Work Text:
Dean din’t know how his life got to this, but is definitely John’s fault. Not that he would ever say it out loud, Dean doesn’t need any reason for their father to be pissed at him. Anyway, he expresses his anger via Sam’s teenage anger towards John, the kid argues about everything possible and is a miracle John hasn’t lost his patience yet and done something. Not that Dean would let him, his number one job is to protect his brothers, that includes protecting them from John if he has too. Doesn’t mean it isn’t John’s fault that Dean is having a crisis in the middle of the sidewalk with two young boys wondering why he suddenly stopped.
Dean knew he din’t act like most brothers do, He was four years old and it already became engraved in his mind that his number one priority was Sam. Dean remembers always staying close to Sam, sleeping with him in his crib or in the car, anything to keep him close and not loose him too. Then, he was suddenly taking care of his brother more times than not; making sure he was fed, clean, going to school on time, doing his homework…
Then John made a mistake and Adam Milligan was brought into this world when Sam was only two. Though, they din’t meet until Adam was three after Kate Milligan passed away in a accident. Sam and Adam got along instantly, then again Sam was only five and din’t really understand everything, all he knew was that he now has a little brother to play with. Dean on the other hand and only nine years old at the time, could see the problem. Dean loved Adam, he loves both his little brothers and would do anything for them, but money was hard with it being just three of them, throwing another person in the mix made things almost impossible. Still, Dean did his best and he would say his doing a decent job talking care of them, thank you very much.
How did Dean find himself in the situation his in? It all started that morning. Is summer in 1997, John is out on a hunt and all three of them are bored out of their minds in the motel they’re staying at. Sam and Adam, fourteen and twelve respectively, were on the sofa watching some reruns of a scooby-do episode the channel was playing; Dean, who is eighteen but looks older than he is due to being forced to grow up, was counting how much money they had for that week. John left them with a decent amount this time, the Fridge had enough food so they were in no need to buy anything and they were stocked up in materials.
They had a little bit to spend on whatever, Dean turned to look at his brothers. They were distracted with the episode but it wouldn’t be long until Adam declared he was bored. Dean had spotted a ice cream seller at the park across from the motel when they drove by, Adam would probably enjoy playing in the swings; Sam would say his too old for that but have fun anyway, and who knows? Maybe Dean could even get lucky with a babysitter who brought their kid to the park. Having made his decision, Dean called out to his brothers. “You two want to go to the park and gets some ice cream?” This had instantly gotten their attention. Five minutes later they were locking the door behind them and making their way towards the cross walk. The park was just across from them, all they had to do was take the cross walk and they’d be at their destination. This is when the universe had decided Dean needed to have a crisis.
Dean had grabbed at Adam and Sam by instinct to cross the road, it didn’t matter that they were old enough to cross without supervision, Dean has been doing it for a long time and will most likely still try holding their hand when they’re adults. In that a moment, an older woman with a small child in her arms stood beside them, probably on the way to the park herself. Dean din’t pay any attention to her, Adam was going off about some book he read, Sam adding some things along the way, so he din’t notice when the woman started looking at them. He did hear though when she awed at them and addressed him. “Those are some cute kids you have there”
Dean could have sworn time stopped, he din’t even notice the light turning green or his brothers tugging at his hands and calling his name.
Kids? As in his kids?
Dean knew he looked older than eighteen but surely he din’t look old enough to have kids! Sam and Adam were already teenagers, she must have noticed that! But then again Sam looked like he was nine years old with big round eyed and floppy bangs, Adam probably looked like a toddler besides him. Did people see him and his brothers and just assumed they are his sons if John wasn’t with them? Sure, Dean was pretty much always taking care of them and making sure they’re okay- but it din’t mean-
You are the one enrolling them into school
You are the one helping them with their homework
You are the one who takes care of them when their sick
You are there for them more times that John is
You gave up your childhood for them
You’ve been raising them their whole life
Dean Winchester was a father at eighteen years old to two teenagers.
“Dean!”
Dean finally came back to his senses. First, he noticed the light had turned back to red; secondly, was the concern looks on Sam and Adam’s faces. “Are you okay?” That was Adam, the worried evident in his tone. Dean took a moment and put on his best ‘I’m okay’ smile on. “I’m fine, just spaced out for a moment. Look the lights green, lets go” Dean din’t give them time to say anything else, quickly pulling them with him as they made their way across the street and into the park.
Twenty minutes later, Dean will look at Adam and Sam playing in the swings from the bench he sat at. Many kids ran around, having the time of their life as their parents and babysitters waited for them to get tired out.
Dean Winchester was a parent of two teenagers at eighteen. Somehow that wasn’t the worse thing in the world.