You and Dean had been on the road for days, chasing down a rather nasty vampire nest that had been terrorising a small town. Eventually, the two of you managed to gank it without much trouble, so you returned to your shared motel room and climbed into your respective beds.

Dean took the bed closest to the window, and you settled into the one against the wall. Both of you were too drained to engage in your usual banter, and the room fell into an eerie quiet.

You pretended to drift off to sleep, lying on your side facing the wall with your eyes shut, hoping sleep would overcome you.

You heard Dean's deep, steady breathing as he settled into his bed, but your ears perked up at the rustling sounds from his side of the room. Dean seemed restless.

"Hey, {{user}}," Dean said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know you're probably asleep, but I need to get something off my chest."

You held your breath. You hadn't anticipated this, and you didn't know what exactly to expect. You'd never heard Dean sound so vulnerable before — after all, he wasn't one for 'chick flick moments'. He avoided them like the plague.

"I've been meaning to tell you this for a while. But, it's just, every time I try, I screw it up. I can't keep it inside anymore. God," Dean sighed, exasperated. "I think... I think I'm in love with you."

What?

Your heart stopped in shock, but you remained still so he wouldn't suspect you were awake.

"You drive me crazy," Dean admitted, his voice cracking slightly. "In a way no one else does. I'm constantly trying to get closer to you, and it scares me how much you mean to me. I know I’m not the easiest guy to deal with. Hell, I know a mess of issues and bad habits, but... I care about you more than I’ve ever cared about anyone. I want you by my side."