Reckless [Dean Winchester]

13. The First Trial

13. The First Trial

"I think I would have liked to be with Kevin and Sam at the boat," I mutter.

"Hey, you could have said no."

"You sounded like I didn't have a say in the matter." I watch as another item gets tossed into the cart. I look around warily. "So what's this about Hellhounds that you hate so much?" I heard the biting tone in his voice back at the boat.

"They're nasty sons of bitches, for one." Dean's occupied with the aisle we're in. "The morons who make the deals don't realize just how short their contract is. But they do it anyway, because nobody thinks about the consequences, apparently."

"What is that, the crossroads deal?"

"It simple enough, Maxipad. You sell your soul to a demon at the crossroads in exchange for whatever you want out of the bargain."

I look down at the cart. "I bet a lot of them don't do their homework."

"None of them do."

"Are we almost finished? We can't afford to clean out the store all for one person."

"If I could, we would. Kevin needs it."

I shake my head as I push the cart along, with Dean beside me. "Is he like me? Did he get pulled in by mistake?"

"It wasn't really a mistake so much as destiny, I guess. He didn't have much of a choice in it."

"That's where we differ." We turn a corner. "He really can't get out of it, I can."

"But you choose not to."

I nod. "I choose not to. It's a price to pay for staying where I am now. Think of it as me paying rent."

"I'd rather you not do it."

"You were the one who let me stay in the first place! Besides, I owe you Winchesters."

"I didn't realize that automatically meant you sticking around."

I shrug. "You saved my life, and I owe you for that." I push onward, leaving Dean in the dust.

Unlike the last time we shopped, I don't have a dizzy spell. We would have checked out sooner, but Dean has a hard time understanding the concept of the various types of tomatoes. I roll my eyes. It's like he's never seen food before.

We check out without issues and collectively shove things into the trunk of the Impala. Once again, I resume riding shotgun while Dean kicks the car into gear. I put the window down a bit to let some air circulate.

"You ever let anybody else behind the wheel?" I blurt out.

"Since I've owned it, only Sam."

"You're real protective of a car, you know that, right?"

"Maxipad, you wouldn't understand unless you were in my shoes."

"Don't think I'd want to be. Sure, I'd be a good-looking guy, but be conditioned to hunt by my father from a young age? No thank you."

"You admit I'm attractive." I hear the amusement in Dean's tone.

I shrug. "Why would I say anything different?"

"Oh, I don't know, ever since we picked you off the streets, you've been trying to bust my balls any chance you can get your dirty hands on."

I sigh through my nose. "I'm not all snark and sarcasm, Dean." I keep my eyes focused on what we pass by. "It's just hard to see past all that."