AHBL related fics (Gen, Wincest, J2)
If, like me, you're fighting SPN withdrawal with old episodes, you might have rewatched All Hell Breaks Loose I & II lately - that's how I got the idea for this post.
Oh, just one thing. These are not codas/fics dealing with the long-term implications of the deal, or breaking the deal, or Dean's year in general, these are all fics that take place during or immediately after AHBL Part 1 and/or 2 (or during filming them, obviously, if it's Jsquared).
The Last Room by sevenfists (Sam/Dean, R, 3,100 words)
After, Bobby pulls him away, wordless. Dean's hands are coated with blood.
A poignant, fantastically written look into Dean's headspace all the while Sam's dead (actually, into Dean's headspace, period), plus a few fascinating glimpses of the past.
These External Manners of Lament by kroki_refur (Gen, PG-13, ~1,300 words)
Dean's not the only one who's lost Sam.
The time between parts I and II, from Bobby's perspective. I'd always loved Bobby, but after AHBL, I became his biggest fangirl. The author's voice for him is spot-on, and you can both see and feel how much he truly cares for the boys.
Someday by maygra (Gen, PG, 1,200 words)
Some day I shall rise and leave my friends, and seek you again through the world's far ends
Sam and Dean in the immediate aftermath, dealing - or trying to. Lovely, very contained and in character.
Fragile by destina (Jared/Jensen, NC-17, 1,831 words)
"It's the toughest work Jensen's ever done."
Gotta love a fandom where the actors write the slash for you. Prompted by a certain quote I'm sure you've never seen before, "After building a relationship both on camera and off camera with the guy who plays your brother on the show, and then to have to play scenes in a room with him dead, was very, very hard and emotional for me, and at the end of the day, I was completely spent."
The Extinguished Flame by untrue_accounts (Gen, PG, ~600 words)
"Sam," says the girl, and beneath the gentleness of her voice she is as inexorable as the turning of the earth. "There's nothing you can do for the living. Nothing the living can do for you."
A coda to AHBL Part I from Sam's POV. Understated and quiet, with a sparse prose that makes it even more moving.
When You Dig My Grave, Make It Shallow (So I Can Feel The Rain) by mona1347 (Sam/Dean, NC-17, ~ 2700 words)
"Dean thought he understood. He thought he was making, if not the right choice, the best one he could. He thought that he was much better off as the dead one."
This is one of those fics that at first sight tricks you into thinking it's a pwp when it's so, so much more. And yes, there's mind-blowing, desperate sex, but it's every bit as heart-wrenching as it is hot.
I Would Cradle You Tight in My Arms, Always by oxoniensis (Sam/Dean, R, 1,547 words)
"You promised yourself, you'd always keep Sammy safe."
Written in the week between parts I and II, this alternates between flashbacks spanning all eras and the aftermath of Sam's death. Raw and unforgiving, hurts to read in the best way possible.
as I shed this skin by estrella30 (Jared/Jensen, NC-17, ~2,400 words)
"Jared knew him. He knew Jensen, but better than that, sometimes, was that he knew Dean. He knew what today did to Dean and Jensen both."
Angsty, h/c-y, superhot sex aside, you really can't help but wonder how far character bleed goes, these two being as close as they are.
Tin Soldiers by lyra_wing (Sam/Dean, NC-17, ~3,000)
Two brothers, some R&R, a dog, and a whole lotta schmoop.
The boys at Bobby's, healing, dealing, angsting and schmooping. A little bit of comfort amidst the angstfest.
In This Last of Meeting Places (We Grope Together and Avoid Speech) by apreludetoanend (Gen, PG-13, 924 words)
"Dying's not what he expected. No reaper, no white light, and Dean's there, talking, but deafness seems to be a side effect of death and Sam can't even hear him."
Another one written in the gap between I and II, this is an amazing retelling of the final scene in AHBL I from Sam's POV in a disjointed, slightly surreal style that really works.
the devil went down by estrella30 (Sam/Dean, R, 750 words)
"When the idea comes to you, you think it’s almost too easy. You wonder how you didn’t think of it until now. You hope you didn’t waste too much time already."
The truly fascinating thing about this is that it was written before Part II, so on top of being beautiful and heartbreaking, it was also kind of prophetic.
Oh, just one thing. These are not codas/fics dealing with the long-term implications of the deal, or breaking the deal, or Dean's year in general, these are all fics that take place during or immediately after AHBL Part 1 and/or 2 (or during filming them, obviously, if it's Jsquared).
The Last Room by sevenfists (Sam/Dean, R, 3,100 words)
After, Bobby pulls him away, wordless. Dean's hands are coated with blood.
A poignant, fantastically written look into Dean's headspace all the while Sam's dead (actually, into Dean's headspace, period), plus a few fascinating glimpses of the past.
These External Manners of Lament by kroki_refur (Gen, PG-13, ~1,300 words)
Dean's not the only one who's lost Sam.
The time between parts I and II, from Bobby's perspective. I'd always loved Bobby, but after AHBL, I became his biggest fangirl. The author's voice for him is spot-on, and you can both see and feel how much he truly cares for the boys.
Someday by maygra (Gen, PG, 1,200 words)
Some day I shall rise and leave my friends, and seek you again through the world's far ends
Sam and Dean in the immediate aftermath, dealing - or trying to. Lovely, very contained and in character.
Fragile by destina (Jared/Jensen, NC-17, 1,831 words)
"It's the toughest work Jensen's ever done."
Gotta love a fandom where the actors write the slash for you. Prompted by a certain quote I'm sure you've never seen before, "After building a relationship both on camera and off camera with the guy who plays your brother on the show, and then to have to play scenes in a room with him dead, was very, very hard and emotional for me, and at the end of the day, I was completely spent."
The Extinguished Flame by untrue_accounts (Gen, PG, ~600 words)
"Sam," says the girl, and beneath the gentleness of her voice she is as inexorable as the turning of the earth. "There's nothing you can do for the living. Nothing the living can do for you."
A coda to AHBL Part I from Sam's POV. Understated and quiet, with a sparse prose that makes it even more moving.
When You Dig My Grave, Make It Shallow (So I Can Feel The Rain) by mona1347 (Sam/Dean, NC-17, ~ 2700 words)
"Dean thought he understood. He thought he was making, if not the right choice, the best one he could. He thought that he was much better off as the dead one."
This is one of those fics that at first sight tricks you into thinking it's a pwp when it's so, so much more. And yes, there's mind-blowing, desperate sex, but it's every bit as heart-wrenching as it is hot.
I Would Cradle You Tight in My Arms, Always by oxoniensis (Sam/Dean, R, 1,547 words)
"You promised yourself, you'd always keep Sammy safe."
Written in the week between parts I and II, this alternates between flashbacks spanning all eras and the aftermath of Sam's death. Raw and unforgiving, hurts to read in the best way possible.
as I shed this skin by estrella30 (Jared/Jensen, NC-17, ~2,400 words)
"Jared knew him. He knew Jensen, but better than that, sometimes, was that he knew Dean. He knew what today did to Dean and Jensen both."
Angsty, h/c-y, superhot sex aside, you really can't help but wonder how far character bleed goes, these two being as close as they are.
Tin Soldiers by lyra_wing (Sam/Dean, NC-17, ~3,000)
Two brothers, some R&R, a dog, and a whole lotta schmoop.
The boys at Bobby's, healing, dealing, angsting and schmooping. A little bit of comfort amidst the angstfest.
In This Last of Meeting Places (We Grope Together and Avoid Speech) by apreludetoanend (Gen, PG-13, 924 words)
"Dying's not what he expected. No reaper, no white light, and Dean's there, talking, but deafness seems to be a side effect of death and Sam can't even hear him."
Another one written in the gap between I and II, this is an amazing retelling of the final scene in AHBL I from Sam's POV in a disjointed, slightly surreal style that really works.
the devil went down by estrella30 (Sam/Dean, R, 750 words)
"When the idea comes to you, you think it’s almost too easy. You wonder how you didn’t think of it until now. You hope you didn’t waste too much time already."
The truly fascinating thing about this is that it was written before Part II, so on top of being beautiful and heartbreaking, it was also kind of prophetic.