I love the matchup on the middle row the best: [link]

I would like to see them together, truly. And not just because of the father-doppleganger thing. That's just the cherry on top of all the whipped cream.

Oh yeah, I have to write some Dean/Tony. Mmmph. Although I would love to actually see The Avengers first, sob.

And I hate Hate HATE fanon that has John beating them both left and right.

Amen to that.

I also hate fanon that has him abusing in any way (neglect, violence, harsh treatment) because he's lost in the bottom of a bottle somewhere. I think we do have evidence that he drinks, and we do have evidence of being a hard taskmaster who might have hit his kids (I do read corporal punishment from the dialogue), but a boozy abusive bigot? Fuck no. Stop messing his character up to give your story knee jerk pathos.

I have no doubt that Dean and/or Sam got a good swat on the behind once in a while, but that's all I can see. And he definitely wasn't nonfunctional drunk -- I think that impression got set through Sam's reaction in the pilot. And Sam was fairly judgmental then.

I can see John occasionally drinking to the point of complete blottodom, particularly on days like his and Mary's anniversary or suchlike. Major holidays may also have been a trigger. Given that it would have only been a few weeks after Mary's death, that first Thanksgiving was probably horrible all around.

But the John in the stories I'm complaining about left his kids with only enough to get Skittles--that sort of abusive father schtick that you can never convince me he did--would he miscalculate how long a hunt would take him? Probably reasonably often. But I just can't see alcohol being the reason behind neglect.

I think it was Consuela who was convinced there was a scene or two of JDM as John with a glass or a bottle in his hand. But on rewatch, she couldn't find a single one. So, we have only Sam's biased probable exaggeration as canon that John abused alcohol. And nowhere in any season is it mentioned that he physically hit his kids. With the wholehearted hugging that went on when they did get together, I don't think they were physically afraid of him. The in-your-face arguing? Whoo boy, I've witnessed that at home. But it never led to whacking.

I'm pretty sure a lot of fic writers worked out--or displayed, rather than actually working out--their own parental issues with John as a substitute.

It also makes no sense to me to think that John was a walking drunk when he was hunting.

I don't know how it would work if he was shitfaced in between hunts and able to stay dry for the days/weeks it would take to see a hunt through. I would think that his obsession to find Yellow Eyes would keep him from going too far and losing control. Ocassional bouts, sure, but not the consumate alcholic Sam seemed to paint him as.

Ocassional bouts, sure, but not the consumate alcholic Sam seemed to paint him as.

Yes. This. Although in Sam's defense, if he saw one or two of those bouts when he was younger, it could have left a pretty strong impression.

I'm pretty sure a lot of fic writers worked out--or displayed, rather than actually working out--their own parental issues with John as a substitute.

Yes. Although I think there is a subset who makes John horrible as a cheap and easy way to woobify one boy or the other.