Sam grinned at the thought of Dean being a hunter. "I'm gonna help," he announced. "I'm not going to let Dean go out there alone. He'll always have me around to count on to get him out of trouble."

Dean rolled his eyes, poking at Sam's side. "Who's gonna watch who?" he teased lightly.

Sam squirmed away from the intruding digit, annoyed with Dean's persistence. "Just you wait! Once I can climb everywhere, I'll be able to help out, just like you."

Sam gave another try at throwing and this time it made it past the homework pile again. "Didja see that?" he said, excited. "I think I'm a better thrower now than when I was normal-sized!" He started to reel it in again, imitating the motions that Oscar had used when he'd done it a few minutes ago.

Oscar thought about their exchange with slightly widened eyes. Both brothers were so determined to go towards danger just to help someone else. Even Sam, who wouldn't outweigh a mouse at his current size. Oscar wasn't sure he could ever be that brave.

Sure, helping people would fill him with pride, if he could do it. But what could he realistically do on his own? He was even small for one of the smaller folk; he couldn't see himself getting too tall. Three and a half inches, tops. Sam would probably get taller than that. Maybe three and three quarter inches. And he had Dean around to help him learn what he needed.

Oscar, all by himself, wasn't even fit to fight off a rat if it moved into the motel.

He rubbed his arm absently. Maybe he couldn't go out and fight monsters like Sam and Dean. But he could at least help Sam. Then Sam could go and help others. It'd be kind of like Oscar helped them that way. So he brushed off his heavy thoughts and said "You are a really good thrower. You should try aiming now." He wound up with his own pin and gave it a toss across the homework, where it clinked faintly against Dean's abandoned pencil.

Sam held up his pin and aimed, his tongue sticking out in concentration. The pencil was a distance away, but it was large enough to offer a decent target to practice on. The shape of the safety pin was what threw him off. It didn't sail through the air like a ball would, and he had a feeling that if there was ever a breeze in the room it would be easy to lose control of a toss. The lightweight metal could get knocked aside by almost any outside influence; he'd definitely need practice to control it.

It ended up missing the pencil by barely four inches, clattering to the side. He frowned at that, his ears turning slightly pink at the mistake. Dean didn't make fun of him, though. Luckily for the two tiny kids on the table, the teen was too enthralled with watching their precise actions to tease them at that moment. His eyes tracked each throw, watching where the pins ended up.

Sam started to reel in the pin again with his thread, starting to get used to the simple action. It was definitely a new type of exercise for him. He had a feeling that once they actually started climbing he wouldn't have to worry about working out at all. The climbing alone would be plenty of work.

His second throw was more thought out, and this time landed right beyond the pencil, close to the mark he'd aimed for. "Yes!" he hissed triumphantly, pumping his fist.

Dean grinned down at him. "Up high!" he said, offering Sam a finger to slap in victory.

Which he did without hesitation, giving his older brother a high five. A tiny hand smaller than the tip of Dean's finger enthusiastically smacked against it. It was so light Dean could only just feel it but he was thrilled all the same. Sam was much more confident than normal with Oscar around to give him a same-size anchor.

Oscar smiled, too, though he was glad neither brother noticed that he flinched from the approach of Dean's hand. It was just for a very unconventional high five. He wasn't grabbing or even poking at Sam. He was simply congratulating a job well done, which Oscar agreed upon; Sam was a natural. It was easier to see that they were brothers with interactions like this.

He almost envied them.

"Good job," he said happily. Sam would need to make sure he had very good aim with his climbing hook. Missing and needing to make another throw could cost precious seconds, and make the difference between escape and capture. "Let's try a few more."

Several tosses later, Sam had seen Oscar demonstrate the more accurate throws and had tried his hand at them himself. He got a little better every time, until he got the hang of the weight of the pin. He even sent the pencil rolling across the table a few inches with a well-placed throw.

"Practicing out in the light with all this room makes it so much easier," Oscar noted with some excitement. Even he'd had to learn it in the dark. And though he could see decently well with less light, this was vastly different and he kind of preferred it.

Sam grinned as he pulled the safety pin back into his arms with the thread. This was the most activity he'd done during the last month all in one day. Most days he spent his time on Dean's shoulder or in his hands. It was a good way to get around the rooms and houses that they were at, and it was also a way for him to feel like he had some control over the world still.

He might not be able to open that massive door, after all, but Dean could do it without a second thought. Distances that would take Sam an hour or more to cross were a simple walk to his older brother. With Dean came safety and control (and teasing), and Sam wouldn't trade those feelings for the world.

But now he had the chance to do something for himself, without anyone's help. It would give him his independence back again, something he'd lost for a while. No more waiting for Dean to wake up to get down from the pillow because the bed was too high up to go anywhere, no more danger of being stranded on a table on his own. He'd have a way around.

Sam held the safety pin close to his chest again, examining the knot that was tied around the metal to be sure none of his throws had loosened it. He had a feeling that he'd be checking it a lot; it was imperative that they kept up with the care needed for any items that they staked their life on. Sam's knife, Dean's gun. Now his new climbing equipment. That was one lesson he was glad that John had drilled into their heads from a young age.

"Where did you learn to throw?" Sam asked Oscar curiously, wondering what it was like to actually grow up so small and never be normal sized. He still had a lot to adjust to in his new perspective, and in the back of his mind he wondered if one day he'd start to forget what it was like to be human-sized like Dean.

Oscar pointed towards the vent he'd emerged from. Beyond it, an entire network of vents and grates and crawlspaces existed, if you were small enough. The hollow walls of human buildings provided plenty of shelter for the smaller folk, even if it was a little dusty and dark. At least they weren't outside where an animal could easily get to them.

"In the walls. There's cross beams to practice on and stuff," he answered easily enough. To Oscar, the dark inside the walls was part of normal. As was the dust and the chill that usually accompanied his short trips in the ventilation shafts.

"Normally it's not safe to practice out in the rooms, 'cause a human could see you any minute. We're most vulnerable while we're climbing so it's good to learn to do it fast." He realized he'd just recited almost word-for-word something he'd been told when he first learned. And now he knew so well the meaning behind it. Having a human watch him while he climbed, knowing he could either fall or be snatched right off his rope, had been more than a little unsettling.

"I-I could show you sometime. If you wanted to go try to see it. My house isn't as nice as a human room but it's okay anyway." Oscar almost had second thoughts about the offer. How could Sam, who knew what it was to have all the comfort of a human room, be interested in Oscar's dusty little cobbled together home?

Sam peeked over at the vent on the wall, trying to imagine actually going inside it like Oscar had the day before. It would be like he was exploring dark tunnels the way Indiana Jones had. He'd be an adventurer.

Dean also found himself glancing at the vent dubiously. "Isn't it dangerous in the wall?" he asked. The vent in the motel was small enough that his shoulders wouldn't be able to fit inside, leaving him unable to follow Sam to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. The skeptical look made Oscar's cheeks erupt pink and he looked down at the table, shuffling one of his shoes absently.

Sam rolled his eyes, feeling slightly aghast on Oscar's behalf. "Dean! That's where he lives! Of course we'll be safe. He went back there all by himself yesterday, didn't he?" He glanced over at Oscar. "I'd love to see what it's like!" he proclaimed. His eyes grew round. "I never thought I'd get the chance to visit a house made for my size again, at least not until we find a way to break the curse!"

Oscar looked back up, relieved that Sam hadn't gone on the same train of thought as Dean. He knew it might seem dangerous to Dean, but at worst it was dark and dusty. The walls themselves were nothing to worry about. If kept clear, they were just as useable as any other structure.

And to Oscar, not being in the walls was way more dangerous anyway. His viewpoint was completely opposite Dean's because of their size.

A smile appeared on his face, a hopeful one. "I keep things clear of dust the best I can in there," he explained. "And there's nothing else in the path that you'd trip on. My house even gets some light from the room on the other side, there's a crack in the wall."

"I don't know..." Dean said, still apprehensive about the thought of letting his two and a half inch tall brother out of sight like that completely. He'd have no way of knowing if Sam was alright and no way to help him even if he had a way to stay in contact.

Small hazel eyes stared up at him, a wide-eyed puppy look turned on the older brother. "But Dean, I might never get a chance like this again! It'll be like going on an adventure, and it doesn't matter that I'm little! Please?" He put two small hands on Dean's knuckles, continuing to stare up beseechingly at his older brother.

Dean closed his eyes. He could already hear their father berating him for even thinking about letting Sam out of sight. If anything happened to Sam, after all, it was automatically his fault.

At the same time, past the worry for Sam and the knowledge that John would roast his hide... he couldn't just decide what Sam did or didn't do. It was too easy to trap his little brother, just stick him in a place where he couldn't get around.

If he started doing that, he'd be treating Sam no better than a pet.

So Dean let out a huge sigh, knowing he'd get flayed by their dad if he ever found out. "Just... be careful, Sammy, okay? I can't exactly fit in there with you if you get into trouble."

Sam was practically glowing with excitement. He turned to Oscar. "Didja hear that? I get to learn to climb and see the walls with you!"

Oscar sighed, a relieved sound that came with a smile. "I'm glad," he said truthfully.

He had worried Dean wouldn't let Sam even consider the idea. Not only would that be disappointing for Sam, but it would have worried Oscar, too. If the walls were too dangerous for Sam, it wouldn't take much for Dean to decide the same for the other tiny kid. And if he didn't make that consideration ...

Well. It wasn't like they'd known each other that long. Dean didn't really have much of a reason to worry about Oscar's safety.

Not that it mattered. The passages Oscar used were safe. It was one of the things he made sure of. In fact, Dean pointing out that he couldn't fit in the walls with them was one of the most basic requirements for a home there. It made it even safer; if Dean couldn't get in, other humans couldn't either.

Oscar looked up at Dean, seeing a concerned big brother. With a sigh, he decided to at least try to reassure the bigger teen, since he was just looking out for Sam. "M-my house isn't as nice as the room out here, but ... it's the safest place I know. It's okay. I promise."

Dean gave the kid a smile before he sat back in his chair. "I bet it is. Too bad I won't get to see it…" He trailed off for a second, growing thoughtful. He'd never considered what it would be like to be able to live like that, or fit in a wall so easily. He shouldhave after Sam had gotten hit with his curse, but it just never occurred to either brother.

Before Oscar could react, Dean instinctively brushed a finger over his hair the same way he did to Sammy. The other kid was younger than Sam and all on his own, making Dean wish he could do more to help the guy out. At least they knew he'd be safe while they were around. No other people would get a chance to grab him if he had food he could count on in their room. "Well, Oz, I guess I'll just have to hear about it when you two get back."

Oscar's eyes were wide from surprise, but he hadn't even had time to flinch away before a huge finger had mussed up his hair and retreated already. He reached up to fix the messy brown locks, surprised that someone so big could be gentle enough to mess with his hair without knocking him over or wrenching his neck.

He couldn't help but notice, too, that Dean was being so nice to him and letting him teach Sam about life at this size despite Oscar's young age and shabby appearance. Yet another tentative smile broke through the shock on his face. Oscar had been smiling a lot more in the last 24 hours than he had in months.

"I'm sorry that you can't fit," he said, sounding genuine in his regret. He glanced over at Dean's hand, thinking about it. "You'd be able to get your hand in and that's about it. 'S only got a couple rooms anyway."

Dean flexed open his hand, staring down at the size of it compared to Oscar and Sam. Just yesterday he'd trapped a child in it, helpless and with no way out if he didn't want to let him go. It underscored their differences better than anything else he'd seen.

A home for Sam or Oscar would be small. Like the fable about the woman that lived in a shoe. Only neither of them had a mother to watch out for them the way the kids in that tale did.

"I'm sure it's great," Dean said quietly, almost lost in thought.

Sam bounced over to Oscar, his pin and thread in his arms. "We don't have a home," he said truthfully. "We lost it when I was a baby."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sam," Oscar replied quietly, his expression shifting to concern. It explained what they were doing here. They didn't have another place to stay, so they were in a motel. A place with a bed, warmth, and food nearby. They could get by even without a house to call theirs.

He couldn't imagine losing his home on top of everything else. It was really all he had left now. Without it, Oscar wouldn't be able to store food or even hope to keep himself warm enough in the Colorado winters.

"Good thing you have Dean to look out for you, even if you have to live in motel rooms sometimes," he pointed out. The brothers weren't alone, even if they didn't have a house. They could count on each other wherever they ended up. Oscar smiled then. "I'm kinda glad your dad picked this one."

"Me too," Sam said with a smile back. He wasn't about to let their lack of a home get him down. It was just the way things were. They'd always been on the road all his life. He'd yearned for a different way, and always wanted to find a place to settle down, but now it wouldn't make a difference.

If they found a home, what could he do? He'd still be too small to find friends to go out and play with. He couldn't go outside on his own. Even on Dean's shoulder, the world was just so big. Ever since being cursed, his entire outlook was changing and he didn't know if he liked it.

But now he's found someone else his size. And Oscar said there were ways for him to get by without any help. Clearly, Oscar had done it on his own for some time, and if he could do it, Sam might be able to learn the same skills.

Sam sent up a sudden smirk up at Dean. "And Dean's not the only one who watches out for someone around here. Without me, he'd never even get himself up to go to school in the morning!"

Oscar's mouth formed an 'o' of surprise and disbelief. He thought he'd just heard Sam say he woke Dean up in the mornings. Dean, a sleeping giant compared to them. He never thought he'd hear of one of the smaller folk being more reliable than an alarm clock for something like that.

The brothers were definitely the strangest pair of people he'd ever seen pass through the motel, and likely ever would.

He decided to simply add to the conversation rather than ponder too hard over the strange normal they were making for themselves. "I can't go to school but my mom taught me out to read and stuff. So I can keep up with all the human things and know what's going on."

"You should come with us sometime," Sam offered. "Dean lets me ride in his hoodie ever since I hitched a ride in his pockets to go. Dad didn't want me leaving the motel room, but I was stuck there with just him all day, and he kept…" Sam trailed off, suddenly realizing what he was about to say. He blinked quickly, trying to keep his mind off those times.

John had never once laid a hand on Sam, but being alone with him after being shrunk to under three inches in height… it was terrifying. Being around Dean was reassuring. His brother was cautious, careful and knew to keep his voice down whenever he could. John, on the other hand, though he felt a huge amount of guilt for Sam's state, just didn't get it.

He was loud, he got angry easily, he'd shouted more than once with Sam in the room. Both with Dean, and without. Far better to spend the day holed up in a pocket, noticed or not. The worst he'd had to deal with that day was Dean's hand suddenly appearing in the pocket with him. There wasn't exactly anywhere he could hide from the groping fingers, so he'd ended up busted and snagged in his brother's grasp.

Dean had taken the blame and no matter what Sam had to say on the matter, the older brother had been the one berated and punished. He felt bad for that, but he was too nervous to actually tell their father completely off.

"Anyway," Sam said quickly to hide his pause, "there's always room for you if you wanted to see what it's like at school."

A/N

Planning some fun for the future. Sam's curious about wee Oz's home and wants a buddy to go to school with him ^-^

Next: December 21st