Second, I think it's important to note that Sam's, "Name three kids that you even know" in that episode applies equally to Sam as well. I'm certain that Sam is projecting a little of his own discomfort with kids there - not that he dislikes children, but it's harder for Sam to get into the mindspace of a child.
As for Dean's attitude with Sam when they were young, I think that varied. I like to think that Dean made it his mission to be as passive-aggressive with Sam as he could get away with, especially when John wasn't around. He did what needed doing to take care of Sam, but he wasn't necessarily happy about it. I think we get glimpses of that all through the series, especially in BDaBR and the more comedic turns. They had a typical sibling relationship in that Dean was such an instigator and makes it his mission so often to wind Sam up.
What is also typical is that Dean, like most older siblings, would pretty much have done anything necessary to take care of Sam when it counted. And they clearly would have closed ranks with each other against any outside source of tension.
The difference is that where "normal" kids don't get those other two things tested often, Dean and Sam were tested on those counts on a disturbingly regular basis. Dean was constantly put in a situation where he had to look after Sam's material needs as well as his physical well-being (and often under life-threatening situations). The two of them constantly had to close themselves off to others so that authorities would not discover that John was an absentee parent.
So the relationship has always been solidly sibling-like, as you say, but for the first time in Season 1, they treat each other as adults as well as parent/child.
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Second, I think it's important to note that Sam's, "Name three kids that you even know" in that episode applies equally to Sam as well. I'm certain that Sam is projecting a little of his own discomfort with kids there - not that he dislikes children, but it's harder for Sam to get into the mindspace of a child.
As for Dean's attitude with Sam when they were young, I think that varied. I like to think that Dean made it his mission to be as passive-aggressive with Sam as he could get away with, especially when John wasn't around. He did what needed doing to take care of Sam, but he wasn't necessarily happy about it. I think we get glimpses of that all through the series, especially in BDaBR and the more comedic turns. They had a typical sibling relationship in that Dean was such an instigator and makes it his mission so often to wind Sam up.
What is also typical is that Dean, like most older siblings, would pretty much have done anything necessary to take care of Sam when it counted. And they clearly would have closed ranks with each other against any outside source of tension.
The difference is that where "normal" kids don't get those other two things tested often, Dean and Sam were tested on those counts on a disturbingly regular basis. Dean was constantly put in a situation where he had to look after Sam's material needs as well as his physical well-being (and often under life-threatening situations). The two of them constantly had to close themselves off to others so that authorities would not discover that John was an absentee parent.
So the relationship has always been solidly sibling-like, as you say, but for the first time in Season 1, they treat each other as adults as well as parent/child.
Sorry. I have this tendency to meta.
Um...glad you liked it!