What I’ve Been Reading

SPN fanfic I’ve read this week:

Woman Inflammable by vee_fic (Gen, Crossover)

A crossover with the Terminator ‘verse, this is a character study of John Winchester after Mary’s death but before he became a hard-ass hunter, struggling to cope with his two young sons. He runs into a young Sarah Connor in an LA motel, and for the space of a night their two worlds clash badly.

He jerked awake. As John opened his eyes he registered the noise: gunshots, many of them, nearby, full automatic. He jackknifed off the bed and crouched on the floor. Drawer banging out, .45 in hand, cool under his grip. He crawled toward the door and set his back to it and realized he was in his socks and then realized he had no idea where the children were.

Winchester Family Barbecues by mari4212 (Gen)

An older fic I ran across on del.icio.us - five vignettes describing five barbecues in John’s life. I loved the way this story shows John’s evolution from a teenager to husband to hunter in short, but evocative scenes.

Dean’s three years old and loves getting into everything he isn’t supposed to. It makes John laugh, especially when Mary gets this exasperated look on her face or makes a comment along the lines of “he’s your kid, you do something about it”.

A Snowball’s Chance by dreamlittleyo (Slash/Wincest, Humour)

I am not a fan of crack!fic, but the author’s summary simply compelled me to click on this link. So I’ll simply let her summary speak for itself: “Sam rules Hell. It’s a stressful job. Fortunately he’s got this brother who’s… remarkably resourceful. Silliness and sex ensue, and maybe that’s exactly what Sam needs.”

It’s the little stuff that drives him nuts. The bickering between his lieutenants, all of them anxious to be his favorite. It’s when Famine whines to him that Pestilence stole the last pudding cup that Sam decides he’s finally had enough.

The Ashen Apple of These Days by embroiderama (Gen)

Another story I found on del.icio.us, this is a bleak look at what the world might be like for Sam with Dean in Hell. There’s a lot of death and darkness and a nasty twist in the tale. My kind of fic

Sam wondered if solo hunting had been like this for Dean or Dad–days sometimes spent without speaking to another human being, months without using the name his mother gave him. He would have stopped hunting if he could see any other future for himself.

Trade by stephanometra (Het Sam/Bella)

Found this via a rec on LJ; it’s a smokin’ hot PWP written before the series canon revealed all about Bella. Consequently it doesn’t quite fit with the canon, but that doesn’t matter. Very true to character with Bella making Sam an offer that’s just a little too good to be true. My favourite part, though, is the nod to the crossroads demon: it’s a really creepy moment that gives the rest of the exchange a quite different meaning:

“Deal,” Sam says, turning to face her. He hands her the flask with the cash, and leaves his hand extended, so they can shake on it.

She pockets the cash, takes his hand, and says, “I think we can do better than that.” Then she wraps her other hand around the back of his neck, rises to her tiptoes, and kisses him.

All Talk and Andante by nephthys101 (Slash, Teenage Dean/Bobby)

A couple of very short pieces; they’re one story, really. It’s an interesting look at a young version of the horndog!Dean of canon. The characterisation of Bobby is a bit weaker but I can imagine a scene like this happening between them.

Dean doesn’t look innocent anymore. Bobby can see the dark circles surrounding Dean’s hollow, pained eyes. At fifteen, Dean looks hard and wizened. By attitude alone even Bobby wouldn’t card him at a bar. The kid had some weight to him, not physical weight, but the kind that’s paved with blood, hunting, and death. Dean has a hunter’s smile, sweet and dangerous.

I’ve Got The Night On My Side by sarah_p (Gen)

This one just breaks my heart. It takes that Bon Jovi singalong scene from No Rest For The Wicked and shows, in flashbacks to their childhood and Sam’s college days, why Dean picked that particular song and what the song means to the brothers. Though the story ends on a hopeful note it made me want to hug Sam hard…because I know what’s coming for him.

“A condition means I’m older and I get to make the rules,” Dean explained. “So condition number one: you can only sing where I tell you to.”

“So I can learn the easy parts, and you get the hard parts?” Sam perked up, excited at figuring out Dean’s thought process.

“Well, yeah. And because the part about being a cowboy is mine. It’s too cool for you.”

This Is Not A Love Song by sylvanwitch (Slash/Wincest, Darkfic)

I almost didn’t include this story because it’s a very dark view of the relationship between the Winchester brothers. That said, it’s very powerfully written (and in a style that’s quite unusual in this fandom) and the ending is a real punch in the gut. If you like a dark ending, you’ll like this story.

And there’s this moment, right here. Watch for it.

See the muscle ticking in Sam’s jaw, the way he’s breathing fast, like he’s just run a marathon pursued by a pack of creatures both carnivorous and quick?

See the scrim of doubt scroll through his eyes? He doesn’t want to do this. He’s not sure. And Dean could stop him with the right words.

But Dean isn’t paying attention.

Stranglehold by majorbrat (Slash/Wincest, casefic)

It’s Wincest, but this story has something of the tone of an episode. Dean has been cursed and Sam has to figure out how to break the curse before Dean loses his mind. I like the concept, and the way you’re never quite sure what’s real and what isn’t for Dean.

“Demon’s can’t cross over those kind of symbols, man. And the salt…”

Flinging himself down onto the other double bed, Dean let out a huff of air. “It had an explanation for it, something about curses and blood…”

Sam jumped off the other bed and grabbed for his laptop. “You didn’t feel the need to tell me that like, oh… fifteen minutes ago?”

“You were too busy trying to convince me I was crazy.”

Things Fall Apart by musesfool (Threesome Sam/Dean/Jo)

I’m not a fan of present-tense narrative, but I do enjoy the author’s sparse prose. It has the feel of a tale told over a lot of whiskey, a long time after the event. This is a dark take on Sam saving Dean from Hell, taking the broken version of Sam from Mystery Spot to its logical and unpleasant conclusion. Jo is harder than we saw her in canon, jaded and still trying to help in this world without any real hope. Even the sex is dark, unsatisfying for the participants, not always wholly consensual. What can I say? I love darkfic.

Dean’s been gone eight weeks, and except for her and Bobby, no other hunter will have anything to do with Sam and his crazy quest to bring his brother back from hell.

Jo likes having a goal, even one as impossible as this.

Sam does it, though, kills enough demons to make hell take notice, and when he kills Lilith, hell spits Dean Winchester back out. It’s a hot July night in Kansas, heat lightning splitting the clouds and the roar of thunder shaking the earth.

Crossposted from my blog at Devil's Trap. You can comment here or on the blog.