about Supernatural fanfic...

[ratcreature]

I'm not feeling particularly fannish about Supernatural, but I have watched most episodes, thus while I was bored I looked around for Supernatural fanfic to read. I was mostly interested in gen, and while of course I knew that there's Sam/Dean slash I was actually surprised how common it is, from my first impressions even more widespread than gen (though I could be wrong about that). And I just don't get it. Personally I just have a hard time seeing Sam/Dean slash.

It's not that I'm particularly squicked by sibling incest, but the story has to somehow work harder to make that kind of thing work than other pairings. Not only because it has to make me buy that they would act on a sexual attraction despite incest taboos, that is similar in a way to other "relationship obstacles" in romance stories, but because it has to make me buy that there would be attraction in the first place. With most pairings I can buy that the author simply has a character feel attraction, inappropriate or not, and then the story goes from there, but for me (and I suspect most people) thinking about close family members with whom you grew up with, like your own siblings or parents and sex together is, well, sort of icky. Not just incestuous sex, but even the fact that your sibling or parent has sex with anyone, that's the kind of thing you don't want to contemplate in much detail. At least I don't, and I suspect I'm not alone in that.

I tried reading a couple of Sam/Dean stories, but they seemed to be much like regular slash in the way that it assumes that the reader buys the possibility for attraction between the guys in the first place. I don't quite get what makes this plausible for Sam/Dean shippers just from watching the series, and yet it seems very common. Which leaves me puzzled. I looked whether there was an essay on this pairing at ship_manifesto to provide me with some insight, but there doesn't seem to be one yet. So does anyone know of any Supernatural meta that would explain to me where the Sam/Dean shippers are coming from?

Comments

[cocombat.livejournal.com]

As to why the Incest on the show?:

Most of the time, I actually think the actors hit the mark on the 'just brothers' vibe (huh, now that someone else mentions it, yeah - *waay* more platonic than River & Simon), so there's the possibility I AU some moments just to get something to *work* with.

1. The actors are pretty, look completely unrelated, and people have gotten used to slashing boys. :P

Personal variation: the actors are pretty, and it's one of the few slash pairings I'd actually like to be in a *threesome* with.

2. They are the *only* main characters. There is no one around to slash or het them *with* other than the weekly one shot characters or original characters. The only other reoccuring characters mentioned are - their Dead mother, Sam's Dead girlfriend, and their Dad. Sam & Dead!Girlfriend, is less scary than the alternatives...

3. And now we're getting into their fucked up psychology...
They apparently moved around a lot, and had to lie to people about what their dad and they actually did, as kids, giving the impression that they were each other's only friends. Dean has said he basically has *no* friends, or outside relationships, you get the impression he's never had a serious romantic relationship either, as opposed to many many one night stands.

4. Sam keeps bitching about how abnormal their childhood was, and how he just wants to be *normal*, and doesn't want to be a hunter, waagh, waagh, waagh, but many twisted minded people have happily taken that and run with it as Sam & Dean were maybe a little involved as kids, and that's part of what freaked Sam out about their childhood.

5. There's the strong implication that there's either something about the Winchesters in general, or just Sammy in particular, that the women (or people?) they love, will die burning on the ceiling. You can see how at least a couple of those interpretations might lead to them isolating themselves off from any other characters.

Ah!
Reason 2. *b*,
*The* most popular one shot character so far? The psychic shapeshifter that tied up Sam and looked like Dean. Which is still all kinds of 'cest. Actually, I'd guess that maybe up to a quarter of the SPN slash fic has been derived from just that episode.

Really minor reasons, all bunched together:
Dean calls Sam *Sammy*. This - http://teland.com/lb.html has kinked me for 'Sammy' incest, for good.
They snark. Lots. It's cute. ("Jerk." "Bitch.")
Pilot, the first thing they do is fight. Rolling round on the floor. It's hot. But badly lit. (Hey, Supernatural producers? If you love me, you will give me more sparring. Properly lit sparring. I'll think it's hot, fanboys will think it's cool. It's totally win=win.)
It was a joke, but other characters have mistaken them for a gay couple. Twice. (Bugs)



Recs for Supernatural:
Stone_Princess has some good recs - http://www.livejournal.com/users/stone_princess/tag/fic+recs+spn

For stuff that actually give background to slashyness, I like:
Yesterday is the Same as Today, but Already Over
http://www.livejournal.com/users/gravi_girl123/91201.html
also An Honest Mistake, and It’s Hard Not to Notice by same author.

Wednesday’s Child
http://www.livejournal.com/users/deannaz/61879.html
(underaged - and this story is really just about repercussions thereof)

And uh... there's a fic that I *think* might be relevent, but I can't remember what it's called, but it has a line about "taking it like a man" and that that's one of two thoughts that will fuck him up later (Dean).
?

[ratcreature]

Thanks for the recs, I'll check those out.