Angelhawke
Angelhawke by almaasi
AO3 link
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 418,000
Summary: A Dean/Cas Fantasy-Drama AU, set in a medieval world where two men are separated by a curse: every sunrise and sunset, both are eternally bound to transform into animals. Every night when darkness falls, Dean Winchester becomes a wolf, and his human mind is lost until the dawn. As the sun rises, his lover Castiel becomes a hawk. Their story has been the same for five years - until the day that a young thief named Sam stumbles into their twisted lives. Without even realising it, he becomes a part of their destiny, their paths entwined in prophecy and fate. Together with a few old friends, they set off on a journey to break the curse, but it won’t be easy. To pass the time, Dean and Castiel take turns to recount their past to Sam, narrating the tale of how they met, how they formed their profound bond, and how they found themselves wanting what no man should ever want: the touch of another man.
‘Angelhawke’ is a saga of forbidden love, friendship, and magic - but above all, family. Partially based on the 1985 movie ‘Ladyhawke’.
So I was a little hesitant to read this since it was so long (and it takes a lot for me to stop reading a fic), I hadn’t heard of the author, and the last medieval-ish AU I read was underwhelming. I am beyond glad I read this. It’s just fantastic. Richly developed characters and world, a great plot (incorporating canon elements really well), and a slow build to a relationship. There’s a lot of humor, a good bit of fluff, some angst, and the sex is nicely kinky (but not over the top). (I’ll be honest…the warnings were one of the main selling points that got me interested, lol.) I loved how the story was framed (storytelling); Sam getting upset having to hear the more explicit parts was just hilarious. The ending was a bit shmoopy for my tastes (but I like dark and angsty so take that judgement with a grain of salt). But overall? This fic is terrific.
My Rating: A
I just punched my face with both fists. I think my cheeks are going to bruise.
(Proof of how much I love this review.)