( Someone like Dean — Sam certainly qualifies. Dean picks up on the shift in air, the way Geralt's hackles raise and his body language changes. He picks up on Sam's answer, that twitch in his jaw, the way his shoulders tighten in turn.

It summons from him something old and familiar, like being thrown back in time. His hands come up automatically, full though they both are, gently inserting himself between the two. )

Okay, okay, hey, let's scale it back a little, everybody's on the same team here.

( Playing mediator for his brother is a role he's donned more times than he can count. Sam's nostrils flair a little, his eyes tracking between Dean and Geralt like he's asking a question. You're really cool with this guy? Dean answers just as silently with a pointed tilt of his head; yeah, so chill out about it.

Sam gets a little prickly sometimes. Dean can't blame him. This place is screwed up and Geralt's a new face with yellow eyes.

The fact that he tends to excuse his brother for most transgressions has nothing to do with it. The fact that he misses Sam with his whole heart and can blind himself to small off things where he's concerned has nothing to do with it.

"She's dangerous," Sam warns Dean, rather than answering Geralt directly. )

Yeah, no shit, Sherlock, ya think?

( Who among them here ain't?

"I'm not kidding, Dean. If you go with him, she's gonna get you killed." )

I can handle it. Nothing's gonna happen. It's under control.

( "Is it?" Sam asks, and then levels the question on Geralt again. "Is it under control? Can you look me in the eyes and tell me nothing's gonna happen to him?" )

( Before Geralt can answer, Dean barks out a reprimanding: ) Sam.

( "He's not your family, Dean. He's using you to get to his, and you're too blind to see that. You're falling for it hook, line, and sinker like you always do. I'm just trying to help you." )