Ant Man

Timeline: 2015 (10 years after they reunite for the first time)

Sam ignored the rhythmic thudding that came from outside his small bedroom, trying to concentrate on the smartphone he had propped up along the wall. Dean had been getting ready for whatever he had planned for ages, and must have walked past the entrance nigh on ten times so far.

Sam swiped down on the screen, loading up the book he was reading at the moment. Words covered the page, carefully scaled down so he wasn’t trying to read from words that were the size of his hand or bigger. Technology had made his life easier than ever, even at his size.

“Sam, get a move on, we’re gonna be late!” came a grumble from outside his small nook.

Sam rolled his eyes. “You won’t even tell me where we’re going!” he shot back in reply, but he did stand and grab his well-worn satchel. It had been through hell the last ten years he’d lived with Dean, but it was still in one piece, the loving workmanship from Walt showing through in the durability of the leather and the stitching.

A shadow fell over the entrance as Dean peered in. “What’s the fun in giving away the secret?” he asked with a grin. He put a hand down on the edge of the shelf, already ahead of Sam there. “You’ll just have to wait and see!”

Sam had to hide a smirk at his giant brother’s enthusiasm. Dean almost never got worked up about anything these days, so it was a welcome change. Considering what they’d gone through the last few years, Sam couldn’t say he was surprised that his brother had started to slip a little into the clouded darkness in his mind, but Sam was determined to keep him away from the edge of despair.

Even if it meant going along with Dean’s insane plans. Whatever the hell he was up to.

He came up to the edge of the shelf, stepping onto the back of Dean’s hand and walking over the raised knuckles. A tendon flexed under his boot, and Sam had to shift his weight to avoid getting thrown off balance, something he had practice at after spending ten years with a brother almost twenty times his size. He quickly hauled himself up Dean’s flannel shirt, smirking at the fact that some things, at least, never changed.

Once Sam was settled on his shoulder, Dean swept the keys off the top of the nightstand, heading out into the night.

Dean pulled the Impala up to the movie theater at half past nine. He couldn’t stop himself from sending a fleeting glance down at his pocket, where Sam had agreed to go in order to keep their final destination a surprise.

He got out of the car, eager to get a move on. The ticket for the movie had already bought online, that way Sam wouldn’t overhear Dean ordering it when they got in. It only took him a few minutes at the ticket kiosk to figure out how to print the thing, and he was now getting the hang of the newer technologies like that. Sam took every advantage he could to tease Dean about his stubborn insistence on keeping things simple, but there were certainly perks to the more modern innovations.

With the ticket in one hand, and a massive container of popcorn and a extra large soda in the other hand (along with candy shoved into an unoccupied pocket), Dean headed for the theater. He tried to ignore the look one of the women there gave him, pushing it away as best he could and sending a You better appreciate what I’m giving up look down at his chest pocket.

Once in the theater itself, he took stock of their surroundings. So far, there was just a couple sitting near the front of the rows, involved with each other so much they never even noticed him coming in.

He immediately went to the top row, finding himself a secluded spot in the corner. He covered the nearby seats with his snacks and sat with his boots stretched out as obnoxiously as he could manage on top of the seats in front of him. Rude or not, he wasn’t planning on anyone sitting nearby. That would completely ruin his idea for the night. That was why they were at one of the last showings of the night, after the movie had been out for over a month. More than once, he’d caught Sam watching the movie previews longingly when they came on, and he’d slowly realized that it was one of the only superheros that Sam actually had things in common with.

And so, movie night to see Ant Man.

The next ten minutes waiting for the previews to start was more stressful than he’d expected. Anytime someone strayed near the seats he’d taken over, they were treated his trademark glare. Not many people could stand up to it, especially if they didn’t need to. Sam was one of those rare few who was unaffected, of course, along with most of Dean’s close friends.

The movie previews started and Dean deemed it safe to bring out his brother. Sam’s peaceful relaxation in the pocket was interrupted by three fingers snaking inside to lift him out without warning. He didn’t voice a word of complaint, too distracted by the sights around him. After ten years, he wasn’t bothered by the way Dean could haul him around on a whim. They both had a deep trust of the other that no one had ever managed to break.

Not for lack of trying.

As Dean brought him over to the arm of the chair, Sam finally broke his amazed silence. “Dean, are we actually…”

“What?” Dean cut him off gruffly. “You don’t think I’d forget to bring my little brother to see Ant Man, do you? What kind of brother do you think I am?” He shook his head with a smirk, glad to see the growing smile on Sammy’s face. “Just relax and enjoy yourself. If you feel anyone looking at you, give me a nudge. I’ll take care of everything.”

He settled back into his own seat and left a hand next to Sam. Sam used it as a backrest, stretching out his legs along the armrest he was sitting on.

The movie started up, casting the entire theater into darkness. Sam jolted at first at the volume of the speakers but was too enthralled by the screen the moment it started up. He didn’t even have to ask when he wanted a kernel of popcorn, Dean already prepared to hand it off. The buttery goodness coated both of his hands. Sam wrinkled his nose as he hefted it up and found a napkin shoved in his direction, Dean’s eyes glued to the screen even as he held it out.

By the time they reached Ant Man’s first time shrinking and the sight of giant, stomping feet, Dean’s eyes were wider than Sam’s as he saw what his brother saw everyday in a larger than life screen. Sam barely even flinched at that part, more disturbed by the thought of the swarming ants.

Eventually, the salty popcorn had him digging out his tinfoil cup from his satchel, getting a drop of soda from Dean. It took Dean a few tries to manage it, eventually just using the straw to funnel a drop into the bitty cup.

No one caught sight of Sam the entire time. His shoulders only stiffened up once, the feeling of a distant gaze only lightly touching him before it settled on Dean. A woman was sizing up the older hunter with consideration in her eyes. Dean didn’t acknowledge her, merely cupping his hand so Sam was out of sight until she turned to watch the movie again.

The ending credits came on and the lights turned on. Sam slipped up Dean’s arm, hiding between his neck and the collar with the new brightness around them. Like that, they waited patiently for the ending scene as other moviegoers strolled by and left the theater.

A small voice piped up near Dean’s ear. “Not the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Sam told him.

Dean smirked and shrugged his shoulder just enough to make Sam tumble against him. “You can be jealous of my awesome ideas. We’ll have to try this one again sometime. Maybe get a slushy or something.”