Catz 3375

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate or who get the luxury of having a day off work!!

And I have done very badly at meting this out: have now gobbled it up and am feeling wonderfully cosy and festive by its ending! Feels by the end that the misunderstandings and upset have taken Cas and Dean to a more sustainable place.
Perfect start to my festive celebrations!! 🎄❄️☃️🌟

By the end, $2.08, no job, no goals, and seriously unwell.
I am very glad that Ao3 tags exist and that when I first read this I had faith that Northern Sparrow would give some comfort after this!!

Chapter 5 starts so well for Cas. A car, new trenchcoat, a new aim, and motivation:
'I WILL get back on the tree. I WILL survive this winter. The sun WILL come back; for me, and for everyone; somehow, someday.'

** man

True, very apt! Hearing Cas describe modern western society does make our reliance on money for everything including all food seem rather foolish...

Then: '3 sleeping pills tonight I think. It's only eight o'clock but I think I'll take them now.'

Brings to mind the Croatan world Cas

Chapter 4 starts so positively for Cas: warm clothes, movie night. Then the loneliness hits.
Interestingly, Dean's appearance only causes more pain, uncertainty and confusion...

Finally Dean realized it was a drawing of four pillows, and three blankets, and six towels of different sizes. All lined up next to each other.'

Poor Cas...

And the disappointment of the motel room. Really emphasised by : 'At the bottom of this entry, Cas had a drawn a little sketch that Dean could not decipher at first. A row of little shapes. Four blobs, and three big rectangles, and then a set of six smaller rectangles and squares.

Chapter 3. Never did I think I would be so gripped by the saga of the three season sleeping bag. Would the woman buy it? Would the man? I was on bated breath and was rooting for Cas. So happy for him!

Is a thought-provoking sentiment... And a commentary on industrialisation and capitalism I guess!

Really sells Cas as being foreign to time and place!

Aww, I know. The whole fic so far is an art of persuasive emotional language!!

I think hearing Cas express himself to himself reveals much more than he ever would in front of any of the other characters. Akin to him on the bench in 'The Mam who would be King'. Helps to explore that sudden humanity and entry to the modern world.

Looking forward to the comfort that I know is coming though!

Poor Dean though:
'I don't think Dean would just walk away like that if I were actually drowning.

Or would he?'

'Then he thought, But that's exactly what I did.

Dean fell silent.'

Ironically Cas would never want to hurt/ upset Dean but is unintentionally doing so.

Such an interesting setup

Similarly with Cas' confusion over the world. The author's note touches on wanting to show how it feels to be new to a foreign land, and what a success in doing so!

And upset:
'Is it normal to feel my eyes pricking with tears so often? It's happened five times just today. Is this some kind of disease?'

All hard-hitting and I can feel the emotion viscerally in a way that just describing it - eg, I feel upset or I cried- wouldn't create.

Chapter 2. Wow!
Impressive how Northern Sparrow imparts how Cas is feeling and his understanding of everything to an extent that as the reader I am able to understand better than Cas does. Particularly the description of the emotions he is feeling - shame

Can't wait to start chapter 2. Didn't realise how difficult this would be to mete out!

Highlight how hard Cas is trying and how lonely human life is for him, plus how tenuous he understands his and Dean's relationship to be, that he has to examine everything he might say to him. How little he thinks Dean cares...
Plus how much he wants to be back in the bunker

My favourite lines as they say so much with so little:
'consider ask if could come back (ask carefully)'

'Remind Dean I can't hear prayers now - if he's been trying to reach me by praying I won't have heard'

'how to control all the fear - will this make Dean think less of me - Do not ask this.'

Poor Cas, intubated and ventilated in ICU.
Poor Cas with his 'crappy' initial send off from the bunker.
Poor Cas with his fears and worries over the previous 6 months...

Wow, chapter 1 is really bringing the angst! Knowing that all ends well has allowed me to appreciate its genius though.
(Also, it's surprising how little I needed to remind me of the whole Sam mad at Dean, Gadreel situation)
Poor Dean hasn't caught a break for a while and then it gets worse

Post started!

🎄🎁It's December!! It's time for a Northern Sparrow 'A Winter's Tale' readathon/ book club ❄️🎄
archiveofourown.org/works/265432...

11 chapters plus the #Destiel one so one every two days whilst counting down Advent?!

All are welcome to read at their own pace though as festive spirit is key

Essential listening for any task really!!

Like how bluesky allows me to mute certain words.

Like that I discovered it today on the 'w*nc*st' 'b*rniversary'...

I did not know about this! Thank you!!

Good morning yall. I miss Dean and Cas so much it's actually unreal.
#destiel #supernatural