gavemea_45 | (no subject)

He scrubs the back of his hand over his mouth, then lets it drop, and nods.

"... okay. Okay. You're right."

Dryly, Sam adds,

"But in that case, I don't suppose you brought back a handful of aspirin to go with the coffee?"

Of course she's right. And she knows it.

Ruby smiles.

"You'll be fine, Sam. We'll just take it slow at first and work our way up. A small warm-up."

She reaches into her back pocket. It's a news clipping; a story that shows all the tell-tale signs of a demon infestation.

"Okay?"

He reaches out to take the clipping from her; gives it a quick once-over, then nods.

"Yeah."

Sam looks up from the paper to Ruby, and manages a small smile of his own.

"I am getting better at it," he says. "I think I am, anyway."

"You are," Ruby assures him. "You're already handling a lot more than you did last week.

"It's not bad, Sam. Not bad at all."

She idly starts pacing again.

"But it's not good enough. Is it."

It's not really a question.

Sam sets the clipping on the table by his computer and eases himself into the mended chair. He flips the lid open with one hand and reaches for his coffee with the other.

Being that it isn't really a question, Ruby doesn't say anything.

Besides, he knows the answer. He doesn't need her to reaffirm anything.

She pauses by the window area, glancing out through the boards at the oncoming morning.

It's already getting brighter.

"There's a lot you miss when you're down there," she says conversationally.

Like Dean is.

The look in his eyes darkens. Sam downs half of the coffee, then sets it aside and stares at the computer with grim determination.

"Shouldn't take us long to find this one," he mutters. "Scout the area, then..."

Like Dean is, yeah.

"Then find the demons and work your magic," Ruby finishes, turning back to look at him. "So eat up, Sam."

"I'm not hungry."

The rest of the coffee sits on the table by the partially-eaten egg sandwich, but that's not where his glance goes.

Ruby follows his glance and a slow smile appears on her lips.

"Or maybe we're just not feeding you the right thing," she says, calmly.

Her hand goes for her waist where her dagger stays fastened.

The dull heat of shame washes over him, but Sam ignores it. He already knows he's not going to turn down what she's offering.

Even though he knows it's wrong, he's less reluctant these days than he used to be. Sam ignores that too. He doesn't want to think about the fact that some part of himself likes how it makes him feel, even craves it.

And it's not like what it might do to him matters anyway, is it? What matters is being able to get Lilith. That's all that counts.

"You're sure it helps, right?" he says.

"You tell me, Sam," she says.

The dagger is in her hand now, the cold metal gently touching her bare forearm.

"It helps you focus, doesn't it? Gives you strength?"

He nods, his gaze fixed on the play of light along the blade.

"... yeah," Sam admits, reluctantly. "It does."

Ruby steps toward him. She can feel the pulse of her blood under the blade.

"Drink to your health," she says softly, then lets the dagger slide across her skin.

Little beads of blood rise from beneath the wound, gathering until it could spill over.

Go on, Sam.

He hesitates, but only for an instant.

Sam reaches out with both hands, supporting her arm even as he curls his fingers possessively around it and raises it just a little higher.

Just enough so that he can bend his head over the cut, licking up the dark red runnels of blood before he presses his mouth to her skin and begins to drink in earnest.

Ruby can feel the sting of the cut, the warmth of Sam's mouth on the wound, and his fingers around her arm gripping like a vice.

She smiles very, very faintly.

And she doesn't pull away or move an inch until he's finished.

It takes a little while, but Sam finally first loosens his grasp, then pulls back and lets go entirely as he looks up at her.

"Okay," he murmurs.

She nods, replacing her dagger and pulling down her sleeve.

"Good.

"Ready to go?"

"Just about--"

He rises in a single smooth, swift motion, snags a shirt from his neatly-packed duffel, then pulls it on and reaches for his shoes.

Seconds later he's also collected his cell phone, gun, and knife in its sleeve sheath. Sam swings on a jacket and nods to her.

"Ready."

The whole process has taken under three minutes.

Ruby smiles (more to herself than anyone) approvingly.

Demon blood definitely gave him a boost, didn't it.

"Let's go, then."

Leading the way, she heads toward the door.

Sam follows after her.

The door swings shut behind them.

A fairly uneventful hunt and a couple (or more than) of threats later, Ruby is helping to drag an unwilling demon from the trunk of the Impala back to Sam's place.

There are a number of good rooms to use, but they choose to put him in the room with devil's traps already drawn up and all necessary equipment ready to go.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she says.

It's unclear whom she's speaking to; it can really be either the demon, or Sam.

"Not anywhere as bad as it's gonna be for you when I start by pulling your insides out through your mouth," it snarls at her. "You can't run forever, Ruby, you--"

"Shut up."

Sam's order is given in a tone that's absolutely flat and colder than arctic ice. He stands still, hands at his sides, watching the demon.

Ruby maintains a very calm expression on her meatsuit's face.

Oh, if only she could, she'd extend that exact courtesy to this demon.

But that's not the point of this.

She shifts her gaze to Sam, both grateful and approving.

The demon's attention shifts to Sam.

"Why? Whatcha gonna do to me, Winchester, exorcise me? Go ahead." It sneers. "Soon as I get back down inside, I'll drop by where your brother's hanging around and tell him you said hi."

Sam's fists clench.

"Enough," Ruby cuts in.

She walks around, keeping a safe distance from the devil's trap, to where she can get a better view of the events yet to unfold.

"Another word and you won't make it downstairs."

She shows him her dagger for illustrative purposes.

"Go ahead, Sam."

He doesn't say anything, nor does he even look at her... but he doesn't argue.

After a second or two, he takes a deep breath and raises his hand, concentrating on the demon.

Ruby watches Sam for a moment before she turns her attention on the demon.

At first, nothing seems to happen.

Then the demon begins to cough black smoke from his mouth.

All the while, she remains ready in case she needs to be Sam's back-up.

It's easier than it has been before, but it's still not anything like easy. Not even close.

The muscles in his arm begin to tremble with the effort, and his face twists in pain.

The demon's meatsuit continues to choke, coughing and 'throwing up' black smoke that falls around him.

And Ruby is sure Sam is going to get it this time.

She almost wills it to happen.

Just a little more, Sammy. Just a little longer.

His own breathing is harsh and ragged now, but Sam bears down anyway.

A sharp metallic spike of agony stabs through him, and he clutches the side of his head with his free hand as the blood begins to pour from his nose.

The demon starts to laugh tauntingly in between retches; it sounds pathetic and strangled and yet still manages to be extremely irritating.

It's starting to become clear that Sam might not have the mojo necessary to finish the job.

Ruby narrows her eyes, her hand tightening over the dagger. Then she moves in a step, a silent offer to take the demon out for Sam.

"Unnnnhhh--"

Even as the groan tears out of him, Sam shakes his head. Fury surges at the thing's laughter, followed by a swell of pure hate.

"I told you to shut up, you goddamn demonic bastard--"

His outstretched hand stiffens into a claw, and Sam yells aloud as pain rips its way through him again--

--and then stares, as black smoke fountains upward out of the demon's mouth and pours down to the floor around him, twisting and spitting sulfurous licks of flame before it burns away and is gone.

Ruby remains rooted to her spot.

Only once the demon's been exorcised - properly - does she lower her weapon.

And for a moment, her eyes don't leave the man's slumped over form.

He -

He actually did it.

Now, she turns her attention to Sam.

"You handled that well," she says. A slow smile starts across her features. "How are you feeling?"

"My head really fucking hurts," he grits out, between teeth that are clenched against the pain.

Sam wipes the blood away from his nose with the back of his hand. Despite the headache, despite the blood, despite everything, he's grinning back at her.

"But right now, I'd have to say it's worth it."

Sam's grin is pretty infectious. Ruby's smile widens in response.

He did it.

(He can do this.

He can kill Lilith.)

Her heart quickens with something one can only call excitement.

"Oh, it's definitely worth it," she says, sheathing her dagger. "Think of all the people you can save, doing this.

"And Lilith - well, she won't even know what hit her."