Fic: Long Before We Fall

[finchandsparrow]

Title: Long Before We Fall
Genre: gen; angst, drama, hurt/comfort; early S8
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,379
Characters: Dean, Sam, Jody
Warnings: language, non-major character death (off-screen), mentions of suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse
Notes: Written as part of the SummerGen 2017 exchange for Bluefire986

Summary: The next day Sam brings a cheeseburger

Comments

[madebyme_x]

Such a wonderful fic, and it was a pleasure to read it again! The time setting works so well, and I love the way you capture the brothers too, especially the ending, seeing them tentatively find some common ground as they rebuild their relationship. I love this, and I really hope to see more fic from you soon. Take care :)

[finchandsparrow]

Thanks so much! <333
I think figuring out the time setting helped everything else to slide into place. According to my brain logic, Dean moving into a trailer on Bobby's property needed to happen post-"Death's Door" and pre-Bunker. And then there was just so much going on in early S8 already, especially in terms of emotional and relational complications, that I felt like I had a lot (sometimes almost too much!) to work with.
I actually had a different ending in mind, which would have required some set-up that I didn't have time to write; but in the end I like this ending better. :)

[zara_zee]

I really enjoyed this. Spot on characterisation and engaging story, nestled into the perfect time period, Show-wise. Beautiful language :)

[finchandsparrow]

So glad you enjoyed this! I’m glad the characters seemed right, especially since I feel like there’s more to Sam and Dean’s individual experiences here than strictly comes across. (Then again, that’s usually how I feel about their experiences when watching the show, so…? XD) The canon timeline certainly helped me with the story-I’m glad it worked for you as a reader, too. :) And I’m super flattered that you complimented the language, because a good use of language is something I very much admire in writers. ♥ Thanks so much!

[borgmama1of5]

This hurt so much...I guess you're a good writer if my heart is bleeding while I'm reading...

[finchandsparrow]

Ah, Winchesters. Always tearing up our insides. <3 I knew this scenario had the potential to turn into an Overblown Angst Fest™-especially in the canon timeline I chose (good grief, so much angst!)-and I tried to avoid that but still let the emotional tones come through, so it’s lovely to hear that this affected you. Hope you got your heart stitched up, though. ;) Thank you for reading!

[justlikeswimmn]

A wonderful story, you write beautifully! I hope you write more about Sam and Dean. Thanks so much!

[finchandsparrow]

No no, thank you for the kind words. <3 I hope I write more, too! :D Thank you for reading, so glad you enjoyed!

[tuesdaytoo]

Wowowow this is wonderful. The whole beginning scene is so tense; I love Dean’s fragmented perception and disconnectedness, and that we read Sam’s panic through that. I feel like the haziness and gaps somehow just makes his panic that much worse - especially that second paragraph with Sam’s swearing and ahhhh the panic attack.

[finchandsparrow]

Aaaahhh, thank you so much for this beautifully detailed comment!! <3333 I love that so much of Sam's state came through for you in that opening scene; his anxiety already seemed so sharp to me on the drive over in 8x05 and I was like, Well, things can only get worse from there. XD (I feel like Sam can hold on impossibly far past the tipping point, and that often when he “breaks” it’s because his body literally can’t take anymore.