jennytork

"I hate dressing up," Dean groused as they walked up to the victim's apartment building. "Dad and I never needed these play uniforms."

Sam just grinned, knowing from being one person part of the time that Dean wasn't really hating on the outfit per se, but on the layers pressing on his chest. There was a reason Dean wore all his overshirts open, after all. "You can unzip it once we're inside."

Dean shot a wry grin at him. "And I really hate that you can see through my bull now."

Sam just shot a grin in return as they got to the apartment and talked their way in as cleaners sent by the adjuster.

Once they were alone, Dean unzipped the jumpsuit and sighed in relief once the brass bull's head wasn't pressing on his sternum any longer. "Almost rather have it clock me in the mouth again," he groused.

"I shortened the cord a little, last time I ended up wearing it," Sam said. "Has that made a difference in the mouth smashing?"

"Yup," Dean admitted. He ran the EMF meter over the room, frowning as it picked up traces over the place where the victim had been found. "....huh."

"Got something, then?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Dean studied the blood splatter, then pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of it.

Being one person part of the time was altering both brothers, it seemed. Sam was more wiling to be more patient with Dean, and Dean understood him much better. Dean was more willing to use technology and tolerate research. He also was more willing to let Sam drive.

Dean traced the pattern on the screen. "That looks familiar." They left the building and Sam drove back to the motel while Dean flipped through the symbology index the brothers were compiling.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A half hour later, Sam was in the shower when Dean knocked on the wall. "Yeah!" he called.

"I think it's a daeva," Dean called.

"Hold on!" Sam shut off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, using another to dry off. "Water in the ears. Thought I heard you say it was 'Davy'."

Dean chuckled. "Daeva. Zoro-astrian shadow demons."

Sam whistled. "That's old magic."

"Insanely old," Dean sighed. "Only defense seems to be to eliminate the shadows."

"Which --- yeah," Sam groaned. "How do you fight a shadow?"

Dean opened his mouth but whatever he was going to say was lost when Sam's stomach made its emptiness known. He laughed. "Let's talk about it after we eat!"

Sam chuckled as he dressed.

As the Impala pulled away from the motel, neither brother was aware of the eyes on them. John Winchester slowly pulled his truck into their vacated spot as he watched his sons drive away.

On to Part Three