Mer! Sire! Dean and Mer! Bearer! Castiel.
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Edited 1/15/23: Updated tags- Kinda-Omegaverse. Chase. Knotting.
Castiel flicked his tail, darting down into the rocks and slipping through a crevice before twisting to look back up. Still no one. Good. He was anxious enough without Sires tracking him down so soon.
With mating season on the rise there was the obligatory Chase, something Castiel had been uneasy about since it was first explained to him. The day when unmated Mers would gather from all around in an attempt to land a mate for the upcoming season. On a set date, once the sun rose on the ocean's surface, the Bearers would swim away with a ten-minute head start, at which point the Sires would pursue them. If you could catch one and convince them to let you mate them, congratulations, you had a partner for the upcoming mating season. If not, tough luck, find someone else.
So far Castiel had yet to see any of the two-tailed Sires around, which was a relief. At least it would be easy to tell if one was near or if it was just another Bearer. Bearers like him only had one graceful tail and fin, but Sires had a pair of them, usually a little longer and more snakelike to wrap around their Bearer's single tail for mating.
Castiel ran a hand down his own navy blue scales anxiously, trying to remain calm. The more upset he was the more he'd move, and the more he moved the easier it would be to find him. This was just one of many rock outcrops and caves, and he was a good mile from the starting line. Unlike others of his breed, he wasn't hoping to get caught. Not yet. Yes it would ease his heat during the mating season to have a Sire, but this was his first Chase. He wanted a permanent mate, but Sires didn't start looking to settle down until they were older, and usually with whichever Bearer had born them a pup. At eighteen he was reluctant to mate with just anyone. As odd as it sounded to anyone he confessed to, he wanted to endure his next few heats alone, a romantic idea he still clung to. Something he'd do until he was older and virtually guaranteed to birth a pup, so whomever he'd carefully selected would be that much more willing to mate him for life. While he could simply turn down every Sire that found him, they could be very persistent, and hormones were already running high. Castiel knew he'd be likely to cave, hence his decision to hide. Less risky.
The Bearer closed his eyes, taking deep, careful breaths, focusing on each one, letting himself drift down to the rock on the ocean floor, worn smooth by the currents. Even the short fins along his forearms began to relax, flaring out again rather than pressing firmly to his flesh, his large primary fin fanning out and fluttering in the gentle current.
"Yahtzee."
Castiel's eyes flew open, heart pounding hard against his ribs as its rate abruptly doubled, breath catching in his throat. He twisted himself upright, staring up at the speaker as they slid through the cave's opening with a careful flick of their tails. When he got a good look at who it was he tried to calm his heart rate, though Castiel kicked himself for not knowing right away. How many other Mers did he know who used human phrases like 'Yahtzee'?
"Hello Dean. What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. Figured you'd find some hole to hide in," the Sire answered, shrugging as he carefully maneuvered the tight space. While the cave flared out and opened to several more tunnels at the ocean floor, getting to Castiel's rock took some doing.
A frown creased his face at that. "I don't understand. Why would you waste your time?"
Dean finally made it down to him, drifting to his eye level at a respectful distance. Castiel knew him, of course. Dean and the younger brother who was also here for his first Chase. They lived in the same pod, though while Sam was Castiel's age Dean was four years older. Accordingly he'd spent the last four years going to a Chase and coming back alone after mating season. It baffled Castiel, how a virile Sire could go so long without impregnating a Bearer. At twenty-four he was guaranteed to do so this year, surely. It was something Castiel had quietly mourned, even as he reminded himself his foolish crush had never been going to come to anything anyway. Even as a guppy he'd known Dean Winchester wouldn't want him, not when every Bearer around seemed to have something he didn't. For one, many were female, which the older Sire seemed to favor. Most were more graceful, not nearly so clumsy, they were experienced, they were funnier, smarter, better with pups, something. Now, when it was time to settle down, they had the added advantage of being able to pup easier.
Dean frowned a little, eyes as green as his tails narrowing. "What are you talking about?"
Castiel shrugged, folding his arms. "You know, don't you? You're looking to settle down with a permanent mate this year, you said so. There's always a swarm around Lisa and Amelia, Anna's going to hide this year to test Sire's intelligence, and Amara likes to test you before she lets anyone mate her." He rattled off the names of the female Bearers he knew Dean had spent previous mating seasons with, folding his arms tighter around himself. He couldn't blame him really, Sires went into ruts that were just as miserable alone as Bearer's heats, but still.
"Yeah, you're right. I wanna find a life mate this year," Dean agreed. "But the thing is, a lot of Bearers aren't that crazy about living on the surface."
Castiel pursed his lips, but didn't comment. He did share Dean's fascination with humans, one of the Mer's many appeals, but he'd resigned himself to a lifetime beneath the ocean. Too few Sires shared his interest for him to get lucky. Apparently Dean was trying to find a life mate willing to join him when he made an effort to live among humans. Some did, but it was hardly for everyone. The legs alone took a good deal of time to get used to.
"And there's a reason I didn't stay with Anna or Lisa or anyone else. Not just 'cause of the surface thing, either."
"So is it back to the drawing board this year?"
"I hope not."
The Bearer frowned. "You've been courting someone? Who?"
"I tried to, but first they were too young, then they didn't seem to notice."
"I thought you wanted a life mate. Why chose someone younger?"
"Because this ain't about heats or ruts or pups, not right now. This is about finding someone I want for a life mate."
"I still don't see what that has to do with me."
Dean sighed, an exasperated look on his face. "Damn it Cas, am I gonna have to spell it out?"
"That is your usual tactic, yes."
The Sire gave him an annoyed glare, running one webbed hand over his short cut hair. "Awesome. Look, Cas, I...damn it."
He barely had time to process this before Dean closed the distance between them, grabbing his shoulders and yanking the Bearer flush against him, twin tails snaking around his scaled half. Castiel gasped, flailing then grabbing the Sire's arms, eyes wide as a hand caught the back of his neck, holding him steady as a mouth slanted over his own. He stiffened, then slowly melted into the Sire's hold.
Only when he'd kissed the Bearer breathless did Dean draw away, lightly nipping the base of his neck and sucking on the wounds. A sound that could only be called a whimper was drawn from Castiel's lips. He might have held it in, but mating marks were done right next to the gill slits on the sides of their necks, a very sensitive area. Castiel didn't realize how sensitive until now as he clung to Dean, all but quivering under the ministrations.
"What do you say, Angel?" the Sire murmured at last, mouthing his way down the Bearer's throat. "Been waiting for you, gods you have no idea how hard it was to wait until you were old enough. Let me show you the surface, even if you're pupped right away there'll be time to adjust. It's beautiful up there, Cas. You'll love it. I know you want to settle down, and you know I'll treat you right."
Castiel was nodding rapidly the moment the Sire's lips were no longer on his flesh. "Yes, yes Dean, please, I...please, keep me, mate me..."
His stammering acceptance was cut short by a tender kiss, one so lingering and sweet it made his fin curl. Fingers stroked his cheek when Dean drew away, a warm, tender look in his eyes that made Castiel's heart do funny things. But then that look was gone, replaced by worry.
"What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're crying, what's wrong?"
Castiel's lips turned up a smile that was shakier than he'd like to admit. Unlike humans, it was always blatantly obvious when a Mer cried. Their eye lids began to glitter the same color as their scales.
"Nothing's wrong, Dean. I'm happy, very happy. I...I've had feelings for you since we were guppies," he admitted, a blush blooming in his cheeks. "I just never thought..."
Dean groaned, kissing him again, tails constricting around him. "Forgot you're as bad as me with that self esteem shit. Do you have any idea how many Sires had their eye on you at the starting line? Was afraid I wouldn't find you in time."
Castiel blinked, but before he could question Dean on the matter a hand was sliding down his back, fingers stroking the area where flesh met scales. His breath shuttered, what little tension had remained quickly leaving his body. He floated limply in Dean's hold, clinging to the Sire's lightly freckled shoulders.
"Want me to wait?" Dean rasped, hips rolling, drawing a soft keen from the Bearer. Both sexes had a soft patch of scales, several inches below where there two halves met. The only difference was that stimulating that sensitive patch on Sires would draw out their cocks, while Bearers would simply produce slick.
"No," Castiel whispered, face buried in his neck. "Don't want to wait anymore."
"Didn't think you'd wanna do it in the open the first time," Dean rasped. Even so, his free hand had slid between them, fingers massaging the Bearer's soft patch of scales, mouth descending over one dusky nipple
Castiel outright whimpered, bucking into the fingers. "Dean...Dean please...don't care, don't stop, please...oh gods..."
That time the only response was an outright growl rumbling in the Sire's throat. Fingertips probed the Bearer's entrance, a satisfied rumble in his throat when they came away covered in the slime-like substance meant to ease their mating. He thrust the fingers into Castiel's mouth, and he obediently sucked them clean before being yanked into an eager kiss. The Bearer could feel his mate responding in kind, rolling and bucking his own hips as something very hard and very hot emerged. It was larger than he thought it'd be, but he didn't try to pull away or wiggle free. He'd wished for this for so long, even after forcing himself to rationally realize it couldn't possibly happen. Dean would not hurt him, and while the first mating was said to be a bit painful it was well worth being able to become one with the Sire he'd loved since before he knew what love was.
Even knowing it was coming, when the Sire pushed inside him a soft cry was drawn from his throat. Dean's arms tightened around him, his tails constricting as his head dipped down, pressing lips to his ear. "Shh, easy Cas, easy. Give it a sec, it'll get better, I promise. Relax, you're doing awesome. Shit you're so hot, so fucking tight..."
Castiel didn't realize he was trembling until it eased, the sharp pain dissipating. He tried to relax his hold, only to vaguely realize he'd actually drawn blood from Dean's shoulders. "You're bleeding," he mumbled, dazed.
Dean chuckled, though even that was rougher than usual, voice a growl as he firmly kissed his mate. "Its fine. Mark me all you want, babe. You know why we like it when you claw us up like that?"
"No," Castiel mumbled, gasping softly as his mate's member slowly slid out only to thrust inside him again.
"Because it means one of two things happened. Sometimes both." He paused, lips curling up in a smirk as he nibbled at the Bearer's jugular, a tiny mewl in Castiel's throat as he slowly increased his pace. "Either you gave us your first time. Or we fucked you so good you went mad with pleasure."
Heat warmed Castiel's face, though he wasn't sure he had the presence of mind to be properly embarrassed at the moment. Though he did feel his fingers start to dig in again as Dean continued to increase his pace. Better still, the harder thrusts ensured the tip of his member grazed something inside the Bearer that lit sparks behind his eyelids. When he'd gasped sharply and blurted, "Do that again!" the first time Dean had just chuckled.
"Dean, Dean please," he whimpered, fingers raking down biceps as he was pushed partly away. Though it was only so the Sire could dip down and wrap very talented lips around one nipple. Castiel gave a choked gasp, which like every other sound he'd made thus far seemed to please his mate.
"Mmm, please what?" the Sire purred, switching nipples.
"I don't know!" Castiel blurted, bucking into his mate's still thrusting hips. "More. Feels so good, Dean, please...don't stop, do more, please, oh gods..."
"Shh," chuckled Dean, pecking his babbling lips. "Easy, Cas. You're almost there."
"Almost where?" he whimpered.
"Paradise."
Castiel might have pressed for something a little more conclusive, but at that point he decided to put it off until he was more coherent. In the meantime he was more than happy to just sit there and let Dean continue to do wonderful things to him. His head fell back, exposing his throat to the Sire, fingers digging into his shoulders and upper back as Dean continued to ram that special place inside him. Something seemed to be building up, though he wasn't sure what. It felt good, so he let it ride.
Whatever it was coiled tighter and tighter, like pressure building up, but unlike gas it wasn't painful. Quite the opposite, the more it built up the more intense the pleasure of each thrust from his mate. Then, all at once, it erupted. Pure pleasure and ecstasy pulsed through him, then again, and again. He didn't realize he'd screamed until the noise faded from his throat, immediately after which his mate snarled.
Two things happened then. One was he felt Dean climax inside him, his cock spilling hot seed as the knot at the base of his cock swelled. At first it hurt a little, but then it just seemed to add to his own climax.
The second thing was that Dean's head dropped down, and teeth latched on to the base of his neck. That time Castiel really did scream as his mate's teeth broke skin, giving him a mating bite. Something that would mark him as having a life mate, excluding him from all future Chases, ensuring no other Sire would dare touch him. It wasn't obligatory, even for life mates, but it gave him a pleasured thrill to know Dean wanted him to himself so badly.
Castiel stayed where he was, in Dean's arms, locked together with his mate, body limp and drifting in the current. He wasn't sure for how long, but eventually the Sire's knot faded enough for him to carefully pull out. Dean detached from the Bearer's neck, lightly licking the wound as blood drifted up from it.
Pressing a warm palm to the Bearer's cheek he asked roughly, "Cas? You okay?"
Words escaped him, but he did manage a happy warble.
His mate chuckled, kissing his forehead. "I'll take that as a yes. Wanna wait a minute before we get out of here?"
Castiel nodded, blissfully content, and buried his face in his mate's neck. His mate. He had a mate. He had Dean Winchester for a mate. And who ever said dreams didn't come true?
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