#spy!cas

[destielonfire]

cold war spy destiel AU fic rec

All Your Lies by @spearywritesstuff

Wordcount: 102k; Rating: Explicit Summary: When Sam is captured in East Berlin, in the summer of 1953, there is some fear that he’ll be lost to them forever. However, Agent Dean Winchester catches a lucky break. His agency has captured a KGB agent. They’ve negotiated prisoner exchanges before, but only after they had extracted what secrets they could. And Dean has enviable skills when it comes to interrogations. His prisoner, Dmitri Krushnic, though, seems to know too much, and he also seems to be somehow familiar. The more time he spends with the prisoner, the more questions he has, about the past, about what he lost in the war, and about the truth that he wasn’t ready to see. 

You know those fanfics that are so incredibly well-written, with a story so meticulously researched and well-crafted and rich, multi-faceted characters, that they make you think that these would absolutely (deserve to) be published if they were original fiction and not fanfic? To me, this is one such fic.

From the first page, the story will grip you and not let go until you either pass out from sleep deprivation or finish it. The worldbuilding is excellent and it’s obvious that the author did their homework - there are many details that add a lot of atmosphere to the fic and really immerse you in the tension and the mistrust that was so characteristic of the cold war era. The POV alternates between Dean and Cas, which adds an extra layer of excitement as the story often cuts away from one character to another at a crucial point, leaving you on the edge of your seat. There are no superfluous scenes - everything that happens has a purpose and either moves the plot (which has many twists and turns) forward, or reveals something important about the characters.

Dean and Cas are both compelling, multi-faceted characters whose background story is revealed slowly and in a natural way. Their interactions always left me wanting more - anxious as I was for them to just figure out a way to make it work. I shared in their joy, pain, longing, sadness and heartache. Some scenes were like a punch to the gut. It’s left me feeling all raw and emotional. The side characters such as Bobby, Sam, Crowley, Andrea, Uriel and Karen, aren’t just there as “window dressing” - they all get a turn to shine and were thus equally compelling.

Before this rec turns novel-length, I’ll just say that everything about this fic just worked for me, and I don’t usually even like spy/cold war era stories. I can’t recommend this enough. Give it a chance, you won’t regret it.

[thekingslover]

(for imjustabitch, who wanted some spy!cas)

The madmen with guns hadn't listened, insisting that Cas was some badass CIA agent, which - what? If Dean hadn't been tied up, fearing for his life, he would have laughed at the misunderstanding. His Cas couldn't even tie his tie by himself.

They left Dean alone in the tent, promising torture later, telling him, "You better hope your husband shows up," and then laughing.

Dean figured he was going to die. He'd been on borrowed time anyway, ever since Cas saved him from his own bad habits. He hoped Cas was okay. Whatever this trouble was, they clearly wanted him. Dean didn't really care what happened to himself, as long as Cas was okay.

Dean didn't even get to say goodbye this morning. He'd left when Cas was still asleep, wanting to get to the library before work so he could check out... Well, his night school reading list didn't really matter now that he was going to die.

A few loud pops sounded outside. Dean knew gunshots when he heard them. People shouted. More gunshots. People running. Bullets splintering wood, dirt, and, well - not dirt.

And then silence. Cold, empty silence.

"Dean," Cas said from the flap of the tent and Dean wondered if he was dead and this was a dream. But Cas didn't look happy to see him; he looked terrified. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Cas," Dean said. "They just tied me up."

Cas ran to him and pulled a knife from the inside pocket of his suit coat. He flipped it open with expertise.

"You're not a tax accountant, are you?" Dean asked.

Cas pressed his lips together in a tight line and shook his head. "We'll talk about it once you're safe." He leaned forward to cut Dean's binds free, and Dean felt Cas tie brush against his hand - his perfectly tied tie.

Cas had tied his own tie.

"When were you going to tell me?" Dean asked.

Cas freed Dean's wrist and moved to the next.

"You weren't going to," Dean guessed.

"Dean, please," Cas started.

"Damn it, Cas. We're married!" Dean said, because he got it, he did. If Cas was really a super-secret spy then he had to keep it a secret, and maybe that shit would have flown if they were just dating but they're married. They had been married for six years. "Jesus."

"Later," Cas said again, moving to free Dean's legs.

"And that damn tie," Dean growled. Maybe the lie over the tie hurt more than the lie of the job. Protecting others, Dean could maybe forgive, with some groveling and a lot of pie and affection, but he couldn't forgive the basic unnecessary lying. If Cas lied about being able to tie his tie, maybe he lied about everything.

"You weren't there," Cas said like that explained anything.

"Yeah, I get it. No reason to keep up the ruse if I'm not around," Dean said. He rubbed one wrist where the rope had marked his skin, trying to focus on that pain and not the kind splintering his heart.

Cas looked up at him, brow furrowed. "What?"

"I just don't get why you even bothered with me, Cas," Dean said. "Why marry me?" And as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew. "Oh my God, I was just a cover."

Cas' expression shifted from confusion to hurt and Dean's gut flip-flopped a little - which he hated. Why should he feel bad? He wasn't the one who lied.

"I married you because I love you," Cas said, and his eyes were wide and earnest. Dean wanted so badly to believe him. Cas cupped Dean's face with his hands. "They took you because I love you - because you mean everything to me." He took a breath. "We need to talk and we will. I'll explain everything -"

"And you'll grovel," Dean added.

"And I'll grovel," Cas agreed without hesitation. "But I have to get you to safety first." He stood and pulled Dean up to his feet, out of the chair.

Dean stumbled and grabbed at Cas for support, one hand catching his shoulder, the other clinging to his tie - which pulled away with barely a tug.

Dean held up the tie. It was a clip-on.

Cas blushed. "I told you, you weren't there," he said. "I can't tie it without you."

Dean felt relief and love and hope. Maybe everything wasn't a lie, after all. He could still be pissed though.

"I want an apology pie," Dean said. "Lots of 'em."

"Yes, Dean," Cas promised.

[fairy-changeling]

AU in which Dean Smith is married to cute little house husband Castiel. Every morning, Cas sees him off at the door with a kiss and specially made pack lunch containing all the vitamins and protein Dean needs. 

What Dean doesn't know is that Castiel is actually an assassin and spy and while Dean's at work, Castiel is carry out his day job.

When Cas goes away on assignment he tells Dean he has to visit one of his brothers (who look nothing alike which always confuses Dean as he doesn't realize they're other agents/Castiel's handlers.)

Castiel makes sure that the fridge is stocked with home cooked meals and he labels them so Dean knows what's for when. He always makes sure to call Dean at 8pm on the dot, no matter what he's doing, even if he's just taken a kill shot. 

Dean has no idea how dangerous Castiel is and Castiel wants to keep it that way. He loves Dean and he loves the normalcy of their life together. He loves that Dean slaps his ass and calls him 'honey'. He loves that Dean isn't afraid to pick him up and spin him around or dip him for a long, slow kiss. Dean's the only person Castiel lets himself be vulnerable with because he trusts Dean completely. 

And if anyone ever threatened Dean, Castiel would kill them.