To Repair Broken Men, A Supernatural Fanfiction

[procrastin8or9]

Title: To Repair Broken Men
Rating: PG-13? Language
Word Count: 3099
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre: Gen
Summary: Written for the prompt at hoodie_time by sameuspegasus: Pre-series: Dad and Sam keep fighting. Dean can't fix his family, so he fixes things around the crappy apartment they are staying in eg. shelves, washing machine, heater/air conditioner.

Comments

[manzanita_crow]

Beautifully written. I don't recall it ever being made clear it was SAM'S choice not to be in touch with the family though

[manzanita_crow]

It's true, Sam wasn't particularly welcoming when Dean did turn up. But it has to be said - I love my brother dearly but I'd be a bit miffed if he broke into my flat in the middle of the night, potentially scaring my girlfriend :)

[manzanita_crow]

I'd also be very surprised, given that he's a tax accountant who drives a skoda...

[procrastin8or9]

Haha, well I have to say, I'd be surprised if he did that too.

I think the line in the first episode when Sam asked why Dean hadn't called and Dean said "If I'da called, would you have picked up?" to me, at least, implies that it was at least partially Sam's choice. And Dean also says "You know, in almost two years I've never bothered you, never asked you for a thing." So, I think it's kind of heavily implied that it was Sam's choice, especially because it's hard to imagine Dean just letting go that easily. Jensen said at a con once that he thought that way too, that he imagined there were probably a lot of drunken phone calls in those first couple of years.

Anyway, that's the headcanon I was coming from, but I think you're right that it probably isn't entirely Sam's choice. I can't imagine John being too thrilled with Sam still checking in after an ultimatum like that.

[amberdreams]

Dean as the fixer-upper who can't fix what's really important to him is such a heart breaking theme and you've done it proud here. *sniffle*

[procrastin8or9]

Thank you!

[nova42]

I love this story. It's very sweet and touching, sad and heartbreaking all in the same breath. Very well done. *gives peanut M&Ms and hot chocolate*

oh my god

[anonymous]

This is the most beautiful thing. The symbolism with the taking things apart and putting them back together and the anticipation hurting more than the sting and urghhhhh. I mean, the prompt was Dean fixing everything else in the house because he couldn't fix his family, but you wrote it like Dean just trying so hard to fix everything so John and Sam wouldn't argue.

Like John and Sam argued over breakfast when the stove was broken so Dean fixed the stove. John got mad because there wasn't hot water and he and Sam argued so Dean fixed the hot water heater. John yelled at Sam for waking him up in the middle of the night so Dean oiled the hinges. And Dean just sneaking money into Sam's wallet and helping him secretly and hustling pool to give him more money was just so heartbreaking. And then at the end, urgh I just cry every single time I read it. Like I was honestly crying. This is so poignant and sad but also just so great, you know? I love it to pieces.

Re: oh my god

[procrastin8or9]

Thank you so much! When I first saw the prompt I was thinking how Dean is so used to the way they live that I couldn't really imagine any of those things bothering him so much, but with Sam desperately wanting to be normal, and their Dad always lashing out about anything, I could really see Dean trying to make things perfect for them.

I'm glad you liked that Dean helped Sam. I was kind of nervous about that, but I guess, as close as they are, I never could imagine Dean not knowing what Sam wanted to do, and ultimately, it seems like Dean always puts Sam's happiness before his own.

Thank you again!

[somer]

Fuck, Dean repairing all these things and the most important things can't be fixed and are out of his reach. And it all ended how it was supposed to end. aaarrrgh!

This was perfect. Loved it!