Fic: Bait and Switch
Title: Bait and Switch
Author: brate7
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: Gen, PG
Word Count: 650
Summary: Pre-series. The boys think John could use some help on a hunt.
Note: Previously published in Brotherhood 2, Pyramids Press.
Bait and Switch
By Brate
Sam stumbled as he followed his brother over the rough ground. "Dude, Dad's gonna kill us."
"Oh, come on," Dean said. "He won't even know."
"He always knows."
"When did you become such a pansy, Sammy?"
"When did you become so cavalier about disregarding Dad's orders?" Sam shot back.
Dean snorted. "We have got to take that dictionary away from you. And it wasn't an order, it was a…suggestion."
"Oh, okay. 'Boys stay here or I'll kick your asses' was a suggestion."
"I didn't hear the words, 'I order you.'" Dean smirked at him. "Besides, I know you want to see this as much as I do."
Sam shut up. He really did want to. Probably because their father had been tracking a Cattle Mutilator for about two weeks, and Sam was the one who had figured out where it would hit next. If it kept to the same pattern, it would strike another farm-the Wilson Dairy Farm-that night. He wanted to see if he was right.
But John Winchester had decided he didn't need backup, to which Dean had strenuously objected. John had ignored the argument put forth by his seventeen-year-old and had gone alone to face the creature.
Fifteen minutes after he'd left, Dean had decided to follow, and Sam came along because….Because.
Which is how he found himself stalking through a muddy field next to Dean, as they carefully made their way toward the farmhouse. They slunk along the side of the house, feeling safe because they knew their father would be in the back pasture among the cows: the Mute's prey.
Sam drew the binoculars from inside his jacket and handed them to Dean. Putting the lenses to his eyes, Dean scanned the field from side to side. After a few minutes, he grunted.
"Anything?" Sam asked in a low voice.
"There's Dad….Nope, that's a heifer."
"How can you tell?"
The binoculars dropped and Dean smiled. "Dad only has two tits."
Sam groaned. "Unnecessary."
"But funny."
A screech broke through the night's silence.
Sam shot Dean a confused look. Dean shrugged. They moved forward and peered around the corner of the house. In the glow emanating from the light in the yard, stood a man in a plaid shirt and overalls, presumably the farmer who lived there. He held a hand up, squinting into the darkness, searching the back field where the cows had begun to shift and moo.
The farmer cursed. "Goddamn coyotes."
Sam drew in a quick breath as the man raised a rifle, pointing it toward the commotion…where John would be.
"Oh, shit," Dean whispered harshly. He thrust the binoculars at Sam. "Wait here."
Quickly and quietly, he sidled up behind the farmer. Clearing his throat, Dean ducked as the farmer swung around, rifle up, then popped up to lay him out with a single punch.
Sam ran over to his brother. Both jerked when a shot was fired, grinning self-consciously when they realized it was just their dad taking care of the cryptid problem.
"Let's get the hell outta here," Dean said. He pushed Sam to get him moving. "We need to beat Dad home."
"Oh, now you're worried." Sam shook his head and ran.
*****
Sam snuggled deeper under the covers as he heard the key twist in the lock.
"Stay cool," Dean whispered.
Sam nodded and closed his eyes tight. By the time their father entered the motel room, the brothers were pretending to be deeply asleep.
In the dim light spilling through the curtains, John used the bathroom, then shrugged off his shirt and jeans and crawled into bed.
Both boys breathed a silent sigh of relief. Settling down, Sam relaxed his death-grip on the blanket. He closed his eyes and started to drift off.
Then came a rumbled voice from the other bed. "Thank you, boys."
Sam's wide eyes met Dean's in the darkness.
Told you so, Sam mouthed.
end
Author: brate7
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: Gen, PG
Word Count: 650
Summary: Pre-series. The boys think John could use some help on a hunt.
Note: Previously published in Brotherhood 2, Pyramids Press.
Bait and Switch
By Brate
Sam stumbled as he followed his brother over the rough ground. "Dude, Dad's gonna kill us."
"Oh, come on," Dean said. "He won't even know."
"He always knows."
"When did you become such a pansy, Sammy?"
"When did you become so cavalier about disregarding Dad's orders?" Sam shot back.
Dean snorted. "We have got to take that dictionary away from you. And it wasn't an order, it was a…suggestion."
"Oh, okay. 'Boys stay here or I'll kick your asses' was a suggestion."
"I didn't hear the words, 'I order you.'" Dean smirked at him. "Besides, I know you want to see this as much as I do."
Sam shut up. He really did want to. Probably because their father had been tracking a Cattle Mutilator for about two weeks, and Sam was the one who had figured out where it would hit next. If it kept to the same pattern, it would strike another farm-the Wilson Dairy Farm-that night. He wanted to see if he was right.
But John Winchester had decided he didn't need backup, to which Dean had strenuously objected. John had ignored the argument put forth by his seventeen-year-old and had gone alone to face the creature.
Fifteen minutes after he'd left, Dean had decided to follow, and Sam came along because….Because.
Which is how he found himself stalking through a muddy field next to Dean, as they carefully made their way toward the farmhouse. They slunk along the side of the house, feeling safe because they knew their father would be in the back pasture among the cows: the Mute's prey.
Sam drew the binoculars from inside his jacket and handed them to Dean. Putting the lenses to his eyes, Dean scanned the field from side to side. After a few minutes, he grunted.
"Anything?" Sam asked in a low voice.
"There's Dad….Nope, that's a heifer."
"How can you tell?"
The binoculars dropped and Dean smiled. "Dad only has two tits."
Sam groaned. "Unnecessary."
"But funny."
A screech broke through the night's silence.
Sam shot Dean a confused look. Dean shrugged. They moved forward and peered around the corner of the house. In the glow emanating from the light in the yard, stood a man in a plaid shirt and overalls, presumably the farmer who lived there. He held a hand up, squinting into the darkness, searching the back field where the cows had begun to shift and moo.
The farmer cursed. "Goddamn coyotes."
Sam drew in a quick breath as the man raised a rifle, pointing it toward the commotion…where John would be.
"Oh, shit," Dean whispered harshly. He thrust the binoculars at Sam. "Wait here."
Quickly and quietly, he sidled up behind the farmer. Clearing his throat, Dean ducked as the farmer swung around, rifle up, then popped up to lay him out with a single punch.
Sam ran over to his brother. Both jerked when a shot was fired, grinning self-consciously when they realized it was just their dad taking care of the cryptid problem.
"Let's get the hell outta here," Dean said. He pushed Sam to get him moving. "We need to beat Dad home."
"Oh, now you're worried." Sam shook his head and ran.
*****
Sam snuggled deeper under the covers as he heard the key twist in the lock.
"Stay cool," Dean whispered.
Sam nodded and closed his eyes tight. By the time their father entered the motel room, the brothers were pretending to be deeply asleep.
In the dim light spilling through the curtains, John used the bathroom, then shrugged off his shirt and jeans and crawled into bed.
Both boys breathed a silent sigh of relief. Settling down, Sam relaxed his death-grip on the blanket. He closed his eyes and started to drift off.
Then came a rumbled voice from the other bed. "Thank you, boys."
Sam's wide eyes met Dean's in the darkness.
Told you so, Sam mouthed.
end