Salad

Chapter One

The interesting part of our story begins on a normal Tuesday night. It had been four years since their mother, Mary, was lost at sea and presumed dead. Four years since their father had turned to drinking, and four years since the kingdom had practically fallen to ruin.

Dean was trying to teach Sam how to play chess. Despite having to remind him how the pieces moved every single turn, Dean thought he was doing a pretty good job. At least until Sam started losing.....

"Alright, my turn now!" Sam placed the knight Dean had captured a few turns prior back on the board. "For my next turn, I'm going to make the horse guy come back as a ghost and kick your butt!"

"That's not how it works, Sammy," Dean laughed and took the piece back off.

"Yes it is!" The six-year-old was insistent.

"No, because that's not how the rules go."

"It is now! Because I say it is. The real rules are boring," he crossed his arms and pouted.

"Well if we're not going to play by the real rules, there's no point in even playing, so why bother?" Dean snapped.

"Well I guess I'm done playing then because I don't like the real rules. I'm hungry. I'm gonna go see if Dad will let me have a snack before bed," Sammy stood up and scampered to the door.

"Wait!" Dean shouted before he could open it. "I don't think that's a good idea right now.... Dad's...... Kinda......."

"Kinda what?" Sam challenged. Then understanding dawned on him. He whispered, "Oh, did he drink more of his angry stuff?"

Dean nodded. "I'll get you your snack and put you to bed tonight, okay?"

~*~

"I want a salad!" Little Sammy held a bowl out and smiled.

"It's the middle of winter, idiot. We don't have any lettuce because Dad never signed that stupid trade agreement. I told you yesterday when you wanted salad." Dean was rifling through the cupboards looking for something that Sam would agree to eat.

"But Deeaaan! Salad's my faaaavoooriiiite! I won't eat anything else!"

"Then I guess you're just not going to eat anyth-" Dean turned around to find Sam munching on a piece of lettuce. The ridiculously huge bowl he was holding was full of it.

"Dude, where'd you get that? Dad's gonna be pissed if he finds out you took lettuce when we don't have very much," Dean snatched the bowl away from him.

"You're not supposed to say that word, Dean. And I didn't take any of Dad's lettuce. I just really REALLY wanted some, and so some came!" He took his bowl back and shoved a few more pieces in his mouth.

"Where'd you get it from though?"

Sam shrugged.

"Whatever. Go get your pajamas on and stuff. It's almost 9:30."

Half an hour (and much arguing) later, Dean was kneeling by the side of his brother's bed. "Anything else you need?" He asked the sleepy bundle of blankets.

"Mmm.... No....." he yawned. "Just, Dean?" Sammy smiled sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"You know you're my favoritest big brother?"

"I'm your only big brother."

"Yeah, but even if you weren't, you'd still be my favoritest." With that he rolled over and went to sleep. Dean crept out of the room as quietly as possible.