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"Learning Curve"
Title: Learning Curve
Rating: G
Category: Gen.
Fandom: SPN
Wordcount: 541 words.
Summary: Sammy learns his lessons well.
Sammy learns to tie his shoes the first time he's shown.
Nobody would think that he had the way he trails after Dean with his laces dragging, asking for Dean to tie them for him, he's forgotten how, he needs the rabbit story.
John huffs a laugh when he sees Dean bent over Sammy for the eighth time in one day, asking just how the kid manages to get his shoes untied with such great regularity.
"Kid's playing you," John advises sagely. "He knows how."
Dean looks at his little brother who is watching the laces expectantly, waiting for the moment when the simple ties become two rabbits in Dean's skilled hands. Sammy remembers two rabbits out the back of one of the motels, standing on their hind legs in the tall grass so they could see, shoulder to shoulder with their noses scenting the air.
He thinks of those rabbits every time.
o0o
Sammy learns to sew but he doesn't learn making oven mitts in Home Ec class at school.
Instead he learns with his father curled over him, Dean passed out in the bed opposite with a gaping wound just above his knee. "Don't try to rush it. I know Dean brags about the scars but I try to keep them to a minimum."
Sammy's hands are shaking because he's not quite sure how his father is expecting him to stick a needle through his brother's flesh. "Can't you?" he asks, holding the needle and thread in his father's direction.
"You gotta learn this, kiddo. I'm countin' on you to patch us both up one day."
Sammy bites his lip, but curls the needle and thread back into his chest.
o0o
Sammy learns to drink while his father's away.
Dean passes him the bottle without a word but doesn't bother hiding his laugh when Sammy takes a mouthful and then nearly chokes, eyes filling with tears. "Why do people drink this stuff?" Sammy manages to choke out with the high-pitched whisper that is all that's left of his voice.
"You learn to enjoy the burn," Dean says, leaning forward to press at the bruise under Sammy's eye. He's short for his age and people apparently like to remind him of that with their fists. He could fight back and he knows Dean wants him to but Sammy is afraid of that path and where it will lead him.
"Ow," Sammy protests, smacking Dean's hands away and Dean grins.
"You got an ouch button. Awesome," Dean says, darting his hand out again and Sammy falls off the bed this time trying to avoid him.
"Lightweight," Dean snorts.
o0o
Sammy learns to lie.
He lies about who he is, what his father does, why his brother comes to school with various bruises, sometimes a cast, sometimes not at all.
He has to lie about himself on the odd occasion too.
He has to lie about his plans for the future to the woman he wants to spend the rest of it with.
He has to lie to strangers about having a future.
He tries to lie to himself about the short, violent life he's leading and how he can't see a way it will last much longer.
He doesn't believe the lies.
Rating: G
Category: Gen.
Fandom: SPN
Wordcount: 541 words.
Summary: Sammy learns his lessons well.
Sammy learns to tie his shoes the first time he's shown.
Nobody would think that he had the way he trails after Dean with his laces dragging, asking for Dean to tie them for him, he's forgotten how, he needs the rabbit story.
John huffs a laugh when he sees Dean bent over Sammy for the eighth time in one day, asking just how the kid manages to get his shoes untied with such great regularity.
"Kid's playing you," John advises sagely. "He knows how."
Dean looks at his little brother who is watching the laces expectantly, waiting for the moment when the simple ties become two rabbits in Dean's skilled hands. Sammy remembers two rabbits out the back of one of the motels, standing on their hind legs in the tall grass so they could see, shoulder to shoulder with their noses scenting the air.
He thinks of those rabbits every time.
Sammy learns to sew but he doesn't learn making oven mitts in Home Ec class at school.
Instead he learns with his father curled over him, Dean passed out in the bed opposite with a gaping wound just above his knee. "Don't try to rush it. I know Dean brags about the scars but I try to keep them to a minimum."
Sammy's hands are shaking because he's not quite sure how his father is expecting him to stick a needle through his brother's flesh. "Can't you?" he asks, holding the needle and thread in his father's direction.
"You gotta learn this, kiddo. I'm countin' on you to patch us both up one day."
Sammy bites his lip, but curls the needle and thread back into his chest.
Sammy learns to drink while his father's away.
Dean passes him the bottle without a word but doesn't bother hiding his laugh when Sammy takes a mouthful and then nearly chokes, eyes filling with tears. "Why do people drink this stuff?" Sammy manages to choke out with the high-pitched whisper that is all that's left of his voice.
"You learn to enjoy the burn," Dean says, leaning forward to press at the bruise under Sammy's eye. He's short for his age and people apparently like to remind him of that with their fists. He could fight back and he knows Dean wants him to but Sammy is afraid of that path and where it will lead him.
"Ow," Sammy protests, smacking Dean's hands away and Dean grins.
"You got an ouch button. Awesome," Dean says, darting his hand out again and Sammy falls off the bed this time trying to avoid him.
"Lightweight," Dean snorts.
Sammy learns to lie.
He lies about who he is, what his father does, why his brother comes to school with various bruises, sometimes a cast, sometimes not at all.
He has to lie about himself on the odd occasion too.
He has to lie about his plans for the future to the woman he wants to spend the rest of it with.
He has to lie to strangers about having a future.
He tries to lie to himself about the short, violent life he's leading and how he can't see a way it will last much longer.
He doesn't believe the lies.
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And ouch, poor Sam. This story is great in it's moments of ouchiness and it's moments of Sam's little manipulations. You can feel the love this family has for each other despite the bad moments.
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Ouch, you hit me where it hurts after the last weeks. Don't worry, Sammy, the lies will be proven true!
I loved Sam making Dean tie his shoelaces. You know he so played Dean all the time when they were little. That time he got Dean to give him the last of the Lucky Charms with the puppy dog eyes? He knew what he was doing. Hee, the little brat.
But the others are all so very sad. My poor heart, she is bleeding. Which of course means that you have done a wonderful job.
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Thanks so much for sharing.
(Friending you, btw. <3)
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*sniffles*
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You really are immensely talented.
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*ponders*
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So much said. So little words. So much win.
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Short, but it packs a punch.
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Lovely piece. :)
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That was good. Especially that second-to-last line. Short, violent life. Ow.
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