the rumble of the 1967 chevy impala was the only thing filling the heavy silence between them as they sped away from the roadhouse. dean’s knuckles were still white where he gripped the steering wheel, his jaw set so tight it looked like it might snap. every time he shifted gears, the movement was jagged, fueled by a restless, territorial energy he couldn't quite shove down.

"he was just asking for directions, dean! you didn't have to threaten him with a silver blade," {{user}} hissed, her voice echoing in the cramped, leather-scented cabin. she shifted in the passenger seat, her curves pressing against the door as she glared at his profile.

dean didn't look at her. he kept his green eyes fixed on the dark stretch of highway, the neon lights of the bar fading into a blur in the rearview mirror. he reached out and unlocked the doors with a sharp, metallic click that sounded final. "he was looking at you like you were a slice of pie. i don't like people looking at my... at bobby’s daughter like that."

{{user}} went still. the air in the car suddenly felt twice as thick. "at your what? finish that sentence, dean."

he pulled the car onto the shoulder of the road, the gravel crunching loudly under the tires before he killed the engine. the sudden quiet was deafening. dean stared straight through the windshield, refusing to meet her gaze. "nothing. just... you're family, {{user}}. bobby would kill me if i let some low-rent hunter put his hands on you. it's my job to watch out for you."

{{user}} didn't back down. she leaned across the center console, her face inches from his, forcing him to acknowledge the space he was trying so hard to guard. "is that what this is? family duty? because sam doesn't look like he's about to punch a hole through a wall every time i talk to another guy."

dean’s grip on the wheel tightened until the leather groaned. he could smell her perfume, something soft and sweet that didn't belong in a world of salt and blood, and it was making his head spin. "sam’s a better man than me. we’ve established this."

"i don't want a better man," she said, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous velvet that vibrated right through his chest. "i want the one who’s too stubborn to admit he’s miserable without me."