Work Text:
Jack was a whirlwind of energy and curiosity, always brimming with questions and an eagerness to learn. And ever since his Aunt Eileen had started teaching him ASL, his little hands were constantly moving, practicing signs with uncontainable excitement. Between her patience, his Uncle Sammy’s endless encouragement, and his dads cheering him on, Jack had progressed from basic words to simple conversations in just a few months.
Jack loved showing off what he’d learned, whether his audience was his dads, his stuffed animals, or anyone else who would watch. One afternoon, he came barreling into the Dean Cave, where Dean was sitting on the floor, tools scattered around him as he worked on fixing the broken leg of their coffee table.
“Daddy! Daddy! Look at me!” Jack shouted, his voice full of pride as he bounced on his toes. “I’m hungry!” he announced, signing the phrase as he spoke. Or at least, he thought he did. Unfortunately, instead of the singular downward motion for "hungry," Jack enthusiastically shook his hand up and down in front of his chest, his movements exaggerated and full of toddler energy.
Dean glanced up, his forehead smudged with grease from the table leg. “Okay, bud, hang tight,” he said, grinning. “Lemme just finish this up, and I’ll grab you something, okay?”
Cas had just entered the room, holding a book he’d been reading. The moment he saw Jack’s enthusiastic signing, his eyes widened, and a startled laugh burst out of him. Jack turned to Cas, his face lighting up. “Hi, Papa!” he said, waving.
Dean frowned, confused. “What’s so funny?” he asked, glancing between Cas and Jack.
Cas tried to compose himself, but his shoulders shook with barely contained laughter. “Dean…” he began, his voice quivering. “You should call Sam and Eileen. Right now.”
Dean’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why? What’s going on?”
Cas gestured toward Jack, who was now happily repeating the same motion over and over, his hand bouncing up and down in front of him with extra gusto. “Just trust me,” Cas said, his lips twitching as he fought to keep a straight face.
Still baffled, Dean pulled out his phone and started a video call. When Sam answered, his face filled the screen, looking mildly confused. “Hey, Dean. What’s up?” They were off on a hunt, Dean hadn’t even been sure his brother would pick up.
“Is Eileen with you?” Dean asked. “Cas says we need to call you guys. Something about Jack’s signing?”
Sam tilted the phone so Eileen came into view. She was sitting beside him on the motel bed, lore books scattered around her. “Hey, Dean,” she said with a wave. Sam quickly signed to her, explaining why Dean called.
Dean turned the camera toward Jack, who immediately waved both hands enthusiastically. “Hi, Aunt Eileen! Hi, Uncle Sammy!” he said. “Watch me!” With a proud grin, he announced, “I’m hungry!” as he repeated the same incorrect sign with even more enthusiasm.
Eileen’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked utterly confused. Then her lips twitched, and she burst into laughter, doubling over as she tried to compose herself. Sam stared at her, bewildered, until the realization hit him. His face turned red, and he let out a booming laugh, shaking his head.
Jack, delighted by their reaction, giggled and clapped his hands. “I did good?" he asked, his big blue eyes sparkling with joy.
Dean threw up his hands in exasperation. “Okay, someone wanna clue me in? What am I missing?”
Eileen managed to pull herself together long enough to sign back to Jack. “Oh, sweetheart,” she signed, her hands moving slowly as she spoke so he could follow. “That’s not how we say ‘hungry.’ Let me show you again, okay?” She demonstrated the correct motion: a single downward movement in front of her chest.
Jack watched intently, his little face scrunching up in concentration. “Ohhh!” he said. He mimicked her motion carefully. “Like this?”
“Perfect!” Eileen signed back, applauding him. “You’re such a smart boy, Jack!”
Jack beamed, his chest puffing up with pride. “Thank you, Aunt Eileen!” he signed, his movements a little more controlled this time. Then, without another word, he grabbed Cas’s hand and tugged him toward the kitchen. “Come on, Papa! Snack time!”
Cas allowed himself to be led, throwing Dean a quick glance over his shoulder, his expression still amused. Dean shook his head, clearly still out of the loop.
Sam grinned at Dean through the phone. “Man, you really need to brush up on your ASL,” he teased. “You’re gonna miss a lot of this kid’s comedy.”
“You gonna tell me what he signed or not?” Dean asked, his tone edging toward a grumble.
Sam chuckled. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” And before Dean could protest, Sam ended the call.
~~~
Later that night, after Jack had been tucked into bed, Dean sprawled on the couch beside Cas, nudging him lightly. “Alright, spill,” he said. “What’s the big deal about Jack’s signing?”
Cas chuckled softly. “The way he was signing ‘hungry’… it wasn’t the proper motion. What he did actually means…” Cas hesitated, a small smile playing on his lips. “It’s the sign for horny.”
Dean blinked, his eyes widening. Then, abruptly, he snorted, breaking into a loud laugh. “That’s what everyone was cracking up about?”
Cas nodded, his expression calm but his eyes sparkling with humor. “It’s a good thing he didn’t use that sign in public.”
Dean’s laughter subsided into a mischievous grin as a thought struck him. Cas noticed immediately, tilting his head in that familiar, inquisitive way. “Dean…”
Without answering, Dean leaned in and kissed Cas firmly on the lips. When he pulled back, he raised his hand and deliberately repeated Jack’s earlier mistake, his grin widening. “Did I get it right?”
Cas arched an eyebrow but didn’t stop him as Dean slid onto his lap, his face mere inches from Cas’s.
“You’re incorrigible,” Cas murmured, though his hands rested firmly on Dean’s hips.
“Damn right,” Dean muttered back, capturing Cas’s lips in a deeper, more passionate kiss.
When they finally pulled apart, Cas’s lips curved into a soft smirk. “If you keep kissing me like that, I might have to teach you a few… advanced phrases.”
Dean’s grin turned devilish. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
And with that, the innocent hilarity of the day gave way to an intimately passionate night.