Sastiel Recs
Sam/Cas Recs
My favourite Sassy fics.
Gen - Sam & Cas bonding and friendship
Outside links
Doeraymisha - A collection of 78 Sassy recs, some with comments by the reccer.
~Sassy~ The Little 'Ship That Could - A great collection of Sastiel fics and art with comments by the reccer. Focuses on more serious fanworks.
Hurt!Sam - Rec list with comments by the reccer focusing on hurt!Sam fics with significant Sam & Cas interactions, both slash and gen.
Fic Recs: Sassy! It ain't just rainbows and unicorns - Angsty recs for Sastiel, with summaries by the reccer.
Sastiel Fic - A new tumblr that recommends Sastiel fanfics, with comments by the reccers and tags to sort the fics by genre, length etc.
Sastiel AU Fic Rec List - A list of 19 Sam/Cas AU fics.
Sastiel Non-AU Fic Rec List - 22 canonverse Sam/Cas fics.
Gen
A Circus of Pink Animals by vpoint0
T, Complete, >3,000
- Sam comes to retrieve Castiel from drowning in his sorrows with booze. It's about as easy as it sounds. 5x18 spoilers; slashy
Very funny and I love Cas's misconceptions about being drunk.
After Life, Death by Min Daae
T, Complete, >39,000
- 5.04 AU. Castiel never expected to live through the end of the end of the world. Sam didn't either. Castiel takes care of Sam after everything doesn't end. Sort of.
I love this fic. Beautiful, haunting, angsty but not depressing. It really stuck in my mind long after I read it.
Elements of Journalism or: How to Find Friends and Alienate Your Superiors by story_monger (alternative)
K, Complete, >70,000
- Sam Winchester needs a job. He's a news reporter who recently stepped down from his comfortable position with the Los Angeles Times after his mix-up in a questionable case of journalism ethics. Luckily for him, his brother and Bobby think they can snag him a job at the New Eldritch Herald, a small-town newspaper in the middle of Kansas. And they do. And Sam meets Castiel Novak: the photography editor who everyone agrees resembles the Grumpy Cat meme. Several things happen after that: Sam and Cas develop a friendship, Cas keeps photographing everything, Dean and Sam try to figure out how to be brothers again, Sam starts to realize Editor-in-Chief Michael Alef sort of hates him, and everyone partakes in a hefty dose of vigilante journalism.
Well written and really cool journalism plot. I like how strong Sam and Cas's friendship is and how they support each other.
Five Conversations Sam and Castiel Never Had by minviendha
Not rated (K+), Complete, >2,000
- What it says on the tin. Subtitled 'even though they probably should have.'
Nice Sam & Cas bonding. Love drunk!Cas
Hug it out, Bitch by maskedfangirl
K+, Complete, <2,000
- Sam makes the mistake of giving Castiel a hug then refusing to hug him again. Castiel becomes a total hug-slut until someone finally decrees Sam damn well give Castiel hugs when he needs them.
Cute and funny.
Not Exactly Clarence by minviendha
No rating (K), Complete,
- Castiel is not all knowing, but he does notice a few things. In which there is a library, saltines, and careful hydration. Also known as, Lise is a fan of ridiculous Sam and Cas gen.
Cas awkwardly trying to look after his friend is very sweet.
One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Fuck You Dean by tawg
T, Complete, >4,000
- Castiel is on a bitter, disenchanted bender and he drags Sam along for the ride. Sam's brother may come up in conversation. Just in passing. Set during 5x15, '99 Problems'.
Funny story where Sam and Cas bond through their mutual frustration with Dean.
Repeat After Me by foolscapper
T, Complete, >2,000
- In 8.17, there's a warehouse full of dead Dean Winchesters. But what was the fate of the taller one going to be? To Naomi, it's simple: give him what he rightfully deserves, after all the pain he's caused.
Love the way it draws parallels between Sam and Cas. You can really feel how much Cas cares for his friend here.
Thus Were Their Faces by gabby_silang
T, Complete, >3,000
- There are four trains in the yard today: three headed east, one going west. The Impala, one engine chained to four cars, is taking on the last of its supplies.
Really interesting steampunk AU with cool imagery. Labelled as Sam/Cas but is better described as gen, in my opinion.
Slash
After the End (+two sequels) by ratherastory
T-M, Complete, >12,000
- Prompt: 5x04 AU. Castiel knew Dean was sending him to die, knew he was being used as bait, but he was tired, watching Dean be so cold and tired and broken left Castiel feeling just so tired and he didn't care. He was pretty sure he welcomed death by then. He didn't expect to walk out of there, but he did. Castiel finds himself there when Sam Winchester, once his friend, wakes up from his long, sleeping nightmare, addicted to demon blood and begging for Cas to tell him that Dean isn't dead, even if he's sure he remembers seeing him die while he watched, helpless, from behind his eyes. Castiel doesn't want the burden of caring for Sam, of watching over him while he comes down and withdraws from demon blood and screams and cries, but he has it. (...) But Sam is still his friend and Castiel has never had that many good, true friends.
Angsty and a little sad but there's something beautiful about Sam and Cas clinging to each each other in the absence of Dean.
All the Fun of the Fair by treeshouse
K, Complete, <1,000
- Sam, Dean and Castiel spend a fun-filled evening at the fair.
Hilarious and so cute.
Bad Blood by tawg
M, Complete, >70,000
- Being a telepath isn’t easy. Growing up in Sioux Falls, living with family friend Bobby Singer and working at The Roadhouse, Sam Winchester has an uncomplicated life to balance out that annoying problem of hearing other people’s thoughts. But then an Other (one of the supernatural beings who had revealed themselves to the world some two years ago) comes into the bar.
Aside from being incredibly handsome and more than a little endearing, Sam can’t read the Other's mind at all. That bit of excitement suits Sam fine, but then dead bodies start turning up, some of his friends reveal secrets of their own, and Sam realises that he is not the only person with supernatural abilities in Sioux Falls. He’s not the only person who is now in a whole heap of danger.
One of the few fusion AUs I like--this is different enough that it's still interesting if you're familiar with True Blood (and readable if you're not familiar with it). And the concept of the 'Others' is really original, they aren't exactly angels but something that still fits with canon's characterisation of angels.
Bad Days by ladybastet92
No rating (K), Complete, <2,000
- When Dean and Sam are separated after Lucifer is freed, Sam gets sick, and Castiel is determined to help.
Pure fluff and some cute cuddling.
The Common Denominator by Rrrowr
T, Complete, >12,000, Warning: polyamory
- Alien!AU. Castiel is an envoy from another world with the ability to learn everything about a person through touch. Sam is his guide. Together, they explore different aspects of human life -- from the concept of ownership to the great pancakes vs waffles debate, to the various ways that people can care for each other.
Very intriguing AU, but with just enough canon that it doesn't feel too unfamiliar.
Chicken Feathers by oywidapoodles
K+, Complete, <2,000
- What totally would have happened had Sam not hug-blocked Cas. Episode coda for 6.12.
Really sweet first kiss fic.
Closer to Heaven and Closer to You by epiphanyx7 (alternative)
T, Complete, >11,000
- Castiel is an angel. And angels don't have emotions.
Feels very in-character and has a really good slow build-up of feelings.
Don't Move by Myurra-K
T, WIP, >180,000
- A man can drown in secrets and lies, even if they aren't his own. Apparently Sam's the only one who knows exactly what he wants. This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for his life, and his heart, relying on the choices of an indecisive angel. Cas/Sam. Slow Updates.
My favourite Sassy fanfic. There are so many of my favourite tropes here, from Sam's mental instability from his demon blood addiction, to Cas's initial naïvety. I also really like Dean and Gabriel in this fic.
NOTE: This fic has sadly been deleted from the internet.
The End: What You Didn't See by emerald_embers
K+, Complete, <1,000
- Sam and Castiel kill Dean and get a motorcycle to ride off into the distance together while listening to much more awesome music than the shit Dean plays.
Don't be put off by the 'kill Dean' part, this isn't grudgefic, just hilarious crack.
Five Times Castiel Played a Taylor Swift Song, Love Story...Or Not & Untouchable by stangerine88
K, K, M, Complete
- A series of fics in which Castiel tries to woo Sam by playing Taylor Swift and giving him mix tapes.
Funny and crackish but also contains some more serious elements later on such as Sam's low self-esteem. Also, the author writes really good dialogue.
Fixed by Jack Velvet
M, Complete, Sam/Cas & one-sided Dean/Cas, >11,000
- When Sam takes notice of an unusual student in a bar near Stanford, he introduces himself with this question: “If you had the power to do anything, what would you do?” It turns out the answer isn’t as vague as it seems.
Nice, slow build of Sam/Cas with a really interesting, slightly sad fix-it to the season 6 finale.
Gravitation Verse by kototyph
K-T, Complete, >33,000
- a.k.a Sam and Cas are College Bros. An almost-AU where Castiel just happens to show up sooner rather than later.
It took a while for me to get into this fic because the verse starts with two fairly contextless ficlets but once the story got properly going in the 3rd fic it became one of my favourite Sam/Cas fics. It's mostly fluffy and funny as it follows Cas adjusting to human life but gets pretty angsty in the last story. I really love the slow progression of Cas realising his feelings for Sam.
Hunger by virtualpersonal and deansfetish
MA, Complete, >20,000, Bottom!Sam, Warning: bondage, bloodplay
- This is set partly during and mostly after the "My Bloody Valentine" episode in Season 5. After Sam succumbs to his addiction to demon blood, Castiel helps Dean lock Sam up to clean him up. However, when Castiel cuffs Sam, something sparks between them... something the angel does not quite understand.
I'm not a fan of bondage but the way this fic does it doesn't squick me somehow, it's more a fun exploration. Anyway, it's very sexy and Dean's reaction at the end is really funny.
I'd Marry Your Cat Just To Get in the Family by wanttobeatree
K+, Complete, <2,000
- Written for the prompt 'Dean gives Castiel all his lame pick-up lines and Castiel keeps trying to use them on Sam'.
Another 'Castiel uses pick-up lines' fic, and probably the better one, or at least, it features more pick-up lines fun. Cas's inexperienced and immature flirting is cute, like a little kid with a crush.
I Have Stood Here Once Before by stangerine88
M, Complete, >48,000
- Centuries into the future, the world has ended. Neither Heaven or Hell have come out victorious as the last human soul is wiped from the war-savaged Earth. In a fit of desperate rebellion, Castiel goes back to the start, back to November 2nd, 2005 to prove once and for all that people make their own destinies. Only fate's a fickle bitch when you try to pull one over on her and Castiel finds himself in a time in which Sam Winchester is a far cry from the hardened hunter of his memory.
Already plagued by waking visions, Sam finds himself left with this mysterious angel as his only ally. Forming a delicate, somewhat awkward friendship, Sam and Castiel set out to find the Colt and to stop Azazel from freeing Lilith and starting the Apocalypse. Dodging Heaven, Hell and two over-protective Winchesters, the alliance formed through necessity slowly becomes something not even Sam could have seen coming.
Everything comes to head, in a graveyard in Wyoming where Dean, Sam, John and Castiel make their final stand.
Really interesting plot, with less of a focus on the romance.
If This Were a Romantic Comedy by AozoranoShita
T, Complete, >3,000
- ...which this in no way resembles, really, it would be called The Wooing of Sam Winchester. But it's not called that. And it's not a romantic comedy. Really. For gallein in the Sassy Exchange 2012.
Great light-hearted approach to the Sam/Cas romance but what I especially like here is the Cas & Dean friendship.
I Know It When I See It by Balder12
MA, Complete, >5,000
- Cas helps Sam translate a Medieval Enochian text that turns out to be racier than expected. Awkwardness ensues.
Mostly porn-without-plot but well-written and funny.
An Investigation Into Seasonal Bonding Rituals by tawg
K, Complete, >3,000
- Cas is Sam's Secret Santa and has no idea what to get him, or entirely understand the concept. He asks Dean for help... Written for a Sassy commentfic meme over on lj.
I like this one because it's not all about Sam and Cas, it's got all the season 5 regulars and it's really nice to see them bonding and interacting with each other.
Kettering (I Was Checking Vitals) by fabella
T, Complete, >12,000
- Pre-Season 10, Sam and Castiel hunt together for nearly an entire summer. It goes a little something like this.
This is lovely and angsty with Castiel pining after Sam.
Length of Love by Rrrowr
T, Complete, <2,000
- Sam got a haircut. Castiel likes it, maybe. Sam isn’t too sure actually.
Captures Sam's thoughts regarding Cas nicely. Very easy-to-read, delicate writing.
Lexicon of a Liason by guardiancastiel
MA, Complete, Sam/Cas & Dean/Gabriel & Dean/Cas, 19,000, Warning: infidelity
- Dean and Castiel have been dating for a while after the Apocalypse was stopped, and now things seem to be heading in a different direction. Sam has grown to like Castiel-more than platonically-and doesn't know how to act about that. Gabriel is still around, despite the departure of angels.
This fic handles the cheating issue really sensitively and I like the way that Dean/Cas's past relationship is not disparaged in any way, despite Dean and Cas both feeling things for different people now.
Like a Rolling Thunder Chasing the Wind (+sequels) by elise-509
MA, Complete
- “We were never supposed to meet.” It’s the first thing he says. Castiel meets Sam; it's the start of changing everything. AU after 4.03 "In The Beginning".
Gives the Sastiel relationship a lot of meaning and frames it as destined.
Looking For Love in Las Vegas by red_river (alternative)
T, Complete, >52,000
- Sam's not psyched for the Winchesters' annual pilgrimage to Vegas. Having an angel along doesn't change anything - or does it? Dean, Sam, and Castiel take Sin City, looking for liquor, loose women, and love or something like it. Sam and Cas centric; friendship or light slash. Lots of drunk Dean.
One of my favourite Sassy stories, it really shows how much Sam and Cas have in common. The story itself is a very fun read. This fic has been altered slightly to fit into the Other Guardian series and is now pre-slash rather than gen.
The Mirror by cloudyjenn
T, Complete, Dean/Cas & Sam/Cas, >26,000
- When Dean touches a strange mirror, he's whisked away to one alternate reality after another and it doesn't take him long to realize the universe is trying to tell him something.-Dean/Castiel
Yes, this is a Dean/Cas fic but there is a universe in chapter 3 with Sam/Cas that I really like, and involves lots of angst and Sam and Cas finding each other while dealing with grief. It left me wanting to see more from that Sam and Cas *sigh*
Never Take Advice From Dean Winchester by hils
K+, Complete, <2,000
- Castiel wants to do something special for Sam and decides Dean is the only one to help him. Unfortunately.
Funny and sweet. Loved Castiel using bad pick-up lines and bonus!Gabriel.
The Other Guardian by red_river (alternative)
K-T, Complete, >320,000
- After Dean is raised from Hell by Castiel, an entire year passes before the Lilith rises and the seals start to break. During that time, Castiel is assigned to watch over the Winchesters, and finds himself growing closer and closer to Sam.
One of my favourites that I'm always eagerly checking for updates. It's a very slow build but seeing Sam and Cas gradually work out their feelings is so great. Really beautiful writing and I really like the connection between Sam & Castiel.
Plant Pathologists vs. Zombie Lawyers by scaramouche (alternative)
K+, Complete, >7,000, Bottom!Sam
- Castiel just wants to do his work. Sam bothers him by existing.
I don't normally like AUs but this is one of the few I do. Both Sam and Cas (and Dean!) are in character and Cas's grudge against lawyers and initial irrational hatred against Sam is funny and kind of heartbreaking.
Rub My Duckie by tawg
T, >2,000
- Sam finds a rubber ducky in the bathroom. Written for a Sassy_OTP prompt meme.
Excellent straight-faced crack.
A Sassy Cup of Coffee by oflittleuse
M, <2,000
- Sam needs to work in a local coffee house to help pay for his schooling, and while working there he comes across a trench coat wearing stranger who is determined to like coffee (even though he hates it) and seems as reluctant to talk about his past as Sam is.
A sweet, if fairly innocuous, Sassy Coffee Shop AU.
Sensitized by Myurra-K
T, Complete, 12,000
- It started when he actually felt the needle pierce his skin; it was the day he began to fall in two different directions at once. And now here he is, with a pair of broken wings, trying to decide if he should let them heal or rip them off. SLASH Sassy
The slow build-up of Cas's feelings for Sam is really fantastic.
NOTE: This fic has sadly been deleted from the internet.
The Story In Your Eyes by AozoraNoShita
T, Complete, >3,000
- Written for SassyWeek2012 on tumblr. Rated for language. Cas is being weird. Really weird. Sam is being oblivious. Like, super oblivious. And they're in love? Maybe? Honestly the whole thing is kind of awkward.
I enjoyed the awkwardness and Sam's slow realization of his feelings towards Cas.
Third Time's the Charm by kisahawklin
MA, Complete, >7,000
- "So you are virgins. Again."
Awesome fun, awkward sex.
Two One-Act Plays by The_Bookkeeper
T, Complete, >4,000
- Starring the Winchester Brothers and a blue-eyed stranger.
A little confusing at times but it has a unique premise and it's really interesting seeing the interactions between Boy King Sam and Godstiel.
Untitled Anon Meme Fic by anonymous
No rating (K), Complete, <1,000
- Prompt: I would read the dark Sassy fic where soulless!Sam got into collecting creepy Victorian taxidermy and Dean would be D: and Castiel would bring Sam new items for his collection from around the world.
Interesting crack where Sam and Cas are just as creepy as each other.
You Were Just So Conveniently There by wistful_fever
M, Complete, >8,000
- Castiel and Sam become friends, or something like it. 5x14 episode fic.
This is interesting but vaguely unsatisfying because it's not explicitly said whether Sam returns Cas's feelings.
The Whole World In His Hand by poisontaster
K, Complete, <2,000
- Castiel falls – for Sam, and starts hunting with the boys. Everyone (including God) has to cope.
Beautiful writing. Unrequited but with a hint of hope at the end.
With Nothing Left Up My Sleeve by fakeplasticsnow
MA, Complete, >9,000, Bottom!Sam
- As far as coping mechanisms go, this is relatively non-psychotic. Post-5.17 ("99 Problems") -- deviations from canon: if Sam didn't find Dean, if Dean said yes to Michael, etc.
I really like the way Cas is so active in this. Also the little bits of humour are really nice amongst the angst.
Words with Angels by 13chapters
K-T, Series, >2,500
- Castiel gets a new phone, and Sam teaches him about how it can be used for ~games~.
Fun, with several laugh-out-loud moments.