Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Good friday y'all. Welcome back to a new fortnight of fics that I’ve read and loved recently. I took my first holiday of the year and IMMEDIATELY caught a cold that knocked me out for the week but at least it meant I got reading done. Save me, destiel, save me.

If you want to find more you can see my previous rec lists here!

29 March 2024

virga(e) by @shineforthee (art by @neversleepuntilfive) has gone straight to the top of the favourite fics ever pile, oh my god you guys, please read it immediately and admire the art that inspired it as part of @deancasreversebang. This fic is a thing of beauty from start to finish. In one version of the story of Dean and Cas, we find Castiel perpetually waiting in the desert, when a 26 year old Dean stumbles upon him drawn to the location mid-hunt. They must learn to trust each other, to figure out what's causing the push and pull that bonds them. The poetry of this fic, run through with this yearning devastating emotion on their journey together, coupled with the incredibly evocatively descriptions and research into the setting, come together to make the most gorgeous picture, the desert a place that seems desolate but is teeming with life. Much like the slowburn romance that flourishes between them. It also links back to post-canon in a way that is seeded so carefully and cleverly, and made my heart explode. It's funny, romantic, devastating, emotional, moving....I can't do justice to this fic with such a short snapshot, please read it for yourselves and come yell at me about it. It's so beautiful. shineforthee also has a great 9x06 fanfic gap one shot and an ongoing wip now too and I can't wait to read that! (Somehow need any more convincing? Check out @bloodydeanwinchester's Virga(e) liveblog).

It's all very complex by artichokeflower okay that was all very serious, so let's turn to a short and sweet smut fic that had me giggling gleefully throughout. 'After walking in on Dean's private time, Cas decides to do a little research and experimentation of his own and gets magically trapped in a book about sexual fantasies. And if that means Dean has to go in after him, well what are buddies for, right?' The thing that is just GOLDEN about this fic aside from the hot smut is the dry sense of humour, borderline French Mistake parody level porn and dialogue between Dean and especially Cas which just gets them so well...the cowboy scenes in particular. Glorious: “I’m sorry, Dean. That’s the end of the erotic violence. Are you hurt?” “Is there going to be any sex in your sexy fantasies?” Dean wheezed. “Not that the whole shoot out wasn’t fun. I just wasn’t expecting as much plot is all.” He coughed. That had probably sounded too eager.

Just Being and Just Having by Englandwouldfall I have recced before but is now complete!! This the post-canon fic series delves so incredibly beautifully into Dean and Cas’ history of miscommunication and gives them the chance to truly talk things out, finding themselves falling more deeply in love as they do so and understand their own mistakes but also what makes them work so well together when they’re no longer under Chuck’s thumb. Each chapter feels like therapy and a brain and heart massage! It sticks the landing so well and I just love these boys so much.

Something Happening Somewhen by allthismusic (@folkbloodbaths, art by @eggchef) aaaahhh time travel young Dean brought to the future to meet older Dean and Cas fic trope my beloved. A @deancaspinefest fic, Allthismusic is a fan of the trope too and this fic is a gorgeous tribute to it and the fics that came before. Cas saves 24yo Dean from an accident and brings him to the future when he witnesses what his life will be. Will Cas have to remove his memories to stop a paradox? Sweet and heartfelt, a joy to read.

Books, Pies, and Roommates by @seidenapfel (art by @kitshay) is a @deancaspinefest two-person love hexagon, with some excellently farcical misdirection. Cas moves in to the spare room of Dean's house, but he doesn't meet him, he meets Sam, as Dean is busy working. Cas is professor but helps his cousin out as a barista and his favourite customer is Deano. Dean's intrigued by the barista but he's not his online penpal and best friend Angel. Lines blur, connections are made, and hearts are gonna get broken...or are they?

Tag list under the cut, let me know if you'd like to be added! Please reblog <3

@dean-you-assbutt-cas-loves-you

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Happy Friday everyone, sneaking in a little bit late (I've been afk on a fun visit to the UK's biggest LGBTQ+ and Kink archive in London, and it was truly fascinating! Pay it a visit if you're in London.) But now I'm back with more fics that I've read and loved recently.

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

9 February 2024

The Real Prize by @doctorprofessorsong is part two of River's glorious Dean x The Cartwright Twins fics. Dean is reunited with baseball player Joe, now retired, after an eventful case. After introducing his partner Cas, they get to reminiscing, fun, and a boat load of feelings. Only River can make you get this emotional over the aftermath of a gangbang and some voyeuristic partner sharing!

Good Times, Bad Times, Past Times by @lazarus-rose (art by @avalonlights) is another fantastic @deancasbigbang fic that gave me all the time travel feels. Dean doesn't see much of a future for himself with his demon deal looming, but then he meets a future version of himself from 2023. This Dean has his happily ever after with Cas after defeating Chuck and semi-retiring from hunting. But, there's a rogue angel who has gone back in time to kill Dean before he ever went to Hell. Time for tfw to reunite for one last hunt. Brilliantly executed, and masterfully characterised. I just love it when Dean meets Dean!

five minutes to six by saintedcastiel (@aliveboydean) is giving me The Morning Show / Newsroom / Newscaster Castiel! He's been the co-host of Good Morning, Lawrence! for a little over ten years when he stumbles across the story of a lifetime. But after the segment is pulled, he is desperate to unearth the corruption behind the scenes, whilst keeping his co-host, and the man he loves, in the dark. It's got mystery, it's got espionage, it's got heist vibes, it's got intrigue!

becoming of a man by wylf_storm (@denimshortsdean) is another stunning poem, from @winchester-reload's Suptober prompt liminal. Exploring intersecting boundaries, thresholds and transitional stages. Beautifully Dean and Cas, and really layered, every time I read it I find something new.

(we are) two queens by @luckshiptoshore for everyone who's been enjoying Luck's Are You Writing From The Heart? but might have missed this prior gem! Glorious fish out of water meets stubborn self-denial King. And for all your ‘Dean’s inner critic/homosexuality narrator sounds like Crowley’ needs. In which Cas mishears an idiom and chaos (and sexual tension) ensues. The pure joy of there's only one bed fic. Hilarious, sweet, and brimming with frustrated sexual tension as ever!

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Happy Dean Winchester's 45th birthday week, and happy Friday! I was absolutely blown away by everyone's incredible posts for Dean this week, you guys. It made me all emotional.

Back with my fourth week of fics I've read and loved recently. If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

26 January 2024

american oracle by @handsliketruth and whiskeyjuniper (@satinsolace) I spent all last Sunday reading this one and it was such an immersive experience! An earthquake shakes something loose in the bunker, seemingly trapping Dean, Cas and Sam inside with it as they attempt to fix what's gone wrong, only the bunker isn't going to make it easy for them! Super creepy, twisty, reality bending and really beautifully, unsettlingly written. Whatever's happened is messing with their minds, and the creeping horror of real or not real persists, but even through that the Dean and Cas of it are really fascinating in how they navigate their intense feelings for each other. I was also incredibly impressed with how the effects of canon wrapping up were woven into the plot in such a powerfully potent way, exploring fate, free will, and the future. Really a stand out (and I know a lot of you have been reading it because I found this fic open in no less than three separate tabs in my bookmarks when I came to read it myself. So adding one more rec to the pile!)

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by @norahastuff (art by @logsdrawsthings) is a brilliant and seamlessly written missing conversations DCBB fic set in seasons 4 and 5. The dialogue is so on point for that era Dean and Cas, at times I had to remind myself what came from the show and what was brand new. As they navigate their way towards the apocalypse, and Cas watches over Dean in reality and in dreams, it seems hard to find solace. But in getting to know one another better, they both question their parts in the grand plan, and also find peace, connection, and company in their deepening bond.

A Fic About Dean’s 45th Birthday by @scoobydoodean both does exactly what it says on the tin AND made me cry lol. After Mrs Butters plants the seed in his head that he's too old to celebrate his birthday, Dean gets a little upset, but he doesn't let on to anyone. The poor man just wants to be appreciated and celebrated on his birthday! But he feels guilty about causing a fuss, and anyway, he can still show his love through making sure everyone else's days are marked for the occasion. But on his 45th, his family is acting a little suspicious, and they seem to want him to stay away. Angsty, sweet, give that man his krispy treats!!!! Check out Dean with Scoobies.

found it here in your love by nevernevergirl (@yorkesteins) is another Dean's birthday ficlet, but taking a 180 spin on it. Cas has plans. LOTS of plans. Dean deserves to be celebrated. But some pesky snow has derailed Cas' thoughtfulness, and despite his best intentions he's awfully upset about letting Dean down. "In which learning to live your life after nearly two decades of saving the actual world is a process. They're doing it together, though." Sweet, domestic, heartwarming love (even when there's a tantrum involved.)

Plus shout out to @angelsdean's I spy Dean's birthday game, @dean-isms's birthday party watchlist, and ALL of the incredible fic, art, AMVs and edits you made. TALENT.

Happilyfeatherafter's ficrec Fridays

Happy Friday everyone. Time for my third week of fics I've read and loved recently. It's been a busy one so just a few this week, but they're all brilliant and with fortuitous timing if you're not one to read WIPs as two are about to be completed this weekend. If you missed last week's you can find it here for more!

19 January 2024

it dawns darling on the daffodil pastures by fleeceframe (@tasteslikevelvet) - what can I say? I audibly gasped when I saw the email notification that this had been posted. Every fleeceframe fic is like being gently told it's okay to slip away for a little while and just feel, and oh boy does this one deliver on that promise. A new instalment in the lovely garden tending series, but can be read as a standalone, this features sweet subby Dean asking his gentle dom Cas to take care of him, with as fleeceframe says "religious tones in the sexy fashion, and a decent amount of plot sprinkled in." When a hunt almost ends in disaster, Dean reflects on what it means to have the unconditional love of his angel watching over him. (Siri, play Radio Company.)

Wait for the Ricochet by @bobwess gives me all the time travel shenanigans I could hope for bringing a young teen Sam and Dean forward to the bunker to meet tfw circa season 12. A wip, it just updated with a new chapter that totally made me cry with all the young queer feelings. A lovely balance of fish out of water plot and coming to terms with a future whilst reckoning with your past, with wonderful sibling dynamics as well as a burgeoning destiel relationship that's still tentatively feeling it's way.

where there is darkness by quiettewandering (@wanderingcas) has been such a wonderful wip to follow along and the final chapters are being posted this weekend HAVE JUST BEEN POSTED!!! so there's no better time to start reading. I'm not ready to let these guys go! With an incredible amount of research, this is lighthouse keeper Dean (and Sam) in a post-war setting exploring how Dean keeps a handle on his ptsd whilst also grappling with having seen his father die. Meanwhile Cas has a past packed full of secrets, and where better to run and hide than a job at an isolated lighthouse where nobody knows him. They're each other's lights in the darkness whilst the ghosts of the past haunt them all, in this eerie and gothic romantic story that truly grips you by the throat.

Fortunate Son by @friendofcarlotta is another wip that's about to post its final chapter NOW COMPLETE and absolute masterclass in character development. Set during the Vietnam war, Sam is a law student and conscientious objector, Cas the son of a strict rich and religious family who is bought out of participating, and Dean determined to follow in his father's footsteps to become a war hero like the stories he heard when he was younger. Despite butting heads at first, Dean and Cas soon find themselves falling for each other. But the war is vicious, and unjust, and they all must grapple with how it impacts their lives in unexpected ways.

(and heck, because I can, and because this is what I was doing last weekend in lieu of reading, here's my Dean Winchester SPNWIN voiceover audio post, and my first ever attempt at an AMV fanvid featuring Ada Monroe).

Happilyfeatherafter's ficrec Fridays

Back for my second week of fics I've read and loved recently, as well as a couple of throw backs. If you missed last week's you can find it here for more!

12 January 2024

Altitude by enochianprayer (@chapeldean, art by @hornystiel here and @naughtystiel here) is a wintery delight, in which Dean is a seasonal worker in a mountain lodge and Castiel is a hiker who's passing through. Enchanted by their brief encounter with each other, Dean can't get Cas out of his head, and Cas' questioning leads him to find something holy in the revelations he stumbles upon at the lodge. Sweet and romantic, wild and wandering, cosy and brave.

boy leave your boots by the bed by an_ardent_rain (@alulangel) is a post-canon fix it, a smutty cowboy kink (shh yes this WILL be a recurring theme on my rec lists), wish fulfilment fic for the spn bang bang with one of my favourite tropes of Dean and Cas going on little dates without really realising they're going on little dates, whilst pining. Plus absolutely wonderful banter:

Cas squints and ignores that.  “Technically, you could say that this heaven is still ‘in beta’ now,” he says, and he uses the air quotes and it’s so adorable Dean bites the swell of a bottom lip to hold in a fond smile.  Cas is, as always, a giant dork.  “But we are soliciting feedback.”

“Yeah, you got a heavenly suggestion box?  Hotline for complaints?  Five stars, would die and spend eternity here again?”

“There are… more than five stars, Dean.”

Sweet Science by emmbrancsxx0, (@valleydean) is now complete, a 12 days of smutmas challenge continuation to the incredible destiel 1930s boxing au Heavyweight. Cas and Dean are on a romantic winter retreat to get out of the spotlight against the backdrop of the burgeoning economic depression in New York, both seeing the boxing world become harder to maintain a living. With Cas secretly planning to retire, and not yet letting on to Dean, can they navigate their future whilst still maintaining their hard fought for trust? I love these guys so much and am so glad to be back in their world.

The Root of this Love by kathscradle is for all the bearded!Misha fans. May he have survived the acrylic paint incident. The very short and sweet and sexy premise: Cas is hairy, now that he’s human. Dean can’t get a grip on himself. (But he sure can get a grip on Cas!) Smutty body hair celebration and body worship.

Just Being and Just Having by Englandwouldfall is the post-canon fic series I drop everything to read every time there's a new update. It delves so incredibly beautifully into Dean and Cas' history of miscommunication and gives them the chance to truly talk things out, finding themselves falling more deeply in love as they do so and understand their own mistakes but also what makes them work so well together when they're no longer under Chuck's thumb. Each chapter feels like therapy and a brain and heart massage! Two chapters left to go of Just Having, dive in now so you can lose your mind with me when it's complete.

Solitudes by ilovehowyouletmefall (@angelinthefire, art by @hawkland) is set in season 12 after Cas is nearly killed by Ramiel. Dean is close to acknowledging his feelings, whilst Cas is weighed down by the responsibility to find Kelly, but he agrees to help out on one more hunt before he leaves. Trapped, they encounter a monster which makes both of their nightmares come true...or so they think. Witnessing each other's despair, this is a haunting and genuinely creepy story that will make your heart ache.

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

It's February!! Welcome back to another week of ficrecs. A mix of post-confession therapy, poetry, and glorious AU this week. (I thought I'd not read much because this week has been, quite frankly, a bastard, but apparently this was a lie!)

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

2 February 2024

maybe i like pleasure pain by tothewillofthepeople (@kvothes). After the perfect darkness of the Empty, Cas finds the world a little…overwhelming. Dean tries to help. Post 15x18, Cas is both touch starved and touch sensitive, and the sensory overload of the world can be a bit too much. He craves Dean's touch, but resists asking for it. A really beautifully written, metaphor laden examination of chronic pain, disability, trauma and the physicality of the body and nebulous presence of mind. All wrapped up in an abundance of love and devotion. Absolutely gorgeous.

Prayer to a False God by K_A_Mindin (@katerinaalianovamindin, art by @gaytedlasso for @spnbangbang) It’s been two years stuck in the Empty, where the Shadow showed him his worst mistakes over and over again. Then he's brought back, to Jack and to Dean, and silence continues to rein, the unspoken acknowledgement of the confession lingering in the air...until Cas decides he needs to stop letting silence rule. Alongside the emotional pull of this thread, the D/S dynamics which grant Dean the permission to speak his truths, through prayer, and through physical release, are a joy to behold.

i like your shoelaces (thanks! i stole them from the president) by @you-cant-spell-subtext-without is a brilliantly funny take on Misha's "Dean is a custodian in a fast food restaurant. Castiel is the President of the United States" fic prompt from a convention, told through the narrative hook of a Cinderella story. Delightfully tongue in cheek, and laugh out loud, this is currently a wip but a must read to bring joy to your inbox each update.

FROTUS by kathscradle takes the very same prompt but approaches it in a very well executed slowburn that says ok but seriously what if? My favourite thing about this fic is the importance of family, Cas being the widowed single parent of Jack and Claire, and Dean stepping up in his new role as step-Dad. Add in the slowburn relationship unfolding through long distance hyper-monitored correspondence, and all the national security matters at hand, this longfic gave my The West Wing/Scandal/Destiel brain a great big hug.

birthday candles by rhinestoneangels (almondrose/@pinknatural) is a super cute, ever so charming Dean's birthday ficlet in which Castiel's sister Anna drags him to a birthday party for a friend of hers who he has never met. He googles what to bring to a birthday party and settles on baking cookies...one fire later and fortunately, the firefighter who shows up to save Castiel from himself is very dreamy, and what a coincidence! It's his birthday, too….

I've also fallen down a rabbit warren of destiel and spn poetry, and I really really love this one by @whatladybird and this one by @eyelinerdean, @donestiel's incredible poetry gif edit series and I'm very excited to keep reading more on the @spnpoetryrenaissance blog. Has anyone seen a 2024 prompt list? Asking for reasons.

PS if you'd like to be added to a tag list for my ficrecs going forward please let me know!

Happilyfeatherafter's ficrec Fridays

In an effort to actually post on my own blog and not just tag rant I'm going to try and start doing what makes me happy - shouting about the fic I've read and loved recently! ETA: thank you @bloodydeanwinchester for the inspiration and impetus to share recs last week!

So introducing my ficrec Fridays.

5 January 2024 ficrecs

Beggars Would Ride by tiamatv was recommended to me by @ilarual and I am so glad I dived in on their suggestion. Combining two of my great loves, destiel and disney's Aladdin, this AU fic has an absolutely gorgeous depiction of a genie Castiel, in all his trueform splendour! Tia does an incredible job interweaving the two stories, with street rat Dean doing what he must to support his brother and his community, and maybe just maybe finding love and freeing a genie in doing so.

Everlasting by @entropic-saudade (art by @golby-moon) is a recent fic from the stabfest bang, featuring a grieving post-15x18 Dean, and a still adjusting to having Kaia back Claire. It also beautifully examines the parallels between Dean and Claire, and their joint tendency for flirting with people by comparing scars. Achingly romantic, Dean is looking for a way to bring Cas back, and Claire is seeking a momento of Kaia to keep close to her forever...and what's love without a little stabbing?

As A Friend by imogenbynight (@thevioletcaptain) is absolutely best summed up by it's own summary: In which Dean accidentally learns about Castiel's porn preferences, and one thing leads to another. With one last chapter pending, this fic is a smutty delight, in which a newly human Cas in a post-Chuck defeated world and a still adjusting Dean learn a thing or two about each other and decide the best thing to do is lean into it with a secret no strings friends with benefits kink exploration set up...what could possibly go wrong?

doors unlocked and open by sidewinder (@hawkland, art by @fluffsnake) brilliantly combines The Winchesters finale with a post-canon continuation, in which Cas has become the new ruler and embodiment of the Empty whilst Jack is busy restructuring heaven. But Dean is not finding peace, not even in Jack’s improved afterlife, and has instead been traversing the Axis Mundi in the search of his family...in search of Castiel. But there might be a new fate to await them.

tie your wrists with leather by kalmialatifolia is a short but sweet post-canon D/S kinktober fic, in which Cas gets Dean spread eagle in leather cuffs leading to this exchange which captures their voices so perfectly:

“Jesus, Cas,” is all Dean says, and then, as Castiel crawls between his spread legs, “They—they smell good. They smell…” He laughs a little, a soft huff. “Like the Impala? Kind of?”

Castiel snorts, putting his hands on the backs of Dean’s knees and spreading his legs just a little farther apart. Dean goes easy. “Yes,” he says dryly, “I thought you might like that.”

and if that wets your appetite for a longer form wip, then reclusive secret romance novelist Dean and Priest with a past Cas are getting up to all sorts in their fic Benedictions.

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Back back back again, and I don't know guys, I think we should all just totally stab Caesar! Welcome back to a new fortnight of fics that I’ve read and loved recently.

If you want to find more you can see my previous rec lists here!

15 March 2024

Are You Writing From the Heart? by  @luckshiptoshore is now complete!! Congrats Luck! Full disclosure, Luck is one of my very best friends, but that just means I know not only how much of a talented fic writer she is, but also how much of her heart and soul she poured into writing this love letter to queer storytelling, season 4 Destiel as a romcom, meta text (and subtext), and finding out who you really are when society and your upbringing is fighting against you. Castiel is a ghostwriter for L.S. Shore's Supernatural novels about Neal and his brother. Caught in a storytelling rut, Cas finds himself adding the fallen angel character of Bel...what could possible go wrong? Meanwhile at his local writing coffee shop spot, he meets the handsome stranger Dean who is an up and coming standup comedian and Supernatural fanboy. They because firm friends, but that's definitely it because Cas is straight....right?! Following these two dummies as they FAIL TO USE THEIR WORDS is a total joy, as Luck's humorous and emotional writing paired with her eye for detail is so very on point, and I'm so excited more people will finally get to read this story in full.

Baker Six by komodobits because !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how goddamn excited I was to get this email notification and finally be back in 91w world, and to witness these early stages of Dean and Cas' relationship through Dean's eyes at last. This barely needs a rec because it's THEE 91w Dean, but komodobits hasn't missed a beat in getting back inside their heads and I was once again swept away by this iconic love story against the odds. Head the trigger warnings as always, this is truly on the front lines as a medic in a war zone. Baker Six was written for the very good cause of the fandom Palestine fundraiser, in support of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Please donate if you can!

Truth & despair by @shallowseeker was a recent discovery and such a fascinating read! It's set in a post-15x18 verse, but importantly it features a fun Sam narrative perspective that delights in his lens by...being a bit of an unsympathetic oblivious dummy (affectionate). I really appreciate a crunchy Sam characterisation and oooboy does this pay off. Dean is steeped in his grief for Cas, and Sam is oh so concerned. He reaches out to Mia Vallens to understand his own grieving, and that leads to him making a discovery...Dean's memories of Cas' death aren't what he claims happened. With the unwelcome reappearance of Chuck (he lost...didn't he?) and LITERAL sinkholes appearing in the fabric of the universe, can they figure out what's happening to save Cas and save the world? This wip plays with physics, theology and narrative fuckery in such intriguing ways. I can't wait to see how it wraps up in the next two chapters.

The Leap by @friendofcarlotta started reading this one when Tina reshared it on Leap Day...because of course. I'd actually read it before but it more than lived up to the reread. 'Castiel Krushnic is a police officer in Soviet-occupied East Berlin. He is also gay, in a city where that’s a dangerous thing to be. One night, he meets Dean Winchester, a mechanic from the American sector. Their mutual attraction is instant, and a convenient hookup quickly turns into a passionate love affair that defies all rules and expectations.' Meticulously researched, emotional, heartrending and thought provoking. I highly recommend taking the leap on this fic!

See you in two weeks and OMG it's @deancaspinefest time!!!! I'm so excited *clears calendar*

Tag list under the cut - let me know if you'd like to be added to be notified of future recs!

@dean-you-assbutt-cas-loves-you

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Welcome back to a new week of fics that I’ve read and loved recently.

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

23 February 2024

A Call To Motion by @banshee1013 (art by @nickelkeep) is a delightful dancer fic from the @hoziernaturalevents mini bang! After becoming mesmerised by modern dance when passing by the studio on his way to work, Dean becomes Rowena's protege student. She tells him about an opportunity at a dance company in Kansas City, alongside Castiel Shurley, the man who's audition for the Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York inspired him to pursue his new-found passion. Cas is going through his own turmoil, having been cheated on by his former lover Ishim. With no one to dance his love inspired duet with, he's left adrift. But that all changes when Dean dances into the picture. So much great tension, camaraderie and the love inherit in a shared passion for dance. I adored it.

Mourning Doves by abstractthinking (@cascigarette) for @destielvalentinesexchange: 'The mourning dove symbolizes spirituality, hope, peace, freedom, and love. Some believe they are messages from angels.' This is a really sweet, quiet in the best way little valentine's one shot. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and Dean wants to make it special for Cas. He's not really gone in for Valentine's Day before, but he's ready to fully embrace the romance of the occasion. Cas is somewhat befuddled by the need to manufacture romance, when their lives are already inherently romantic when in each other's company. Together they find a gentle balance of appreciation.

We Are Either Here Or Not Here by @hufflepuffdean (art by @armellin) is a 2017 @deancasbigbang fic post-12x23, in which Mary brings an AU!Cas back to a mourning Dean. Castiel is stubborn, judgmental, infuriating - and the best shot Dean has at getting Cas back. The conversations start as Dean’s last hope, but they soon turn into his version of catharsis. When Cas does find his way back, he comes along with stories of his own. I love the way this fic takes a possible spin on season 13 canon, leaning into the ensemble cast, and through it all keeping such a wonderful thread of yearning between Dean and Cas as they set out on a journey to forgive and better understand each other, between the universes.

The Day in the Palm of Our Hands by tabaqui - A DeanVictor fic! I'm normally a total otp fic girlie, but I love the possibilities inherent in Dean and Victor Henriksen's early seasons storyline dynamics, and what could have been had we got to keep him. Their chemistry is so great. So here's that story. Victor can't shake the supernatural world, and turns to Dean and Sam to learn hunter 101. Along the way his and Dean's heated eye contact trips into something more. A lovely glimpse at a possible canon timeline divergence circa season 3.

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Happy Friday everyone, back after a long and busy work day with some more fics that I've read and loved recently.

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

16 February 2024

dreams of the lonely by @hellverse is a beautiful, bittersweet open ended one shot that's aching with feeling. In an ambiguously post canon setting, Cas visits Dean in his dream. He attempts to comfort him. So much packed into these words.

Too Many Lovers (Not Enough Love) by @tlakhtwritesdestiel is a super fun take on a voyeurism 'Cas can watch' turned threesome one shot smut fic! I love the sense of intensely trusting friendship as well as of course yet-to-be-acknowledged feelings that runs through this. When a cocktail waitress propositions Dean and wants Cas to watch, it's the beginning of what will become a habit involving several other people - and maybe something more? *fans self*

El Tango de Amor by @literaryoblivion is a comfort reread of an old fave. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Dean sneaks out for a dance class. A dance class taught by a one Castiel Novak. Having already caught feelings, he's caught by surprise when Cas asks him to be his tango partner for a competition. Sweet, heart-warming and romantic.

The Soul Burns Brighter Than The Sun by Wow_thisiswheremylifeis (@ipromiseimlying-blog1 ) this one's a long fic that I'd been reading for the last few weeks! Post-confession, Cas made it back from the Empty, but in his fear of Dean's rejection, he didn't tell the brothers...which Jody didn't know. In escaping from the Empty, Cas broke it even more with the unstable fluctuations of his fledgling soul. Now the inhabitants of the failing plane of existence are escaping, and tfw must stop them. All whilst dealing with the emotional fallout. I really loved the unique take on angel ritual and bonding here, as well as some truly creepy case sidequests.

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Happy March, happy Jackles day! Welcome back to a new week of fics that I’ve read and loved recently. I've been reading books offline, so just the one rec this week, but it's a really good one.

If you missed last week’s you can find my previous rec lists here for more!

1 March 2024

wasteland, baby! by skiesaregray (@deaniewithalittleweanie with art by @deancodedcastielenby) was such an interesting take on making a Croatoan post-canon fic! Especially the way Cas' return from the Empty manifested in a way that correlated so well and yet so distinctly with the End. And with a really fantastic Michael cameo too. 'With his dying breath, Chuck releases the Croatoan virus onto the world the Winchesters just tried to save from him. Fueled by rage, Dean rescues Castiel from The Empty, but the angel comes back with a screw knocked loose and most of his grace depleted. They're resigned to the fact the world is ending, that is until Sam finds a lead on restoring a very weak Jack’s powers.' I loved the complicated dynamic Dean and Cas' relationship took in this one and the ways they untangled the knots in their communication to find their way back to each other.

Hello, I'm Charlie. Mid-30s, and a longtime fandom bod. (I survived glee fandom, spn is lightweight in comparison! But I'm an SG1 og, and also currently spinning out about 911 @biasbuck)

Welcome to my destiel brainrot side blog (I like/follow from @dreamalottie but all the SPN is mostly contained here). With sprinklings of TFW 2.0 and my beloved SPN women.

I started watching Supernatural properly (after a 2011 false start) in early 2019 and was here in the trenches watching live through the end.

I have a great appreciation for the work that goes into creating television media and will mostly be posting from the understanding that a huge amount of talent goes into getting a show off the ground, and often the restrictions placed upon those same people come from way higher up than people care to recognise.

I've started happilyfeatherafter ficrec fridays - find the collection here

I mostly enthusiastically reblog and tag comment, and am in constant awe of the limitless talents of passionate fans. I'm here for Jensen and Misha's ongoing film & tv projects and adjacent media, cons, fandom projects, and all things deancas.

Also love SPNWIN, and the friends I've made through watching it together. Here's my The Winchesters Dean VO post if you're searching for it.

'Dean's core is a hurt child with a thick shell of bravado' - Eric Kripke (x)

Thanks fandom. I'd rather have you, cursed or not.

💚💙