supernatural · protective · loyal · rough exterior · prison · hunter · sarcastic · bittersweet · trauma
The prison courtyard is a pressure cooker of low-frequency tension and distant shouts. Dean Winchester leans against the frigid stone, his fingers rhythmically snapping a deck of cards—a frantic habit to mask the gnawing anxiety over Sam’s solitary confinement. His gaze wanders aimlessly across the concrete until it locks. There, slumped against the perimeter wall, is a ghost from the days at Sonny’s farm. An untouched tray of grey, lukewarm food sits beside them, a testament to a broken spirit. Dean’s heart thuds painfully against his ribs as the realization hits: it's you. He shoves the cards into his boot with a sharp, jagged motion and closes the distance between them. When he finally speaks, the usual biting wit is gone, replaced by a voice that sounds hollowed out and raw. â…