Supernatural Reader Inserts [Requests Closed]

Normality (Reader!Hunter x Sam Winchester)

Though you had only started hunting with the boys for a month or two, you felt like you had known them for years. Having your own car and all, you did not have to sit in the Impala with the brothers while going from state to state, but that didn't bother you. You enjoyed the privacy. It allowed you to think and enjoy some time to yourself because God forbid Dean actually left you alone. You became quite close to Sam and through him you instantly saw how Dean played the typical big brother not only to him, but also to you. It was a weird feeling, but it gave you a sense of nostalgia almost from when your old partner used to pick on you constantly.

Dean had gotten into the habit of teasing you the moment you agreed to travel with them after you soved your second case together. You weren't sure what you were getting yourself into, but with the persuasive skills of both Winchesters, they managed to convince you that it'd wouldn't hurt to tag along for a bit. So you agreed to stay. Your life quickly fell into a routine that you were familar with. It involved lots and lots of driving before someone would get hold of a case worth investigating. Cheap motels and diners were common places the three of you visited on a daily basis, as well as bars--you quickly learned that Dean was an avid drinker.

The motels were interesting, usually they were great at having enough beds for the three of you so you didn't have to share. You really didn't mind getting your own room or even sleeping in the car--which was something you frequently did on your own, but the brothers insisted that you guys stuck together. For safety reasons? You never bothered to argue. The nights with them were entertaining though and it helped for you to develop a relationship with them that went beyond that of hunting partners. Within those motel rooms, aside from hours of researchiing, you were able to see how to brothers acted amongst themselves.

Sometimes you got jealous of them: they still had each other, they loved each other. But your feelings of jealousy would quickly fade, there was no point in lingering on them. Co-dependency was a flaw to the occupation, a threat to your well being and sanity. Yes, it was something you wished for...but you knew you couldn't obtain even if you tried. It would only hold you back and hurt you; you learned that the hard way.

"What do you mean you're not coming along?" Dean asked as he stood by the door to your motel room, his tone was almost annoyed.

"Exactly what I said, I'm not coming."

"Why?"

"I have an assignment to finish," you answered nonchalantly, not bothered by him enough to look up from your seat at the table. Sam was seated across from you. You opened up your laptop and tried to log into Blackboard. One thing you had not let go of from your normal civilian life was education. You had excelled in high school and you weren't about to stop there. Thanks to the power of the internet, you found an online college that worked with your hectic schedule (just like it advertised) and you were on your way to obtaining a bachelor's degree in (your major). You had a paper that was due by midnight, which you had done, but now you just needed to finish the formatting. You also wanted to proofread it one last time before submission.

Dean rolled his eyes at you and scoffed, "Seriously? And you're going to hold out on a hunt just for that? Can't you do it when we get back?"

"Excuse you, I am very serious with my studies. Besides, you and Sam had no trouble hunting on your own before you even knew me. I don't see what the issue is."

Before Dean could say any more, Sam cut in, "Yeah, Dean, she's right. Let her finish her work, we can always go later?"

You finally looked up and gave Sam a questioning look, pushing off a hunt? That was absurd. He gave you a small smile that quickly disappeared with a cough, his eyes averted from yours and went back down to his book. Dean stood still by the door, he couldn't believe it. Finally he groaned.

"I'll be at the bar."

"See ya," you remarked cheekily. You heard him mutter something while he opened the door, but you couldn't quite make out what it was. You shrugged it off and watched him leave until the door shut itself. You turned back to your laptop only to see Sam staring at you, "What?" you asked.

"Don't take his reaction too personally," he said as he closed his book and placed it on the table. "He's always been like that, school was never a first priority for him." You gave him a smirk, not at all surprised by the information. He never did seem like the academic type.

"It's really admirable that you're still in school though," Sam continued, though he had broken eye contact at this point. His voice was softened, as though there was more on his mind then he was letting on. "I never really had the chance."

"What happened?" You weren't really sure if it was a good idea to ask, to pry. Though you rationalised it: he shouldn't have said anything of that manner if he didn't want to be questioned. Curiousity is a natural human reaction.

"Oh you know," he said, sighing. "Hunting got in the way. Things happen that are beyond your control. I had to leave my university pretty suddenly, I was actually on my way to law school. What about you?"

You nodded. "Oh, uh, it's (your major). ...what university did you go to?"

"Stanford."

You nearly fell out of your seat. You knew that Sam was intelligent and extremely smart, but knowing that he had gone to such an impressive school blew you away. You did well academically but you couldn't even picture yourself going to an Ivy League. Your mouth gaped open in awe and he laughed. "What?" he asked, chuckling.

"N-nothing," you answered as you tried to find the words to explain your reaction. "I just...wow." Though you didn't know the real details of why he had to drop out, you still felt a sense of regret coming from him. From the way he spoke of it, the way he looked, you knew he never wanted to leave. It was starting to sink in a little that you actually didn't know much about him or Dean for that matter. Yes, you were comfortable around the two of them and frequented in pointless banter fit for old friends...but you didn't know anything about their background.

"It doesn't really matter that I went there though, I'm not there now," Sam shrugged.

"You want to go back."

He looked at you as though he wasn't sure of what to say, but after a few seconds he slowly nodded. "I do. But I can't. So there's no use thinking about it, is there?"

"Nothing is wrong with missing something," you said.

He smiled at you. "True," he said back. "But sometimes it's better to forget."

Was it though? Was it better to forget what it was like to be normal, to forget about those times where the only concerns you had was studying for the next midterm? Back when you stressed over work deadlines and assignments, not on whether or not you'll live another day? Not on whether or not there was a monster waiting for you around a dark corner, ready to tear you apart?

No. This sense of normality was needed. The worrying over trivial and pointless things, the brotherly teasing, the stupid arguments--all the things people took for granted was needed so you could maintain your humanity. With being a hunter, some people took their job to the extreme, becoming cold and heartless. It was no surprise, killing on an almost daily basis did that to a person. That is why these stupid little things are important.

You stared at your laptop screen as the two of you fell into silence. Tagging along with the Winchester brothers made you realise that you were grateful for what you had and for what you had not yet lost. You wondered whether or not they ever had the same thoughts.

"Hey, Sam," you finally asked. You looked back up at him and made eye contact. He gave you an inquiring look. "When was the last time you proofread a paper?"

The corners of his lips curled up into a smile, "May I?"

You nodded and returned his smile, pushing your laptop towards him. If something as silly as proofreading an English paper was what could let him escape from the harsh reality of a hunter's world, then who were you to keep that from him?

//End.