Track 44: Western AU

Welcome to episode forty-four of the Mixtape Book Club Podcast.

In this episode, Ellen and Mal welcome author Mallory, aka emmbrancsxx0, to discuss Destiel fics set in the Wild West. Fics include The Shawnee Trail by emmbrancsxx0, Wheat Fields and Jars of Light by Violue, the West series by Xela, Something Like a Broken Heart by RhymePhile, and Hunter’s Caress by Ltleflrt, plus many more!

You can find our Mixtape Book Club Ao3 collection here, containing the stories we’ve discussed on the podcast so far.

As always, Mixtape Book Club contains fic spoilers, swearing and discussion of adult topics. Please listen at your own discretion, with attention paid to any little ears that might be nearby!

A transcript is available for this episode.

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Our guest: emmbrancsxx0

Mallory pubishes her Destiel works under pseuds emmbrancsxx0 and valleydean on ao3. Find her on X as @mallorybranca or on tumblr as valleydean.

Other works mentioned:

Currently posting: Champion, part 3 of the Heavyweight series about boxers in the 1920s-30s
Raise the Black (246,524, E) – pirate au

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Featured fics (timestamps in brackets)

The Shawnee Trail by emmbrancsxx0 (7:50)
Published in 2020, 166k words, Not rated but contains explicit scenes

In 1887, Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak lead a peaceful life in Lawrence, Kansas. Dean and Sam are stagecoach messengers for Wells, Fargo and Castiel is the town doctor. When Castiel’s patient, Kelly Kline, knocks on their door one night about to give birth, she asks for the Winchesters and Castiel’s help in protecting her son against one of the west’s most notorious outlaws. To fulfill that promise, the men set out on a journey full of shootouts, trouble with the law, gambling, and an important discovery: Dean and Castiel really need to define the nature of their relationship.

Wheat Fields and Jars of Light by violue (39:22)
Published for Dean/Cas Reverse Bang 2018, 16k works, E

It’s the mid-1880s. Grieving the loss of his twin brother, Castiel Novak is on a journey across Kansas to search for those responsible for his death. By horse, by carriage, by foot, he won’t stop until he’s hunted them down and gotten his revenge. What he finds, though, is that nothing in the world is quite what he thought it was.

West series by Xela (33:13)
Published in 2012, 6255 words over 5 works, range from G to E

Summary for Once Upon A Time in the West:

“We goin’?” Sam asked, coming up beside him. He sounded bored, like Dean’s answer didn’t matter, but his eyes were sharp and knowing. They’d walk through hell and back for each other. Stupid didn’t even give them pause.

Something Like a Broken Heart by RhymePhile (59:45)
Published in 2009, 12k, M

Dean Winchester is a Texas Ranger traveling to the town of Fort Griffin Flat, Texas, to rendezvous with the rest of his company when he meets Castiel, a prostitute in town. Answer to the AU Fusion Challenge prompt #20 in which whreflections asked to see Something in which Dean is a Texas cowboy who somehow meets Cas, a cheap prostitute scraping out a living in the worst part of town. Dean’s not even into guys, but he runs into Cas a few times and eventually ends up saving him from a dangerous customer, and somehow, Dean finds his mind changing without his consent after that.

Hunters Caress by Ltleflrt (46:19)
Published 2019, 161k, E

Castiel Jameson won’t rest until the outlaw who murdered his brother faces justice, and Dean Winchester is the only man alive who can help him track the villain down. Some say Winchester is a cold-blooded killer himself; others say he’d been wronged his whole life. All Castiel knows is that the desire glinting in Dean’s green eyes is even more dangerous than he is. Castiel fights to keep his mind on business, but during the long nights on the trail with the dangerously handsome hunter he finds himself dreaming of yielding to Dean’s illicit kisses and losing himself in lawless passion.

Dean Winchester is about to hang when Castiel saves his neck with his crazy plan. But dying might be better than spending day and night playing nursemaid to such an infuriating city slicker. He appreciates the stubborn detective’s desire for justice, but he’d appreciate Cas a lot more if he’d stop being a lawman long enough to just be a man. He certainly has all the right equipment. Dean aches to run his fingers through Castiel’s dark hair, yearns to know how Castiel’s golden skin will feel against him. And before the coming of the next dawn, Dean vows to teach him the pleasures and sweet rewards of a Hunter’s Caress.

Our guest: emmbrancsxx0

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Featured fics (timestamps in brackets)

Other recommended fics and links (01:08:27)

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