1 - 20 of 56 Bookmarks by MerryMandolin
Navigation
List of Bookmarks
-
The Thirty-Six Questions That Lead to Love by aeli_kindara for remmyme
Fandoms: Supernatural
18 May 2020
Tags
Summary
“So I need you to be my gay dads,” says Claire.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 12,940
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 307
- Kudos:
- 6,062
- Bookmarks:
- 1,205
- Hits:
- 41,742
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
16 Feb 2023
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Sweet, Talking-About-Their-Feelings Destiel
This is hands down the best "fake married at a couple's retreat" fic imo
The ways they answer these deep personal questions are just?? Chef's kiss???
The boys actually use their words & open up & hash out some shit from their past
It's just so solid & well paced
I'm glad the case isn't like tangentially related to their relationship woes, that trope is so tired & messy
Jumpscare Claire is A++ -
Tags
Summary
Dean Winchester was twenty-six years old when a car accident killed his father and left him paralysed from the waist down. A year and a half later, Dean is in a wheelchair and lives in a care home in Kansas, where he spends his days waiting to die. It's only when Castiel Novak starts volunteering at the care home that Dean starts to wonder if a changed life always equals a ruined one.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 65,409
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 15
- Comments:
- 1,155
- Kudos:
- 13,451
- Bookmarks:
- 4,415
- Hits:
- 266,827
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
06 May 2022
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Gentle, Supportive Destiel
An incredibly sweet journey from hopelessness to zest for life
The mental health stuff punched me in the face
I definitely cried, js
Cas & Dean's relationship is so lovely & patient -- it's not all smooth sailing, but it is compassionate & kind -
Tags
Summary
Dean Winchester has his whole life planned out. Becoming a warrior is all he’s ever dreamed about, since he was tiny - saving people, hunting monsters; quests and deeds and swords and glory. He’s done his training and he’s ready to become a Savaşçı, a knight of the realm. All that stands in his way is the Vigil, a night-long contemplation of his past and future in the chapel just outside the city walls. The only rules: no eating, no speaking, and no opening the door.
Easy, right?
Very easy. Until there’s a knocking, and a voice from outside that pleads for his help…
So begins Dean’s journey, and his path will take him far - across the desert, through the forests, over the mountains and beyond. But his mysterious blue-eyed companion is keeping secrets, and Dean has a few of his own. Will he be able to let go of his fear before they come to the Castle on a Cloud?
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 122,595
- Chapters:
- 24/24
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 360
- Kudos:
- 1,104
- Bookmarks:
- 452
- Hits:
- 28,389
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
09 Mar 2022
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Beautiful Coming-of-Age Destiel
Well-paced progression of their relationship
Believable mistakes & naivete & immaturity but wholesome & earned mutual respect -- we love to see it
Cool ass worldbuilding, interesting locales, ~mystery~
John's a POS, what else is new
Clever escapes that take advantage of their good chemistry A+++
Holy shit I nearly fuckin croaked from the stress of the climax of the story lol, made me literally cry
Just overall a fun read of the boys messily figuring their shit out haha -
Tags
Summary
AU. A sailor and an enemy pirate are marooned on an island together, and while awaiting rescue they accidentally achieve domestic bliss.
Or:
Dean Winchester is lieutenant of the Royal Trading Ship Echelon. On a pleasantly sunny but particularly catastrophic day, he is marooned on an island somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only one man for company. That man is Castiel, captain of the black-sailed Leviathan: a pirate, no less. Given the circumstances under which they are stranded, rescue seems unlikely, and it could be aeons before a ship even comes by. The two of them may as well make the most of their own private island, personal differences be damned.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 42,124
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 6
- Comments:
- 281
- Kudos:
- 3,330
- Bookmarks:
- 700
- Hits:
- 51,178
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
08 Feb 2022
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Wholesome Deserted Island Destiel
A MASTERPIECE I WAS NOT EXPECTING
The framing device is A+++
Pirate/Sailor fic surprisingly devoid of nautical nonsense but I'm not mad about it
This fic radiates warmth
So heartfelt and gentle and well paced and feel good
Just an absolute delight tbh -
Tags
Summary
Dean is a novice in the dom/sub world asked by his employer as a desperate last resort to be a sub for his recluse of a brother, Castiel. Castiel is a diagnosed OCD suffering from PTSD and agoraphobia, mysophobia, and dystychiphobia. Needless to say—he’s a mess who hasn’t stepped out of his home in literally seven years. The only times Gabriel can see traces of the way his brother used to be is when he feels in control—specifically when he has control over a sub. However, due to his idiosyncrasies and paranoia, keeping a sub around has been impossible. Enter Dean, who’s not a very traditional submissive, to try his hand at subbing for the hermit.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 142,717
- Chapters:
- 17/17
- Collections:
- 15
- Comments:
- 987
- Kudos:
- 7,316
- Bookmarks:
- 3,165
- Hits:
- 173,117
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
23 Jan 2022
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Contentious but Sweet Destiel
At their best: Cas is gentle & assured, Dean is sassy & caring
At their worst: Cas is moody & withdrawn, Dean is willful & quick to anger
Surprisingly wholesome overall despite the backdrop
A nurturing but unpredictable dynamic in this one - Dean feels very off-kilter for a lot of the runtime due to Cas' perceived capriciousness
Cas is an interesting blend of stable and unstable - this story does not shy away from Castiel's phobias being genuinely severe
As much as I have to say in critique below lol, this story fascinates me enough to prompt me to return to it from time to time
Dean says/thinks some cruel things that don't (in my opinion) get fully addressed
The ending is cleverly handled plot-wise, but character-wise is an incredibly rushed deux ex machina & seems to imply that some of Castiel's pathologies can be "fixed" through reasons that are a good catalyst for some change, but not THAT much change
Listen - spoilerish, but I willfully ignore the epilogue's depiction that Cas has magically dropped some mental illnesses because of love, and I headcanon that after the events of the story, Castiel simply goes to therapy more successfully now that he has Dean as a steady presence in his life, willing to encourage & challenge him, to support him through finding more healthy coping skills, and to build a stable future together, which ultimately gives him more freedom & a better quality of life like the original ending wanted to give to him. -
Tags
Summary
Dean is fine. The way he sees it, things are simple. He had a house and a family and food in his stomach, and now he doesn't. And yeah, that's a downer, but he's not going to let that stop him from being fine, because he's in control of the situation. He definitely doesn't need anyone to save him. And it's not like the weird guy with the nice butt from down the road is the knight-in-shining-armor type, anyway.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 60,299
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 9
- Comments:
- 610
- Kudos:
- 6,759
- Bookmarks:
- 1,927
- Hits:
- 96,705
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
11 Jan 2022
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Caring Compassionate Destiel
Holy shit did I cry in the middle of this, the depiction of the downward spiral got WAY too real for me
Very well written & thoughtful piece
The descriptions are so visceral, imo
I really, really just want to hug the shit out of Dean & Cas in this fic tbh
I wouldn't call this a "romance" story so much as I'd call it a desperate cry for help, but that's what makes it so fascinating, gut-wrenching, and beautiful -
Tags
Summary
For a long time, Castiel thought that every earthly possession other than the immediately necessary was excess to requirement. But Dean – Dean who named his car, who keeps a photograph of his mother in his wallet, some thirty-plus years after her death, who still has the crumpled ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign with a sleeping pelican emblazoned on it from the Microtel outside of Roanoke where he first kissed Castiel, clumsy and unsure, under the unsteady fluorescence of an exhausted bathroom bulb – is sentimental.
It puzzles Castiel, where Dean draws the line between what is meaningful and what it is worthless.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 10,190
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 322
- Kudos:
- 10,249
- Bookmarks:
- 2,392
- Hits:
- 83,859
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
30 Sep 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Calm, Supportive Destiel
Castiel ruminates on the worth of things
Well paced & thoughtful
Short & sweet -
Tags
Summary
Flower fairy Dean has caught a thief in his trap. As it turns out, it wasn't a mouse stealing his food. It was Castiel: a hissy, bitey bat sprite with one wing and a forlorn, lonely heart. Dean offers a warm space in his nest, where Castiel can stay until Springtime comes around again. However, Castiel becomes more than just a guest. With a little effort, he helps make Dean's nest a home.
***NOW COMPLETE!***
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 36,364
- Chapters:
- 8/8
- Collections:
- 5
- Comments:
- 397
- Kudos:
- 1,985
- Bookmarks:
- 471
- Hits:
- 24,917
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
04 Aug 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Sweet, Domestic Destiel
Cute faerie folk AU
Listen...... This was v precious and warmed the cockles of my heart
Found family and self actualization feels -
Tags
Summary
Growing up in a small town in Kansas, Dean learned from a young age that there was only one rule that couldn’t be broken, one place he couldn’t go - through the forest, to the long-abandoned Angel’s Hollow. But when Sam disappears, Dean’s left with no choice but to follow his brother's tracks through the dangers of the wood; little does he know that the most dangerous creature of all lurks not among the trees, but in the Hollow itself. Dean sets Sam free, at the cost of his own liberty - and, bound by magic, resigns himself to living out the rest of his days in the Hollow, at the mercy of the being within. The angel of Angel’s Hollow, however, has a story - is a prisoner, too, as much as Dean is. Only one thing can free them both - but it is impossible. For, after all: who could ever learn to love a beast?
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 71,952
- Chapters:
- 34/34
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 890
- Kudos:
- 3,857
- Bookmarks:
- 1,159
- Hits:
- 67,385
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
31 Jul 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Beauty-and-the-Beast Fusion Destiel
I'm pleasantly surprised by how cohesive this was
Tbh also this had way better chemistry between everyone than I was expecting
Modern era, angel true form shenanigans
Gracefully sidesteps a lot of the "problematic" aspects of the original story
The progression of Dean's thought process is very believable
I'm a bit confused on the parameters of the curse but like ultimately it doesn't matter that much lol
Castiel is basically never in the wrong, so this is less a parable about what it means to be monstrous and more a story about perspective & acceptance
The smut feels oddly out of place (probably just because of how quick it progresses) but is otherwise fine for what it is
Lovely prose & descriptive imagery, good pacing... Just very well put together in general -
Tags
Summary
Castiel Novak receives a rather alarming text message from an unknown number, and what started as a simple misdial quickly turns into the greatest friendship Castiel has ever known. But Dean has many secrets, dangerous truths about the life he lives, and would like to tell Castiel exactly none of them.
A (slightly) AU, (mostly) text fic, S3 fix-it romance (of sorts).
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 37,124
- Chapters:
- 4/4
- Collections:
- 10
- Comments:
- 652
- Kudos:
- 6,541
- Bookmarks:
- 1,902
- Hits:
- 59,829
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
11 Jul 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Snarky, Long-Distance Destiel
Canon universe with a nice lil twist
Great personality to the dialogue, amongst all characters, not just Dean & Cas
Badass Cas is the real MVP in this one
One of the better "texting fics" I've read, and well formatted third person prose used only in worthwhile moments
A nice, quirky kind of style to this one, doesn't mire itself in angst much despite the depressing things that occur in the background
This fic assumes you have knowledge of certain events in Seasons 2&3 -- some references/jokes are lost if you've forgotten a lot of the specific cases (aka me), but it's not essential to understanding the plot as a whole -
Tags
Summary
The briefing was simple: ‘Stand guard over the Michael Sword until the battle is ready to commence. Await further instructions.’
Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 85,217
- Chapters:
- 11/11
- Collections:
- 12
- Comments:
- 1,249
- Kudos:
- 10,542
- Bookmarks:
- 3,882
- Hits:
- 190,507
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
09 Jul 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Thoughtful, Cosmic Destiel
Angel true forms ftw
Dean & Cas are powerful & beautiful
Pretty prose & ruminations on life and beauty
Well paced, nice foreshadowing
When it comes to the ending-- it's equal parts satisfying and unsatisfying, but the story is so heartfelt and earnest and vivid in its themes and imagery that I'd still highly recommend it -
In Some Sacred Place by Hellosaidthemoon (orphan_account), schmerzerling
Fandoms: Supernatural
14 Nov 2017
Tags
Summary
Dean has cystic fibrosis, a brutal respiratory disease that means he can’t cut it in the life his father chose for him, despite his very best efforts. He also has a give ‘em hell attitude and a dogged crush on his childhood best friend. Castiel has an absent father, a stellar GPA, a comprehensive ten-year plan, and—a lot of reservations about all this.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 91,054
- Chapters:
- 11/11
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 410
- Kudos:
- 2,149
- Bookmarks:
- 736
- Hits:
- 36,684
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
08 Jul 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Heart-Wrenching Childhood-Friends Destiel
Beautifully melancholy & profound
Cas' overall coming-of-age evolution is fascinating
Dean is portrayed as a person, not a chronically ill caricature
Does not shy away from character flaws and immaturity
Satisfying foreshadows, we love to see it
There's a really interesting moment that throws doubt on whether or not Cas is an unreliable narrator that had me rethinking things that had happened earlier in the story and was done so well that I truly felt just as confused & scared as he was lol
As an overall vibe, this story comes off very solemn and instills a great sense of uncertainty for the future and fear of the unknown throughout its runtime -- I would not call it a "pleasant" read, by any means, but it is certainly a worthwhile and resonant one -
Tags
Summary
Castiel is beginning to understand how deceitful his fellow ten-year-olds can be. All the other boys in his swim class keep trying to convince him that there's a live shark in the pool. And now Dean's claiming that the panties in his bag belong to his sister, when Castiel knows for a fact that Dean doesn't have a sister. Castiel is sick of being lied to. But, once Dean reveals a few truths, perhaps they can find a way to make sure the other kids' teasing comes back to bite them - so to speak.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,534
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 95
- Kudos:
- 1,936
- Bookmarks:
- 216
- Hits:
- 12,894
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
04 Jul 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Pure Childhood-BFFs Destiel
So smol, so innocent
Excellent use of child logic imo
Mx Billie is the real mvp
Good theming about lies & overcoming bullying
Just a cute lil story about elementary school shenanigans -
Tags
Summary
Funny how you can live in a neighborhood and not know your neighbors, the people who share the same roads, airspace, and hornet problems, the people you see every day. Castiel’s neighbors don’t really know him and haven’t tried to, which is just how he needs it to be to stay safe and alive. His new neighbor, though, throws a wrench into his foolproof plan — Dean Winchester, eternally cheerful, trusting, and handsome, wants to know him, wants to be close to him, wants to be more with him. Castiel is afraid… but when he’s with him, he feels safe and alive in a whole new way that seems more important and worthy than simply existing. But for Dean to really know him, he has to know Castiel’s past. Can Castiel open himself up? Will Dean stay once he knows?
Series
- Part 1 of Neighborly
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 147,063
- Chapters:
- 33/33
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 2,382
- Kudos:
- 2,124
- Bookmarks:
- 664
- Hits:
- 53,582
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
05 Jun 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Sweet, Empowering Destiel
Trauma recovery & learning to trust
Found family feels abound!!!
Real people, real problems
People actually talk about their feelings in a timely manner
Well-adjusted Dean is precious
I've rarely seen therapy portrayed this well also, putting intimate focus on Castiel's wants/needs in pursuit of his own happiness and stability, and collaborating to find positive solutions to problems rather than strongarming him into feeling a certain way
Beginning chapters feel a little awkward/confusing with POVs that overlap (time-wise) but otherwise the story is solidly written and well paced
INCREDIBLE theming around overcoming the past and learning to believe you deserve a happy future
Wholesomeness Meter: Cas cuddling babies & giving them powerful positive affirmations despite the fact he feels incompetent as a caregiver after all the shit he's been through........ I'm not crying you're crying -
Tags
Summary
Canon-divergent from 12.08
After Sam and Dean are arrested, Castiel is left alone and scrambling to find them. He knows they’re locked away in a government facility, and he’s still able to hear their prayers, but no matter how he tries Castiel can’t seem to track them. He chases leads and even attempts to hunt on his own, but Mary is AWOL, Crowley refuses to help, and Castiel’s options are running out.
Weeks pass, Castiel’s hope dwindles, and through it all Dean prays, keeping them connected. His voice is comforting, frustrating, and occasionally annoying, but in his solitude Castiel comes to cherish it. But then one day, without warning, Dean stops praying, and Castiel is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths about his feelings.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 42,922
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 333
- Kudos:
- 3,476
- Bookmarks:
- 1,118
- Hits:
- 44,782
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
26 May 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Long Distance Pining Destiel
Canon-div, Cas-and-Mary-stage-government-facility-rescue vibes
75% depressing, 20% following leads, 5% wholesome (but oh what a glorious 5% it is)
Mary is an actual character with thoughts and opinions, we love to see it
Cas' descent into (figurative) madness is devastating, but not gratuitous
Civilian OCs were really likeable tbh -
Tags
Summary
Dean Winchester has been alone for a long, long time.
When he and Castiel happen to find each other - a couple of survivors in a world that’s been all but wiped clean - Dean’s looking for his brother; Castiel is looking for something to look for. They stick together, because neither of them much wants to be alone. They hate each other at first, of course. Dean hates Castiel for being weird and quiet and ironic and antagonistic and proud. Castiel hates Dean for being blunt and reckless and coarse, for drinking, for refusing to talk about how he feels and just pretending everything is fine. Most of all, they hate themselves and each other just for being alive. What right do they have to be alive? No one else seems to be.
But against his own will, Dean starts to notice things about Castiel that he likes. Starts to hope that Castiel might like him, too. And together, they start to fight for a world where they're both alive - and that's a good thing.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 31,572
- Chapters:
- 15/15
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 402
- Kudos:
- 2,802
- Bookmarks:
- 750
- Hits:
- 34,186
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
19 May 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Post-Apocalyptic Pining Destiel
Well-written, thoughtful, painful, but ultimately hopeful
Dean & Cas's gradual understanding of each other is well paced
A treatise against nihilism
An unabashedly human story about taking the bad with the good
No mysteries are solved, nothing gets explained; the point of the story isn't catharsis, it's about what it means to be alive
Good shit, honestly, that takes itself seriously but not overly so; frankly it's less gratuitously angsty or flippant than I was expecting from a zombie apocalypse fic lol -
Tags
Summary
Dean and Cas reunite at their fifteen-year high school reunion and after one night together Dean’s ready to marry the guy. But then he’s got a daughter back home that doesn’t necessarily make that equation possible, and so he does the next logical thing: high tails it out of Cas’ hotel room and doesn’t look back.
Well, that was the plan anyway.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 75,804
- Chapters:
- 19/19
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 256
- Kudos:
- 1,459
- Bookmarks:
- 478
- Hits:
- 25,868
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
14 May 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Wholesome Domestic Destiel
Copious fluff, hardly an angsty vibe in sight
There's still problems but they're resolved in a mature way
Jane is SO CUTE, I enjoyed the phonetic speech for her, it was very reminiscent of a lot of kids I've talked to lol
Just plain sweet tbh -
Tags
Summary
Dean and Cas join Sam, Jody and Donna to hunt down a lake monster, but the damage to Cas's wings makes things difficult. Luckily, Dean is ready and more than willing to help out any way he can.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 11,268
- Chapters:
- 5/5
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 83
- Kudos:
- 1,696
- Bookmarks:
- 282
- Hits:
- 14,053
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
26 Apr 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Wholesome Snarky Destiel
Canon established relationship
Short & cute, banter is A+++
Was not expecting it to come full circle but I'm glad it did haha
I'm a sucker for wingfics tbh
And this one is hella sweet -
Tags
Summary
Cas has wanted nothing more than to have children of his own. But when he finally gets his chance after years of disappointment, a strict set of rules almost dashes those dreams. Enter Dean Winchester: eternal bachelor, friend, and suddenly, Cas’ fiancé. Join Cas and Dean as they navigate marriage, adoption, and something that starts to feel kinda like love.
Series
- Part 1 of Kinda Like Love
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 122,330
- Chapters:
- 35/35
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 2,179
- Kudos:
- 1,850
- Bookmarks:
- 568
- Hits:
- 42,451
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
17 Apr 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Wholesome Domestic Destiel
Here there be SWEET BABIES
Seriously the children are well characterized in this fic, I enjoy all the kiddos
Big happy family vibes~
A bigot or two, but no "villains" as such
99% sweetness & light
Not super angsty -- more like moments of justified anxiety sprinkled amongst fluff
Dean's journey of discovering himself is well paced & compassionate
I almost wish there was more Tech Ethics With Cas™ in this, those sections were kind of interesting, tbh -
Tags
Summary
“What the hell you tryin’ to sell me?” Dean asked, folding his arms across his chest.
“Not selling, Deano. Buying. Or at least, renting for the duration of a limited season run,” Gabriel said, as Dean’s frown deepened. “Have you ever dreamed of being a Hollywood superstar?”
Dean laughed outright at that and shook his head, turning around to pick up his coffee again. “Man, no way in hell. You got the wrong guy.”Spoiler alert: He did not have the wrong guy.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 64,233
- Chapters:
- 12/12
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 617
- Kudos:
- 993
- Bookmarks:
- 268
- Hits:
- 12,581
Bookmarked by MerryMandolin
17 Apr 2021
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Cute Domestic Destiel
Baker extraordinaire Dean, TV Producer Cas
Baking reality show AU set in the canon universe because Gabriel lol
SO MANY delicious cakes, with pictures included
The dynamic of the TV show & the DeanCas relationship was Goldilocks levels of sweet & wholesome (neither too fraught nor too saccharine)
Honestly the "canon" aspect of this doesn't truly seem to matter much, in the sense that it doesn't mean anything thematically or really influence the outcome of the story as a whole, but it still works as a pseudo-fixit
Just good clean fun from start to finish tbh!
PS: I can't believe I didn't notice there was no (spoiler), what is wrong with me??