I'm not sure there's a bright line I can explain between a "what if" and a "I hate canon". You know when someone just pretends something didn't happen, but doesn't really explain why, or explore the ramifications? Mostly that irritates me. It's not coded to soothe my id, and it's almost like an allergen instead.

If Dean left Lisa earlier, why? Don't just tell me she kicked him out for no reason, or her caught her cheating and you just need to get him directly in bed with Cas. Make there be some point to it.

I couldn't keep reading the hurt!Dean prompts. They were hurting him too much, and one trope especially was hard to read--detox!Dean. Because I'm so attached to him being a functional alcoholic, and unless he works out how fermentation works in Purgatory or Cas does some Jesus tricks...realistically he would be kinda fucked, wouldn't he? I've been feeling oddly guilty about that idea since the finale (and knowing that Steph's brother is doing it for real, of course) and I can't decide if I want canon to deal or not.

However, if you are interested in the h/c, the prompt is here: [link] I've only scanned the first page, and I didn't see any fills, but there are at least 6 pages there now.

which I wrote, actually

Oh, don't think I don't remember, and that it still doesn't hurt.

Yeah, when authors just change things they clearly don't like with no explanation, that's usually a non-starter for me. If you're going to veer off canon, have a reason for it, and use it well.

Detox!Dean is a little more hurt than I want, too. I also can never ever read any evil!Winchester of either type.

Evil!Winchesters are a tossup for me--I clearly adored that scaramouche story where they were all sociopaths...good god, did I ever like that...

I think if it's a more relatable scale of evil, or if only one brother is bad, then not so much.

I also couldn't get into Dean/Godstiel past the initial "on your knees and blow me" premise. Levia!Cas D/C neither.

Actually, you're right, there was a series of stories where Sam and Dean were both psychotic -- it was very dark, and they were just these sort of feral, all-id brothers. The writing was gorgeous, but after the first few it got old, and sort of disturbing.

There was also a Winchesters as werewolves story from waaaaay back that was excellently creepy. It was Ellen POV about them coming into Roadhouse.

gimme all the D/C fic in the world, but it's probably quite safest if that never happens onscreen

A big instance where what I want from Show and from Fic differ.

From Show, when it comes to Dean and Cas, I want to at least have acknowledgement that there is a relationship that matters to both characters, platonic as it may be. And I was getting a little sad there that Cas was going to written out with a whimper (my fears were allayed with the finale, which speculatively promise Cas going out with a bang). I don't want canon Cas and Dean to grow apart as people and drift away from each other, which having Meg becoming so integral to Cas was making me think and be frightened (as much as I love Meg nowadays).

Good god, the look on Cas' face when Dean is talking about being bad luck. The pure adoration and faith.

The closest I've come to appreciating Wincest (in a very squeak-and-run-away fashion, because I'm still me) was a story like that--was it where John had deliberately raised them like that, with a sort of Spartan mindset of fucking your fellow soldiers? And they crept out everyone at the Roadhouse?

But that sounds like a combo of both your storylines. Maybe it's yet another one. It had a really distinctive title that I'm blanking on entirely.

I want to tell this guy "Oh, honey, no, that's not how it works." But bless him for trying, and no he doesn't get my number.

See, I can't remember if they were actual werewolves, or just gave off that creepy pack vibe to Ellen. But it was very much like that -- they're freaking out everyone at the Roadhouse, and yes, the Wincest was almost blink and you miss it.

Made by genuine leather,

Dean Winchester Car Coat is a jacket is really like to own.

My favorite lines from the description. Not so much with with the English speaking good, huh?

Okay, I just watched the last 15 minutes again, and I'm even more unabashedly willing to defend the finale. Knowing what happens, I was even tenser. I appreciated every exchange of looks--from the "note of forgiveness" through Sam all alone, and Dean not so alone. And Kevin and Meg's panic to boot.

Kinda randomly, I'm assuming Sam collected the Impala before he did whatever he did next, right?

I so need to rewatch.

I like Meg more and more. I also appreciate that here's a female character who debuted in S1, who's still on the show. And has evolved! In evil ways, of course, but also some not-so. I'm very much hoping Crowley doesn't off her right away.

I agree that Kevin was a little underused, though. Great idea that sort of went nowhere. But he could come back, too!

I think Kevin has to come back in S8, because they could have killed him or let him go home, but they kept him in play.

Tho...if you still have a prophet, you still have Judeo Christianity, which means they totally haven't let go of that as much as interviews lead me to think, oh, two years ago?

I did like the Meg+Cas vibe, in that she looked out for his feelings (for her own reasons) kind of like Sam was aware of him, but Dean patently was not.

But when Cas and Dean have that moment by the shrouded Impala...all the ship feels, man. Even platonic ship. I love that the show has Dean+Sam and Dean+Cas and they both affect me so strongly (go Dean, I guess?). They're neither very healthy, but they are intense and make for great soldiering.