Fic: Staying Awake for Santa (SPN)
This fic is for the lovely ditta_spn who asked for a Christmas with John and a young Sam and Dean. I hope you like this! It’s an absolute pleasure to know you and I love being friends with you. Have a very, very Merry Christmas!
Title: Staying Awake for Santa
Summary: Written for the prompt: 'Christmas with John and a young Sam and Dean'
Rating: PG
John Winchester glanced over at his boys, glad to see that Sam was fast asleep. His gaze drifted over to the other bed, where Dean was still awake, his back pressed against the headboard as he sat and watched Sam. Shaking his head, he turned back to the papers he was studying, leaving Dean as he was for the time being; after the business with the shtriga last Christmas, Dean’s behaviour was understandable - God knows, he’d avoided leaving them alone again for as long as he had been able to afterwards. Still, it was Christmas Eve and if Dean stayed up all night, he wouldn’t be awake enough in the morning.
“Go to sleep, Dean. Sammy’s fine.”
Frowning, Dean shifted on the bed and pulled at a thread on the sheets, “I can’t sleep.”
“Sure you can. Hell, you look tired enough.” John watched as, lips pursed, the kid shook his head again.
“Sam didn’t want to go to sleep earlier.” Dean glanced over at his brother.
“That sounds familiar.” He gave his son a pointed look, “If you don’t sleep now you’ll be tired in the morning.”
“That’s what I told him.”
“Good. So-”
“And he said he didn’t want to miss Santa so I told him I’d stay awake and tell him all about Santa in the morning. He made me promise.”
John sighed. Sometimes, the kid was too much of a big brother. “Dean, Sam’s not going to notice if you go to sleep.”
“He might wake up. And I promised.”
He ran a hand over his forehead and looked over at Dean, “What if I promise to stay awake? I can tell Sam all about Santa in the morning.”
Dean seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding, “Okay. But don’t fall asleep.”
“I won’t, kiddo.” He grinned and turned back to his work as Dean settled under the covers, waited until he could hear his son’s even breathing before he pushed it all to one side and pulled a bag out from under the table. Yawning, he poured himself another cup of coffee and drank it down in one; he was in for a long night.
---
Rolling over in bed, Sam opened his eyes and scowled when he caught sight of Dean, fast asleep even after he’d promised to stay awake for Santa. He rubbed at his eyes and knelt up on the bed, about to lean across and wake Dean.
“Don’t.”
Caught, Sam slumped back down onto the bed and scowled at his Dad, “Dean said he would-”
“I made him go to sleep, Sam. I was waiting up anyway.”
“Oh,” he sat up slightly, grinned at Dean as his older brother began to stir, “Has Santa been?”
Dean shot a concerned look at Sam and then at his Dad, “Sammy, I don’t think-”
John cut him off, “See for yourself, kiddo.” He nodded towards the table and laughed as Sam launched himself off the bed, closely followed by Dean as his boys moved to investigate the gifts. Sam dove straight in and began to tear the paper off the nearest present.
Dean showed more restraint and settled for watching Sam, a small smile on his face. After a moment, he turned to look at John and nodded, “Thank you, Dad.”
“For what, Dean?”
He shrugged, “Nothing.”
“Dean?”
He watched as his son bit his lip and shuffled on the spot before meeting his eyes.
“For Christmas.”