30 Ages in 30 Days, Day Seven
Day Seven - Fiftysix (Sam)
PG, Gen, Disclaimer on main page
It’s pandemonium. There’s no other word for it, Sam thinks as he twists sideways to avoid being run over by a horde of little bodies and at the same time tries to catch the vase they upend. Whose idea was it anyway to have a huge family reunion? It isn’t even really Dean’s birthday, it’s the middle of summer and Dean has been sixty for almost six months. But Lisa had insisted that it would be much nicer this way and Sam learned long ago to simply step aside when Lisa is planning a party. And he does have to admit that she did a great job. Party streamers and balloons decorate the house, paper lanterns are hanging in the trees, waiting to be lit, and a steady procession of people is carrying bowls and bowls of food past him to the positively gigantic table set outside.
Everybody is there. For as long as Sam can remember, ‘family’ has been Dean and Dad, and then Dean only. He never would have thought that one day he would have so many people. Sure, technically they are only related to him via Dean but Sam has never felt left out. It’s Sam'n'Dean and nobody has ever questioned it. He doesn’t live here all the time, but whenever he’s not on the road he comes back, to smiles and flowers in his room.
These days his stays are getting longer and longer. He’s in good shape but he isn’t twentyfive anymore and hunting is a dangerous occupation. Besides, he's itching to get some kind of order into his research. To organize the journals they have kept over the years, to finally translate some of these rituals they have never quite gotten the hang of. Dean jokes that Sam is still the only person he knows who gets excited about cross-referencing. He does admit, though, that it would be useful, with hunters knocking at their door constantly asking for advice. If the Winchester’s don’t know how to kill it, it probably can’t be killed, the saying goes.
Sam is interrupted in his musings when a small hand jabs at his side playfully. He looks down and grins at Jo. She’s family as well. You don’t have to be related for that. She tilts her head towards the door in silent invitation, and Sam nods and follows her outside to the table where most everybody is already sitting down.
A few hours later he is standing on the porch, looking out over the gentle slope of green grass. The sound of voices in the house is quieting down. It’s late, whoever hasn’t left yet is settling down for the night. Sam breathes the rich, sweet air and thinks about visiting Sarah. It’s been a while.
The screen door behind him opens, and he smiles but doesn’t turn around. Dean leans against the railing next to him, beers clinking against each other in his grip as he holds them out. Sam takes one and twists the cap off. They both drink deeply, and Dean bumps his shoulder against Sam’s, smirking, as they watch the stars appear one by one.
today's word count: 519
3,185 / 10,000 words. 31% done!
Note: This is part of the 30 Ages in 30 Days series.