The Leap by FriendofCarlotta ( @friendofcarlotta)
Rating:Explicit
Word Count: 83k
1961: Sixteen years after the end of World War II, Berlin remains occupied by the Allied Forces — America, Britain, France and the Soviet Union. 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.
But Cold War Berlin is a troubled place, and as more and more residents flee Soviet-occupied territory for the West, Castiel’s superiors begin to make plans to build a wall. The wall would cut off East Berlin from the rest of the city — and leave Dean and Castiel on opposite sides.
Everyone loves a star-crossed lovers story, and when Dean and Castiel are facing not only period-typical homophobia but also the enemity of their respective countries? You can taste the angst and let me tell you: it's delicious.
Castiel is a Russian police officer in East Berlin, where he walks the thin line between pleasing his superiors (who demand that he increase the number of people that he reports) and hiding the truth of his sexuality. When he can't walk that line anymore, he goes into West Berlin, where he meets Dean, an American mechanic. Interest and romance spark almost immediately, and Dean and Castiel stumble into a romantic relationship. It's dangerous though--homosexuality is still a criminal offense, and every time they meet they run the risk of getting caught and facing prison time.
Other than the tons of rich historical details, this fic offers a great relationship between Dean and Cas where they're both devoted to each other, even through the hardships they face. It also portrays a great nuanced relationship between Cas and his sister Anna, that's one of the most interesting and heartbreaking parts of the fic.
If you enjoy impeccably researched fics and Dean and Cas being willing to risk absolutely everything for the chance to be together, then you'll surely enjoy this fic!
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