Work Text:
"He’s been so weird lately." Seth mutters, eyes on Dean as he stalks ahead of them in the crowded hallway, heading for freedom at the end of the big double doors.
"You think it has anything to do with us telling him?" Roman asks, gesturing between the two of them.
Seth squints up at Roman briefly before looking back at Dean. “No? Well, I think maybe he’s jealous a little. And doesn’t like being the third wheel. I think there’s something else going on.”
Dean turns around to look at them when he reaches the doors. “Are you coming or what?”
Seth and Roman exchange another look before catching up with Dean. They walk in silence for a while.
Seth clears his throat and turns to Dean. “Hey, you coming over tonight? Spending the weekend at my place?”
Dean glances at him. “No.”
"Why not? Roman’s coming over." Seth pushes, frowning at Dean.
"I got shit to do." Dean shrugs, tucking his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.
"What are you doing?" Roman asks, resting a hand on Seth’s shoulder before Seth smacks Dean.
"Stuff that isn’t any of your business." Dean snaps, looking irritated.
"Fine, whatever. Be a dick." Seth rolls his eyes and tugs on Roman’s hand as they reach the streets where the split up.
Dean doesn’t bother responding to them as he goes down his street, digging in his pockets for a lighter and his cigarettes. He needs that rush of nicotine to calm him down before he gets home and faces the shit storm there.
He’s on his third cigarette when he gets home, bracing himself before he walks in. When he makes it to the living room, he can hear shouting from upstairs and a thud and then his mother crying. He sighs and heads into the kitchen, wondering if there’s any food in there. Probably not.
He’s looking in the pantry when his mom’s latest boyfriend staggers in, glaring him down.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He slurs at Dean.
"I live here." Dean says, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"Hey, don’t you get fucking smart with me, boy." The guy sways closer to him, reeking of alcohol and and sex and cigarette smoke.
Dean just smirks at him and makes to leave the room, but the guy blocks his way.
"Where do you think you’re going?" The guy leans down into Dean’s face, making him cringe away from his horrible breath.
"To my room. Move." Dean grunts, not really wanting to touch the guy.
"Why don’t you make me, you think you’re so tough?" The guy sneers at him.
Dean tries to shove past him, but the guy pushes him back and punches him in the mouth. Dean grunts, losing his balance and falling to the floor. one hand presses against his bleeding mouth as he glares up the guy who’s laughing at him.
"Fucking pathetic." He spits before turning away and heading back upstairs.
Dean pushes himself up off the floor and moves to his bedroom, quickly packing a bag of things he’ll need at Seth’s, ignoring his bleeding lip. He grabs his keys by the door and leaves, hoping that Seth isn’t still pissed at him.
He makes the usually 15 minute walk to Seth’s place in 9 minutes, wiping absently at the blood on his face with his sleeve. His lip is already swollen and Dean knows it’s still bleeding, although sluggishly now. It might have stopped by now if he could stop sucking on it, agitating it further.
He knocks hesitantly on the door, holding his breath and hoping Seth will let him stay.
Seth pulls open the door, wondering who it is, since Roman’s already at his house. He’s surprised to see Dean standing on his porch, looking at his boots. “What, Ambrose?”
Dean flinches. “Never mind. This was a mistake.” He makes to leave, but Seth catches sight of the blood on his mouth and his swollen lip. He grabs Dean’s arm and pulls him inside, shutting the door after him, ignoring his protests.
"What happened?" Seth asks, dragging Dean into the bathroom, gesturing at Roman to come too.
"Nothing." Dean grumbles, hunching in on himself as Seth pushes him to sit on the closed lid of the toilet.
"Well, nothing didn’t punch you in the face, so spill." Roman rumbles from the doorway, watching Seth dab at Dean’s lip with a wet washcloth. He wipes the rest of the blood off of Dean’s face.
"Just one of my mom’s drug dealing pimps turned boyfriend. What else?" Dean snaps, pulling away from Seth’s gentle hands.
"Let me help, Dean." Seth scolds him quietly.
Dean grumbles, but subsides, allowing Seth to finish cleaning off his face. When he’s done, Seth cups Dean’s face in his hands.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asks softly.
Dean stares at him for a moment before something inside of him snaps and his eyes fill with tears. Seth holds onto him, letting him bury his face in his chest as sobs work their way out of his throat. Roman joins them, running a hand up and down Dean’s back. Seth kneels down, pulling Dean against him, leaning against the side of the bathtub and stretching his legs out, letting Dean settle in between them. Roman sits beside him, still rubbing Dean’s back.
Slowly, Dean’s sobs quiet and stop and he pulls away from them, wiping his face. His eyes are bloodshot and he can’t breathe out of his nose anymore, but he feels a little bit better. Roman moves first, standing up and holding a hand out to Dean. He pulls him up and into a hug that has Dean tensing before he relaxes. Roman lets him go and pulls Seth to his feet as well.
"You wanna talk?" Seth offers, looking at Dean.
"Not really." Dean mutters, hoarse.
"Well, you know we’re here if you do." Roman says, hand ruffling through Dean’s hair.
Dean nods and sighs, following Roman back out to the living room.
"You’re staying, right?" Seth says, fetching Dean’s bag from the front hall where he dropped it.
"If that’s cool." Dean nods.
"You know it is." Seth smiles at him.
Sometimes, Dean thinks he’s got the best friends ever.