missmara13 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
missmara13) wrote2008-01-20 12:48 am
missmara13) wrote2008-01-20 12:48 am
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Insaneverse: Dwelling In Shadows
Okay, so, this is 'InsaneVerse', the Supernatural/The OC universe where Ryan and Dean were both locked in the same mental hospital and form a brotherly bond... This takes place during Ryan's first year at the hospital, shortly after Dean first decided that he was going to look out for Ryan.
This is written entirely in present tense, just like the other story in this universe, 'Other Chances'. I kinda like writing present tense... lol... although it's hard to remember not to slip into past tense... took me three edits to get all the 'said's changed to 'says'... lol
Dwelling In Shadows
"Hey," Dean says as he drops down onto the couch beside Ryan, taking in the dark circles around Ryan's eyes and the way his skin looks so pale, almost ashen. "You getting enough sleep?"
"Hurts," Ryan replies softly, his gaze flickering to his still healing arms then away again.
Dean's jaw tightens and he shoots a glare at the orderlies before looking back to Ryan. "Take a nap," he says. "I won't let anyone bother ya', just get some sleep."
Ryan just stares for a minute, then shifts to lean against the arm of the couch a little more, his eyes sliding shut and not opening again as his breathing evens out.
Dean just watches him, occasionally glancing up at anyone who comes too close and glaring until they back off, but always going back to watching Ryan, guarding him. Dean doesn't have Sammy to protect, but he has Ryan, and nothing is going to happen to Ryan on his watch, because that's who Dean is. The big brother.
Deans begins to pay attention in the mornings, and starts to see the angry red irritations on Ryan's wrists that fade as the day goes on. One morning, he sees similar red bands higher up on one of Ryan's arms, and he realizes. These people, the ones who claim to be healers, claim to be helping them all get well, are strapping a 14 year-old burn victim down at night. They're putting straps across the still healing burns that cover Ryan's arms from some point under his sleeve all the way down to his hands and fingers. One day, Dean pays attention to Ryan's hands, and sees the fingernails that only cover half the space they should, and realizes that they had fallen out because of the damaged flesh.
One day, Dean tells Ryan that no matter what, he'll get Ryan out of there and to somewhere safe where no one will strap him down and hurt him ever again.
~~~
Ryan doesn't know quite what to think of Dean, older than him by a good decade, but always there, watching. Not bad watching, not the sort of watching some of the orderlies do. No, Dean watches the way Trey used to, like he wants to make sure Ryan is safe and he's not going to let anything hurt him. It makes Ryan feel safe for the first time since the fire burned away his future along with his skin and fingernails.
He almost hears Trey's voice telling him not to trust Dean, that the man is like their ma's boyfriends, he's only there because he wants something. And those times when he does hear Trey's voice, Ryan knows he belongs in this place where they strap him down at night in bonds that dig into his still healing arms and chest, bonds that nearly draw blood from the injuries. Then one day Dean mentions that he still hears his dad's voice sometimes, reminding him about all the lessons he taught him about demons and monsters.
When Ryan begins to see the shadows in his cell, because you can't call the little windowless concrete room anything else, he tells Dean, who looks pale and starts mumbling something under his breath, ticking things off on his fingers. Late that night, after Ryan is strapped down, Dean comes to his room, and for a moment, just a moment, Ryan wonders if Trey's voice is right. Then Dean just sits beside the bed and starts talking about how to fight demons and ghosts, staying until the first noises down the hall begin, then slipping out to return to his own cell for the morning bed check.
It becomes routine, and Ryan finally asks Dean how he gets out of his own cell each night.
"I bribed one of the orderlies," Dean admits with a grin. "See, a couple of my Dad's old friends send me stuff, like candy and cookies, basic bullshit that's allowed by the rules. We established this code thing one time, and they use it. Different snacks mean different stuff. Chocolate means everything's okay with my dad and Sammy, Lemon Drops mean Sammy's in trouble, Ginger Snaps mean dad's in trouble. Plain cookies mean there's demon activity big time, and chocolate chip cookies mean activity is down. It keeps me from feeling out of the loop. Anyway, I give a lot of the snacks to one of the orderlies, and he 'forgets' to lock my room and check on me at night."
"You give up your stash to sit with me?" Ryan asks quietly.
"That think you told me about, the shadows? Could be a couple different things, all of them bad, and I'm not leaving you alone to face them," Dean says, turning to look at Ryan. "Look, you want the truth? I function well when I have someone to take care of. I can't protect my brother, so I'll protect you. We both lost our families to that damn yellow eyed demon, so you and me? We've got stuff in common. Far as I'm concerned, as long as we're in the loony bin, we're brothers."
"Huh," is all Ryan can say in response, but he smiles slightly, accepting the answer.
A few weeks on, and Dean comes in with a grin. "Want some chocolate?" he asks as he unstraps Ryan from the bed.
"Seriously?" Ryan asks slowly sitting up and making room for Dean to sit on the bed.
Dean passes over a couple unwrapped mini-Hershey's bars. "They always unwrap them so I don't make any tinfoil hats," he explains.
Ryan laughs slightly as he pops one into his mouth and lets it melt on his tongue. "Thanks," he whispers, half expecting Dean to ask why and hoping he doesn't.
Dean doesn't say a word, though, just smiles and hands Ryan another mini-Hershey's bar. "Did I tell you about the Wendigo I helped my dad hunt in Montana yet?"
"Nope."
"It's a good one, and I saved the day."
"That's a theme in your stories," Ryan points out.
"Well, I only tell you the good ones," Dean replies with a smirk.
The End
I need to do a post that lists all my different universes and the stories in them... lol...
This is written entirely in present tense, just like the other story in this universe, 'Other Chances'. I kinda like writing present tense... lol... although it's hard to remember not to slip into past tense... took me three edits to get all the 'said's changed to 'says'... lol
Dwelling In Shadows
"Hey," Dean says as he drops down onto the couch beside Ryan, taking in the dark circles around Ryan's eyes and the way his skin looks so pale, almost ashen. "You getting enough sleep?"
"Hurts," Ryan replies softly, his gaze flickering to his still healing arms then away again.
Dean's jaw tightens and he shoots a glare at the orderlies before looking back to Ryan. "Take a nap," he says. "I won't let anyone bother ya', just get some sleep."
Ryan just stares for a minute, then shifts to lean against the arm of the couch a little more, his eyes sliding shut and not opening again as his breathing evens out.
Dean just watches him, occasionally glancing up at anyone who comes too close and glaring until they back off, but always going back to watching Ryan, guarding him. Dean doesn't have Sammy to protect, but he has Ryan, and nothing is going to happen to Ryan on his watch, because that's who Dean is. The big brother.
Deans begins to pay attention in the mornings, and starts to see the angry red irritations on Ryan's wrists that fade as the day goes on. One morning, he sees similar red bands higher up on one of Ryan's arms, and he realizes. These people, the ones who claim to be healers, claim to be helping them all get well, are strapping a 14 year-old burn victim down at night. They're putting straps across the still healing burns that cover Ryan's arms from some point under his sleeve all the way down to his hands and fingers. One day, Dean pays attention to Ryan's hands, and sees the fingernails that only cover half the space they should, and realizes that they had fallen out because of the damaged flesh.
One day, Dean tells Ryan that no matter what, he'll get Ryan out of there and to somewhere safe where no one will strap him down and hurt him ever again.
~~~
Ryan doesn't know quite what to think of Dean, older than him by a good decade, but always there, watching. Not bad watching, not the sort of watching some of the orderlies do. No, Dean watches the way Trey used to, like he wants to make sure Ryan is safe and he's not going to let anything hurt him. It makes Ryan feel safe for the first time since the fire burned away his future along with his skin and fingernails.
He almost hears Trey's voice telling him not to trust Dean, that the man is like their ma's boyfriends, he's only there because he wants something. And those times when he does hear Trey's voice, Ryan knows he belongs in this place where they strap him down at night in bonds that dig into his still healing arms and chest, bonds that nearly draw blood from the injuries. Then one day Dean mentions that he still hears his dad's voice sometimes, reminding him about all the lessons he taught him about demons and monsters.
When Ryan begins to see the shadows in his cell, because you can't call the little windowless concrete room anything else, he tells Dean, who looks pale and starts mumbling something under his breath, ticking things off on his fingers. Late that night, after Ryan is strapped down, Dean comes to his room, and for a moment, just a moment, Ryan wonders if Trey's voice is right. Then Dean just sits beside the bed and starts talking about how to fight demons and ghosts, staying until the first noises down the hall begin, then slipping out to return to his own cell for the morning bed check.
It becomes routine, and Ryan finally asks Dean how he gets out of his own cell each night.
"I bribed one of the orderlies," Dean admits with a grin. "See, a couple of my Dad's old friends send me stuff, like candy and cookies, basic bullshit that's allowed by the rules. We established this code thing one time, and they use it. Different snacks mean different stuff. Chocolate means everything's okay with my dad and Sammy, Lemon Drops mean Sammy's in trouble, Ginger Snaps mean dad's in trouble. Plain cookies mean there's demon activity big time, and chocolate chip cookies mean activity is down. It keeps me from feeling out of the loop. Anyway, I give a lot of the snacks to one of the orderlies, and he 'forgets' to lock my room and check on me at night."
"You give up your stash to sit with me?" Ryan asks quietly.
"That think you told me about, the shadows? Could be a couple different things, all of them bad, and I'm not leaving you alone to face them," Dean says, turning to look at Ryan. "Look, you want the truth? I function well when I have someone to take care of. I can't protect my brother, so I'll protect you. We both lost our families to that damn yellow eyed demon, so you and me? We've got stuff in common. Far as I'm concerned, as long as we're in the loony bin, we're brothers."
"Huh," is all Ryan can say in response, but he smiles slightly, accepting the answer.
A few weeks on, and Dean comes in with a grin. "Want some chocolate?" he asks as he unstraps Ryan from the bed.
"Seriously?" Ryan asks slowly sitting up and making room for Dean to sit on the bed.
Dean passes over a couple unwrapped mini-Hershey's bars. "They always unwrap them so I don't make any tinfoil hats," he explains.
Ryan laughs slightly as he pops one into his mouth and lets it melt on his tongue. "Thanks," he whispers, half expecting Dean to ask why and hoping he doesn't.
Dean doesn't say a word, though, just smiles and hands Ryan another mini-Hershey's bar. "Did I tell you about the Wendigo I helped my dad hunt in Montana yet?"
"Nope."
"It's a good one, and I saved the day."
"That's a theme in your stories," Ryan points out.
"Well, I only tell you the good ones," Dean replies with a smirk.
The End
I need to do a post that lists all my different universes and the stories in them... lol...