Deeper and Deeper into the World by peridium
Wordcount: 46,812
Rating: E
Summary: When Metatron breaks free of the library, Castiel’s grace in hand, and disappears, Castiel is left human-- and angry. Angrier than he’ll admit until, late at night, Dean coaxes it out of him: Castiel is pissed and he wants revenge. He wants it enough to pursue Metatron, reckless and without a plan, across the Atlantic with Dean at his side, knowing how badly he wants Dean and how likely it is that one or both of them will die along the way.
Their search takes them all across the world, from London to Omsk to Tokyo and between. Far from home with no one but each other, Castiel’s grace missing and the Mark still on Dean’s arm, Dean and Castiel find the flimsy barriers between the two of them dissolving. (Canon-divergent from 10.18.)
Part of the reason I love this fic so much is the way it feels like both a canon-verse and an AU story. It’s canon-divergent from mid-S10, so we get all the excellent characterization and the weight of history between Dean and Cas, but they’re sent off on adventures we would never see on the show, travelling across the world in pursuit of Metatron and Castiel’s Grace. It’s so much fun to take our beloved characters and put them in these entirely new contexts and watch the way they interact with the world at large. It’s also a great way to explore Dean’s language kink.
There’s a slow but steady build of the relationship between Dean and Cas in this that really appeals to me, both of them fairly sure of their feelings but hesitant about finally acting on them. They’re both suffering in different ways: Dean with the Mark of Cain, Castiel without his Grace, and it’s beautiful to watch the way they reassure each other that they’re still themselves, they’re still worthy, they’re still loved. Taking them outside of their comfort zones really allows them to deepen their connection in a way they haven’t before, and it feels both genuine and earned. With all the travelling, there aren’t many appearances by canon characters (other than a wonderful surprise at the end), but some well-drawn original side characters help to fill in the world. And in addition to the relationship plot, the main action is a compelling quest for revenge with an extremely satisfying ending. Really, this story has everything, highlighted by some truly gorgeous artwork by casblues.
