Falling for a Hunter (Female Reader x Dean Winchester)

This chapter briefly talks about "Stuck in the Middle (With You)" at the beginning. It then focuses heavily on "Family Feud" --hence the title. And I also included the very beginning of "The Raid" to round out the story. Hope you enjoy! 

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The library feels unusually quiet tonight, the kind of quiet that lets your thoughts echo louder than you'd like. You sit alone at the long table, the spell book you and the boys took from the coven of witches resting ominously in front of you. Its dark leather cover gleams faintly under the dim glow of the overhead lamp, the etched symbols almost seeming to shift when you glance at them from the corner of your eye. you bight your thumb, tearing at the skin around its edge, a nervous habit you can't quite kick, as Rowena's words replay in your mind: Power isn't all that matters, but it sure does help when you're in a bind.

The weight of her implication sits heavy with you. For a long moment, you just stare at the book, thinking about what it represents. Possibilities. Dangers. A thousand futures, none of which you can predict. You think of Alicia and Max, good witches who've proven not all magic has to be dark. But even as the thought provides a glimmer of justification, your stomach twists. Magic always comes with a price, doesn't it?

Your hand drifts toward the book, hesitating just above the cover when the front door creaks open. The sound snaps you from your thoughts, and you quickly withdraw your hand, sitting straighter as Dean strides inside, Dio trotting happily beside him. Dean moves quickly to shut the door behind him, rubbing his hands together to chase off the chill.

"Freezing out there," he mutters, shaking off the cold as he makes his way down the iron steps. Dio's collar jingles as the dog happily follows, settling near your chair.

"Thanks for taking him out," you say through a yawn, slouching slightly in your seat. The spell book feels heavier now, even untouched.

"No problem," Dean replies with a wink, his usual charm breaking through the weariness in his voice. But his eyes quickly land on the book in the center of the table, and his expression shifts. He exhales heavily, clearly displeased. "I thought Sammy put that away."

You glance at the book, feigning indifference. "Hm? Oh, I guess not."

Dean doesn't buy it, but he doesn't press you. Instead, he grabs the book and strides to the bookshelf, shoving it unceremoniously into place. "You know, if I had it my way, I'd kill every witch on this planet," he says with a chuckle, though there's no real humor in his tone.

"What about Alicia and Max?" you counter, raising a suspicious brow.

Dean hesitates, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I mean, they're fine, I guess," he relents, his tone begrudging. "But the rest? They've gotta go. Along with all their voodoo bullshit."

You scoff, crossing your arms. "Rowena literally just saved your life," you remind him, your voice sharper than intended.

Dean rolls his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, because another set of witches hexed me," he shoots back. "If there was no magic, none of that would've happened. We wouldn't need Rowena to save our asses in the first place."

His logic has a point, but it doesn't sit right with you. A strange knot forms in your throat, and you shift uncomfortably. "I guess," you murmur, glancing at the bookshelf where the spell book now sits. "But where would we be without some magic? With all the big dogs we're facing nowadays, it seems like having some kind of power is better than nothing."

Dean studies you for a moment, his sharp eyes softening slightly as he leans forward. "You still thinking about the last case?" he asks, his voice quieter now, almost gentle.