[recs!] big bang recs, part tres
In my never-ending quest to organize my delicious account, I can now tell you I've read and saved 43 big bangs this year, which is almost twice what I read and saved of last year's. Granted, there were more produced this year but still, that's a lot, yeah? And I figure since I've no life I'm being a martyr and weeding out the ones worthy of reading for y'all, lol.
Under the cut, 9 big bangs from this year and two shorter recs as well.
1. A Life Most Ordinary by sonofabiscuit77 (main pairing Sam/Dean, 60K, NC-17) Sam and Dean Winchester are two ordinary brothers living ordinary, small-town lives. Okay, so maybe having a mother who was brutally murdered by one of America’s most notorious serial killers and a father who needs 6 different kinds of medication to get out of bed in the morning is not that ordinary, but the rest of their problems: relationship failures and job disappointments, too many bills and too much overtime, and Dean’s two kids, 9 year-old Jonah with his disturbing passion for the music of Lady Gaga and 6-year old Simon with his severe hearing loss, well they’re entirely ordinary... The only thing extraordinary about Sam and Dean is this: the story of how they fell in love and how they learned to cope in such an ordinary world with such an extraordinary love.
I don't usually go for non-hunting AUs, I want my Sam and Dean to be hunters or at least know that the supernatural is out there. This fic, so glad I went for it. Dean is a cop and a father, sure, but he's got the same general fucked-up-ness as usual, and Sam is by his side, as usual. I loved this Soooo much, and I feel like it's a realistic take on what happens when you realize you're in love with your brother.
2. Over the Hills and Far Away by hansons_angel (Gen, PG-13, 59,600 words, character death) This isn’t a story about the Apocalypse. It’s not even really a story about demon hunting and the supernatural, though all these things are featured. It’s an AU story about the deep bond that brothers have, and the lengths they’ll go to for each other, beginning when Sam and Dean Winchester are children, and Sam needs a kidney transplant. It’s not about one brother over the other, but the idea that, without one brother there isn’t the other. It’s an exploration of sacrifice and unconditional love, the study of what family can mean -- what it should mean. It’s about love and despair, fear and grief, heroism and ultimately -- hope.
This fic...ripped me to shreds by the time I was done with it. It starts out beautiful, pre-series, Sam needs a kidney transplant. It follows the show pretty religiously up to about mid-season 5 with the one simple difference of Sam only has one kidney. It wanes a little in the middle, there's a lot of telling of the plot of S4-S5 which isn't anything exciting, but then the apocalypse happens and it gets good, and fucking heartbreaking again. I definitely reccomend sticking it through to the end if you're looking for a good cry...
3. The Touch of His Hand by macbyrne (Sam/Dean, nc-17, 35,820 words, underage, pre-series) Sam is fourteen when his psychic ability manifests, in the form of powerful, uncontrollable visions that leave him incapacitated by pain. Fear of his father’s reaction to having a son with supernatural powers leaves him only one person to turn to: his brother Dean. As his feelings for Dean grow stronger and the visions take more out of him, both brothers will have to make decisions on what is important, and where you go when you have nowhere left to turn.
This fic and the one above it really made me remember how much I hated John Winchester, lol. I think he's written fairly accurately in both, he's just a bad father. This one he gets maybe a little extreme though. Anyway. SAM!WITH VISION! and he can't touch people without getting them! And Dean is his anchor and they're kinda bonded to each other and Bobby is an awesome uncle. I really liked this one...
4. The Sky's Gonna Break by smallnstealthy and invaderwitch (Sam/Dean, implications of Michael/Lucifer, 39K, nc17. hurt!dean, HURT!Dean, temporary character death) Monsters roam the streets like wild dogs, awaiting the call of their master. The Winchesters do what they can to help those struggling to survive, but when something powerful starts screwing with Dean, breaking him down piece by piece, the boys are forced into isolation. While Dean suffers, Sam searches for answers, desperate to keep his brother fighting as Dean has always done for him.
The morning Dean wakes up with a pair of huge, beautiful wings attached to his back, everything changes. With Castiel missing, their only ally is an archangel they can't trust; their only hope is their faith in each other.
It might be just enough to beat the devil.
An alternate fifth season ending. Liberties taken with some season five canon.
I'm not usually so fond of wing!fic. In fact I avoid it pretty much all the time, but this worked for me, strangely enough. Dean's body is changing to be able to hold Michael, and I don't know, it's explained well enough for me. Plus Dean is rather spot-on. I don't know, I liked this one. I don't have a legit reason for you. /badrec
5. The Things we Carry With Us by lovesrain44 (dean/sam, pg, 47,654, angst) Sam and Dean are on the road, saving people and hunting things, like they always do. Dean discovers that Sam is attempting to turn himself into a monk, and so he does his best to get Sam laid. Sam resists because, of course, who needs to have sex with a girl when Dean’s around? It's about going on a roadtrip with your brother. It's about the food you eat, and the maps you follow. It's about the things you carry with you. (Takes place some time after Heart.)
This fic...is mediocre in places, but not in others. I feel like I could say that for several of these I'm reccing though. As a whole good, but in pieces not so much. This one is neat because the setting is well-described and I quite enjoy the 'far too many descriptions about food' the author warns for. And the way Sam and Dean's relationship matures works for me.
6. Nihil Inherit by ratherastory (Gen, R, 73,219 words, season 3AU, character death) Whatever you do, you will always end up... here.
In May of 2007, Sam Winchester wakes up in his own grave, but digging himself out is the least of his worries. He's plagued by the psychic visions which have returned with renewed intensity and which all but threaten to cripple him. He reunites with Dean, only to find that the Yellow-Eyed Demon is still at large, about to put his world-ending plans into motion. A mysterious figure who know much more than he ought dogs Sam's footsteps, hinting at darker things to come. Soon Sam and Dean find themselves on a path that feels frighteningly familiar: toward Lilith, Lucifer, and the Apocalypse. Unable to shake the certainty that he's seen all of this before, Sam knows that this is his one chance to set things right, or die trying.
So I love ratherastory. I love the idea of fixed destiny. I love the idea of a Sam from the future coming back to try and fix his mistakes. And I loved this version of season 4 and 5 a lot better than the one that aired, lol. This fic was like a trifecta of awesome for me, pretty much.
7. Fall on Your Yesterday's Heart by dreamlittleyo (John/Jo, mentions of Sam/Dean, R, 40,750 words, canon character death) nvestigating a mysterious statue, Jo Harvelle lands herself smack in the middle of the Winchesters' childhood. She still has a hunt to resolve, with John's grudging cooperation, but Jo can't help getting attached-and before long she realizes she can't imagine saying goodbye. If she ever gets home, her 'normal' life will never be the same.
OMG WHAT JOHN/JO?! I know right. And lol I think my theme is 'character death' though in this case it's not unexpected. Also 'time travel' could be a theme, because that is what Jo does. 'Domestic fic' could also be a theme, really...Hrm. Anyway, I think this fic does a good job as far as John dealing with finding a strange girl and slowly getting over Mary and building this life with her and the boys. It's an interesting idea, and I think it's done well. I love how strong Jo is in this.
8. I Thouch the Place Where I'd Find Your Face by lotsayaoi (Sam/Dean, pg13, 24,417 words, character death, au from 2.01) When Tessa asks Dean whether he’s ready to move on or if he wants to stay, Dean does what he must to protect his brother. Dean follows Sam as he hunts, taking care of him and learning how to be a spirit, and they both learn just how strong love that crosses the veil can be. And how weak.
Even in death they stick together. It's pretty much all of season two the same, only Dean's a spirit. This fic does well about the progression of Dean from DEAN to what all spirits must eventually become, angry, violent, protective. Puts a new meaning on necrophilia too, I think, but not in any graphic way. The end is rather open-ended, I was left kinda hoping for a sequel, but in a way I think it's easy enough to figure out what happens next.
9. This is the Place by mistyzeo (sam/dean, dean/ofc, 24K, nc-17, curtain!fic, non-permanent injury) Lucifer's cage isn't built for Lucifer's vessel, and Sam is ejected from Hell before Dean leaves Stull Cemetery in Lawrence. But it's been hours for Dean, and days for Sam, and Sam didn't get out before the demons got their barbs into him. Dean's done fighting, and all he wants now is to keep Sam safe, and damn the consequences. When Bobby tells them they'd better lay low for a while, Dean takes the opportunity to let his brother rest and heal. And maybe figure out what Sam's wanted all his life, and what Dean needs to be happy. (AU for the end of 5x22 and beyond)
Um. I don't actually remember much of this one, other than Dean was all domestic and Sam was all frustrated because he was injured. There was hurt/comfort and it was a lot happier than the ACTUAL post Sam-in-hell storyline is shaping up to be in season 6.
Short recs:
Promised Land by nyoka (Gen, future!fic, G, 3800 words) Mostly, these days it's just Dean, Sam, and the land. For Dean, this is more than he ever imagined he'd end up with. (It's been fifteen years since Dean and Sam first settled in the lush pasturelands of Montana, and some days Dean is still amazed that they ended up here.)
I had &hearts _______ &hearts as I was reading this. IT HAS HORSES, and amazing descriptions of horses. And Sam and Dean have a farm in montana and they ride horses around and are all domestic about life! It is quite possibly my new favorite thing.
The Bitter Taste of Smoke by elizah_jane (Gen, R, 2100 words, canon Dean/Lisa) It's after two a.m. when Dean wakes up and thinks the part of that statement that felt wrong was "my" being followed by "girl" instead of "brother". Lisa's not really his, she's just letting Dean share her life. Sam was the only person who ever belonged to him. (Civilian life is an adjustment. Dean is doing the best he can.)
post 5.22. Dean stays true to his promise. He becomes a fireman. He moves on...but only just barely. Yet another good view of what Dean is like with Lisa and without Sam.
Under the cut, 9 big bangs from this year and two shorter recs as well.
1. A Life Most Ordinary by sonofabiscuit77 (main pairing Sam/Dean, 60K, NC-17) Sam and Dean Winchester are two ordinary brothers living ordinary, small-town lives. Okay, so maybe having a mother who was brutally murdered by one of America’s most notorious serial killers and a father who needs 6 different kinds of medication to get out of bed in the morning is not that ordinary, but the rest of their problems: relationship failures and job disappointments, too many bills and too much overtime, and Dean’s two kids, 9 year-old Jonah with his disturbing passion for the music of Lady Gaga and 6-year old Simon with his severe hearing loss, well they’re entirely ordinary... The only thing extraordinary about Sam and Dean is this: the story of how they fell in love and how they learned to cope in such an ordinary world with such an extraordinary love.
I don't usually go for non-hunting AUs, I want my Sam and Dean to be hunters or at least know that the supernatural is out there. This fic, so glad I went for it. Dean is a cop and a father, sure, but he's got the same general fucked-up-ness as usual, and Sam is by his side, as usual. I loved this Soooo much, and I feel like it's a realistic take on what happens when you realize you're in love with your brother.
2. Over the Hills and Far Away by hansons_angel (Gen, PG-13, 59,600 words, character death) This isn’t a story about the Apocalypse. It’s not even really a story about demon hunting and the supernatural, though all these things are featured. It’s an AU story about the deep bond that brothers have, and the lengths they’ll go to for each other, beginning when Sam and Dean Winchester are children, and Sam needs a kidney transplant. It’s not about one brother over the other, but the idea that, without one brother there isn’t the other. It’s an exploration of sacrifice and unconditional love, the study of what family can mean -- what it should mean. It’s about love and despair, fear and grief, heroism and ultimately -- hope.
This fic...ripped me to shreds by the time I was done with it. It starts out beautiful, pre-series, Sam needs a kidney transplant. It follows the show pretty religiously up to about mid-season 5 with the one simple difference of Sam only has one kidney. It wanes a little in the middle, there's a lot of telling of the plot of S4-S5 which isn't anything exciting, but then the apocalypse happens and it gets good, and fucking heartbreaking again. I definitely reccomend sticking it through to the end if you're looking for a good cry...
3. The Touch of His Hand by macbyrne (Sam/Dean, nc-17, 35,820 words, underage, pre-series) Sam is fourteen when his psychic ability manifests, in the form of powerful, uncontrollable visions that leave him incapacitated by pain. Fear of his father’s reaction to having a son with supernatural powers leaves him only one person to turn to: his brother Dean. As his feelings for Dean grow stronger and the visions take more out of him, both brothers will have to make decisions on what is important, and where you go when you have nowhere left to turn.
This fic and the one above it really made me remember how much I hated John Winchester, lol. I think he's written fairly accurately in both, he's just a bad father. This one he gets maybe a little extreme though. Anyway. SAM!WITH VISION! and he can't touch people without getting them! And Dean is his anchor and they're kinda bonded to each other and Bobby is an awesome uncle. I really liked this one...
4. The Sky's Gonna Break by smallnstealthy and invaderwitch (Sam/Dean, implications of Michael/Lucifer, 39K, nc17. hurt!dean, HURT!Dean, temporary character death) Monsters roam the streets like wild dogs, awaiting the call of their master. The Winchesters do what they can to help those struggling to survive, but when something powerful starts screwing with Dean, breaking him down piece by piece, the boys are forced into isolation. While Dean suffers, Sam searches for answers, desperate to keep his brother fighting as Dean has always done for him.
The morning Dean wakes up with a pair of huge, beautiful wings attached to his back, everything changes. With Castiel missing, their only ally is an archangel they can't trust; their only hope is their faith in each other.
It might be just enough to beat the devil.
An alternate fifth season ending. Liberties taken with some season five canon.
I'm not usually so fond of wing!fic. In fact I avoid it pretty much all the time, but this worked for me, strangely enough. Dean's body is changing to be able to hold Michael, and I don't know, it's explained well enough for me. Plus Dean is rather spot-on. I don't know, I liked this one. I don't have a legit reason for you. /badrec
5. The Things we Carry With Us by lovesrain44 (dean/sam, pg, 47,654, angst) Sam and Dean are on the road, saving people and hunting things, like they always do. Dean discovers that Sam is attempting to turn himself into a monk, and so he does his best to get Sam laid. Sam resists because, of course, who needs to have sex with a girl when Dean’s around? It's about going on a roadtrip with your brother. It's about the food you eat, and the maps you follow. It's about the things you carry with you. (Takes place some time after Heart.)
This fic...is mediocre in places, but not in others. I feel like I could say that for several of these I'm reccing though. As a whole good, but in pieces not so much. This one is neat because the setting is well-described and I quite enjoy the 'far too many descriptions about food' the author warns for. And the way Sam and Dean's relationship matures works for me.
6. Nihil Inherit by ratherastory (Gen, R, 73,219 words, season 3AU, character death) Whatever you do, you will always end up... here.
In May of 2007, Sam Winchester wakes up in his own grave, but digging himself out is the least of his worries. He's plagued by the psychic visions which have returned with renewed intensity and which all but threaten to cripple him. He reunites with Dean, only to find that the Yellow-Eyed Demon is still at large, about to put his world-ending plans into motion. A mysterious figure who know much more than he ought dogs Sam's footsteps, hinting at darker things to come. Soon Sam and Dean find themselves on a path that feels frighteningly familiar: toward Lilith, Lucifer, and the Apocalypse. Unable to shake the certainty that he's seen all of this before, Sam knows that this is his one chance to set things right, or die trying.
So I love ratherastory. I love the idea of fixed destiny. I love the idea of a Sam from the future coming back to try and fix his mistakes. And I loved this version of season 4 and 5 a lot better than the one that aired, lol. This fic was like a trifecta of awesome for me, pretty much.
7. Fall on Your Yesterday's Heart by dreamlittleyo (John/Jo, mentions of Sam/Dean, R, 40,750 words, canon character death) nvestigating a mysterious statue, Jo Harvelle lands herself smack in the middle of the Winchesters' childhood. She still has a hunt to resolve, with John's grudging cooperation, but Jo can't help getting attached-and before long she realizes she can't imagine saying goodbye. If she ever gets home, her 'normal' life will never be the same.
OMG WHAT JOHN/JO?! I know right. And lol I think my theme is 'character death' though in this case it's not unexpected. Also 'time travel' could be a theme, because that is what Jo does. 'Domestic fic' could also be a theme, really...Hrm. Anyway, I think this fic does a good job as far as John dealing with finding a strange girl and slowly getting over Mary and building this life with her and the boys. It's an interesting idea, and I think it's done well. I love how strong Jo is in this.
8. I Thouch the Place Where I'd Find Your Face by lotsayaoi (Sam/Dean, pg13, 24,417 words, character death, au from 2.01) When Tessa asks Dean whether he’s ready to move on or if he wants to stay, Dean does what he must to protect his brother. Dean follows Sam as he hunts, taking care of him and learning how to be a spirit, and they both learn just how strong love that crosses the veil can be. And how weak.
Even in death they stick together. It's pretty much all of season two the same, only Dean's a spirit. This fic does well about the progression of Dean from DEAN to what all spirits must eventually become, angry, violent, protective. Puts a new meaning on necrophilia too, I think, but not in any graphic way. The end is rather open-ended, I was left kinda hoping for a sequel, but in a way I think it's easy enough to figure out what happens next.
9. This is the Place by mistyzeo (sam/dean, dean/ofc, 24K, nc-17, curtain!fic, non-permanent injury) Lucifer's cage isn't built for Lucifer's vessel, and Sam is ejected from Hell before Dean leaves Stull Cemetery in Lawrence. But it's been hours for Dean, and days for Sam, and Sam didn't get out before the demons got their barbs into him. Dean's done fighting, and all he wants now is to keep Sam safe, and damn the consequences. When Bobby tells them they'd better lay low for a while, Dean takes the opportunity to let his brother rest and heal. And maybe figure out what Sam's wanted all his life, and what Dean needs to be happy. (AU for the end of 5x22 and beyond)
Um. I don't actually remember much of this one, other than Dean was all domestic and Sam was all frustrated because he was injured. There was hurt/comfort and it was a lot happier than the ACTUAL post Sam-in-hell storyline is shaping up to be in season 6.
Short recs:
Promised Land by nyoka (Gen, future!fic, G, 3800 words) Mostly, these days it's just Dean, Sam, and the land. For Dean, this is more than he ever imagined he'd end up with. (It's been fifteen years since Dean and Sam first settled in the lush pasturelands of Montana, and some days Dean is still amazed that they ended up here.)
I had &hearts _______ &hearts as I was reading this. IT HAS HORSES, and amazing descriptions of horses. And Sam and Dean have a farm in montana and they ride horses around and are all domestic about life! It is quite possibly my new favorite thing.
The Bitter Taste of Smoke by elizah_jane (Gen, R, 2100 words, canon Dean/Lisa) It's after two a.m. when Dean wakes up and thinks the part of that statement that felt wrong was "my" being followed by "girl" instead of "brother". Lisa's not really his, she's just letting Dean share her life. Sam was the only person who ever belonged to him. (Civilian life is an adjustment. Dean is doing the best he can.)
post 5.22. Dean stays true to his promise. He becomes a fireman. He moves on...but only just barely. Yet another good view of what Dean is like with Lisa and without Sam.