Principal's Tower, Sunday morning

[demons_death]

John was quiet when he got up that morning, careful not to wake anyone else.

He had a Mission.

He'd watched Dean carefully yesterday when he'd been cooking and he was sure he could do it too and he was going to prove it by cooking for everyone this morning

Comments

[saltandammo]

Dean watched Dawn go over to talk with Dad then turned his attention to Sammy. "So, you happy now?"

[psychic_wonder]

"Oh yeah, I'm ecstatic," Sam replied sarcastically.

[saltandammo]

"Dude, you just called a seven year old child obnoxious to his face. What did you expect?"

[psychic_wonder]

"That's not exactly a normal seven year old child, Dean. That's our dad who, even in child form, is still clearly hellbent on driving me insane."

[saltandammo]

Dean shook his head. "He's playing with you. Like any normal seven year old. You keep treating him like he's faking that or something."

[psychic_wonder]

"You call shooting me with a water pistol and making fun of me playing?" It was only after he said it that he realized that was sort of like playing. "I have no idea what to do with him, except try not to give into the urge to lock him in a room until we can get him back to normal, so he won't hurt himself."

[saltandammo]

"Yeah, because that's a healthy way of treating a kid," Dean said pointedly. "Look, leave all your Dad issues at the door and treat him like a little kid that wants you to play with him. Because that's what he is at the moment. He's not up to dealing with all your resentment and hostility right now."

[psychic_wonder]

"He doesn't want me to play with him, he just wants more chances to kick me," Sam said. "If anything, you're the one who should be playing with him. You're better at this kids stuff than me, in case that wasn't glaringly obvious."

[saltandammo]

"Yeah, well I usually don't go around saying mean things about them to their faces," Dean said sharply. "Dude, you were asking for it. Hell, if you'd called me obnoxious when I was seven I'd've kicked you too."

[psychic_wonder]

Sam sighed. "I didn't mean to be mean to him. I just...I don't know how to act around him. And my regular default with Dad is defensive because I have to be, so when he's not acting like himself...I just don't know what to do," he finally admitted.

[saltandammo]

Dean sighed wearily. "I keep telling you he's not as bad as you keep painting him out to be in your mind," he told his brother. "He didn't flip out on you when you told him about the visions, did he?"

[psychic_wonder]

"No, he didn't," Sam replied. "He told me he wasn't angry, and that my visions didn't change how he felt about me."

[saltandammo]

"See?" Dean said. "Maybe you can try and give him the same consideration. It's not Dad's fault he's suddenly seven years old. So maybe you can stop being so angry at him and reassure him that you don't hate him. Because the way you've been carrying on, I wouldn't be surprised if he was wondering about that."

[psychic_wonder]

"You really think so?" Sam asked. "I don't hate him. Child or not, he's still Dad."

[saltandammo]

"You were afraid he'd hate you and you're twice his age now," Dean said.

[psychic_wonder]

"Yeah, I guess I did, huh?" Sam sighed again. "All right, I'll apologize."