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

1989

Bobby sighed a little, but said nothing once again. 

The other man took the opportunity to get out. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. Sammy, I’m leaving! Come say goodbye!”

The younger son reappeared a moment later, hurrying to embrace his father’s legs. “Bye, Dad.”

John stooped to pat the boy on the back. “Goodbye, Sammy. I’ll see you soon.” 

Then, he turned and left without a word to Dean.

Sam looked up at Dean with wide, eager eyes. “Dean, the coyote just got run over by a bus!” 

Dean offered the kid the hint of a smile.

    “Come watch it with me!” the younger brother tugged eagerly on his arm, so he silently followed him into the next room.

    Bobby smiled slightly as he watched the pair. “I’ll get something cookin for dinner.”

time-skip sponsored by the world juniors

While Sam devoured the mac'n'cheese in typical John-hadn’t-been-feeding-them- enough fashion, Dean made little progress on his plate, staring at it with a look in his eyes like he wanted to eat, but something was stopping him from actually doing it. 

As Sammy cleared his plate and took it to the sink, dragging a chair with him so he could reach to wash it, Bobby leaned in to meet Dean’s empty gaze.

“Hey,” he said quietly. “I know you’re havin a rough go of it here, but can you try to eat, please?”

Dean just looked at him, his eyes almost expressionless and yet at the same time seeming to scream.

    “Okay,” Bobby sighed, picking up the boy’s plate to clear it with his. “If you change your mind, ya know… come grab me or somethin.”

    The rest of the evening was quiet. Bobby returned to his books, Sam got to work on one of the gas station coloring books Bobby kept around for him, and Dean sat nearby, nodding approval when his brother showed him his work, but otherwise just staring into oblivion. 

    Finally, Bobby sent them each to take a bath and go to bed. A few minutes after he heard the bedroom door close behind Dean, he walked up to check on them and bid them goodnight. 

    He found Sam kneeling beside his bed, praying, and Dean sitting on the edge of his, still just staring into nothing. 

    After getting the younger brother settled and on his way to sleep, Bobby moved over to Dean’s side of the room, crouching down so his face was level with the boy’s.

    He studied those empty, screaming eyes for a long moment and felt his heart ache for the child and twist in guilt knowing there was nothing he could do to fix what he was facing. 

    “You gonna be okay tonight, Kid?” he asked finally.

    Dean swallowed hard and nodded slightly. The pain in his eyes said the exact opposite.

    Bobby exhaled heavily. “Okay. Get some sleep, then. If ya need me, you know where to find me.”

    Dean obediently swung his legs up onto the bed and lay down on his side. It had been phrased as an order, and that boy never defied an order. Bobby wondered briefly if he’d told him to eat instead of asking him, if he might have done it. Somehow, he didn’t like that the answer was probably yes.

    “Goodnight, Boys,” the hunter sighed softly, flicked off the lights, and left the room. He left the door open. Dean would close it if he wanted it closed, but usually, they preferred to be able to see across the hall to Bobby’s own sleeping quarters.