Alright then, now that we are sure everyone has gotten their entries in it's time to call it a week for this year. Thank you to everyone who participated, all the work was absolutely stunning and incredibly creative and we really hope you all had fun!
Now for the giveaway winner, with the help of our randomizer this year's winner is quillquiver! So please, send us a submit with the site of your choice, name and e-mail so you may claim the prize.
Once again, thank you all so much for participating, we'll be seeing you in the holidays! And here's hoping for an exciting season finale.
Castiel looked out over the ocean, the bustling streets behind him. The ocean always captivated him. He loved the way the water moved, so flowing and powerful. Castiel wanted to be powerful.
The wall of the Northern water tribe was looming and, frankly, incredibly tall. Castiel got such a small feeling when he was standing atop it-it was a great feeling tinged with frustration. In his tribe, he was just a healer. He wasn’t a warrior like the other men. He helped the women heal and mend all day while the warriors got all the fun.
Still, the feeling of being above everyone made him feel heavenly.
Castiel peeked behind him to make sure no one was looking. As soon as the coast was clear, he slid down a path he had made for a day like this. When he reached the icy shore, he took a deep breath. He wasn’t supposed to learn martial waterbending, because of who he was. He picked up some snow to fiddle with and calm him, shaking his head and trying to close those thoughts from his mind. It wasn’t his fault he was born this way. If they’d just let him train with the warriors…!
The ice around his feet had grown long, sharp spikes. His clenched fists had compressed the snow into solid icy crystals. With a sigh, Castiel melted the ice with relative ease. He practiced almost every day of the week, except when the warships returned. Then he was on full duty.
Another long breath. Lift hands. Concentrate.
The water before him started to raise, slowly and then with more speed. In a few seconds, there was a giant wave towering over Castiel, but he was unable to lose his focus to watch his creation.
Breathe out. Relax.
The water slunk back to its own territory, seemingly relieved to be out of the air. Castiel sat back on the ice with a huff of exhaustion. “You did it.” He muttered to himself. “You made it happen.”
He closed his eyes and listened to the steady flow of the ocean. Splash. Retreat. Build. Splash. Retreat. Build.
Crash.
Castiel was doused by seawater. He looked up to see the wave returning to the ocean, and then down to the present it left him. A young soldier. His ship must have crashed or sunk. Castiel thought.
The only problem was that his uniform was deep red.
"Fuck." Castiel swore to himself. "A firebender. That’s all I need. Maybe I could just throw him back…?"
That idea seemed most logical. Castiel moved to roll over the body, and as he did, he saw the soldier’s face.
It was quite handsome, with dark blonde hair crowning the stranger’s head. As he looked closer, Castiel saw freckles lining the bridge of the soldier’s nose. Below that, two perfectly formed, plump, pink lips sat, tintef blue by the cold.
The soldier’s eyes snapped open as soon as Castiel touched him. “What the fuck are you doing?” The soldier spluttered. He coughed for good measure. Looking around his surroundings, he concluded that this wasn’t the greatest place to be, but he could take on whatever these weak waterbenders had.
Castiel stood in shock. What was he supposed to do? Fight? Call out? (And give away his secret?) Castiel shook his head as if to clear it. “My name is Castiel and I really don’t want to kill you but I’m going to have to. Sorry.”
"I can’t let that happen." The soldier extended a whip from his fingers, made entirely of fire. Castiel suddered. That was probably a bad sign.
Castiel took a calming breath, just like he practiced. With the rise and fall of his hands, in seconds the soldier was dripping wet. Every attempt he made at firebending was doused by a wave of salt water.
The firebender growled in frustration and lunged at Castiel, cursing. “Just fucking stay still while I torch you okay? Just. Stop. Moving.”
It was terribly amusing for Castiel. He had the agility of a warrior, though he wasn’t one. It was like he was standing one place one moment and then next to the soldier the next. The firebender got more and more flustered every jab Castiel dodged. It was kind of cute.
Castiel had imediate regrets about his thoughts. In the second it took to think that single thing, the firebender was tripping him. As an instinct, Castiel grabbed ahold of him to keep from falling, ending up both of them rolling to a stop before tumbling into the ocean. The firebender, as it turns out, couldn’t swim. Castiel hauled him to shore fairly easily. With a wet thud, both young men were set onshore.
The firebender was unconcious. Castiel glanced around nervously. He wasn’t sure if his waterbending skills were good enough to pull the water from his lungs without turning them into shriveled husks. After a few seconds on debating, he started to pump the soldier’s chest. “I didn’t even get his name.” Castiel thought quietly.
Pump. Pump. Pump. Castiel was getting slightly frantic. Had it been a minute yet? I think so. He tilted the chin back, like he was taught, and lifted the chin to hear breathing. None. With a moment’s hesitation, Castiel’s lips met the beautiful strangers, and for a second he forgot to breathe. Breathe, damnit! He gave two breaths and glanced to see chest movement. There wasn’t any sign of life. Come on!
Castiel went back to what he was doing. Unfortunately, the firebender wanted to go back to what he was doing as well. His eyes snapped open (bright apple green) and stared angrily up at Castiel. Castiel shot up awkwardly, mumbling about how he was trying to save his life and how it wasn’t meant to be creepy and how all the people in the tribe think he’s creepy enough as it is when the firebender interrupted him.
"Dean."
"What?"
"My name is Dean. And… Thank you for saving me." Dean reached for Castiel’s leg and placed his hand there. It felt like it was burning, but Castiel was sure there wasn’t any firebending involved.
Castiel coughed and stood up. “Uhm, sorry anyways… I should probably get you dried off. And find you somewhere to stay.” Castiel added quickly, “Under my supervision of course.” He motioned to Dean.
"I know a cave not far from here, c’mon."
After a short walk, they arrived at a cozy looking cave carved into the ice. Inside there were a few animal skins on the ground. “I sleep here sometimes.” Castiel explained quickly.
"So, Cas… It’s okay I call you Cas, right? Anyways, why are you doing this?"
"To be honest, I don’t know. I kind of… Never mind, it’s unimportant. Here, give me your clothes." Dean looked horrified. "Oh come on," Castiel reasoned, "I won’t be looking. I just need them all in one place. I’m best working with chunks of water, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to bend the water out of your clothes and not out of you too." Dean smiled a mischievious smile.
"How about you show me how you saved me again?" He smirked.
"Well, first I swam us to shore-"
"I mean kiss me again, you idiot."
Castiel stared blankly at Dean.
Dean shyly muttered, “it felt like nothing else did.”
Castiel agreed, nodding. He took a step closer towards this new threat, this stranger to his world. And he kissed him.
"Cas," he cries and wills his legs to bend and walk. Movement's getting harder now. His hands are already frozen solid. His feet stomp like bricks. If he can just get to Cas, everything will be alright. They'll kiss, and Dean will be healed with true love's power. They'll find a way to help Sam. Then Dean and Cas can get married, and Sam will be best man, and they'll be happy. And then they'll adopt and raise a family, but they'll never hide like Dean and Sam had to. They'll keep the castle open, and all the children will only know warmth and kindness and love and -
Dean sees Sam. And Alistair. Alistair about to strike Sam down with his sword.
Dean glances at Cas, still running toward him with arms outstretched, and sees the future he's always wanted there with man he loves. It's beautiful, but Cas will not die without it.
Dean cannot live without either of them, Sam or Cas. So he pushes his body, legs frozen stumps, and moves between his brother and the sword meant for him. He outstretches his hand to stop Alistair and cannot move anymore.
*
Cas slows as he nears the ice figure that was once his love. Dean's always been a brave man - perhaps too brave. And though a chasm of despair now splits Cas's chest, he is not angry with Dean, whose bravery became his undoing. If anything, he loves him more. So selfless. So worthy of love.
Sam's crying on Dean's shoulder, and Cas stands still, watching. There is nothing to say that could ease this loss for either of them. Dean was the brightest star, and now the world is darker.
Cas looks to the ground and stares hard at the frozen water beneath their feet. He's lived in the snow all his life and never felt so cold.
"Dean!" Sam says, stronger than before, and Cas glances up again to find Dean breathing and smiling. The ice pulls away from his hands and fingers. After a moment, he's able to lift his legs.
"Hey, Sammy," Dean says and returns Sam's hug.
"You saved me," Sam says.
"Of course I did," Dean scoffs, like there never should have been any doubt.
Cas's heart picks up speed. He wants to run to Dean and kiss him, but he doesn't move yet. This moment spent between brothers is far too important to interrupt. When it's over though, when Dean pats Sam on the shoulder and then turns to Cas and winks, Cas runs into Dean so hard, they topple into the snow pile.
Dean laughs as he kisses Cas and Cas laughs too.
"You scared me," Cas tells him, when their laughter subsides.
"I know," Dean says. "I scared me, too." Dean brushes Cas's cheek with his fingers.
Cas closes his eyes, remembering too well how those fingers were recently ice. "I don't want to lose you," Cas whispers.
"You won't," Dean promises. He kisses Cas's nose.
"How can you promise that?" Cas asks. He's worried, but his heart does feel lighter after Dean's words. And when he sees Dean's smile, he thinks he might be able to float off the ground.
"Because this is the part where we live happily ever after," Dean says and finds Cas's lips again.
