Some Nights

Bath time

caution: includes an adult punishing a minor child briefly. 

The motel where John Winchester had left the boys was dingy, and smelled funny. Dean Winchester watched his four year old brother play with the few toy cars he owned, zooming them on the floor, making "VROOM" noises with his mouth. Chewing his lip, Dean turned back to the kitchen. He still had to feed Sammy, but there wasn't a lot of food options left either. He knew Sammy would protest having Spaghetti O's again, but Dean didn't know what else to do. He would just have to distract him.

"Sammy, bath time!"

Sam Winchester looked up from his cars, and his face fell into a pout. "NO."

"Yes. Dad said so."

Sam's face lit up at the mention of their dad. "Is he coming home?"

"He promised he would be." With food, hopefully. Dean chewed his lip again, before landing on an idea. "Hey, if you are in the bath, you can pretend you are pirate ship!" Dean waved his arms around, and then saluted. "Ohoy, matey!"

Sammy's face broke out in the most beautiful smile, and he raced for the bathroom. Dean followed behind him, smirking. Sammy had already stripped most of his clothes, and had climbed up on the sink counter, making faces into the mirror. Dean turned on the bath water, holding his hand underneath the flow, checking the temperature. Sammy was picky about that too. It had to be hot enough to sting a little bit when getting in. He wasn't sure how his little brother could do it, but there was hell to pay if it wasn't that temperature.

Sammy climbed down from the counter, only falling a little bit of the way, and bounced right back up. Dean shot him a big smile as his brother ran up to him, pulling off his underwear. "Is the water warm?"

Dean knew this was a trick question. "Nope. It's hot." He winked at his little brother.

Sammy tumbled into the tub, and sat down, clenching his knees to his chest, wriggling around the way little kids did the bathtub. "It's perfect, Dean." He gave his brother a cute smile, and then laid out in the tub, moving his hands underwater.

"Okay." Dean straightened up. "I'm going to make supper."

"No! Take a bath with me!" Sammy's eyes grew wide with hope, and he clasped his hands together underneath his chin. "PLEASE!!!"

Dean shook his head. "I'm too old to take baths with you." This wasn't true. He was only eight years old, but he had to focus on cleaning Sammy's clothes, and getting his little brother some food before bedtime.

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaseeeeeeeeeeeee?" Sammy begged, still clasping his hands. He was giving Dean his puppy dog look.

"Fine." Dean threw off his shirt, and undid his pants. "But I can't stay in for long."

"YAY!" Sammy splashed the water at Dean, who swore softly underneath his breath. 

Dean climbed in, catching his breath as the water stung a little bit, but then he felt himself relaxing. Sammy, cross-legged now, grinned at him from across the tub. "Come here, and let me wash your hair."

Sammy scooted across the tub, and plopped down in between his brother's knees. Dean scooped water, and let it run down on Sammy's curls. His brother hated dunking his head under water. Dean grabbed what little shampoo they had left, and placed a dab in his hand. Sammy sat perfectly still as Dean ran his hands through Sammy's longer curls. He needed to give him another hair cut, but secretly he liked it when his brother's hair was longer.

After rinsing out the shampoo, Sammy decided to start playing again. Dean washed his own short hair, scrubbing and then ducking it underneath the water. The two boys sat in the tub, both lost in their thoughts, until Sammy glanced sideways at his brother. "Hey, Dean?"