citrusjava

At 16, Sam convinces Dean to take him to a country fair:
http://sasquatchandleatherjacket.tumblr.com/post/119662304882/its-2-30-in-the-morning-but-sam

WIncest, just pretty, sad, meaningful, with history. That, is, a pretty, sad, mellow with drinking and history PWP (did I rec this one already?):
http://dandelionwhiskey.tumblr.com/post/119717928149/hey-im-new-to-doing-this-so-i-hope-its-ok
And from the same author - Wincestiel, tipsy, Dean in panties:
http://dandelionwhiskey.tumblr.com/post/118403596329/hello-i-would-please-like-some-wincestiel-with

Short, to the point, and everything I want almost - Wincest post traumatic D/s, with a touch of praise!kink, even:
http://kansaskissedlips.tumblr.com/post/120279412321/prompt-dean-dom-ing-sam-to-help-him-get-over
(this was not even my friggin prompt!)

Pretty sure I didn't know kayliemalinza's writing before, and this fic is well worth a read. It has a unique world to it, I usually find stories about this either boring or icky or both - this one I'd want to read more in the verse of. It's just got a vibe , a world.

Characters: Dean, Alastair
Word Count: 1045
Author's Summary: Dean, like the best pupils, is bright, attentive and frustrating. He's also creative.
Author's Teaser: Dean collects hellhounds. He likes the hacked-up strays who drip ichor from the stumps of missing limbs and grind their teeth down to nubs by chewing chains and rock and burnt bone. They're pathetic to the last, with blood-slick fur and white-lipped wounds beneath. They cringe and cower. They love Dean, the only thing that has ever been kind to them; they'll take whippings and wriggle back to him with their chins on their paws because he called them "sweetheart" once.

I started watching the show from season 4, After School Special, though I've tried watching random episodes before, and seriously tried to watch it from the start in reruns (Wendigo) - and seriously did not connect to it. I chose After School Special cause it sounded like it might remind me of Buffy, the whole "who we were in highs school vs. who we are now", and I was really trying to find something about the show that'd make me care at all, would make me want to watch more.


Pretty early on I found myself wanting to describe Dean as 'chibi', and found it amusing that I'd want to describe the show's rough, tough male lead like that. Honestly, in my early days of watching, I believed Dean was intentionally and officially characterized as "a delicate flower" with a flimsy macho shell no one ever was supposed to take seriously. This probably has something to do with me starting from season 4 rather than 1. I was certain Jensen played him that way knowingly and just - that that was his characterization. I was pretty surprised when I came across a con vid in which Jensen was talking about how much of a tough guy Dean is.


I'd decided not to get into fandom or read fic at all till I finish watching the whole show and have my own opinions (that took a few weeks, perhaps? Season 8 was just starting to air). I was going a bit crazy, wondering about the subtext between Dean and Sam. I knew there was fic out there, so *someone* saw *something* - but, could I be imagining it all? Me, and perhaps that random fic writer out there - or maybe not, maybe it was one of those 'made in fandom ships'? Was I seeing what I thought I was seeing, was I just imagining this? I tried to catch it in screencaps, but it seemed to be more about the movement. I kept taking notes about where scenes were slashy. I remember telling myself that 'even' something like that scene in Playthings was pretty slashy, though probably no one really paid much attention to that. I noticed the Destiel subtextiness, but it didn't shake my world much- I just, you know, smiled for the people out there who must be adoring it. I was not expecting ship wars.

I also watched a few con vids (J2 in sports shirts, linking arms and skipping around on stage?) and the guys seemed so sweet, happy, nice towards fans, and way too clean cut, and I was telling myself - no. I am not getting into another RPS fandom. Leave that for One Direction fans, I am not. And then Misha was cute too, and I grumbled and stood my ground.

Oh, and I also considered Jensen way way too much of a WB/ CW pretty boy, and I didn't get why anyone would find Misha attractive at all, and it took me time to realize people do, and Jared I was just vaguely loyal towards cause he was Dean on Gilmore Girls and was cute there.

The first J2 fic I read was an AU, but I wasn't used to this convention. It wasn't very well written, and there wasn't much of an exposition, so I spent the first half of the fic going - why the fuck would Jensen try to pick up guys online, give them his real name, just meet them randomly with no thought about his celebrity status?


Do you also feel like season 4 is in a somewhat different genre?
I loved season 4. I still feel season 4-5 are very different from seasons 1-3 in vibe and style, not just in storylines. It feels like a different genre somehow. More like Buffy, yes. Less... manly desolate isolated "the world burned down, and ground is salted" "there is nothing in the world but you" more... fluffy, relatable, er, saturated filters? For all they have so many problems, it's just - it feels. Softer? I wanna say more feminine, somehow? Season 4 more than season 5.

A thing about Cas and Wincest
A while back I was hurt by some cruel stuff some people on Tumblr wrote about Wincest, went looking for anti-Destiel stuff, cause I wanted to see what could have fueled that sort of attitude (besides being anti incest), and couldn't find any (found a little since). I asked people what might fuel that, what I'm not seeing that Wincest fans do, and balder12 made the very good point that in most Wincest, Cas and the boys' relationship with him are just ignored, while Destiel and Sassy fans constantly have to deal with and acknowledge the other brother. I agree. even of the very little Destiel I've read, I've read some Sam-bashing fic and meta (*sadface*), but I've also read some fic that developed and explored Dean and Sam's reelationship alongside Cas and Dean's, in a way that I found satisfying (as a shipper, for me, the sex and romance aspects of Dean and Sam's relationship are not as important as the rest). I'd like to read more Wincest in which the boys' relationships with Cas are explored. I've hardly ever read any at all. Perhaps it's because we're used to the boys being alone, and it's part of the ship and its epicness. But do we really need them to literally be alone, no other relationship, for themto be together? I've hardly even found Wincestiel in which the different relationships were explored, really.

( Fic and podfic recs )
___
*I seriously need someone to talk to about how incredibly close On the Road is to SPN, and Dean is Dean and are you kidding me about Sam and OMG slashy and OMG Kripke must have reread the first chapter before he sat down to write the pilot of something!

Today I'm reccing fic I would have written off based on the header - and am glad I didn't. A lot of this is "Dean/Cas recs for Dean/Sam shippers", if you will.

If On a Winter’s Night a Fangirl
What I loved about it: I adore meta fandom fic things. This one is funny and silly, just - fun. Becky, Chuck, slash, rps, inside jokes, fandom.
The reading is so much fun - the reader and a friend delighting in the fic and occasionally not being able to help laughing - it works well for me with this sort of fic, particularly since it's meta on meta on meta, it's only fitting that the readers be present in it in a more "official" way. Also, it's just fun - being read to by someone who loves what they read, and you can tell they're having fun too, sharing the jokes.
Header: Dean/Cas
Thoughts: in a way, it's a story about fandom (via Becky and other forces) switching from Wincest to Destiel. I would have maybe had a problem with that, but I was too busy laughing. Also, it made me realize another bit of how Destiel (used to be?) marginalized. They never got canon validation like that.
Wouldn't have read cause: there's Dean/Cas in there.


Absolution
Some of the things I loved about it: This fic is midseason 4, in a very good way. The characters and their relationships, the world, the vibe. A lot of it is about Sam and Dean's relationship, how they deal with the way they started to drift apart, Sam drinking demon blood in order to make amends, Dean defining himself by Sam, being ok vs. being honest with each other and everything that's going on around them. It looks at these things in a way I appreciated - I didn't feel it put anybody on a pedestal, and still it was compassionate. It's casefic, or rather - case arc fic, this could have been a third or so of season 4, and it's interesting. Castiel plays an important role in this, and is interesting in himself and what he goes through, without taking from the rest.
Why I would have ruled it out: Dean/Cas, ( spoiler ). I really don't go for those, but the fic didn't depend on them, they weren't the center of things, and they worked.


Start Quoting Shakespeare And We're Done
What I liked about it: Librarians, brothers being cute together, banter, Dean working on cars, Dean being fed, Sam being fed chocolate, things being simple and happy after all.
Thoughts: This is just cute shmoop, not too sappy, just mostly cute rom-com. Don't usually like rom-coms, usually I find them more disturbing on a social/personal level than some of the things considered angst. This fic had only a little of that, and was cute and fun.
Why I would have ruled it out: rom-com, AU, Dean/Cas, Sam/Gab.

Apocrypha, or: How Chuck Learned to Stop Worrying and Love His Red Pen
Liked about it: Chuck, funny, interesting, good season 4/5 characterization and vibe, outsider POV on the "war headquarters at Bobby's" scenario, writing and show meta.
Wouldn't have tried it cause: Dean/Cas, outsider pov.

In short, I'm running out of good Sam/Dean (and Sam/Cas!) non-triggery podfic.

Title: Special Seminar in Romantic Comedy
Author: inlovewithnight
Reader: analise010
Pairing: Abed/Troy
Rating: g

Summary: It was a perfect romantic-comedy moment in a perfect romantic-comedy situation.

Rec: This is like a particularly fun episode. It's sweet and funny and good. Both the fic and the reading capture different characters' voices and the vibe of the show well, and it comes with the extra cherry of some sweet Abed/Troy. It also has some enjoyably-weird conversations and some easy, flowing meta, both like in good canon dialogue. And the relationship deconstruction and reconstruction, that's a favorite of mine.

Sounds like it was written and recorded with a lot of love. Both analise010 and inlovewithnight have the pretty rare ability to just get the story and the vibe of the show, what makes it work, what makes it unique.

This isn't my fandom, but I enjoyed this one a lot. Listened to it a couple of times now, keep going back to it on my player when I have a few minutes and want something good, fun and sweet. It makes me feel like watching Community again, but what I really want is a sequel.

Second part of my day 2 entry for the 8 Days of Wincest Challenge.
Was gonna rec this for day 1, then realized it actually took place in season 2, as well...

Title: Captured by the Game
Author: rivkat
Podfic: Link
Reader: the ever-fantastic reena_jenkins
Rating: nc-17
Author's Summary: AU. Azazel has given his favorite son a task: worm his way into the confidence of a hunter. It sounds simple, but Dean Winchester just might be more than Sam can handle.

Rec: This is the sort of AU I adore - same everything except for one important detail. It's written so well, and the characterization, particularly Sam's, is interesting. Despite its length, when I reached the ending I just wanted more of it, 'how come I didn't get to go on reading the whole series in that universe?' It's that sort of fic. And I often think of parts of it in relation to the episodes they reference. Also, I enjoyed following Sam obliviously falling for Dean <3

It's gotta still be the 13th somewhere... ;)

Season 1 includes some of the most epically SPN images and lines. The soul of the show was there already, primal and strong.

So, For the Supernatural birthday thing (I'm enjoying this so much! Reading people's love for the show, and their "origin stories"...), and my one year anniversary watching SPN, recs for some season 1 fic or retellings with a twist of the beginning of the show, that's now become sort of epic.

I had trouble convincing myself not to include some amazing pre-series fic I love, like fleshflutter's The Time Dean was Sam's Girlfriend and Jess Entered the Winchester Family Business and its great podfic by sadtreepodfic, queenklu's Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe and its podfic by the wonderful applegeuse and perhaps my very favorite fic, And I Have Asked to be Where No Storms Come by candle_beck and its podfic by the author... So, good thing I was strong about that.

Sadly, a lot of the authors aren't around in fandom anymore. I wish I could tell some of these people how meaningful their work has been and still is to me. But at least I can still point to it! :/
And I know a lot of these everybody knows and loves, but hey, it took me a long while to find them myself, perhaps I'm not the only one not to know about them.


Title: Credit in the Straight World
Author: vaingirlfic
Podfic: Link
Reader: ann_ciudad I'd have loved to hear more SPN podfic by her
Gorgeous art by: dreamlittleyo
Author's Warnings/Spoilers: pre-series, so no spoilers. Story contains: explicit sexual content, some of which involves the underage. Kink. Sex and violence that may trigger some people. If you know you have issues with triggers, or you just like warnings, detailed warnings are here.
Author's Summary: Sam has always had his brother, when he wanted him and when he didn't. But that was before he was the lucky recipient of a gift from faerie that Dean can't remember and John can't forget. It leaves Sam to find his own way to navigate between the 'real' world and the Winchester world and deal with guilt he can't shake, no matter how hard he tries. And trying? Is going to involve plenty of sex, rebellion (and maybe some of Dean's rock and roll. But not much).

Rec: This is one I always get back to. I love the way it explores Sam's negotiation with being normal. I adore the Sam in this fic. It's definitely Sam, our Sammy, but the fic brings out a side of his I know is there but isn't often written, in human contexts. The way that for all Sam wants to be accepted, wants to be part of society more than Dean does, when it comes to things he's committed to, he's willing to go very far in telling society to go fuck itself, to stand strong in the face of whatever consequences that brings. Another thing I love about this fic is that subs are often written as subby outside of scenes too. Here Sam fights bravely against the notion that he shouldn't sub. I love a sub (or switch, in this case) who claims their subjectivity, their right over their body, to do with as they please. Anyway, fantastic fic, and one that stayed with me.


Title: Memories of Me
Author: Gillian Middleton
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: The memory loss sort of dubcon
Author's Summary: While investigating a routine curse in a small California town Dean loses his memory. With only his brother to lean on feelings begin to develop that aren't exactly brotherly. How's Sam going to cope with that?

Rec: Perhaps because I'm newer to the fandom, and it all seems far away and magical from where I stand, I find a certain thrill in this being season 1 fic that was actually written during season 1. The characterization of Dean, Sam and the world they live in is very season 1, this pure, primal heart of the show, to me. I love fic that deals with the whole incest thing, and this one devotes a lot of time to that. And I often like fic in which a character is altered for a period of time, though they're still themselves (or pretty much), and the way they and the other character deal with it, then the way they both deal with it when it's over. This fic provides all of that, it a way I enjoyed reading a whole lot.

Title: The Fetters of Fenrir
Author: leonidaslion
Podfic: Link
Reader: kitanachan
Rating: NC-17
Author's Warnings: Forced Prostitution, Torture
Author's Summary: How far would you go to reclaim the other half of your soul?

Rec: This is an AU that breaks away from the series at the end of season 1. It's... wow. Its a lot of things I don't normally read, and it still grabbed me in a big way. It's huge, and still I kept wanting more. Just a great story, casefic of sorts... it includes two more elements I have a thing for - someone finding out about the incest and the boys keeping their ground (I want *all* the someone finds out stories!), and a solution that's not about fixing the sick person, but about realizing it's not a bad thing, just not normative.


This. There should be more fic about this.

Here is some coffee place background noise. It's nice, can be calming to have in the background. You can practically hear the sound of Jeff falling for the cute student with the floppy hair he had to share a table with, Jared blushing as he ineffectually dabs at the shirt of the long-lashed guy he spilled his pumpkin late on, Jensen getting a pep talk from BFF Danneel before he approaches the yummy stubbly guy who comes in every day, parking his motorbike outside.
In short, you'll get no work done, and no coffee. But it's nice.

Sisters:
Heh, sister and I got asked today how long we'd been together (they had to ask me three times till I understood what they were saying, LOL). Which reminded me - I'd forgotten we used to get that question a lot a couple of years back. puts all those Winchester scenes in a different perspective. Though I insist that choosing to include them, and so many of them, in a text, means a whole lot :)

Lizards:
Every night, for the past couple of nights, and I suspect before that too, two small lizards meet at a certain spot near the ceiling and chat, making small noises that first drew my attention to them. That is so cute.

Pretties!
Oh, look at all the pretties stir_of_echoes made!



It's interesting to me that Dean was the one directed to be more dominant, and Sam the one submitting, here, unlike in later seasons. In almost all of Dean's love/sex scenes in later seasons - and from what I've seen, almost all of Jensen's - stands there and experiences, gets kissed, gets touched, and reacts so beautifully I just- OK, back on track, me.I notice that in a lot of older fics Dean is considered "the obvious top". Did that change after that Sam/Ruby scene? Or unrelated?

I'm generally not a fan of the top/bottom discussion, I don't like that it links so many characteristics and relationship elements to a preference of position. Especially not when it's also linked to "being the girl", which bothers me from every one of my genders, and as a trans person too. ot to mention, having to define yourself according to your partner/force your partner to define themselves a way they don't like to keep your identity.

That said, when I disconnect it from the stereotypes and think about it as play, I like the role playing around it, like the negotiations it sometimes comes with, like the identity issues it brings up (and even more when they're Sam's, cause that's rarer), and most of all love having a variety of depictions. Since it's linked to so many things, it's lovely to be able to see the different sides of the boys in different stories, or even better - in the same stories. And it's awesome there there is so much fic in which there is definitely no clear top/bottom. I just love that there are many options, that are all considered in character.