Title: Darker Shade of Black
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: Sam/Dean
Categories: AU, dark, (almost) angst, morbid, established relationship
Length: Medium (8,000 words)
Warnings: mentions of rape (to Dean), torture, gore (not graphic), death!fic (not Sam or Dean)

Author on LJ: sardonicsmiley
Author Website: No More Tears

Summary: They say that no one can get out of here. Never been done. Never will be done. Sam's heard that before, and Dean has never, ever, been wrong about his prediction on how long it will take them to get out. He's good that way.

Review: Sam and Dean are in a maximum security prison... but what if they actually belonged there? Supernatural creatures are no longer prowling the streets to terrorize, but not all monsters are supernatural-- some are human. These two, in particular, are plotting their escape... and their next mark.

Ordinarily, this definitely wouldn't be my type of fic. I love angsty, dark fic as much as the next girl, but seeing my favorite characters going on killing sprees generally isn't my idea of a good time. Usually. Thankfully, SardonicSmiley has this AMAZING talent of making me enjoy things I'd normally be repelled by.

Reading this fic is, in some ways, akin to watching a train wreck. It's strange to see characters you love so familiar and yet completely alien. They're still the same people (and in character!), but they're also so different and morally wrong. This is one of those fics that'll draw you in after the first few sentences and refuse to release you until it's story has been told.

Word of Warning: If you're squeamish or sensitive to gore, you may want to consider not reading this fic. On the other hand, I generally consider myself squeamish/sensitive to gore and I liked it enough to rec it (something I find a little perturbing)!

Excerpt: This time when the guards drag Dean back from his "visit" with the warden they're almost gentle, they lay him down inside the cell like a broken thing. Dean's not moving, staring sightlessly up, and Sam drops to his knees beside him and lets all his hurt and fear show on his face. The guards don't move away for a long moment, and then one of them ducks and whispers furtively, "We can get you medical supplies at dinner, yeah? Stay sharp."

Dean doesn't start smiling until they're out of sight, and then he's rolling to his feet, staring at Sam like he doesn't recognize him for just an instant. But Sam's been with Dean his whole life. He knows how to get through, touch Dean when he's buried himself deep behind his shields.

He whispers and soothes and runs his hands down Dean's arms and Dean rumbles and presses close to him. There's something hard and square digging into Sam's gut, and he slides a hand and palms it. Dean's smiling, showing his bloody teeth, pulls Sam in for a kiss and says into his mouth, where no one else can hear, "Get that to Ash."

Sam licks the blood off his brother's skin. All of it.

They only have another month here. He contents himself with that knowledge, and with the dreams of fire and screams that keep him warm through the long cold nights. Dean doesn't come to bed anymore, whispers with Ash and Andy, planning and scheming, hypnotizing them, the way only Dean can.


Darker Shade of Black