the fluorescent light of the motel bathroom flickered, casting a sickly yellow glow over the cramped space. the air smelled of stale coffee and the sharp, medicinal sting of antiseptic. {{user}} sat on the closed toilet lid, her knees brushing against sam’s as he perched on the edge of the bathtub. his broad shoulders seemed to swallow the room, his flannel shirt discarded on the floor, leaving him in a thin white undershirt that was stained dark with blood at the shoulder.

"i told you to stay in the car," {{user}} murmured, her voice steady despite the way her heart hammered against her ribs. she dipped a cotton ball in alcohol, her fingers grazing the warm, solid muscle of his arm.

sam hissed through his teeth, his large hand gripping the edge of the porcelain bath until his knuckles turned white. "and let that thing get a piece of you? not happening."

"so you let it get a piece of you instead? brilliant logic, samuel." she leaned in closer, the soft curve of her stomach pressing against his knee. she didn't pull away. she couldn't. the proximity felt like a physical weight, thick and heavy in the small room.

she picked up the needle, her movements practiced and careful. as she began the first stitch, sam’s breath hitched. he didn't pull back, though; he leaned into her touch, his gaze fixed on her face. he watched the focused line of her brow, the way she bit her lip when she was concentrating.

"you’re getting good at this," he said softly, his voice dropping an octave. "too good."

"comes with the job description," she retorted, though her touch grew infinitely softer as she wiped away a stray drop of blood. "maybe if you stopped playing the martyr, i could retire the sewing kit."

sam turned his head, his face inches from hers. the silence between them was charged with tension that had been simmering for months in the front seat of the impala and over shared meals in diners. his hazel eyes searched hers, vulnerable and exhausted.

"i'd do it again," he whispered, his gaze dropping to her lips before snapping back to her eyes. "in a heartbeat. you know that."