"The water was safe, sacred even." Castiel announced after he had examined the water with the tip of his finger.
It was a long way from that hellish plateau they encountered a pack of Cyclops - one eyed giants with a nasty habit of tearing limbs of their preys before going for the head so that the victim would stay fresh through the meal. Dean was badly injured by the confrontation, so Castiel had to use a fair amount of his depleting grace to heal him. The angel still connected to the host of heaven though. It just meant that for every single drop of grace he used, it would take time for his power to fully return.
A time like this was when Castiel fell to his most vulnerable state, and so was Dean. It was a bless they found this small silver river that was so clear it looked like it had been hidden from every creature in this rotten place. Even the weather seemed to welcome them with a warm breeze, and a smell of jasmine.
"Sacred?" Dean asked, wondering if there was such thing as a sacred place in Purgatory.
Castiel looked up to the sky. Dean followed his gaze. Normally, the night sky of Purgatory was either pitch black or deep blue with foggy atmosphere. This sky was filled with stars Dean could even see a milky way. They reminded him of his brother. Was Sammy looking at the same sky? Dean could only wonder.
"This place belongs to a young god, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi." Castiel looked around, trying to feel the presence of the said god.
"I'm sorry Nigi what?" Foreign words could be foreign to Dean, like always.
"The infamous river god, Haku." Castiel turned to Dean as to verify his thought. "He lives between lands of mortals and souls. I did not expect to find his territory here. But it's good luck." Castiel observed the ground, taking a small round marble in his hand before letting it fall.
"Why?" Dean couldn't help noticing the adjective 'infamous'.
"It was known that Haku loves one particular human and that makes him love the rest." Castiel answered. "I doubt anything would try to harm you in his realm."
Dean contemplated that for a second. Then he dropped himself onto the grass, spreading his arms and legs wide. Eyes almost shut, he called out to Castiel.
"Hey Cas."
"Yes, Dean."
"I can sleep here, right?"
"I sense no danger. Don't worry, I take the first shift."
"You always take every shift." Dean protested. Soon, tiredness got the better of him. Dean closed his eyes, and slumbered into oblivion
/
When Dean first entered Purgatory, Dean had had a problem differentiating between dream and reality. At first, he could still have a good dream of the impala and Sam. Sometimes later, his rest was filled with nightmare and monsters he had escaped from.
Now Dean did not dream anymore, nor did he sleep. But somehow, lying on the bank of this river felt safe… it felt like he was sleeping in the backseat of his car.
Dean slowly woke up under the glimmering night sky. Castiel was sitting quiety on the giant rock by the river, watching for danger.
"That… was a good sleep." Dean yawned.
"You were out for 12 hour. I'm starting to worry." Castiel said without looking at Dean.
"Oh yeah? Don't be. Man, I feel like I'm waking up from the dead." Dean stretched his limbs, twitching his body so that he felt a click on his joints. It was a human expression Castiel hadn't seen Dean doing for so long.
"What?" Dean asked because he notices a sparks in Castiel's eyes.
"You smile." The angel answered it simply.
"So?" Dean countered.
"You haven't done that for a while." By that, Castiel let himself smile too.
Instead of an answer, Dean's smile got wider. "Well, today I'll get to swim."
Dean started taking his leather jacket off as to demonstrate his point, then his tee. He got up on his feet, unbuttons his jeans, slipping off them along with his boxer. Meanwhile, Castiel stared at somewhere in the distant.
"Cas. Was anything wrong?"
"We have to be careful."
"Was anything wrong?" Dean repeated.
"No."
"Good. Then come down here. There's no use if something rips your throat while I'm busy." Then he foled all his clothes together in one big ball, and threw it at Castiel. "We deserve a break too, you know."
Dean slowly stepped into the water.
/
The river was warm and inviting. It was not deep. Even when Dean stands in the middle, the water was still a bit lower than his belly button, but it was more than enough.
Dean brushed his palms on the surface, cupped it with two hands just to see how clear it really was in the dimmed starlight. He licked those water drops running down his finger. This is how water should taste. Then he dived.
Dean felt himself alive in the midst of a warm and slow current. When he stroked his arms and feet underwater, the stream gave him energy rather than taking it away, alleviating the fatigue all over his body. Dean let himself flow by gentleness of the current because he knew it would not hurt him. On the contrary, it was healing him physically and spiritually. Even breathing seems like an interruption, but Dean still has to surface for air… only to face with Castiel.
Like Dean, the angel was wearing no clothes. His pale skin contrasted to the pitch black wood behind him. The banishing sigil scar on his chest was fading, yet apparent. Dean once saw Castiel's body way back on earth when the angel had an obsession with bee, but what struck him now was how bruised and scarred his friend really was.
Castiel has a long not-fully-healed red wound marked from his shoulder to the opposite lowest ribs. The same ribs have a three parallel claw marks. His wrist scarred by a monstrous pair of jaws. There are cuts after cuts to his left bicep. God knew how Castiel's back was, because Dean did not count how many times Castiel used himself as a shield protecting Dean from fangs and claws. Jimmy has been a lean man, but Castiel was almost skinny it hurt Dean to see.
Suddenly Dean remembered the first day they met. He remembered how he struck a demon knife at the man's chest. How invincible Castiel seemed back then.
Dean could not believe he has broken an angel.
"What?" Castiel asked when Dean's gaze lingered on him for too long.
Dean avoided Castiel's eye contact, with was an odd thing to do since they had spent every single second within each other's sight nowadays.
Castiel tilted his head, trying to regain a better view of Dean's attention. Dean noticed that. Castiel had never changed since the day he walked into that barn. He remained the one and only friend Dean had ever had. This exact moment was the right time to acknowledge Castiel's feeling to Dean, and Dean to Castiel. But Castiel would know that already, wouldn't he?
Dean was quiet and not meeting his eyes, so Castiel got concerned and stepped closer to his friend.
"Dean, what's wrong?"
Instead of an answer, Dean hooked his arm around Castiel's neck and swung him right into the water.
"You've got to get wet when you've got to get wet, dude!" Dean playfully lunged himself right at the angel, changing the subject he was debating within himself. Acknowledging was one thing, showing was a whole different story.
No, Castiel would not be swung like that. He couldn't drown anyway since he did not have to breathe. He struggled to hold on to Dean's hair, and maneuvered himself to be on top. Dean kicked in fighting because he was the one who needs breathing. He groped Castiel's face, and used it to push himself up for air.
Dean inhaled sharply as his head came above the water. Then Castiel grabbed Dean's shoulder, and pulled Dean down, switching their place again. At some point, this wrestle felt like fighting, but the partner couldn't careless and just continue wrestling until Dean couldn't go on.
"Do you give up?" Castiel mocked Dean while keeping himself afloat.
"Yes." Dean pants. He's now on all fours at the bank, crawling like a dog. Under the moonlight, Dean wet skin glowed, showing dimples on his back.
"Good" Castiel smirked. He did not know it yet, but he liked what he saw.
Dean did not miss the expression. "You kinky son of a bitch." Dean grunted then hauled himself into the water again.
The battle was hardly over.
/
Dean was asleep on the giant rock Castiel had sat before. The angel was beside Dean, hoisting his legs, and watched the sky quietly.
"They are beautiful, aren't they?" A small voice greeted.
Castiel turned to the voice to see a boy in a white kimono standing on water. The boy bowed to him. Castiel got up and return the gesture politely.
"Yes, thank you for your hospitality, Haku."
"You're welcome. Though I'm not speaking of this place or those stars." With dark hair, blue marble-like eyes, and a stern expression, Haku somehow resembled Castiel himself.
"You're Castiel." It's not a question but a statement. "And that must be Dean. I have been hoping you would come here at least for a night since the moment you two entered this realm." The boy paused. "I'm sorry one night was all I have to offer. When your human wakes up, this place will be gone."
"It is more than enough, thank you. Dean… he really needs this even it's just a while." Castiel glances at Dean who was sleeping soundly.
"This is a twisted world where the Righteous man and the angel who averted the apocalypse end up in the Purgatory." Haku said, shaking his head. He conjured a paper umbrella as a sign that he must leave to his duty on earth soon.
"Tell me, Castiel. Is he worth it?"
Haku did not have to say it. Castiel understood more than those four words. He was asking whether Dean was worth saving from hell, falling from heaven and into the abyss. With no hesitation, Castiel answered.
"Yes"
"Then you have my blessing"
Haku smiles and with a swift gust of wind, he disappeared.
/