magicletters ([info]magicletters) wrote,
2008-11-14 15:50:00
  • Previous
  • Memorize
  • Share
  • Next

SPN Fic: Sound of Settling

Sound of Settling
It's times like this where Sam's world goes as quiet as Dean's.
PG | deaf!Dean, Sam, mentions of John (gen) | 376 words

 

The diner is almost empty by the time Sam gets there, bells above the door jingling loudly as he opens it. The lack of people makes it easy to spot Dean sitting in the corner booth, and his brother doesn’t look up as Sam slides into the seat across from him. Dean’s gripping a cup of coffee that he guesses has long since cooled. 
  

Sam reaches across the table and puts two fingers underneath Dean’s chin, gently raising his head.

 

“You okay?” Sam asks, taking in the redness of Dean’s eyes and the darkening bruise on his cheek. 

 

Dean just shrugs, extending his fingers and tapping his thumb against his chest.

 

“It’s not fine, Dean,” Sam says, and Dean can sense the tension of his words by the stretch of Sam’s mouth, the wrinkle of his forehead.

 

He brings a closed hand near his mouth, thumb sticking out on the side and motions across his face. Then he shrugs and taps his thumb against his chest again.

 

Sam takes in a deep breath, then shakes his head ever so slightly and Dean tries to decipher the motion, thinks maybe Sam’s frustrated with him, or maybe just disappointed.

 

“Just because he was drunk doesn’t make it ok,” Sam counters, and this time the sadness in the slump of his shoulders isn’t lost on Dean. Sam’s bangs fall in his eyes and for a moment it makes him look impossibly young, not old enough to be chasing after his brother in the middle of the night after another fight with their dad.

 

Dean looks down at his coffee again, wonders if its times like this that make Sam wish he didn’t have a deaf brother, wish that Dean could hear and talk like everyone else so things would be better for all of them, so Dad wouldn’t get so angry when he didn’t understand something.

 

Dean catches his brother waving his hand to get his attention out of the corner of his eye and slowly looks up, not sure if he wants to see the expression on his brother’s face, but Sam doesn’t look angry when he finally reaches his eyes.


“The impala has a full tank of gas,” he says. “We don’t have to go home tonight.”

-END



**Feedback is love :D
*Title taken from the song by Death Cab for Cutie
Tags: deaf!dean, spn fic

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
     
    Help
  • 64 comments
Previous
← Ctrl← Alt
  • 1
  • 2
Next
Ctrl →Alt →

[info]miriad

November 15 2008, 04:45:16 UTC 3 years ago

Oooh... I love this!

I am hoping that there is a 'verse here?!??!

I love the idea of quiet Dean- so many times, his characterization is based on what he says and how he says it. To have a Dean who doesn't speak verbally intrigues me.

This feels like a missing scene from a bigger story- there is a deep world here, one that feels like it's been fleshed out in your head, which makes it so very, very good.

Thanks for sharing and, again, I do hope that there might be more. :)

[info]magicletters

November 15 2008, 20:55:15 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :) And you're right, whenever I write these snippets I always have an entire backstory written in my head of the world in which the story is set in. I have written some more snapshots that would go along with this story, and I'll post them when I finish fitting them together.

Thanks for reading!

[info]lomer

November 15 2008, 05:33:58 UTC 3 years ago

I absolutely adore you for actually getting the sign language right and for realizing that the grammar in ASL isn't the same as standard English. My inner nitpicky geek is completely satisfied. I always get worried reading deaf!Dean because people don't do research.

On top of getting the details right, I love the story you've woven here. It makes me want more. I want to know what provoked John's punch and how frequently this happens. The idea of deaf!Dean is also incredibly fascinating. How do you fit into a hunter family when you can't hear? Which is why I end up reading deaf!Dean and then getting all irritated by Dean signing "I AM FINE." because no deaf person would sign "am." "Am" is standard English grammar. ASL would be "I FINE" "I FINE I" "FINE I" or as you illustrated, "FINE". So awesome job. *g*

[info]magicletters

November 15 2008, 21:16:54 UTC 3 years ago

Lol thank you! I'm taking ASL in school this year so I was so much more conscious of the sign language when I was writting this. It's definitely a challenge since a lot of people don't know that ASL grammar is different than English grammar, so the easy way would be to show that Dean was saying he's fine perhaps like this, 'I'm fine.' but it would be more of the English interpretation of what he actually signed and I wanted to leave open the very real possibility of him being misunderstood, especially when it comes to John. I ended trying to describe what the signs looked like which was pretty challenging so I'm glad that I at least semi-pulled it off, lol :)

And I do have more in the works. Probably just short snippets like these, but I like the challenge of writing deaf!Dean too much to just stop after 376 words :P

Thanks for reading!

[info]lomer

3 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]jane_eyre

November 15 2008, 05:44:47 UTC 3 years ago

I love this!

It's difficult to find well written Deaf!Dean, but this is excellent. The details along with the story leaves me wanting more in this 'verse. Even if you don't write anymore in this 'verse, thank you for sharing this.

[info]magicletters

November 15 2008, 21:19:27 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! Writing deaf!Dean is definitely a challenge so I'm glad you liked it:) I've written a few more little ficlets set it this same 'verse, so I'll post them once I've gone through and edited them and such. Thanks for reading!

[info]evening_star

November 15 2008, 07:28:37 UTC 3 years ago

Really lovely and heartbreaking moment. I'd love to read more!

[info]magicletters

November 15 2008, 21:19:53 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! Hopefully I'll have a little more up soon :)

[info]orehime

November 15 2008, 12:19:13 UTC 3 years ago

Like the others said, this definitely needs more! *rummages round your brainbox - there must be more here somewhere*

[info]magicletters

November 15 2008, 21:22:08 UTC 3 years ago

I'm workin' on it :) Lol, thanks for reading! :)

[info]jellicle

3 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]orehime

3 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]twigletmoo

November 15 2008, 22:54:08 UTC 3 years ago

LOVES!!!!!

Omg, I totally &hyearts; this! I love the idea of Sam being there for Dean, and the suggestion of the full tank of gas at the end was awesome - very in character!

Loved the sign language you had Dean using, and the movement between the boys, whether it was sign language or just body language and facial expressions.

Brilliant scene my lovely!

*huggles you*

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 02:32:36 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I tried to show how aware Dean was to Sam's movements as a way of giving him insight that one would normally get from someone's tone of voice, so I'm glad that kind of came across :) Thanks for reading!

[info]henchgirl

November 15 2008, 23:17:04 UTC 3 years ago

i can only add my voice to the masses and DEMAND MORE. :P

soon, please? :)

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 02:33:29 UTC 3 years ago

Lol, I'm working on more :) Preferably to be posted sooner rather than later :P

[info]caz2y5

November 16 2008, 10:06:07 UTC 3 years ago

this is the first deaf!Dean i have read and i am intrigued.
Course i dont really know ASL and signing is different in other countries.

but i would definately comeback and read more if your wrote it.

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 17:31:42 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I'll hopefully have a little more posted soon :)

[info]orehime

3 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]withdiamonds

November 16 2008, 15:21:09 UTC 3 years ago

I'm a sign language interpreter and I usually stay away from deaf!fics because so often it's done WRONG. But this is perfect, and captures the ASL-ness of it all, and the fact that so much of ASL grammar is conveyed by facial expression and body language. Lovely.

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 17:40:08 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you so much! I'm just starting out learning ASL but I absolutely love it and really hope to become a deaf educator. Our teacher was explaining how important body language and facial expressions are to the deaf because they're just like voice inflections to hearing people, so I tried to incorporate that as I was writing this. Thanks for reading!

[info]jellicle

November 16 2008, 15:46:16 UTC 3 years ago

Little touching pieces like this are what makes this fandom really worthy. Thanks for sharing this.

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 17:41:16 UTC 3 years ago

My pleasure :) Thanks for reading! I'm glad you liked it :)

[info]innie_darling

November 16 2008, 15:47:02 UTC 3 years ago

I really like this.

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 17:41:38 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks! ♥

Anonymous

November 16 2008, 21:13:30 UTC 3 years ago

Man I would love to see more of this!!! I've seen Dean goes deaf due to injury stories and one where Dean was mute since childhood (never started talking again) but never one where he was born deaf of deaf since childhood and it was just a way of life. Again, would love to see more!

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 22:22:03 UTC 3 years ago

I know what you mean! I've searched so many times for stories where one of the boys was born deaf but could not find any anywhere, so my creative side was like, well I guess you have to write it then, lol. I'm definitely working on more. Thanks for reading!

[info]stacy_l

November 16 2008, 21:47:00 UTC 3 years ago

I liked this story! It's very interesting and revolves around a topic not many people write about. Great job! Can't wait to read more of your stories. Thanks so much for sharing. : )

Take care!

[info]magicletters

November 16 2008, 22:22:38 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :)

[info]soledadseraph

November 19 2008, 22:39:39 UTC 3 years ago

I had such a bad day and this fic was *perfect* =)

Great work darlin, definitely going in my favourites, hope to see more.

[info]magicletters

November 21 2008, 00:07:49 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I'm glad I could make your day a little better :)

[info]tariana

December 1 2008, 03:41:16 UTC 3 years ago

This was lovely, too. I guess I'm going to fangirl all your Deaf!Dean stories. :

I really understand Dean's feelings, because I've felt those things too -- the feelings of being a bother, of wishing you were just normal.

[info]magicletters

December 1 2008, 03:50:16 UTC 3 years ago

Haha, thanks! I don't have a hearing loss myself, so I'm really glad that you find it realistic and relateable :)

[info]fiesty_red

January 19 2009, 14:45:37 UTC 3 years ago

I just found this story through a rec. :) It is so wonderful and heartbreaking in the few paragraphs written. Like many others have said in their comments, it's hard to find a well-written deaf!Dean fic, but you pull it off so well. :)

[info]magicletters

January 19 2009, 16:53:59 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! I was working really hard to make it as realistic as possible, which is part of the reason why it is so short. The communication is much different when writing a deaf character. And you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that you found this through a rec! I'm totally geeking out :P

[info]shadowb3e

January 21 2009, 21:59:42 UTC 3 years ago

Wow. Great story. So sad.

[info]magicletters

January 22 2009, 17:24:00 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks :)

[info]sybrant

March 2 2009, 19:55:26 UTC 3 years ago

OMG. This was just beautiful. This just has to become a nice long series.

*puts on impressive echoing voice* God Demands It.

:D

[info]magicletters

March 2 2009, 20:39:20 UTC 3 years ago

^_^ Thanks! I'm glad you liked it :)

[info]jesseofthenorth

March 18 2009, 06:50:44 UTC 3 years ago

Love this. LOVE it! Please make more. Your Deaf!Dean voice is so the same as hearing!Dean we all know. Well Done! more please

[info]magicletters

March 20 2009, 13:25:54 UTC 3 years ago

Thank you! More will hopefully be on the way as soon as I finish my big bang fic :)

[info]tabaqui

June 11 2009, 22:56:40 UTC 2 years ago

Ah, man. The self-loathing just never gives him a break, does it?
I love the full tank, 'just drive' - Sam being there.

Lovely.

[info]magicletters

June 12 2009, 03:48:16 UTC 2 years ago

Thank you! And yeah, the angst seems never ending for Dean, even in fanfic ^_^

[info]dawnintheforest

June 12 2009, 03:28:07 UTC 2 years ago

Second fic from this 'verse I read, and I really liked this one too!

- so much emotion in such a small amount of words!
- the image of Dean being the center of a fight with John interests me as well. When I imagine flashbacks from the SPN-series, they usually look like the two fights we saw between Sam & John. Where Dean is standing back, trying to mediate. And where in these flashbacks of mine, Dean never so much as retorts when John tells him something.
- speaking of, the thought that the fight had come to blows added extra punch to the story (to use a lame pun, sorry)
- finally, I loved the last bit about the car because I actually wrote a screenplay for my scriptwriting class this past semester that involved teenagers taking off in their parents' car to escape family-tension/drama.

[info]magicletters

June 12 2009, 20:15:02 UTC 2 years ago

Thank you! I have this very complicated picture of John and Dean's relationship fleshed out in my head for this 'verse. I feel like Dean would stay quiet most of the time when it came to taking John's orders, but when John's drinking gets (too) out of control, or perhaps John's short temper with Dean for the communication barrier, I picture punches being thrown. Not so much because Dean is picking fights but just because he's trying to do the right thing. And of course, no matter what his dad did to him Dean would still love him. Hah, does that make any sense at all? And you wrote a screenplay? That's totally awesome! For the last line I was sitting there thinking 'how do I wrap this up?' and that line popped into my head and I was like 'cha-ching!' :D Thanks for all the feedback!

[info]dawnintheforest

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]magicletters

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]dawnintheforest

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]magicletters

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]mello_mcqueen

June 15 2009, 20:22:59 UTC 2 years ago

Are there really only three of these? How sad. I was hoping for more.

Ugh! These are so great. :D I really love the way you write Dean being Deaf. This makes me all excited to be going to college in the fall. I can't wait to be able to take ASL. It's been something I've wanted to do ever since I was in middle school (somewhere between primary and secondary school for the British) and this makes me all stoked for it. xD

It kinda makes me sad though-these stories I mean-because John is an abusive drunk. :( These stories also really wanna make me work on my own Impaired!Dean story. ...I say impaired because I haven't decided whether to make him blind or Deaf, or possibly both. Tough choices. . .

Hmmm...also, gotta say I love the whole "great, now I'm thinking about dadsex." thing on your profile. S'hilarious. xD

[info]magicletters

June 18 2009, 15:32:32 UTC 2 years ago

There are actually four of them, but the other is a weechester smoopy fic, so I keep it f-locked as I don't particularly think I'm good at writing fluff ^_^ Hah, as you can see the other deaf!Dean fics are all angsty and John is a total ass most of the time so it doesn't really mesh. If you would like to read it though, let me know!

And I literally just did a happy dance when you said you were taking ASL!! I love it. More people need to learn ASL, really its sooo much fun! I start college in the fall as well, and I just got back from orientation (that's why its taken me a bit to respond, sorry!) and my advisor told me that for the Deaf Education degree I'm pursuing, the entire senior year is spent in Austin doing an internship at the Texas School for the Deaf - no other classes or anything. Hah, needless to say I am SO ready to get this show on the road :)

PS- Make him deaf!! Deaf!fics are so underrpresented or I've just read them all.

PPS- I totally hit rewind 30 times when they said that Dadsex line on the show :P

[info]magicletters

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]nephthys101

June 23 2009, 05:27:11 UTC 2 years ago

I loved this. A quiet Dean and a more assertive Sam because he would have to be. It's beautiful.

[info]magicletters

June 23 2009, 20:44:17 UTC 2 years ago

Thank you! :D

[info]theatervine

August 24 2009, 14:30:20 UTC 2 years ago

Awww, poor Dean and poor Sam.

[info]magicletters

September 8 2009, 04:18:21 UTC 2 years ago

I know right? Angst is my default setting :X Thanks for reading!

[info]theatervine

2 years ago

  • Loading...

[info]scarletfbl

September 3 2009, 11:03:03 UTC 2 years ago

I found this part very moving.

[info]magicletters

September 8 2009, 04:19:35 UTC 2 years ago

Thank you!
Previous
← Ctrl← Alt
  • 1
  • 2
Next
Ctrl →Alt →
Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Facebook Twitter More login options
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…