#author: aileenrose

[profoundbondfanfic]

An Exploration of Habitat

An Exploration of Habitat by aileenrose Rating: Mature Word Count: 11k

Dean's afraid of heights, and Cas lives in a tree.

It's difficult to have a long-distance relationship in general. More difficult when one party lives in a tree and hasn't come down for almost three years. Particularly difficult when the other party is someone who is absolutely terrified of heights. But since it's Dean and Cas, they make it work for each other!

This fic packs a punch for only 11k words. Cas is an accountant turned protester, who's been living in a redwood tree threatened by logging for the past three years. Dean is the curious bystander drawn close who gets a chance to meet him -- after being dragged up almost a hundred feet in the air. Once Cas and Dean meet, they discover that they have more in common than not, and they start to open up to each other about their fears and hopes.

Cas is completely charming and vulnerable as someone with doubts who only wants to do the right thing, but who doesn't think he could ever live up to the expectations of others, while Dean is completely charming as the guy who helps to break Cas out of his shell and reassure that him that he's completely worthy. (Also, Dean delivers news about Gangnam Style, and who could live without that?) Definitely give this one a look for something short and sweet--and yet still profound!

[diminuel]

Weird ask but I have been pretty much out of fandom for awhile and you're the only blog I could remember but every year I read a destiel fic around Thanksgiving. Castiel works for the butterball turkey hotline and Dean calls and gets some turkey tips and Sam makes some assumptions. And I just remembered the name! Feast of Assumptions!!!!! I'm still sending this because I'm too excited not to share this beautiful moment with someone!!

Haha, happy to know that I seem to be a constant enough that you did remember me ;DD (I have been here for long, so maybe it's not a surprise) I do know the author, but not the fic!

Feast of the Assumptions by Amazonia_8

(I did a bit of a search through it since it's explicit without tags, and it does seem to feature at least one bottom Dean scene which isn't what I tend to read. But maybe others will be interested :3)

As a Swiss person, Thanksgiving means nothing to me (apart from the fact that sometimes Thanksgiving is on my birthday) but there is a holiday fic, that also features Thanksgiving that I remembered right away, so I'm taking inspiration from you to share it!

Love, Take Your Toll by aileenrose

[no-gorms]

hi annie :) i recently found u on ao3 and it was le coup de foudre with all ur destiel fics!!>.< do you have any fic recs for authors like you? i love your characterisation of those two!! (yk and bottom!cas 🤌🏻)

----

Hellooooo hi, I'm glad you're having fun with the lot!!! I haven't written Dean & Cas in years but they will always be in my heart💖

As for recs, this is a tough one! I have a lot of bookmarks but it's been a while and my memory is spotty, plus it looks like I haven't read anything new in the last 1.5 years.

But I did a quick look-see and here's some of my fav authors that I think have a similar vibe? Or at least I'm super fond of their works: aileenrose, kototyph, cloudyjenn, violue, museaway, luchia, trinityofone. I hope you find something you like!

[batattta]

destiel fic recs pt.4

heeeeeere we go again

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

part 4/?

new testament 'verse (15 works, 47k, g-m) the most underrated work imho. i have no words to describe this one. it makes me FEEL. sad cas, sweet caring dean, singer salvage, domesticity. one of my all time favorites

rivers and roads (3k, g) cas hitchhiking his way home after the fall. they are the sweetest boys

entertaining strangers (9k, e) cas tells dean about his threesome. just. wow. OCs in this one are the best.

the walk series (196k, e, AU) dean turns tricks and one day he meets cas. who is religious and sad and married. i loved how all their found family came together in this one. 

seek to know you better (27k, e) they are on a road trip and play “36 questions to fall in love”. cute

some boys are sleeping alone (4k, m) dean and his sexuality. very very sad

command me to be well (28k, e) not an obvious one of 15.18 fix-its

after a storm (10k, m) where dean doesn't tell cas to leave bunker in season 9 (as it should have been)

there’s only one sure thing that i know (20k, e) dean and cas get stuck in ohio. very old one. beautifully written 

elemental (600, g) “the man who would be king” coda

the best bang for your buck (6k, m) cas finds dean’s profile on sex toys website. this is so funny

the gambler (4k, t) dean retires. with cas. sam is oblivious. the fluffiest fluff

i saw the heavens and the earth cry over you (3k, m, mcd) why do i do this to myself? hah. i don't even want to recommend this one, but i have to, i’m sorry. read at you own risk. cas becomes human. his body starts to slowly shut down. incredibly sad.

things dean winchester loves (3k, m) so cute. cas makes a list. 

story time (1k, g) dean and cas retire. they tell stories to local kids.

string lights (2k, g) christmas fic. i love the atmosphere 

you and me in the war of the end times (5k, e) remember i told about shotgunning? yeah.

the face at the end of the hall (3k, t) psychological horror. short and sad. 

things happen (they do, they do, and they do) (28k, e) my favorite one of 15.18 fix-its. dean is a repressed bean.

flowers in the backyard (34k, e, AU) awwwww. love this one. dean inherits bobby’s cabin, cas is homeless and made the cabin into his home.

prosopagnosia (32k, t, AU) dean is a firefighter, cas works in gas-n-sip and can’t recognize and memorize faces. 

on vessels (2k, g) cas tells dean that he wanted him to be his vessel

holding this in mind (13k, e) yeah, well um this one is 13k words about fisting. but it’s such a tender fic. more like character study, than smut, truly. 

death of the author (7k, e) post-15.18, first time fic. soooooo cute. 

special mention, aileenrose’s little AUs. they are so special and unique and writing is *chefs kiss*. my favorites:

every dog has its day (12k, m) dean meets homeless cas, they rescue a puppy.

a case for evolution (9k, m) plumber dean, anthropologist cas. they are nerds. nerds in love.

love, take your toll (9k, t) this one owns my heart. lonely toll collector cas and motorist dean. unbelievably tender fic. i wanted to hug cas so much

all that is gold does not glitter (8k, m) jeweler cas, dean comes to collect sam’s wedding rings. cas thinks it's dean who’s getting married. dumbies.

an exploration of habitat (11k, m) cas is a protester who lives in a tree. dean is afraid of heights. last lines made me weep. this fic made me feel so happy, oh god watch and learn, cw

[clairenatural]

omg I love au's! They make me happy :) Do you have a fic rec post by ay chance?

hello!!! I am honestly terrible with fic recs because I constantly forget to bookmark (this is something I’m working on because I do want to remember and then recommend great fic) but here are some of my fave AUs I’ve read recently (of a wide variety of genres, but mostly romcom-esque with a good helping of fluff in with the angst. although I should clarify they all do have at least a bit of angst):

Castiel Novak's Office, This is Dean by emmbrancsxx0 (very romcom. office romance)

A[ T]ypical Romcom by masked (Author!Dean AU)

Everyone's a Critic by Englandwouldfall (Chef!Dean and Food Critic!Cas, an absolute fave)

A Midsummer Night in Las Vegas by whelvenwings (Modern Royalty AU)

A Lifetime of After by Casloveshisfreckles (Queer Eye AU)

Carry You Home by Casloveshisfreckles (Baseball AU)

Everytown, USA by aileenrose (heavier. has a lot of angst but a happy ending!!!! and it’s SO good)

Sleepless in Lawrence, Kansas by PrinceMalice (a Sleepless in Seattle AU. Full rom com I LOVE it)

Forget-Me-Not Blues by noangelsinthegarrison (a classic. my comfort fic. fairly standard modern AU with firefighter!Dean)

(standard disclaimer I think most of these are M or E, enter at your own risk and read the warnings and all of that. Everyone’s A Critic and A Lifetime of After are Teen and Up so if you’re a minor or uncomfortable w/ explicit content I’d go for those💕)

[myaimistrue]

del myaimistrue’s underrated destiel fic recs part 2!

as with part 1, these are all fics i’m a big fan of that aren’t as popular or well known. they all have less than 10k hits on ao3 OR were published pre-2015 OR both. hope you like them!!! leave a comment for the author if you did :)

list under the cut, organized by word count!

in earth, and sky, and sea by charcoalcas

1.6k. on easter morning, cas tells dean he had a crush on jesus. very funny and very sweet and very domestic. featuring some jesus/dean comparisons!

Meant to Be Near Me by Sass_Master

1.9k proposal/marriage fic. sweet and wildly in-character. this is a fic i read sometimes when i’m bummed out because it always makes me smile. 

absolvere by microcomets

2k that takes place after the attack dog spell and dean’s refusal to be healed in 11x03. so tender and so wonderfully written. yes perhaps i did tear up at the image of cas washing dean’s feet. don’t worry you will too.

walking on a string by swordfishtrombones

2.7k set during season 6. cas goes to see dean to help with a hunt in the midst of the civil war. they’re in a kinda sorta relationship and it’s soooooooo interesting. i’ve decided the author is a certified cas-understander because this is his pov and i think they totally nail it. beautifully written and absolutely worth the read.

Scenes with a Shark (Or: Hello, Blåhaj) by aeli_kindara

3.3k established relationship fic. dean and cas have an stuffed shark and visit ikea! super cute and offers up an alternate look at the way cas might handle the empty deal. if you can’t tell i love an established relationship fic, and this is a great one.

Ain’t Ever Gonna Part by ellispark

MIXTAPE FIC!!! 4k retrospective looking at previous people dean’s loved with sprinkling of moments from season 12 and 13. great dean character study with such a perfect final scene.

Things that were, things that are by dreamline

6.8k. very dean-centric. sam finds out that dean engaged in sex work when they were both children, which brings up a lot of old trauma for them both. it’s a super heavy topic and the author handles it with respect and no exploitation or glorification. the dean and sam conversation is amazing and the scene with dean and cas at the end is so tender. dean studies fic for sure.

Deprived of Every Planet by KelpietheThundergod

9k words. a case fic that features extremely touch-starved dean and cas being very gentle with him. such an intimate look at their relationship, all cozy and a little sad and very very sweet. 

all my goodness is gone with you now [15x09 coda] by emmbrancsxx0

fics that make you a shell of your former self. like i’m going to be honest i had to go sit outside in the sunshine after reading this because it absolutely DEVASTATED me. it’s 9.9k of the universe we see in 15x09 the trap in which cas has the mark of cain. featuring incredible character work and dialogue that was so painfully in-character. you will probably cry but it will definitely be worth it.

The Art of Giving by cenotaphy

i truly love a fic in which dean is a bit of an asshole because he has no idea how to be in a relationship--this 9.9k story definitely fits within that category. you’re going to be frustrated with him, but you’re also going to love all of the interactions with him and cas because they are super well-written and in-character. and don’t worry, it has a very sweet ending!

Good Hands by aileenrose

13.2k. first of all, i highly recommend everything by this author--they write my favorite aus EVER. this specifically is one of my favorites. cas owns a b&b and dean is a drifter/handyman who stops in and ends up staying to help make repairs. the atmosphere is so good, and the story is trope-y in the best way.

We Both Kinda Liked It by elizajane

one of my new all-time faves. 13.5k that dives into rhonda hurley and dean’s thing for panties with a lot of cas being lovely and supportive. there’s a lot of ideas out there about who rhonda was and how dean knew her and the version of her in this fic is now my personal headcanon. if you love dean being loved, then you will adore this fic.

Death Rattles by emmbrancsxx0

i normally don’t read horror fic much but this one is soooo good and honestly frightening. 30.1k established relationship deancas with a side of casefic--especially recommended for my cas fans. you’re going to think you know what’s going on like six times and each time you’ll be wrong. and that ending...hoo boy!

Light in the Dark by nurfherder

110k. this is SUCH a story. i read it kind of slowly over a couple weeks so i don’t know how it feels if you binge it, but i really enjoyed it! it’s an au in which dean inherits the family apple orchard after john dies and cas is a businessman who buys it from him. they work together to make a profit and turn the place around but it is…. SO MUCH more than that. it gets pretty heavy so heed the tags but god it’s a great read. the emotion is so realistic and so well done. highly recommended if you’re looking for something longer.

[littlewetbeast]

Will u link a fave on A 03 for your tropes ask?

okay, disclaimer: i am very picky when it comes to fic (nothing personal against any fic authors, it's just my taste), and hence i'm not super well-read - but here are a few. this is by no means comprehensive, just the top ones that come to mind. mutual pining - love, take your toll by aileenrose (cas is a lonely toll worker, dean drives by every week. one of the best au cas characterisations i've seen. tooth-rottingly sweet and the mutual pining is beautiful.) enemies (to friends to) lovers - faith healer by punkascas (has some inherently problematic aspects and cas is more like endverse cas than regular cas, and the ending is also a bit abrupt - but that in mind, it is SOOOO. so so so. good. the writing style is one of the most beautiful i've seen. early seasons dean and sam. bamf cas. sam and cas friendship. it’s just amazing.) hurt/comfort - there are many things by imogenbynight (s9 fix it, ooohhh it's just. so delicious, so good. the mutual pining here is tangible, as well. human!cas makes an attempt at a life, continues his job and gets an apartment, and dean keeps visiting.) miscommunication - someone who’s feeling for me by ellispark (dean, cas and sam meet lisa braden again while on a case. dean freaks out. lisa begins hitting on cas. just. delicious. so delicious.) fake dating - gotta go with a classic here and say professional couple only by saltyfeathers. THEE fake dating fic.

[valdomarx]

do /you/ happen to have any geraskier fic recs? i saw you don't have any bookmarked on ao3 but there's something about finding an author i love and then finding fics that /they/ loved that... i've always thought was a way to see new lovely things. (tldr i love your writing so i trust your judgment for fic, really, xo)

I absolutely do have some Geraskier recs!I have a fic rec tag for fics I loved that were posted here on tumblr.

On AO3, here are some of my all-time fav fics:

Lavender by vands88 @vands88

A Blessing, A Curse by aileenrose

to render it transparent by theundiagnosable

louder and louder by smolpot8o @lilacsdandelionsandonions

Do it Again by thisgirlsays22

again, and again by siren_songs

An Incomplete Happiness by BlossomsintheMist @blossomsinthemist

His Touch by Sevent

Even a small love by shecrows

And some new (to me) fics I’ve enjoyed recently:

Greensleeves by DorkMagician

Lovely by lutes_and_dandelions

Fly off the handle by GonEwiththeWolveS

Lessons in Mortality by Girl_in_Red_Crossing @girl-in-red-crossing​

Love (The Kind You Clean Up With a Mop and Bucket) by Gigi_Sinclair

And finally, some WIPs for which I eagerly await each new installment:

ages and ages by witchertrashbag @witchertrashbag

Stirring Dull Roots With Spring Rain by  BlossomsintheMist @blossomsinthemist

Mean it (and break me down) by Ysmiyr 

[educatedinyellow]

Fic Rec Bingo meme

1. A Fic Vid I Love Without Knowing the Source Material: This is much more common for me with vids than fics, so I can recommend several here.

Whoomp! (There It Is!) by sisabet (Stranger Things)

Shut Up and Drive by sanguinity (Sherlock Hound)

Little Maiden Fair by tartiflette (Pixar’s Brave)

Glass Coffins by seekingferret (Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?)

Problem by CherryIce (Captain Marvel)

2. A Fic With a Premise That Shouldn’t Work, But Does:

Little Birds by winterhill (Charles/Erik, X-Men First Class, rated T. It should not be possible to literally make them all birds and still write a serious love story and war story, but here we are.)

3. A Fic I’ve Reread Several Times:

Jason and Me by David Hines (Stephanie Brown & all the Robins, Batman, rated M. I have never read a Batman comic book nor seen any incarnation of Stephanie -- she was Robin #4 -- but I’ve picked up a lot of Bat-verse canon through fic and movies and TV and osmosis, and anyway this fic touches me every single time.)

4. A Fic I Still Remember Many Years Later:

Merrily We Roll Along by Vicki Loebel (Illya & Napoleon, Man From UNCLE, rated T. This fic is from 2005. Amnesiac!Illya’s narrative point of view remains such a pleasure to read.)

5. A Comfort Fic:

Fearson’s Floating Cigarette by orange_crushed (Dean/Cas, SPN, rated M. It’s so good-hearted.)

6. A Cathartic Fic:

Return to Sender by aileenrose (Dean/Cas, SPN, rated E. Warning: Sam is dead, the fic is about dealing with grief; the ending is beautiful, but oh I cried.)

7. A Fic I’d Print and Put on My Bookshelf:

Presque Vu by rageprufrock (Arthur & Mal, Arthur/Eames, Inception, rated M. I was touched and transported by this fic, and I don’t even ship Arthur/Eames. The prequel to Inception that I needed.)

8. A Fic I Associate With a Song:

Make Whole What Has Been Smashed by gigantic (Johnlock, BBC Sherlock, rated T. It’s not a song fic at all, but the fic is told from the POV of a person who is living their life backwards, from the future to the past, and I just associate it with the song “The Scientist”)

9. A Fic That Inspires Me:

Between the Dog and the Wolf by AxmxZ Boanerges (Javert/Valjean, Les Mis, rated T. A gold standard fic in my eyes for historical immersion and creative engagement with the source text).

10. A Fic That Brought Me Onboard a New Ship:

Cinderwings by bendingsignpost (Dean/Cas, SPN, rated M. This fic is the reason I started watching SPN and was my first introduction to both Dean and Castiel.)

11. A Fic I Wish Could Be a Movie:

Arcana by rosa_acicularis (genderswap, Joanna Watson/Sherlock, BBC Sherlock, rated M. The magic sequences in this story could be stunning on film if done right).

12. A Fic That Led to Me Making Friends With the Author:

Particular Debts by sanguinity (Holmes & Watson, 7 Percent Solution, rated T. I had seen her around, but I didn’t know Sang when she wrote this lovely fic for me at Holmestice. It was an excellent introduction!)

13. A Fic I’ve Gushed About IRL:

and these, from atoms by kay_cricketed (Charles/Erik, X-Men First Class, rated T, incomplete. I really love this fic. My BFF and I discovered we were reading it independently of each other and squeeeee’d!)

14. A Fic I Associate With a Place:

View of a different landscape (John Watson, BBC Sherlock, rated T. A fic about John in Pakistan during the war, written by an author who has lived in Peshawar.)

15. A Fic That Made Me Gasp Out Loud:

A Study in Midnight by M_Leigh (Holmes/Watson, A Study in Emerald, rated M. It’s an amazing fic! And aaaaaaa there’s this Thing that Happens and I was not prepared.)

16. A Fic I Found at the Right Time:

Bel Canto by bendingsignpost (Johnlock, BBC Sherlock-Phantom of the Opera fusion, rated T. This fic started posting in early March of 2013, when my son was about three weeks old. Like most new parents, I was getting very little sleep, and it felt like such a gift to have this long, intricate fic posting once a week to read, reread, and savor when I was exhausted yet awake in the middle of the night, feeding my kid. This story got me through the three months it took before our household got to start sleeping through the night again. And I believe “Angel of Music” was the first lullaby I sang him.)

17. A Fic That I Would Read Fic Of:

Learning to Speak by tinsnip (Garak/Bashir, Star Trek DS9, rated G. I want more of Julian figuring out all the things he loves, and doesn’t love, about Cardassia; more of these two figuring out how to trust and communicate within their relationship; more cross-cultural debate and learning language. This is all great stuff, rich with possibilities.)

18. A Fic That Made Me LOL:

My True Love Sent To Me by wafflestories (Johnlock, BBC Sherlock, rated G. A texting fic for the holidays. I always laugh.)

19. A Fic With a Line (or Two) I’ve Memorized by Heart:

Early Returns by rageprufrock (Arthur/Eames, Inception, rated T). “It takes him back to when he was a 17-year-old summer exchange student and the increasingly stupid game of hipster chicken he and Mal had played, where they first pretended not to like each other, and then pretended not to be virgins, and then pretended they knew how to smoke. It had been a summer fraught with poor decision-making.” (I started reading Inception fic purely because I wanted more Arthur-Mal friendship backstory; the phrase “increasingly stupid game of hipster chicken” is my headcanon for them and lives in my heart).

Also: “He’d been a journalist for his entire professional career, so of course he’d been this depressed before.” My husband quotes that one around the house occasionally, too.

20. A Fic That Gave Me Butterflies:

Private Friends by orchid314 (Holmes/Watson, ACD Holmes, rated T. The scene where Holmes throws up his hat because his joy is bubbling over. The way Watson watches Holmes’s hands on his violin.)

21. A Fic That Embodies Something I Value in Life:

Obscurity by Urbanhymnal (Johnlock, BBC Sherlock, rated T. A magical realism story about a person who communicates differently than other people, and the love that grows from mutual respect and acceptance.)

22. A Favorite AU:

Left by lifeonmars (Johnlock, BBC Sherlock, rated M. Such clever and elegant world-building that manages to feel only barely canon-divergent.)

23. A Fic I Stayed Up Too Late to Finish Reading:

I honestly could pick almost any fic here, but let’s go for gold and pick the one with the most deliciously gigantic chapters:

The Men Who Talked Between the Words by Odamaki (Johnlock and ensemble, BBC Sherlock, rated E. This fic feels like it has so much realness in it, such observant interest not only in the protagonists but in all the people and places around them.)

24. A Fic That Made Me Feel Seen:

To Join These Men in Holy Matrimony by A_Candle_For_Sherlock (Holmes/Watson, ACD Holmes, rated T. I was surprised and floored when one of my very favorite Holmesian authors named me as one of the people that this beautiful fic was gifted to -- I was not taking part in any exchange at the time, it was very delightfully unexpected! In her author’s note, she wrote: “This fic is for rachelindeed and daisynorbury, whose work has given me joy, and whose Holmeses have contributed good things to mine. Thank you for adding your love to this fandom.” I was so touched by that. It’s what we all do for one another in fandom, it’s one of the best things about sharing our imaginations in community; being acknowledged like that did honestly make me feel seen and special. What a gift!

25. Free Space:

Varieties of Repentance by deborah_judge (Lennier & Sheridan, Babylon 5, rated G. I was probably the only person in the world whose favorite character on Babylon 5 was Lennier. Anyway, in its penultimate episode, the series threw his character into the garbage in spectacular fashion and it killed my personal investment in the show, unfortunately. But this lovely story offers a sad, generous, and compassionate resolution to his character, and I really appreciate that.)

[deanxcasficrecs]

Over 50k, less than 100K part 2

Hi there! I’m back yet again with a collection of fics from my own personal favourite folder. There’s nothing in common with these fics except that they all have 50-100k words and heavy Destiel is involved. Some may be AU, some may not, some might have plenty of angst, some not, you never know. You can call it Admin J’s mixtape of fanfics :’D Hope you enjoy these as much as I have done! I know we have recced all these before but as said, I just want to put them under the word count tag.   – Admin J

Title: Burnt Shadows

Author: Rena

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 60,877 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★

Admin J’s notes: I love how the fic mixes AU and the original set-up how the show into something new. This is a very good Destiel and Sabriel fic with endverse feeling (not as dark as some endverses, though) and character development.

Summary: Three years ago, the angels commenced a war against humankind in order to bring paradise on earth. Now, only a few camps of refugees hide and resist the celestial regime. In these times, a young angel is sent to earth with one specific quest: infiltrate the hideouts and find his long lost brother Gabriel, who is rumoured to live amongst the humans, and who could turn the tide of the violence. But the longer he stays with the group if survivors led by Dean Winchester, the more Castiel realises that Heaven’s plan isn’t always just.

( Read here )

Title: Twist and Shout

Author: gabriel, standbyme

Rating: Explicit

Words: 97,997 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Admin J’s notes: I just leave this here because there cannot be a rec like this without Twist and Shout, but there’s really nothing to say. I was wearing ‘I can dig Elvis’ tee at work today and my CEO told me he too likes Elvis. Ha, managed to figure out something new to say.

Summary: What begins as a transforming love between Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak in the summer of 1965 quickly derails into something far more tumultuous when Dean is drafted in the Vietnam War. Though the two both voice their relationship is one where saying goodbye is never a real truth, their story becomes fraught with the tragedy of circumstance. In an era where homosexuality was especially vulnerable, Twist and Shout is the story of the love transcending time, returning over and over in its many forms, as faithful as the sea.

( Read here )

Title: The Day the World Went Away

Author: pyjamagurl

Rating: Explicit

Words: 56,658 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★

Admin J’s notes: I feel a bit awkward now. I have had this fic in my all-time favourite folders for years and now I read the summary I have no idea what’s happening in the fic :’D I’m going to read it and I suggest that you do the same.

Summary: After being reunited with Sam and leaving Lisa, Dean is finding that adjusting back into the hunting lifestyle is harder than he thought it would be. When a particular hunt goes badly, he gets knocked out, only to awaken five years in the future. Things are definitely different; Castiel is a hunter, Sam is married and things between Dean and Cas had gone somewhere Dean really hadn’t expected. And somewhere in all of this there is a lesson to be learned.

( Read here )

Title: Grey

Author: Valinde (Valyria)

Rating: Explicit

Words: 65,240 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Admin J’s notes: Same goes with this than with Twist and Shout, alright? 

Summary: In a world where people don’t see in color until they find their true mate, the first thing Dean sees when he pulls himself out of his grave is the blue sky. When Castiel raised him from the Pit, he inadvertently claimed Dean as his mate.

( Read here )

Title: Everytown, USA

Author: aileenrose

Rating: Explicit

Words: 56,972 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Admin J’s notes: This fic is both Admin A’s and my own favourite list. It’s a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Read it like, yesterday. Thanks. And sorry for this rec with fics that we have recced for so many times, but I just really need to organize these all by the length, too :’D

Summary: Dean’s determined not to stay in one place for long–he’s enjoying his new-found freedom too much.

( Read here )

Title: The Story of You and Me

Author: the_diggler

Rating: Explicit

Words: 54,953 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Admin J’s notes: You need to read the summary and know a little something about my favourite fics and you already know what’s going on :’D 

Summary: Dean wakes up in a bed next to very human Castiel, and a journal in his own handwriting that tells him it’s two years in the future. The house looks like Bobby’s, and Sam lives there too… He just can’t remember how they got from the angels falling from the sky to comfortable domesticity. While there is much in the journal Dean doesn’t remember, there is much of their story he’s always known. And she settles into the routine of his new life and relationship with Castiel, it quickly becomes something he doesn’t know how to live without.

( Read here )

Title: The Path of Fireflies

Author: museaway

Rating: Mature

Words: 63,706 – Finished

Admin’s assessment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Admin J’s notes: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have recced this like, a million times, but… Maybe there’s someone out there who actually has not yet read it?

Summary: After his humanity is restored, Dean wakes up bed with Castiel, a wedding ring, and no memory of the past twelve years.

( Read here )

[profoundbondfanfic]

Sleight of Hand

Sleight of Hand by aileenrose Rating: Mature Word Count: 65k

Dean Winchester has interviewed them all--mob bosses, serial killers, crooked politicians. Next he plans to unveil the con-man who markets himself as Castiel, a reclusive and secretive "healer" who claims to heal the sick in return for thousands of dollars. Dean's expecting a challenge, but he never expected Castiel to be so clueless or sweet...or that he might be telling the truth.

Are you looking for a fic featuring a vulnerable Castiel who is desperate for love and a cocky Dean who needs to be taken down a peg or two? Then look no further! This fic features Dean as a somewhat jaded reporter who is bored with the potential stories floated to him. He's settled for writing a boring fluff story, when a premise falls into his lap: a man claims that a mysterious figure known as Castiel completely cured his cancer.

Dean immediately knows he has an angle for his story: Castiel is a conniving conman, seeking to rob sick people of what little money they have. However, when he meets Castiel, he has to admit that Castiel is nothing like what he expected. Castiel is quiet, shy, and open about his healing abilities. Mostly, he just wants a friend.

Seeing Dean's attitudes and prejudices change throughout the fic is both heartwarming and satisfying. Equally as satisfying is seeing the development of Dean and Cas' relationship, as Dean learns to let go of his preconceived notions and trust the evidence that his eyes and heart are telling him and as Castiel learns how to trust Dean's good intentions. This fic also has a few great appearances from characters like Jess, Sam, and Jo, along with a great moment from Victor.

So if you're looking for a fic to both rip your heart out and then put it back together, look no further! 💖

[destiel-fic-rec]

Good Hands by aileenrose

Word Count: 13,238

Summary: Cas is the owner of a failing—and falling apart—B&B.

Dean might be able to help with that. Dean’s good with his hands.

Comments: 9/10. So sweet and fluffy, not an ounce of angst. Dean finds a run down bed and breakfast when he’s lost on the highway, and he offers to repair it for a couple of days. That couple of days turns into weeks and then months and then forever. I love how the author showed Dean’s to do list throughout the fic, it’s really cute and so sweet, especially the last one. It’s incredibly cute and fluffy.

[ozonecologne]

omg I was just wondering the other day how I found one of my favorite fics of all time, A Case For Evolution, and then I went to your fic rec and page and realized it was YOUR FAULT

NO APOLOGIES. That’s such a good fic! The AU is so expertly crafted - and I’m certainly a sucker for niche, small business AUs (heh). Aileenrose is one of my most favorite fic authors of all time because they’re really so skilled at that

(Go find your next favorite fic on my Destiel rec page!)

[aislynsficrec]

It’s A Zoo in This Place

Summary: In which Castiel just wants to get through a field trip, and Dean's more than just a tour guide in really tight shorts.

Author: aileenrose

Word Count: 3,317

[deancasfix]

There’s just something special about a domestic story featuring our two favourite lovers. Here’s a small sampling of the coziest, softest stories we know, perfect for a lazy day of reading!

Build a Home by @domesticadventures

Wordcount: 20,102

Rating: T

Summary:

After they save the world, Dean expects Cas to come back to the bunker with them.

He doesn’t.

Crossroads State by Mercy

Wordcount: 51,002

Rating: M

Summary:

Castiel has a nice predictable structured life teaching high school, even if he happens to be overqualified for it. Then this guy moves in around the corner and literally knocks him on his ass.

Good Hands by aileenrose (@paperclothesline)

Wordcount: 13,238

Rating: M

Summary:

Cas is the owner of a failing—and falling apart—B&B.

Dean might be able to help with that. Dean’s good with his hands.

How Still My Heart by cadignan  (@morethanslightly​)

Wordcount: 70,653

Rating: E

Summary: Charlie hadn’t been waiting for the call, but it’s not exactly a surprise to hear from Dean.

"Cas? You want me to find Cas?"

Kiss the Baker by @ltleflrt

Wordcount: 112,697

Rating: E

Summary:

Jo is pregnant and craving something a little bit unusual. When she sends Dean on a mission to find her some chocolate cake donuts with bacon sprinkles, he's sure that he'll fail. Luckily his partner Benny comes to his rescue and introduces him to a quirky little bakery that sells all kinds of weird (and delicious!) baked goods. And they do special orders!

Dean finds excuses to keep going back, and Castiel finds excuses to keep giving him special treats.

Plain and Tall by destielpasta (@destielpasta) and mtothedestiel 

Wordcount: 69,853

Rating: E

Summary:

Dean is a Kansas farmer who only wants to work his land and care for his infant daughter. With his wife gone and his brother moving on to a life beyond the homestead, Dean finds himself in need of another pair of hands. Castiel, a lonely drifter freshly arrived in town, may prove the solution to Dean’s troubles. Over the course of four seasons, the two men face the everyday challenges of prairie life, and learn to overcome the betrayals of their past to discover a new definition of family.

play it all night long by janie_tangerine (@janiedean )

Wordcount: 43,000

Rating: E

Summary:

The rom-com-ish one where Dean hosts a late night radio show, Castiel is a regular listener of his who starts calling one day and ends up calling more often than not and Dean finds himself liking it. This, until one day Castiel calls for not exactly petty reasons (just before Dean’s brother Sam is visiting with his girlfriend for spring break) and things get very, very crowdy at his place. He also doesn’t know it’s just the beginning of it. Also features Gabriel, Chuck, Andy, the Roadhouse crew and a huge amount of music quoted. Especially Bob Dylan.

PWP: Pie Without Plot by MajorEnglishEsquire, orange_crushed (@majorenglishesquire and @robotmango)

Wordcount: 82,518

Rating: M

Summary:

he is in the kitchen with flour on his hands and an apron and there is flour on his forehead and cas leans across the counter and wipes it off with his thumb and dean says "thank you" and cas says "you’re welcome" very seriously and later dean makes apple turnovers and he only ruins them a little and sam realizes it’s not a real hunt like four days into it and he lets dean stay undercover for like a week and a half or longer maybe way longer because he is such a good everything

Sand and Salt by @shastafirecracker

Wordcount: 24,888

Rating: M

Summary:

Cas makes it to the bunker, but as the weeks pass it becomes apparent that he isn't dealing as well with being human as the brothers would like. Sam decides they should take Cas for a day out on the town, exploring humanity from a more touristy angle to show him that biology isn't all that bad. Meanwhile Charlie does everything in her power to play matchmaker, and Dean isn't as oblivious as she thinks. (Season 9 AU where Sam is healed without possession and Cas is hurt but not killed by April.)

Shoe Box Verse by @lemonsorbae

Wordcount: 49,262

Rating: E

Summary:

Tucked in the corner of a bustling, artsy college town, where it’s rarely bothered or given a second glance, rests a shoe box apartment. It’s decrepit, all red brick walls and squeaky wooden floorboards, but dirt cheap and bearable. It’s the kind of place that grows on you, that is as quaint as it is old, and it’s where Dean and Castiel (and Castiel’s cat) have been taking up residency for the past year or so while Dean finishes up carpentry school, and Castiel works on his art.

Shut Up (Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is) by @kototyph 

Wordcount: 23,970

Rating: E

Summary:

Dean's done some pretty stupid things, but getting drunk-hitched in Vegas to a colleague he barely knows might just take the cake. His surprise husband, Castiel, is a little weird but likable despite that, and Dean figures they’ll go back to Boston, get a quiet annulment, and go their separate ways. Six weeks later, he’s still married to one of the strangest, most genuine and definitely most dangerously lov-- likable guys he's ever known. Dean doesn't know why or really even how it’s happening, but it’s getting harder and harder to remember that he has divorce papers to file.

The Complete Works of Emmanuel Allen by @violue

Wordcount: 56,341

Rating: E

Summary:

Dean Winchester, reluctant business owner, reluctant home owner, and reluctant cat owner, is striking up a very promising friendship with the author of his favorite book series.

And he has no idea.

The Knights and their Bees by Niitza (@princessniitza)

Wordcount: 54,985

Rating: M

Summary:

A series of ficlets taking place in the universe spawned by this tumblr post: "Whelp I’m stuck imagining an AU where Cain is Cas’ dad and together they raise bees and make honey and wax candles in the middle of nowhere, Kansas - and Cain is totally onto that young hooligan who just moved here for some reason with his black monstrosity of a car and his leather jacket and who has the gall of making Cain’s boy smile, honestly, what the Hell, you better watch your back, boy, I’m watching you *squints*"

Not in chronological order.

There's Only One Sure Thing That I Know by leah k (@blinkiesays)

Wordcount: 20,355

Rating: E

Summary:

Dean doesn't even get halfway through explaining before Bobby starts laughing. When he lets himself think about it for more than five seconds, Dean can almost see Bobby's point: he's faced down demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, angels, and Satan himself and now he's been defeated by the God damn Midwest.

The Very Core of My Heart by superhoney (@pomegranatedaffodil)

Wordcount: 109,375

Rating: E

Summary:

Dean Winchester has lived his whole life in this small Muskoka town, with the same family and friends he's known since birth. One doctor's appointment later, everything Dean has ever known is about to change: he's just been diagnosed with a terminal heart condition, and has less than a year to live.

His time may be running out, but he plans to make the most of it. And he wants to spend as much of that time as possible with the mysterious, motorcycle-riding subject of town gossip: Castiel Novak.

AU based on The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery.

Ugly Sweater! verse by nerdylittledude

Wordcount: 185,324

Rating: E

Summary:

If they really go back and think about it... it all started with a tree. A Christmas tree, that is. Castiel is human now, and the apocalypse is not only over, it's been averted. Sam's away at NYU, finally finishing law school, and Dean's stuck in what is probably the most awkward situation of his life. He's not exactly sure how he ended up sharing a flat with Cas in Media, Pennsylvania, but he does know the curious would-be angel is sort of derailing his plans for a life of decadence and booze. Cas is trying to make the best of his humanity by exploring human holidays. Dean can't exactly complain because he's pretty much the reason Cas got his wings clipped in the first place.

Dean didn't actually want to fall in love, but how was he supposed to know it would all start with a goddamn tree?

When the Bough Breaks by @captainshakespear and deanisthesun (@hothleiaa)

Wordcount: 73,963

Rating: M

Summary:

Years after the Darkness has been defeated, Dean and Cas are living the apple pie life in small-town Kansas. They don’t hunt anymore, and would like to keep it that way, but some young hunters knocking at their door have different plans.

Dean, Cas and Sam reluctantly agree to help out, but what ought to be a simple case becomes way more complicated and dangerous than they counted on. And when the hunt starts to invade the normal lives they've carved out for themselves and their kids, Dean and Cas begin to wonder if escaping the hunting life altogether might have been wishful thinking.

[destielfanfic]

I stopped watching the show around season six. Are there any fics set in-verse during that season or before worth reading? I feel like everything I try to find on my own is set in the more current seasons or an AU. Not that I have anything against AUs.

We’re answering this on the blog because, with the show going on for so long, there’s a lot of fans who have either stopped watching at some point or new fans who haven’t caught up with the latest seasons but still would like to read some fic. So, we are here to help and explain how to use our blog.

First of all, please start with our Tags Page. All canon fics are tagged with SU (supernatural universe) tag.  We also have season and some episode tags

solo hunter!dean, Djinn Dream (2x20 and others)

pre-season 4, Season 4, It’s a Terrible Life (4x17), 4x20,

Season 5, 5x03, Endverse (5x04), 5x08

Season 6, the French Mistake (6x15)

There’s several older fic compilation posts on these tags for search convenience. Please note that these posts list fics recced until the post was made. For more recent recs you’ll have to look through the tags.

ask from 2013 that lists over 70 fics from Seasons 4, 5 and early 6.

ask about fics set at the end of season 6 and after; usually those fics were written before season 7 started

Some fics are tagged with both, SU tag and AU tag which means that canon elements are really strong but also AU stuff happens.Season tags are decided on content, ie season 6 tag will be added to a fic that has canon elements from 6x01 and onward, but not to the fic that is about post 5x23 events. Some fics has only SU tag but not season tag. It means there’s no distinct canon element to pin the season down or it’s an old review written before season tags were introduced. More info about tags on this post .

Since you asked for fics we would recommend, here’sa few of our favorite canon fics that are set prior to season 7.

All links go to our to our reviews or submitted rec posts.

I. Canon favs from seasons 4-6. 

In the Silence Afterwards by ibroketuesday (season 4)

Named by maclachlan (season 4)

Hesitation by apokteino (season 4/5)

Cult-de-Sac (season 5)

Hard Road by aleishapotter (season 5)

The Fourth Wall by entangled_now (season 5)

Smells Like Roses by bomarlowe (djinn dream, season 5)

Ugly Sweater Verse by saidtheking (season 5)

Shine by zatnikatel (season 5) 

This Story Was Brought To You By Our Sponsors by Annie D (scaramouche) (season 5)

My Eyes Are An Ocean by entangled_now (season 5)

Return to Sender Address Unknown by gedry (fallen!cas)

All Saints Saga by oselle (endverse)

The Day The World Went Away pyjamagurl (season 5)

Somewhere Back of the Sun by enigmaticblue (endverse)

The Waste Land by savingfaith333 (endverse)

Something Stupid by zatnikatel (season 5/6)

Imitating Life by littlehollyleaf (French Mistake)

Cruel Angels series by ORPHAN (season 6)

II. Alternate meeting (not like in 4x01) favorite fics. The stories vary from being really close to canon events to alternate settings where Dean is still a hunter but Cas is a either civilian, non-SPN angel or a creature. Please read the reviews and tags to see how far from canon these fics deviate. We tried to arrange this list from most canon compliant to least but, well, it is an exercise in YMMV notion. 

Equinox by luchia13 (alternate meeting since when Dean was a kid)

Outrun My Gun by misachan (alternate meeting in s2)

Good Ones Gonna Be by remmyme (alternate meeting in s2)

Castiel Rising by phate-phoenix (alternate meeting before s4)

My Roots Take Flight by kismetjeska (re-imagining s4) 

So Says The Sword by komodobits (alternate meeting before s4)

Some Assembly Required by narrow_staircase (alternate meeting pre - series)

Broadway Musical by griftings (alternate meeting in s4)

A Crash Course in Someone Else’s History  by Annie D (scaramouche) (alternate meeting in s6)

A Judicious Application Of Free Will by Annie D (scaramouche) (spoilers!) 

Architecture of the Minotaur’s Heart by beenghosting (spoilers!)

Rockfall by aileenrose (submitted rec) (alternate meeting in post s5)

Slice of Heaven by domesticadventures and propinquitous

Shifter by LadyLini (submitted rec) (established destiel, pre series)

The Mirror by cloudyjenn 

When Worlds Collide by jhoom (Dean Smith meets endverse!cas; the epilogue brings the story back to season 12 but recent canon knowledge is not essential to enjoy the fic)

Kiss You When It’s Dangerous by zoemathemata (FBI agent Cas)

King of the Road by LoversAntiquities (non SPN angel Cas)

Convenient Husbands by Annie D (scaramouche) (creature Cas)

Carnival Oasis by violue(creature Cas) 

III. Our favorite fix-it-fic Master Post. All fics have a note about seasons they cover and subvert. We think that all fics up to and including alternate season 7 fics are enjoyable for folks who have seen most of season 6. 

Redemption Road requires specific mention here. At a time when Destiel and Cas fans were at one of their lowest points, this group of writers said “Bite Me” and created this 650K superepic fix it for the mess that was season 7. The fic goes canon divergent after 7x01.

IV. The last resort

This blog started in August 2012, shortly after the end of season 7, so if you made it this far and are looking for older fics, go to the very first page of our SU tag, page 36. Most of the fics recced during first year are about older seasons. Summaries, reviews and fic posting dates will help you to determine the season even if the review is not tagged with it. You can also search first wave destiel authors from this post (all links are broken, please use your google fu!)

Note: After five years and nearly 1500 reviews and recs, this is by no means an inclusive list - that is what our tags page is for!  Instead, these are a selection of favorite fics that in our opinion fit the ask.