May guest reccer post: 5 Teen!Dean fics, 4 season 7 fics
Hey everyone! I'm your hoodie_time guest reccer for May. About time, as there is 1 minute left in May.
Anyway, currently my two favorite eras to read about Dean's headspace are when he was a teenager or a little older, and during or after season 7, so this rec post is of my favorite fics from those periods.
Teen-ish!Dean
Title: Shades of Winter
Author: lies_unfurl
Tags: abandonment issues, anxiety/panic attack,
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen (with background Dean/OFC)
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 5500
Spoilers: none
Warnings: mentions of underage alcohol consumption, language
Summary: John goes off on a hunt without leaving word of when he'll be back. Dean does his best to keep things together.
Reccer’s comments: This fic was written for one of my prompts, so of course I love it. The pacing is perfect and Dean’s building anxiety in this fic is just heartbreaking. I also like how it deals with John because it doesn’t make him out to be particularly horrible but also shows how some things he might have done could really mess Dean up.
Title: Behind the Words
Author: Kansas42 (on FF.net)
Tags: self-harm, depression
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating: Teen
Word-count: 3,203
Spoilers: none
Warnings: self-harm
Summary: Because the beauty's in the work, in making do with what you got.
Reccer’s comments: I have probably recced this fic here sometime before for a rec search, but it's just so good. It was one of the first fics I ever read in this fandom, and has always been one of my favorites. The haikus are so Dean and I love that there isn’t really a fix-it at the end, but there’s hope.
Title: This dark shroud hides a face beneath it (the Underside Remix)
Author: subterrain
Tags: self-esteem issues, prostitution
Characters: Dean, Sam, John, OMCs, OFC
Genre/pairing: Dean/OMC(s), hints of one-sided Sam/Dean
Rating: NC-17
Word-count: 5,097
Spoilers: none
Warnings: Underage sex, violence, dub con, prostitution
Summary: These are the things Dean does for his family.
Reccer’s comments: This is my favorite hooker!Dean fic. It’s not teen!Dean the whole fic, but I really love the parts that are and it’s at least mostly pre-series. It's so dark, and I think Dean's headspace is pretty on target.
Title: Place At The End
Author: kalliel
Tags: mobility issues, pain, exhaustion, insomnia, depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD
Characters: Dean, Sam, peripheral OFCs, peripheral John; Lisa, very peripheral Meg
Genre/pairing: gen, pre-series, post-series, drama/angst/hurt/comfort
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 27600
Spoilers: through season 6
Warnings: suicidal ideation
Summary: In 1996, you realized one thing: you're either a hunter or you're not. Some bridges can only be crossed once. Fast forward to 2021. What happens when that frontier starts closing?
Reccer’s comments: Half of this story is post-series, but the pre-series half is what had the most effect on me. Dean is just such a teenager in those parts, he has to deal with regular high school issues like papers and sleep deprivation in addition to hunter issues and emotional issues. It is also incredibly beautifully written!
Title: Easy Like Mornings
Author: saltedshotgun
Tags: depression, fever, abandonment issues, stress
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating: PG
Word-count: 4000
Spoilers: none
Warnings: none
Summary: Dad is hunting, Sam is busy with school and Dean is struggling.
Reccer’s comments: This was also written for one of my prompts, one of my favorite things to read about is Dean having to work a normal job. Dean’s not a teenager in it, but he’s young enough that it still kind of feels like it. I love how understated the writing is, it feels so true to his character because he of course isn’t complaining but you can tell how lonely and desperate he is.
Season 7/Post-season 7
Title: Take A Good Look At My Face
Author: i_speak_tongue
Tags: depression, hospitalization (psychiatric), psychosomatic illness
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating (by reccer): PG-13
Word-count: ~1000
Spoilers: none except for sadness
Warnings: depression
Summary: Prompt: “Christmas and/or New Year's Eve + Dean in the psych ward.”
Reccer’s comments: I just love fics where everything catches up to Dean and he just really has no choice but to stop and deal with his issues. This one is short but packs a hell of a punch.
Title: Alone With Everybody
Author: 9091 (on FF.net)
Tags: alcoholism, hallucinations/delusions, substance abuse (drugs), self-esteem issues, abandonment issues
Characters: Dean, Bobby
Genre/pairing: gen, angst
Rating: Teen
Word-count: 1878
Spoilers: 7.01
Warnings: drug & alcohol abuse, self hate
Summary: Dean confronts his harshest critic.
Reccer’s comments: I love this fic because of the insight into Dean's internal dialogue. It's always interesting to me how people write Dean's internal dialogue and this one seems particularly true to his character. It's a hurty fic, and the alcohol & drug abuse is great as well!
Title: Twelve Steps (of Being Dean Winchester)
Author: apodiopsys
Tags: alcoholism, depression
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: author says Sam/Dean-ish, but I think it can be read as gen
Rating: R
Word-count: ~1600
Spoilers: minor spoilers up through 7.04
Warnings: alcoholism
Summary: Simply existing is painful. Dean has coping mechanisms.
Reccer’s comments: This fic was exactly what I wanted after 7.04. I just love fics about Dean’s alcoholism especially in season 7, especially when there is no fix-it. This fic is full of little details that seem so in character and are so painful.
Title: The Good Fight
Author: honeylocusttree
Tags: PTSD, depression, eating disorder (maybe?), anxiety/panic attack
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: gen, post-series
Rating (by reccer): R
Word-count: ~2300
Spoilers: none specific, vague references to series wide events
Warnings: language, weird imagery
Summary: Prompt: When Sam and Dean decide to settle down for good, Sam is able to get a pretty good job and hold it down and it gives him some stability, but Dean is unable to keep any of his jobs.
Reccer’s comments: Yet another fic that was written for one of my prompts, and another fic that involves Dean working normal jobs. The author’s writing style, especially her ‘weird imagery,’ works so perfectly for this fic. It’s so creepy and sad and emotive.
Thanks guys! I hope some of these fics are new to you and that you like them! Have a great June!
Anyway, currently my two favorite eras to read about Dean's headspace are when he was a teenager or a little older, and during or after season 7, so this rec post is of my favorite fics from those periods.
Teen-ish!Dean
Title: Shades of Winter
Author: lies_unfurl
Tags: abandonment issues, anxiety/panic attack,
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen (with background Dean/OFC)
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 5500
Spoilers: none
Warnings: mentions of underage alcohol consumption, language
Summary: John goes off on a hunt without leaving word of when he'll be back. Dean does his best to keep things together.
Reccer’s comments: This fic was written for one of my prompts, so of course I love it. The pacing is perfect and Dean’s building anxiety in this fic is just heartbreaking. I also like how it deals with John because it doesn’t make him out to be particularly horrible but also shows how some things he might have done could really mess Dean up.
Title: Behind the Words
Author: Kansas42 (on FF.net)
Tags: self-harm, depression
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating: Teen
Word-count: 3,203
Spoilers: none
Warnings: self-harm
Summary: Because the beauty's in the work, in making do with what you got.
Reccer’s comments: I have probably recced this fic here sometime before for a rec search, but it's just so good. It was one of the first fics I ever read in this fandom, and has always been one of my favorites. The haikus are so Dean and I love that there isn’t really a fix-it at the end, but there’s hope.
Title: This dark shroud hides a face beneath it (the Underside Remix)
Author: subterrain
Tags: self-esteem issues, prostitution
Characters: Dean, Sam, John, OMCs, OFC
Genre/pairing: Dean/OMC(s), hints of one-sided Sam/Dean
Rating: NC-17
Word-count: 5,097
Spoilers: none
Warnings: Underage sex, violence, dub con, prostitution
Summary: These are the things Dean does for his family.
Reccer’s comments: This is my favorite hooker!Dean fic. It’s not teen!Dean the whole fic, but I really love the parts that are and it’s at least mostly pre-series. It's so dark, and I think Dean's headspace is pretty on target.
Title: Place At The End
Author: kalliel
Tags: mobility issues, pain, exhaustion, insomnia, depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD
Characters: Dean, Sam, peripheral OFCs, peripheral John; Lisa, very peripheral Meg
Genre/pairing: gen, pre-series, post-series, drama/angst/hurt/comfort
Rating: PG-13
Word-count: 27600
Spoilers: through season 6
Warnings: suicidal ideation
Summary: In 1996, you realized one thing: you're either a hunter or you're not. Some bridges can only be crossed once. Fast forward to 2021. What happens when that frontier starts closing?
Reccer’s comments: Half of this story is post-series, but the pre-series half is what had the most effect on me. Dean is just such a teenager in those parts, he has to deal with regular high school issues like papers and sleep deprivation in addition to hunter issues and emotional issues. It is also incredibly beautifully written!
Title: Easy Like Mornings
Author: saltedshotgun
Tags: depression, fever, abandonment issues, stress
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating: PG
Word-count: 4000
Spoilers: none
Warnings: none
Summary: Dad is hunting, Sam is busy with school and Dean is struggling.
Reccer’s comments: This was also written for one of my prompts, one of my favorite things to read about is Dean having to work a normal job. Dean’s not a teenager in it, but he’s young enough that it still kind of feels like it. I love how understated the writing is, it feels so true to his character because he of course isn’t complaining but you can tell how lonely and desperate he is.
Season 7/Post-season 7
Title: Take A Good Look At My Face
Author: i_speak_tongue
Tags: depression, hospitalization (psychiatric), psychosomatic illness
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: gen
Rating (by reccer): PG-13
Word-count: ~1000
Spoilers: none except for sadness
Warnings: depression
Summary: Prompt: “Christmas and/or New Year's Eve + Dean in the psych ward.”
Reccer’s comments: I just love fics where everything catches up to Dean and he just really has no choice but to stop and deal with his issues. This one is short but packs a hell of a punch.
Title: Alone With Everybody
Author: 9091 (on FF.net)
Tags: alcoholism, hallucinations/delusions, substance abuse (drugs), self-esteem issues, abandonment issues
Characters: Dean, Bobby
Genre/pairing: gen, angst
Rating: Teen
Word-count: 1878
Spoilers: 7.01
Warnings: drug & alcohol abuse, self hate
Summary: Dean confronts his harshest critic.
Reccer’s comments: I love this fic because of the insight into Dean's internal dialogue. It's always interesting to me how people write Dean's internal dialogue and this one seems particularly true to his character. It's a hurty fic, and the alcohol & drug abuse is great as well!
Title: Twelve Steps (of Being Dean Winchester)
Author: apodiopsys
Tags: alcoholism, depression
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: author says Sam/Dean-ish, but I think it can be read as gen
Rating: R
Word-count: ~1600
Spoilers: minor spoilers up through 7.04
Warnings: alcoholism
Summary: Simply existing is painful. Dean has coping mechanisms.
Reccer’s comments: This fic was exactly what I wanted after 7.04. I just love fics about Dean’s alcoholism especially in season 7, especially when there is no fix-it. This fic is full of little details that seem so in character and are so painful.
Title: The Good Fight
Author: honeylocusttree
Tags: PTSD, depression, eating disorder (maybe?), anxiety/panic attack
Characters: Dean, Sam
Genre/pairing: gen, post-series
Rating (by reccer): R
Word-count: ~2300
Spoilers: none specific, vague references to series wide events
Warnings: language, weird imagery
Summary: Prompt: When Sam and Dean decide to settle down for good, Sam is able to get a pretty good job and hold it down and it gives him some stability, but Dean is unable to keep any of his jobs.
Reccer’s comments: Yet another fic that was written for one of my prompts, and another fic that involves Dean working normal jobs. The author’s writing style, especially her ‘weird imagery,’ works so perfectly for this fic. It’s so creepy and sad and emotive.
Thanks guys! I hope some of these fics are new to you and that you like them! Have a great June!