And those of you who know that I'm not usually big on AUs will probably do the math and realize that the boatloads of them below means that these particular AUs really worked for me. So if you have some resistance to those yourself, these might be the AUs for you!
After The Tone,
kashmir1's Big Bang fic, is a wonderful, aching story of life after Supernatural for the boys, one in which they've gone their separate ways. Jensen's longing for Jared in this is so palpable, and the ending sews up any broken hearts along the way— including yours.The Seahorse, by
memphis86, was a really unexpected treat. I'm not much for Mpreg (except that one time where I wrote it), but the story is less about that than simply a traditional romance. The only "crack" here is the basic premise, but the rest of this is humor, the slow inevitability of love, and schmoop. Really, really satisfying— and the artwork by ignited is fantastic.Open Mike Night At The Fremont, by
audrarose, is so unexpected. The setup is very different— Jared as a sculptor, Jensen as the Gorgeous Mystery man who who works in the neighborhood bookstore— but the personalities still come through, and the process of them getting to know each other makes for a terrific read. Really fitting "cover-art" by grayscaled.The Games Men Play, by
fourfreedoms and miss_begonia, is an escalating game of Gay Chicken between Jensen and Jared, and it's hilarious and hot. Totally irresistible, and pure PWP fun!Sweet Dreams Remain by
fourfreedoms - Jensen is a bartender who falls for a married man, communicating his feelings through a series of specialized cocktails. I love how well this author's AUs always manage to make Jensen and Jared feel like themselves - regardless of the AU setting, the characters are still "true."And there you have it— humor, schmoop, romance, moodiness and heat. Something for everyone. :)
