Title: Lessons Learned
Prompt: Written for mulder200 on livejournal: SPN, Sam & Dean, Five Things Dean Taught Sam and One Time When Sam Taught Dean.
Dean taught Sam how to tie his own shoelaces the hard way. No rhymes. Just lots and lots of practice. Making Sam figure out his own knots went a long way too-and Sam transferred his childhood skill with shoelaces to rope all on his own without any help from Dean.
Well, without overt help. Do you know how many times something nasty tries to tie them up?
Dean taught Sam how to load their namesake-rifle before Sam knew what monsters were. Because they were Winchesters and every Winchester should have that skill, hunter or not. It's their identity.
Dean taught Sam how to flirt with a girl-without getting slapped. Early on, Dean had some trouble with foot-in-mouth syndrome, but he learned from his mistakes and Sam did too.
In the occasional sigh can't-help-it-it's-for-the-good-of-the-hunt/world sigh situation, well, Dean's also the one who taught Sam to duck.
Dean taught Sam his first exorcism. And the little mispronunciation of Christos will follow him to the end of his days if his obnoxious Latin-minded little brother has anything to say about it. Which is all Pastor Jim's fault anyway . . .
Dean taught Sam to hustle pool in a bar down the road from Bobby's over the course of a long recovery from a salt-and-burn turned run-and-hide. They cleaned out half the bar despite a broken arm apiece. And if Bobby hadn't dragged Sam's underage ass out of there . . . well, Dean maintains they could have conned the other half out of their money too.
Bobby suggested that maybe Dean become more proficient at beating heads with his crutch before inciting a riot.
Dean has taught Sam everything he knows. And then Sam taught Dean that he didn't know everything, that Dean wasn't invincible, and that a big brother was absolutely nothing without a little brother.
"Lesson learned, Sammy. Just come back and ask me why again."