[Fic] daymarket: I, Castiel
[ Open Reccing ]
Title: I, Castiel
Writer: daymarket
Status of work: complete (but it has an incomplete sequel)
Characters and/or pairings: Dean/Castiel, Sam/Ruby, Sam/Jess
Rating: PG-13
Length: six parts
Summary: Dean takes his first steps into the 22nd century with his very own P.A.L., the most sophisticated robot on the market. One programming muddle later, he finds himself stuck with a contrary, stiff robot who doesn't quite know how to act human.
Reccer's notes: This is one of my all-time favorite Dean/Castiel stories. Dean can't follow Castiel's operating instructions and ends up with a surly, stubborn robot who seems enough like a person that Dean wants to give him free will - of course, that's easier said than done, given that Castiel's programming doesn't allow him to choose his own freedom. I love that Dean isn't perfect or immune to the prejudices of his society, and that part of his motivation for giving Castiel choices is so that Cas can choose to sleep with him (or not). The secondary story, in which robot!Ruby finds herself replaced by a human Jess, with no regard given to the idea that she might have feelings about this, breaks my heart. I, Castiel stands alone, but the sequel, a permanent WIP, is also worth reading.
[Short excerpt]Castiel leaned forward, and Dean twitched slightly as Cas’ hand fell on his shoulder. “I can’t be human,” Cas said at last, his voice very quiet. “That’s one order I can’t obey.”
Dean looked up as Cas’ face, inches from his. Unlike the night before, there wasn’t anything erotic or seductive about this-Cas looked solemn, even sad, his blue eyes watching Dean’s. “What if you had the Laws disabled?” Dean said after a moment. “Would you be free then?”
Castiel raised an eyebrow. “That’s punishable by ten years in prison. Not to mention a hefty fine.”
“But what if,” Dean persisted. “What if some genius erased the parts of your programming that tied you to a certain person. What if-” he hesitated. “What if someone programmed you to have the power of choice?”