myboys

Castiel spends the morning collecting chairs from around the school. Ones that are more suitable for adults than the miniature ones for his second grade class.Today was career day, and the kids were bringing in their parents and family members to talk about their jobs. There’s a great turnout every year, and Castiel expects the same this year.

He’s right, of course. For his class of twenty, there are nearly thirty adults crowding into his classroom. Castiel’s already met a good number of the people here from back to school night or conferences, but there a couple he doesn’t know.

Like the freckled man with green eyes who looks absolutely stunning in his firefighter gear…

But his classroom is no time to flirt or ogle the handsome man, so Castiel concentrates on running career day and helping his students ask questions

Finally, though, it’s the freckled man’s turn. He heads up front with Bobby Winchester, and Castiel tries to remember what he knows about the Winchesters. He’s met Bobby’s mom Eileen on a number of occasions, but he can’t recall meeting his dad. Though he supposes if the man’s a firefighter, his schedule might not allow it.

“This is my uncle Dean,” Bobby starts, and Castiel can’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief. “He’s a firefighter, which is really cool. Sometimes he lets me visit and ride the fire truck or slide down the pole. Any questions?” Bobby looks eagerly at his classmates.

Krissy raises her hand and Bobby points to her. “Why didn’t you bring your dad?”

“Because my dad’s a lawyer and that’s boring!” Bobby says like it’s obvious. “Firefighters are way cooler than lawyers.”

“Smart kid, ain’t he?” Dean says with a wink and the adults laugh. 

The kids keep going with their questions, which Dean answers wonderfully. He talks about how scary it is to go into a burning building, but how he’s glad to be able to help people. He talks about the training he does, and the activities the firefighters do when they’re waiting for a call. And then he ends by talking about the importance of calling 911 if there’s a fire at their home and that they should keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen just in case. All the students nod along solemnly.

“So… that’s about it. Any final questions?”

“You single?” calls Mrs. Tran from the back. “Asking for a friend.”

Dean blushes and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Uh, I am, but uh-”

“What’s your type? You like blue-eyed men with dark, messy hair?”

Castiel’s heart skips a beat. Oh no. This isn’t the first time Mrs. Tran has tried to set him up with someone, though normally it’s with the single parents throughout the school. 

“Uhh…” Dean’s blush has gone from light pink to beet red.

“That sounds like Mr. Novak,” Bobby says helpfully. Then the boy’s eyes light up. “You should date Mr. Novak! You’re always complaining that there are ‘no good men’ but Mr. Novak’s good.”

“Oh my god, you’re as bad as your dad!” Dean whines, trying to usher Bobby back to his seat. He gives an apologetic look to Castiel. “Sorry, man, I didn’t mean to disrupt your whole lesson with this.”

The day keeps going, and it’s not until the end when the adults are enjoying some refreshments that Castiel gets a chance to talk to Dean. 

“Sorry about that,” Dean says as soon as he sees Castiel approaches. “The kid really knows how to embarrass me. I swear, he’s just like his dad at that age.”

Castiel laughs. “I don’t mind. It’s not the first time Mrs. Tran has tried that, and I’m plenty used to Bobby’s outbursts.”

“Ah.” Dean looks down at his lemonade as he continues. “So uh… how come Mrs. Tran’s matchmaking efforts haven’t worked out yet?”

“Well, up until today, I was convinced she had no idea what my type was, but-”

“I’m your type?” Dean interrupts.

Whoops, did he really say that? “Uhhh-”

“Because for the record, you’re totally my type too.”

The next year at career day, Castiel arrives late looking particularly disheveled, with messy hair and lips plump from kissing. After all the kids talk about their parents and family members, Castiel beams as he points to the firefighter sitting in the back of the room. He throws Cas a kiss as he introduces him.

“Class, please welcome my husband, Firefighter Dean, who’s going to talk about his job with you.”

i do wonder about the fate of the fandom after the show ends. there’s understandably going to be a drop in “participation” (however you define it) once the show ends, because there isn’t anything new to inspire gif makers, meta writers, artists, and writers. my dash is always more active on the evening there’s a new episode, and in the days following. it’s a natural connection between the two. 

does that make me think that it’ll die off completely once the show ends? not really? 

plenty of fandoms exist around an IP that’s not actively producing “new” content. though it might take some adjusting as the fandom figures out what to do with themselves without the show. it’ll shrink, but there will still be people there to interact with. people will still love the show and want to engage with the story, even if they’re not airing new episodes. admittedly, it won’t be as easy as it is right now.

End of parent content does not end fandom or fanwork creation. In some ways, end of parent content is liberating because now you have free reign with that world. It’s yours. They’ve let go of it, and you can clutch it to your chest and run off giggling madly because you have so many plans for it.

And, yes, you are correct to think end of parent content will impact the creation of new content. It will, but it will not end it.

The anime Gundam Wing, which was my first fandom, aired in 1995. That was 25 years ago. Six new fics were posted on AO3 just yesterday.

Let’s go further back! The movie Labyrinth came out in 1986. 34 years ago. Three fics were posted/updated on AO3 yesterday.

Those are pretty niche fandom, though, so let’s go with something more mainstream people are familiar with.

Harry Potter by JK Rowling. Despite all the controversy and backlash with the creator, the content is still beloved by many.

Deathly Hallows was published 13 years ago. DH: Part 2 was released almost a decade ago. I had to click through thirteen pages on AO3 to get past the fics that were posted or updated-- so far-- today.

Now! Here’s the thing! People who leave fandom are more likely to be consumers of fanwork content, because they’re reading other things or widening their range of interests.

Fanwork creators only invest their time and energy into things that are fun and make them happy. They do not stick around in toxic fandoms. It’s why people leave before the show even ends and starts making content that makes them happy elsewhere. (*waves*)

As it is before the end of parent content, so it is after the end of parent content: you have to properly feed and water your fanwork creators if you want them to thrive. Otherwise, they go somewhere where they can get poured into just as much as they pour themselves out.

You can’t pour from an empty pitcher.

The creation of fan content is much more reliant on other fans than it is of the parent content.

Fanfic is, after all, transformative works. It’s building off of parent content or outright ignoring it to make it your own. It’s birthed from the parent content, but relies on others care and keeping to keep it alive.

For 15 years of laugh

15 years of tears

15 years of epic love

15 years of Sam and Dean

Some other not so cocklesy Cockles but still beautiful moments from sdcc.

X

“Looks like another white Christmas,” Dean said, looking outside the hotel window with a smug grin.

“You sure called it,” replied Sam, rolling his eyes.

“Me ‘n Cas are going out for eggnog. Can you believe he’s never had eggnog? Heathen.” Dean shook his head in mock disapproval and cast a quick glance out the still open door, where the angel loitered like a lost puppy. “You in?” 

“I’ll pass,” sighed Sam as he plopped down on the bed, not bothering to remove his blood-spattered boots. “Have fun. Bottoms up.”

Grinning, Dean nodded and trudged outside, back into the bitter cold.

Despite all the snow and chill, Dean hadn’t come back to the hotel that night. It wasn’t the first time that had happened, of course; in fact, it’d become something of a habit. Sam never asked what Dean and Cas did together. Probably just stared into each other’s eyes all night, with a side order of not talking about their feelings. Ugh. Those two. Emotionally-constipated morons.

For his part, Sam surfed through some bad Christmas movies, halfheartedly jerked himself off to sleep and did not call Amelia, no matter how badly he wanted to.  

The next morning, Sam woke up grumpy and cold. Dean’s bed was still empty, which only made Sam grumpier. And their hotel room was out of coffee, which officially made this the worst Christmas ever.

Sam grabbed the keys and stumbled out the door. The nearest Dunkin Donuts was five miles back toward the interstate, and at this time of day, it was probably slammed. Great. Just great.

It wasn’t until he was right in front of the Impala that he noticed the tie.

Snow-dusted and frost-stiff, it was looped around the back-seat door handle like a sock. It waved a little in the chill morning breeze, thunking dully against the Impala. 

Sam felt his face grow hot.

Then he started to notice the letters. “C” and “D” traced into the drivers’ side window. The little heart smudged next to it. And handprints. Everywhere handprints, even in places where it was physically and anatomically impossible to place handprints.

And one large print that was definitely not made by hands.

Goddammit.

With a deep breath, Sam steeled himself and peered into the car.

The backseat was a tangle of limbs and clothes and hair. Sam could make out only the half of Dean’s face; the rest lay buried under a forest of dark hair. A certain pale and lean and very, very naked angel butt jutted toward the car roof.

Sam made a choking, animal sound.  This was his home, man. It was like he’d caught his brother fucking around in his childhood bed. Hell, this was his childhood bed. He raised his fist to pound on the window and wake both these assholes up and give them a piece of his mind.

As if on cue, Dean opened one bleary eye. Noticing Sam standing outside the window, he blinked once, twice, and then grinned lazily at his brother. 

“Seriously?” Sam scowled at Dean. “What the hell, man?”

Dean lifted his hand from its perch on Cas’s naked ass and gave his brother the thumbs up.

“Bottoms up,” he mouthed at Sam.

Since this is a first for me (being excited about Christmas) I want to do something nice for you guys.

“The golden hour, also known as golden time, is the period of time following a traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical and surgical treatment will prevent death.“ [Wikipedia.]

For as awkward as that phone call scene was, I can’t help but think the title of this ep is referencing that.  Because, note: it doesn’t say bring the dead back to life - it says PREVENT DEATH.  Something in this episode prevented a death of something else.  Now what do you suppose that could be?

I’m saying the breakup was a traumatic injury for Dean that is essentially slowly killing him and getting to talk to Cas helped pull him back from the brink. That’s what I’m saying. - Oh, but it also totally helped get Dean off the bench to go literally save Sam’s actual life, but I’ve heard it both ways.