Respect and Breakfast
Dean leaned down to search his duffel and noticed things had been moved in it. Frowning, he carefully moved clothes, bullets, and a couple of old books he'd liked, looking for his whiskey bottle. The one in the car was empty, and he knew he needed to sleep. He couldn't find it. He began to curse under his breath. He couldn't afford good whiskey, and really needed it. He really had little left to spend on things like alcohol. The only ones who had been alone with it were the boys and Watari, the boys didn't seem the type. Had Watari seen it when looking for things he's asked for? If so, why take it? Dean looked up and his eyes met Watari's across the room, a brow went up. He so wanted to ask the man. How the hell was he to sleep now? He didn't want to deal with nightmares again...he couldn't.
The older man tilted his head questioningly.
Dean looked down at his duffel and back at the man, eying him questioningly and nodded towards his duffel and gazed intensely, the hazel eyes demanding an answer.
Watari was unsure as to what the man wanted so pointed at a bedroom and headed there.
Dean slowly got up and followed the older man into the bedroom. The younger man stared at the man. “Look, someone has taken something I need out of my duffel, so how do I go about getting it back?”
"No one has messed with your bag, Mr. Winchester. What is missing? I can get you a replacement."
I keep an extra bottle of whiskey wrapped in some of my clothes so it doesn't get broken, and it's not there. The one in the Impala is empty. It's not good stuff, cause I can't afford the good stuff, but a kid could get real sick on it. I don't think they had time to drink any of it. Will you find out who has it?”
"The boys haven't been near it, but I will check. I didn't think you would need it, sir."
“What do you mean, 'you didn't think I would need it?' Do you know where it is?”
"No sir, I had no idea you had alcohol. I said that because you inquired after it and you do not seem the type for hard liquor."
A pained glance was in the hazel eyes but never made it to the face, and it was a swift look. “Thank you for that. I wish it were true, I really do. My life didn't work out that way, and sometimes you need to forget. Okay? That's more information then I ever give.“
His voice was soft. "I have sleeping medications that do not leave hangovers, are non-addictive, and will be better for your liver. It will work for tonight, at least, as the bar in the hotel is closed."
“Sammy will tell you that I can go to sleep in seconds and sleep the entire night, but I've been having some very bad nightmares, and they wake me up. The whiskey deadens them, and I can sleep through anything when I drink it. Can your medications do that?”
"Actually, yes. My boys may seem very calm but nightmares can be a troubling thing if and when they do sleep." Watari went to a lock box, opening it and fishing out two pills. "You may sleep in here tonight, sir. Take these and immediately get into bed. They kick in quickly."
For a second, there was a hopeful look on the young man's face, and Watari caught a glimpse of what he must look like when he didn't try to carry the world on his shoulders. He realized that the man was younger then he appeared. Dean reached over and took the pills from his hand. He looked up and the hazel eyes met his gaze for a second. As if afraid that too much might be read in his eyes, the older Winchester gazed over the man's shoulder, saw a door slightly ajar, and assumed it was the bathroom. He needed some water to take the pills. When he returned, Watari was gone. He took off his jacket, buttoned down shirt, boots, socks and jeans, and crawled into bed in his t-shirt and boxers It only took a few minutes for the pills to kick in and the hunter slept well for the first time in months.
Mello and Matt had retired a short time later with Near conking out on the floor hours before dawn. L worked through the night, eyes focused on the laptop screen.
It was late morning when Dean woke up, and had to think to remember where he was. He saw his duffel on the floor, and sighed in relief, still wondering where the hell his whiskey had gone. He remembered that Watari and the boys had been with Sam or L. The only one alone with the duffel at any time would have been L. Dean had requested things from it, and it had been brought because he needed shells and things. Would L have taken his whiskey, and if so, why?
The more Dean thought about it, the more he realized that these people would look upon going into his things and taking something with distaste. That left only...Sam? Why?
There was a tap on the bedroom door and Watari's voice calling out to him. "Sir, breakfast will be up in twenty minutes."
Dean looked up at the door and asked Watari if he would come in for a moment. He had something to do that was difficult for him but felt it was necessary at the moment.
The elderly man entered when asked to, giving him a curious look. "Yes, Mr. Winchester?"
Dean's face was red as he looked at the older man. “Watari, I won't make excuses. I was rude last night. I'm not used to being around honest, caring people, who live by standards I've only dreamed of. I made accusations last night that, in the light of day, I could see were asinine I want to apologize for what I did. It had to be Sammy. I'm sorry.”
He moved and patted Dean's shoulder in a manner much like a grandfather would. "You have been under a great deal of stress. Think nothing more of it."
Dean rose to his feet in respect for the man, his eyes glistened, and his voice choked a little when he said, “Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your kindness.”
A soft smile curved his lips. "You are welcome, now get your shower and change. Breakfast will be up soon."
Dean nodded, gathering clean clothes and heading to the bathroom. It had not yet been recognized that he'd crossed a line of respect with Watari. Few men earned that respect and the word 'Sir' from Dean Winchester. His father, because Dean had been brought up to respect him, Pastor Jim, who was now dead, and Bobby Singer. The hunter now considered Watari in that group..someone he could trust and respect.
Watari went to check on his other charges before moving to check on Sam. The young man was still out of it for the moment, and Watari was planning on ensuring that this Winchester would be off of the blood and not going back on it when the boys left to go on their next adventure.
Dean never questioned obeying the older man. He rushed through his shower, shaved and dressed quickly. He hurried out and saw no one in the living area as of yet. Probably getting a shower and dressed, themselves. He went in to check on Sam and saw Watari watching his brother.
Dean cleared his throat and asked, “How is he?”
"He will be reaching the hallucination stage of the drying out process within a few hours. The suite is soundproofed so he will not disturb the hotel's guests." Watari turned to face Dean. "Sir, whatever you hear, you must not come in. The hallucinations may feel disturbingly real to him but it's a vital process. His mind, body, and the blood will be fighting each other."
“These hallucinations...are they what his mind is really thinking and what he's feeling? I just need to know. Oh, about this hunt? I will need a map if at all possible. One of this town and the surrounding areas. I need to pinpoint every sighting, any strange happenings, and the murders so we can figure out where the lair is.”
"The information will be provided, sir. Eat first." His voice was mild but authoritative, showing he wanted Dean to take care of himself.
“In the main area, or do you have a dining area in this suite?”
"There is a table you can use. Most just eat at their work stations," he shrugged slightly. His wards had unusual habits truthfully.
“A table would be nice. Sammy and I try to eat in restaurants as much as we can afford to. Even a burger place has a table, paper napkins. It's kinda nice.”
He smiled and nodded, heading to set things up.
Dean followed and started helping set everything on the table.
The boys were at their work stations, nibbling on their food, and Watari poured coffee for Dean and tea for himself before sitting down. He'd ordered a good sized breakfast, unsure as to what their guest would appreciate.
Dean was well rested, still worried, but worry was a major force in his life. The rest helped tremendously. The food was wonderful, and being Dean, he tried some of everything.
The older male ate slowly, often keeping his eyes on his charges to ensure they didn't need anything. Mello, for once, was immersed in his work and not trying to pick a fight with Near, who was focused on his laptop while stacking dice.
Dean noticed Watari's gaze kept going back towards the teens. He watched them at their work, and turned back towards the older man. “They're smart kids. Do they ever get the chance to just be kids?”
"Matt, probably due to his love for video games. He drags Mello into them when he gets something that he feels Mello will enjoy. Near..is a different case."
“Yeah, I noticed, but didn't want to ask. He's a good kid, you know.”
There was a spark of fondness in the old man's eyes. "He is. I'm proud of all of them."
“Yeah, well Mello and Matt are gonna have to grow on me, but Near reminds me of Sammy in some ways. Hard to pinpoint it but he does.”
"I look forward to meeting the young man when he's completely off the demon blood and see. Near is an unusual individual. Intelligent yes but unique. All of them are. I don't tell them often enough, I'm sure, but they are very special to me. L was the first I took under my wing."
“So he told you I figured out who he was? I'm surprised. He seems kind of closed mouthed about things. You raise him or get him as a teenager? He's pretty smart too.”
"I found him as a child. He started solving cases about two years later," was the quiet response.
“So, he didn't have a childhood either.”
Watari shook his head. "I tried..but with children with IQ's that high, it's next to impossible."
“I guess it would be, but at least you tried. There's people in this world who don't get that opportunity. They chose for themselves because of their intelligence and you offered other things. That's okay.”
The older man nodded, sipping his tea with a distant expression in his eyes. "Most orphans are overlooked when they are this intelligent. I worry for all my boys."
Dean nodded, thinking the kids were lucky to have someone like Watari. He and Sam had had Dad but they might as well have been orphans considering how things had been. He tried shaking off the thought. It did no good to think about it, honestly. More pain to deal with and dealing was hard.
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