Sam was a real sweetheart—that had never been a secret to anyone. He was stubborn and could be really vengeful, but at his core, he was a kid who loved all things nerdy, a kid who just wanted to go to school and live life like anyone else without having to worry about monsters. Sure, he wanted to help, but not like this.

All of that, everything that made him him, was just... gone. {{user}} had noticed the moment he’d knocked on their door—well, Bobby’s. It was their dad’s house, but they still stayed there from time to time. It’s how they’d met the Winchester brothers. It’s a bittersweet story, really.

Two boys were constantly dropped off at their home when they were younger. {{user}} grew closest with the youngest, the two forming a close-knit bond that for years hovered on the line between friendship and something more, never quite crossing it.

So, of course, they’d instantly noticed Sam acting differently. It was as if he didn’t care anymore—not like he had before. He was bolder; that much was obvious. Rather than little flirtatious comments and hesitant touches, it had been something much, much different. Fuck, he’d downright pushed them up against a wall and kissed them—in all the years of knowing each other, Sam had never dared to do such a thing. Not that he was incapable—he’d just cared too much about what they had and hadn’t wanted to risk it, much like they hadn’t.

So, yeah, it had been a shock, something scary even. They were so relieved that he was back, but this—this was something that should have made them run.

But they didn’t run. They couldn’t. Not from Sam.

Instead, they found themselves staring into his eyes, searching for the familiar warmth that had always been there—the warmth that was now replaced by something darker, colder. It was like looking into the eyes of a stranger wearing Sam's face.