Work Text
Pulling into the motel’s parking lot after driving for hours, Dean parked the Impala in one of the only empty spots left and turned off the engine, pocketing the keys. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and just breathed. Not bothering to open his eyes when he heard movement, knowing it was Sam shifting in the passenger seat to look at him, he said, “How about you go see if you can get us a room? I’m too tired to keep driving.” With the darkening sky and the exhaustion bearing down heavily on him, he knew it wouldn’t be safe for him and Sam or anyone else on the road if he kept pushing himself to drive.
Shifting so he was looking at Dean, Sam saw how tired his brother looked. “You know, I can do some of the driving,” he huffed, irritated with Dean and his brother’s obsession with his baby.
“Yeah, like that’ll ever happen. The only way I’d ever allow you to drive is either because I’m in a coma or dead,” Dean snarked without bothering to open his eyes, happy to just sit there, slumped back against the driver’s seat, the warmth, and familiarity of the Impala lulling him into a state of contentment.
Sneering at Dean, Sam grumbled, “Either situation can be easily arranged,” before shouldering open the passenger door and stepping out onto the uneven pavement. Whatever comeback Dean may have made was lost on him when he closed the door hard enough to annoy his brother but not enough to slam the door closed. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he stalked across the parking lot toward the motel’s office, the bell over the door jingling, announcing his presence.
“Help you?” asked the middle-aged man with a horrible comb-over, wearing wide-rimmed glasses perched on the end of his nose, and a pot belly that was barely covered by his stained shirt and pants that were held up by a pair of bright yellow suspenders.
Looking over his shoulder at the Impala and the slumped-back form of his brother, Sam answered, “Yeah, I’m looking for a room for the night. Two beds, queen-sized if possible.” He’d happily take full-sized or even twin-sized beds at this point. He wasn’t picky as long as he could stretch his long limbs out and no longer feel as if he was folded in half.
Shaking his head, the guy said, “Sorry, no can do. Just rented the last room with double beds about thirty minutes ago.”
“Do you have any rooms?” Sam asked, motioning to the flickering sign outside still advertising available rooms, irritation rising within him at the prospect that the man hadn’t bothered to flip the switch from vacancy to no vacancy. The idea of having to get back into the Impala to either sleep in it or push on, continuing to drive until they happened upon another motel wasn’t appealing.
“Yeah, but it’s got just the one bed,” the man answered, looking Sam up and down.
“It’ll do. I’ll take it. Not the first time my brother and I have had to share a bed.” Sam’s tone was sour and he knew Dean would most likely give him shit over them having to share a bed as if this was his fault. But he knew the only option he was left with was the room with the one bed, and he and Dean would have to make the best of it because he was tired and definitely not in the mood to sleep in the Impala.
“Sure, no problem,” the man said, slapping the key attached to the bright orange round plastic key tag down on the counter. Keeping it under his palm, he leaned forward. “No funny business,” he warned.
Frowning, Sam looked at the man. “Funny business,” he repeated, trying to make sense of what the man meant. His frown deepened when he realized the implication of the man’s words. “Wait…”
“Look, I don’t give a shit what people do behind closed doors.” Picking up the key the man waved it at Sam. “I just don’t want to hear it. I don’t want the people in the other rooms hearing it and I don’t want to have to pick up after it either.”
Sam wanted to scream ‘We’re brothers’ to the man but seeing the look on his face, he knew him saying that would be a wasted effort. Instead, he nodded and said, “Got it. You won’t get any trouble from us.”
“See that I don’t,” the man spat out, slamming the key back down on the counter and sliding it toward Sam in exchange for payment of the room.
”Thanks,” Sam grumbled, grabbing the key and making his way back to the Impala and Dean before the man changed his mind. Tapping the orange plastic key tag against the driver’s side window, he watched Dean startle awake. Dangling the key tag in front of the squinting green eyes of his brother, he said, “Got us a room,” before stepping back so Dean could open his door and get out.
At an unfamiliar sound, Dean jolted awake, his right hand on the grip of his gun, while he looked to his left to see Sam standing there holding up a key. Hearing his brother’s voice informing him he’d gotten them a room, he opened his car door to follow Sam inside once they’d grabbed their duffle bags.
“Room thirteen,” Sam announced leading Dean to the room, the irony of the room number wasn’t lost on him since it was considered a bad omen. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside and then moved aside so Dean could enter and waited for his brother’s reaction to only seeing one bed.
“What the hell, Sammy! Dude, there’s only one bed,” Dean griped, sneering at the single queen-sized bed dominating the middle of the small room.
“That's all the guy had,” Sam shot back, placing his hands on his hips and leveling a scathing bitch face at his brother. The look was one that dared Dean to make another snide comment, letting his brother know that he wasn’t in the mood to take any more of Dean’s shit. “It was either this or sleep in the Impala again.”
“Fine,” Dean grumbled, dropping his duffle bag on the corner of the bed closest to him. “I’m gonna grab a shower,” he announced and then disappeared into the bathroom.
“Fine by me,” Sam sulked, sitting down on the side of the bed he claimed as his to kick off his boots. Even fifteen minutes of alone time, while Dean was in the shower, was better than nothing, he thought to himself as he burrowed under the covers, making himself comfortable until Dean returned and forced him to share the bed, making him wish there were two instead of the one bed he was starting to fall asleep in.