Mostly Supernatural Fic Recs

What it says on the tin… fic recs of the mostly Supernatural variety.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Dewey's Fic Recs

I’m a dean-girl who reads a lot (and writes too!), and this is where I'll share some of the fics I love.

You can also check out my bookmarks on AO3.

I'm @deweys-posts on tumblr and dewey_the_dog on AO3.

Let me know if I influence you to read a fic, and what you think. I love to talk about the fics I love!

Here are my tags

destiel (i.e. all posts)

post finale ouch or hurt dean

featuring baby jack mary my beloved

destiel for sam fans sam fans ymmv (your mileage may vary)

the ancient texts

mpreg

endverse

wips you should read

and... my own ao3 bookmarks (Which are somewhat tagged and organized. I'm working on it! 😊)

[deweys-fic-recs]

Post-Finale Supernatural Fic Recs

I went through my bookmarks and pulled out a few of my recent post-finale fix-it recommendations since I've been on a post-finale reading spree lately. Here goes:

Meet Me Halfway by prosopeya Dean and Cas get together pretty quickly -- it's fairly low angst in terms of their relationship, but there's a lot of really believable Dean figuring stuff out about himself. And oblivious Sam is oblivious!

"You're even rubbing off on Dean," Sam says, and Dean swallows his coffee the wrong way.

so you say you want a deathbed scene by @goldandtherust The author reimagined the Dean/Cas Endverse relationship and I really loved that for them — not only did we get canonverse Dean/Cas closure, but we got it got it for our Endverse guys as well. (I really fought with myself about posting the entire last couple paragraphs of the fic as a quote in this rec, but it felt kind of spoilery so just go read the fic so you can read the end for yourself!)

your ex-lover is dead Another great finale fix-it by prosopeya (seriously, they're all good!) adn we get Endverse Cas again! This is a bittersweet post-finale fix-it with an Endverse Cas that felt very true to that Cas and to our Cas at the same time. It has a lovely epilogue.

a ribbon of concrete by @soft-pine I was really impressed with the writing because there are a lot of long stretches with Dean all by himself, and I tend to lose interest when there isn't much dialogue, but not in this fic! If you like Dean-whump, this is the story for you (but also #sam fans ymmv)

From All Ills by @bethmints So many Deans and so many Castiels and I loved every single one of them! It's so imaginative and sad and funny. When I read it, I kept making myself pause so I wouldn't finish it too fast -- I wanted to savor it.

can’t find my way (home) by ladyofthelake17 So much angst and Dean-whumpage! Yum yum yum!

(If you're the author and I didn't tag you, let me know and I'll edit the post.)

[deweys-fic-recs]

The All Saints Saga by oselle

Continuing my mission to highlight the ancient texts from the founding era of Destiel, I bring you The All Saints Saga. This was written 2009 to 2011 and ported to AO3 in 2021. The kudos and comments on AO3 are sparse, but people had to have gone crazy for this incredible work back in the day, so I'm going to assume the author is buried under a mountain of kudos somewhere else!

I'm taking the summary from Part/Chapter 4 which is a good summary of the series as a whole. (Be sure to start reading with part 1 though.)

It's 2015 and the Croatoan pandemic rages on, as what's left of modern society disintegrates and a final end seems imminent. Separated from their nomadic group of virus survivors, Dean and his erstwhile guardian angel find themselves stranded in desolate Appalachia, where Castiel soon realizes that Dean has a desperate, last-chance plan to stop the apocalypse on his own. Part 4 of the All Saints Saga (this is a multi-chapter work).

It's been a while since I've done a rec, and it's because of this story! It's just so good and I wanted to rec it, but I didn't know how to do it justice. (But also because of the tags — heed them!! The author is not kidding around here! I want to especially point you to the relationship tags on part 5; things gets dark, my friends!)

So, if you're still with me, I'm going to tell you about the story in a series of bullet points culled from the notes I made as I read:

Lyrical — that's the first word I wrote in my notepad. Another note I made is author, how are you so good at writing?!?!?!?

It's an Endverse story and another note I made is Down to Agincourt, but if it was less hopeful and fluffy. Like DTA, this Cas (or 'Cass' in this fic (it truly is one of the ancient texts!)) — this Cas loves/adores/worships/lives for Dean Winchester, and when an author can write that kind of devotion, it makes me weak!

Don't skip the shorter stories that start the series and don't skip around. Think of them as chapters and not individual stories.

I think I've said something like this in one of my other recs of a S4-6 stories, but here's another note I made: There’s something about the imagination and creativity of fanfic writers envisioning an apocalypse that is so much darker and scarier than we actually got on the show. I mean, yay fans, right? Let's face it, other than the fodder for new fix-its, an actual S16 will be so disappointing, right? I mean, who else is a little bit grateful that the shitty finale drove the best writers back to the Destiel mines to fix it? I know I am!

One more note I made: ahhh, the innocence before we knew about the whole Chuck as God thing. That version of Chuck is kind of funny, but also kind of jarring, to read about out here in 2026!

Now let's talk about Sam — This may be the first Endverse fic I've read with some of Sam's POV. Sam fans, ymmv, but as a Deangirl, I kind of got Sam's motivation and point of view in this fic. Here's another note I made: I really feel for Sam girls because the character assassination starting in season 6! (I can't remember the context now, but that's a thing I wrote, so make of it what you will.)

So, that's what I have to say about The All Saints Saga. If you decide to read it, come back and let me know what you thought!

[deweys-fic-recs]

Shine by Zatnikatel

“It is you, brother. It always was. Remember what I said? You were born to this.”

Dean is gone, vanished in a flash of light. Castiel is back, with a handprint to match Dean’s and a whispered name on his lips: Michael. And Sam faces losing his brother to an archangel who fell three decades ago, as Team Free Will finds out Dean’s connection to Michael runs deeper than being his vessel, and Dean comes to terms with who he is meant to be and his growing attachment to the angel who gripped him tight and raised him from perdition…

The ancient texts! A genuine Supernatural classic that starts right after Season 5’s Point of No Return.

I’m not going to tell you what the story is about beyond the summary—the surprises are so… well… surprising, and I don’t want to spoil it. What I am going to tell you about is the relationships.

This story doesn’t smooth over the betrayal Dean feels over how season 4 ended. But—and Sam-girls ymmv—I didn’t see hate for Sam at all! Sam did what he did; he regrets it and takes responsibility. Dean knows Sam is sorry, but sometimes being sorry isn’t enough. Their relationship, forgiveness, and atonement are the heart of this story.

Bobby is a genuine delight! His deep love for the boys is on full display. The author’s note states, you don’t need to have read their previous stories to enjoy this one (true!), but reading them first will make Dean’s relationship with Bobby even more satisfying.

‘But, Dewey,’ you say, ‘I’m only here for the Destiel!’

I have great news for you! The tags describe the story as pre-slash, but that’s true only in the sense that they don’t actually slash. Dean and Castiel’s relationship is just so tender! And yet, it still feels like it could be early seasons canon.

Now, maybe you’ve read this far and you’re still saying, ‘Dewey, why would I want to read a fifteen-year-old, 120k-word story where Dean and Cas don’t even kiss? My Marked For Later is already 20 pages long! I have responsibilities! A job, even!’

Read it because our fanfic foremothers and forefathers had really awesome ideas about how the apocalypse was going to go down! Read it to wash away the sour memory of ApocalypseWorld Bobby! Read it to remember Castiel before he was anyone’s dad! Read it to forget Sam’s season 7 sideburns! And read it for Dean saying ‘fuck’ over 200 times! You won’t regret it.

Let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.

[deweys-fic-recs]

I've been reading too much Apocalypse World Bobby 🤢 lately so friendly reminder to read Shine as a little palate cleanser. In the words of my own past self:

Read it because our fanfic foremothers and forefathers had really awesome ideas about how the apocalypse was going to go down! Read it to wash away the sour memory of ApocalypseWorld Bobby! Read it to remember Castiel before he was anyone’s dad! Read it to forget Sam’s season 7 sideburns! And read it for Dean saying ‘fuck’ over 200 times! You won’t regret it.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Gallows Pole by heyshalina

They’re sitting in the den, some sort of monster movie Dean’s not watching playing lowly on the TV. Jack fiddles with his thumbs, glancing over methodically at how Dean turns the cube in his hands. “What was it like?” Jack asks, softly, throat raspy and afraid. Dean swallows dry spit. “Like being chained to a comet,” he lies, staring at the screen and seeing nothing.

This rec is for the whole series; think of it as three long-ish chapters and read the whole thing. The author posted the first fic of the series in 2019, and it's 15K words of Dean-whump, with an open ending.

This is a season 14 post-Michael-possession story, told in three parts. The first part is Dean's POV as he tries to come back from six months of Michael riding his body around and using it to turn everybody into monsters that he can control.

We learn what happened to Dean during Michael's possession slowly as the story unfolds and Dean tries to come back to himself.

It's a beautifully written story that treats Dean's mental and physical trauma realistically—at least it seems so to me—and there's no quick fix for him. Sam and Cas struggle to care for him, while also trying to recognize that Dean is owed as much autonomy as they can give him after being held prisoner in his own body for so long.

By the end of the first fic in the series, Dean has attained a measure of recovery, and, as the tags warn us, the ending is open.

I scanned the story's comments to see what 2019's readers thought of the open ending, and my favorite one is 'BITCH NO'.

Hello, 2019 Commenter, I feel your pain, but I'm here from the future to tell you that there is one good thing about the year of our lord 2025: Gallows Pole has two follow up stories now! 👍

The first story was Dean's point of view, and the second is Sam's:

Sam’s eyebrow twitches. He’s always been half-something. His entire life, Sam was always at best half himself. But there was always Dean – whole, loud, larger than life. Sam looks at him now, slack mouth and hung head, and sees nothing. A vast emptiness where his brother should be, and the void of it fills Sam with unshakable rage.

In a really clever narrative technique, the author tells us the same story, but from Sam's point of view now. Many of the events and emotions that were hinted at from Dean's limited point of view are explained from Sam's and it doesn't feel repetitive in the least!

Sam is really well-written; the author gets him! In this story, Sam tries to do what's best for Dean, while balancing his responsibilities as 'Chief' to the Apocalypse World hunters. Even when he made mistakes, they were made with good intentions, and I found myself nodding along, thinking, 'That's Sam alright!'

And now, are you wondering where Castiel is in all this? (Where's the angel?!😉)

He's in the first two stories, but since they're from Dean and Sam's point of view, his feelings and motivations are often unclear. In the third story, we get Castiel's point of view.

Sam rubs at the palm of his hand with his thumb, an old gesture Cas has not seen him perform in a long time. “It’s not that I don’t think Dean won’t get better,” Sam says lowly. “I just…if we can’t heal him, will the old Dean ever even come back?” Cas doesn’t know how to answer him, because he’s been battling the same thoughts. Behind them, Dean groans uncomfortably and tries to shift; Sam’s hand reaches out instinctively, his fingers lightly touching Dean’s ankle. “I think,” Cas starts, looking at Sam’s bunched up shoulders and Dean’s empty eyes. “That all we did was not in vain. And that I would take any version of the Winchesters than no version at all.”

The author tagged this as Slash, but their notes say you can read it as Gen. That's true—I guess—in the sense that their relationship isn't made explicit. What we are shown is the depth of Castiel's feelings for Dean as evidenced by his worry and tenderness.

This is a love story where the word 'love' is never uttered.

As always, let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Dewey's Fic Recs

I’m a dean-girl who reads a lot (and writes too!), and this is where I'll share some of the fics I love.

You can also check out my bookmarks on AO3.

I'm @deweys-posts on tumblr and dewey_the_dog on AO3.

Let me know if I influence you to read a fic, and what you think. I love to talk about the fics I love!

Here are my tags

destiel (i.e. all posts)

post finale ouch or hurt dean

featuring baby jack mary my beloved

destiel for sam fans sam fans your mileage may vary

mpreg

wips you should read

and... my own ao3 bookmarks (Which are somewhat tagged and organized. I'm working on it! 😊)

[deweys-fic-recs]

sharing because I updated the tag list 🎉🎉🎉

find something good to read this weekend!

💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚

[deweys-fic-recs]

All Things Shining by Askance (doomcountry), standbyme

Something in the world is waking up. It isn’t long before it’s brought to the attention of the Winchesters and Castiel: miracles are spreading across the country, the paranormal seems to be shrinking back on itself—and it all has something to do with the missing prayer book of a traveling preacher who died over a century ago. Dean is convinced it’s all the lead-up to another Apocalypse; Sam and Castiel aren’t so sure. Regardless, it sends them out on a less-than-typical road-trip, following the Mississippi and remnants of a very old story that seems increasingly to call to them. And along the way the trio learn much more about themselves—and the consequences and origins of love—than they’d ever have anticipated.

I've been reading Destiel forever and when I come across an older fic as good as this one, I think to myself, How?! How have I never read this?!

(the length! it's the length! 166K words!)

Don't let the length of the story scare you off! Think of All Things Shining as a full season. A series of case fics strung together by a central theme. I read the full story over many weeks; each chapter is long and felt like an episode, but the distinctive style and memorable story meant that I never felt like I had lost the thread, or needed to backtrack to pick up where I left off. The story builds slowly, but compellingly to a finale, and once I neared the end, I found it impossible to set aside. I binged the last third of it in one sitting.

I'm going to be vague about the plot, because solving the mystery along with Sam and Dean and Cas, is one of the things that makes this story so enjoyable. It opens with a hunt that turns into something else, and, with nothing to stab, the boys end up following a trail of clues to determine what's going on in the world, and what it has to do with them. More specifically, what it has to do with Dean and Cas.

The story was posted in spring 2013 (season 8), but I'm sure it didn't come fully formed from the author's mind that April—there's a real alternate season 6 vibe, with no Lisa, no Soulless Sam, and no Godstiel arc. It's just Sam and Dean and Cas crisscrossing the American northeast, midwest and south in a vaguely post-season 5 world.

The story is multiple POV, with Sam, Dean, and Cas each getting their turn. There's outsider POV too: along the way the boys meet a lot of OCs—most of those OCs belong to a religious movement, and, while they are often frustratingly vague, they are also universally kind and welcoming.

Dean: Dean is Dean! Good things are happening, and he's suspicious of them. He would feel a lot better if there was something to kill.

Cas: Human, or nearly so, and hunting with the Winchesters, he has kind of a Steve vibe, before Steve existed.

Dean/Cas: Dean and Cas's relationship grows deeper as the story progresses, and I like that they accept their feelings with relatively low angst (I'm starting to sense a theme in my fic recs!), but that doesn't mean there aren't obstacles. Overcoming those obstacles is what the story builds to.

Sam: This isn't just a Destiel story—Sam is fully and lovingly drawn. He gets his own satisfying arc that doesn't revolve around his brother and Cas. (Sam Fans, I think you'll like this one!)

So, why should you read all 166,439 words of All Things Shining?

In a world where it's difficult to find compassion—

In a world where 'suicidal empathy' is a phrase that people are not ashamed to utter—

In a world where people find their identities in policies that deprive families of health care and food—

Look, I'm probably overselling the story now—it's not the antidote to late stage capitalism. It's not going to fill your pantry with groceries, or cover your insurance premiums, but the themes of interconnectedness and community are heartening in a world that seems to celebrate selfishness.

And the writing! I want to be this writer when I grow up! The style is literary. It's dreamy. It feels like an epic poem that describes a better world, filled with better people—but those better people feel still feel real. Like maybe they're out there, and we can meet them too if only we would take a road trip like Sam and Dean and Cas and open ourselves up to the possibility of being met with kindness.

As always, let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.

(If you are the author, let me know if you would like to be tagged.)

[deweys-fic-recs]

Eat Your Heart Out, Tom Selleck by Nepenthene

Jack is four. For real, now, and everything is great. Cas is doin' awesome at the dad stuff, Sam has fully leaned into the awkward uncle Dean always knew he had lurking inside him, and Dean is... uh. Doing fine too. Trying to do right by Jack, keeping his people happy, all that good stuff.He's also in love with Cas, which, y'know. He's dealing with. So. But an encounter at the diner one day screws everything up, and in the aftermath, the carefully constructed balancing act they've been maintaining falls apart. And worst of all, this doesn't just make things hard with Cas— it threatens Dean's relationship with Jack, too. Well, hey. At least it's not another apocalypse?

If you like Baby Jack, have I got a fic for you!

Featuring Dad Cas, Dad Dean, fun Uncle Sam, and adorable Baby Jack, this story takes place vaguely post-finale. Cas has not confessed his love and he didn’t go to the Empty. All that mess has been hand-waved away in a couple sentences: ‘after they defeated Chuck and Jack turned himself into his biological age.’

While the plot kind of revolves around 4-year-old, post-finale Jack, if you’re not a Baby Jack fan (why not?!), his presence doesn’t overwhelm the story; he’s in it just enough to move the plot along (and be adorable).

Dean and Cas and Jack and Sam all live in the bunker, and the story opens with Dean retrofitting Baby to fit a car seat.

Dean is just out there, being the best dad he can be!

Tha-thunk, go the heels of Jack’s sneakers against the cabinets. “Thank you. You’re a good dad.” Dean freezes. “I’m, uh.” He looks away. “I’m not your dad, Jack. Cas is your dad.” “Yes, you are.” Jack crunches on his carrot, and Dean looks over at him again. “You take us places an’ let me sit on your shoulders an’ play Barbies with me an’,” Jack takes a big breath, “an’ you give good hugs.” He smiles. “I love you.”

All’s well until Cas gets in his head about things and determines that Dean is embarrassed that people think they’re together and, rather than checking in with Dean, starts shutting him out. (For Dean's own good! Really! 🙄)

And then, Dean gets sad about Cas’s changed attitude, and neither of them talk about it. 🙄

But don’t worry, the misunderstanding doesn’t drag out too long—I didn't find myself itching to knock their heads together! Overall, this story is low angst and sweet; it’s a really good time!

(And if you’re wondering about the title, it’s referencing that 80s classic Three Men and a Baby, starring Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson, and Tom Selleck. (Which I enjoyed back in the day, but I don't know how well it's aged.))

Let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.

(If you are the author, let me know if you would like to be tagged.)

[deweys-fic-recs]

Reblogging with a few edits now that I'm off mobile 😊.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Eat Your Heart Out, Tom Selleck by Nepenthene

Jack is four. For real, now, and everything is great. Cas is doin' awesome at the dad stuff, Sam has fully leaned into the awkward uncle Dean always knew he had lurking inside him, and Dean is... uh. Doing fine too. Trying to do right by Jack, keeping his people happy, all that good stuff.He's also in love with Cas, which, y'know. He's dealing with. So. But an encounter at the diner one day screws everything up, and in the aftermath, the carefully constructed balancing act they've been maintaining falls apart. And worst of all, this doesn't just make things hard with Cas— it threatens Dean's relationship with Jack, too. Well, hey. At least it's not another apocalypse?

If you like Baby Jack, have I got a fic for you!

Featuring Dad Cas, Dad Dean, fun Uncle Sam, and adorable Baby Jack, this story takes place vaguely post-finale. Cas has not confessed his love and he didn’t go to the Empty. All that mess has been hand-waved away in a couple sentences: ‘after they defeated Chuck and Jack turned himself into his biological age.’

While the plot kind of revolves around 4-year-old, post-finale Jack, if you’re not a Baby Jack fan (why not?!), his presence doesn’t overwhelm the story; he’s in it just enough to move the plot along (and be adorable).

Dean and Cas and Jack and Sam all live in the bunker, and the story opens with Dean retrofitting Baby to fit a car seat.

Dean is just out there, being the best dad he can be!

Tha-thunk, go the heels of Jack’s sneakers against the cabinets. “Thank you. You’re a good dad.” Dean freezes. “I’m, uh.” He looks away. “I’m not your dad, Jack. Cas is your dad.” “Yes, you are.” Jack crunches on his carrot, and Dean looks over at him again. “You take us places an’ let me sit on your shoulders an’ play Barbies with me an’,” Jack takes a big breath, “an’ you give good hugs.” He smiles. “I love you.”

All’s well until Cas gets in his head about things and determines that Dean is embarrassed that people think they’re together and, rather than checking in with Dean, starts shutting him out. (For Dean's own good! Really! 🙄)

And then, Dean gets sad about Cas’s changed attitude, and neither of them talk about it. 🙄

But don’t worry, the misunderstanding doesn’t drag out too long—I didn't find myself itching to knock their heads together! Overall, this story is low angst and sweet; it’s a really good time!

(And if you’re wondering about the title, it’s referencing that 80s classic Three Men and a Baby, starring Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson, and Tom Selleck. (Which I enjoyed back in the day, but I don't know how well it's aged.))

Let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.

(If you are the author, let me know if you would like to be tagged.)

[deweys-fic-recs]

Supernatural Fic Recs

A few of my all-time favorites gathered in one post.

Benedictions by kalmialatifolia

Dean Winchester hates everything except writing, and after five extremely unfortunate bestselling Vatican-approved Catholic erotica novels, he's starting to hate that. After a couple of lawsuits and one North American book tour, he stops for the summer in Absofuckinglutely Nowhere, Newfoundland on a 6-month visa to try and pump out a final book in the series, and try to find a little room to breathe.

Father Thursday, by contrast, doesn't hate anything; not even really God anymore.

xxxxx

I almost never read AUs and this one is almost not an AU even though it absolutely is. Castiel is a priest who is still priesting, but he’s fallen. Dean is a writer who was still raised as a hunter, but the monsters weren’t real because his dad was just hallucinating them.

This is extremely porny–like maybe one of the most porny things I’ve ever read–but somehow very emotional and tender. It’s a WIP but worth reading now and not waiting for it to finish. Plus give the author some love to encourage them to keep going.

The Trapdoor by hal_incandenza

In a moment of danger in Apocalypse World, Dean lets Castiel possess him. When they get home, they don't expect anything to be different.

Or: How to break the bonds of your narrative by stepping out of the frame. Season 13 & 14 rewrite featuring Divorce Arc 2.0, Widower Arc fallout, Cas and Jack father-son time, Mary and Dean mother-daughter time, man vs narrative minus Chuck plus Billie, and lots of casefic.

xxxxx

One of the best fics I've ever read--maybe thee best. Still a WIP so everyone please read and comment so the author is encouraged to write more! (It's still worth reading even if it stays incomplete!)

hold this space by foolondahill17

"Okay," Sam tries. "So you talked to Cas." That's one thing he knows for sure Dean said. "And Cas is out of the Empty."

"Dude, yes. Aren't you listening to me?"

It occurs to Sam what the most unnerving part is: Dean is smiling. Sam can't remember the last time he saw Dean smile. Beneath the frenetic, shivering energy, the nearly unhinged glint in Dean's eye and sickly pall, he looks – not happy. But ecstatic. Almost euphoric.

Sam swallows. "You talked to Cas. He's alive. And now he's – and where is he now?"

"Dude, come on!" Dean rolls his eyes, letting out an explosive sigh like he would when Sam was a little kid and unable to keep up. "I told you – he's possessing me!"

xxxxx

Call the police, the author murdered me in 5,692 words. A story doesn’t have to be long to pack a punch. Let me know if anyone wants to discuss this one because... Yikes!

Fight or Flight by orphan_account

Just when Dean's started to feel good about his life — the end is not nigh, and his brother and his angel are safe in the bunker — Sam and Cas start keeping secrets from him.

It's not a big deal, at least not at first. Everyone needs to play some things close to the chest. But when Dean finds out what they've been hiding, the bubble of carefree happiness he's carefully placed around his family finally bursts.

xxxxx

Let's hear it for complicated Mary Winchester! 😍😍😍

In the Blood by nightrider101, Zatnikatel With the King of Hell dead, Samuel Campbell’s grief drives him to what seems like the only course of action left to redeem his daughter: a crossroads deal. When the demon who answers Campbell’s summons tells him the blood of a very specific angel can open the gates of Purgatory, the Winchesters are drawn into a desperate search in which shifting allegiances and hidden agendas threaten all they hold dear…

xxxxx

This is an older one. As many times as I’ve watched Supernatural, I still don’t think I know what Samuel was supposed to be (just an asshole? possessed? a possessed asshole?). Maybe I’m overthinking it. Anyway, this is a good one with Samuel in it being an asshole, but also just wanting his daughter to be alive again.

I also really really really love The Woods are Lonely, Dark and Deep by Zatnikatel, but it predates Castiel. It's a follow up to the Benders in S1. The fics were uploaded to AO3 from LJ and the series is marked Incomplete but the individual stories are complete. There's another one that belongs in the series but is not included in the series which is The Killing Moon and The Killing Moon (continued). Anyway it is Dean-whump like whoa! And I love it. I'm positive there's non-con and I don't see that in the tags (possibly from being imported from LJ) so heads up on that.

Smells Like Roses by orphan_account

Dean's life is beautiful. He wants for nothing, has the pleasure of his family and friends, and is desperately, irrevocably in love with his husband. Everything is perfect, just as it should be.

Then he wakes up.

xxxxx

Another older one. When I think of Djinn dream fic, I always think of this one. I think I might have even cried a little the first time I read it.

A Chain, Two Blades and an Army of You and Me by Maldoror_Chant

Abaddon is back from the dead, and she’s managed to get her exquisitely manicured mitts on powerful magic. She’s kicked Crowley out of Hell and is setting about raising Cain. Literally. Dean only beheaded the bastard one hot minute ago, now he might be back too? Death just isn’t what it used to be…

So now Crowley and a reluctant Castiel have to break into Hell to deep six Abaddon. Even though they don’t have the Mark or the set of donkey dentures that goes with it, which is the only thing that can reliably kill the bitch (as Dean is keen to remind them).

Dean is not going to let his better half toddle off into Hell all on his feathery lonesome - or with Crowley, which is even worse. Nope, not going to happen. Time for a plan.

It’s a typical Winchester plan, aka, ridiculously dangerous, technically suicidal, and Cas and Sam are going to hate it like poison. But it’s a plan.

Time to bite the bullet and get the show on the road.

xxxxx

I have a bunch of fics by Maldoror_Chant bookmarked and this seemed like a good representation. Everybody is very BAMF in this, and this author is probably one of the funniest people on AO3.

xxxxx

If you like these recs, check my Bookmarks. I have a lot of good ones there.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Re-blogging today because Benedictions updated!

Good things do happen

🎉🎉🎉

[221b-bitch-st]

i would love to read more destiel fics where cas and sam have a friendship/interact. not sastiel fics, just fics where they actually know each other and maybe help each other help dean? idk i just want good sam representation. if you want to self-promote PLEASE do

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I combed through my bookmarks and here are some recs with either good Sam & Cas interactions, or Sam interpretations that really stood out.

Bunkers My go-to for positive Sam representation and an all-around excellent fic. No exaggeration: I have read all 277K words at least 5 times! It's my post-finale comfort fic.

The Cambion Cantrip It’s not that there’s a ton of Sam in this, but he is very much Cas’s best friend too. I wrote a rec of this on my side blog.

Redux (@valleydean) Another one for good Sam representation and a great story. I’ve read this one twice. It’s a future fic and I love Sam’s family; no blurry wife here!

Truth & Despair (@shallowseeker) Here's where I start veering into the interesting Sam interpretations category. This is the fic that opened my eyes to the concept of (as the tag says) 'Sam is a little gremlin who misses important things'. This story really influenced my own interpretation of Sam and this flavor of oblivious Sam is a lot of fun—and not mean-spirited at all: our guy is just doing his best!

And Then You Get Back Up Again Fair warning, this is actually the opposite of positive Sam representation at the start—he tries to murder Cas so—but then he gets better. (You might even say he gets back up again! 😊) I have so much affection for this Sam, and never miss a chance to rec this story.

Two Blades Series From the same author as The Cambion Cantrip (you can’t go wrong with Maldoror_Chant!) In this fic, Cas doesn’t care really care about Sam except as he relates to Dean. It's not mean-spirited—to Cas, we are all Sam: his world is divided into two categories: Dean and not-Dean. The 3rd and 4th fics are Sam-centric with the 4th fic basically Cas helping with Dean give Sam's new boyfriend (Mick Davies believe it or not!) the shovel talk, and it’s hilarious! (You really need to read these in order but, trust me, you won't regret it!)

And it turns out that I'm not above a little self-promotion: here's my crack fic where Sam's the one in the dungeon with Cas in 15x18 That Awkward Moment When, and it makes me laugh every time I re-read it so enjoy.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Reblogging from my main.

[deweys-fic-recs]

Supernatural Fic Recs

A few of my all-time favorites gathered in one post.

Benedictions by kalmialatifolia

Dean Winchester hates everything except writing, and after five extremely unfortunate bestselling Vatican-approved Catholic erotica novels, he's starting to hate that. After a couple of lawsuits and one North American book tour, he stops for the summer in Absofuckinglutely Nowhere, Newfoundland on a 6-month visa to try and pump out a final book in the series, and try to find a little room to breathe.

Father Thursday, by contrast, doesn't hate anything; not even really God anymore.

xxxxx

I almost never read AUs and this one is almost not an AU even though it absolutely is. Castiel is a priest who is still priesting, but he’s fallen. Dean is a writer who was still raised as a hunter, but the monsters weren’t real because his dad was just hallucinating them.

This is extremely porny–like maybe one of the most porny things I’ve ever read–but somehow very emotional and tender. It’s a WIP but worth reading now and not waiting for it to finish. Plus give the author some love to encourage them to keep going. #au #wip

(EDIT: Now being updated again! 🎉)

The Trapdoor by hal_incandenza

In a moment of danger in Apocalypse World, Dean lets Castiel possess him. When they get home, they don't expect anything to be different.

Or: How to break the bonds of your narrative by stepping out of the frame. Season 13 & 14 rewrite featuring Divorce Arc 2.0, Widower Arc fallout, Cas and Jack father-son time, Mary and Dean mother-daughter time, man vs narrative minus Chuck plus Billie, and lots of casefic.

xxxxx

One of the best fics I've ever read--maybe thee best. Still a WIP so everyone please read and comment so the author is encouraged to write more! (It's still worth reading even if it never gets finished!) #wip

hold this space by foolondahill17

"Okay," Sam tries. "So you talked to Cas." That's one thing he knows for sure Dean said. "And Cas is out of the Empty."

"Dude, yes. Aren't you listening to me?"

It occurs to Sam what the most unnerving part is: Dean is smiling. Sam can't remember the last time he saw Dean smile. Beneath the frenetic, shivering energy, the nearly unhinged glint in Dean's eye and sickly pall, he looks – not happy. But ecstatic. Almost euphoric.

Sam swallows. "You talked to Cas. He's alive. And now he's – and where is he now?"

"Dude, come on!" Dean rolls his eyes, letting out an explosive sigh like he would when Sam was a little kid and unable to keep up. "I told you – he's possessing me!"

xxxxx

Call the police, the author murdered me in 5,692 words. A story doesn’t have to be long to pack a punch. Let me know if anyone wants to discuss this one because... Yikes! #post finale #ouch

Fight or Flight by orphan_account

Just when Dean's started to feel good about his life — the end is not nigh, and his brother and his angel are safe in the bunker — Sam and Cas start keeping secrets from him.

It's not a big deal, at least not at first. Everyone needs to play some things close to the chest. But when Dean finds out what they've been hiding, the bubble of carefree happiness he's carefully placed around his family finally bursts.

xxxxx

Let's hear it for complicated Mary Winchester! 😍😍😍 #mary my beloved

In the Blood by nightrider101, Zatnikatel

With the King of Hell dead, Samuel Campbell’s grief drives him to what seems like the only course of action left to redeem his daughter: a crossroads deal. When the demon who answers Campbell’s summons tells him the blood of a very specific angel can open the gates of Purgatory, the Winchesters are drawn into a desperate search in which shifting allegiances and hidden agendas threaten all they hold dear…

xxxxx

This is an older one. As many times as I’ve watched Supernatural, I still don’t think I know what Samuel was supposed to be (just an asshole? possessed? a possessed asshole?). Maybe I’m overthinking it. Anyway, this is a good one with Samuel in it being an asshole, but also just wanting his daughter to be alive again.

The Woods are Lonely, Dark and Deep by Zatnikatel

I also really really really love The Woods are Lonely, Dark and Deep by Zatnikatel, but it predates Castiel. It's a follow up to the Benders in S1. The series is marked Incomplete but the individual stories are complete. There's another one that belongs in the series but is not included in the series which is The Killing Moon and The Killing Moon (continued). Anyway it is Dean-whump like whoa! And I love it. (Heads up that non-con is pretty central to the story.) #ouch #hurt dean #sam fans ymmv

Smells Like Roses by orphan_account

Dean's life is beautiful. He wants for nothing, has the pleasure of his family and friends, and is desperately, irrevocably in love with his husband. Everything is perfect, just as it should be.

Then he wakes up.

xxxxx

Another older fic. When I think of Djinn dream fic, I always think of this one. I think I might have even cried a little the first time I read it.

A Chain, Two Blades and an Army of You and Me by Maldoror_Chant

Abaddon is back from the dead, and she’s managed to get her exquisitely manicured mitts on powerful magic. She’s kicked Crowley out of Hell and is setting about raising Cain. Literally. Dean only beheaded the bastard one hot minute ago, now he might be back too? Death just isn’t what it used to be…

So now Crowley and a reluctant Castiel have to break into Hell to deep six Abaddon. Even though they don’t have the Mark or the set of donkey dentures that goes with it, which is the only thing that can reliably kill the bitch (as Dean is keen to remind them).

Dean is not going to let his better half toddle off into Hell all on his feathery lonesome - or with Crowley, which is even worse. Nope, not going to happen. Time for a plan.

It’s a typical Winchester plan, aka, ridiculously dangerous, technically suicidal, and Cas and Sam are going to hate it like poison. But it’s a plan.

Time to bite the bullet and get the show on the road.

xxxxx

I have a bunch of fics by Maldoror_Chant bookmarked and this seemed like a good representation. Everybody is very BAMF in this, and this author is probably one of the funniest people on AO3. #destiel for sam fans

xxxxx

If you like these recs, check my Bookmarks. I have a lot of good ones there.

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Cambion Cantrip by Maldoror_Chant

“But…for this to happen...” Sam’s crawling through conclusions like a soldier doing the barbwire challenge in an obstacle course. “You’d have had to… er… with a guy. Without, well, protection, and you never-” Dean flinches so hard he almost loses his footing in the bar-slash-merry-go-round. Sam takes one look at Dean’s expression - a smooth blend of horrified and embarrassed - and his jaw drops. “I was a demon!” Dean yelps.

So, this is an m-preg story, and if you're like me and enjoy memes about m-preg a lot more than actually reading m-preg, this is the m-preg story for you with the physical manifestation of the pregnancy being pretty low key.

The story takes place during season 10, right after demon!Dean tried to kill Sam with a hammer, and now he's human and dealing with the Mark of Cain.

Initially, Dean and Cas aren't together, but the author remedies that pretty quickly in a satisfyingly low-angst way. Getting together isn't the point of this story, Dean dealing with and concealing his surprise pregnancy from Cas is.

There are hints of Dean's "delicate condition" right from the start, and, since he conceived the baby during his time as a demon, he's carrying a Cambion. The story takes place before Jack entered the picture, so Dean's only frame of reference about how Cas will react is based on their interactions with Jesse the anti-Christ, and at the start, Dean is actually more afraid that the baby will hurt Cas than the other way around. (Action figure Castiel, anyone?)

Our boys spend a lot of this story apart, with Dean making excuses to avoid Cas, and Cas busy on missions from Heaven. (The angels have not fallen in this AU, and, other than not being able to fly, Castiel is pretty much fully powered.) With Cas out of the way, Dean is assisted by Sam, along with his best friend Charlie, and a not-yet-reformed Rowena. (Charlie and Rowena's dynamic is fantastic!)

If you like Dean and babies, BAMF Cas, Sam being a good brother, best friend Charlie, and clever Rowena, then this is the story for you!

Let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.

(If you are the author, let me know if you would like to be tagged.)

[deweys-fic-recs]

Shine by Zatnikatel

“It is you, brother. It always was. Remember what I said? You were born to this.”

Dean is gone, vanished in a flash of light. Castiel is back, with a handprint to match Dean’s and a whispered name on his lips: Michael. And Sam faces losing his brother to an archangel who fell three decades ago, as Team Free Will finds out Dean’s connection to Michael runs deeper than being his vessel, and Dean comes to terms with who he is meant to be and his growing attachment to the angel who gripped him tight and raised him from perdition…

The ancient texts! A genuine Supernatural classic that starts right after Season 5’s Point of No Return.

I’m not going to tell you what the story is about beyond the summary—the surprises are so… well… surprising, and I don’t want to spoil it. What I am going to tell you about is the relationships.

This story doesn’t smooth over the betrayal Dean feels over how season 4 ended. But—and Sam-girls ymmv—I didn’t see hate for Sam at all! Sam did what he did; he regrets it and takes responsibility. Dean knows Sam is sorry, but sometimes being sorry isn’t enough. Their relationship, forgiveness, and atonement are the heart of this story.

Bobby is a genuine delight! His deep love for the boys is on full display. The author’s note states, you don’t need to have read their previous stories to enjoy this one (true!), but reading them first will make Dean’s relationship with Bobby even more satisfying.

‘But, Dewey,’ you say, ‘I’m only here for the Destiel!’

I have great news for you! The tags describe the story as pre-slash, but that’s true only in the sense that they don’t actually slash. Dean and Castiel’s relationship is just so tender! And yet, it still feels like it could be early seasons canon.

Now, maybe you’ve read this far and you’re still saying, ‘Dewey, why would I want to read a fifteen-year-old, 120k-word story where Dean and Cas don’t even kiss? My Marked For Later is already 20 pages long! I have responsibilities! A job, even!’

Read it because our fanfic foremothers and forefathers had really awesome ideas about how the apocalypse was going to go down! Read it to wash away the sour memory of ApocalypseWorld Bobby! Read it to remember Castiel before he was anyone’s dad! Read it to forget Sam’s season 7 sideburns! And read it for Dean saying ‘fuck’ over 200 times! You won’t regret it.

Let me know if you love this fic as much as I do, and be sure to leave the author comments and kudos on the story.