Supernatural Rec List Of The Apocalypse
I have been a bad fangirl and have not been posting as much as I ought to. Allow me to rectify by posting this list of awesome Supernatural stuff I have come across since joining the fandom.
This took me ages because I kept re-reading everything. *facepalm*
Canon verse fan fiction is in more or less chronological order with the timeline of the show. The rest is anyone's guess.
Also, if you discount the stories I have already recced before, you'll find there is one fic for every week of Fic Of The Week that I missed. ;)
Fics
Raising A Big Brother by authoressnebula
The Story: Set before the start of the series. This is a collection of snapshots from Sam and Dean’s childhood on the road, inspired by references made on the show.
The Love:: I want every one of these ficlets to have actually happened. I love how the author finds explanations for little things on the actual show. Why does Dean always lose at Rock, Paper,Scissors? Why does Sam hate prank wars? Every one of them is moving and sweet, and they even manage the impossible by making me actually love John Winchester.
The Crow On The Cradle by kroki-refur
The Story: AU from Episode 1.01. Sam decides to act on his visions of Jessica dying and disappears from their apartment one night before it’s meant to happen. Jess is desperate to find him and enlists the help of her missing boyfriend’s father and brother.
The Love: Jess gets to be her own character instead of a motivation for Sam’s, and she kicks ass in her own right. I love her slow transformation as she becomes familiar with the world of hunters, and her unwavering love for Sam. This is so well written, I just couldn’t put it down.
Don’t Walk On By by virtualpersonal and brimstonegold
The Story: AU from 1.22, yet not really. After the collision with the semi, Dean is left to look after a severely disabled Sam. He works where he can to pay for the expensive rehab facility for his brother. Castiel is cast down from heaven for disobedience and forced to spend a hundred years on earth in the body of Jimmy Novak. A chance meeting between them ends in Castiel offering Dean all the money he needs for a week in his employ. Sparks fly, sometimes literally.
The Love: A lovely long story with great characterisations and some very smoking hot sex scenes. It’s supposed to be based on Pretty Woman but only very loosely, and it doesn’t really need that at all because it’s a great original tale on its own.
The Hardest Thing You’ll Ever Learn by kroki-refur
The Story: Set during Episode 2.14. This is how Bobby Singer got involved in the lives of the Winchesters, and there is no turning back now.
The Love: I adore Bobby, and I’ve always wanted to hear the story of how he and the boys developed the bond they have now. This story indulges me. Bobby is awesome. That is all.
Hic Volvo Non Volvet by kroki-refur
The Story: Set during Season 2. Sam wakes up one day to find Dean is the victim of a bodyswap spell by one of his exes... again. However, this spell went wrong, and now Sam has to go to South Dakota in a car that's actually his brother, aided by a girl that's actually his brother's car.
The Love: The author describes this as crack, which I suppose it is, in a way, but it doesn't read like that. Sam is written wonderfully, with his exasperation slowly turning into despair as the journey goes on. And I love the sort-of-but-not-really-OC of the Impala as a human who learned all her social skills from Dean Winchester. :) The dialogue is a joy to read, as is Sam's inner monologue. And Bobby saves the day, of course.
Paradisi//Inferno by an anonymous author in response to a prompt up on deancastiel.
The Story: Set between Seasons 3 and 4. When Dean goes to Hell, Castiel is sent forth to retrieve his soul from the Pit. His journey lasts for forty years, and is not without obstacles.
The Love: This, I think, is the ultimate story of Dean's rescue from Hell. That Castiel was there the whole time, suffering with him as he searched for him, is such a fantastic concept. What is almost even better is the author's writing style. It is disturbingly graphic and amazingly poetic, often within the same sentence. It's gorgeous and horrific in equal measure, and just so, so powerful. And the characterisation, GOD. Dean's and Castiel's characters, even when they hardly have any lines, are so, so dead on. Just... I cannot put it into words. GO READ, NOW.
The Rest: Just a heads-up: the R rating on top is for graphic descriptions of the non-fun kind, kids.
To Bring The Balance Back by obstinatrix.
The Story: Set during Season 4. Castiel calls on Sam and Dean to stop a mini zombie apocalypse, as you do. During the job, Sam starts to notice a certain closeness between Dean and his angel, but dismisses it initially. That is, until he wakes up in the middle of the night to hear the couple in the motel room next door going at it in rather familiar voices...
The Love: The first half of the fic is really great with characterisation and interaction, which the author has down perfectly. Sam's growing awareness of Cas and Dean's relationship is wonderfully done. The second half is just absolutely hilarious, with Sam's complete horror at finding out the truth in the most embarrassing way possible. I literally laughed out loud. And Dean's response to the whole situation is just so very... Dean. I love it when authors manage to make him gay without going OOC.
Every Word A Piece Of My Heart by smilla840.
The Story: Set after an imagined Season 4 finale. After Lucifer is defeated, Castiel is forced to leave his vessel and return to Heaven with the other angels for good, leaving Dean heartbroken and Jimmy suddenly back in charge of his own body. Finding he cannot return to his old life, Jimmy starts a new one, and somehow Dean becomes a part of it. When Jimmy discovers he can still communicate with Castiel, things get complicated.
The Love: What a great and unusual OT3 these guys make! I love how each of them comes to an understanding with the others, and the feelings between them all. But especially Castiel, who manages to be present throughout despite the fact that he’s not really there.
Welcome To Oz by bauble.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. Dean and Castiel wake up in a house on a mountaintop, in a town that is just a little too perfect. With no way to get out of the town, they have no choice but to settle in while they figure out what to do next.
The Love: This is so cleverly written with time jumps back and forth between chapters, and I love how the reader is figuring everything out at the same time as the characters. The developing feelings between Dean and Castiel are very well depicted, and so true to both their characters.
And I Wake Up Blind, Like My Dreams Were Too Bright by strangeandcharm.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. Jimmy resurfaces after Castiel’s face-off with the archangels to find that his resident angel has lost his memories of who and what he is. Castiel is admitted to a mental hospital, where the voice in his head telling him he’s an angel of the Lord doesn’t get listened to as much as Jimmy would like.
The Love: Jimmy is one of my favourite characters on the show and, in my opinion, grossly underutilised, so I was very happy to find a fic in which he is the main character. The premise of Castiel losing his memory but retaining his angelic powers without knowing he has them is very intriguing as well.
And I Will Walk On Water by tracy-loo-who.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. After months of thinking that Castiel had been killed by the archangels, Dean and Sam discover their angel has fallen into the hands of a band of demons. Although they manage to free him, the damage the demons have inflicted on Castiel is not so easily erased as the angel would have them believe.
The Love: This author has Dean and Castiel’s voices down perfectly, and I like how the characters all deal with their various issues instead of ignoring or skirting around them the way they do on the show.
The Rest: There are mentions of torture and rape in this story, so proceed with caution.
A Visitation by dsudis.
The Story: Set after Episode 5.01 Something that looks like John Winchester comes to Dean in a dream and tries to charm him into saying yes.
The Love: This is an amazing little story. I love how it ties events from the early seasons to current ones, and how the dream is left to the reader’s interpretation, and of course the lovely little cameo from Jimmy.
Not On My Watch by baka-writes.
The Story: Missing scene from Episode 5.03. After the awkward situations at the brothel, Dean is determined to have a good time with Castiel the night before their big showdown. He figures booze and magazines are the way to go, but the night takes an unexpected turn…
The Love: I think everyone must have a favourite story about what went on during that night. This is mine. I love the characterisations and the awesome hot porn. They use holy oil, for goodness sake! Nnngh.
Stupid People by maychorian.
The Story:Set after episode 5.06. Dean wishes his brother and his angel would stop fighting like cats and dogs. Unfortunately, his wish is overheard, and the next thing he knows he’s stuck with an overgrown puppy and an angelic kitten to take care of.
The Love: This story is SO CUTE OMG. I know there are tons of fics around with the boys getting turned into kittens and puppies and bunnies and all sorts, but I like this one the best.
If On A Winter’s Night A Fangirl by trinityofone.
The Story: Set after Episode 5.09. Becky suspects that something supernatural is possessing her LiveJournal and leaving cryptic messages in the guise of Dean/Castiel fanfiction. When Chuck doesn’t believe her, she turns to Castiel for help, and that’s how she ends up spending an evening reading slash with an angel and two very reluctant Winchesters in search of the truth.
The Love: This fic makes me laugh so much. The author is brilliant working in the comedic value of all the characters involved, making the jokes all the funnier because you can just see and hear the characters making them. Plus, the shock twist at the end.
The Rest: After reading this fic, check the first comment on it. *mind blown*
In Touch by maskedfangirl.
The Story: Coda to Episode 5.10. After they’ve lost Ellen and Jo, Dean goes off on his own to get drunk. Castiel goes to find him, although he doesn’t understand why Dean is acting the way he is. Dean tries to explain, and somehow this leads to sex and understanding.
The Love: The flow of this fic is so natural and the lead-in to the sex is actually realistic, but it’s what comes after the sex that really got to me. Not that the sex isn’t incredibly awesomely hot in itself. But the end was like a punch in the heart, and even got me a bit teary.
Spilt Milk by sparky77.
The Story: Set halfway through Season 5. Sam has a plan to make Dean realise he is in love with Castiel. It involves angel kissing, reverse psychology, sock puppet plays with condiments, and threats of zombie sharks.
The Love: This fic is cracky, but also a great insight in the brothers’ interaction in their childhood and adulthood. The real reason why everyone must read it, though, is Sam’s drunken sock puppet play. Because it is glorious.
Beautiful And Foolish by mithrel.
The Story: Set during Season 5. Castiel is turned into a girl, no one knows why or how, and Dean realises he may have a crush on his angel no matter what packaging he comes in.
The Love: Unlike most genderswap fics, the transformation of Castiel’s body isn’t what makes Dean fall in love with him; it just makes him realise that he has been in love with him all along.
Among The Wreck by lady_deathangel.
The Story: AU from Season 5. Michael goes back in time to kill Sam Winchester when he is a child. Castiel tries to stop him and ends up falling. He is reborn as Jimmy Novak, and some years later he and Dean meet and become friends. This is their story.
The Love: How much do I love this story? A lot, that’s how much. I like how it’s a high school AU that’s somehow still set in canon, and how Castiel and Jimmy are not two separate people. I love the slow development of the relationship between the boys, and how Castiel reinvents himself.
A Judicious Application Of Free Will by scaramouche on DW
The Story: Set after Episode 5.19. Dean Winchester has lived in Lawrence all his life, runs the family hardware store with his Dad, has dinner with his Mum, spends hours on the phone with his brother, and is pretty okay with his life. Then a mysterious stranger called Castiel moves into the abandoned house on the edge of town, and slowly Dean’s world starts changing around him.
The Love: A great look at what happens when the angels mess with the timelines too much, this story is part mystery, part adventure, and all awesome. Plus, the supporting characters are FTW. You should read it just for Mary Winchester, who kicks all sorts of ass.
What Comfort Was It Wisdom by kroki-refur.
The Story: Coda to Episode 5.22. Dean tries to deal with the loss of his brother, and finds that the only one who really understands him is a six-year old girl he meets in the park.
The Love: Aaangst, yum. Refur has Dean’s inner voice and the way his mind works down so well. I love the manpain and the paranoid feeling of this fic. Also, the twist ending.
The Way Back by rainylemons.
The Story: AU from Episode 5.22. Dean saves Castiel from being killed by Lucifer, and after Sam throws himself into the Cage, Castiel decides to stay with Dean while he recovers from his injuries. Cas gets a job at Taco Bell to support them both, and they are getting by when suddenly a vegetative Sam shows up on their doorstep.
The Love: This author is one of the few I’ve read who manages to write human!Cas and still maintain that wonderful, otherworldly creature that is Castiel. I adore the interactions between the characters, and the OCs are all well-rounded characters in their own right. And I read the ending three times because it just made me feel all warm inside.
Symmetry, Of A Sort by neurawkward.
The Story: AU future!fic from Episode 5.22. Castiel decides to fall and be born again as a human. Dean dies a few weeks after and is somehow reborn in heaven as an angel. Thirty years later, Castiel goes to hell, and Dean is the one to pull him out.
The Love: I don’t read WIPs as a rule because I don’t like to be kept hanging, but I just couldn’t resist this one, because it is such an awesome concept. Apart from the very well-done role reversal of Dean and Castiel, there is also old!Sam as the new Bobby, and fallen!Gabriel as Cas’s brother, and every one of them is still wonderfully true to their actual character.
How A Righteous Man Raises A Rose by swordofmymouth.
The Story: AU from the end of season 6. Each decision that is made creates a different universe, and in one of these universes Sam finds a book by someone called Castiel. As he sits down to read it, he gradually comes to understand that it’s not about gardening at all, but about a Righteous Man and an angel who sacrificed everything for him.
The Love: This is one of the most powerful fics I have ever read. The prose is so hauntingly beautiful, and the storytelling itself… I was in tears at the end of it. Gorgeous.
The Rest: I can’t really give a specific story warning since that would spoil the ending, so I will just advise you to bring tissues.
The Law Of Conservation Of Energy by peroxidepest17.
The Story: AU from Episode 6.20. Dean manages to convince Castiel to abandon his plan to open Purgatory and find another way to defeat Raphael. Their new mission takes the Winchesters and their angel on a trip across the country to collect the shards of Gabriel’s scattered grace, which will hopefully give Castiel the power to end the war in heaven. But at what cost?
The Love: This reads like a mini-season of the show, with the boys hunting for different pieces to the puzzle and encountering problems and riddles on the way. I also love Dean’s slow realisation of his feelings for Castiel, and the ending made me sigh with satisfaction.
Our Bodies, Possessed By Light by obstinatrix.
The Story: AU from Episode 6.22 When Godstiel uses up Jimmy Novak’s body, Sam offers himself as a vessel to save Castiel’s life. Sam and Castiel find a way to share Sam’s body, but this leaves Dean with a problem. Because how can he be in love with an angel who wears his brother’s face?
The Love: I adore fics that deal with vessel issues, and I adore fics that don’t sideline Sam in favour of Dean and Castiel, so this fic is just about perfect to me. The UST is through the roof, yet somehow it is so well written that it doesn’t even hit my Wincest squick.
The Rest: Do check out the artwork as well, because it is absolutely gorgeous. I originally found this fic through a link to the art, actually.
They Moved The Moon by janie-tangerine.
The Story: Coda to Episode 7.02. All Dean has left of Castiel is his trench coat, so he decides to clean and mend it and keep it with him. After a while he realises that it has become more than just an item of clothing.
The Love: This fic was exactly what I needed after THAT episode. Dean/Coat OTP!
AR Fics
Peanut Butter-Pumpkin Wedding Cake by sparseparsley.
The Story: Dean works as a waiter at an exotic dance club, and meets Castiel when he serves drinks at Anna’s bachelorette party. There is unmistakable chemistry between them, but Dean holds back, assuming that Castiel is the groom. Misunderstandings and manly angsting ensue.
The Love: I loathe romcoms, but somehow I love reading this story, even though I spend most of it yelling at my computer screen for Dean to GET A CLUE, already. Cas is so delightfully Cas, and the UST is awesome.
We Became Fans Of Collisions by wandersfound.
The Story: Dean runs a bookstore, and Castiel becomes a regular customer.
The Love: Sometimes you just need a lovely little boy-meets-boy story, and that’s exactly what this is. Plus, it’s well-written and has an adorable Sam & Jess.
Asunder by rageprufrock.
The Story: After years of not speaking to Sam, Dean receives an invitation to his little brother’s wedding. His best friend Castiel invites himself along to support him.
The Love: I absolutely adore the writing style of this fic, and the fantastic characterisation, especially of Castiel. Also, for a fic dealing with such angsty subjects, it’s surprisingly funny and light-hearted at the same time. And now I want to get married in a dead vinyard, too.
The Rest: Sam and Ruby are recovering drug addicts and Dean works for child protection services, so bear in mind that those subjects will be touched on.
The Ghost Of Embers by moorishflower.
The Story: Dean has lived in Lawrence, Kansas his entire life and decides he needs a change of scenery after his brother goes to college, so he leaves everything behind and moves to New York City. Once there, he isn’t quite sure what to do with himself, so he strikes up a strange friendship with his reclusive neighbour Castiel through the wall separating their flats.
The Love: I can’t really say much about why I love this fic for fear I’ll spoil it for you. So just go and read it.
Play It All Night Long by janie-tangerine.
The Story: Dean has a late night radio show where listeners can call in. One night he receives a call on his show from a guy named Castiel and is instantly captivated by his voice and intrigued by his music choices.
The Love: I will admit it now: I have a voice kink for both Dean and Castiel, so this story pretty much sold itself to me. I love how the author uses music without making this a songfic.
300 Things by cautionzombies.
The Story: Dean tries to juggle working several jobs, looking after his teenage brother and alcoholic father, and studying at KU. When it becomes apparent that he is missing credit he needs in order to graduate, he asks Castiel, an English Lit professor, to give him private classes on the weekends. Their relationship quickly develops into one of friendship, and maybe more.
The Love: Weird as it may sound, I love how screwed up everyone is in this story. All of them have baggage, and problems, and things they don’t talk about. It all builds slowly and then explodes into an ending that is ultimately very satisfying.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by wolfrider89.
The Story: Journalist Castiel is sent to a war zone to write an article about the daily lives of the soldiers, and goes in with a firmly predjudiced image of them as sexist, homophobic bigots. Then he meets Sergeant Dean Winchester.
The Love: Dean makes such a perfect soldier, and I love the unlikely connection that he and Cas form straight away, and the storytelling in this. Not to mention some filthy hot porn.
The Rest: This story takes place in a war zone, so bear that in mind.
Head For The Exits by entangledsheets.
The Story: By day, Castiel runs a café across from the police station where Dean works as a detective. By night, he is a superhero doing everything he can to help Dean catch a serial killer, while trying to keep his identity a secret at the same time.
The Love: It’s a murder mystery with Castiel as a badass superhero, how can you not love this? Also, does this make Dean Lois Lane?
Other Stuff
Season 2-4 Episode Review Picspams by kroki-refur.
What Is It? Over the course of several seasons, Refur wrote her review after watching the respective episode, containing squee, thinky thoughts, and more screencaps than you can shake a stick at. In conclusion: Sam’s nose. :)
The Love: These review picspams are the perfect dessert to watching an episode, in that they make you laugh, cry, squee, think, and want to rewatch it again because there are apparently a thousand little things you missed.
The Rest: The above link leads to Refur’s master post of all her Supernatural posts. Scroll down to get to the picspams, or take the time to see everything else, too, because it’s all good.
Season 4-7 Episode Review Picspams by tracy-loo-who.
What Is It? Hilarious episode review picspams with Dean/Castiel tinted glasses firmly in place.
The Love: I find myself checking Tracy’s journal several times a day after an episode has aired, to see if she has posted her picspam yet. These posts accompany the Dean/Castiel shipper’s episode experience like a fine wine accompanies a hearty meal.
Everything Is Castiel And Nothing Hurts by Th3Ed(video artist) and lizsmartie13(singer/songwriter).
What Is It? This artist decided to have some animated fun with the singer/songwriter’s originally posted “The Castiel Song”.
The Love The video is silly and sweet, and the song is lovely. An ideal pick-me-up!
War At Home by ctrlmonkeed
What Is It? Set between seasons 5 and 6, this is a Dean-centric fanvideo set to a song from Josh Groban’s album ‘Illuminations’. That album has been my SPN soundtrack over last summer, so when I found this I just had to watch it. The song is originally about war veterans, but it fits Dean’s character at that time perfectly.
The Love: It takes something for a fanvid to make me cry, but this one does it every time I watch it. I love the song, the singer’s voice, the power of the words and the sentiment behind them. The video artist has done a perfect job editing the clips together to match the song, and it manages to capture post-Season 5 Dean in just a few minutes. A work of art.
The Rest: According to the description, this fanvid even got an award!
Poison & Wine by ToruFinalFantasy
What Is It? The ultimate Dean/Castiel fan video, set at the end of Season 6.
The Love: The video artist recognises that the Dean/Castiel context needs very little embellishment, and chooses to let the music and the images do the talking. Angst and pain, but so very shippy.
Let me know what you think and/or if you have any additions! :)
This took me ages because I kept re-reading everything. *facepalm*
Canon verse fan fiction is in more or less chronological order with the timeline of the show. The rest is anyone's guess.
Also, if you discount the stories I have already recced before, you'll find there is one fic for every week of Fic Of The Week that I missed. ;)
Fics
Raising A Big Brother by authoressnebula
The Story: Set before the start of the series. This is a collection of snapshots from Sam and Dean’s childhood on the road, inspired by references made on the show.
The Love:: I want every one of these ficlets to have actually happened. I love how the author finds explanations for little things on the actual show. Why does Dean always lose at Rock, Paper,Scissors? Why does Sam hate prank wars? Every one of them is moving and sweet, and they even manage the impossible by making me actually love John Winchester.
The Crow On The Cradle by kroki-refur
The Story: AU from Episode 1.01. Sam decides to act on his visions of Jessica dying and disappears from their apartment one night before it’s meant to happen. Jess is desperate to find him and enlists the help of her missing boyfriend’s father and brother.
The Love: Jess gets to be her own character instead of a motivation for Sam’s, and she kicks ass in her own right. I love her slow transformation as she becomes familiar with the world of hunters, and her unwavering love for Sam. This is so well written, I just couldn’t put it down.
Don’t Walk On By by virtualpersonal and brimstonegold
The Story: AU from 1.22, yet not really. After the collision with the semi, Dean is left to look after a severely disabled Sam. He works where he can to pay for the expensive rehab facility for his brother. Castiel is cast down from heaven for disobedience and forced to spend a hundred years on earth in the body of Jimmy Novak. A chance meeting between them ends in Castiel offering Dean all the money he needs for a week in his employ. Sparks fly, sometimes literally.
The Love: A lovely long story with great characterisations and some very smoking hot sex scenes. It’s supposed to be based on Pretty Woman but only very loosely, and it doesn’t really need that at all because it’s a great original tale on its own.
The Hardest Thing You’ll Ever Learn by kroki-refur
The Story: Set during Episode 2.14. This is how Bobby Singer got involved in the lives of the Winchesters, and there is no turning back now.
The Love: I adore Bobby, and I’ve always wanted to hear the story of how he and the boys developed the bond they have now. This story indulges me. Bobby is awesome. That is all.
Hic Volvo Non Volvet by kroki-refur
The Story: Set during Season 2. Sam wakes up one day to find Dean is the victim of a bodyswap spell by one of his exes... again. However, this spell went wrong, and now Sam has to go to South Dakota in a car that's actually his brother, aided by a girl that's actually his brother's car.
The Love: The author describes this as crack, which I suppose it is, in a way, but it doesn't read like that. Sam is written wonderfully, with his exasperation slowly turning into despair as the journey goes on. And I love the sort-of-but-not-really-OC of the Impala as a human who learned all her social skills from Dean Winchester. :) The dialogue is a joy to read, as is Sam's inner monologue. And Bobby saves the day, of course.
Paradisi//Inferno by an anonymous author in response to a prompt up on deancastiel.
The Story: Set between Seasons 3 and 4. When Dean goes to Hell, Castiel is sent forth to retrieve his soul from the Pit. His journey lasts for forty years, and is not without obstacles.
The Love: This, I think, is the ultimate story of Dean's rescue from Hell. That Castiel was there the whole time, suffering with him as he searched for him, is such a fantastic concept. What is almost even better is the author's writing style. It is disturbingly graphic and amazingly poetic, often within the same sentence. It's gorgeous and horrific in equal measure, and just so, so powerful. And the characterisation, GOD. Dean's and Castiel's characters, even when they hardly have any lines, are so, so dead on. Just... I cannot put it into words. GO READ, NOW.
The Rest: Just a heads-up: the R rating on top is for graphic descriptions of the non-fun kind, kids.
To Bring The Balance Back by obstinatrix.
The Story: Set during Season 4. Castiel calls on Sam and Dean to stop a mini zombie apocalypse, as you do. During the job, Sam starts to notice a certain closeness between Dean and his angel, but dismisses it initially. That is, until he wakes up in the middle of the night to hear the couple in the motel room next door going at it in rather familiar voices...
The Love: The first half of the fic is really great with characterisation and interaction, which the author has down perfectly. Sam's growing awareness of Cas and Dean's relationship is wonderfully done. The second half is just absolutely hilarious, with Sam's complete horror at finding out the truth in the most embarrassing way possible. I literally laughed out loud. And Dean's response to the whole situation is just so very... Dean. I love it when authors manage to make him gay without going OOC.
Every Word A Piece Of My Heart by smilla840.
The Story: Set after an imagined Season 4 finale. After Lucifer is defeated, Castiel is forced to leave his vessel and return to Heaven with the other angels for good, leaving Dean heartbroken and Jimmy suddenly back in charge of his own body. Finding he cannot return to his old life, Jimmy starts a new one, and somehow Dean becomes a part of it. When Jimmy discovers he can still communicate with Castiel, things get complicated.
The Love: What a great and unusual OT3 these guys make! I love how each of them comes to an understanding with the others, and the feelings between them all. But especially Castiel, who manages to be present throughout despite the fact that he’s not really there.
Welcome To Oz by bauble.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. Dean and Castiel wake up in a house on a mountaintop, in a town that is just a little too perfect. With no way to get out of the town, they have no choice but to settle in while they figure out what to do next.
The Love: This is so cleverly written with time jumps back and forth between chapters, and I love how the reader is figuring everything out at the same time as the characters. The developing feelings between Dean and Castiel are very well depicted, and so true to both their characters.
And I Wake Up Blind, Like My Dreams Were Too Bright by strangeandcharm.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. Jimmy resurfaces after Castiel’s face-off with the archangels to find that his resident angel has lost his memories of who and what he is. Castiel is admitted to a mental hospital, where the voice in his head telling him he’s an angel of the Lord doesn’t get listened to as much as Jimmy would like.
The Love: Jimmy is one of my favourite characters on the show and, in my opinion, grossly underutilised, so I was very happy to find a fic in which he is the main character. The premise of Castiel losing his memory but retaining his angelic powers without knowing he has them is very intriguing as well.
And I Will Walk On Water by tracy-loo-who.
The Story: AU from Episode 4.22. After months of thinking that Castiel had been killed by the archangels, Dean and Sam discover their angel has fallen into the hands of a band of demons. Although they manage to free him, the damage the demons have inflicted on Castiel is not so easily erased as the angel would have them believe.
The Love: This author has Dean and Castiel’s voices down perfectly, and I like how the characters all deal with their various issues instead of ignoring or skirting around them the way they do on the show.
The Rest: There are mentions of torture and rape in this story, so proceed with caution.
A Visitation by dsudis.
The Story: Set after Episode 5.01 Something that looks like John Winchester comes to Dean in a dream and tries to charm him into saying yes.
The Love: This is an amazing little story. I love how it ties events from the early seasons to current ones, and how the dream is left to the reader’s interpretation, and of course the lovely little cameo from Jimmy.
Not On My Watch by baka-writes.
The Story: Missing scene from Episode 5.03. After the awkward situations at the brothel, Dean is determined to have a good time with Castiel the night before their big showdown. He figures booze and magazines are the way to go, but the night takes an unexpected turn…
The Love: I think everyone must have a favourite story about what went on during that night. This is mine. I love the characterisations and the awesome hot porn. They use holy oil, for goodness sake! Nnngh.
Stupid People by maychorian.
The Story:Set after episode 5.06. Dean wishes his brother and his angel would stop fighting like cats and dogs. Unfortunately, his wish is overheard, and the next thing he knows he’s stuck with an overgrown puppy and an angelic kitten to take care of.
The Love: This story is SO CUTE OMG. I know there are tons of fics around with the boys getting turned into kittens and puppies and bunnies and all sorts, but I like this one the best.
If On A Winter’s Night A Fangirl by trinityofone.
The Story: Set after Episode 5.09. Becky suspects that something supernatural is possessing her LiveJournal and leaving cryptic messages in the guise of Dean/Castiel fanfiction. When Chuck doesn’t believe her, she turns to Castiel for help, and that’s how she ends up spending an evening reading slash with an angel and two very reluctant Winchesters in search of the truth.
The Love: This fic makes me laugh so much. The author is brilliant working in the comedic value of all the characters involved, making the jokes all the funnier because you can just see and hear the characters making them. Plus, the shock twist at the end.
The Rest: After reading this fic, check the first comment on it. *mind blown*
In Touch by maskedfangirl.
The Story: Coda to Episode 5.10. After they’ve lost Ellen and Jo, Dean goes off on his own to get drunk. Castiel goes to find him, although he doesn’t understand why Dean is acting the way he is. Dean tries to explain, and somehow this leads to sex and understanding.
The Love: The flow of this fic is so natural and the lead-in to the sex is actually realistic, but it’s what comes after the sex that really got to me. Not that the sex isn’t incredibly awesomely hot in itself. But the end was like a punch in the heart, and even got me a bit teary.
Spilt Milk by sparky77.
The Story: Set halfway through Season 5. Sam has a plan to make Dean realise he is in love with Castiel. It involves angel kissing, reverse psychology, sock puppet plays with condiments, and threats of zombie sharks.
The Love: This fic is cracky, but also a great insight in the brothers’ interaction in their childhood and adulthood. The real reason why everyone must read it, though, is Sam’s drunken sock puppet play. Because it is glorious.
Beautiful And Foolish by mithrel.
The Story: Set during Season 5. Castiel is turned into a girl, no one knows why or how, and Dean realises he may have a crush on his angel no matter what packaging he comes in.
The Love: Unlike most genderswap fics, the transformation of Castiel’s body isn’t what makes Dean fall in love with him; it just makes him realise that he has been in love with him all along.
Among The Wreck by lady_deathangel.
The Story: AU from Season 5. Michael goes back in time to kill Sam Winchester when he is a child. Castiel tries to stop him and ends up falling. He is reborn as Jimmy Novak, and some years later he and Dean meet and become friends. This is their story.
The Love: How much do I love this story? A lot, that’s how much. I like how it’s a high school AU that’s somehow still set in canon, and how Castiel and Jimmy are not two separate people. I love the slow development of the relationship between the boys, and how Castiel reinvents himself.
A Judicious Application Of Free Will by scaramouche on DW
The Story: Set after Episode 5.19. Dean Winchester has lived in Lawrence all his life, runs the family hardware store with his Dad, has dinner with his Mum, spends hours on the phone with his brother, and is pretty okay with his life. Then a mysterious stranger called Castiel moves into the abandoned house on the edge of town, and slowly Dean’s world starts changing around him.
The Love: A great look at what happens when the angels mess with the timelines too much, this story is part mystery, part adventure, and all awesome. Plus, the supporting characters are FTW. You should read it just for Mary Winchester, who kicks all sorts of ass.
What Comfort Was It Wisdom by kroki-refur.
The Story: Coda to Episode 5.22. Dean tries to deal with the loss of his brother, and finds that the only one who really understands him is a six-year old girl he meets in the park.
The Love: Aaangst, yum. Refur has Dean’s inner voice and the way his mind works down so well. I love the manpain and the paranoid feeling of this fic. Also, the twist ending.
The Way Back by rainylemons.
The Story: AU from Episode 5.22. Dean saves Castiel from being killed by Lucifer, and after Sam throws himself into the Cage, Castiel decides to stay with Dean while he recovers from his injuries. Cas gets a job at Taco Bell to support them both, and they are getting by when suddenly a vegetative Sam shows up on their doorstep.
The Love: This author is one of the few I’ve read who manages to write human!Cas and still maintain that wonderful, otherworldly creature that is Castiel. I adore the interactions between the characters, and the OCs are all well-rounded characters in their own right. And I read the ending three times because it just made me feel all warm inside.
Symmetry, Of A Sort by neurawkward.
The Story: AU future!fic from Episode 5.22. Castiel decides to fall and be born again as a human. Dean dies a few weeks after and is somehow reborn in heaven as an angel. Thirty years later, Castiel goes to hell, and Dean is the one to pull him out.
The Love: I don’t read WIPs as a rule because I don’t like to be kept hanging, but I just couldn’t resist this one, because it is such an awesome concept. Apart from the very well-done role reversal of Dean and Castiel, there is also old!Sam as the new Bobby, and fallen!Gabriel as Cas’s brother, and every one of them is still wonderfully true to their actual character.
How A Righteous Man Raises A Rose by swordofmymouth.
The Story: AU from the end of season 6. Each decision that is made creates a different universe, and in one of these universes Sam finds a book by someone called Castiel. As he sits down to read it, he gradually comes to understand that it’s not about gardening at all, but about a Righteous Man and an angel who sacrificed everything for him.
The Love: This is one of the most powerful fics I have ever read. The prose is so hauntingly beautiful, and the storytelling itself… I was in tears at the end of it. Gorgeous.
The Rest: I can’t really give a specific story warning since that would spoil the ending, so I will just advise you to bring tissues.
The Law Of Conservation Of Energy by peroxidepest17.
The Story: AU from Episode 6.20. Dean manages to convince Castiel to abandon his plan to open Purgatory and find another way to defeat Raphael. Their new mission takes the Winchesters and their angel on a trip across the country to collect the shards of Gabriel’s scattered grace, which will hopefully give Castiel the power to end the war in heaven. But at what cost?
The Love: This reads like a mini-season of the show, with the boys hunting for different pieces to the puzzle and encountering problems and riddles on the way. I also love Dean’s slow realisation of his feelings for Castiel, and the ending made me sigh with satisfaction.
Our Bodies, Possessed By Light by obstinatrix.
The Story: AU from Episode 6.22 When Godstiel uses up Jimmy Novak’s body, Sam offers himself as a vessel to save Castiel’s life. Sam and Castiel find a way to share Sam’s body, but this leaves Dean with a problem. Because how can he be in love with an angel who wears his brother’s face?
The Love: I adore fics that deal with vessel issues, and I adore fics that don’t sideline Sam in favour of Dean and Castiel, so this fic is just about perfect to me. The UST is through the roof, yet somehow it is so well written that it doesn’t even hit my Wincest squick.
The Rest: Do check out the artwork as well, because it is absolutely gorgeous. I originally found this fic through a link to the art, actually.
They Moved The Moon by janie-tangerine.
The Story: Coda to Episode 7.02. All Dean has left of Castiel is his trench coat, so he decides to clean and mend it and keep it with him. After a while he realises that it has become more than just an item of clothing.
The Love: This fic was exactly what I needed after THAT episode. Dean/Coat OTP!
AR Fics
Peanut Butter-Pumpkin Wedding Cake by sparseparsley.
The Story: Dean works as a waiter at an exotic dance club, and meets Castiel when he serves drinks at Anna’s bachelorette party. There is unmistakable chemistry between them, but Dean holds back, assuming that Castiel is the groom. Misunderstandings and manly angsting ensue.
The Love: I loathe romcoms, but somehow I love reading this story, even though I spend most of it yelling at my computer screen for Dean to GET A CLUE, already. Cas is so delightfully Cas, and the UST is awesome.
We Became Fans Of Collisions by wandersfound.
The Story: Dean runs a bookstore, and Castiel becomes a regular customer.
The Love: Sometimes you just need a lovely little boy-meets-boy story, and that’s exactly what this is. Plus, it’s well-written and has an adorable Sam & Jess.
Asunder by rageprufrock.
The Story: After years of not speaking to Sam, Dean receives an invitation to his little brother’s wedding. His best friend Castiel invites himself along to support him.
The Love: I absolutely adore the writing style of this fic, and the fantastic characterisation, especially of Castiel. Also, for a fic dealing with such angsty subjects, it’s surprisingly funny and light-hearted at the same time. And now I want to get married in a dead vinyard, too.
The Rest: Sam and Ruby are recovering drug addicts and Dean works for child protection services, so bear in mind that those subjects will be touched on.
The Ghost Of Embers by moorishflower.
The Story: Dean has lived in Lawrence, Kansas his entire life and decides he needs a change of scenery after his brother goes to college, so he leaves everything behind and moves to New York City. Once there, he isn’t quite sure what to do with himself, so he strikes up a strange friendship with his reclusive neighbour Castiel through the wall separating their flats.
The Love: I can’t really say much about why I love this fic for fear I’ll spoil it for you. So just go and read it.
Play It All Night Long by janie-tangerine.
The Story: Dean has a late night radio show where listeners can call in. One night he receives a call on his show from a guy named Castiel and is instantly captivated by his voice and intrigued by his music choices.
The Love: I will admit it now: I have a voice kink for both Dean and Castiel, so this story pretty much sold itself to me. I love how the author uses music without making this a songfic.
300 Things by cautionzombies.
The Story: Dean tries to juggle working several jobs, looking after his teenage brother and alcoholic father, and studying at KU. When it becomes apparent that he is missing credit he needs in order to graduate, he asks Castiel, an English Lit professor, to give him private classes on the weekends. Their relationship quickly develops into one of friendship, and maybe more.
The Love: Weird as it may sound, I love how screwed up everyone is in this story. All of them have baggage, and problems, and things they don’t talk about. It all builds slowly and then explodes into an ending that is ultimately very satisfying.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by wolfrider89.
The Story: Journalist Castiel is sent to a war zone to write an article about the daily lives of the soldiers, and goes in with a firmly predjudiced image of them as sexist, homophobic bigots. Then he meets Sergeant Dean Winchester.
The Love: Dean makes such a perfect soldier, and I love the unlikely connection that he and Cas form straight away, and the storytelling in this. Not to mention some filthy hot porn.
The Rest: This story takes place in a war zone, so bear that in mind.
Head For The Exits by entangledsheets.
The Story: By day, Castiel runs a café across from the police station where Dean works as a detective. By night, he is a superhero doing everything he can to help Dean catch a serial killer, while trying to keep his identity a secret at the same time.
The Love: It’s a murder mystery with Castiel as a badass superhero, how can you not love this? Also, does this make Dean Lois Lane?
Other Stuff
Season 2-4 Episode Review Picspams by kroki-refur.
What Is It? Over the course of several seasons, Refur wrote her review after watching the respective episode, containing squee, thinky thoughts, and more screencaps than you can shake a stick at. In conclusion: Sam’s nose. :)
The Love: These review picspams are the perfect dessert to watching an episode, in that they make you laugh, cry, squee, think, and want to rewatch it again because there are apparently a thousand little things you missed.
The Rest: The above link leads to Refur’s master post of all her Supernatural posts. Scroll down to get to the picspams, or take the time to see everything else, too, because it’s all good.
Season 4-7 Episode Review Picspams by tracy-loo-who.
What Is It? Hilarious episode review picspams with Dean/Castiel tinted glasses firmly in place.
The Love: I find myself checking Tracy’s journal several times a day after an episode has aired, to see if she has posted her picspam yet. These posts accompany the Dean/Castiel shipper’s episode experience like a fine wine accompanies a hearty meal.
Everything Is Castiel And Nothing Hurts by Th3Ed(video artist) and lizsmartie13(singer/songwriter).
What Is It? This artist decided to have some animated fun with the singer/songwriter’s originally posted “The Castiel Song”.
The Love The video is silly and sweet, and the song is lovely. An ideal pick-me-up!
War At Home by ctrlmonkeed
What Is It? Set between seasons 5 and 6, this is a Dean-centric fanvideo set to a song from Josh Groban’s album ‘Illuminations’. That album has been my SPN soundtrack over last summer, so when I found this I just had to watch it. The song is originally about war veterans, but it fits Dean’s character at that time perfectly.
The Love: It takes something for a fanvid to make me cry, but this one does it every time I watch it. I love the song, the singer’s voice, the power of the words and the sentiment behind them. The video artist has done a perfect job editing the clips together to match the song, and it manages to capture post-Season 5 Dean in just a few minutes. A work of art.
The Rest: According to the description, this fanvid even got an award!
Poison & Wine by ToruFinalFantasy
What Is It? The ultimate Dean/Castiel fan video, set at the end of Season 6.
The Love: The video artist recognises that the Dean/Castiel context needs very little embellishment, and chooses to let the music and the images do the talking. Angst and pain, but so very shippy.
Let me know what you think and/or if you have any additions! :)