I Cleanse The Mirror
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | I Cleanse The Mirror |
| Author(s): | takadainmate |
| Date(s): | Sept 2010 |
| Length: | ~20,333(written) |
| Genre: | pre-slash, pre-Dean/Castiel (or Destiel), Team Free Will |
| Fandom: | Supernatural |
| External Links: | I Cleanse The Mirror |
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I Cleanse The Mirror is a Supernatural pre-Dean/Castiel story written by takadainmate. It was written as part of the deancastiel LJ community's 2010 Secret Angels Fic Exchange for weirdwednesday.
The story was included on the sawedoff recs LJ community's final recommendation post as an example of the Team Free Will genre of Supernatural fiction.
Author's Summary: "Mid-summer in Colorado and it's been snowing for three weeks. Dean and Sam's investigation turns to survival as they are hunted by an ancient, malevolent creature who seeks nothing other than to take their lives. Especially Cas's."
Author's Notes: "I was so astonished at how well-received it was. I wrote it in about two weeks before the deadline, because I procrastinate like a pro. It got one night of editing. I certainly enjoyed writing it, because I love the Yuki Onna story the idea was taken from, but I really was surprised at how much people seemed to like it! Not that I'm complaining, because there can never be too much wilderness survival hurt/comfort fic in the world. :)"[1]
Fandom Reactions
"Fantastic storytelling, with an original premise that is beautifully executed. The casefile plot is engaging, while allowing a fascinating and fresh look at Dean&Castiel, as well as the Team Free Will dynamic."[2]
"She has the most amazing, most accurate take on Dean and Castiel I've ever seen. Her I Cleanse the Mirror, for example is brilliant..."[3]
"I...don't usually offer up recs on these posts, but this one kind of took me surprise with how much I loved it, because I'm not typically a huge fan of gen or pre-slash. But [this fic] was easily one of my very favorite fics in this round. So. Yeah. :) Stunning. One of the best fics I have ever read. Rich atmosphere full of suspense, tension, and emotion. simply epic and it's pre-slash!"[4]
"Re: D/C SA Week 2: 9/27 - 10/3(Anonymous): I have a feeling that I Cleanse the Mirror is prob going to be one of the best fics to come out of this fest. Any guesses about the author? I think it might be takadainmate but I'm seeing a lot of authors I don't know receiving fics so I could be completely wrong.
(Anonymous): Seconding that I Cleanse the Mirror was probably the best fic so far....
(Anonymous): Reading I Cleanse The Mirror makes me feel so bad for what I wrote. I thought it was ok before, but now I'm certain it's just plain pathetic compared to that."[5]
"Really good! I really like the way you've characterized Cas's non-human sensory experience, and how Dean experiences them through his limited -- both by being human and being cut off from his own body -- form. Very convincing, well-written. Thanks!"[6]
"This is everything I love about fanfic. It makes me feel. It's suspenseful, it makes me sit on the edge of my seat, and it gives me warm squishy feelings. This is one of those fics where I can't even jokingly say "I hope this becomes canon" because it's crafted in such a way that it only works in this medium. Or... well, if someone did try to turn it into an episode, I wouldn't trust anyone to do it right. Even with how action packed it is it's still incredibly emotionally and mentally driven, and unless we started getting voice-over narration a la The Wonder Years or Dexter, this story never work as an episode of the show. You, my dear anonymous author, know how to tell the kind of story I love to READ. I love Castiel and his inhumanity (such a kink of mine), and his desire to protect Dean from getting that inhumanity. I love how Dean and Castiel start bleeding together but they're still separate. I love how Dean NEVER SHUTS UP and his own personal translations of Cas's angelic scribbling. Most of all, I love the Team Free Will dynamic and how everyone is carrying everyone else, how they wouldn't have made it to the end without ALL of them, even without Dean in his own body."[7]
"To me this is the essential Team Free Will fic. With its spot-on character voices and characterizations, thrilling casefile, and wonderful and insightful exploration of the friendship and brotherhood between Sam, Dean, and Castiel, this fic is not to be missed. It's everything I love about the found-family dynamic of this trio, layered throughout with comfort, insight, and understanding, while believably laying down the groundwork for Dean/Castiel as something more."[8]
References
- ^ Author's interview at rec-hymenated dated Occ 23, 2011; WebCite; Archive.is (accessed April 12, 2013).
- ^ 340: It's Friday, I'm in love [dean/castiel] in sawedoff-recs Dated Oct 8, 2010; webCite.
- ^ comment in Fandom Secret Post #1545 dated March 27, 2011; Archive.is (accessed April 12, 201).
- ^ Notes added to a fan's diigo bookmarks dated 2012; WebCite.
- ^ comments in the Dean/Castiel Silent Angel Fic Exchange posts in spnanonhaven dated Oct 2010; WebCite.
- ^ comment in the original Secret Angels #4 post dated Sept 28, 2010;WebCite;Archive.is (accessed April 12, 2013).
- ^ <comment in part 2 of the Original Secret Angels #4 post dated Sept 28, 2010;WebCite;Archive.is (accessed April 12, 2013).
- ^ sawedoff recs LJ community's final recommendation post dated August 31, 2011; WebCite.