E/O Challenge: Charm

Charm:-v: to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force

Spoilers: Set season seven, sometime between Death's Door and Repo Man.

A/N3: So, I'll admit. I had this one written last week, but I didn't have a title for it. Plus, I wasn't happy with the huge jump in events with this story. Kailene agreed, and she encouraged me to try to fill in the space with the words I hadn't done yet. I was hoping to get that done before the deadline, but it took longer than I'd planned. My writer's block turned out to be a good thing for this story. So, thank you, Kailene!

A/N2: I love season 8, so far, but I miss those moments of brother taking care of brother that has always been the heart and soul of Supernatural. This whole story is a gratuitous and unapologetic, self-indulgent attempt to fill the void. Sam's hurt and Dean is taking care of him.

Summary: There is just something magical about a wounded/sick/sad Sam that can charm sympathy out of a stone statue; and Dean has no qualms about using that to their advantage, even if he has to lie about the circumstances.

~~~~~~~~~~SPN~~~~~~~~~~

Like a Charm

Sam looks like crap on toast; but he needs to eat and not hunched over in the car.

It's early but the diner's empty. The waitress... She's old and stone-faced. She takes in Sam's pale, pain-stooped appearance and scowls.

I'm not about to let her dump her grump all over him, and I know just how to charm a sympathetic smile out of her.

"Drive-through surgery," I explain—lie—conspiratorially, as I help him into the booth.

Just like that, she goes from gargoyle to grandma; cooing and you-poor-dear-ing.

"What can I get you, honey?" she asks him.

That's better.

~~~~~~~~~~SPN~~~~~~~~~~

AN: I don't know if this is a generally recognized term or more of a regional (US) slang, but Drive-through Surgery is a term used—usually disparagingly—to describe a surgical procedure that is done on an out-patient basis (patient is sent home within hours of having the procedure) not because the doctors feel the procedure is simple but because the insurance company and hospital administration have deemed the risk of post-operative complication too low to warrant the cost of a longer stay. You might be mortified at what types of surgeries fall under this heading.