Destiel Trope Collection 2026 | Day 29: Fake Dating
Amoretto Motel | @thefandomsinhalor
Rating: General
Word Count: 7,391
Main Tags/Warnings: Canon Divergence, Post-Episode S12E04, Fluff, Fake/pretend Relationship
Summary: Feeling down after Mary left the bunker, Dean is eager to go on a hunt with Castiel, when he hears about unexplained missing couples in Arkansas. Unbeknownst to him, however, Castiel has an unusual idea how to approach this particular case. He wants to play bait. Together.
Retreat | @ampbwrites
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 8,032
Main Tags/Warnings: fake/pretend relationship, case fic, undercover as a couple, idiots in love, unresolved/resolved sexual tension, there was only one bed, sassy Castiel, Dean Winchester is bad at feelings, Dean Winchester is protective of Castiel, happy ending
Summary: At Sam's suggestion, Dean and a newly-human Castiel go undercover at a couples' retreat in Vermont to investigate several unexplained disappearances. Between listening to Cas affirm their relationship goals to a group of strangers and putting his hands all over Dean during couples' yoga, not to mention all the damn hippie food he's had to choke down, Dean's not sure he's ever felt more out of his element. Oh, and did he mention there was only one bed?
The Nikkah | @maxine_1703
Rating: Teen & Up
Word Count: 28,000
Main Tags/Warnings: No archive warnings apply, fake relationship, romcom, first kiss, mutual pining, humour, canon divergent after āScoobynaturalā
Summary: "I love you, Castiel, will you marry me?"
He's pretty sure he imagines the tears in Cas's eyes, when his friend nods his head. "Yes. Yes, Dean, I will marry you."
Dean and Cas decide to fake an engagement and a romance to trick some djinns, only to discover their true feelings for each other.
Also featuring: Sam with a djinn-induced toothache, some fluff and then some more, kisses, hugs, tears, and, like any great romance, Dean attempting to search a strange country for the love of his life.
White Wedding | @thejukeboxzero
Rating: Teen & Up
Word Count: 40,166
Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, runaway groom Castiel, Dean Winchester Has ADHD, Mechanic Dean Winchester, BAMF Castiel, Crack, Fake/Pretend Relationship for a hot sec
Summary: Castiel sees his arranged marriage as the end of the line, and Dean is desperate to stop Sam from getting hitched to the wrong woman, when Cas' wedding gets interrupted by a confused, but well intentioned Winchester, he see's this as an opportunity to break out from under his families thumb and start fresh, even if that means running away with the guy who kidnapped him from the altar...
Perks & Benefits | @nessarose-thropp
Rating: Mature
Word Count: 43,383
Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe, Domestic, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Fake Marriage, Marriage of Convenience, Friends to Lovers, Roommates, Sharing a Bed, YouTuber Castiel, ASMRtist Castiel, Engineer Dean Winchester, Chronic Illness, Multilingual Castiel, Openly Bisexual Dean Winchester, Gay Castiel
Summary: Castiel's life isn't going exactly as planned. It's not all bad, but it's certainly not what he pictured for himself. His career aspirations in linguistics have somehow transformed into a full-time gig as a YouTuber and ASMRtist. Instead of living in the beautiful, international, and expensive city of Geneva, Switzerland where he was raised, he's living in Columbus, Ohio.
When an emergency lands him in the hospital with a life-changing diagnosis and a growing stack of medical bills, Cas is left treading water. Luckily, his best friend and roommate Dean is always there with a creative solution and offers to marry Cas. For the insurance benefits, of course.
Hooker, Line and Sinker | @flatcokeao3
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 48,246
Main Tags/Warnings: Strangers to Lovers, romcom, Business man Castiel, Escort Dean Winchester, Michael!Dean - in the way that Michael is Dean's escort name, Zachariah is a D-bag, Protective Cas, Alternative Universe - Office, Fluff, Age Difference, Misunderstandings, Annoying Christmas parties, Making Out, Masturbation in the Shower, This is about beach read, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Bad flier!Dean, Smut, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Rimming, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, Fluff and Angst, low angst, like romcom level angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Dean is insecure and Castiel is very understanding and supportive, Semi-Public Sex, Golfing, Facials, Making Up, Making Love, Castiel has good friends
Summary: Incredibly awkward and not ready to mingle Castiel finds himself in a bit of a pickle when his boss threatens to set him up with a relative, and Castiel's knee-jerk reaction is lying his way out of it. When the lie spreads like a high school rumour, Castiel finds it difficult to backtrack, but thankfully his sister, Anna, comes to his rescue with some sound advice.
Hiring an escort to pretend to be your boyfriend might sound like the most expensive way to get out of a blind date, but Castiel discovers that it is the most emotional, confusing and rewarding way as well.
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days | @labgeek2002
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 48,962
Main Tags/Warnings: Top Castiel/Bottom Dean, Bottom Castiel/Too Dean, Mechanic Dean, Writer Castiel, angst with a happy ending
Summary: Two years into his career writing an advice column for the Advocate, Castiel Novak finds himself cynical and jaded when it comes to finding meaningful relationships which seem to crash and burn all around him. Forced to challenge his assumptions about twenty something males and humanity in general, Cas is assigned a project to find an attractive man and chase him away using all the methods and qualities he loathes in others. With a promotion on the line for the small price of cooperation with this degrading assignment, Castiel assumes the task.
Sick of watching Dean tear through a string of meaningless hookups, Charlie bets her best friend Dean that he can't last ten dates with the same person before hitting the eject button. With something to prove, Dean takes the bet and finds the first handsome stranger he meets: a writer named Castiel.
The only question is who will cave first?
A Game of Profound Pretence | @thefandomsinhalor
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 48,974
Main Tags/Warnings: Fake Dating AU, Enemies to Lovers, Second Chances, Small Towns, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed
Summary: With a feud as legendary as the one between the Campbells and the Novaks, Dean and Castielās deep aversion to each other is nothing new to everyone in town. But when word gets out that the two are romantically involved, which is a blatant lie, the reaction of everyone around them isnāt what they expect. Met with celebrations and blessings from their families, they must begrudgingly put aside their differences and work together in order to keep the peace and avoid disappointing their families, until they can find a solution to this mess. It also gives them the opportunity to finally deal with a secret of their own, concerning the real reason for their animosity, which doesnāt stem from their familiesā history, but rather from a past encounter years before.
Tales of Mishap (WIP) | @peanutbutterjelly-pie
Rating: Mature
Word Count: 110,826
Main Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe, Witch Dean, Angel Castiel, Fake Relationship, Humor, Fluff, Romance, Angst, Disaster Bi Dean
Summary: Dean is a witch who never has an easy time being subtle about his magic. After yet another incident of him almost exposing everything to the clueless public he finds himself reprimanded by his coven and swears to do better in the future.
Only to end up breaking into the coven's library that very same night, absolutely wasted, with his vampire best friend in tow, in a weak attempt to somehow turn his life around. The sole thing he accomplishes in his inebriated state, though, is to mix up some spells and accidentally summon an actual angel of the Lord, without any idea how to send him back again.
Great.
So now Dean doesn't only have to deal with a very disgruntled heavenly creature but also needs to keep this all a secret from his family and the coven.
And what cover would be more effective than telling everybody that the weird, blue-eyed guy who suddenly popped up in his life is his new boyfriend?
What could possibly go wrong?