Dean wants to do something special for his little brother's birthday after all the angst of the past weeks.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Sam awoke to the sound of an off-key whistling of some familiar Metallica song he couldn't quite put a name to. The notes echoed tunelessly down the empty corridors and invaded the quiet of his bedroom.

Through his fuzzy morning drowsiness, Sam assumed it to be his brother unless of course some fugly with a penchant for assaulting one's ears first thing in the morning had somehow gotten through the protective wards and entered the bunker.
But Sam mused, he doubted the inharmonious whistling would be accompanied by the enticing aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee that was currently wafting through the air.

Taking a quick trip to the bathroom, Sam dawdled down the corridor to the kitchen where he stared kinda stunned at the table, kitted out like a restaurant with a green and white striped cloth and two complete place settings.

A confused frown took form on Sam's brow, and he began to wonder if his first thought had been the correct one. Some weird monster had invaded the bunker, one who had the good manners of setting the table and serving breakfast before making YOU his!

But then the familiar face of his brother was smiling at him, so no, Sam mused again, no monster unless it had somehow possessed Dean.

:

"Come right in, dude," Dean beamed, again causing Sam to lean towards ghost possession or something!
"I've cooked us a real awesome breakfast with all the trimmings, " he added, every crinkly laugh line around his green eyes in full force, leaving Sam at a loss for words. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Dean so happy, though with all that was going on, his big brother certainly didn't have much reason to be so.

"Uh, Dean. What's all this? Are we celebrating or what?"
Dean met his eyes then, a fond expression twinkling in them. "Yeah, Sammy we are. Today's your birthday, dude. May 2nd. My baby brother is all of thirty-three years old, at least I think, " he added with a note of confusion.

Sam was so taken aback that his mind only dwelt on the last part of what Dean had said. "Uh.. you think?"
Dean shrugged, frying pan still in hand. "Yeah, you know. Hell, the Cage, Purgatory. Don't really know how it all comes together years wise. Anyhow. Happy birthday Sammy. We've made it this far and it's more than I ever thought we would, little brother. Maybe we'll get to sit around in a senior citizens' retirement home after all."

:

Sam felt his eyes moisten.
Being hit first thing in the morning by a big brother oozing happiness from every pore plus the fact that Dean was celebrating Sam's birthday by fixing him a four star breakfast and even hinting that they'd spend their hypothetical old age together side by side in some retirement home, went straight to the emo part of him which Sam had fought hard to keep under control as an adult, but which betrayed him every time Dean's bad-ass hunter image cracked and the affectionate big brother peeped through.

As for it being his birthday, Sam had completely forgotten, not that he'd ever wanted to celebrate the damn thing anyway. Jess had shared the same date of death as his mom except for the year, exactly six months later on the second of November when the yellow-eyed demon came to visit.
Years had passed but the hurt never really disappeared, it was just pushed to the side, but on a day like this it made itself felt.

However Sam had no intention of bursting Dean's happy bubble by dredging up sad memories.
If Dean wanted to celebrate Sam's birthday, so be it. Jess and mom were dead and he sent them a silent prayer before coming forward and taking a good look at the set table.

:

"When did you do all this? " he asked awed. The table was covered with a pile of goodies, pancakes, syrup, two kinds of pie and more, but what made Sam kind of tear up again was the box of Lucky Charms upright like a monolith in the middle of all the rest.

"Lucky charms? Really? Dean, I'm a big boy now. I can cut my bacon and eggs by myself. Don't actually need milk and cereal any more."

"I know that you're Sam Fucking Winchester, second best hunter on the planet, " Dean smirked, "but today we're cerebrating my little brother's birthday so for twenty-four hours that's ALL you are."

For the third time Sam's eyes grew moist. Was it possible to be happy and sad at the same time. Obviously it was for that's exactly how Sam was feeling.
"Sam Fucking Winchester..huh!" His dimples making an appearance .
"Yup," Dean confirmed with a note of pride, but he left it at that.
For all his badassery, Dean wasn't far behind Sam in emo-ness but only where it concerned his baby brother.

:

"Take a seat, Sasquatch," the older man urged, shovelling the eggs and bacon onto the two waiting plates. "Eat up while it's hot."
The sensation of surreality continued as Sam drew back a chair and sat down. It was good thing he felt hungry for he wanted to do the honours to Dean's cooking.

"'S delicsshious," Sam mouthed around a forkful of pie. "Did you make it? "
"Yeah," Dean confirmed."Got up early and got to baking. Reckoned you deserved it for all the times we haven't celebrated your birthday."

"You didn't have to, Dean, " Sam replied.
"I wanted to, Sammy. Man, just a few weeks ago I thought you were dead, you all alone in the fucking Empty, whatever that shit is and me ...alone here on Earth. Look on this as the first day of the rest of our lives."

:
Sam's expression became serious then. He too recalled Billie's words. No Winchesters are gonna be resurrected again. When either dies, it's for ever."

"Dean," Sam sighed. "Maybe we should talk about this."
His brother cocked an eyebrow, waiting.
"I know what I've said in the past about us being too co-dependent, that we should be more like partners than brothers. But it's total bullshit. I need you Dean. There's no way I could hunt on my own. Not now. Too much has happened and well..." At a loss at how to continue, Sam stopped, but Dean filled up the awkward space.

"What you just said, Sammy. It goes for me too. When I thought you were dead back there in that cabin, I..."
"You redecorated my room, I know," Sam smiled.
"Yeah," Dean agreed playing along. "Hope you like the new colour scheme."

Sam nodded, for the umpteenth time feeling his eyes moisten up. His room was the same as ever, whatever his big brother had done while he thought Sam dead had had nothing to do with redecorating.

The younger Winchester had his suspicions and he believed a curly haired Reaper may have been involved, but he kept his doubts to himself.

:

"So what then? " he asked. "Neither wants to go on hunting without the other, so where does that leave us?"

Dean shrugged. "Today's my little brother's birthday and we're gonna celebrate it awesomely. I thought we might go back to the lake-side, drown a few beers, then take in a movie. Just don't pick one about a French cockroach, dude."

Sam stilled for a moment, then reached out his arm and tumbled a bunch of Lucky Charms into his plate, then Dean's.
"Dude," Dean objected. "I'm not the Lucky Charms' fan here."
"Eat up," Sam ordered, pouring milk over both plates. "Don't think I don't remember all the times you told me you weren't hungry when we were kids so I'd get to eat the last of the cereal."

:

Their eyes met, all they'd shared in good or in bad uniting them more than even blood did.
Saying nothing, Dean began to spoon his Lucky Charms into his mouth under the affectionate gaze of his baby brother.

:
The end.