mclachland: (SPN // Gray Areas)
R.C. ([personal profile] mclachland) wrote2011-10-07 04:40 pm

Oneiroi [epilogue]



prologue | one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | epilogue



There is a tree on a sun-soaked hill, an elm with resigned branches that births globules of light and thought, heavy fruit sprouting wings. They tear from the boughs and fly away, leaving the sad elm, never to return and never missed. More blossom in their place almost immediately.

He studies it -- this well-oiled machine -- and is so engrossed in the process that he does not hear the heavy footsteps in the grass behind him.

"It was the first of my dreams," Dean says, coming to stand beside Cas. He shoves his hands into his pockets and looks up at the tree with a critical eye -- usually reserved for the Impala or a piece of pie. Except this is not Dean. "I wanted an extension of me, a piece to do my work should I find myself far away. A part of me, a dream that dreams."

"It is magnificent," Cas admits, watching the process with awe. The fruit, the creatures he has come to know and fear and understand, pull away and drift into the sky. The oneiroi will find the minds of the inhabitants of some world out there, whether it is Earth or a place that does not know of angels and humans and a failed deity's kingdom. He tracks them until they leave his sight.

Dean rocks on his heels and then gazes out into the fields, sunlight reflected back in his eyes, his skin, and Cas is not sure how he could have ever thought this poorly-made copy was Dean Winchester. "It will not be long. A blip. A blink. A breath, and then you will finally be here, my Castiel, dreaming of me."

At the bottom of the hill, the tall grasses rustle and part, and Cas cannot contain the smile that blossoms across his face.

"Cas!"

He shakes his head, still smiling. "You're mistaken. It's true that someday I will be here. I will dream for you, perhaps even with you, but… I will never dream of you."

His words are final, and he leaves Morpheus on the hill to wait for the end of this blip, blink, breath.

Running down the gilded slope to join Dean, Cas holds him careful and close, swallowing his laughter and pulling him back into the grass, into gold, until they disappear.


“As I lay me down to sleep, this I pray:
that you will hold me dear.
Though I'm far away I whisper your name into the sky,
and I will wake up happy.”


End.



Notes:

So, I guess when I said that "Named" was my first and last Big Bang story, I lied. "Oneiroi" was a long time in coming, actually, having first been an original screenplay about a girl who goes into Demos Oneiroi to rescue the kid she's in love with. In 2009, I was gearing up to seriously give thought to shopping it around when I heard that Christopher Nolan was making a movie about dreams. I ended up shelving it, because who would ever contend with Christ Nolan (even if our plots were completely and utterly different)? I ended up using it for my DCBB mostly because I had only a month to write it and I could come up with nothing else.

Writing from Castiel's POV was the hardest thing about it and I probably (re: definitely) will never do that again.

I'm glad I wrote it, but I'm fucking stoked it's over. On to new things!


Thanks:

I would be completely in the wrong if I didn't thank the people who yelled/cajoled/threatened/bribed/sat up until the wee hours of the morning with/loved me throughout June and July.

First and foremost, thanks to my betas [livejournal.com profile] peroxidepest17 and [livejournal.com profile] nanoochka for pretty much carrying me through the writing process. I'm sure they were ready to murder me in cold blood if I were to say "OH GOD I CAN'T DO THIS" one more time, and no jury would convict them. Between the late night chats, treating them like my own personal sounding board, and bothering them around 2am and pleading for reassurance, I honestly couldn't have done it without them. Thank you so very much. I owe you girls everything -- and by everything, I mean most if not all of my viable, transplantable organs. I love you both.

Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] miki_moo, my fabulous artist, for her wonderful work! She is one of the sweetest, most enthusiastic people I've ever had the privilege of working with. She did a great job -- EVERYONE GO CHECK OUT HER ART!

Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] timetravel, [livejournal.com profile] staraflur, [livejournal.com profile] nightanddaze, [livejournal.com profile] alexwhitman25, and everyone else who cheerleaded/kicked my ass.

And, of course, as always: thanks to [livejournal.com profile] tigbit for being there. <3

[identity profile] manuuchin.livejournal.com 2011-10-10 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
asdfghjkl;!

I first read Named and loved it and I loved this even more because we have Cas's pov *_* And Gabriel, oh Gabriel! The subtle ways he showed himself, then end, it was glorious!

I felt like Cas when he learned that Morpheus was everything. Your concepts and the way you work around ideas and myth is just breathtaking. And Cas, such a beautiful, beautiful human. The process of emotional-feeling he went through was very realistic. And his sacrifice because Dean is worth it and the conversation they had was guh.

Sam oh Sam. I can't deny that since season 4 I turned into a Dean!girl, but Sam had my heart first and this made me remember why. Olivia and Jess and childhood and hugs and so clever! all that makes him the brother, the best friend, just Sam. It was wonderful reading him and his friendship and brother devotion.

Deaaaaaan you broke my heart with how beautiful you dream-proposed Cas and how in dreams Cas is Castiel and and I'm just glad that one day you'll be able to say Cas loves you and you get your happy ending.

Thank you so much for writing this *__* big bangs, for me, are inspiring and must be put on pedestals for the rolles coaster sensations you go through. So thanks again. I love that I get to read Dean/Cas from amazing writers. <3<3<3

[identity profile] mclachlan.livejournal.com 2011-10-12 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, what a comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! And yes, please go and check out the other stories from the wonderful writers in the D/C fandom. All the big bangs this year are phenom!