Just a little drabble for Father's Day. I'm sorry this is a little angsty and bittersweet, but this is the Winchesters so that's what you can expect.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Supernatural, I just play.
Just Another Father's Day
A Supernatural Fanfic
Sam sat slumped on the couch of the motel room they were staying in for the moment, watching TV and listening to Dean make supper in the tiny kitchen—mac and cheese again, this time with ketchup and maybe hot pepper to try something new. It was Saturday, and they had spent a boring day just watching TV and staying inside, because they were only allowed to go from school to the motel when John wasn't there, even though all Sam wanted to do was go to the park that was just across the street. Dean wouldn't let them risk it, though.
"When's Dad coming back?" he asked his older brother.
Dean gave an exasperated sigh. "I told you last time you asked that I didn't know. You know he doesn't tell me anything!" Dean was getting stir crazy too, but Sam knew his big brother was also worried. He was too. Their dad had left on a hunting trip over a week ago now and he had told them he would be back in five days at most. He had called Dean three days ago and told him he would be a little longer, but they had heard nothing from him since and even though this wasn't necessarily a strange occurrence, the Winchester brothers always worried that one day their dad wouldn't come back at all.
But this time it seemed worse, because tomorrow was Father's Day, and Sam had made things in school with all the kids for his dad. A card that he had taken a long time drawing, and a little board to hang keys on. He knew they didn't have a place to hang the board, but he had painted it green and made sure to hammer the pegs in straight. The other kids were excited to give their gifts to their dads and so was Sam several days ago, when he thought John would finally be there with his sons for Father's Day. Sam had always felt left out at school for Mother's Day, especially when he was in kindergarten and found out that there was a whole day dedicated to mothers and the other kids didn't understand that he didn't have one. That was the first time he asked Dean about their mom and he never did so again because it made his brother sad.
But father's day he could celebrate. He had a father—sometimes. When John could be bothered to be around. Sam knew he shouldn't think like that, but he was angry. He just wanted a dad to play football with him in the park like he saw his friend Tommy's dad doing, and not just worried about training him to shoot a gun. Someone who came home every night from a normal job and sat down at a real table to a real dinner and was actually interested in how his sons were doing in school. Most of all, Sam was angry at how much Dean had to worry. About how little money they had, about feeding them, about making sure Sam got to and from school safely. Sam knew a twelve-year-old shouldn't have to do that. Dean was more a father to Sam than John ever had been.
"I just want him to be here for Father's Day," Sam told his big brother as he trudged into the kitchen and sat at the tiny table, resting his chin on his folded arms.
Dean sighed, but turned around, not angry this time. "I know, Sammy, Dad wants to be here, trust me. But you know he has a job. It's more important than running back here to celebrate. He's saving lives."
"I know," Sam said so Dean would see he understood, but he could tell that Dean didn't really believe what he was saying either. He didn't believe that anything else should be put above family.
"Let's just have dinner. This is my new spicy mac, try it!" Dean smiled to make Sam feel better as he put the bowl down in front of Sam with a flourish. Sam smiled and ate, even though the spice made his tongue feel hot.
After dinner they took turns showering and then went to bed. Sam lay awake a long time, hoping that their dad would come through the door sometime during the night and still manage to be there for Father's Day, and then thought of all the things they could do. Go out for breakfast and get pancakes that didn't come from a box, and maybe go to the park and play football like normal kids. But as the night dragged on, Sam knew it wasn't going to happen. His dad wasn't coming back tonight, and probably not for several more days after if he ever did. Sam felt several tears slide down his cheeks and he sniffed, burying his face in his pillow so Dean wouldn't hear him crying. Dad didn't like it when he cried.
Once he had stopped crying, he turned back to watch Dean sleep, his measured breathing a calming presence to the younger brother. Dean was always there for him when John wasn't, and Sam had a feeling that nothing would ever change that. Dean had been the only constant in his life and Sam didn't know what he would do without his big brother there looking after him, being both mom and dad to the younger Winchester and usually being forgotten or passed over in the process.
Well, not this time, Sam decided, feeling better already as a new plan formed in his mind. He would still celebrate Father's Day. He would just do it in his own way.
He woke early the next morning, and made sure Dean was still asleep as he crept out of bed and tiptoed into around the room, getting things ready. He retrieved his things from his backpack, making a few changes to the card, and then moved around the kitchen as quietly as he could, mixing up pancakes and pouring Lucky Charms into two bowls on the table, carefully setting the prize by Dean's.
Dean woke to the smells of slightly burned pancakes and frowned, jumping out of bed.
"Sammy, what are you doing?" he asked and was surprised when the younger boy, turned to him with a grin and threw his arms around him.
"Happy Father's Day, Dean," Sam told him.
Dean frowned. "What?"
Sam turned back to the pancakes and turned off the stove, handing Dean a plate of two slightly blackened cakes.
"It's Father's Day," Sam told him again. "And since Dad isn't home, I thought you should enjoy it instead."
"But I'm not Dad," Dean protested, still holding his plate of pancakes.
"No," Sam told him big brother. "But you act like a dad to me sometimes. You take care of me and you're always there for me, even when Dad isn't. Since they don't have a brother's day, you should get to celebrate today."
Dean smiled slightly and finally sat down at the table. "Okay then. If that's what you want." But Sam could tell he was actually rather pleased and touched. That made Sam even happier.
"There's even some peanut butter left for the pancakes," Sam told him, and soon they were eating the pancakes and the Lucky Charms and Sam ran to get the things he had made in school, dumping them in Dean's lap.
"These are for you," he informed his brother.
"Sammy, these are for Dad," Dean protested.
Sam shook his head. "No, they're for you now, see?" He showed Dean the card and how he had carefully changed the 'Dad' to 'Dean'. A strange, sad look passed over Dean's face but he opened the card anyway, and a small smile passed over his face as he read Sam's carefully scrawled message:
Dear Dean, thank you for being a good brother. I love you. Sam
"This is a great picture," Dean told him as he studied the carefully drawn picture of the Impala inside the card.
"Thanks," Sam said bashfully. "Open the present."
He had wrapped the key hanger in newspaper and Dean opened it carefully and smiled as he revealed the gift.
"I know we can't use it now, but maybe some day when we get a place of our own," Sam told him.
Dean smiled up at his little brother, unable to voice the very likely possibility that that would never happen. "Thank you, Sam. I love it." He held out his arms and his little brother surged forward and pressed against his chest. "I'm sorry Dad wasn't here," he said gently.
"It's okay," Sam said, even though they both knew it wasn't. "I know you'll always be here for me, Dean."
"You got that right, buddy," Dean told him fondly, before pulling back. "How about we play some cards?"
"Okay!" Sam told him and they spent the day having fun and laughing, ignoring the fact that their dad wasn't there. As long as the Winchester brothers had each other, they would be alight, no matter what.
Thanks for reading! If you want more brotherly goodness, check out the story I'm co-writing with AnastaziaDanielle "Not Right Now" posted on her profile. I'm hoping to get some more one shots up soon!