likely_evil | justprompts: Skulk

Always hunt in pairs. Or a group. Never on your own, because then your back will be open.

Those were the first words of advice Sam gave all the people who decided to join the cause and become hunters. Solitary was the fastest path to torture, possession or death in this business, and he felt that it was his responsibility to help prevent that at all costs.

They came to Sam because of his name. He turned around and gave them everything his centuries of wisdom had to offer.

Of course, Sam was also a Winchester. Which meant that they never listened to their own advice.

It also meant that he hid his pain, no matter what it was. The teams in med bay had given up on trying to treat Sam as a patient almost four decades now. They knew his unspoken hints as he skulked about, looking through their supplies. Somehow, the right painkillers or antibiotics made their way to his hands.

And of course, a quick phone call to Ruby for follow up observation.

This night wasn't any different. Sam had heard of a ghoul down in the cemetery that was attacking family members that came to visit graves. The Initiative had come to a truce with the ghouls over a century ago, dividing up cemetery boundaries and how long to wait before the souls were at rest before going to their graves, and the right ceremonies to perform before disrupting the grave. Every now and then, a lone ghoul would try to disrupt things, and Sam would make his way down to enforce the truce.

After the instance with Adam all those years ago, Sam refused to let people who were close to him near any cases involving ghouls. It was his personal business, and he handled it.

The ghoul in question was now dead. One of the other ghouls who Sam had worked with years ago on another case had stepped in and helped the Winchester. Of course, the rogue had a good chunk of Sam's shoulder in it's stomach when it was finally taken down.

And even though he was bleeding and his arm was hanging at his side useless, he walked through the complex like nothing was wrong, hiding any ounce of pain from his face as he went to the infirmary and rummages around, one handed, for cleaning materials. The anti-inflammatory and painkillers appeared on a shelf as a tech moved away from the other side quickly. He pocketed them, then with the rest of the supplies in his messanger bag, he started for home.

And hoped that he got to lock himself in the bathroom before the tech were able to get in touch with Ruby. Because he knew all along what they were doing, and he silently thanked them for preserving his pride that way.

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Ruby got quiet again, her eyes dropping to his shoulder and not saying anything more until she was finished dressing the wound. Once the gauze was secure, she moved forward, sitting in his lap and turning his head so that he was looking at her.

"What am I gonna do with you? You can't keep scaring me like this."

"You know I'm not doing this to scare you. There are just certain things in this place that I have to do myself or risk things falling apart."

His good arm slipped around her waist, keeping her close. "I'm sorry."

Ruby leaned in to him, letting her forehead rest against his for a moment before speaking again.

"Maybe you need a break from all this for a while."

Sam's eyes got confused. "Ruby, this is my life. I can't take a break from it."

"You're allowed a vacation, Sam," she said gently. "In fact, I think you need a vacation. Just you and me -- none of this."

Sam shook his head. He would have gotten up but she had pinned him by sitting in his lap. "And who's going to run this place while we're off sunning on some beach?" he scoffed the idea, his yellowish eyes giving her a look. "This is not like some day job in an office that I get two weeks vacation a year..."

"Michael grew up doing this, Sam," she sighed. "I'm sure he could handle taking care of the Initiative while we just -- got away for a bit. You need to relax. You need to take care of yourself."

Sam thought for a moment. Michael would know what to do. Sam trusted his son. He just... didn't want to put this all on his shoulders.

"And what if an emergency happens and we're too far away? The Triad are always looking for excuses to attack when they think we're weak."

"Then we'll talk to the angels," Ruby sighed. "See if Castiel or someone can cover things. They do owe you, after all."

Sam sighed, slumping in defeat. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"No, I'm not," she said gently. "I'm worried about you. And I know the years take a toll on you after a while, and I don't want to lose you because you start getting apathetic on me."

She paused for a moment, before leaning in to kiss him gently. "I miss the Sam I fell for. I want him back, if only for a little while."

He closed his eyes at her kiss, the sighed softly. "I guess I'll go break the news to Michael while you plan us up some kind of vacation then." He leaned his head on her shoulder.

"I'll try to do better. Just sometimes I don't even remember what I used to be like."

"I think I can help you remember," she said softly, rubbing his shoulder. "You just need a little time to take the responsibility off your shoulders."

"It was easier when Michael was little. But he's an adult now. He doesn't really need me that much anymore..."

"Just because he doesn't need you doesn't mean that you should just give it all up, Sam," she said gently. "I know it's easier to just throw yourself into work sometimes, but it doesn't hurt to take a break from it too."

"I'm not giving up..." Sam whined, rolling his head back. "The job just gives me something to do. So I forget about how..." Old "... tired I feel."

"Sam," she said gently, sliding her other arm around his neck. "I'm not trying to accuse you of anything. I just want to help you feel less tired. I know how time going by like this can get to you."

He sighed, closing his eyes as he remembered some of that time when he was not the best human in the world. Those were the darker days that didn't exist, at least not in his life story that he told his son.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Just -- do this for me. Please." She leaned in closer to him, trying her best to be comforting. "Help me worry a little less."

"Alright. I surrender. I will take a vacation for however long you and Michael want me too."

Ruby because she was going to decide how long she wanted him to rest, and Michael for how long he felt he could handle the responsibility.

She gave him a bright smile before leaning in to kiss him again. "I'll talk it over with him later."

"Just promise me I won't have to wear any funny hats wherever we end up going."

"No funny hats," she said with a nod, before tilting her head to whisper in his ear. "If you're good, you won't be wearing anything at all."

Sam smirked a bit at that. "You're lucky I never aged anywhere on my body," he pointed out.

"Mmmmmm -- neither did this one," she replied, shifting so that she was straddling his lap. "Guess we're both pretty lucky that way."

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