Work Text:
West Virginia- August 28th, 1985.
Dean knew that he had one job, protect Sammy, and not that he complained, he adored his little brother, Sammy just learned how to walk, making small clumsy steps all around the motel rooms they were staying at, dad and Dean had to calm sobbing Sammy quite a few times because of his tripping incidents, though Sammy was a good kid, so kiss on the head here, hug there he was back to being giggling baby plastered to him brother.
That year Winchesters ended up in West Virginia around the time that many carnivals were held all around the country, and after John finished with his job he decided that his boys deserved to have one fun afternoon before it was back on the road for all of them. Hunt went really well, he was closer to figuring out what was the thing that killed his Mary.
He stumbled into the motel room to see Dean with his back propped onto few pillows on John's bed, Sammy between his legs wrapped up in John's beat up leather jacket. John could hear familiar sound of that cartoon kids loved to watch with talking dog. John deemed it silly, but Dean adored it, so he didn't complain when kids confiscated TV at 8:00 every morning and night to watch two episodes that streamed back to back.
He cleared his throat to get kids to look at him, Dean's head, blonde curls whipped around as he smiled widely at the man, there was a screech of: “Daddy!” that came from Sammy as he jumped, shrugging the jacket and John gave a silent smile to his youngest.
He spread his arms as he came closer to the bed, letting kid wrap tiny hands around his neck. If in that hug Sammy caught ends of John's hair, older man didn't complain. He pulled the boy on his hip. Dean took the cue and also jumped at his dad, wrapping his legs around him.
John kissed boy's head and smiled at him: “Were you boys good? Didn't try to set microwave on fire this time did you?”
John remembered small accident, causing Sammy to giggle in his neck and bringing small blush on his older son's face as he answered in embarrassed tone: “No, sir.” John just smiled against boy's head and looked out the window, putting on the show for his boys. He carried them to the window, slowly opening it and sticking his head out, he staged a deep animated breath: “Such a nice day, don't you think boys? I can just smell the popcorn, do you smell it?”
John looked down at Sammy who nodded his head as fast as he could, John was worried that the kid might hurt his head: “'s car—carn-- carvenal! Daddy le's go! Wanna go!”
He could hear his older giggle at mispronunciation of the word, but when John turned to him he could see that boy wanted to go as much as any other kid would, though he knew he would never say so. Because it's Dean. He can't remember last time when Dean had some childish and selfish request, even when he did it always seemed to be with Sammy.
John hummed: “Well we may have some time before we get kicked out by that grumpy lady up front, but you have to stay together okay?” He said in mocking sternness, making that obvious with funny facial expression.
“Yes, sir! I will keep Sammy super close, like, like this close! ”, Dean said, his excitement leaking through his speech, though John had no doubt he will.
Kid took care of Sammy even when John was with them, keeping his baby brother close to himself at all times, John decided to let Dean be a kid one birthday longer. When kid turns 6 he will tell him what was that that he was hunting, what killed his mother, why he needed to make sure there was always a salt line at the doors and windows, and why daddy disappeared at night telling him to watch out for Sammy. Dean will make a fine hunter one day, now that John thought about it. John hoped that Dean was more on his mother’s side of family when it came to height; Mary’s dad was tall man, since kid seemed to collect all of her genes... at first it was hard to look at him. He was all Mary. His hair, his little nose, eyes, the way he smiled. Now John regarded the way his son was as a gift. He was something that reminded him every day why he was raising his kids in small space of Impala, taking them from town to town, state to state, from one hunter’s safe house to the other. When he noticed that he went too far in his thoughts he nodded, reminding himself that he can’t go down this line of thoughts, not when his kids were looking at him like he was about to bring down the moon, smiling down at Dean he smiled: “Okay then boys, let’s go see what Virginian carnival is like. Come on, go get your shoes on.”
He crouched to put Dean down, patting his backside jokingly to make the kid hurry up and get his shoes on, as he walked to the table to put Sammy on it. He placed him down just to get Sammy’s shoes from the baby bag he kept packed, he knew for a fact that they were there because kids were in the motel room since they came here. He took out tiny shoes and went to put them on Sammy’s feet, but as he put one on, Sammy took it off while he was putting the other. John knew he had short temper and after this banter repeated few times he felt it was going short.
Dean must have felt it too because he ran up to them taking shoe that fell to the floor in his tiny hands: “I can do it dad, don’t worry.” Dean said with that huge smile on his lips. He slipped one shoe on, not strapping the Velcro on, but going to other shoe immediately. John was about to point this out before he saw Sammy slap the Velcro strap making it stick. Sammy did that on the next one, giggling at Dean, spreading his arms to his big brother. Dean hugged him, pulling Sammy down from the table. John laughed to himself, noting how Dean immediately knew how to deal with his little brother.
He just nodded: “Ready to go?” His question was met by screech from two children as they ran to the door, Dean running a bit slower, not to outrun his brother. John shook his head, taking the keys from the table, putting Impala’s keys in his pocket. He would come to pack things up later. He opened the doors, letting two boys to run out of the room and take a deep breath of the fresh air. John loved small villages like this, information was easy to collect, police almost never gave him trouble, and air was clean so even when the boys went out they weren’t inhaling shitty air that was in cities. He locked the doors, watching as his boys babbled to each other, Dean somehow understanding what was Sammy trying to say. They both went to climb into the Impala, knowing their dad’s preference to ride in the car instead of having to drag two tired kids back. He would let them sleep in the car while he packed their bags that night. It’s easier that way anyways. He loved his kids, he truly did, but he would rather not deal with cranky kids if it can be helped. John entered his baby, turning her on and getting out of the motel’s parking lot. Carnival was set up at the edge of the village, which meant that it was a short ride to there. When they arrived he opened glove box taking out some money from there, then ushering his boys to get out.
“Dean don’t separate from me and no scary rides okay? I don’t want you two to stay up all night because you got scared. And—“, John was cut short by Dean as little boy finished his sentence, “Watch out for Sammy.” John ruffled boy’s hair, smiling: “Atta boy.” He extended his arms, expecting boys to take them, because he didn’t want someone snatching his kids up. He watched as Dean took his hand, but Sammy went immediately and latched himself on Dean’s small hand, squeezing it. His brother didn’t complain; just re-arrange their hands to it was more comfortable for both of them.
They started walking around, looking at various attractions that were happening, until at one point they were walking towards the circus, by that point Sammy was holding Dean’s hand more loosely, and Dean was only holding onto John’s pointer finger. Out of nowhere man in classic clown costume jumped in front of them causing Sammy to scream and hide behind Dean snatching his brother’s shirt edge. Dean protectively pulled his arm away from John’s, covering Sammy with both of his hands, glaring daggers in direction of the clown with all might that 5 year old could muster. John was about to seriously clock the clown for scaring Sammy when he heard a sob breaking from his younger’s mouth. John turned around to see that Sammy was wailing into Dean’s shirt and Dean was twisting his head around at the speed of light to calm his younger brother down. John sighed, looking at the clown who was trying to apologize to him, kids usually didn’t have such reaction. John honestly didn’t have enough energy to deal with the man, so he just shooed him away, moving to the grass with his boys so they could clear passage. He wanted to pick Sammy up, but he was clinging to Dean like he was his lifeline, so John just waited crouching until waterworks calmed down. When they were subdued to sniffles he offered that they get into the circus tent, assuring that nothing will jump and scare them. Sammy just looked into Dean’s eyes and nodded, this time John let boys just walk in front of him, so he could pay for the tickets. Sammy was holding onto Dean’s shirt and hand with both his, and his brother, calm as ever, didn’t mind additional weight, he just smiled, continuing to babble nonsense that made sense to only him and Sam. As John watched them he was finally assured that Sammy was safe with Dean, his boys would never let anything hurt the other. Dean would never let anything harm Sammy.
Little did anyone knew that this day was one of key moments that will lead to the fact that in the years to come parenting role will slowly start shifting from John to Dean. But at the moment they were happy. Only two boys on the carnival with their dad.