"It's all that college education," he countered, and... immediately regretted the joke because it only brought his thoughts back to Sam again, and Stanford. Definitely time to drink some of that beer.

Dean glanced over at her soda comment, which brought a sort of twisted smirk to his lips, though not because he was thinking what she feared he was thinking. It was just such an innocent comment, that it reminded him of how much he valued that about her. She might not want to be viewed that way - as someone people had to protect - but he still felt it.

"Maybe you could just acquire the taste," he joked, but it sounded hollow, even to his ears. He batted the bottle back and forth a bit between his knees, staring at a spot on the opposite wall, over the TV.