Across the Universe (Archive of our Own Link)
Author: GG_and_MM (Ao3) lacqueluster (Tumblr)
Rating: Explicit
Fandom: Supernatural
Relationship: Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Tags: Freeformexplicit. FreeformSupernatural, FreeformAlternate Universe, Slow Build, Sad Ending
Summary: Gabriel is bored. He’s tired of hiding, of living a lonely and monotonous existence. He’s made for bigger and better things, but he can’t risk drawing any attention to himself. So he decides on a vacation, one in another universe, because why not?
When he meets another version of Sam Winchester, he’s not prepared for how the experiences they’ll share in just seven short days will change them both forever.
Let me start by saying that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this story! However, fair warning, to properly express why I love this story so much, I’m going to have to edge into spoiler territory. Apologies, but I think you’ll see why.
The story is both an AU and not. Let me explain. Gabriel is his canon self. When he’s bored, he travels to different universes, where he can only stay for a few days before returning home. At the beginning of the story, he’s bored and he travels to another universe. Where he runs in an AU version of Sam.
What’s totally cool about this universe is that there is no magic or religion. They don’t even have the concepts of magic or religion. Which leads to some amusing scenes where Gabriel tries to explain angels to people who have no concept of angels. The lack of magic in this universe leads to an interesting side plot which provides most of the dramatic tension in the story. I’m not going to say any more. I need to leave something unspoiled.
Since this is a Sabriel story and tagged as such, it’s not saying too much that Sam and Gabriel do fall for each other, and the love story is glorious. Sam is divorced from a bad marriage, and he’s reluctant to fall for this crazy guy who claims to be an angel. Gabriel knows he has to go back to his own universe, and, while he’s willing to hook up for sex, he’s understandably reluctant to go any farther, emotionally.
Speaking of sex, OMG, it’s scorching hot and so well written! Some of my favorite smut scenes ever. One even has a lovely twist on the “breaking the bed” trope.
Now we venture into the spoilery territory because, so far, I know, this review has made this story sound good but has not yet expressed why I think it’s great. If you want to just take my word for it, stop now.
Still reading? Okay. As you read the story, it’s obvious how it needs to end. I knew what was likely to happen by the time I was–I don’t know–a third of the way through? Certainly by the halfway point. However, I desperately didn’t want the story to end that way, and I spent the remainder of the story praying to just about every god I could think of that the author would figure out a satisfying, non-cheap way to avoid the inevitable.
However, I’m a writer, and I’ve been one for a long time. I knew there was no satisfying, non-cheap way to avoid the inevitable, and the author made the right decision. It tore my heart in two, but it was the right decision, and I applaud them for making it. A lesser author would have come up with something cheesy, and the story would have been good. However, by making the harder decision, the author made it great.
Well done! Bravo! I have never had my heart so satisfyingly broken.
I hope that didn’t spoil things too much, but seriously. Go read this story right now. It’s that amazing!