Comments | nixa_jane: SPN: This is How Normal Works (PG-13), Gen.

laytoncolt in nixa_jane

SPN: This is How Normal Works (PG-13), Gen.

Jul 08, 2006 20:53

He doesn't miss hunting. He doesn't even miss John, most of the time, but there's this deep phantom pain where Dean used to be, hovering in the empty air beside him.

( this is how normal works )

gen, spn

Comments 50

geminigrl11 July 10 2006, 01:04:29 UTC

This hurts to read. It really does. But I can see it going down like this - both of them aching for each other and saying things they don't mean and then holding themselves to it anyway. The pain of loss that was at least partially self-inflicted . .. and the miles of road they will have to re-trace in order to be good again. Wonderfully done.

laytoncolt July 11 2006, 20:24:40 UTC

Thank you! :-)

iamstealthyone July 10 2006, 02:21:22 UTC

You know, sometimes it's hard to leave FB on your stories, because when I quote my favorite lines, I feel like I'm quoting almost the entire thing. *g* But I'll try to control myself here.

You did a wonderful job here of painting a picture of what life at Stanford might have been like for Sam (and Dean, too). I like the idea that Sam left for school not because he wanted to get away from his family or have his own life, but because he couldn't stand watching Dean get hurt again and again. And I like the idea that Sam and Dean actually did have some contact while Sam was at Stanford, even though they eventually drifted apart. (I often wonder what Kripke thinks they did in terms of contact all that time.)

Favorite lines:

He's in this alone now, and the other bed is empty, covered in shadows that don't move and he thinks that maybe, he might sleep better if he'd been stuck with some obnoxious roommate, no matter how many times he's been told how lucky he is to have gotten a room to himself.Aww. *hugs Sam* He misses Dean so much. Love ( ... )

laytoncolt July 11 2006, 20:28:34 UTC

Thank you so much, hun. You give such lovely feedback, and I love hearing your thoughts. :-)

I like that line a lot, because I’ve wondered just how much of Sam’s secret life Jess wondered about.

Me too, because how many times could Sam avoid the subject by saying "We're not exactly the Bradys"? The fact that Jess knows from the name Dean that it's Sam brother tells me he at least told her some, but still.

And wow. I think I spend way too much time thinking about this. Heh.

tigriswolf July 10 2006, 02:46:50 UTC

This is wonderful.

laytoncolt July 11 2006, 20:29:13 UTC

Thank you! :-)

missanne July 10 2006, 03:07:55 UTC

Hey wow, I really liked reading this! I love how you handled the mini-fallout between Sam and Dean and went into Dean's comment in the pilot about not bothering Sam for almost two years. I had wondered what happened, and this fic does a great job filling in the blank. I really think this is something that would have happened. Thanks and great job!

laytoncolt July 11 2006, 20:29:54 UTC

Thank you, hun!

Also, that icon is too cute. :-)

tsuki_no_bara July 10 2006, 05:58:37 UTC

i love the look into jessica, and sam being weirded out by being alone more than anything else, and his distinction between john in the photo and john now. and sam and dean, yeah, i don't doubt they missed each other in the time sam was at stanford, and i can't imagine dean wouldn't have checked up on him at least once. (is it canon that sam has a photo of him and dean in his wallet? because if it isn't, that's a fabulous and very believable detail.)

laytoncolt July 11 2006, 20:32:11 UTC

Thank you, hun! :-)

(is it canon that sam has a photo of him and dean in his wallet? because if it isn't, that's a fabulous and very believable detail.)

I don't think it is canon, but I'm not quite caught up on the episodes so it's possible. This paticular picture with them goofing around is definitely made up, but I would love it if Sam had a picture of them in his wallet.