I think I am just about done with fic fanon having Dean making huge life decisions to pay for Sam's higher education (entering into risky, shady, dangerous situations and lifestyles, working twenty jobs, giving up his own dreams, etc).

People, Sam made his own way! Why is fic!Sam suddenly incompetent (I know that's not the motive behind it, but I always get a little mad at lazy lazy Sam when I read it)? Why do the writers think Dean needs this? I can see it being shorthand for how self-sacrificing Dean is for Sam, but, like, isn't just practically raising the kid good enough? Is it to make up for the lack of Dean getting a chance to trade his soul for Sam's life in this type of fic? (this actually makes sense to me, but I wish writers found other creative ways to replace that pivotal gesture instead of adopting this as fact). Is this a D/C failing, or does it pop up in gen and wincest AU's?

In related news, am very excited over the D/C western to come out of the BB.

I don't mind the idea that Dean thinks his shot at a vaguely normal life is less important than a very good shot for Sam. Sam obviously has to do some work--he's putting in the study hours. Dean's just making sure he has the luxury of living with his head in the books, while Dean puts food on the table, etc, for him. I don't get the impression that Sam is lazy, just that he's working his ass off academically, and in more than a few stories the happy ending is when he gets a full ride and Dean gets to ease up on what ever he's doing.

I think, for me, it's that it has entered the territory of "Castiel is a weird name"/"My parents were very religious" and "Sam's bitchface number eleven".

Unlike those, I think it's integral to his character, the giving up and lack of a desire to do things for himself.

Dean will reward himself (fulfill his desires) in only the smallest and most fleeting ways possible -- getting laid, a piece of pie, a steam shower. That's his bliss.

I don't quite understand getting mad at the Sam (or whatever character) in the story, though. If anything, I would be annoyed at the author if I thought they were writing something really OOC, or making one character unattractive without good reason.

It seems rare to me that Sam takes it for granted that he's owed what Dean gives him, even if they have the requisite fight and separation.

OMG, I almost re-read the self-lubing mangina fic. That's so traumatic. I hope your other pairings don't have that.

I would be annoyed at the author

In the end, yeah, I am, but if the story's pretty good and I'm involved, my gut reaction is to be annoyed at Sam, and secondarily at the author.

It seems rare to me that Sam takes it for granted that he's owed what Dean gives him

I don't think it's ever really conveyed that Sam takes it for granted, more that the author is taking it for granted, which strikes me as the author relying on a well-worn trope without actually thinking it through for their own story.

Anyway, just a lot of misplaced annoyance on my part. It is a good way to get across Dean's lack of self-worth and putting Sam's welfare ahead of his own. I guess I'd just like to see another take on it once in a while.

I read a story from Jensen_Misha that was really Jared/Jensen and implied Jared/Misha, where there is knotting, self-lubing manginas, and Jared screaming "Take my puppies!!!".

I felt bad for laughing hysterically over what was essentially a rape fic. I cringe as I type that.

Self lubing manginas are worse body horror to me than mpreg. I just read the most schmaltzy post mpreg story to see what I was missing, and i think the answer is still not much, as far as my tastes are concerned. Plus mega OOC.

I finished S5 a few days ago. That was some good TV. Dean not wanting Sam to die alone nearly killed me.

So now, I could start downloading S6 (can't Netflix it) but I sort of don't want it to be over. (I'm thinking there is a S7 coming, but I haven't bothered to check for sure or when.)

So I'm going to re-watch the pilot tonight, I think. And I've been reading through this thread - something like 3000 posts so far. You guys talk a lot about SPN, but I'm loving it. We will see if I make it through the remaining 10K posts.

Yes indeedy, there is a Season 7 coming.