Fic: Dictionary for a Dead Language; Epilogue

[britomart_is]

Master Post
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Epilogue


Epilogue.

There are two stocky, no-nonsense women drinking antique Coronas in the booth by the door when the kid walks in, making this officially their busiest night since opening.

"Dude," Dean says. "We're cool. We're like a happening spot. We're legitimate business owners."

Sam rolls his eyes and sips from a can of Tab they found in the back closet next to a bag of pork rinds with a pull-date from 1982. "Pillars of the community. Sure they'll give us the key to the city as soon as they're through with the paperwork." Dean punches Sam in the arm. Sam grins till his cheeks hurt.

The young man is standing in front of the bar, staring at Sam. Dean doesn't like it when people stare at Sam. Sam watches Dean's hand casually drifting to rest under the bar where the shotgun is. "I'd ask you for ID," Dean says mildly, "but I'm pretty sure you were a glimmer in the long-haul trucker's eye the last time anyone was issuing government ID. I can hook you up with a grape Fanta. It's a 1995, good vintage."

Sam wishes Dean wouldn't insult people's parentage, particularly since most people's parents are dead these days.

The kid visibly shakes his head as he snaps out of it. "Sorry. I came because I heard a rumor. Wow."

Dean stiffens. He doesn't like it when people hear whispers and come to try to shoot Sam in the back when he turns around to pour their drinks, either. Sam watches Dean's hand curling tighter around the shotgun and jostles him warningly with a knee. The kid's young, swimming in a coat three sizes too big for him, oughta be at some college party, or dragging all his laundry home over break to use his parents' washer. Sam leans over the bar, tries to look non-terrifying. "What can we help you with?"

"Actually, I've got something for you." When the kid reaches into his coat pocket, Sam's afraid Dean'll shoot him, but the kid produces a harmless scrap of paper. A photo. He hands it to Sam. "I thought you'd want this back."

By the time Sam breaks out of his trance, the kid's gone.

"What is it?" Dean asks suspiciously.

"I don't know," Sam says, handing the snapshot over. "I don't remember it."

Sam watches Dean take in the photo, bites his lip at the softening of Dean's facial expression. Dean looks up suddenly. "Where'd that guy get this?"

Sam shrugs. "Don't know. Glad he gave it back. I like it." Sam takes the picture back, lovingly straightening its dogeared edges. "We look happy."

Dean wraps his arms around Sam's waist from behind as Sam turns to face the back of the bar. "We're happy now."

Sam smiles broadly as he tucks the snapshot into the frame of the mirror that spans the wall behind dusty whiskey bottles. "There."

In the photograph, a garish monument looms with styrofoam solemnity in a grassy field. A man, young and momentarily untroubled, smiles bashfully. There's a sun in the sky, and a bird perched on the Welcome to Foamhenge sign. And there are two brothers, together.

the end

Comments

[angelsofthelord.livejournal.com]

little late to the party, but i just finished, im crying and i cant breathe. this was so amazingly beautiful and i have never read a fic like it before! never stop writing because you're a flawless writer <3

[themasteroftime.livejournal.com]

That was amazing. It was written beautifully and was very emotional and wonderful to read.

[eleke.livejournal.com]

I really really love this fic, and it's been my favorite for years, but was it intended to be all in italics? It makes it difficult to read, and I have to take breaks occasionally due to eye strain.

[britomart-is.livejournal.com]

Hi, eleke -- no, it isn't intentional! It's been a while since I was on LJ and something must have changed in the formatting. Thanks for alerting me, I'll try to fix it -- the italics are really obnoxious, I agree!

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Very engaging story! The book excerpt at the beginning really drew me in. I was anxious for Sam to get his memories back and to learn why he said yes, but I realise that wasn't the story you were telling! I came to grips with that when I read

Dean swells with joy and pride and anticipation (I'm gonna get my Sammy back, he's not lost, one day he'll remember everything I did for him, he'll remember, really remember that I'm his Dean)

which definitely had the ring of something that was never going to happen!

It's all so vivid, with so many memorable incidents like Dean breaking his leg and Sam discovering dental floss!

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

OMG I loved this so so so much!!! I can't even tell what the parts were, just everything worked together so perfectly. I hurt for them, I cried for them, and I was so happy they got to be happy at the end. Marvelous, just marvelous :-)

[cydsa.livejournal.com]

my heart...

omg my heart is in pieces

but in a good way

wonderful

[ex1led-nyer.livejournal.com]

This is one of the stories that got me hopelessly addicted to Wincest fanfic several months ago. It's beautiful and sad and brilliant. Rereading it, when I got to the part where Sam is asking about the igloo I almost had to stop, because I knew what was coming and didn't think I could take it. I'd forgotten that it all works out -- and thank you for that!

[without-me.livejournal.com]

Wow. I think I just wasn't in a Wincest mood the summer of 2010, and a bunch of stories got bookmarked to read and then forgotten. I'm so very glad I found this one now--it's marvelous from beginning to end. So painful, and with a payoff that's true to everything that came before. Wonderful.

[trimacle.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, this was really nice. A post apocalyptic happy ending, haha. Sam and Dean could not foresee it.
When Sam first starting talking I thought it was just Dean imagining it because it came out of nowhere but then he just kept on going. I was disappointed to see that he didn't personally regain his memories but the base of him was still Sam. I wasn't surprised that Sam and Dean eventually got caught, but the way it happened made me laugh. I didn't want this to end!

[sijglind.livejournal.com]

Wonderful!

[(Anonymous)]

Jesus that was just beautiful! I literally cried and I didn't even cry in Titanic, it was just so perfect written and realistic, not some over the top smut but just honest to God feels, thank you

[angelwatcher17.livejournal.com]

Fuck!! That was amazing! Your writing is so graceful and emotive! You brought me to my knees!!!! Oh, Sam and Dean!!!!!!!

[(Anonymous)]

That was a fantastic fic. One of my fav wincest stories, thank you for writing it!! <3

[(Anonymous)]

It's a good fanfiction. But I'm sad to say that I just can't with Sam not being Sam. I'm sad to say that I would rather have the dead guy.

[rodoviel.livejournal.com]

I'm four years late to the party (2015, actually -- I've caught up with the timeline of this fanfic, wow) but even if you never read this comment, I still need to let you know what this fanfic has done to me.

I've read a lot of fanfiction since joining the Supernatural fandom -- over 200 fics, last time I counted -- and this one easily makes that very small handful of fics I call my all-time favorites. Titles and authors blur and fade from my memory, but Dictionary for a Dead Language stands tall and bright in my mind like a neon sign. Just looking at the title is enough to make my stomach twist with the remembered pangs of bittersweet pain.

I just finished reading it the fourth time. I love it so much. This fanfic, like so few others can, gets under my skin and won't let me forget it. I find myself remembering it on random days, thinking about the dread I felt as I read it, and then the bittersweet hope at the end.

Like, I just -- this fanfic messed me up for days after I finished it the first time. I remember being engrossed in the prologue, already feeling a little bit trepidation, when that -- that scene happened with Sam and the birthday cake and. You shattered me with that scene. It's so powerful, such an incredible image of what had happened to Sam, such a fantastic way to begin the fanfic. I remember how my stomach dropped when you revealed that what Dean had gotten was a birthday cake, and how I pretty much hollowed out and died when I realized Dean was celebrating his catatonic brother's birthday. I just.

And it didn't stop. There's not a moment in this story where the spell breaks. It's 3 hours of constant remorse, pain, and bittersweet joy at every victory. When I get to the last letter, it's like coming out of a trance, wondering where the time has gone.

I feel faintly dorky doting on your fanfic so eloquently like this, but you need to know. I can't even articulate it. There's so much more I want to say, but I don't know how to say it. I love this fanfic. I would choose this fanfic over famous published stories. I love this freaking fanfic.

Just. Thank you for this experience. Thank you so much. You are such a talented writer, and I hope you continue to write until you take your last breath.

Also, as one last note, I'd like to say that I totally fell for it when Sam "ran" to Dean when he broke his leg. I actually thought Sam had woken up. Not one of my finer moments.

[mondenuhr.livejournal.com]

I wish I could write the most eloquent and profound and specific comment right now - which your fic would definitely deserve and more. As it is, I am still way too stunned and speechless - this was so, so soul-crushingly beautiful and perfect - so many feelings ,I am a corpse now.

Thank you so much for sharing this! :)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Still love this story SO much :) And it's definitely stood the test of time, even if it's been Jossed.

*hugs*

[onehotmama199.livejournal.com]

I'm so late to the game, and not sure if you're even still around to read my comment, but this was breathtaking. I don't have the words to adequately express my feelings, so I'm just sticking with breathtaking.

[masja-17.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Thank you!

♡

[fandomfabulous.livejournal.com]

You'll probably never read this (as this was posted almost a decade ago) but I can't just move on without leaving a comment. This was one of the best things I have read in a good long while. The emotions were so beautifully shown and the world you created in this fic was absolutely stunning. The ending was flawlessly poetic and I'm not sure if it could have been any better. I'd pay to read something like this. Absolutely fantastic.

[awennra.livejournal.com]

Oh, loved this story! <3