucet. I’m wiping my face on my sleeves, Sam’s yelling at me to stop being disgusting, and then it charges me.”

The doctor’s eyes widen.

“I know, right? So I grab the fucker by the neck, and I’m wrestling with it. He’s spitting in my face, I’m shaking him, fur is flying every which way, and the next thing I know, I’m on the ground sneezing so bad, I just curled into this ball and let loose. Sam had to take over. I don’t know what he did, I was just glad he got it away from me. Took days for all the goat hair to get out of my clothes, even though we washed everything, like a dozen times. I think I sneezed for like, a week.”

Dean sat back and wished he had a beer. That wasn’t so bad...telling him about the reaction. He could do this.

Dr. Kline was scribbling furiously on his clipboard. Dean tried to peek at what he was writing, but the board was angled just enough so Dean could only see the backside. He drummed his fingers on his knees, wondering what would happen next.

“You also said cats?”

“God, yes.”

“Any other animals?”

Dean thought about the other creatures they hunted. Black Dogs and werewolves weren’t a problem, none of the other monsters were exactly furry...so…. “Not that I know of.”

“You also mentioned pollen. Tell me what triggers a reaction in you.”

Dean pulled at his chin. “Ragweed, same as Sam, um...polleny stuff, I guess. I dunno, really - just that when it’s spring, it sucks. Sam’s the one who keeps a catalog of what bugs us. I just figure the air in general is bad at different times of the year, you know?”

Dr. Kline nodded, still writing. “So here’s what we’re going to do. I want to see your reaction time to certain triggers, so I’m going to get some specimens and we’ll get started!” He gave Dean a terse smile, and left the room.

Dean craned his neck in order to read the writing on the clipboard. Unfortunately, it was nothing exciting, just a transcription of everything Dean just said. Rolling his eyes and sighing, Dean slumped back in the chair, which, he realized, was probably the most comfortable chair he’s ever sat in.

Maybe he could install one in the Impala…

The doctor returned, interrupting Dean’s mental retrofitting session, carrying a plastic tub filled with gallon sized baggies. Dean’s brow furrowed, as he realized, albeit a bit on the late side, what was about to happen.

Sensing Dean’s shift in confidence, the doctor gave him a slightly smug smile, and pulled out a bag filled almost to bursting with some sort of fuzz.

Dean raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“Oh, this bag is filled with cat hair, from an Angora my associate owns.”

“An angry what?”

The doctor closed his eyes for a second before responding. “An Angora,” he enunciated slowly. “It’s a special breed of cat with especially long, fine hair.”

Dean shifted in his seat. “Oh…”

“Yes, she’s a purebred, and is absolutely beautiful. Now, I’m going to expose you to her fur and consequently the dander, and we’ll see how you react to it.”

“You already know I’m allergic to cats...what information does this...uh...give...you?”

Dean’s voice trailed off in horror as he watched Dr. Kline empty the contents of the bag onto the table. “I measure reaction time and severity. Symptoms of respiratory allergies are pretty much the same for everyone, but reaction time and severity are definite variables. We believe that understanding those two factors helps the efficacy of our treatments.”

It was a great sales speech. Really, it was. But Dean barely paid attention. Half of him was eyeing the enormous pile of cat fur that seemed to have tripled in volume once released from the bag. The other half began clamping down on every allergic reaction he was prone to get while around cats - something he did automatically, no matter what the circumstances.

Dean Winchester really, really hates not being in control.

The apprehension, the worry, the uncertainty about this whole fucking investigation came flooding back, as Dean realized he was about to completely lose his shit in front of a balding stranger at a clinic most likely inhabited by something Supernatural.

Not his best day.

Dean started breathing from his mouth, while simultaneously running his tongue along his teeth to give him a distracting sensation in an effort to ignore the exploding itch in his nose. He blinked rapidly as his eyes filled with tears, which of course made his nose start to run. He cleared his throat, sniffed, sat up straighter, and pressed his fist against his mouth, giving the doctor a nervous smile.

Dr. Kline resumed writing on his clipboard, as if to give Dean some privacy. Without looking up, he nudged the Kleenex box closer, and Dean snatched up a few and pressed them to his nose.

“Tell me how you’re feeling, Dean.”

“Um…” He cleared his throat again and pressed the Kleenex harder against his face, rubbing it back and forth, hoping to stop the dripping and the itching at the same time. “Eyes are watering...nose is running…”

“Any itching?”

Dean rubbed a little harder. “Yeah, it’s...yeah.”

“How bad?”

Dean didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Making him acknowledge it was making it worse, and Dean doesn’t like to acknowledge anything that makes him uncomfortable.

But he had to.

Swallowing hard, Dean answered, “I - it’s...it’s...hhhhhhihhhhh…” Dean closed his eyes, and thrust the tissue against his nose. He scrubbed it back and forth vigorously, until he felt he could talk again. “ *sniff* It’s bad.” That was probably the lamest response ever, but at least he answered the question and could now get back to fighting this.

“Please describe every sensation you’re experiencing.”

Dean almost groaned. He dug the fingernails of his other hand into his thigh. “It’s...inside my head...I...um...God...it’s like butterfly wings...all...all in my sinuses. I can’t...uh...hehhhhh...shit…”

Gritting his teeth, Dean poured every molecule of effort into quelling the urge to sneeze.

The doctor stopped writing, and looked critically at him. “We can’t help you, if you keep fighting. You need to just let the allergen in, and let yourself experience the reaction naturally.”

Dean hesitated.

That was his mistake.

“HNGTXT!”

Dean stifled a sneeze into the balled up tissue. “ *sniff* That snduck up od be…”

“Dean…”

Dean nodded and waved a hand at him. “Yeah...ndo fightindg...got it…” This time, he did groan out loud, as he closed his eyes and took a second to process this.

Let it go. Stop fighting. Just feel.

His mouth opened, his eyes remained closed, and he let the butterfly wing sensation flutter from the edge of his nose, all the way inside, until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Hitttchhh! Itchhhh! Huh’Eitttttchh!”

He found himself pushing back in his chair, unconsciously trying to get away from the fur on the table. Tears soaked the Kleenex, and he knew that if it turned out that he was in danger, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to protect himself. He needed that control back, but there was no way to make that happen.

But he had to try.

“HIH-NNGXT!” He shook his head.

But it didn’t work.

“I cad’t...I...HP-NGXT! Ehhhh-HURSHHH! HTSHHCH! Heh-t’SHHUH! ITSCHCHH! ETSHHCHH! Hp-TSCHCHHH!”

When he finished that fit, he was bent over his knees, a fresh handful of tissues pillowing his face, eyes clenched shut. More sneezing wrenched him forward again and again. By now, both hands were pressed to his face, one against his nose, the other on his forehead.

The sound of plastic and a ZIploc snap! filled the room when Dean was able to actually take a breath. His head was pounding, the pressure so intense that he couldn’t be certain that all the tears streaming down his face were only from the reaction.

He heard the doctor scribbling on his fucking clipboard again, and he took a minute to catch his breath. Another bag was opened, Dean again heard the crinkle of plastic and the soft rustling sound of something falling against the table.

Peeking between his fingers, Dean thought he saw a pile of giant pink flowers limply hanging off wilted stalks. He scrubbed the heel of one hand onto his eye and rasped, “What’s that?”

Dr. Kline waved vaguely and said, in an offhand tone, “Local wildflower. Now, please describe how you’re feeling.”

“Like shit. I feel like shit,” Dean grated. “By head...poundig...add...ca...cad’t...cad’t-stop-sdnee- ESCHH-uhh! Hhhhhh-HESCHCH!”

Pretty sure his head was going to explode, Dean tried to grab the flowers and wipe them off the table. All he succeeded doing, was waving his hand in front of his face, and continuing to sneeze mercilessly into a useless handful of tissues. The butterflies in his nose now had razors for wings, and each sneeze hurt more than the last.

After what felt like hours, Dean felt a cool breeze on his face, and the stinging eased off once he was able to blow his nose several times. When he opened his eyes, the fur, the flowers, even the bin, were gone. How long was he “out”?

Dr. Kline rose slowly. “Thank you, Dean. You can go back to your room and rest. Tomorrow we have a few more tests, and then we’ll start your treatment.”

Dean pushed himself to his feet, not trusting his voice to even say goodbye. He swayed a little, stumbling to the doorframe and leaning against it for support. After a minute, he sniffed, and forced himself to walk back to their room.

xxxxx

Somehow, Dean made it back to the room. Sam wasn’t in bed, but the bathroom door was closed and a toilet flushed.

Dean staggered to his bed and gingerly sat down. He still had a hand pressed against his eye, trying to ease the discomfort of his headache. The throbbing came from the inside and pulsed outward, pushing against his skull.

He gets headaches a lot. He gets headaches after every time he’s with a cat. But this...Angorawhatever...must be a cat on steroids.

He doesn’t even hear Sam approach, he just feels the bed jostle as Sam sat next to him.

“Just shoot be, Sab.”

“Christ, Dean….” A hand’s on Dean’s shoulder, squeezing in sympathy. “Headache that bad?”

“You have ndo idea…” Dean suddenly hissed, adding the pressure of a second hand to his head.

“Whoa….hey...can you lay down?”

Dean feebly shook his head, and released a shaky sigh. “How’re we supposed to hunt like this?” He cracked open an eye and looked at Sam.

Sam shook his head and sighed in return. “I don’t know. But we have to. I was thinking of taking a look around, now that they’re done with us for the night. Think you’ll be up for it?”

Dean carefully nodded. “Just...gimme a few minutes…” The congestion was clearing, so he was able to breathe. It’s the headache that worried him.

“Duh, I was gonna wait and make sure this place is as empty as it can get. Hold on…”

Sam got up and rearranged the pillows on Dean’s bed, so they were propped against the wall. “C’mon...scoot up, tiger…” He gently maneuvered Dean against the pillow wall, which Dean sagged against with a weary sigh. Sam wet a fresh washcloth, and applied it to the back of Dean’s neck, which elicited a moan and another sigh.

After sitting back on his own bed, Dean remembered which of them was the big brother. “How’re you doing? Last I remember, you looked like a swollen strawberry.”

“Urg...don’t mention strawberries while we’re sitting in an allergy clinic.” Dean snorted. “I’m okay. I can talk and see again, which is exciting.” Another snort. “But I still feel like I have ants crawling around my nose. It’s worse than being stuck out - outside.” He sneezed forcefully into cupped hands. “And there’s that.”

Dean nodded, pitching forward with a sneeze of his own. He sniffed. “And then there’s that.”

[Sawyer]

Ooooh girl you are AWESOME… you remembered the strawberry thing… seriously, you are the best. And I really like the noticeable difference between Sam's and Dean's POV… you can really hear their voices in the narrative and put yourself in their perspective, which is awesome. I love Dean always wanting to take care of Sam, and trying to hard to maintain control, holding back and stifling his sneezes and all of that. It's SO Dean. You rooooock and oh my god I so am so so SO excited for the next part!!! You think of EVERYTHING!

[Anilkex]

Hrm. I've said it before, I don't do gratuity all that well. So send suggestions of things you want to see my way. I'm better at infusing sneezing casually, methinks. Still...here you go!

xxxxx

It took a couple hours before Dean felt well enough to move around. Sam took a nap, while Dean tried to nap. His head was still throbbing, but at least it didn’t feel like his brain wanted to leap out of his skull. He settled for sitting very still, sniffling and stifling sneezes so he wouldn’t wake his brother. Every sneeze echoed through his head, reminding him why he hated cats so very fucking much.

It was a noble effort, but Sam woke himself every few minutes or so anyway, sneezing feebly into his pillow, clearly wiped out by the whole process. By the time they decided to scout the building, they were still exhausted, mildly congested, and thoroughly confused.

“I don’t understand why we’re still sneezing...we’re not around anything that should set us off,” Dean growled as he opened the door and peered into the hallway. Seeing no one, he motioned for Sam to follow and began a cautious trek down the corridor.

Sam paused in the doorway, “Hhhhh-itschew!” He muffled that one against his arm. Sniffing, he wearily shook his head. “No idea...ragweed’s bad, but it doesn’t hit like this...not when there’s air conditioning and filters running. Something’s weird.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “No shit. C’mon...let’s hurry up and fi...find...ESCHH-uhh! *sniff* find out what’s going on.”

Sam smacked Dean on the arm. “Stifle or something! We can’t get caught.”

“Geez - first it’s don’t stifle, now it’s stifle...make up your mind.”

They both spoke in harsh whispers, wincing every time they pierced the silence.

“You know what I mean. I know it’s - “

“Hhhhhh-HESCHCH!”

“Dean!” Sam hissed, looking around wildly, expecting something or someone to come running.

“Sorry! I couldn’t help that one...caught me off guard,” Dean mumbled.

They continued to creep down the hallway, testing doors and peering through curtained windows.

“Heh-itschch! Fuck...Hngxgt!”

Sighing, Sam stopped and took Dean’s arm. His brow wrinkled and his eyes had that worried glint. “Maybe you should wait in the room…”

“Wait, what?” Dean yanked his arm out of Sam’s grasp and continued down the hallway. “What’re you talking about?”

Sam hurried after him. “I just mean...that headache was scary, man. And if you’re still bothered by that fur, maybe you need to lay down or….something…” Sam blushed as Dean’s glare hit him full in the face.

“I’m not the one who had a face swollen shut not two hours ago. And, you barely slept.”

Sam huffed, “I did too, sleep. A little. Kinda. And anyway, how would you know, unless you...uh...Huh’Shhttt! *sniff* unless you were awake! Huh’Eitttttchh!”

Both of them stood awkwardly in the hallway, sniffling with their arms hovered in front of their faces. Retorts were on their lips, ready to be flung in an effort to protect the other, but instead, they pitched forward in unison.

“Hihchhhh!”

“Huh’Eitttttchh!”

They stood for a second, sheepishly eyeing each other.

Dean finally cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. “Okay. This is stupid. Obviously this isn’t a normal reaction to whatever they exposed us to. *sniff* Tomorrow, we’re supposed to be tested together, so maybe...maybe we can...may...maybe…. Itchhhh! Dammit! maybe we can come up with some answers then. Right now, we’re just sneezing our way down this hall. We can’t throw snot at whatever attacks us, so let’s just go back to our room and wait this out.”

Sam nodded, slumping against the wall and rubbing his eyes as well. “Do you feel worse now that we’re in the hallway? Hiihhhhhh-t’shhuh! Shit!”

“Yeah, actually, I do. Nice burglar system they have, here. Come on - back to the room. Etshhchh! Fuck!” Dean motioned for Sam to start moving.

They were making their way back down the hallway, both feeling annoyed and worried, when they heard someone approaching.

After shooting each other a look of alarm, they frantically began testing every door nearby. Dean’s second attempt actually opened, to his surprise, and he grabbed Sam by the back of his shirt, yanking him inside.

Carefully shutting the door, they began to calm themselves. Sam swore everyone heard his heart racing in his chest. He tried to take measured breaths, while straining to hear who was in the hallway.

He briefly looked around - they were in some sort of closet. There was just enough room for them both to stand between the shelving and the door. Some light filtered through the crack under the door, allowing Sam to make out vague shadows of boxes and containers on the shelves.

Dean still had his hand on Sam’s back, twisted in his shirt. He always felt a little better knowing that Sam was right there next to him, safe. He pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not the time for his fucking allergies to act up.

“How do you think they’ll perform tomorrow?”

“Oh, judging from their reactions today, I think tomorrow’s tests will go splendidly.”

Sam swiveled around to raise his eyebrows at Dean, as he recognized the voices of the two doctors from earlier that day.

“Excellent! That’s what I hoped to hear. The older one...will he be a problem?”

Dean frowned, shrugging his shoulders at Sam. He quickly reached up and scrubbed his hand along the underside of his nose. Fucking itching...

“I don’t believe so. I used the Angora on him. Wiped the smug look right off his face.”

Dean’s look darkened dangerously as the sound of laughter reached their ears. He reached for the doorknob, just as Sam grabbed his hand, shaking his head furiously. Dean silently huffed.

I’m gonna kill them both.

Sam nodded, but held up his hand in a placating gesture, indicating that the killing should occur later.

Dean grimaced, but removed his hand from the doorknob.

Sam almost sighed in relief when his brother backed off. The last thing they needed was a silly fight in the hallway before they had any answers as to what was going on. He lowered his hand and tried to listen to the conversation once more.

But his attention was diverted elsewhere.

It was a soft tickle at first, almost tantalizing. It was one of those tickles that you think can’t be rubbed into submission because it’s distracting you right from the start, building as it takes your breath away.

Dean recognized the look on Sam’s face immediately, and the anger at the doctors turned into full blown panic as he realized Sam was about to launch into a major sneezing fit.

“Hehhhhh...hhhhhhh…”

Dean shook his head wildly, eyes widening.

Sam shook his head helplessly, pinching his nostrils shut, squeezing his eyes shut, and still inhaling softly. He brought a hand to his face, and it sort of hung there, poised and ready to catch the volley of sneezing that he knew was unavoidable.

Dean smacked Sam’s hand away from his face, and pressed his palm against Sam’s nose, rubbing back and forth. It ranked up there with other disgusting things like changing Sam’s diaper, but Dean was desperate. If he couldn’t kill those assholes out of principle, he sure wasn’t going to die because Sam had to sneeze.

Sam started to bat Dean’s hand away, until he realized…it worked. The tickling actually went away, allowing the vigorous movement to satisfy the irritation, and leaving Sam with just the urge to sniffle and blow his nose.

Once Dean sensed the crisis had passed, he grimaced and wiped his hand on his jeans. Sam sighed and gave Dean a half smile.

Dean glared back at him. And you wanted me to go back to the room…

Sam rolled his eyes, wiping at his nose with his shirt. He was more congested now, and was forced to breath through his mouth. Blinking as his eyes teared up a little, he used another section of his shirt to wipe at them. How long could they hide in here? If they were losing the allergic battle in the hallway, how would they last in a confined space?

Relieved that he staved off one of Sam’s impressive fits, Dean breathed a sigh of relief. He allowed himself small smile, which froze on his face as he felt a tickle of his own working its way along the edge of his nose. At the first flutter, Dean quickly brought his wrist up and applied pressure, but the sensation blossomed, shooting deep inside his sinuses and out of reach.

It moved fast, almost too fast for Dean to stop. Twisting around, Dean used every measure of control he had, and stifled that sneeze in the crook of his arm.

Keeping pressure on his nose, Sam watched as Dean’s whole body rocked forward a little.

Sam put his free hand on Dean’s back, feeling Dean’s chest expand and deflate under his fingers in rhythmic hitching. He knew Dean could stifle a sneeze into silence if he had to...but sometimes they get away from him...like in the hallway. Dean pitched forward again, and luckily, not a sound came out of him, except a breathy sigh at the end. At least here, he was ready for them.

Dean finally faced him, his eyes apologetic. Sam clapped him on the shoulder and nodded.

They blinked, realizing they weren’t paying attention to the doctors in the hallway. Dean scrubbed at his watering eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. Sam leaned towards the door, trying to determine if they were still there.

They both heard the sound of rustling papers, making them jump. It was right outside the door.

Dean’s hand flew to his chest, and he closed his eyes, feeling more than a little foolish. He peeked at Sam who was...shit…

Apparently, that initial tickle was back, and this time, Dean knew they were fucked. He could just tell. Sam could barely stifle; he didn’t have the control. Sure, he could muffle or sneeze softly, but effectively stifle? Not a chance.

Sam’s mouth opened, and his eyes fluttered closed as if in slow motion. He stood for a second, breathing a little on the erratic side, when his eyes crept open and Dean saw the fear. He pulled Sam’s head onto his shoulder, pushing a little, so Sam’s face was pressed into Dean’s shirt. Unconsciously rubbing his nose against Dean’s shoulder, Sam desperately tried to repeat the quelling that worked so well moments ago.

Dean kept a hand on the back of Sam’s head. He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, wondering why they had to have a hunt that focused on allergies.

It was like someone set them up for their own personal amusement.

Overly conscious of Sam’s struggle, since a giant-sized Sam was dragging his face across Dean’s shoulder while making breathy noises near his ear, Dean almost missed his own fight.

The butterfly wings were back, teasing him. Not beating strong enough for a sneeze, but just enough to drive him crazy and make him think he might lose it. His mouth opened, he slightly shook his head, and pawed at his face. It wouldn’t let him stifle and deal with it - it just...slowly danced around making him chase it with his hand.

They stood there, each battling their own incessant itch, vaguely aware of the danger on the other side of the door.

“Hiiihhhhhhhhh…..hhhhhhh……” Sam was building up, the nose rubbing increasing in pressure and urgency.

Dean’s free wrist pushed against his nose, as he blinked furiously, his own breathing starting to go wild.

Sam turned his head, and into Dean’s ear he tried to whisper a warning, “D...ca….hiiiihhhhh- can’t...heh...hehhhhhh….” Dean slammed Sam’s head against his neck, while still trying to stop himself from sneezing.

Just as they heard someone swearing in the hallway and a loud thump!, one escaped from Sam and into Dean’s neck. “hgxntgnt!” He groaned breathlessly. Dean roughly patted Sam’s head and silently pinched forward himself, releasing his breath with yet another soft sigh.

“Come on! It’s time to rejuvenate. We have to get those brothers up early.”

Footsteps sounded down the hall, as Sam, “hhhhiiiiihhhhhhhhhhhhh….hghgnxt!”

Dean’s shirt was wet, but hey, they were alive. It was worth the extra load of laundry.

Sam stood up, helplessness etched on his face. He cupped his hands over his nose, and continued to inhale raggedly. Dean cautiously opened the door, seeing no one, he grabbed Sam’s arm and quickly made their way back to their room, Sam threatening to sneeze the entire way down the hall.

Sam stumbled blindly, one hand still over his nose, the other gripping Dean’s shirt. Dean bolted for their room, flinging open the door and practically throwing Sam inside. Once the door was closed and locked…

Sam let the tickle flow through him. He collapsed on the bed and, “Hhh-hih-hiiihhh-etTSCHEW! t’SHHUH! ITSCHEW!...G-God...Heh-ITSCHOO! HTSHHCH! Ehhh…hehheH-EHTSCHEW!”

Dean wanted to get Sam the Kleenex box. He wanted to make sure Sam was okay. But he was having a hard time focusing on anything other than the itching in his own nose that wasn’t satisfied with being silently stifled in a dark closet.

“HP-NGXT! Ehhhh-HURSHHH! HTSHHCH! Heh-t’SHHUH! ITSCHCHH! ETSHHCHH! Hp-TSCHCHHH! ESCHH-uhh! Hhhhhh-HESCHCH!”

After a minute or so, both brothers sat panting on their respective beds, useless wads of tissues clutched in their fists, eyes red and tearing, the occasional leftover sneeze finding its way out of their bodies.

Dean was shivering, goosebumps everywhere. He wrapped his arms around himself and sniffled thickly, thinking that perhaps Bobby oughta take over this case.

Sam groaned and shoved his face in his pillow, his arm flapping against the bed in defeat, thinking that perhaps Bobby oughta take over this case.

But something in their gut told them they had to stick it out; that there wasn’t another hunter who could infiltrate this setup in time to prevent a new death.

Blearily, they eyed each other. They couldn’t wait until morning.

[NorthernLady]

OMG *bow down* That. was. wonderful! The helpless sneezing as they need to be silent. The “Do you feel worse now that we’re in the hallway? ... ” , the moment they battle their own sneezing fit in the closet.... all brilliant writing!

That particular bit make me LOL hard

Once Dean sensed the crisis had passed, he grimaced and wiped his hand on his jeans. Sam sighed and gave Dean a half smile.

I feel the next chapter is gonna be epic

[stephab13]

Oh. My. God.

Everything about that is just so... wow. Hiding, stifling, this ridiculous self-sacrifice that they constantly seem to have... Pushing all the right buttons here! I love how you write their little unspoken communications too, it really thrusts us into that moment with them :-)

I can't wait to see what comes next! (Even if I feel guilty for saying so! Poor guys...)

[sadie22233]

while hiding??! i have died and gone to heaven that was wonderful

[MonaLisaSmile]

Holy moly that was AMAZING!! There wasn't a part I didn't like... The whole thing was super hot. I liked the Dean chapter as well but I didn't see it until now.

[Sawyer]

So hot... oh my god. My favorite part, I think were those descriptions about how Dean's got the skill and control to sneeze completely silently (and then the act of him actually doing it!!) and how Sam can't quite manage that... any descriptions of sneezing patterns and mannerisms do it for me, usually. God. It's just so normal... I love it...

[Lace Butterfly]

WOW! Basically everything that Sen Beret said, I love how this is so realistic. Those clearly evil doctors and those weird wild flowers are so creepy. No idea how they're gonna get out of this one but I can't wait to find out.

[Armor.]

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!