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Castiel was a warrior. Tasked to patrol the borders of the place they lived, deep in the ocean. He was good at what he did, fighting off any who got to close to the Novak Kingdom and making sure that any humans kept their distance too.
He was feeling good that day, one of his brothers had found his Soulmate, earning him a silver and blue band of bubbles around his wrist. He was happy for his brother, of course, but he couldn’t help but feel like he’d never find his own Soulmate. He’d met many people patrolling the Kingdom and there was no sign of one yet.
He should have been more vigilant that day. His blue-silver tail fin snagged in something and Castiel drew his blade to fight off whatever had grabbed hold of him. He was expecting a human or one of the Dark Tails to have come up behind him, but it was a net. Spinning around only served to get him more tangled and he tried to cut it away and free himself, panic sweeping through him.
Part of the net wrapped around his torso; he tried to yell but there was no one around in this part of the sea, anyone else on patrol would be too far away. He was on his own, trapped. He slashed at the net on his stomach, trying to get free but it seemed to be reinforced and Castiel only managed to slice a gash across himself.
He whimpered from the pain and dropped his blade, watching with horror as it sunk into the depths. He was going to die out here alone.
Castiel stilled, all fight gone as he seemed to be pulled towards the surface. His stomach hurt, his arms ached and he could see that his fins were more severely tangled and cutting off circulation, making his tail numb.
He wriggled one last time just before he broke the surface but it was futile.
It was cold out of the sea and Castiel couldn’t do anything to stop himself from shivering violently. He was hauled over the edge of a small boat and dumped unceremoniously on the hard wooden deck. He looked op through the net and saw a man staring at him in disbelief.
Human.
He couldn't afford this, he had to get back to the Novak Kingdom. It was rare that fishermen ever came this far so having one this close was a danger and he needed to warn his father.
The human stepped closer and Castiel tried to roll away.
Warm hands rested over him and he flinched. He wished he’d never let go of his blade. It was probably lost forever now, not something he could lose without consequence, and it seemed he was paying for it now.
The human was speaking to him, his voice deep and gravelly, but Castiel couldn’t really make out what he was saying with his own harsh breath echoing in his ears.
The man produced a sharp knife from behind him, holding it towards him. Castiel keened, he didn’t want to go like this. He wanted to fight but there was no fight left in him. He didn’t want this human to senselessly kill him.
The net was grabbed by his face and cut. Alarmed, Castiel cried out to scare the man off, not realising that the human wasn’t causing any harm. The loud screech made the human jump back and fall on his ass, knife clattering to the deck.
“It’s okay,” the man said calmly, hands up in surrender. “It’s okay. Let me cut you free.”
Free. The human was going to let him go? Castiel didn’t believe it, humans were nothing but killers.
Castiel rolled away as best he could, if he could just untangle himself and get back into the water, he would be fine.
The human gripped his wrist and Castiel screeched again but this time the human wasn’t perturbed by it. Still keeping hold of his wrist the man made quick work of freeing him. His touch was warm and gentle, which surprised him, as if it weren’t meant to be harmful.
The now blood stained net was eventually cleared from his body and Castiel tried his best to make a break for it. His tail flopping against the wooden deck made it frustratingly hard and he didn’t get far before the human was crouched in front of him.
“Hey, I’m not gonna hurt you. Let me look at that gash for you.” His voice was soothing and when he looked up to the man he had amazingly green eyes much like he’d seen on others of his own kind.
Castiel calmed, breathing heavily as he stared into the human’s gentle eyes.
“Stay here, I’ll get the first aid kit and some water for you,” a hand squeezed Castiel’s shoulder and he was oddly warmed by the kind touch. All too soon, the man disappeared inside the cabin on the small boat.
He had to leave. The side of the small boat wasn’t all that far. He pushed up with his hands wincing as the laceration on his stomach smarted, blood seeping out and mixing with his wet skin. He breathed through it telling himself he’d be okay as soon as he got to the water. It helped him heal quicker. As kind as the man seemed to be, Castiel didn’t belong above the surface.
“Hey! Hold on! Let me look at them at cut.” The man reappeared, calling after him. Castiel was so close to the edge. Just a bit further then up and over the side.
The man rolled Castiel onto his back and he tried to protest, flapping his tail and fins. A soothing hand on his hip and a calming voice seemed to sedate him quickly, though much against Castiel’s will. Why couldn’t he just escape already?
“It’s okay. I’ve got ya.” The man smiled but Castiel looked away. He wouldn’t be drawn to this human any more than he already was. “You got a name?”
“Castiel.” It seemed so natural to answer him, his kind voice and beautiful eyes making it so easy.
“I’m Dean, never have guessed I’d be seein’ a mermaid in my life time.”
Castiel grunted. He wasn’t a mermaid, but he couldn’t be bothered to correct the man. Humans rarely acknowledged the difference anyhow.
The man opened up a small green box and took out a small white cloth and a bottle of clear liquid. Castiel eyed it carefully.
“It’s just peroxide. It’ll sting a little.” Dean doused the cloth in the clear substance before going over the cut as gently as he could. Castiel gasped and wrapped his hands round Dean’s wrists to stop him, but his grip was weak and Dean pushed on. “All done.”
“Thank you, Dean.” Castiel found himself saying, fingers still clasped round Dean’s warm wrists. Dean smiled, reaching a hand over to Castiel’s face.
Castiel’s body was lax as Dean touched his cheek, too mesmerised to recoil away. There was an unsettling connection between the two that neither could explain. Castiel should be fighting the human off; Dean should be trying to kill him.
Instead, Dean was thumbing Castiel’s pinked cheeks, soothing a hand over where his tail met his torso, scales turning into pale flesh.
It seemed a while before Dean remembered the pail of water he got for him too and scooped out a cup. Castiel could feel that his lips were chapped and the dribbles of water into his mouth instantly quenched his thirst.
Dean was still smiling at him and Castiel’s glowed, eyes squinting.
“Why would you do all this for me?” Castiel asked, trying to satisfy the burning questions in his mind.
“Why wouldn’t I? I caught you in my net accidentally. You got hurt in the process, surely it’s my duty to patch you up, right?”
Castiel shrugged. If he were honest, he had never heard of such a kind human, not after being told horror stories of humans purposelessly killing off their kind for sport.
“I had assumed you would kill me. That is what humans do.” He explained. Castiel reached for the cup and took a drink for himself.
“I guess most people would. Not me though. Or my brother,” Dean told him, he knelt down on the deck. “You’re too... I dunno... you have very attractive eyes.”
Castiel blushed. Pink flushed high up on his cheeks.
“I’ve never seen eyes so green on a human before.” Castiel countered.
Now it was Dean’s turn to blush and he tilted his head down in embarrassment.
Castiel reached up with his cool, semi-webbed fingers to tilt Dean’s head back up.
“Will you take me back to the water?” Castiel asked, eyes pleading. His scales were beginning to itch on his tail, one of the first signs that he’d been out of the water for too long.
When Dean nodded, Castiel felt relieved. Dean picked him up as if he weighed very little and took him to the rear of the boat where there was a gate and a flat surface to the water.
Once he was lowered, Castiel’s tail instantly reached out for the water, impatiently trying to sooth the itch. He slid into the water, letting the coolness consume his body. It was instant rehydration. He kept his head above the water as he swung his tail to tread water. Castiel watched Dean as he moved back behind the gate. He was an extraordinary human.
“Will I ever see you again?” Dean asked.
Realistically, Castiel knew he should say no as it wasn’t exactly accepted for humans and Silver Tails to interact, but it was that moment that his wrist began to ache with a sudden burst of pain before going away as if nothing happened. He stared down at it. Pink and green bubbles went around his wrist. Human with green eyes. Soulmate.
Castiel wanted to cry. He’d never seen pink bubbles before, only heard of them. His Soulmate couldn’t be human, he was supposed to mate with someone in his father’s Kingdom. His father would never accept him. This was happening though. His Soulmate was a human, with beautiful, almost Silver Tail like eyes and handsome freckles. There was no way he could turn him away now. His father, should he ever find out would have to learn to accept it or cast him out.
Castiel looked back up to Dean who had returned to the back of the boat and had his legs dangling in the water. He had a concerned look on his face.
“I shouldn’t. But I have to. You’re... you’re my Soulmate.” Dean’s expression went from that of concern to astonishment like he couldn’t believe what Castiel was saying. “and I would very much like to see you again.”
“Soulmate?” Dean wondered incredulously. Castiel nodded. “As in a forever partner?” Castiel nodded again. It took him a while to remember that humans didn’t have Soulmates
He swam up to Dean, placing his fingertips in between Dean’s spread legs to keep himself afloat with minimum effort and smiled up at him.
“Forever partner. Yes.” Castiel said.
“Cool. That’s... that’s cool. I’d be honoured.” Castiel could hear that Dean wasn’t too sure but he could see in his eyes that he meant it.
Castiel launched himself upwards with a sharp flick of his tail and grabbed hold of Dean’s shoulder with his right hand and let his left hold himself up on Dean’s thigh. He pressed his lips to Dean’s; they were satisfyingly soft and he felt heat and power radiating through him. His stomach stopped aching and stinging and Dean was kissing him back, wrapping his hard wording hands around his torso and feeling up his muscular back.
When Castiel pulled away, lowering himself back into the water he was grinning. Dean was grinning too, clutching his shoulder absently. Castiel could see the imprinted red mark he’d left on him and probably should have warned Dean about it but it didn’t matter as they were both happy.
“I’ll be back, Dean.”
“I’ll be waiting, Cas.”
With that, Castiel pushed off and swam off back towards his Kingdom. Happiness settled in his heart and his stomach already close to healing. Maybe his lack of vigilance that day was for a reason and a perfectly good one at that.
He went back to see Dean several times after that, even managing to get Dean into the water sometimes; his body was a beautiful sight and Castiel relished it every time. He was glad he found his Soulmate, even if he wasn’t greatly approved of by his family. Dean would be family enough for him anyway.