It had become tradition that whenever a hunt brought Dean through town, he’d end up at your door. Years ago, you’d been together, but his life on the road wore you down. The not knowing, the waiting, the worry. He couldn’t give up the hunt, and you couldn’t keep living on the edge of it. So you ended things. Somehow, though, you stayed friends.

Over time, you both moved on. Dated other people. But neither of you ever really settled.

Now, you sat across from him on the couch with your legs curled underneath you. The bottle of wine on the coffee table was nearly empty, and the TV still on but long forgotten.

You swirled the wine in your glass. “Can I ask you something?”

Dean leaned back, one leg propped over the other, boots kicked off and discarded near the door hours ago. “Shoot.”

You hesitated, your gaze flicking toward the tv for a moment. “Have you ever been in love?”

He didn’t even blink. “With you.”

You let out a soft, stunned laugh, more breath than sound. “That was six years ago.”

He shook his head, gaze steady. “Seven.”

You looked at him and the way he was already looking at you made your heart skip a beat. Like he was memorizing every inch of you. Like he’d never stopped.

It was too much, and too familiar.

You set your wine glass down gently, rising to your feet. “You should go.”

His brow creased. “What?”

You sighed, already moving toward the door - not to open it, just to create space. “This is dangerous. We’ve had wine, and somehow… somehow you’ve gotten better looking, which is so annoying.” You turned to face him, trying to keep your tone light, but your voice cracked just slightly. “Couldn’t you have gone bald or gotten fat or something?”

Dean chuckled as he stood up, but he didn’t make a move toward the door. “I could grow a beer gut,” he offered, his voice low and teasing. “Start watching daytime soap operas. Really let myself go.”

You gave a breath of a laugh, shaking your head. “Don’t tempt me.”

He stepped closer, slow, careful. “You don’t really want me to leave do you, {{user}}?”