2011 Holiday Fic Exchange - Prompt nr 9
Title: Fears and Feelings
Author: Capricorn86
Characters/Pairings: Bobby, John, Dean (9) Sam (5) John spanks Sam
Original Prompt (not summarized): Nr 22: Sam (aged 5) has a temper tantrum at Bobby`s.
Implement: Hand
Summary: The Winchesters are visiting Bobby. Sammy`s craving John`s attention
Word Count: 3,523
Author's Notes: I adore reading/writing wee!chester stories, and for this prompt I decided to focus on the relationship between John and Sammy, as well as interaction between John and Bobby. I had a great time writing this, and I hope you`ll all enjoy reading it as well. Thanks to spankedbyspike and reapertownusa for setting up this fic exchange, and thanks of course to the lovely person who thought of this great prompt!
Warnings: Contains spanking of a child by a parent
“John? Should we take a break?”
Bobby Singer eyes the man sitting across the table. His friend and fellow hunter arrived at his house an hour ago, and John Winchester wasted no time in beginning the research for his next hunt. He had declined when Bobby had told him to eat and rest after the long drive. After spending four hours in the Impala with a chatty, noisy, impatient five-year-old, John feels the need to focus on his work.
On the way to Bobby`s place, Sammy pulled all kinds of antics in the car, attempting to get Johns attention, and by the time the Impala rolled into Singers Auto Salvage Yard, Johns patience was long gone. Sammy was lucky not to be sitting on a sore butt by then. So once the boys got their stuff in their bedroom upstairs, and Bobby had put some food in them, John was more than happy to focus his attention on research and let his sons spend some time by themselves.
When John doesn`t say anything, nor even lift his eyes off the pages of the book he`s reading, Bobby sighs and gets up from his chair.
“I`ll go make some coffee. Looks like this is gonna take a while.”
After the coffee is brewed, Bobby and John continue their research, both occasionally sipping the warm, black liquid from their cups. Bobby gives his friend some long glances when John isn`t looking.
“How are the boys doing?”
“Fine,” John replies curtly. “Dean is watching Sammy.”
A movement by the doorway catches Bobby`s attention, and he turns his head to look at the small, dark-haired boy standing there, green eyes wide as he watches his father and “Unca Bobby” sit by the table and read.
“Heya, Sammy,” Bobby greets the five-year-old with a friendly smile. The boy grins happily in return.
Johns head snaps around to look at his youngest. Sammy gives his father the same wide grin he just offered Bobby.
“What are you reading, Daddy?” Sammy asks.
Neither John nor Bobby has any intention of answering that question, at least not honestly.
“Where is Dean?” John mumbles. “I told him to watch Sammy.” He turns towards the doorway, calling the name of his eldest.
“I can read too!” Sammy announces suddenly, moving over to the bookshelf next to the door.
“Oh, you can, huh?” Bobby smiles at the boy, watching with amusement as the kid nods, dark bangs dancing on his forehead.
“I`ll show you!”
Sammy grabs a book from the shelf, but it`s too large and heavy for a small boy to hold. It slips from his grasp and lands on the floor with a loud smack.
“Hey!” John snaps. “Stop that!”
Sammy immediately squats down, grabbing the big book off the floor as he mumbles apologetically.
“I just wanna show- Oops!” Sammy accidently drops the book once more, and Bobby watches John clench his jaw in irritation. My, my, his temper certainly is short today. Shorter than usual, that is.
“I believe you when you say you can read, Sammy,” Bobby tells the five-year-old. “But none of my books-“
Dean appears in the doorway, and John snaps at him, cutting Bobby off. “Where have you been? I told you to look after Sammy. Bobby and I have research to do, and we need peace and quiet.”
Dean doesn`t bother with explanations, he simply drops his head and mutters: “Sorry, sir.” The nine-year-old grabs the book lying on the floor, preventing Sammy from making yet another attempt at picking it up. After placing the book back on the shelf, Dean grabs his little brothers’ hand. “Come on, Sammy.”
But the younger boy tries to pull his hand out of Dean`s grasp. “I wanna be with Daddy!”
“He`s busy right now,” Dean says, tugging at Sammy`s hand.
“He`s always busy,” Sammy mutters sadly, still not allowing Dean to take him away.
“From the mouths of babes, John,” Bobby chuckles as he looks at his friend, but is only met with a dark gaze.
“Sammy, you go play with Dean,” John orders his youngest.
But Sammy is in no mood to comply. He wants his fathers’ attention. “No!”
“Sam.” John is not asking.
Sam yanks his hand free from Dean, stomping his foot angrily. He doesn`t understand why his Dad won`t let him be with him and Bobby. Sammy just wants to show them that he can read! “No!” he yells.
John gets up from his chair and takes a step closer to the boy. Sam is a smart kid, and he understands when he`s gone too far. Realizing he`s in trouble, the five-year-old quickly turns around and runs from the room.
“Hey! You get back here, young man!” John calls after him, but before the hunter can follow his son, Bobby walks over to his friend and puts a hand on his arm.
“Let him go, John.”
John exhales sharply.
Bobby turns to Dean. “Need some help keeping Sammy busy, kiddo?”
Dean gives a nod. “Got any ideas?”
Bobby moves over to one of the many bookshelves in the room. On the floor next to it, there is a large box filled with different kinds of toys and games. The hunter doesn`t have any kids of his own, but he`s happily bought some supplies to keep Johns sons occupied during the long, lonely hours when the hunters are doing research in the library. Bobby grabs the box, walks over to Dean and hands it to him.
“Here. Why don`t you go play with Bobby`s Box? Or as I like to call it, The Bottomless Toy Chest of Wonder.” The hunter catches John`s eye over Dean`s head, pleased to see a weak smile of gratitude softening his friends features.
“Thanks, Bobby!” Dean exclaims happily. “You`re the best!” The boy takes a firm hold of the box and exits the room to go find his little brother.
The two men watch him go, then once more take their seats at the table to resume their work.
“It`s hard sometimes,” John mumbles quietly, dragging a hand over his face. “Keeping my patience.”
“John, you know as well as I do that a man can`t lose something he aint never owned,” Bobby replies, giving his friend a cheeky grin.
John chuckles. His eyes sweep the pages of the book lying on the table in front of him, and he sighs. “If only Mary was here.”
The hunter looks at his friend. “If she was, you wouldn`t be. Here, I mean.”
“Does it ever get easier?” John swallows as he meets the gaze of his friend.
Bobby looks away, clearing his throat. “Let`s get back to work. With any luck, we`ll get the info you need by tonight, and you can leave tomorrow morning.”
And so the men turn their attention back to the books, neither of them noticing the small five-year-old boy standing in the doorway.
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“I`m gonna go put Sammy to bed.”
John Winchester closes the book he`s been reading and gets up from his chair with a grunt.
Bobby Singer looks at his watch. “A little early, aint it?”
John shrugs. “It`s been a long day… For all of us.” He moves towards the door. “Besides, he can`t tell time anyways.”
Bobby chuckles, shaking his head.
John moves into the other room, where his sons are still keeping themselves busy playing with the toys, books and games Bobby has stored in his special box.
Upon seeing his father enter the room, Sammy jumps up from the floor and runs towards him. Finally! Daddy`s not busy anymore, and can spend some time with him at last! Research time is a lonely time for the Winchester boys, and Sammy especially is glad to see his father emerge from the library, his hands free and ready to catch and cuddle Sammy.
John catches the small boy as he runs up to him, scooping him up in a quick hug before setting him back down on his feet.
“Well, it`s bedtime for you, Sammy.”
“No, it`s not.” The objection is voiced not by Sam, but by his older brother. Dean knows his baby brother`s routine just as well as John, perhaps even better.
John shoots his eldest a silent glare. Sammy`s head spins around to look at his older brother, then he looks back up at his father. “No, it`s not!” he says, attempting to sound like Dean.
John sighs, placing his hands on his hips and looking sternly at Sam. But before he can say anything, he must stop himself from smiling as he watches his youngest imitate his movement, a cheeky grin on his little face. Then John clears his throat, looking seriously at the little boy standing on the floor in front of him. “It`s bedtime when I say it is.” John leans down, offering his hand for Sammy to hold so he can be led upstairs to the bedroom. “Come on,” John prompts when the boy remains unmoving.
John should have seen it coming. Sam`s cheeky grin growing wider. His small feet taking a short, almost unnoticeable step backwards. See Sammy. See Sammy run.
For the second time that day, Sam runs away from his father, but this time John
gives chase.
Sam runs out of the house as fast as his small legs can carry him. The five-year-old quickly finds a hiding place in one of the countless cars in Singers Auto Salvage Yard. He climbs into the car, slamming the door shut behind him. The boy hunches together in the backseat, filled with anticipation as he waits for his father to find him.
Hide-and-seek is one of the games Sammy loves best, and now that Daddy`s not busy anymore, it`s playtime for him and Sammy.
It doesn`t take John long at all to locate his sons hiding place. He walks over to the car and opens the back door. He looks sternly at the boy. “Come out of there.”
To Johns relief, Sam obeys. “That was fun, Daddy!” Sam exclaims happily. “Now you go hide, and I`ll go seek!”
John shakes his head. “No, Sam,” he says firmly. “We`re not playing games right now. I told you it`s bedtime, and-“
“But Dean said it wasn`t!” Sam objects.
John curses inwardly. “I make the rules around here, and you`re going to bed now,” he says, leaning down to grab Sam`s arm, but the boy dances away from him.
Sammy feels upset. He was hoping to finally spend some time with his Daddy. He doesn`t want to go to sleep, especially not since his father may be gone by the time he wakes up. On top of it all, Sammy has had a long, tiring and lonely day, all he wants right now is his fathers love and attention. But it seems all Sammy does today is wrong, because every time his dad speaks to him, he scolds.
Of course, at five years old, Sam Winchester lacks the ability to express his thoughts and feelings properly, so when he tries to voice his frustration, all that comes out is a protest against a too early bedtime.
“It`s still light out! I don`t wanna go to bed! No, I don`t wanna!”
John ignores his youngest increasingly loud protests, and takes a firm hold of the boys arm. But when John starts pulling Sam towards the house, the five-year-old clenches his fist in frustration and delivers a punch to his fathers lower arm in an attempt to make him let go.
John clenches his jaw in anger and scoops the squirming kid up into his arms. “I have had enough, Samuel! If you don`t stop being naughty, you`ll get a spanking! Now settle down!”
The hunters’ warning does nothing to calm the child, nor scare him into behaving. In fact, it has the exact opposite effect. Sam starts throwing a tantrum for real, kicking John in the ribs and letting out earsplitting screeches. John has to readjust his grip on his son to prevent dropping him as he makes his way towards Bobby`s house.
When John enters the house, Bobby comes running from the library upon hearing Sam`s wild screams. Dean is right behind him, but he quickly retreats to the other room when he catches the look on his fathers face. A look he knows all too well what means. Dean understands that his little brother has a spanking coming, and he has no desire to stay and watch. He knows he`ll be hearing all of it from the other room anyway, and that will be bad enough.
Bobby watches in silent horror as John, still holding the tantrumming Sam in his arms, walks over to the sofa and sits down. The hunter turns to look at his friend, raising his eyebrows as he asks: “Mind giving me some privacy while I put my son over my knee?”
Bobby can scarcely hear what John is saying. His words drown in Sammy`s extremely loud protests against bedtimes and all other unfair rules, never mind that the boys wild kicking nearly knocks the wind out of his father. But John`s meaning comes through clear enough to Bobby, and the man joins Dean in the library, closing the door behind him.
“I warned you, Samuel,” John says as he places the struggling Sam face down across his thighs. John grabs the boys small waist, holding him firmly in place against his stomach before raising his hand. He takes care not to raise it too high before bringing it down on the tiny, squirming bottom presented on his lap. Nevertheless, the first smack makes Sam howl and, if possible, kick and squirm even harder.
Delivering a spanking is not an easy task for John, and Sams struggling makes it even harder to get it over and done with quickly. John lifts his hand again and smacks Sam`s jean-clad butt another three times in quick succession. His hand is large enough to cover his sons backside completely with each swat, and when the fourth smack has landed, Sam is crying hard, though his struggling has not halted, and John has to readjust his grip to keep the boy from rolling off his lap. John`s heart bleeds at he listens to Sam cry, but he steels himself and finishes the spanking by giving Sam another three quick swats. When they have landed, the little boy goes limp, sobbing hard. John quickly lifts his son up to a sitting position, making sure the kids sore butt is hanging off the edge of John`s knee.
John rubs Sammy`s back as the boy cries, murmuring soothingly as he leans close to kiss his forehead and wipe away the fat tears who keep rolling down the chubby cheeks.
“There, there, Sammy. You`re alright now, it`s all over. You`re a good boy.”
Sam`s crying quickly grows silent under Johns comforting touch. His breathing steadies, and soon no more tears are dripping from his eyes. John pulls him close, and Sam leans his head against his fathers chest.
Dean comes into the living room, concern for his little brother all over his face, though he knows their father never hands out spankings unless they`re deserved, and he`s never been too hard on him or Sammy. Still, Dean wishes there was something he could have done to prevent Sammy from being punished in the first place. It truly pained him to have to listen to it, and seeing his little brother with a tear-streaked face is more than Dean can bear.
“Is Sammy OK?” Dean asks.
John nods, patting Sam`s back gently. “He`s just fine. He makes it sound worse than it is.” The hunter takes a quick glance at his wristwatch, realizing it`s just about Sammy`s actual bedtime now. “You getting sleepy, Sammy?” he asks the little boy.
“Nope,” comes the answer as Sam wraps his small arms around John`s neck.
“Do you want Dean to put you to bed?” John asks, as he tries to remove the arms that are nearly choking him. But Sammy clings to John. Almost desperately.
“Want you, Daddy.” Now that Sam finally has John`s full attention, he doesn`t want to let go of his father.
Dean leans close to his little brother, giving him a quick kiss on the back of his head and whispers “Goodnight Sammy” in his ear.
Then John carries his youngest upstairs and into the bedroom Bobby has made for the boys to use whenever John brings them to stay. John puts Sam down on the floor and takes out his pajamas from his bag. Then he proceeds to undress his small son and help him slip into his PJs. When John lifts Sam up to lie him down in bed, he tickles the boy, just for the purpose of hearing him laugh, and make them both forget the pain of the spanking. The hunters heart swells with fatherly affection and joy when he hears the five-year-old giggle brightly, but he`s surprised when Sam puts his feet down on the mattress when John tries to lay him down.
“I`m not sleepy, Daddy!” Sam announces, still giggling. And he starts jumping up and down on the bed so his father can see just how awake he feels. “Look!”
John nods, and quickly grabs Sams hands so he won`t fall off the bed and hurt himself. “Yeah I`m looking.” Being in no mood for further of Sams antics, John grabs the boy in mid-jump, and lies him carefully down in the bed. “But now is not the time for jumping, now is the time to sleep. Lie down, Sammy,” he adds in a firmer tone when the boy motions to get up. Sam obeys, lying on his side to avoid putting pressure on his still sore bottom.
John smiles and nods at the boy. “Goodnight. I love you.” He then turns to leave the room, but upon hearing Sam speak up, he turns back towards the bed.
“Daddy? Will you stay with me?”
John is torn. He still got a ton of research to do, but he sees the silent plea for attention in Sams eyes, and so he moves back towards the bed and sits down.
“Of course I will. I`ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
Sams large, expressive green eyes stare up at John, his long eyelashes still wet from the tears he has shed. “And will you be here in the morning?”
John swallows. Ever since losing his beloved wife Mary, the man has devoted every waking hour to finding and killing the things that go bump in the night. The world is an evil place, but lying in the bed in front of John is a little boy craving closeness from his father. A closeness John is more than willing to give, but with research, traveling and hunting… Well, there`s just too many evils to fight, too many things to do and not enough hours in the day. The question posed by little Sammy is innocent, but heartfelt, and not without reason. Not only did Sam hear Bobby and John talk about the upcoming hunt, but once John had to leave his boys at bedtime to go on a hunt, and didn`t get back until the afternoon the following day. It makes sense for his youngest to have developed a fear that when he wakes up, his father won`t be there to greet him.
John nods weakly, softly caressing the side of his sons face. “Sleep now, Sammy.”
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“Is Sammy asleep?” Bobby asks when John comes downstairs and joins his friend in the kitchen where he`s busy brewing another pot of coffee. It`s going to be a long night.
“Out like a light,” John confirms, moving to stand next to Bobby by the counter. He is about to say something, but stops himself when he notices Dean in the doorway.
“Are you leaving tomorrow?” the nine-year-old asks his father.
Bobby turns his attention towards the coffeemaker, pouring the steaming brew in two cups. John sighs, giving a silent nod.
Dean looks at the floor for a moment. “I`ll take care of Sammy until you get back.”
Then he leaves, and the two hunters are alone in the kitchen. John grabs his coffee cup and turns to his friend. “Got anything stronger?”
Bobby silently produces a bottle of whisky from the cabinet, adding a healthy splash of it to each cup of coffee.
John takes a sip, then gives Bobby a long look. “You never answered my question.”
Bobby meets his gaze. “You asked if I got anything stronger, and I pulled out a bottle. What more answer do you need, idjit?”
John shakes his head. “I didn`t mean that. After you lost Karen, did it ever get easier?”
Bobby hides his face, turning away from John as he grabs his cup and walks towards the library. “We don`t have time to sit around talking about our feelings. We got research to do.”
John sighs heavily, wondering to himself how old his boys will have become before he has managed to track down and kill the thing that took Mary away from him.