longer.blue

The road so far.... A Ruby and Dean Recap Where Does This Road End? Ruby (@tarnishedclaret.bsky.social) *I sat, silent, in the car I had stolen a few counties over, staring through the darkness at the dingy motel across the street. @@born2gank.bsky.social had been holed up in there for a few days now. He hadn’t even emerged for food, so God only knows what he was eating. He was searching for clues. Sam had disappeared and from the look of all he creatures sitting here in the dark with me, staring at the same old beat up door that I was, they were as anxious for Dean to figure out where he’d gone as I was. All I could do was make sure nothing that would hurt @born2gank.bsky.social got one step closer. Because Dean, on a good day, could probably handle half of what lurked out here. And I might be able to handle most of the rest. But Dean wasn’t having a good day, or week, or month. And frankly, neither was I. Dean and I had a tenuous understanding, a truce or treaty, but I knew, most likely, that was only going to last until Sam was safe and sound. Then it would be bets off, or at least open hostility again. And that was fine. I’d take it. I’d take all of it to keep Sam, and in turn Dean, safe. I sat polishing the dagger that was always at the ready, my brain running over every scenario. Maybe I should just be out looking for Sam, but that would leave both Dean and me vulnerable. I knew he wasn’t going to really have my back, but to help Sam he’d at least keep me alive. And for now that was all I needed.* ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dean (@born2gank.bsky.social) I didn’t have to look out the window to know someone was watching me. The itch had been crawling up the back of my neck since the second I checked into this dump. Most people would chalk it up to nerves. I knew better. I'd been in the game too long to ignore that kind of weight in the dark. I sat at the edge of the motel bed, elbows on my knees, hunched over the clutter of old news clippings, grainy surveillance stills, and half-scorched hex bags spread across the room like the wreckage of a mind unraveling. And maybe it was. Maybe mine was. Because Sam wasn’t just missing. He was gone, and every dead-end I chased down felt colder than the last. I finally stood, ran a hand through my hair, and looked toward the window. I couldn’t see her, but I knew Ruby was out there. Sitting in some stolen car, blade on her lap, pretending she wasn’t as wrecked about this as I was. We had that in common, I guess. That and the fact we’d both kill for Sam, even if it meant working with each other. Again. I opened the motel door slowly, the cold air cutting through the stale heat of the room. I didn’t step outside, not yet. Just leaned against the frame and let my eyes adjust to the dark. “I know you’re out there,” I called out, voice rough from too much silence and not enough sleep. “If you’re gonna skulk around like a bad habit, at least bring coffee.” I paused, scanning the night. No movement. Just tension. Thick enough to chew on. “You keeping watch or just waiting to see how far I fall before I break?” I didn’t expect an answer. We both knew the deal. This wasn’t trust. It wasn’t even a partnership. It was desperation in a trench coat. And right now, that was all either of us had. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ruby (@tarnishedclaret.bsky.social) I rolled my eyes as I heard Dean call out into the darkness. We'd been in this tenuous time of feigned blissful ignorance for so long, but clearly he wasn't good with that any more. I pulled out my phone and ordered the greasiest burgers and pizza I could find, along with the largest amount of Shiner that I could get my hands on and I waited. Why was I even here anymore? Waiting for Sam because I was afraid Dean wouldn't tell me if he found him? Watching over Dean because I knew Sam would want him kept safe? Sam had basically bailed on both of us, so why was I doing what I was doing? Fuck. As I took the food and drinks from the delivery guy I climbed out of my car with the realization that I was here because I actually cared about Dean and what happened to him. And I actually just wanted to help him. And I didn't know what to fucking do with that realization. I banged on the door and waited, shaking my head and squaring my shoulders for the abuse I was sure was about to be heaped on me, holding out my peace offering in hopes we could at least coexist in the same space going forward* +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dean (@born2gank.bsky.social) I stepped back as she passed through the door, the smell of hot food trailing in behind her. I didn’t ask why she brought it. I didn’t comment on the timing. I just grabbed a beer, twisted it open, and dropped into the chair at the table like my body couldn’t take one more hour on its feet. The silence stretched between us, not awkward, just heavy. Like everything we weren’t saying was louder than anything we could. I grabbed a slice of pizza, took a bite, chewed, swallowed. Finally spoke. “Place two towns over had a nest of vamps holed up in a hardware store. Thought maybe they grabbed Sam, but it was a dead lead. No sign of him. Just a bunch of low-level bloodsuckers scared shitless of something they wouldn’t name.” I took another drink and leaned back in the chair, eyes flicking over the mess of papers still scattered across the motel desk. “There’s a pattern here. I just haven’t cracked it. And whatever’s coming? It’s got the rest of the monsters crawling back into the dark.” I glanced over at her then, nodding at the food. “Appreciate it. I’m not used to having backup that shows up with dinner. Just don’t get comfortable.” I stood again, moved toward the wall, and grabbed the map I’d tacked there, pins, strings, notes scribbled in red ink. I traced one of the lines with my finger, jaw set. “I’m heading south tomorrow. There’s a hunter who went missing two counties over. Same signs. Same sulfur. Might be nothing. Might be something.” I turned just enough to meet her eyes again. “You in?” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ruby (@tarnishedclaret.bsky.social) *I'd dropped into a seat at the little table in the dingy, dark, sticky motel room. I sat there, motionless, a mask over any and every emotion I felt over my face, as I listened to what you were sharing. It had to mean something, didn't it? Sam couldn't have just vanished into thin air, could he? No matter how much it seemed like that was the case. And for Dean, in his own way, to be asking me for help meant he was scared. Not scared about what we might be facing. That wasn't his style. But scared for what might have happened to his brother. And that fear radiated through his mask and settled behind mine. I swallowed down the hard ball of emotion that was in my throat, nonchalantly plucking up a french fry and popping it into my mouth. I chewed, tasting nothing, forcing it past the hard ball choking down the fear, doing my best to not show anything I was feeling. I nodded definitively, leaning forward in my chair, my jaw set in a hard line* Are you at least going to let me ride with you? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dean (@born2gank.bsky.social) Her voice cut through the quiet like she was asking for a ride to the store instead of signing up for whatever hell lay ahead. I didn’t look at her right away. Just kept my eyes on the map taped to the wall, the red string zig-zagging between crime scenes like some kind of desperate equation that refused to solve. I rubbed at the back of my neck, let out a breath through my nose, and finally turned to face her. “You want to ride with me?” I let that sit there, not as a challenge, not sarcastic. Just... real. The kind of question you only ask when the silence feels heavier than your own damn thoughts. She was trying to act like this wasn’t a big deal. Just a passenger seat and a shitty motel room and a cold burger between two people who had every reason to walk away. But the way she said it? I knew better. And maybe that’s what caught me off guard. I walked over, grabbed another beer from the busted mini-fridge, cracked it open, and leaned against the counter. “Fine,” I said quietly. No growl, no pushback. “Yeah. Ride with me.” I took a long drink, not looking at her now. “Just don’t expect this to be some buddy cop road trip. We’re chasing ghosts with no leads and no backup. And if we do find Sam...” I paused, the words catching somewhere in my throat before I shoved past them. “I don’t know what kind of shape he’s gonna be in. Or what we’re walking into.” I finally looked back at her. “You still in?” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ruby *I quickly threw the mask back on and rolled my eyes, shouldering my bag and holding it tight against my shoulder* Of course I'm in. Did you really think any of that...or this *gesturing to all the insanity covering the walls that any conspiracy theorist would be proud of* would scare me off? You'd think you'd know me better by now. *scoffing with an eye roll, nodding to your food* Eat up and let's get on the road, cowboy. Because if there is one thing we can agree on, is Sam. *blowing out a long breath, shaking my head as my eyes scan the walls* I don't think you're remotely touching the tip of what has happened to him with all this. So you'd better get together the best of the best of whatever you've got. We're going to need it. *jerking my head towards the door* You about ready?