BETTER DAYS
Prompt #1: home, tantrum, music
SUMMARY: Dean’s grounded, but when has that ever stopped him.
CHARACTERS: John, Dean(16), Sam(12)

 

Sam was following his father around the small rental house they were currently staying at, pointlessly trying to get the man to concede. He had been invited to a small sleepover party and up until the previous day had been allowed to go.

The day before, however, he and Dean had gotten into a little bit of a scuffle and in the end they had both been grounded.

Now, not only was he not allowed to go to the sleepover, but Dean was tossing him glares because he wasn’t allowed to go to a party.

And to make matters worse, John was now heading out towards a new hunt.

            “…And won’t you feel better knowing that I’m going to be safe and under adult supervision? Jeremy’s parents are going to be there all night long!”

John groaned, grabbing an extra ammo pack from his room and heading back into the kitchen where he was spreading everything he was taking with him on the table. The last thing he needed was to get caught forgetting something.

            “For the last time Sammy! No means no! You and your brother want to fight with each other, fine. You both know the consequences.”

Sam dropped down heavily onto one of the kitchen chairs. He glared at the table in front of him, because it would warrant badly for him to glare at his father.

            “We said we were sorry!” he moaned.

            “As well you should be, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re grounded. Maybe, next time, you’ll actually stop yourself before you start something again. It’s not my fault that you choose to fight two days before your parties.”

Dean scoffed. He was washing the dishes from the dinner they’d just finished and was more or less giving his father the cold shoulder. School was almost over and it would probably be one of the last parties of the years, and it was a pool party. For once, he was being as stubborn as his little brother.

Not that that was helping him any.

John huffed, shaking his head at his sons.

            “Finish your chores, both of you and then straight to bed. I don’t want to hear another word about the sleepover, Sammy to knock it off.”

Sam crossed his arms over his chest and glared daggers at the table. Dean angrily started to rinse off the soapy dishes, causing a lot of the water to splash out onto the floor around him.

            “Dean! Knock it off! You’re just giving yourself more work. Sam, chores. Now.”

A mutual “yes sir”, thought grudged was their reply.

By the time that Dean had finished the dishes, sharpened his knives and had finished his homework, John was finished packing and was going around the house making certain that all was secure.

After having completed his homework and notes about the Tsukumogami Sam sat grumpily on the couch. He didn’t want to go to bed, it was only eight at night, but he wasn’t allowed to do much else.

            “Sammy, you all done?”

            “Yes sir,” Sam replied, staring at the black TV screen I front of him. He could see his father’s silhouette, but he refused to turn around.

John sighed. He glanced over to where Dean sat stuffing his books back into his backpack. That was another struggle in its own, getting his eldest to do his schoolwork. But when the kid couldn’t watch TV or go out, he was left with little else to do.

            “You boys head on to bed then. I’m going to pack the car and I’ll be in to see you in ten minutes.”

            “Fine,” grumbled Sammy, getting up from the couch and storming towards the bathroom.

            “If we can’t go to out, why can’t we go with you?” Dean mumbled, standing up and walking towards their bedroom, but having to pass behind his dad first.

John turned around, stopping Dean’s track with a hand to his arm.

            “I told you already. The school years almost over, and you’ve both missed enough days there as it is.”

            “So what?” growled Dean, taking a step away from his dad and effectively breaking touch. “It’s not like our grades matter!”

Not wanting to get into the issue of school yet again with his eldest, John fell into the time honored, “Because I said so.”

Dean scoffed, looking away from him. He could practically forecast the dual tantrums gaining their steam and he really didn’t want to deal with it when he came back from the hunt. And the last thing that he needed to be worried about was what his kids were scheming up as revenge while he was away.

            “Lose the attitude, Dean, before I lose my patience. You and your brother are getting a little too old to be whining and throwing tantrums when things don’t go your way. Get your ass to bed before you say something that lands you a spanking, you hear?”

            “Fine,” gritted Dean, brushing past him.

It took a whole lot of restraint not to swat the teen, but he really was pressed for time.

By the time that he had the Impala packed and ready to go, he was slightly calmer, but not by much. He headed in to see the boys and tell them goodnight before he headed off, and more than one part of him hoped that his troublemakers would already be asleep.

No such luck.

Dean was sitting up in his bed, flipping though a magazine. Sammy at least was lying down, looking at his brother. They were carrying on a conversation but they stopped the second that he opened the door.

            “Dean, put that away and lay down.”

Dean rolled his eyes but closed the magazine, tossing it towards his laundry pile. He slid down until he was on his back and crossed his arms over his chest.

John sighed, he hoped that he could get passed the next few minutes without harming the  kid. He was already running late as it was. He had a four hour drive ahead of him and had hoped he might get some sleep in before starting but he might not be able to if he didn’t hurry.

Standing between both beds, John started ranting out his usual list of orders for when he was gone. Then of course he had to make sure to remind them of the things that they couldn’t do because they were both grounded.

Dean twisted away, looking at the wall away from him. Clearly, he wasn’t intending on being cooperative. Sam on the other hand just fumbled with his sheets. He’s spare a few glances up at his dad and then over to Dean and then back down to his fumbling hands.

By the time that John had said everything there was to say, he was more than glad to be going. There wasn’t much to be said about how unpleasant his kids could be and focusing on killing something for the next few days would be beneficial.

            “Alright, that’s it then. I want you guys to get to school on time tomorrow, and then straight back home -

            “We know,” Dean mumbled.

John shook his head. It wasn’t like his son to be rude, but when he got started he was pretty damn consistent.

He leaned forward and swatting Dean’s backside once hard through the covers.

            “Yeow!” Dean yelped, twisting over to face his father and tossing a hand back to rub at his bottom.

Sam looked up, startled by the sound of the swat. He wasn’t all that surprised that his dad had done it, Dean had practically been asking for it all day long, he just hadn’t expected it.

            “What the hell Dad!”

            “Thought I told you to lose the attitude!”

            “Jesus, you don’t have to hit me for it!” Dean angrily tossed back.

John shook his head at his son’s behavior.

            “I don’t have time for this, so just to speed things up, add another week to your grounding. Goodni-

            “What!? That’s not fair!” Dean spat back, sitting up and glaring at his dad.

John glared back at the boy, wondering why his eldest chose times like these to rebel. Wanting to end the discussion quickly and effectively tame the kid before he headed out , he figured he could waste a few more minutes and dole out some well deserved discipline.

Stepping forward, John tugged Dean’s covers off the boy. Dean’s eyes widen, figuring what he intended to do. Good, because apparently that swat hadn’t sent the whole message up to his kid’s brain.

Sam gasped at his Dad’s clear intent. He twisted away and closed his eyes tightly as if that would be enough to hide what was about to happen.

John flipped Dean onto his stomach, placing his left hand on the small of the boy’s back to hold him in place. With his right, he pulled the teen’s boxers down enough to bare his butt and immediately set about spanking him.

            “Nooo! Stop! You can’t do this!” gripped Dean, trying to twist away and wishing that he had just kept his damn mouth shut in the first place.

            “Can’t, huh?” John repeated, set on placing a dozen heavy smacks on the exposed cheeks. “Well, I can and I did.”

Done with the impromptu punishment, John pulled the boxers back into place and tugged the covers back over his sniffling teen. Leaning over the boy, he caught Dean’s eye and whispered to him.

            “Can the attitude, son. You know where that’ll end you each and every time. I know you’re mad at me, but it’s not me you should get mad at. I’m sorry you’re grounded, but I’m not sorry for grounding you. And now, instead of two weeks, you’ve got three. Hopefully then you’ll remember not to pick fights with your brother, regardless of who started it and to mind me. Okay?”

Dean nodded, still looking back at his dad. His eyes were filled with tears that dripped onto his pillow and almost crushed John’s heart.

But the man wasn’t about to apologize.

            “Kay,” Dean whispered back.

            “Thank you,” John replied, he leaned down, kissing Dean’s cheek quickly. “Love you. Behave. Goodnight.”

Dean nodded again, closing his eyes.

John straightened up, sighed and then went over to Sammy’s bed. The younger boy still had his eyes tightly shut and it looked like he too had shed a few tears. Poor kid.

Like he had done with Dean, John leaned over and kissed Sammy’s cheek.

            “Love you, Sammy. Please behave. I’ll see you guys after school Monday at the latest. Goodnight.”

Sam wasn’t in such a pleasant place with the man either, but each time that his dad left he got a little scared. He didn’t want the possible last thing that he said to his dad to be something rude.

So he opened his eyes and quickly sneaked an arm out from under the covers and wrapped it around John’s neck for a quick hug. John smiled warmly at him and maybe he didn’t feel so badly towards him anymore.

            “Bye kiddo.”

            “bye”

**~~**~~**

            “You’re crazy!”

Dean rolled his eyes. They were walking towards Sam’s school, and Dean was telling his brother how he had planned on heading over to the pool party after school anyways. He had only mentioned it so that the kid wouldn’t freak out when he didn’t get home and so that he knew it was okay if he wanted to go to the sleepover.

            “Chill Sammy. I didn’t say you had to. Just thought you might wanna. Damn.”

            “Dean! You can’t go, you’re grounded.”

            “As if I didn’t know that,” he mumbled, carefully crossing the street.

            “Then what are you thinking! I mean, Dad already spanked you last night!”

            “Geesh Sam!” Dean growled, looking around to make sure no one had heard his brother. Lucky for the kid’s livelihood that no one was around. “Could you be any louder! Besides, you know he won’t be back anytime soon.”

            “But-

            “You going to rat?”

Sam glowered at his brother.

            “I don’t tattle, Dean. You know that!”

            “Then what’s the problem? It’s not like I’m going to tell on myself.”

Sam glared at him for a moment longer before looking away and only in front of him.

Dean sighed.

            “Don’t you want  to go to that sleepover?”

            “yeah”

            “Then, what’s the problem? I want to go to my party and you want to go to yours. I’ll pick you up in the morning.”

            “Jeremy said his mom would drive us back,” Sam mumbled.

Dean smiled at him, dropping a hand onto his brother’s shoulder.

            “Even better!”

            “But we can’t!”

            “Oh, brother! Sam!”

            “Dean, we’re grounded! That means no parties.”

            “I know what that means!”

Sam stopped, his school in sight. He sighed, shaking his head at his older brother. Sometimes, he wondered how in the hell Dean had survived to be sixteen.

            “I think that’s a very bad idea. But if you want to go, I won’t tell Dad.”

Dean rolled his eyes. He was going to go to the pool party, because there was few things in the world better than girls in bikinis and he wasn’t going to miss if for a thing in the world.

He had just hoped that Sammy might get to spend some fun time too.

            “Fine, guess that’s something. Later, squirt. See you tomorrow then,” Dean said, ruffling his hair and waiting until he saw Sammy reach the school before he headed the extra mile to his own school. And yeah, he’d be late today, at least five minutes late, but who cared anyone. At least he was going.

**~~**~~**

The party had been as amazing as Dean had thought it would be.

And it would have been better if the damn neighbors had just minded their own business.

The party apparently ended around six, barely two hours after it had started. Apparently, the music got too loud and the kids’ general sound of joy was way too much for them.

Gits.

In the end, Dean had bummed a ride with some senior girls and they had dropped him off home. The plan had been for Kylie Jordan to go in with him.

But the sight of the black Impala parked outside quickly killed those plans.

            “Shit!”

            “Nice car!” Morgan Watts said from the driver’s seat.

And normally, Dean would agree. Except when the damn thing spelled buckets of trouble for him.

            “Um, thanks for the ride. Bye!”

            “But, hey!” Kylie called out, but Dean was already half way up the pathway and Morgan started to peel away from the sidewalk, so she just sighed and leaned back in her seat.

There went her night.

Dean stopped at the door. Part of him knew he had to go in, partially because he had no other place to go to. But the majority of him told him to dig out the spare Impala keys he had in his bag and drive the hell out of there.

 But getting away with his dad’s prized car would surely result in instant death for him. So he vetoed that thought.

He reached forward to open the door, but it was opened for him.

And right before him stood a not so pleased John Winchester.

            “H-ey Dad,” he stammered, feeling uncomfortably short and wimpy compared to the brute presence of his father.

He was so screwed.

            “Dean,” John all but growled, stepping aside and widening the door for Dean to enter.

Dean bit his lip, trying to gather the courage that he had so brashly displayed that morning. But nothing, he was all alone in this one.

The slamming of the front door behind him made him jump but his dad’s next words damn near made him shiver.

            “Where the hell’s your brother?”

Dean immediately looked around, tensing. He had figured that his brother had remained at home. The runt had said that he didn’t want to go against the grounding.

            “You mean to tell me you don’t know!” John yelled, seeing the frantic look in his son’s eyes.

Dean looked back at him, wanting to deny that for all his worth. Of all the bad things that he could do, leaving Sam unprotected and then seemingly losing him was the absolute worse.

            “Dad-

            “Save it!” John grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch, where he had dropped it when he had first entered. He turned back to his eldest and outright glared at the boy.

            “Plant your ass on that couch and don’t so much as think of moving, you hear me!”

Dean cringed at the tone his dad was using, but instantly nodded. He doubted that the street and half of the town hadn’t heard him.

            “NOW!”

Dean jumped, finally moving forward from where he stood since he had entered and tried to make it passed the man and safely to the couch without personal contact. But John clearly didn’t have the same idea, swatting him twice before Dean was clear if his reach.

Groaning as he sat down, he turned just in time to see his dad disappearing outside with another load slam of the door.

            “Oh man!” he muttered, flopping face down on the couch. “Sammy, I’m so sorry. And we are so dead!”

**~~**~~**

Staring up at the ceiling for what felt like eternity and wondering if he was suddenly an only child again, Dean almost missed the sound of the Impala approaching the house.

He stood up just as the lights appeared through the curtains and then quickly sat back down again. Suddenly, his heart was pounding again in anticipation and fear and relief and fear and dread and stupidity and fear…

            The front door opened and he glanced up to see his father’s angry face appear. He was almost afraid that the man hadn’t found Sammy when he kid appeared from behind him.

Dean sighed in momentary relief, which was quickly downtrodden when his father bellowed out again.

            “Sit down by your brother!”

Sammy glanced up at the man before quickly complying. He shot Dean a worried look and the they both listened as their father headed into the kitchen, probably to gather himself up before he come back to pound them.

            “I thought you were going to stay here!” Dean whispered to him.

Sam shrugged and opened his mouth to reply.

            “NO TALKING!”

They both jumped and looked to the kitchen. John didn’t appear but it sure had felt like he had been right behind them.

Sam sniffled and shifted position. Dean cringed, gathering that Sammy hadn’t been pleasantly greeted as well. The thought made his own bottom itch slightly and he shifted.

They were so dead.

By the time that John reappeared, both boys were more than dreading the inevitable.

            “I can’t believe the two of you!” John said, startling the two of them again.

John walked around the couch and came to stand in front of them, staring at them with clear disappointment.

            “Explain yourselves!”

            “I’m sorry!” Sammy said, tears already forming on the kid’s eyes.

            “I was my fault,” Dean said at the same time, hating the little cracks his voice hit.

John glanced over to his eldest and gave him a look that indicated he wanted him to continue. Sam would have to wait, because even if the boy said he was sorry, that wasn’t about to cut it just yet.

            “I got mad,” Dean groaned.

            “At what? At me?”

Dean nodded, looking down at his hands.

            “Because I spanked you last night?”

Dean could feel the blush creep up from his neck as he nodded.

John nodded along, looking disapprovingly at the top of his eldest son’s head.

            “And you Sammy? Did you get mad too?”

Sam shook his head, sniffing and reaching up to wipe a stray tear from his cheek.

            “Then what happened? I thought I had made it pretty clear to the both of you that you were grounded.”

            “Yes sir, but, well Dean said he was gonna be gone. And, well, I didn’t wanna be alone all night! I didn’t know you’d be back!”

            “That’s not an excuse! You both know that when I’m not here I expect you both to do as you were told. I thought that by now I could trust you two alone while I left for a few days, but clearly that trust was unearned.”

Dean slide a little further down in his seat. He hated that he had harmed their father’s trust, and hated himself more for having been stupid enough to want to show the man up.

            “Dean! Sit up!”

Dean looked up at his dad’s glare as he straightened back up in his seat. Even Sam sat up straighter then, not liking the angry tone.

            “Lucky me that I happened to realize I forgot my cell! Sam, get ready for bed.”

The brothers exchanged a quick look, both mirroring sympathy and dread. Then, Sam made his way quickly to their shared room. John waited until he reappeared and then disappeared into the bathroom before starting in on Dean.

            “Last night, I spanked you because you were getting a little too full of yourself. If I remember clearly, I added a week to your grounded, I didn’t void it. Or was that part my imagination?”

            “No sir”

            “Then what the hell were you thinking going behind my back and heading to that party! Damnit, Dean! I expect you and your brother to do as you’re told, regardless of my whereabouts!”

            “I know, I’m s-

            “You know? And yet, here we are.”

Dean looked back down at his lap.

            “And you just left your brother, just like that?” John shook his head in disbelief. There were few constants in their lives, but one of them was definitely for Dean to look after Sammy. And leaving him for a party didn’t seem to stem from that.

            “No! HE said he was going to stay home!”

            “And that makes it better!?”

The answer was obvious, so Dean just hung his head and looked back at his lap. He had gotten a barbecue stain on his jeans that he hadn’t realized before.

            “I don’t have time for this! I should have to worry about what you two are up to when I’m not around! Stand up!”

Dean was barely on his feet before he was turned towards where John had sat on the couch and promptly pulled over the man’s lap.

Perfect.

Since he was pressed for time, John went right to ‘business’, bringing his hand down hard on the teen’s bottom and trying to produce the maximum amount of sting in the least amount of swings. After all, he still had Sammy to deal with and a hunt to get back to.

            “Jes- Ow!”

Dean squirmed, trying to get away from his Dad’s iron hand. Normally, the spanks didn’t start out so hard!

            “Dad! OW! DAD!”

            “Settle,” John said, tightening his hold around Dean’s waist.

            “Ow! Dad, please! OW! That really hurts!”

            “Yeah? They sending a clear message up to that head of yours?”

            “Yes! Yes sirr!”

            “Well, good! Seems like third time’s the charm, huh?”

Dean groaned, dropping his head into his one free arm and starting to sob. Damn this was a hell of a lot sooner than it usually took.

"I’m sorree! Please!"

"I hate repeating myself, Dean! When I tell you that you can’t do something, I mean it! You. Are. Grounded! That means, no parties. No leaving the house. And no. Leaving. Your. Brother!" John lectured, directing his displeasure to the underside of Dean’s wriggling bottom.

Saying all that he needed to say, he landed two more swats to the thighs and then stood Dean up. The quick change of position caused Dean even more discomfort. He hadn’t had a chance to pull himself together and now he was spewing like a baby.

John stood up, pulling a reluctant and sobbing Dean into his arms.

"I shouldn’t have to worry about you two not being where you should be when I’m not here. I have enough of that when I am home!"

John held Dean for a few minutes, waiting for his tears to slow. He had heard the shower end minutes before and he knew that his youngest was probably sitting on the toilet lid, listening miserable and knowing he was next.

"Alright, champ," he started, pulling Dean back to look him in the eye. "Am I going to have to worry about you lashing out because of this spanking too?"

Dean shook his head, looking thoroughly chastised and embarrassed.

"Nno sir."

"Good. While I’m gone, you call Pastor Jim every other hour to check in. You miss one, he’ll call me. He calls me, and I think you know what’ll happen."

Dean blushed, this time nodding.

"Yes sir. Got your message, loud and clear. Still coming in waves."

John snorted, clapping Dean on the head lightly.

"Get ready for bed, smartass. And this time, behave."

"Okay, okay!" Dean groaned, allowing the second hug before heading towards the boys’ room.

John headed over to the bathroom and lightly rapped the door.

"Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"Come on out, kiddo. You’re brother’s going to need the shower."

"Oh, okay."

John smiled at the closed door, listening to his twelve year old gather himself and his things up and then slowly open the door.

Dean appeared at the same time and watched at the slight awkwardness Sammy created for himself. Instead of just moving along, he looked so torn and indecisive.

"Sammy, out. Dean, get a move on."

They both moved, finally doing as they were told. John followed Sam into the room. He watched the boy drop his clothes onto the pile of laundry that the two had created by the door and then walk over to his bed and sit down. He didn’t bother to look up, knowing that his father had followed him and what was to happen in a matter of minutes.

John sighed, walking over to Dean’s unmade bed and sitting down on it to look at Sam. While he understood the unease of being alone, he didn’t like the idea of either boy disobeying him. Especially since in terms, Dean had expected Sam to lie about Dan’s whereabouts and lying was a huge no-no to John.

"Sam? Anything you want to say?"

"I didn’t plan on going! I meant to come right home!"

"Then, what happened?"

Sam sighed, he looked up slightly, just enough to glance at his dad through his bangs, and then back down to his lap.

"Jeremy got upset, he said that he really, really wanted me there and that he had only been allowed to have three people over and that if I wasn’t going to go, I shoulda said so sooner. And he was right and I felt real crappy about it, so I said I’d go."

"Did you tell Jeremy you were grounded?"

Sam shook his head no, as John suspected that he would. He hadn’t expected much more, knowing that admitting to consequences was never an easy thing for a kid to do. Especially to one’s friends.

"It would have saved you a lot of trouble if you had, Sammy. Were you at least going to tell me about Dean’s little mishap?"

Again, Sam shook his head, slower than before seeing as he knew that withholding information was the same thing as lying in their family.

"Not much of a consequence if you don’t follow through, is it?"

"No sir."

"So, you decided to just go along with your brother’s brilliant plan and forgo what I had told you. Seems pretty clear to me. Come over here, please."

Sam groaned as he stood up and looked at him. Sad little kicked puppy look firmly in pace, he took the two steps over to where Dean’s bed was and stood squirming next to him.

John quickly had the boy across his lap as he had done with Dean. John put the most force necessary to work up a faster sting. Sam’s disobedience wasn’t as direct as Dean’s but it was still going against his orders. Lying and ignoring his grounding was a sure-fire recipe to a very sore bottom.

"Dad! Please! I’m sorry! Ow! DAD! Please! Ow! Aggh!"

"Settle, Sammy," John said, grabbing the flaying arms to tuck them at the boy’s sides and quickly resume the spanking

"No! No, please! Ow! Dad! I’m sorry! Please, it hurts!"

"It’s meant to hurt, kiddo. Meant to raise your attention."

"Ow ow ow! Dad! Please! Not so hard!" Sam pleaded, sobbing loudly and gripping tightly at John’s calf.

"You will not disobey me, Samuel! Whether I’m home to know about it or not!"

"Okay! I’m sorry! I won’t disobey you again! Ow, Dad! I promise!"

"And you will let people know where you’re going before taking off!"

"Okay! I will! Da-ad!"

John stopped the second that Sammy’s wiggling finally ceded. He picked the boy up, turning him onto his lap and hugging him tightly.

"Alright, Sammy, breath. We’re all done here."

"I’m ss-soree!"

"I know you are. It’s alight now. You’re okay."

"No I’m not," Sam mumbled, dropping his miserable face onto his shoulder.

John smiled sadly and felt Dean’s presence behind him. He looked back and noticed the boy’s wet appearance along with his sad expression. Nether boy liked it when the other got into trouble, and with reason. John wasn’t known for being easy with his punishments.

John nodded for Dean to enter, standing up from his bed and sitting back down on Sam’s. He watched as Dean dropped his clothes on top of Sam’s dirty ones and made his way slowly towards his bed. He pulled the covers into some kind of order and then slowly lowered himself stomach side down.

"Alright, Sammy. Into bed," he said as Sam finally seemed to be coming up for air.

Normally, John would have held both boys for longer, waited until there had been a clear understanding, but he didn’t have the time. Instead, he pulled Sam’s covers back and settled him softly down onto his stomach. He kissed his cheek, smoothed his hear and whispered a "Love you" before heading over to Dean’s bed and doing the same.

"Don’t forget to check in with Pastor Jim, Dean. Goodnight boys."

"Night Dad."

"G’night."

"Dad?" Dean called out, just as John was about to close their door.

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you’ve got everything this time, okay? Can’t handle anymore surprises this weekend."

John snorted, shaking his head.

"Goodnight, smartie."

END.