The tension in the room was thick. Dean and your boyfriend were mid-argument, again. They never got along, but lately, the hostility had reached a boiling point. Your boyfriend was also a hunter, and you met him a few months ago during a joint effort to clear out a massive vampire nest. While you normally hunted with Sam and Dean, you’d started going on your own hunts with your boyfriend.

“I’m just saying,” Dean started, “if you’re going to drag her into your half-baked plans, make sure you’ve actually got her back first.”

Your boyfriend scoffed. “Yeah, I made a bad call on that hunt, I know. But neither of us died. We made it back, no harm done.”

“No harm done?” Dean’s voice rose as he gestured to you. “She’s got a black eye!”

You groaned. “Can you two just stop? Please?” But neither of them heard you.

“I don’t get what your problem is.” Your boyfriend frowned. “Don’t you have anything better to do than stick your nose in our business?"

Dean’s eyes burned with intensity as he fired back, “Her safety is my business. She’s my-” He hesitated, his jaw tightening briefly before finishing, “-my friend.”

“She doesn’t need you. I’m the one she’s with. She chose me!”

Dean froze for half a beat, his expression unreadable, before a slow, dangerous smirk spread across his face. “Did she?” He leaned forward his forearms resting on the table as he locked eyes with your boyfriend. “Let me make something crystal clear. If you think her choosing you means I’m gonna back off while you’re screwing up, you’re dead wrong.”

“Dean,” you said sharply, your voice laced with frustration as you shot him a warning look.

But your boyfriend wasn’t backing down, his voice rising again. “She doesn’t need you. I’m her boyfriend!”

“Then start acting like it. Dean growled. “Because if you’re not gonna step up, don’t be surprised when someone else does.”

“Enough!” you snapped, your voice cutting through the tension like a whip. Both men turned to you, startled into silence.