I will burn like the sun

[1967_chevy]

Being human was something entirely unexpected. It still managed to surprise him, after almost a month of waltzing around on two legs. To think, he couldn't drink motor oil now? That had been a fun, if panicked, conversation. He also wasn't allowed to sleep in a parking space anymore, go figure.

There'd been interrogations at first - what with Baby laying out in the road where their car used to be - the usual supernatural entity tests, but Baby came back clean and kosher. He'd smelled faintly of lavender, though there was no trace of a hex bag; but whatever magic had done this, there was no doubt it was strong.

Baby was pretty sure he was getting into the swing of it, all things considered. He hadn't been allowed on a hunt yet, despite the fact that Baby had been on more hunts than both boys combined -technically. His grumblings about respecting their elders went ignored.

Currently, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching Sam research the latest monster of the week. He'd offered to help before, but as it turned out, he was pretty rubbish at reading anything besides street signs. Next was his offer to clean the guns - neither Winchester had seemed particularly thrilled by his suggestion, but hey, he wanted to be useful. The guns, he could do; he was good at mechanical things.

So he's swabbing out a pistol, head tilted as he stares at the screen over Sam's ridiculously hulking shoulders. "Bet you $10 Dean comes back with cherry pie."

Comments

[winchesam]

Stranger than fiction, stranger than life itself. When he and Dean had found some weird stranger in the spot the Impala should have been, Sam thought it was a drunk man who potentially had friends who stole their childhood 'home' and Dean, he hadn't known what to think. He went full metal jacket and slammed him up against the side of a tree, questions abound as Sam tried to sooth his pissed off brother before he killed himself an innocent human. But then the man had claimed he was the Impala itself. That was something not even Sam could believe.

They put him through test after test, Dean being pissed off the longer baby was away. He expected the guy to have a cellphone, that he would call his friends to bring back his damn car. Sam started believing it was the Impala, especially when he started telling stories about their childhood, and other things they had done growing up in the car. About hunts. The times it had been totaled, the times Dean had fixed it back to new. The times Sam had gotten in arguments with John over freedom to do what he wanted. The time Dean and him argued over him going to college and leaving the family behind. The first time Sam had gone on a hunt and came back with a huge ass gash in his side while Dean panicked and took him to the hospital against dad's wishes.

In the end, Sam fully believed, so while Dean lived in denial, Sam got them an SUV they could soup out after calling in a few favors from other hunters on getting guns and the proper equipment to do it. He knew the car itself wasn't coming back, they were stuck with the male version, until he turned into a car again. Sam had a war in his head, it was a small thing, he alternated between calling Baby, it and him. He was also used to Dean referring to him as her, so that was weird. Eitherway, it didn't take Sam long to get used to Baby.

He was researching a case on his laptop, fingers clacking away as he went from site to site. He pushed his hair back from his face, behind his ear and he could feel Baby's presence behind his back. Looking over his shoulder. Usually he got irritated when people did it, but he just considered it natural curiosity that drove the once upon a time car to do it. At some point he'd teach him about the internet world and how to use a laptop, but Sam had a hard time even letting Dean near it, because of his need to look up porn sites and give Sam shitty viruses.

He was distracted, definitely and heard Baby speak. “Bet it's crumbly apple and he won't even think to share. He'll eat it all in one sitting and hate himself afterward.” Dean had taken to eating a little more than usual since he didn't have his precious metal and silver parts lady for him to fuss over.

Ten minutes later, the door opened and Dean came in with three boxes of food and a pie tin wrapped in tin foil. Sam could instantly smell it as it was hot, so he looked over at Baby and gave a small sigh. “I'll get your ten once I'm done here,” he answered it... him, but he had no clue what Baby would do with ten dollars. It wasn't like there were a lot of things he wanted, from what Sam could see. “But he still isn't going to share and will eat the whole thing.”

Dean cocked his eyebrow, looking between Sam and his fucking Impala. Who he had been willing for the last two weeks to turn back, so they could be on the road with the engine purring underneath his hands, so he could forget Baby had a dick and didn't feel all weird around him because he smelled like godforsaken lavender, sometimes a little motor oil and leather. Where the hell had the lavender come from? He had never douched her up. It was either pine fresh, artificial cherry or Hawaiian pineapple. Or a combination therefor of. He unceremoniously dropped the food on the small table. “Are you two taking bets on me? Because I gotta tell you, I've seen She's all that and I'm not wearing a red dress.”

Sam shrugged his shoulder, focusing on his work.

[1967_chevy]

Baby could have guessed that his jokes about getting tingly when Dean manhandled him, and did you wish really, really hard, Winchester? wouldn't go over very well, but hey, he had a mouth now, he'd better enjoy it while it lasted. Sam, blessedly, was the voice of reason, at least long enough for Baby to tell them he was the Impala. If it had just been Dean, who knows if Baby would have lived that long; which, really, shouldn't be as flattering as it is.

Baby had nothing but a pocket knife and two handfuls of salt in his pockets. Not superbly helpful, but they didn't talk about where the weapons in the trunk could have gone; why Baby had a devil's trap on his lower back, just above his ass. He had stories, though, to back up his credibility; and he hadn't even pulled out the best ones. He remembered just about everything, all 40+ years.

He didn't look his age, though, but Baby shrugged when the question arose. "Dean took good care of me. Shit stays cherry."

Baby wasn't sure what determined his human form, and he wondered, privately, if the boys would have believed him faster if he was a woman. Personally, he couldn't say he really cared; he was a car, cars didn't have gender. Dean didn't seem terribly comforted when Baby offered to still let him use whatever pronouns he wanted, though.

It did make some sense, though. A muscle car with a stick shift. That alone - but this was the Winchesters; when had their lives ever been simple?

Baby grinned in victory, cocking the gun to check it was properly cleaned and loaded. He was just trying to get along, because he realized it was more than a little strange for the boys. He knew them, in ways they probably weren't comfortable with (what with Dean and his steadfast emotional constipation), and they didn't know him. A lot like Chuck, Baby mused, except worse, probably.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Baby says cryptically, and whether or not it's actually true - it's always fun to watch the boys try to figure it out. "Speaking of bets, how long do you think it will take before your liver revolts against your drinking habits?"

[winchesam]

Sam looks up automatically, hearing Baby's response like a pin drop in a silent room. He raises his eyebrow questionably, looking at Dean because he's not sure if Baby is joking or not. He imagines Baby has plenty of stories of Dean's sexual escapades in spades involving his previous incarnation. Dean in pink lacy underwear is amusing in itself, but Dean in a dress would be cause for blackmail whenever Sam wanted something from Dean that his brother wouldn't be willing to do.

As Dean sits down at the table, picking up the second box and opening it to a mound of fries, a double cheeseburger with all the fixings, extra onions to boot. He'll never admit he does it to make Sam grouchy when he blows a nice long breath in his face. He notices Sam looking at him finally as he picks up the burger and takes a bite, he chews but halfway through the bite he blinks and narrows his eyes. “Don't look at me like that, he's a goddamn liar,” he retorts, glaring at Baby for even insinuating that he ever wore a dress.

Sam's lip curls into a small smirk. “I don't know, Dean. You're pretty kinky from what I've heard.” If Lisa is any indication, Dean thrives on sex that isn't exactly on the vanilla side and definitely doesn't trip into psychotic either. Him on the other hand... yeah, let's not go there.

Dean rolls his eyes, and keeps eating as Baby asks a question. “Don't drink nearly enough to rot my liver unless you count my teen years when I was first allowed to drink whatever the hell I wanted,” Dean replies, looking at Baby a moment like he always does, assessing why his car is still human and why it seems so much older than the two of them. It might boil down to being made in the sixties, being forty years old and then some, and probably knowing just as much if not more than his brother and him combined.

Dean looks away, picking up a fry and shoving it in his mouth as he half swallows and speaks through a mouth full of food. “I know you don't need to eat, but I got you dinner too. Have at it,” he says to Baby, nudging the third box toward the flesh turned engine.

Sam closes the laptop, no closer to figuring out the case but he figures tomorrow there will be witnesses to interrogate and offer some support in their time of need, but right now his stomach is telling him he's hungry with the way it's tightening. He had been mostly researching all day, he didn't eat lunch, he didn't eat breakfast. He hadn't been hungry then, but he knew better than to sit here and not eat if he was going to continue having a top conditioned physique. “You got me what I asked for?”

Dean was halfway done with his burger. “Yeah, loaded salad, thousand island dressing. Baked potato, not butter, butter. Your usual rabbit food shit.”

Sam ignored the jab. “Thanks,” he said, taking the box as he opened it and saw two large packets of dressing inside and started getting it prepared. “So, I was thinking... if Baby is going to stay this way. Maybe, we should consider training him so he can help us in the field.”

Dean looked from Sam to Baby, then looked down as he contemplated. “I don't know, man. He's like a literal baby, brand spanking new to the world and he doesn't even know how to handle a gun.”

“Guns are easy, it's dealing with the supernatural I'm worried about,” Sam replied easily as he dug in, giving a slight moan around the bite. He turned his gaze on Baby and tilted his head. “You feel like learning a thing or two? Or are you not ready for that?” It was a good question but he knew the answer would probably be yes. Baby had already tried to pull I can help card but both brothers had been wary of even letting it happen, they didn't want anymore nicks or scars on him than he already had. If he died, what would that even mean? Did he have a soul?

[1967_chevy]

Baby's got a shit-eating grin on his face, like he totally knows what he's done. "Hey, Dean, you do what you've got to do." Oh, Sammy you're not off the hook either. He's watched the pair of you grow up, make as many mistakes as there are stars in the sky. "I could be a lot worse, I promise." Don't piss him off, he might pull out something about your parents. They did get him when they were a young, spry couple, after all.

"I lost count a while ago," Baby shrugs, setting the gun aside and crossing the room to wash his hands before he eats. He's a car, not an animal. "But it was somewhere in the 600 range."

"Smells awesome," Baby hums contentedly, which sounds suspiciously like his usual rumble. Maybe he didn't need to eat, but he definitely wanted to, after watching his passengers do so for so long. He picks up his burger, digging in eagerly. He noted Sam's food choice, though, even as he followed Dean's lead by stuffing his mouth with fries. He at least had the conscientiousness to distantly wonder if he should be eating 'healthier', but hey; if he didn't need to eat, did he really need to eat healthy?

His head pops up like a hound dog when Sam even hints that he could be trained. Those icy blue eyes trained on Dean for his response, hastily swallowing the mouthful of salty fast food. "Hell yeah! I can learn. I already know most of the basics." Now that...those were existential questions Baby didn't have a single clue how to answer. It certainly begged the question, what was a soul exactly? Why did he have a mind, a personality of his own? Why wasn't he a ragdoll in the corner?

Baby tried not to think about it. One day, sooner or later, he'd either die or turn back, and then it wouldn't really matter.

[winchesam]

Dean grumbles underneath his breath, wishing his damn car would be a car and not this abomination, that wore a douchey leather jacket and had a pretty face like America's next top model. Sure, Baby had always been pretty because he had treated her with car, but she was at least supposed to have a curvy figure and long black hair with bright eyes like the headlights she carried. Yeah, call Dean an asshole, but he was having a hard time getting over this. “What I wanna do is find a way to turn you back, but it looks like I'm stuck like chuck on that.” He narrows his eyes. “Sure, you could.”

Sam takes a hefty bite of his salad, watching Baby out of the corner of his eye as the human!car talks. “If Dean has drank that much beer, he should be dead then,” he said, looking at Dean critically, but he figured beer only made you sick if you did it everyday of the week, more than four times a day or you were bordering on being an alcoholic. There were somedays where his brother didn't drink at all and simply had a soda in his hand while watching a monster movie on tv.

“Everything in moderation. What dad taught me, ya know?,” Dean replies, mostly absentmindedly as he continues to eat. “It's a cheeseburger, they're always awesome,” Dean said with a grin, forgetting for just a moment that he's irritated with his supposed car as he glances at him with a light in his eye that suggests cheeseburgers are indeed the answer to everything. His face falls once he realizes what he's doing, so his mouth returns to a scowl despite how delicious his food is.

Dean notices the pinpoint stare and doesn't acknowledge it.


“What can you know outside of being a car? I mean... we never exactly took you on hunts besides leaving you outside of the area. What are we working with is what I'm saying,” Sam said, fork mid air as it drifted toward his mouth and he took the bite. He figured they could take Baby to Bobby's and train him for a week or two after the hunt they were on was out of the way.

[1967_chevy]

Baby tries not to let it get to him. He knows Dean loves him, on an almost unhealthy level. He can't help it, though, that it hurts when Dean glares at him like that. When he doesn't love him like he did. There was a time when Dean would have punched somebody for insulting his car. Now, Baby couldn't see that Dean really cared much at all. Not for his human form, anyway. He had sleek lines, jeans that looked like they were painted on, leather to match his upholstery. The headlights - well, those stayed mostly the same. He doesn't say anything about being turned back. He didn't think Dean wanted his opinion, when he said things like that. "Is that a challenge, WInchester?"

To be fair, Baby had been counting since Dean started drinking in his teens. Dean had honestly been a bit healthier in recent years, but hey; whatever floats his boat.

Baby snorts, but doesn't comment. Because John was such a healthy role model. He loves his family, but he knows better than anyone that they have their issues. "Words of wisdom." Baby returns the smile, trying not to let it falter when Dean's face falls.

"Do you know how many conversations you have inside me?" Baby points out, raising an eyebrow and popping a few fries into his mouth. "How many sigils and spells and creature details I've overheard? Half the time the fight went down right in front of me."

[winchesam]

Dean and Sam could both admit that Baby had come out attractive, if anything he was definitely up there with America's Next Top Model if there was a male version of the show. Sam however, could only admit it made total sense that the only place Dean and him could call home was infact very male. It was a muscle car, a hot rod. If Dean thought for a moment that it was a she, he'd be sorely mistaken. Sam tried not to say anything, mainly because he didn't want Dean getting in even more of a fluster than he already was over the situation.

Sam was about to speak when Dean opened his mouth. “Sure the hell is, Baby,” he retorted, mouth forming the last words as if it would hurt him as he finished off his cheeseburger. He directed his eyes on the man, narrowing them and giving a stare before looking away and digging into his fries with abandon.

Sam nods, looking rightfully schools. “Uh, good point. So, you know the basics and I guess you can figure out the rest but you still need training before we take you out with us officially.”

Dean purses his lips, well, more like pushes them off, staring into the distance. A fry hanging out of his mouth as he chews it up quickly and eats it. “Really don't want to scratch the paint anymore than it needs to be. Not to mention, Sam here isn't any closer to finding out how to turn you back, what might happen if you die, and if you do, do you go to heaven, hell or purgatory?” Despite the fact that Dean was busy pretending like he didn't give a shit about Baby, he still felt that deep need to take care of him and make sure he was eating, despite the fact it wasn't gas anymore or oil. He also didn't want to think of his car spending an eternity burning in hell, fighting for his life in purgatory or being absolutely no where if he didn't have a soul.

“All burning questions will be answered in due time,” Sam replied, shrugging his shoulders as he offered Baby a sheepish smile. “So, Bobby's old hang out. Two weeks of training and then we'll take you on the simple stuff, see what you can handle before we throw you at the bigger picture. Sound good?”

OOC: I Is sorry I took so long to reply. First I had the cold, then right after it ended, I got the flu O.o maybe I've hit my quota for the fall/winter

[1967_chevy]

Baby is ready to rebut Dean, but the venom emphasized on his name shut him down faster than a priest in church. He almost visibly droops, silence speaking for itself. Trying to change his name had only ended in a shouting match. It was like if he just started calling Dean 'Lionel' for no apparent reason. Dean seemed to be taking this a lot harder than Sam was, but then, that really was to be expected. Still, Dean knew it would hurt him and he said it anyway.

"Yeah, of course. I've only ever really carried the weapons." Baby agreed, staring at his food as Dean lists off reasons why he can't. His jaw ticked, but he simply said, "Get busy living or get busy dying, I guess."

"Perfect," Baby said fiercely, not even looking at Dean. If he really cared so little, Baby would do his best to stop expecting things from him, like approval. Which was both disconcerting and disheartening. He was used to a level of unconditional love, and suddenly, it almost seemed like Dean resented him. Well, maybe he just wouldn't ask permission anymore.

He wouldn't say Sam relied on him the same way, but the younger Winchester at least seemed to understand.

OOC: I totally get it! Something's going around + it's getting way colder!

[winchesam]

Dean notices the droop right away, his own face falls and he gives a little sigh. He grumbles underneath his breath and pushes his fries toward Baby. “Eat some cheesy chili fries, they're the food equivalent of crack or so I've been told but try to keep your hands clean or you're not sharing a bed with me tonight.” It had become customary for Sam and Dean to switch off. While Dean tended to sleep on his stomach, sometimes he found himself wrapped around Baby in the middle of the night and while embarrassed, he'd just remove himself and head to the bathroom, which was usually what woke him up.

Sam smiled. “I bet you know more about the weapons than we do though, considering you've been carrying them all your life.”

Dean gave a parody of a frown, glancing at Baby then returning to get his fingers greasy and chilly cheese covered as he attempted keeping his fingers clean. “I'd much rather you live than die. My wheels are pretty much my life and I'm getting tired of the SUV.”

“You once told me I'm your whole world, Dean. Do I have to be jealous of Baby now?,” Sam teased, his own parody of a frown.

“What? When you were seven? Get over that, numbskull,” Dean retorted, rolling his eyes. “But okay. You and the Impala are pretty much all I have.” And he guessed Baby now included that. It had taken him awhile to even get tolerant with the human!impala, but he was slowly warming up and starting to see his attitude toward him hurt the poor guy.

OOC: Where should we go next? I kinda want Dean and Baby's fingers to brush over fries (because I am shipping Baby so hard with him right now, forgive me lol) but at the same time, I want them to get straight to training or maybe Dean in the bed with Baby and them waking up in the middle of the night and having some kinda heart to heart. I think... I'mma switch to my Dean journal, since I'm feeling his muse more with you. If that's okay? <_< I'll still play Sam of course.

[1967_chevy]

Baby suppresses a scowl, knowing it will seem childish if he lets it show. Instead, he says nothing and takes a fry from the cheesy goo. He knows better than to mention the nights with Dean, when he rolls over in his sleep and takes hold of Baby. It's like Dean's body knows how important Baby is to him, more than Dean's mind does. And Baby certainly doesn't mind.

That loosens Baby up a little, and he offers Sam a tight smile. He doesn't say anything to address Dean's comment. While he understands what he means, he knows it's only half joking and - is that all that mattered? His wheels?

"I'm the Winchestermobile for a reason," Baby agreed, popping another fry into his mouth.

[OOC: That's totally fine with me! Baby is my bicycle I ship him with everybody xD Maybe we go from the fries to bed so they can get on the road in the morning and they have a moment?]

[winchesam]

Dean just smirks as Baby pops the grease and fat laden fry in his mouth. “That a boy,” he says proudly, tempted to reach over and pat him on the back but his hand remains where it is and takes another fry to pops in his pie hole. Mmm pie. He could really use a nice slice of cherry right about now. As he absentmindedly reaches for another fry, his fingers brush up against something that makes him still for a moment and feel an electric tingle. He slowly looks over and sees that Baby's hand has brushed his. He pulls away like he's been shocked, though in a way he has been. He flushes a little and decides he's had enough fries for one day. (Despite the fact that he really wants them)

Sam's face goes from putting food in his mouth to catching the little moment and Dean's embarrassed face. He tilts his head, but keeps his comments to himself. Like, Dean might actually have the hots for their childhood home, except that Childhood home is male and definitely not Dean's preference. “It's getting late. We should head to bed. Hunt to finish,” Sam says, finishing off his food and starting to gather up trash. Sam frowns a little at Baby's comment, but doesn't say anything there either. He gets the feeling sometimes that Baby feels more human than car, though he's never pondered the potential minds of inanimate objects.

“Yeah, bed,” Dean says, getting up as he helps his brother. “Damn straight,” he answers Baby as he finishes cleaning up and heads into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

(OOC: I had this thought of Baby entering into a poly-relationship with Sam and Dean but you'd probably be like nope, nope and nope. I'm not really sold on it to be honest XDD but yay for Baby for being a Bicycle. Dean is also my bicycle. But yeah, let's go with that.)

[1967_chevy]

Baby tries to ignore the almost proud look Dean gives him. It'll evaporate in a minute and leave him feeling empty. But he can't help the way he almost blooms under the praise. He's used to it being another part of everyday life and this is still a bit of an adjustment period. Baby nearly misses the moment his hand brushes Dean's - it's not unusual for him, but the way Dean pauses is a little strange - and Baby is terribly aware of Dean's body language, always has been. He looks up, curious, but Dean doesn't say anything about it and the moment to ask passes with mild bewilderment.

To be fair, Baby had always been treated like a human. Dean had spoiled him and scolded Sam for anything he considered 'mistreatment'. He cooed to him and talked to him and spilled his heart out to him. So yeah, it may have been a one-way conversation - but it was still a conversation.

"I could sleep," Baby allows, finishing off his fries and collecting his trash.

[OOC: I'm down for trying anything once, if you want to. You can always hit me up on AIM if you want to talk about it more in depth~ ]

[rocksaltmetal]

Dean brushes his teeth, gargling for a good five minutes until his gums feel rawed and over used, like he's been scraping them against scolding hot concrete. Seriously, he wants to pretend his car isn't making him have second thoughts about homosexuality but he has to think on this. Is wanting to maybe hump your human vehicle, who happens to have junk hanging between his legs and a chiseled chest make you gay? Because if so, he should make Baby sleep with Sam every night from now on.

But hell, did Baby even consider himself either gender?

Dean stepped out of the bathroom, letting Sam go second, as he stripped down into his dark grey boxers and his grey t-shirt. He slipped underneath the covers, going to his side of the bed, closest to the door like he had always done. Closing his eyes, he listened to the other two in the room go about their business. The lull of the water in the bathroom running, hand underneath his pillow on the handle of his blade and knowing Sam was safe for the night made his drift in and out of consciousness.

He guessed that included Baby too. Finally went into a slumber somewhere between heavy and light.

[1967_chevy]

Baby watches the boys go through their routine with inexplicable interest. Every night they did the same thing, and every night, he still watched. Still wasn't bored. It was hard to quantify why, and God bless the boys never asked. He just liked...seeing what he never saw before. He'd never been on the other side of the door, never seen what they did without him. It was unendingly intriguing.

Baby was already down to his boxers; jeans, jacket, and shirt laid over the chair. He was really totally comfortable sleeping in his jeans, but the boys had thought it was weird and made a deal over it - but he wasn't allowed to sleep completely naked, either? So boxers was his compromise. They tried to get him pajamas, but no dice. It was like putting on the wrong color paint; it didn't feel right, and he couldn't wear them.

He laid there for a while, too, listening to Sam go through his routine, laying on his back. Sometimes, the bed felt too soft. There were nights when he'd sneak out and lay on the warm asphalt, remember what it felt like. Only on nights where he slept with Sam; Dean was too light a sleeper, and also too clingy. He'd notice; and Baby was pretty sure neither of them would like it (he was a Winchester, though, since when would that stop him?)

He closed his eyes, slowly relaxing into the bed.

[winchesam]

Something woke Dean in the middle of the night, someone slammed a car door outside and there were raised voices. He grumbled underneath his breath, eyes cracking open into slits as he tried looking toward the window but realized instead he was looking at someone's face. He blinked a few times, sleep in his eyes as dark hair came into view and a rather angular, nice profile made itself known. Not to mention, he had an arm over his chest, and a leg thrown over his legs.

He grumbled some more, hoping no one noticed and decided to go back to sleep because he was comfortable. He figured no one would say anything in the morning and he really didn't care what it looked like. It was his car after all and it wouldn't be the first time he slept on the upholstery. The arguing continues outside and he's having trouble falling asleep.

[1967_chevy]

Baby was fast asleep, chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. He certainly didn't have a problem with the position, and actually scooted a little closer to Dean when he felt him shift upon waking. His eyelashes fluttered, but he just burrowed deeper into his pillow.

That's when the rumbling starts.

A small smile quirks his lips, and Baby starts to rumble, in a manner quite suspiciously similar to his engine running. His fingers are splayed on Dean's arm, warm and gentle, vibrating ever so slightly now that he's making that low, humming noise.

[winchesam]

Dean is about half way asleep, when he notices his bed partner shifting closer, he keeps quiet. Comfortable, no need to fuck it up and then Baby started purring, like a cat. He blinked, eyes opening at the sound of it, the way it rumbled from Baby's skin, to his own. It was soothing, but he'd never admit that shit outloud.

The fingers on his arm are vibrating too, and it makes him think for just a moment that he's being petted, so he can't help the words out of his mouth. "What am I? A fucking cat?"

[1967_chevy]

Baby wakes with a small start, rumbling cutting off abruptly when he rouses. Those blue eyes blink open at Dean, glowing innocuously in the dark. He looks sleepy and confused, slowly raising his head out of the pillow.

"What?" His voice is deep, gravelly with sleep, and he doesn't make any moves to disengage from his position with Dean. Honestly he's perfectly comfortable.

[winchesam]

Dean feels the shift once more, and the purring like a damn cat cuts off much to his semi disappointment. He can see in the darkness of the room, the way Baby's eyes seem to glow against the light pouring in from the inside. Even now they're blue and Dean looks away, a little ashamed to even notice. Because that's the shit chicks do, notice some guy's eyes and moon over the color. Oh no, they're definitely forest green... nuh huh, more like amber gold... “You're so wrong, Ashley. They're more like skyblue,” he mumbles underneath his breath, mocking his own thoughts.

“Nothing, go back to sleep,” Dean mumbles, face curling into his pillow. He tries not to notice how Baby's rumbling voice kinda makes him all tingly, he's actually reminded of the Impala before she turned human.

[1967_chevy]

Baby almost growls, shifting closer and tugging Dean more against his side, almost without thinking about it. "Warm," He mumbles, eyes slipping closed. Dean, he thinks, fits perfectly beside him. The way he always has, really.

Then he sighs, and it's a tired, almost sad sigh, without any context. Because he's half-asleep, and he's guessing Dean will likely pull away in a moment and fake going to the bathroom before the ~feelings~ bad-touched him.

[rocksaltmetal]

Dean blinks at the almost growling, it seems to come out as a tiny meow instead at least in his mind. As Baby pulls him closer, he tenses, breath halting altogether. Right now he wants to get up and go to the bathroom, feigning that good ol johnny is full of melted yellow snow and needs to be released into the porcelain god but he's too tired and too lazy from questioning witnesses all day. Then again, there is cherry pie, and he could easily eat that instead for breakfast tomorrow.

Hearing the sigh, he notices the shift of emotion in it, the melancholy way it flows out. Sam would totally commend me for that he thinks, but instead he just mentally shrugs and places his forehead against Baby's shoulder. It kinda weirds him out it's not against seats when there's no money for a motel or against the wheel when he's burnt out and just needs to think for a moment before gathering himself up and soldiering on. “Sorry for being an ass.”

[1967_chevy]

Baby peeks one eye open, hand carding through Dean's hair on reflex. "Who are you and where's the real Dean Winchester?" Sure, Dean apologize for bumping him (as a car), cooes and buffs his hood - but not to humans, never to humans. Maybe Castiel, very rarely.

"I know it's hard," Baby says quietly, closing his eyes again. "But I'm the same, Dean. Same as always."

[rocksaltmetal]

There he goes, stiffening again at the hand in his hair. He's sleepy, and it feels good, strong fingers running along his scalp but he's tempted to reach up and take Baby's hand from his head. He scowls a little even though it can't be seen and just decides to deal with it, considering he just made Baby question who he is. One reason he doesn't deal in emotions well, people always act surprised if he shows something more than he usually does. “He's not awake and craving cherry pie.”

“You could have at least been a chick,” He whispers quietly, yawning a little. He frowns, sure, he had kinda wondered what Baby would have been like human and what would her personality be. “And how's that? How are you the same?”

[1967_chevy]

"Atta boy," Baby jokes softly, lips curling into a quiet smile. He can feel Dean is tense, and tries not to make it worse, but how can he be uptight like this? The car doesn't get it. Baby is loose and relaxed, giving off nothing but calm.

"I didn't get a choice, Dean." Baby reminds him gently. "But if it makes you feel any better, if I could be a girl, I would. I know it disappointed you."

Baby smooths a warm hand on the back of Dean's neck. "I remember everything, Dean. Every wreck, every fight, every mile of pavement eaten up under my wheels. I'm here, just like before. I'm as much a home as I can be, without my roof. The only difference is, when you talk to me now, I can talk back."

[rocksaltmetal]

He relaxes after a few moments, his eyes roll at the atta boy comment. “I'm not a dog,” he mumbles, yawning again. The arguing couple is back outside, and he's about to get up, go out there and tell them shut up. “If they don't quit soon, I'm gonna go out there and wring both their necks.”

“I get that... I seriously want to know who decided you should have a dick, because it wigs me out but whatever, you're here and you've got junk, might as well deal with it,” he says a bit sadly. “Nah, it's cool, man. You got what you got and I need to get over it somehow.”

Dean hummed quietly at his explanation. He swallowed a little. “Guess you're right. Always wondered what it'd be like if you could talk back, it was just me making conversation up whenever I would talk to... especially after... yeah.” when sam went to college and dad decided to abandon ship... he thinks, a little forlornly.

[1967_chevy]

"Shh, relax Dean," Baby murmurs, thumb brushing over the pulse point on the side of Dean's neck. There's no reason to get up in arms, and Baby could sink back into sleep. He's too comfortable to condone movement.

"I'm sorry that you see it that way, Dean. I'd really would do anything to change it." Anything to make Dean happy.

"I know." Baby said, because he did. He did know. The things Dean would never be able to articulate to Sam, hell, never be able to articulate unless he was talking to himself. "But reality never quite lives up to imagination, does it?"

[rocksaltmetal]

Closing his eyes, he relaxes against the heat that Baby emits. It reminds him of how Baby would warm him on those nights he didn't have any money for a motel and had to sleep in the car, always somehow keeping the chill out of the body. He tingled from the brushing of the thumb on his neck, but didn't question it too much.

"Hey, it's cool. You're gonna be whatevers been decided," Dean said, shrugging his shoulders a little, half asleep.

"You're right... never does," Dean whispered, eyes slitted open as thoughts moved sluggishly through his mind. "But that's half the fun of life I guess. Never know what the hell it's gonna throw at you."

[1967_chevy]

"Not that different from normal," Baby mused, hand sliding up to card gently through Dean's hair. His fingertips found the hunter's scalp, rubbing gentle circles.

"Especially not this life," The ex-car smiled, closing his eyes. Who knew if this reluctant acceptance would last in the morning. It didn't matter either way, really; Baby was always going to be Dean's, he'd always be there, that was just the way it was. "Go to sleep, Winchester."

[rocksaltmetal]

Dean was already falling into slumber, damn male version of his beloved car definitely felt pretty good and seemed like a master at the scalp massage. "Yeah...," he mumbled sleepily, barely paying attention.

Dean didn't answer this time, he fell into a blissful sleep with himself pressed up against Baby and the hand in his hair. It was probably the best sleep he had, had in ages.

(OKAY! Do we start a new thread for training at Bobby's? ooooor...?}

[1967_chevy]

(OOC: Sure, if you like. Or we can continue here either works for me <3 Sorry, finals kicked my ass in.)