March Recs: Dean/OMC
Dean has an amazing vibe and chemistry not only with women, but also with men. And as much as I love the canon-inspired Dean slash ships in fandom, I really adore a good Dean/OMC story. I love seeing the way fen explore Dean's dynamic with other men. I hope you enjoy this selection of fics ;)
The Accompanist
gretazreta | Dean/OMC | R | ~40,000 words
Dean learned to play the piano at his mother’s knee. Now, fifteen years after her death, his talent for music is a secret he keeps from everybody, especially his father. Stuck in a small town for the rest of the school year, looking after a brother who’s growing apart from him and training for a future of hunting that he’s not sure that he wants, Dean finds an unlikely confidant in an elderly Jewish man who’s haunted by his own secrets. It’s a year of firsts, hunting alone and falling in love, but when a monster from the tragic past starts wreaking havoc on the people of the town, Dean must come to terms with his own fears and desires in order to save the people he cares about the most.
Simply amazing. This is a moving coming-of-age story with pitch-perfect Dean characterization. I love everything about this fic -- from the well-crafted OCs, to the fantastic case file, to Dean's love of music. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, memorable, and not to be missed.
Sunshine State
innie-darling | Sam/OFCs, Sam/OMC, Sam/Jess, Dean/OMC | NC-17 | ~66,000 words for the entire series
Sam spends three years at Stanford.
This is a wonderful Sam-at-Stanford fic that evolves into an equally wonderful Dean/OMC spin-off series. The Dean/OMC part starts here, but do check out the entire series because it offers a fantastic journey for both Sam and Dean, fab OCs, and great characterizations and character insight.
Beasts and Outlaws
calamitycrow | Dean/OMC, Sam/Sarah | PG-R | ~81,000 words for the main arc
Back in 2001, two brothers made their choices. Now Dean's in a relationship and Sam's a respected hunter who has his father's love and approval. Of course, nothing's that easy when you are a Winchester.
This gorgeous AU is original and richly-detailed, with incredible world-building, awesome OCs, and a compelling plot. This story is steeped in magic, culture, and history, and the relationship between Dean and the OMC is so incredibly hot and wonderfully realistic, you can't help but fall in love with them.
May You Find Some Comfort Here
merihn | Dean/OMC | R | 3,435 words
Preseries. Sam leaves for Stanford, and Dean turns to the only thing that can distract him.
I love the understanding nature of the OMC in this fic, and how he's just the perfect mirror to Dean in many ways and exactly what Dean needs in the moment. The surprise twist at the end will make you smile especially considering the way canon would evolve in the seasons after this fic was written.
Song of a Hunter
blankversesfic | Dean/OMC | NC-17 | 5,155 words
Dean goes to Stanford, thinking he's looking for Sam. What he finds is something completely different.
This lovely fic has a spot-on Dean characterization and a very charismatic OMC.
The 1300 Days [offsite website]
stele3 | Gen with some Dean/OMC, Dean/OFC, John | R | ~69,000 words
Pre-series. Sam was at college for almost 4 years...1300 days, to be exact. This is what happened to Dean during that time.
Beautiful, heartbreaking, and Oh, Dean. This memorable Stanford-era Dean epic set the bar early on in this fandom. The original characters in this story are well-crafted and well-developed, and the Dean characterization is note-perfect. I'm including this story here in this roundup because while it is primarily Gen, there's a wonderful Dean/OMC pairing that is absolutely gorgeous.
Incubus [offsite website] or here at fanfiction.net
crimson | Dean/OMC, Sam | NC-17 | ~1,000,000+ words for the entire series
The Winchesters have teamed up with an incubus who has the hots for Dean, and the story only gets better from there.
The epic word count should hint at the epic nature of this enthralling series. In this story Dean and Sam meet a fellow hunter and embark on a memorable journey. This fic has UST, romance, adventure, great OCs, interesting case files, and a fab Dean/OMC pairing. It's one of this fics you won't be able to put down once you start reading.
Learn As You Go
marinarusalka | Dean/OMC, John | PG-13 | ~2,300 words
Sometimes, it's a bad idea to come home early.
Told from John's POV, this is an endearing fic about John dealing with Dean's sexuality, featuring a wonderfully-realistic and spot-on John-and-Dean interaction. Fantastic.
The Way It Is
janissa11 | Dean/OMC, Sam | PG | 6,112 words
Luke is the guy Sam would have made fun of with Dean a few months ago. The kind of guy Dean never ever wants to be.
I adore the Sam POV in this fic so much. This fic is charming and touching, with fantastic Sam-and-Dean moments.
No Words
embroiderama | Dean/OMC, Sam | R | 3,865 words
Dean’s attacked in a non-supernatural way, and Sam takes matters into his own hands.
A poignant h/c story with hurt!Dean and protective!Sam -- you really can't get any better than those two things combined in a single story. Sam shines in this fic.
And Shut Up About It
jadedpen | Dean/OMC | NC-17 | 2,150 words
It’s a Saturday past midnight, and Dean is restless.
I have a big weakness for rentboy!Dean fics, but this story is more than that -- it takes that trope and backgrounds it against Dean finally being able to find what he needs in another man without it being about money. Hot and intense.
We Drank a Thousand Times
glorious-spoon | Dean/OMC, minor Dean/Cassie | R | ~42,000 words
They meet in a bar fight in North Carolina when Dean is nineteen, broke, and desperate, then again when a hunt brings the Winchesters into town a few years later. Neither one of them ever puts a name to it but every once in a while, through the years, Dean finds his way back.
A well-written, realistic, and beautiful pre-series story. I love the relationship between Dean and the OMC in this story, their similarities and the way they find peace in each other. This story has well-crafted OCs and great Winchester characterizations.
Crazy For You
locknkey | Dean/OMC, mild implied pre-Sam/Dean | NC-17 | 14,933 words
John Winchester takes off on a hunt, leaving Dean and Sam a whole summer for new discoveries. Forced to enroll in summer school Dean finds the unexpected. The boy in his class is more than meets the eye and Dean is filled with feelings he wasn't prepared for and isn't sure how to cope with.
A beautiful and sweet summer romance with vivid imagery and lovely details. I love the idea of Dean having this kind of peaceful summer with this adorable OMC. The weaving in of poetry and literature is nicely done.
This Hour with the Living
apreludetoanend | Dean/OMC | R | ~1,200 words
Five years ago, Dean's life didn't end. Now, this is how it begins.
A gorgeous, atmospheric piece that will break you a little.
***These bonus fics are pairing-based, but also include a Dean/OMC exploration that I enjoy.
Right Up Over the Wire
liadan14 | Dean/Castiel, past Dean/OMCs, Sam | R | ~7,400 words
“No one ever told me it was okay to be into guys,” Dean says. “I found out what the difference was when some kid called me a homo and I had to go to the library to figure out what it meant. Dad was…Dad never helped me. I couldn’t ask you. How was I supposed to figure out who I was? How was I supposed to tell you the truth when I didn’t know what it was, and no one ever told me it was…okay?”
This fic is told through a Dean/Castiel lens, but includes an insightful and honest exploration of Dean's sexual history with guys. This is a complicated, messy, and realistic look at Dean tackling his sexuality. Don't be turned off by Sam's characterization early on -- it'll make sense by the end of the fic.
Paradise
hollycomb | Dean/Castiel | PG-13 | ~8,500 words
Years after the apocalypse, Dean gets saved again.
I label this fic as Dean/OMC, and once you read it you'll see why. This is a brilliant and heartbreaking OPOV fic, with a great OC narrator voice. Even though this was written before Castiel's vessel was officially introduced into canon, it still makes for a compelling and bittersweet look at the D/C relationship and the dynamics of vesselhood.
When Play Turns Bitter
nanoochka | Dean/Castiel, Dean/OMC | NC-17 | ~83,000 words so far
"You’re happy with your world/ But there is something small in the back of your head/ Your concerns are still free/ You fall into the trap/ Without knowing what you want/ And there’s nothing left but a foolish idea/ Everything goes back into place.” Remember that play turns sour when playing with a fire; but Dean is as tired of pretending like his life hasn’t begun, as he is waiting for Castiel to notice.
This is a WIP, but I still wanted to include it here because of its well-layered Dean/OMC. I love stories that look at Dean's relationship with Castiel through the complex history of his other relationships. Like in canon, the Dean and Castiel in this story are stubborn, incredibly complicated, and heartbreaking, and the highs and lows of their love story make for a really engrossing read.
The Accidental Boyfriend
ignited | Sam/Dean, Dean/OMC | R | 6,210 words
The first boyfriend Dean ever had wasn’t his brother.
I love the experimental structure and disjointed timeline in this piece. It also offers a really insightful look at Sam/Dean, contrasted against Dean's first experience with a guy. Beautifully done.
The Accompanist
gretazreta | Dean/OMC | R | ~40,000 words
Dean learned to play the piano at his mother’s knee. Now, fifteen years after her death, his talent for music is a secret he keeps from everybody, especially his father. Stuck in a small town for the rest of the school year, looking after a brother who’s growing apart from him and training for a future of hunting that he’s not sure that he wants, Dean finds an unlikely confidant in an elderly Jewish man who’s haunted by his own secrets. It’s a year of firsts, hunting alone and falling in love, but when a monster from the tragic past starts wreaking havoc on the people of the town, Dean must come to terms with his own fears and desires in order to save the people he cares about the most.
Simply amazing. This is a moving coming-of-age story with pitch-perfect Dean characterization. I love everything about this fic -- from the well-crafted OCs, to the fantastic case file, to Dean's love of music. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, memorable, and not to be missed.
Sunshine State
innie-darling | Sam/OFCs, Sam/OMC, Sam/Jess, Dean/OMC | NC-17 | ~66,000 words for the entire series
Sam spends three years at Stanford.
This is a wonderful Sam-at-Stanford fic that evolves into an equally wonderful Dean/OMC spin-off series. The Dean/OMC part starts here, but do check out the entire series because it offers a fantastic journey for both Sam and Dean, fab OCs, and great characterizations and character insight.
Beasts and Outlaws
calamitycrow | Dean/OMC, Sam/Sarah | PG-R | ~81,000 words for the main arc
Back in 2001, two brothers made their choices. Now Dean's in a relationship and Sam's a respected hunter who has his father's love and approval. Of course, nothing's that easy when you are a Winchester.
This gorgeous AU is original and richly-detailed, with incredible world-building, awesome OCs, and a compelling plot. This story is steeped in magic, culture, and history, and the relationship between Dean and the OMC is so incredibly hot and wonderfully realistic, you can't help but fall in love with them.
May You Find Some Comfort Here
merihn | Dean/OMC | R | 3,435 words
Preseries. Sam leaves for Stanford, and Dean turns to the only thing that can distract him.
I love the understanding nature of the OMC in this fic, and how he's just the perfect mirror to Dean in many ways and exactly what Dean needs in the moment. The surprise twist at the end will make you smile especially considering the way canon would evolve in the seasons after this fic was written.
Song of a Hunter
blankversesfic | Dean/OMC | NC-17 | 5,155 words
Dean goes to Stanford, thinking he's looking for Sam. What he finds is something completely different.
This lovely fic has a spot-on Dean characterization and a very charismatic OMC.
The 1300 Days [offsite website]
stele3 | Gen with some Dean/OMC, Dean/OFC, John | R | ~69,000 words
Pre-series. Sam was at college for almost 4 years...1300 days, to be exact. This is what happened to Dean during that time.
Beautiful, heartbreaking, and Oh, Dean. This memorable Stanford-era Dean epic set the bar early on in this fandom. The original characters in this story are well-crafted and well-developed, and the Dean characterization is note-perfect. I'm including this story here in this roundup because while it is primarily Gen, there's a wonderful Dean/OMC pairing that is absolutely gorgeous.
Incubus [offsite website] or here at fanfiction.net
crimson | Dean/OMC, Sam | NC-17 | ~1,000,000+ words for the entire series
The Winchesters have teamed up with an incubus who has the hots for Dean, and the story only gets better from there.
The epic word count should hint at the epic nature of this enthralling series. In this story Dean and Sam meet a fellow hunter and embark on a memorable journey. This fic has UST, romance, adventure, great OCs, interesting case files, and a fab Dean/OMC pairing. It's one of this fics you won't be able to put down once you start reading.
Learn As You Go
marinarusalka | Dean/OMC, John | PG-13 | ~2,300 words
Sometimes, it's a bad idea to come home early.
Told from John's POV, this is an endearing fic about John dealing with Dean's sexuality, featuring a wonderfully-realistic and spot-on John-and-Dean interaction. Fantastic.
The Way It Is
janissa11 | Dean/OMC, Sam | PG | 6,112 words
Luke is the guy Sam would have made fun of with Dean a few months ago. The kind of guy Dean never ever wants to be.
I adore the Sam POV in this fic so much. This fic is charming and touching, with fantastic Sam-and-Dean moments.
No Words
embroiderama | Dean/OMC, Sam | R | 3,865 words
Dean’s attacked in a non-supernatural way, and Sam takes matters into his own hands.
A poignant h/c story with hurt!Dean and protective!Sam -- you really can't get any better than those two things combined in a single story. Sam shines in this fic.
And Shut Up About It
jadedpen | Dean/OMC | NC-17 | 2,150 words
It’s a Saturday past midnight, and Dean is restless.
I have a big weakness for rentboy!Dean fics, but this story is more than that -- it takes that trope and backgrounds it against Dean finally being able to find what he needs in another man without it being about money. Hot and intense.
We Drank a Thousand Times
glorious-spoon | Dean/OMC, minor Dean/Cassie | R | ~42,000 words
They meet in a bar fight in North Carolina when Dean is nineteen, broke, and desperate, then again when a hunt brings the Winchesters into town a few years later. Neither one of them ever puts a name to it but every once in a while, through the years, Dean finds his way back.
A well-written, realistic, and beautiful pre-series story. I love the relationship between Dean and the OMC in this story, their similarities and the way they find peace in each other. This story has well-crafted OCs and great Winchester characterizations.
Crazy For You
locknkey | Dean/OMC, mild implied pre-Sam/Dean | NC-17 | 14,933 words
John Winchester takes off on a hunt, leaving Dean and Sam a whole summer for new discoveries. Forced to enroll in summer school Dean finds the unexpected. The boy in his class is more than meets the eye and Dean is filled with feelings he wasn't prepared for and isn't sure how to cope with.
A beautiful and sweet summer romance with vivid imagery and lovely details. I love the idea of Dean having this kind of peaceful summer with this adorable OMC. The weaving in of poetry and literature is nicely done.
This Hour with the Living
apreludetoanend | Dean/OMC | R | ~1,200 words
Five years ago, Dean's life didn't end. Now, this is how it begins.
A gorgeous, atmospheric piece that will break you a little.
***These bonus fics are pairing-based, but also include a Dean/OMC exploration that I enjoy.
Right Up Over the Wire
liadan14 | Dean/Castiel, past Dean/OMCs, Sam | R | ~7,400 words
“No one ever told me it was okay to be into guys,” Dean says. “I found out what the difference was when some kid called me a homo and I had to go to the library to figure out what it meant. Dad was…Dad never helped me. I couldn’t ask you. How was I supposed to figure out who I was? How was I supposed to tell you the truth when I didn’t know what it was, and no one ever told me it was…okay?”
This fic is told through a Dean/Castiel lens, but includes an insightful and honest exploration of Dean's sexual history with guys. This is a complicated, messy, and realistic look at Dean tackling his sexuality. Don't be turned off by Sam's characterization early on -- it'll make sense by the end of the fic.
Paradise
hollycomb | Dean/Castiel | PG-13 | ~8,500 words
Years after the apocalypse, Dean gets saved again.
I label this fic as Dean/OMC, and once you read it you'll see why. This is a brilliant and heartbreaking OPOV fic, with a great OC narrator voice. Even though this was written before Castiel's vessel was officially introduced into canon, it still makes for a compelling and bittersweet look at the D/C relationship and the dynamics of vesselhood.
When Play Turns Bitter
nanoochka | Dean/Castiel, Dean/OMC | NC-17 | ~83,000 words so far
"You’re happy with your world/ But there is something small in the back of your head/ Your concerns are still free/ You fall into the trap/ Without knowing what you want/ And there’s nothing left but a foolish idea/ Everything goes back into place.” Remember that play turns sour when playing with a fire; but Dean is as tired of pretending like his life hasn’t begun, as he is waiting for Castiel to notice.
This is a WIP, but I still wanted to include it here because of its well-layered Dean/OMC. I love stories that look at Dean's relationship with Castiel through the complex history of his other relationships. Like in canon, the Dean and Castiel in this story are stubborn, incredibly complicated, and heartbreaking, and the highs and lows of their love story make for a really engrossing read.
The Accidental Boyfriend
ignited | Sam/Dean, Dean/OMC | R | 6,210 words
The first boyfriend Dean ever had wasn’t his brother.
I love the experimental structure and disjointed timeline in this piece. It also offers a really insightful look at Sam/Dean, contrasted against Dean's first experience with a guy. Beautifully done.