where do you think you're going (dean winchester)

1989

fandom: supernatural

tw: ptsd, trauma, child abuse mention

set: 1989

category: gen

summary: following a hunt that ends in flames, ten-year-old dean returns to the silence of the months immediately following his mother’s death. frustrated and unwilling to be bothered with what he sees as his older son’s stubbornness, john dumps both boys off at “uncle bobby’s”, and bobby struggles to figure out exactly what’s going on inside the boy’s traumatized and ptsd-ridden mind.

word count: 2604

    Bobby had no fewer than seventeen books lying open on his kitchen table and was somehow deeply immersed in three of them at once, when he heard a car coming up the driveway. The distinctive purr of the engine gave him an idea as to the owners, and with the slamming of doors and a familiar, angry voice snapping off commands, that idea was confirmed. 

    John Winchester stomped up the front steps and knocked a few times, not waiting for a response before pushing the door open and shoving his children inside ahead of him.

    “John,” Bobby greeted him as he walked over, his tone neither friendly nor otherwise. It softened to the former as he addressed the boys. “Heya Dean, Sam.” 

    “Hi, Uncle Bobby,” six-year-old Sam mumbled. 

Dean looked at him with those dark, expressive eyes, but said nothing.

    “Bobby, I need a favor,” John announced, his tone managing to make it sound more like a command than a request.

    “Of course they can stay,” Bobby replied without waiting to hear the request. 

When John was in a mood like this, he could always anticipate him being fed up with being a father for the time being. 

The man grunted in satisfaction, sending a sidelong glare in the direction of his older son. “Dean’s refusing to talk again. I can’t have him slowing me down like that. I think I might be onto something.”

Bobby looked at Dean with fresh concern. “He’s not talkin again? Well, what happened?”

He realized Sam’s presence and pointed the boy in the direction of the living room. “Sam, why don’t you go investigate the television? I believe Road Runner’s on around this time.”

“Sure!” the kid replied, eagerly scampering in that direction. 

“Dean, you wanna join him or stay with us?” Bobby asked. 

Dean shrugged and stayed where he was.

John dropped the boys’ duffle bag on the floor as he addressed Bobby’s earlier question. “He was helpin me on a hunt, and the ghost started a fire because that’s what this ghost does. We both got out fine, but he’s refused to speak ever since.”

Bobby nodded slowly. “A fire. Well, that makes sense.”

“Nothing about this makes sense,” John snapped. “He’s just bein stubborn.”

Bobby clenched his jaw and didn’t respond. He knew arguing would do no good, but the things he’d like to say to John sometimes… 

He turned his attention back to Dean and frowned when he noticed some bruising on the boy’s neck, stepping forward and moving his shirt collar so he could see it better. “What happened here?” 

Dean flinched away, and he immediately released the shirt, briefly placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder in an attempt to reassure him.

“He got a little banged up getting out of the burning building,” John replied, sending a meaningful look his son’s way. “He’s fine.”