Title: Damned
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: Gen
Genres: AU, Drama, Friendship
Length: Long (25,286 words)
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: goldenusagi
Author Website: GoldenUsagi @ AO3

Author's Summary:
When Dean falls in a pit and breaks what feels like every bone in his body, he figures this is going to be the hunt that gets him. But the cave he finds contains a thing trapped in a circle of fire—a thing that calls himself Castiel and claims to be an angel. Castiel says he requires his freedom and that he’ll heal Dean in exchange. Dean’s far from convinced about any of it, but his encounter with Castiel is something he’s not going to be able to shake.

Review:
Castiel and Dean meet not after Dean is pulled out of Hell, but rather after Dean makes his deal. Their relationship develops throughout the events of season 3, creating a different dynamic to that we see in the show. The fact that an imminent apocalypse or Dean's time in Hell aren't yet looming over their interactions makes their friendship feel more like a natural development between kindred spirits than something guarded or uncertain. This is a lovely friendship fic that can satisfy both a lover of BFF!Dean/Cas and a shipper.

I read this fic as Dean/Cas pre-slash, but the author describes it and its sequel (which I haven't read) as Gen, so that's what I've tagged it as. If you're not a fan of Dean/Cas I can assure you that nothing slashy happens. Dean and Castiel's interactions can either be seen as a developing close friendship or a developing relationship.

Damned