Boys of Summer, for kribban

[summergen_mod]

Title: Boys of Summer
Recipient: kribbanRating: T for language

Comments

[kalliel]

Oh man, when I saw the prompt/summary, I got really excited, but I had no idea what kind of treat I was going to be in for with this! I LOVE this. Their kind of skeevy motel pool (I feel like I know this pool well), Sam committing to going swimming anyway. Dean having to clean off the grill before using it. This sense of crazy heat and this moment encapsulated under it. And oh man, Dean's spark of fear here, jumping up from green to orange alert; I think it's so striking how quickly that memory filters into the present and fills the space. The jolt is so palpable. But my favorite part is the moment directly afterward, when Sam realizes something's going on, and Dean realizes he's zoned out (or into a different place and time, rather). That little wavering moment--when those happen in canon they titillate me like no tomorrow, and I loved being able to read it and hold it here in fic. Just eeeee. I don't know if I can describe how much I love that little moment, but this is the kind of thing I live for. YES

[borgmama1of5]

Great mix of sweet now with terrifying then, and all so ordinary...excellent work!

[kribban]

Thank you for my gift!

You did a really good job of capturing the feeling of summer. The opening paragraph paints a picture of a wet, unforgiving heat. It's enough to make you sick!

I LOVE the descriptions of the failing "summer paradise". It's so skeevy and dirty and run down.

I've no idea if a grill is something motels usually offer, but I really like it. No backyard barbecue for the boys!

This is my favorite line: He can hear Sam climb out of the pool and plod over to the diving board, which just looks like a giant slab of tetanus waiting to happen

Dean's traumatic summer memory fit right in and the ending is abrupt but works with how easily Dean represses the memories.

Also, if Sam is 26, it means they're taking a day off from fighting the Apocalypse to have a mini-vacation, which I really like.

Thanks again for my wonderful gift! :)

[madebyme_x]

I loved the easy going summer feel of this fic; the boys bantering, the burgers and the pool. And then you add in a flashback from when they were younger and it gives the fic a new feel and darker layer. Very well done!

Thank you for sharing :)

[red_b_rackham]

Ah this was awesome! I love how vivid it as the beginning - it had the right amount of detail to make me feel the heat and summer. LOVE.

The sad/scary flashback was unexpected but very well done! I love how Dean gets lost in the memory for a second and resurfaces. Wonderful work!!