Summary: It had been supposed to be a quiet evening in a pub that Nathan was technically too young to frequent. Sam should have known that something would happen.
Word count:1,162
The barkeeper was pouring him a drink when Sam heard the voice. He couldn't help the cold feeling rushing down his spine and turning his stomach into ice at how familiar it sounded even after all the time that had passed and it was only when the barkeeper looked at him funnily that Sam realized that he had actually physically shook himself.
"Everything alright, Sam?" The man asked. He was an old friend who had picked Sam up off the streets a few years ago, when the nuns had thrown him out of the orphanage. The expression on his face was curious. Sam threw a glance over his shoulder, searching for his brother and found him just where he had left him. Except now there was a man standing beside the table. From his position Sam could see neither of their expressions and couldn't make out what they were saying, but he knew without any doubt who that man was.
"It's nothing." Sam said, turning back to the barkeeper and shooting him quick smile. Then he tried to keep his step measured when he crossed the pub. There was no reason to draw attention to himself. Sam frowned and clenched his hands into fists. Anger began to sizzle in his belly. Behind him the barkeeper took the abandoned drink for his own with a shrug of his shoulder and went back to his business.
"You shouldn't spend so much time with your good for nothing brother." Sam heard their father say.. Now that he was a little closer he could see the closed off expression on Nathan's face, evidence that he didn't know what he was supposed to do. It set off every warning bell Sam had, which were not quite as numerous as the warning bells of other people. They shrilled only more when he heard their father's next words.
"Come on, I'll bring you back to the orphanage. The nuns can take better care of you."
It was more than enough to make him step in. Not that there would have been any other way for Sam to react when it came to his little brother. "Is there a problem?" Sam showed his teeth.
Their father turned to look at him. His eyes were heavy-lidded, a little hazy. It made Sam's skin crawl. "What were you thinking, bringing your brother into a pub?" their father demanded and Sam smelled alcohol on his breath, not really a surprise considering where they were. His movements were unsteady when he pointed an accusing finger at Sam.
"He's 15, not a kid anymore and I'm here to watch over him." Sam pointed out and edged a little closer to his brother, placing himself between them. Subtly he reached back and Nathan caught his hand for a moment, reassuring themselves. Nathan's hand was trembling a little but when Sam glanced over his shoulder, his brother looked determined.
Their father snorted. "Watch over him? He's been by himself for the last half an hour while you shot pool." He gestured to the pool table in question and Sam refrained from pointing out that he had been hustling. It probably wouldn't have gone over well and some of the other guests were staring at them already.
Sam shrugged. "What about it? Before that he was shooting pool with me." Sam said and felt Nathan hook his fingers into his belt loop. There was a small trembling in Sam's muscles as well. His hands balled into fists again. They should leave, get out of here before someone called the cops, but their father made no move to step out of the way or leave them alone.
"You're not a good role model for your brother. He should be in bed already, somewhere where people are watching over him." Their father continued as if Sam hadn't spoken and turned back to Nathan. "I hope you're not doing all these... illegal things like your brother."
Behind Sam, Nathan flinched which made another sizzle of anger drop into Sam's belly, chasing the ice away. Sam was fuming. "I'm looking out for him." He got right up into their father's face. "If you had stuck around, we wouldn't even be here!"
Their father's face, if possible, turned even redder. In a motion quicker than Sam would have thought their father pushed him out of the way and grabbed Nathan's arm, pulling him to his feet. "Enough!" he shouted, finally drawing all eyes to them. "I'll bring you back to the orphanage where you should be!"
"Hey!" Nathan cried out as he struggled against the grip and Sam saw red.
The noise, that the man let out when Sam punched him was satisfying, as was the crunch he heard when his fist connected to their father's nose. He went down like a sack of potatoes, holding his face. Blood was rushing from his nose.
Quickly, Sam pulled Nathan to him. "You alright, Nathan?"
"Yeah, I'm ok." Nathan said, eyes on their father who had turned away with tears to his eyes. "We should probably go?"
Sam had to agree. Everyone's eyes were on them.
Someone uneasily cleared their throat behind them as two men crowded around their father who had straighted again with murder in his eyes. There was pity on the barkeeper's face as he addressed Sam: "I need to ask you two to leave. I can't allow any violence in my pub."
Sam tried to smile at him, but maybe it came out more like a grimace, because if possible the barkeeper only looked more guilty. In a fit of drunkenness Sam had one night told him about their lives, which was probably the only reason why the barkeeper hadn't called the child service on them. "It's alright." Sam said. "We'll get out of your hair. Come, Nathan."
Hostile and friendly eyes followed them when they walked out. Nathan's arm was around his waist, Sam's arm around his shoulder. The touch was reassuring. It was a physical reminder that his little brother was still there. With him. Nathan could probably feel him trembling when the adrenalin started to fade.
"What now, Sam?" Nathan asked and bumped their shoulders together, or rather bumped his shoulder into Sam's biceps as they moved to Sam's motorbike. The kid had grown some over the last couple of months but he still hadn't quite reached his brother's height.
Sam chewed on his lower lips. There weren't really many options they had. They could still return to the motel room they shared, but... "What do you think about skipping town?" he finally asked, putting a grin on his face. Sam felt shaken to the core. Nothing sounded better right now than to simply leave.
Nathan grinned back. "Sounds like a good idea to me."
A03 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7501665#main
