It was a whole two weeks later that found Dean standing by the door of the small rented apartment that his dad had found. It was incredibly cramped but it was all they could afford as John was only picking up money here and there through hustling. It would be unwise of them to max out one of their fake credit cards on the place that they're living.
His eyes were stuck to the inside of the door as he waited. His father watched him from where he sat on the couch across the room from him. The elder man would raise an eyebrow every time he looked up as such pining was unusual for the teenager. Dean tried to ignore the glances and inside focused on the slab of wood that blocked his view. He was waiting for Sam to turn up and was growing impatient.
The time was 6pm. Sam was supposed to knock on the door any second now and Dean wanted to be ready. His boyfriend was very rarely late so Dean used that as his excuse to lurk by the door. His green eyes flicked back and forth from the clock to the door as time dragged on. Frustrated, Dean let out a groan which caught the attention of his father.
"What?" John asked gruffly.
Dean gave him an 'are you seriously asking me that' face but answered nonetheless, "He's late."
John peered down at his watch. It was just passed five minutes past six. Surely that didn't count as late especially since Dean often left his boyfriend waiting for lengthy periods of time. John often wondered why Sam put up with such carelessness on Dean's part.
"It's only been five minutes, Dean. Just be patient."
Unfortunately, patience wasn't a strength of the young hunter so he remained stubbornly glued to the area around the door. He was nervous for a reason; today was the day that Sam and his father would meet properly instead of the mess that was last time. His boyfriend had been hesitant to meet the elder Winchester but Dean had convinced him to at least give it a shot as long as John promised that he'd behave.
Flipping his cell phone open, Dean checked to make sure that there wasn't any messages from his partner or missed calls informing him that he'd no long be coming for dinner. Nothing. It looked like Sam was just running late or maybe changed his mind last minute and ditched the whole deal.
It was when the hands on the clock ticked over quarter past that worry knotted itself in Dean's stomach; Sam wasn't there. He loathed being late and would always get where he needed to be with time to spare. It was extremely uncommon for him to be late.
Something akin to doubt blossomed in his chest. What if Sam had changed his mind about meeting John? It would be disastrous if that was the case as Dean had spent hours convincing his boyfriend that coming for dinner would be a good idea. He was sure that John would be slightly disappointed if he didn't show too.
Dean slumped down on the couch next to his father. The elder man spared a glance at the other man before coughing to clear his throat. The boy looked over at his father, knowing that his dad wanted to say something.
"Um, Dean? Do you think you can do me a favour?"
He didn't reply instead he continued his steady glaze on John's rugged features. He waited for him to continue and spit out whatever it was. But if it was something about Sam then he'd consider killing the man.
"Bobby called earlier..." He shifted but his eyes still focused on the television screen. His voice was casual and betrayed no nervousness or hesitation. "He said that there's a possible case and it's only a town over."
"What about it?" Dean frowned in confusion. Recently John had been leaving him behind on hunts so that he could go solo. Dean's responsibilities rarely passed much more than research when he got left alone.
John glanced across at his son before looking back towards the cheesy dated movie that was playing, "I wanted to know if you would check it out for me. You know, to see if there's actually anything going on."
The younger man could feel a smile curling up the corners of his mouth. It had been a long time, just under six months, since John had given Dean something to do which could really help towards a case. As a result, he was more than eager to get stuck in and finally be of some use to his father.
"It's just a town over. Bobby reckons that it could be some sort of haunting at most but there hasn't really been many leads. It's a funfair of some kind apparently." John said as he passed on the information Bobby had gathered this morning. He could see the sparkle in his son's eye which hadn't been there much recently and he knew that it was more than his fault.
"Sure, I'll go tomorrow." Dean said easily, trying to hide his excitement. He was planning ahead; already knowing that he'd just skip school for the day.
"No, I need you to go tonight." John interrupted his thoughts bringing his plan crashing around him.
Dean blinked over at the man, "But Sam's here tonight." He spoke hesitantly, not wanting his father to cancel the time with Sam or the possibility of helping in a hunt.
It was a few seconds of silence before John finally answered. The noise from the TV was all that echoed throughout the small space but neither of the men were listening to it. It was clear that the elder Winchester was considering something, playing with the idea in his head as his son sat beside him waiting.
"Take him with you." He said with finality.
Dean's jaw dropped and eyes widened at his father's suggestion. He had to be joking, right? He wasn't being serious? Sam had no idea about the supernatural world so how could Dean even consider bringing him onto a case?
"You're not being serious." When his father didn't reply he panicked slightly, "You cannot be saying that I should take Sammy with me!"
John peered over at his son with a bored look upon his weary features. His eyes scanned the young man's face to detect what emotions lay there. He opened his mouth to speak when there was a timid knock on the door.
The two Winchesters shared a look. Dean's is in warning to his father to behave and John's look just is one of causal nonchalance. He maybe nervous on the inside but he wasn't going to show anything that he'd consider to be weakness in the outside.
Taking a deep breath and praying for everything to go smoothly, the young hunter strides over to the door and opens it swiftly to reveal his boyfriend stood there. The tall boy stood awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot and wringing his hands together in a nervous action. He had dressed casually but was obviously still trying to impress in dark skinny jeans and a light button up shirt.
Upon seeing Dean, he pulled a smile onto his lips yet the nerves made it look unsure and weak. Dean grinned at Sam for a moment, wanting to lean in and kiss him but knowing that his father's eyes were glued to his back. There was no doubt that John was analysing their actions and motions as he hadn't had an opportunity to see them together as Sam had avoided coming back to Dean's place.
They were taking in each other's faces and smiles, assessing the other's emotions easily from the expression they found there, when John called out to, "Stop just staring at the poor guy and let him in!" That's when it dawned on them that to anyone else they looked really strange to greet the other in such a way.
"Hey." Sam said quietly, breaking the peaceful silence that had rested between them. "Sorry that I'm so late. There was a problem at home."
Dismissing his apology, Dean welcomed his boyfriend back into the small apartment. He had only visited once or twice while John had been away for a few days but aside from that, had been hesitant to visit while the eldest Winchester was home.
John stood as Sam entered the room and he tried for a welcoming smile. At least he's trying, Dean thought to himself.
"Welcome, Sam." He kept the smile strong and bright on his mouth.
"Thank you, sir." Sam muttered quietly but still looked as though his wanted to make a dash for it.
Chuckling, he waved a hand about and said, "Just call me John."
Dean raised his eyebrows in surprise. Even Dean had to sometimes call his own father sir. A smile grew on his pink lips, he must really be trying to make it up to him.
Blushing slightly, Sam nodded and ducked his head so his bangs would flop down to cover his eyes, "Um, thank you... John."
"Anytime." He claps the young man's shoulder and leaves the room to go to the kitchen. The food has been ready for the last 10 minutes as Dean had planned everything down to the minute and he didn't count Sam being late into the equation.
Pulling off his boyfriend's coat, Dean took advantage of his father's absence by pulling the long haired boy into his embrace for a passionate kiss. It only lasted a few moments before they pulled apart under the fear of being caught. Running his fingers over the other's cheek and grinning, Dean stared into Sam's hazel eyes which made the tall man blush and peer down at his shoes. Despite Dean showering him with it, Sam still wasn't quite used to being the focus of someone's affections.
"Come on." Dean muttered and pulled his boyfriend over to the small table by his hand.
They sat next to each other so John could sit opposite either Sam or Dean. It was up to him to make that call. Sam shifted in his seat and was wringing his hands together again. The hunter smiled reassuringly and placed his hand on Sam's thigh in the hopes that it'd comfort the boy.
Minutes later John came though from the kitchen carrying their plates of slightly over cooked Mac and cheese. An attempt at a salad was placed along side the cheesy pasta. Dean knew that in any other occasion, John wouldn't have acted waitress and certainly wouldn't have cooked but he was obviously trying to make a good impression. Dean briefly thought how it would usually be the girlfriend/boyfriend seeking approval rather than a parent. It just reassured him of how messed up his little family really was. Sam didn't seem to mind though.
There was no doubting that John had put some Holy water into Sam's water just in case. It was a trick that he'd picked up from Bobby. After all, a hunter could never be too care especially when it came to his family. Sam sipped at his water without noticing John's eyes on him like a hawk. He swallowed down the liquid without any issue allowing for John to relax a little.
John sat opposite Sam which seemed to surprise the young man but he didn't mention anything. Dean's boyfriend thanked John for the food before hesitantly picking up his fork and starting picking small bits of salad and pasta into his mouth. Sam's shyness seemed to be worse than it had been in a long while. He was hesitant and quiet which made Dean wonder whether something was wrong either here or back at the Wesson's home.
The silence began to drag as nobody could think of anything to say. John and Dean shared a look which was basically trying to force each other to start a conversation.
To their surprise, it was actually Sam that spoke first, "Dean told me that the Impala used to be yours?" Dean blinked slightly. It was certainly a topic that both him and his father were passionate about but he knew that Sam actually held very little interest in, "It's a very nice car." Sam was obviously trying to get along with John especially for Dean.
"I've always really loved it. It's kinda become a family car but she's great. Are you into cars?" John lent his head in genuine curiosity. A mutual hobby or interest is what the conversation needed right now.
"Not so much into cars themselves but I'm more about the engines. I know the basic workings of an engine." Sam answered truthfully. This was news to Dean but he could imagine Sam learning about how an engine works for a science class or project.
"Oh? I used to be a mechanic. I loved every minute of it." He said as he shovelled food into his mouth but avoiding most of the salad.
Sam sighed slightly, "My dad has been trying to get me into something like that. Like as a side while I'm studying. I don't know if it's really my kinda thing though."
"Why don't you tell him that?" Dean asked before John could answer. Any opportunity to ask more about this mysterious Mr Wesson and he would be first in line.
Shrugging, Sam ducked his head slightly, "I dunno."
Sensing an awkwardness coming on, John tried to move the topic on. Sam was grateful for his efforts and gave him a small smile in thanks from where he was hiding beneath his bangs. John acknowledged the smile but didn't make a fuss.
The rest of the meal passed without any hiccups. It ran smoothly with only a few awkward silences spread throughout the evening. Sam's salad was gone while about half of his Mac and cheese remained untouched. John guessed that it explained why Sam was so skinny and small (not height wise). In comparison, Dean and his father had devoured the less healthy part leaving the majority of the green leafy things upon the plate. A few of the leaves had little nibble marks where Dean had tried the salad before backing out and dumping it back down.
Sam sat in the living room area in silence as the two Winchesters cleared the table. His offer of assistance had been rejected but it felt odd for Sam to be just sat watching housework being done with him helping.
It was only a few minutes later that they came back in from the kitchen but the time had felt like hours to Sam. John peered at the boy carefully but didn't try to hide the fact that he was studying him. At least he waiting until after dinner to inspect the boy from across the room. Dean gave his father a pointed look when he entered moments after the staring had begun.
John coughed clearing his throat and glanced between the two boys sat with a normal distance between them. They were obviously not comfortable with showing their affections in front of him. He wondered if Sam's parents knew that he was gay and whether they knew about Dean. He stopped when he realised that he had been squinting at Sam suspiciously as though he could deduce the answers from the pores in his skin. He blinked, grounding himself before deciding on what to say.
"I was talking to Dean earlier..." The old hunter began.
Sam's head perked up to look at Mr Winchester as he spoke. His eyes were curious but features were still carefully controlled.
"There's a funfair just one town over and I thought it was a good idea for you boys to go." He smiled innocently even though he could see Dean getting redder and redder with anger.
Dean jumped in to answer his father, "Sam wouldn't want to go to some old funfair, dad!"
"I was asking him." John said firmly. It was clear in his eyes that he wasn't going to budge on his stance, "so Sam, what'd ya say?"
His voice was quiet and unsure as he could sense that Dean wasn't exactly enthused about the idea, "I've never been to a funfair..." The honesty was clear in his tone.
Dean couldn't help but be shocked. Even with his messed up childhood on the road he'd managed to visit a funfair a few times before, even if one of those times was for a case. He was learning more and more about his boyfriend with every minute. Maybe this whole boyfriend-meet-father was a lot more useful than he had originally expected. Sam really was a dark horse.
"Well, let's not deprive the boy any longer!" John cried enthusiastically but Dean knew that the only excitement was for the new case. Any chance to kill something supernatural and John would be on the edge of his seat practically buzzing from head to toe.
Still red faced, Dean was hauled to his feet making Sam follow his actions. He was going to kill his dad for this.
"Go ahead and start the car, Dean." John ordered, "I'll get Sam his coat."
It wasn't until Dean had walked down the two levels from their apartment and standing beside the Impala that he realised that Sam hadn't even brought a coat with him. Cursing under his breath, he raced back up towards the apartment whilst taking two steps at a time.
Meanwhile, butterflies were crammed into Sam's stomach with nerves. The only thing about these butterflies was that it felt like they had tiny daggers attached to the tips of their wings and maybe they even fed off human flesh. He stood beside the door in silence like an idiot. He knew that he'd brought no coat but he didn't have the audacity it would take to contradict to anything a large man like John was saying. He'd learn that lesson the hard way.
The hunter stepped closer to him making Sam consider whether a fake heart attack would stop whatever was about to happen here. Despite being tall himself, John was just a little taller than him which made it the even more intimidating.
"Sam," The large man's voice was low and rugged. The younger man paled and his eyes grew wider. He swallowed heavily around the lump in his throat, "Dean cares about you a lot. You know that right?"
Sam nodded frantically. Screw fake heart attacks, at the rate his heart was beating, he might actually be at risk from having a real one, "Y-yes, sir." His words blurred together as he forced the sounds out so fast.
"Good but I'm warning you, boy," His eyes darkened as he lent in," If you hurt my son then I will track you down and I will KILL you. Understood?"
It was as if Sam had seen a ghost, the blood had drained from his face so quickly, "Yes, sir."
He swore that he couldn't breathe, that the world was spinning around him. He silently cursed his nervous disposition but it didn't mean that he wasn't dying to escape from there.
Looking satisfied, John stepped back from the thin boy just in time as Dean then crashed though the door. Sam jumped out of his skin and raised his arms to protect himself from the intruder. John just went to grab his jacket and slip it on his shoulders as though nothing had happened.
A frown formed on Dean's brow as he took in Sam's frankly sick look. He stepped closer to his boyfriend and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Here," John's voice boomed confidently, "I'll drop you off." He marched out the door and off to the car.
Dean slipped his hand into Sam's. It was obvious that something had spooked his boyfriend and if he found out that it was John's fault then Dean might just have to kill the man.
"You ready, Sammy?" He asked gently, pulling Sam towards the door. He followed him willingly but silently.
When they reached the car, Dean placed a hand on Sam's thigh and squeezed reassuringly and his partner shared a grateful smile. John was only being protective after all.