Work Text:
On the last day of Sam's senior year in high school, Brian Wynett invites him to a 'thank God it's over' party. Brian's a good guy, one of the few friends Sam managed to make that year so he doesn’t hesitate to say yes. He's grateful for a reason to get out of the house. Being around Dee and not telling her about Stanford is getting harder and harder, and Sam just isn’t ready.
Dee is tending bar that night at the local watering hole, so Sam leaves her a note telling her where he is. He doesn't say when he'll be back because he doesn’t know. He's sure he’ll talk to her later anyways so he doesn't worry about it too much. Dad's off on a hunt, incommunicado for three days now, so Sam isn't worried about him either.
The party's in full swing when Sam gets there. Several kids he knows from school greet him at the door and within minutes he has a beer in his hand and Carly Booth is hitting on him, asking him to dance. There's music playing, but the small group of kids who are supposed to be dancing look more like they're having an orgy with their clothes on, humping and grinding against each other and swaying to the music.
Sam politely declines Carly's invite. He isn’t there to hook up, and takes the opportunity to make that clear up front. Carly pouts and clings to Sam’s arm, pushing her chest out at him, trying to entice him with her low-cut top. Sam does his best to extract himself from her hold as politely as he can and finally, after breathing hotly into his ear, “You don’t know what you’re missing.” Carly leaves him to himself.
Relieved, Sam looks for a place to sit down. After wandering a while, he finds Brian in the furnished basement, and takes a seat next to his friend on the couch.
“Glad you could make it,” Brian says, tapping the rim of his bottle against Sam’s in greeting. Sam thanks him again for the invite and sinks back into the couch, taking a long pull from his beer. He doesn’t even really like the taste of beer but there are too many thoughts he's desperate to get away from right now, so tonight he welcomes the oblivion the alcohol can give him.
“Heard you turned down Carly Booth,” Brian says, lighting up a cigarette.
Sam gapes at him. “Holy shit, man. You know about that, already?”
Brian chuckles. “Hell yeah. News travels fast man, and Carly didn’t much like the rejection.”
Sam shakes his head in disbelief. “Well...I’m not here to hook up.”
Brian takes a long drag on his cigarette and looked at Sam inquisitively. “Not here to hook up?” he says, blowing out a cloud of smoke that makes Sam cough. “That’s what we’re all here for, man.”
Sam takes another sip of his beer and says, “Well...not me.”
Brian looks at him, studying his face intently. Sam fidgets under the scrutiny. Finally, unable to stand it anymore, he asks, “What?”
Brian squints around a plume of smoke and asks, “You gay?”
Sam huffs out a laugh.
“No.”
“It’d be ok if you are.” Brian is quick to reply. “Don’t make no difference here. In fact,” he leans into Sam’s side conspiratorially, “I know a guy. I’m sure he’d be interested.”
Sam pushes Brian away with his shoulder and says, “I’m not gay, man. There’s just...there’s someone...” He clears his throat and takes another swig of his beer.
“Ah...” Brian says, leaning back into the couch. “You got a girl already.”
Sam shrugs. He can't exactly call Dee, ‘his girl.’
“I get it.” Brain says. He crushes his cigarette in an ashtray sitting on the coffee table. “So where is this chick?” He pulls another cigarette out of his pack. “Do I know her? Is she here?”
Sam finishes off his beer. He shakes his head. “No. You don’t know her. She’s...ah...she’s working tonight.”
“Working? So she’s older?”
At Sam’s nod, Brian pats him on the shoulder and grins. “You dog. Hooking up with an older woman. That’s awesome.”
Sam pops the top off another bottle of beer and says, “We’re not hooking up.”
“But you want to.”
Heat rushes to Sam’s cheeks. Even though Brian doesn't know who Sam is talking about, it still feels weird to be talking this openly about wanting to fuck his sister.
Sam takes a long swig of his beer. “Yeah. I...I want to.”
“So, you gonna go for it? I mean...you said you got into Stanford, right? So you better make it quick. You’re not going to be around here much longer.”
Sam lets out a heavy sigh. “I want to...I really do. I’ve wanted to for so long ...but you’re right. I’m leaving in a couple of weeks. It wouldn’t be right to...to start something...and then leave.”
Brian leans forward and props his elbows on his knees. He waves his beer bottle in Sam’s face and says, “Maybe that’s exactly why you should go for it. Cause this will be your last chance. You’re only chance. I mean, who knows if you’ll ever see her again, right? I know I wouldn’t want to leave without even trying.”
Brian might have a point. Sam hopes Dee won't be so mad at him for leaving that she'll refuse to see him again, but he fears it's a possibility. This might really be his only chance. But does that mean he should he take it?