That's more than participation, that's winning.

Oh, I see what you mean.

I didn't know they didn't give full rides to Stanford. Stingy of them. Harvard does, I think.

Much like Dean being a mechanic, but rarely an engineer.

I agree. I think the high school thing is hard, though -- I don't see Dean being painted as a scholar*, and the other kind of popularity is going to come from him being a total bad boy, which is also too lazy.

I actually wouldn't mind an AU where Dean is more like Cas in the one we were discussing -- not a stoner, necessarily, but more of a loner. A little mysterious, a little edgy, a kid who always surprises his teachers with how smart how he is given his attitude and his bad boy appearance.

• edited to clarify: a scholar as in National Honor Society, earnest geek, acadeca, etc.

A little mysterious, a little edgy, a kid who always surprises his teachers with how smart how he is given his attitude and his bad boy appearance.

This I think I've seen happen more often in canon stories. D/C AUs seem to paint him as pretty mainstream. I'd love to see him be a gang member (with the requisite heart of gold, natch) or something like that--surely there are other paths to popularity that don't involve sports or GPA?

I have a depressing feeling I'm going to be actually making notes on AU premises this weekend. Why do I care?

Now, D/C does a fair amount of HS and college AUs. Well, AUs in general--dude, the romcom count is crazy. Are there a lot of HS AUs out there that are gen or het?

No idea about gen, and I don't think I've seen a lot of gen. There are a crazy amount of HS or college AUs in J2 fic, for sure.

Now you've got me thinking about which AU premises I could myself writing. As if I needed to even consider that.

As if I needed to even consider that.

Mmm.

Always happy to help.

I want to make Dean and Sam carnies in the worst way. But I probably won't.

Does John run the carnival? Or did they run away and join the circus?

I think John runs the carnival. Or works for it, at least.

I have no idea where that's going, but it's attractive. To me, anyway.

Is the contortionist named Lisa?

I'm just curious...

YOU'RE NOT HELPING.

I think opinions will vary widely on that one.