Archive of Our Own

It all started with the dreams. They weren't anything really prophetic; they certainly gave him no clue as to where they'd lead. All he knew for certain was that they drew him into the forest surrounding his village. No one dared to go into that forest after dark. A large number of stories were passed around, speaking of young men and women going missing, of a man who walked in the shadows that wasn't really a man at all. Some said he had green eyes and sunspots all across his skin that matched the stars in the sky. They all said that if you saw him, it was too late. Which of course begged the question as to how anyone knew of him, if everyone who got a good enough look always ended up dead.

In every one of his dreams the moon always kept him perfectly lit. Sometimes he stood at the edge of the wood for hours, staring into the pitch, writhing shadows. Other times he ran through them, or they through him, it was never all that clear. Most mornings he woke up feeling like something was amiss. That was, of course, never true. The world moved around him with all the same patterns. It was Castiel who was amiss in the world. His brothers seemed to notice it, too.

Samandriel gave him odd looks, always so concerned. Everyone took it as brotherly devotion, Castiel being the older guide to his youngest brother. Of course that wasn't the entire story. Though, he suspected if the truth was known, they'd both be put under the butcher's blade in a makeshift public execution. In their village, there was such a thing as too much love for one's brother.

For eighteen nights he’d had the same dream, and each morning after he woke up with a pit in his stomach. Then, on the nineteenth night everything changed, and he didn't sleep at all. He tried desperately for hours, aware that in the morning Michael was taking him out to fish in the river near the alfalfa field. It wasn't an activity he could be tired for, and Michael couldn't do it without his help. If they didn't go, Samandriel wouldn't eat and neither would a good portion of the village. He had no choice, but he just couldn't sleep.

Eventually he stood and went to his window, pushing the wooden shutters open to stare outside. The night was chilly, but not unpleasantly so and crickets were chirping in a dark choir. After a short time his gaze fell on the moon, nearly full as it bathed everything in pale light. Michael always complained about the nights being too dark, that even with a torch he felt unsafe. Castiel couldn't comprehend where he got that feeling. Their village was beautiful at night, no more unsafe than during the day. Sunlight always managed to give Castiel a headache and even though he never said it, Samandriel experienced the same. Castiel was more than familiar with pained squinting and in the daylight it was Samandriel’s only expression. Even in the shade of a tree they both got headaches.

That night he found himself tracing the contours of the Moon’s every blemish with his eyes, wondering what caused them. Was the sky such a dangerous place that even the moon was subject to injury? The stars were scattered across the rest of the sky like a blanket and from where he stood Castiel could pick out a few of the patterns. A traveler came through their village years ago with a map of the sky and from it Castiel learned that certain groupings were called constellations and had done his best to memorize them. Even now he could remember the stories from when he was a boy. Great bears and warriors, beautiful women and jealous gods. He was fascinated, but that fascination had no place in the life of a fisher and a farmer.

Sometimes he resented his life, no matter how much time he'd spent among these people, among his own brothers even, he felt like he didn't belong. There was something in him that didn’t move in quite the same way. Whatever it was distanced him from the people around him. The only person he didn't feel disconnected from was Samandriel, but it seemed his little brother's proximity had spread the affliction. At the very least, they had each other.

The nineteenth night became a new first. It was the first night where he no longer needed sleep. That day fishing with Michael he wasn't tired, he felt more rested than he had in years. There was no way he could explain it. He'd spent hours just staring out into the sky, eyes jumping from star to star like he was visiting old friends. Even as the sun rose, he stared at the moon until it disappeared. He always felt the loss like a physical weight against him, pressing him down into the too-warm dirt beneath his feet. No one seemed to notice the change in his mood though, to them he’d always been awkward and quiet.

A local girl, Rachel, did seem to have some kind of clue that something was off. She went out of her way to try and rile him up. Making comments about how his skin was more pale than everyone else’s despite how much time he spent in the sun. Even trying a few that were mildly flirtatious, how his eyes were an intense blue that sometimes seemed silvery, that his hair was always nicely disheveled. Castiel responded with polite thanks and as much nonchalance as he could muster. Samandriel was always a bit jealous and Rachel wasn't worth it.

Four nights he stood in his open window, staring out at the sky. His mind raced, chasing after stories he felt were just outside his reach. It was frustrating. Something was missing, but he couldn’t place what. On the fifth sunset he expected everything to go as it had, isolation and hours of getting lost in his own thoughts. It didn’t.

Usually Samandriel would signal him somehow if he wanted a night together, he almost never just showed up in Castiel's room. There was too much risk of someone waking up from the noise they made. When he felt hands on his back he jumped and whirled around so quickly he almost hit his brother in the head.

Samandriel always did have fast reflexes, though, so the most Castiel caught was his hair. Soft, fair hair that made everyone question his mother's integrity. Michael, Inias and Castiel all had dark hair. Then their mother produced a fair haired son as her fourth and quite a few rumors in stride. None of the rumors were true, though, their parents had a good marriage. They were even buried together in the village graveyard.

Castiel glanced to his bedroom door to find it closed and the bolt locked in place. His brother put a gentle hand on his chest and crowded him against the sill of the window, the moon pouring light over his back. He covered his brother's more slender hand with one of his own.

“Samandriel, we can't. Not here, someone will find us.” His voice was low, barely louder than the steady wind blowing outside.

Samandriel smiled softly and leaned forward to kiss his throat. “You've been having the dreams, too. You can't sleep at night. What else are we supposed to do, Castiel?”

His voice was soft, inviting, just as his body was and as much as Castiel tried he couldn't keep his own body from responding. Without his consent his hands attached themselves to Samandriel's back, gliding down into his brother’s trousers where he felt the boy’s supple backside cave beautifully beneath his fingers.

Castiel shuddered and tried to keep his growl locked in his throat—tried to keep his reason afloat. “This isn’t safe, Samandriel.”

Teeth dragged across his earlobe and he barely kept his moan restrained. “As long as the moon is in the sky, we're safe.”

The statement was insane, but it made sense to him, the cadence of the words throbbing deep in his chest and riding his pulse until warmth flooded his body. Though with the way Samandriel was pressing into him he could have said the sheep were going to fly away and it would have made sense. That warmth would have crawled through him just the same.

Castiel caved, like he always did with his younger brother, and pulled one hand up to tangle in Samandriel's hair which he used to guide his brother's head back. The color of his eyes was turning that silvery blue that Rachel had mentioned and it caused everything outside of them to disappear in Castiel's mind. The village shrunk down to just them in his room. In their slow descent to the floor he could hear one thing in his head ringing like chimes, 'as long as the moon is in the sky, we're safe.'

It was within the third week after that, on a night when Castiel was buried inside his brother that either of them first said it. The lamp sat on the table, taken apart for the oil it held and the only light in the room came from the moon pouring through the open window. Cool light washed across Castiel’s back, laying there like a needy touch. Samandriel's already pale chest was painted white, his cock softening after release and Castiel was so close his hands were shaking even as they held his brother's hips. His eyes snapped to the moon as his last thrust buried him deep, orgasm spreading through him like warm water over his skin.

Samandriel watched him for a few moments, catching his attention with curious fingers tapping on his collarbone. His brother grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled himself up, Castiel helping after a few seconds, pulling until Samandriel was seated in his lap. The position wasn't comfortable, but it did allow them a slow kiss. His thighs began to ache with the effort of holding them both up and his knees were likely to be bruised the next day. He pulled back and mouthed across Samandriel's jaw, ready to suggest they relocate to the bed instead of the floor by the window.

That was when his brother gave voice to the feeling sitting heavy in both their skin. “The moon is watching us, Castiel.” Castiel pulled back and looked at his brother, skin turning pink where his mouth had been. “He's watching us.”

Castiel turned and looked back to the moon as his brother did, not bothering to ask what Samandriel meant, he already knew.

They never did move away from the window. When night fell and Samandriel came into his room, they always stayed within view of the moon. Anyone walking by would have been able to see them, but they were never caught. Even on nights when Samandriel was at his loudest.

Castiel’s hands trembled as he dragged them down Samandriel’s sides, slowly sliding them across the insides of his brother’s thighs before hooking an arm under each knee. His brother was folded almost in half, looking up at him almost helplessly as he increased their pace. The wind howled outside and for a moment Castiel thought he heard a voice carried within it, like a gentle moan.

The shadows seemed to be alive in the room with them, twisting and fidgeting like impatient children. All of that was in the background, though. What Castiel was truly focused on was the way his brother’s eyes never left his face, never looked anywhere but to him.

Castiel buried himself inside completely and stopped, panting heavily while sweat dripped from his nose. Samandriel shifted his hips, trying to fuck himself on his big brother’s cock, but Castiel swatted his balls with two fingers and kept him still.

“Cas?” Samandriel’s eyes were bright, the glint of the moon making them glow.

Castiel smiled and pulled out, using Samandriel’s legs to coax his brother into turning over. The sight he got when Samandriel was on his knees was beautiful, all soft milky skin surrounding his swollen entrance. He let his fingers gently trace the abused hole, a low darkness rising up in him that made him want to shove his brother full and steal him away somewhere. A fleeting twitch in the shadows brought Castiel’s attention back to the present, his eyes jumping around the room the find the source of the motion. There was nothing there.

Samandriel was lax when Castiel began to pull him toward the window, hands braced on the sill as he faced the clear night sky. Castiel took his place behind Samandriel, slowly guiding himself back into his brother’s body. One languid thrust connected them again, their hips flush.

Castiel draped himself across Samandriel’s back, lips right on the younger’s ear as he spoke. “Look at the moon, Samandriel.” The darkness that had risen in him warmed, filling him and whispering to his lusts, spurning him on. “I don’t think he’s seen how beautiful you look when you come. You should let him see that.”

“Yes.” Samandriel’s entire body shuddered, clinging to Castiel more tightly than before, his inner muscles milking his big brother.

Light danced on the angles of Samandriel’s body, shadows stabbing out from the wings of his shoulder blades. Maybe it was just Castiel, but the moon seemed larger when he looked back to it.

The shadows caressed his legs and back, holding him reverently as he chased completion. Samandriel wrapped a hand around himself, face upturned toward their friend in the sky. Castiel finished first, groaning deeply as it washed through him. He felt as though he’d fall back, barely able to keep his balance with the high of coming inside his younger brother.

He felt when Samandriel finished, keening and clawing at the window sill. A lazy smile spread his lips, satisfaction sitting heavy and sweet like honey in his blood. As always, the moon watched them, silently protecting them from his place high in the night sky.

Nearly three months the pattern held, both of them content to make love in front of their distant confidant, smiles on their faces as they indulged. The only exception they gave was the new moon. It made them both nervous, attempting anything when there wasn't even a sliver of familiar light to be seen.

They were closer in the following days, never straying too far from one another in the fields and even in the house. Michael seemed pleased they were getting along, though they always did. Above all else Michael valued family. Inias occasionally joined in any brotherly banter, taking his fill of bonding until he could retire to the stables and tend the horses. He'd always been very quiet, more content to care for animals than be jostled by crowds of people.

Summer was beginning to fade into autumn, meaning cooler days and frigid nights. Everyone in the village was praying there wouldn't be snow that coming winter. It was hard enough to survive without the risk of frostbite and cold sickness. Around that time that they both began to sleep at night again. They likely would have panicked if it weren't for the dreams. Every morning they woke up shortly before sunrise and sat next to the window wrapped in furs and woolen blankets.

“I think we need to give the moon something.” Castiel saw his breath forming clouds under his nose as he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Samandriel looked away from the open and window and stared at Castiel instead.

His voice was soft and young sounding, much different than how deep Michael's was or the way Castiel's made one think of the burn of strong drink. Inias' voice was smooth, too, but didn't hold the same softness. Castiel always took a heady enjoyment in the little coos and mewls that came from that voice, light as the petals from the wildflowers growing at the edge of the wood.

Castiel tilted his head to the side, looking more closely at the dark marks on the white face of their confidant and protector.

“My dream last night, we spilled milk and grain at the foot of one of the trees in the forest.” He turned to his little brother, finding the pale blue stare still examining him.

“We're not supposed to go into the woods at night. They aren't safe.” Samandriel looked confused and frightened at the prospect.

“If the moon is in the sky, we're safe.” They both looked back out the window, the sky was beginning to lighten quickly and they'd both have to get up and go about their daily duties.

“We'll only be able to take a handful at a time, then. Otherwise someone might notice.” Castiel nodded his agreement silently, the next night they'd start. The full moon was as good a time as any.

The forest wasn't as terrible as everyone had made it out to be through the years. Just as in the light of day, it had trees, small animals and shadows. It may have simply been his imagination, but he thought that it wasn't even that much more difficult to see, despite nearly no light coming in through the canopy. He knew in the coming weeks most of the leaves would fall from the trees, winter robbing the life force from almost everything.

The air was cold, the chill setting in early. They each had on their heavy work clothes, wool scratching uncomfortably at their skin. With every breath a white cloud broke the darkness of the shadows. It wasn't wise to be out so late when it was so cold, barefoot as they both chose to be with little more than a sweater and heavy trousers, but they knew they were safe.

Samandriel was close at his side and walking with ease, dodging roots and rocks as they went. Despite the chill their fingers and toes had yet to grow numb. The night wasn't anything to fear, even in the forest. They weren't quite sure where they were going, just letting the pull of the moon guide them, blood drawn like the waves of the tide. It didn't seem like long before they stopped, bare toes resting gently against the damp bark of an old tree. The tree was one they both knew. It could be seen standing above all the others even from the village. Ten men could link hands and the span of their arms would still not reach all the way around it.

“I hadn't realized we'd walked this far.” Castiel turned and looked back at the way they came, it would be all too easy to get lost. They could die before anyone found them.

A rough gust of wind ruffled the leaves overhead, allowing more shafts of soft moonlight to skitter over his skin and clothing. Any fear he felt was abated, the small bowl of milk in his hands brought back into focus.

He knelt at the base of the tree and overturned the dish, the roots bathed in white while Samandriel sprinkled the grain and a small clump of the last alfalfa blooms over it. “Why did you bring alfalfa?”

Samandriel shrugged and wiped his hands together, making sure every seed and sprout was where it ought to be. “Better to give a little extra than not enough.”

He grabbed the bowl from Castiel's hands and started back to their home. Castiel laid his hand on the trunk of the tree, almost able to hear its pulse in his ears like his own. He was content to let the night flow around him for a moment before going back to the real world. When Samandriel's steps began to fade he rose and made to follow.

That world didn't actually feel real at all. The tree felt real. The moon felt real.

That trip was the first of many. Every night except the night of the new moon they each grabbed their respective offerings, which came to include dried meats when the winter weather made the alfalfa wilt and die, and hiked to the tree to bathe the roots. That continued for more than half the season, the winter being mild enough to allow them to remain barefooted and dressed in a single layer of wool. When the leaves did fall the floor of the forest was covered in them, mottled with dull browns and large patches of moonlight filtering in through bare branches. Even the crescent moon seemed bright in their absence.

A half moon guided them along their usual path, which had still not been trod flat despite the weeks they'd walked it. To them it seemed like the forest didn't want their tree to be found. Just as every time before, they spilled their offerings over the roots.

They'd come to enjoy a feeling of completion, like time was stopped around them while they paid tribute. Yet as Castiel looked up through the branches he couldn't help feeling something was missing. Samandriel began unlacing the front of his pants, catching Castiel's attention.

“What are you doing?” His voice was barely more than a hiss. Samandriel wasn't truly thinking of relieving himself against the tree? Hadn't they stopped three turns ago to pee?

“We need to give of ourselves now.” Castiel narrowed his eyes, setting his hand against the tree as he had every time before while his brother wrapped a hand around himself.

Understanding crept into him starting where his palm rested against bark, traveling through the rope of his spine and down into his groin as he hardened in response to his brother's suggestion. Giving of themselves, of course. Samandriel knelt next to him, hands busy at work over the length of his cock. The air wasn't as cold as Castiel expected when his pants opened and he pulled himself free. Though that shouldn't have surprised him with the way the months had gone, barefoot and running through the woods at night.

The air only seemed to get warmer as Castiel wrapped one hand around himself. He took a deep breath and relaxed, his other hand planted against the trunk of their shrine. Between spending his nights hiking and spending his days working opportunities to find pleasure in either himself or his brother had been very few. If there were more time he'd tease himself, gently rub over the slit until he was shaking with overstimulation. Maybe next time. As it was they'd likely barely make it back before sunrise.

Beside him Samandriel was getting close, fingernails digging in and chipping away small pieces of bark as he whimpered. His hips were moving with the motion and the more Castiel watched the quicker he felt his own orgasm building. A gentle roll of his hips into a twist of his wrist and Samandriel came, moaning Castiel's name under his breath. His brother's voice and the feeling of the moon against his skin pushed him to join, pleasure coursing through him and onto the damp tree roots.

Samandriel leaned over and kissed his cheek, a smile curling against his skin. Castiel smiled in kind and turned his head to catch his brother’s lips, humming low in his chest as the forest came back into focus around them. The night was complete, they needed to walk back home.

They began rushing out earlier each night as spring approached, anticipation high in their spirits as they thought on what they'd do. Low hanging branches bent and swayed to make them an easier path. There was an unspoken feeling that things were progressing somehow, leading them to something. With every act of devotion, sharing their pleasure and their seed, the moon beamed brighter, a celebration flaring out across the night sky.

It was all Castiel could do not to spill any milk as they raced to the living altar. Laughter bounced off of the budding leaves above them, riding on the wind and echoing back in their ears. The exhilaration they felt was matched by the shadows encompassing them.

Their ventures through the wood were making their legs stronger and what started months before as a brisk walk turned into an all out sprint. The path underfoot was so well known that they'd stopped  looking at the ground, even when they began to run. It had been little more than a month since they first pleasured themselves in tribute to the moon. Castiel had been satisfied to draw his offering with his hand, but there was something in particular about this night that called for more creativity.

Another full moon hung in the sky, reminding him of that first night, uncertain and nearly lost in the tangle of thick branches. Spring was coming early, the nights were warmer and leaves were beginning to sprout. Soon enough he and Samandriel would be plunged back into shadow in their nightly walks. Of all the things, they’d both managed to get a healthy tan from their nightly excursions. He hoped they could keep it even when the forest was blackened around them.

The tree was like a second home, thrumming with power and even lover the more they visited.

Once the milk, grain and fresh fish had been placed on the ground Castiel pulled his brother down to straddle him. He could see the creases of confusion around Samandriel's eyes. “Castiel, what are you—“

Castiel cut him off with a kiss, his hands shaking as he held his brother's face. “Suck me.”

Samandriel's eyes widened and he looked over at the tree beside them. “But we—“

“Suck me, but don't swallow, then I'll do the same for you, we'll kiss and you'll give the moon our offering from your mouth.” His brother gaped at him, breathing rapidly as he thought about it. A strong wind blew in from Castiel's back, dried leaves and the scent of imminent spring curling around them excitedly.

They looked at each other for a long moment, matching smiles lifting their features before Samandriel nodded and climbed down his brother's body. Castiel pulled his top off, balling it up for a pillow under his head. The first touch of hot tongue on his skin was a shock, weeks of nothing but his own hand having left him sensitive to something so intense. Lips wrapped tight around him and he knew it would be over far sooner than he liked.

He threaded his fingers into Samandriel's hair, trying his best not to buck up roughly. His younger brother was definitely skilled, tongue curling in tandem with his hand. Castiel bent his knees and gently rocked up into Samandriel’s mouth, short moans pulled from his throat and lifted away by the night wind. It wasn’t long before the lean line of his body arched, pale column of his throat bared as he groaned and breathed his brother's name and came.

His skin was buzzing as he was released, milked with firm sucks and fingers so that every last drop now sat on his brother's tongue. Samandriel stood and hastily pushed his trousers down his hips, laces in the front tearing the fabric as it was made to stretch. Dirty wool was yanked up and over his head, discarded on the ground with Castiel's sweater a few paces away.

The ground was soft under Castiel’s knees, leaves shielding him from thick tree roots and small rocks. He looked up at his brother, full mouth closed and muscles taut in expectation. A smile pulled Castiel's lips open, teeth glinting in the low light before he took the head of his brother's cock into his mouth.

Samandriel made a surprised noise, one hand tangling in Castiel's hair while the other covered his mouth to avoid spilling. His hips jerked forward, pushing himself almost to Castiel's throat. Strong hands grasped his thighs, stilling and calming him. As much as Samandriel knew him, he also knew his brother's body, being the first and only to touch him. He swirled his tongue and suckled on the head while he raised a hand to tease along the shaft. This act was one he delighted in, his eyes fluttering shut while he enjoyed every muffled sound of appreciation from above. Only a handful of moon-bathed minutes passed before Samandriel's legs were threatening to give out and Castiel's mouth was filled with bitter release.

He stood and held his brother close, noses bumping as he pressed their lips together to give him the other half of their offering. Samandriel sucked every trace from his mouth, slurping noisily in the relative calmness surrounding them. The pads of his fingers wiped the edges of his lips, a small white dribble pushed back in before he turned to complete their task.

A dull thud met Castiel's ears as Samandriel dropped to his knees and opened his mouth. When he stood again Castiel felt a pang of sadness at having to go back to their home. Half-naked and shrouded in shadows and moonlight, an orgasm pulled out of him for the purpose of worship... how could fishing and checking grain stores ever compare?

His hands cupped Samandriel's face and he kissed him desperately, aware that once they stepped out of the dark of night they'd no longer be safe to express their affections in such a way. As the kiss broke Castiel had to use every shred of self control he had to keep from suggesting they run deeper into the woods until they truly were lost.

“I love you, Castiel.” They were pressed together from hip to chest, clinging to the point of melting into one person.

“I love you, too.”

As long as the moon was in the sky, they were safe. Of course they never thought about the implications for the painfully bright light of day. A wild dog had been stalking in the tall grasses near the river bank. Spring was coming into its own, bright shocks of green where there'd once been gray and brown. The alfalfa field was dusted in purple petals, bees flitting across the top in an erratic dance. This was what distracted Castiel from the feral animal naught but two steps away from him. It latched onto his arm and dug in deeply, blood pouring out around its teeth. He screamed and Michael came running, large knife in hand which he used to dispatch of the likely ill, desperate beast.

He was sent home, river water used to clean the wound up as much as possible while his shirt was torn apart and wrapped around it. Samandriel came running from behind the chicken coop, face draining of all color when he caught sight of the blood-soaked cloth. Inias grabbed him and all but carried him inside, setting him down in his bed while he himself went to the woman a few houses over with all the herbs and ointments. Michael instructed Samandriel to make more bandages and to keep Castiel comfortable while he made sure that had been the only dog by the bank. They couldn't have anyone else being bitten.

This of course meant that Samandriel spent a great deal of time staring at him worriedly. Castiel felt himself dry heave, it was too hot, he'd lost too much blood and it was too damned bright. His brother seemed to understand, closing the shutters when he came back with a bowl of clean water.

Samandriel looked like he wanted to say something but was thinking against it. “Whatever it is you want to say, say it.”

“I don't think you should make the hike tonight.” Castiel sat bolt upright, almost toppling over when dizziness made his vision swim. “This is why, you're hurt. You can barely sit up on your own, let alone walk to the center of the forest. It's too dangerous.”

“Samandriel, as long as—“

“I know, I know, but... please, for me? Rest for one night, he'll understand.” Castiel took a long look at his brother, the soft concern in his gray blue eyes and the too-tight grip on his shoulders.

There was no room for argument. Castiel nodded and Samandriel smiled softly, kissing him on the forehead as he guided him to lay back down. For the first time in weeks, Castiel slept.

When he woke it was well past sundown, that much he could tell for sure. He was able to sit up with very little swaying in any one direction, but standing was an ordeal. A dull thump and sharp pain in his shoulder let him know he'd hit the wall. Unsteady steps pushed him forward to the thin slats of light peeking through the closed window.

His fingers connected with the shutters, pulling them open to find the moon swollen full almost too soon. Usually a blue moon made everyone nervous, but no one had even mentioned it. Realization struck in his mind that the moon the previous night had been a crescent. The new moon was supposed to be plunging the sky into unnerving blackness. Something was happening. He lifted his injured arm and found the pain less than it should have been.

The bandages stuck to him as he slowly peeled them away, stinking of sickness. Blood stained them dark, ruddy brown as it dried. When the moonlight touched his skin he thought he was seeing things. The bite was sealing itself back up, his wounds closing painlessly as blood flaked off almost like it was being rubbed away. He looked back to the moon, one of the dark scars spreading almost imperceptibly as his arm was healed.

The wind was whipping through the juvenile leaves of the revived forest almost savagely, commanding him to enter. He needed to find his brother. Jumping through the window was almost too easy, the loss of strength from earlier entirely forgotten by his body. Bursts of wind pushed against him, dragging him toward the tree line with a level of insistence bordering on desperation. With a parting glance back to his old room and home he quickly set off into the shadows.

He recalled the first night they ever gave of themselves, hands wrapped around their flesh as they spilled their pleasure on the bark and ground. Back then he felt like the forest was urging him forward, branches that had snagged in the past bending to move out of his way. Now he knew the trees, the shadows, the wind, everything was working in tandem to guide him.

Leaves tickled against his skin as those same branches moved out like hands to shove him along. It all moved around him in a blur until suddenly he came full stop at their usual meeting place. Milk, grain and alfalfa blossoms were sprinkled along the roots. Beside them Castiel saw the evidence of his brother's visit drying against a patch of moss.

The wind had stopped, everything lay still, waiting for his next move. Their offerings were in place, all but one of them. He knew the moon had taken his brother, likely guided him to another spot deeper within the forest. Wet grass was crushed beneath his knees as he readied the final sacrifice.

Damp air surrounded him as he freed himself and set about his task. He took a steadying breath and rested his head against the trunk, his mind filled with thoughts of finding his brother. From there memories took over, the rustle of the leaves in the treetops transforming into the soft sighs that preceded Samandriel's moans. A stilted groan was pulled from him as he pictured his brother's face, lips bitten red and brows creased while he focused on the pleasure he was being given.

He thought back to the night Samandriel told him the moon was watching. That night had been beautiful. His brother’s skin was always so soft and warm, but there was something special about it then, something sweeter. The moon had danced upon their skin and cradled them as they stole pleasure from under the noses of everyone around them.

Just as suddenly as it had stopped, the wind picked back up, brushing against him like his brother's hands on his back. Echoes of Samandriel moaning his name were pushed against him by the breeze filtering through the trees, his pleasure cresting and breaking from him as his offering joined the others in thick pulses. He slumped against the bark, certain his face and hair would be dirty when he stood back up.

When he spoke it was barely above a whisper, the wind carrying the words away and amplifying them until it sounded like he was shouting. “I know you took him. Take me to him, please.”

A twig snapping on the other side of the tree caught his attention and forced him to stand, tucking himself back in as he hastily tied the laces back up. What greeted him around the curve of he and his brother's temple defied any knowledge or experience he'd gained in his entire life. Even keeping in mind the fact the majority of the past year had been spent in incestuous, ritualistic devotion to the moon, Castiel still didn't know what to do with what he was seeing.

Under other circumstances, he would have called it a mountain cat. But this was too large to be a mountain cat, its shoulders sitting level with his lower abdomen. There was also the rather startling nature of its coloration. Mountain cats were tawny, bordering on a reddish color. The cat in front of him was blacker than the shadows it was standing in, brilliant splotches of white and gray littering its coat that looked identical to the scars on the moon. Castiel swallowed harshly, suddenly aware that this being fit into a legend older than the village itself. They called her the Huntress, she was said to be a consort to the moon god that used to reside in the forest. Apparently their legends had more basis in fact than Castiel had previously considered.

He inhaled slowly, trying to calm down, and reminded himself of what his brother had first said many months ago. As long as the moon is in the sky... “Will you take me to my brother?”

The cat's eyes snapped to him, liquid silver with no discernable pupil or whites at the edges, and flecks of white glinting across them in smaller versions of the familiar constellations. She turned and took three steps before looking back over her shoulder to make sure he was following. He quickly caught up, his steps falling in line with hers as they traveled in silence.

Castiel was once again lost in his own thoughts, his body following the cat on its own accord. It barely occurred to him that they'd stopped until he saw his brother laying on the ground, naked and sound asleep. The Huntress padded up to him and fit herself along his back. Samandriel turned and curled into her, humming happily as she licked him and draped her tail over his hip. The trees had opened up to a wide, circular clearing. There was a broad, shallow pool off to the side, clear water bubbling up and overflowing into a stream that Castiel knew led to the river. His breath caught in his throat, what was happening?

“Hey, Cas.” The voice came from his right, deep and smooth as the shadows that clung to his feet from the surrounding trees. When he faced the voice his chest clenched, his heart feeling like it would stop.

A man stood, backlit by the moon and half a head taller than him. The green of his eyes almost seemed to glow, tan skin flecked with sunspots. A wide smile broke his face open, the wind warming with his expression. Castiel's eyes fell to the man's left arm, deep purple bruises discolored the skin in exactly the same spot where his bite had once been. When his staring was noticed the man lifted his arm, flexing his fingers as if to test them. “Don't worry about it, it’s my responsibility.”

“Who are you?” Castiel was backing out of the shadows, further into the light of the moon where he was safest.

“I think you already know.” The other half of the legend came to life in his head and before his eyes.

“The moon god.” His tone was filled with awe and to his surprise his counterpart looked sheepish at the recognition.

“You can call me Dean. No need for formalities with us.” Castiel looked back at his brother, still secure within the grasp of the great cat. “Baby'll take care of him, don't worry. He'll wake up when I let him. For now, we need to talk in private.” Dean came further into the light, his features lit as well as the nudity that Castiel hadn't had the chance to see before. He looked down for a split second, memory seared with the image of the god's cock before he forced himself to look back up to his face. Dean chuckled and walked by him, toward the small spring. “Ogle all you want, Cas. Alfie did, too. Mm, of course he did a lot more than ogle.” His tone was lascivious, words drenched in wicked pride.

Castiel tiled his head questioningly. “Alfie?”

Dean sat at the edge of the limpid pool, legs drifting in up to his knees. He reclined on his elbows and smiled crookedly. “Ah, right, Samandriel to you. I renamed him. Thought Alfie sounded nice. That of course coming from the alfalfa fields near here, where you two ran when you were younger, naked as the day you were born. It was also where you had your first kiss, if I'm not mistaken.” Castiel froze in place, shocked at Dean's knowledge. Of course it would make sense that the god knew. “I know everything about you and your brother, Cas. You let me.” Castiel's brows furrowed, his feet carrying him closer to the pool as Dean moved forward and slid inside to his waist. Silt plumed up and settled, his skin dusted a dull gray. “You and Alfie were made for me, you know. It's a really old tradition, almost as old as I am. And, just so you know, you were right. Your mother wasn't unfaithful.”

Castiel sat at the edge of the pool, chancing to check on his brother every so often. “What do you mean, made for you?”

Dean smiled and leaned forward, this close Castiel could see gold flecked through the green like the stars around the moon. “Gods can get lonely. So, a really, really long time ago we made deals with humans. Your village prospers because of it. Every few generations two children are born in the village that are mine by right. One with fair hair, one with dark, both with fair skin that only tans in my presence. They can be made uncomfortable by sunlight, be drawn to water, take comfort in the shadows. Sound familiar?” Castiel looked back at his brother, watching as he nuzzled the dark fur of the cat still wrapped around him. Dean continued speaking. “They're often lovers, which has lead to some really funny situations in the past.” He laughed softly and paused, Castiel turning back to him in the silence.

“I don't understand, dark hair and fair hair? Why not twins or something more telling?”

Dean's mouth twitched into a smirk as he settled back against the edge of the pool. “Every god has a... well, kind of a territory, I guess. There are certain things we have dominion over. I have the night, the moon, the stars, shadows and bodies of water. Your skin starts pale because of my claim over the stars, his hair is light for the moon, yours dark for the shadows. You're a fisher, right?” Castiel nodded. “And you and Alfie swam a lot as boys, didn't you?” Again Castiel confirmed his facts, causing the god to smile, obviously pleased that the conversation was going over so well. “Problem was, a few generations ago, the tradition dried up. No one was born and your people forgot. So when you and Alfie showed up, no one knew what was actually happening. I had to take matters into my own hands.”

“The dreams.”

Dean nodded. “You both responded well, which I was expecting, honestly. It wasn't like you were really that close to anyone in your village. You two only ever had each other.”

Castiel dipped his fingers into the water, swirling them around the surface absently. “You really don't mind that my brother and I were having sex?”

“If I did I'd be a hypocrite.” Castiel's eyes widened, mouth parting in his surprise. Dean chortled and raised one brow. “What? You didn't think that the night was the only time of day with a deity, did you? My brother Sam has daylight among other things. We meet any time the sun and moon are both visible in the sky. Though now that I have you two, those meetings won't be as necessary.” Dean lounged in the water, relaxed as it rippled around his skin. “I have to say, I'm impressed with you two.”

“Why?” Castiel felt incredibly drawn to the god seated in front of him.

He considered his words, that he and Samandriel were disconnected from their own families. As much as he could try to deny it, it was true. Did he love his other brothers, the people he grew up with? Of course. Did he feel any sort of lingering connection to them? Well, now he knew why not. He felt a deep, inherent kinship to Dean, something he'd only ever felt when Samandriel was born and placed in his arms.

“First, strip down and join me. Shouldn't be any barriers between us, Cas.” The water reflected light up at Dean's face, glittering and shifting with every tiny movement from him.

The invitation was almost too easy to accept, especially with all evidence pointing to his brother having done the same. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, throwing it to the side before straightening his legs to slip out of his trousers. Once nude he could feel Dean's eyes tracing the lines of his body, no part of him hidden.

“Beautiful. C'mere.” He beckoned Castiel into the water, fingers sending drops of water flying back into the surface of the spring. The water wasn't as cold as expected when his feet and legs slid in. Dean grabbed him by the hips and drew him to sit in his lap, straddling his thighs.

One soaked hand smoothed through his hair, attempting to flatten it. His touch was tender and his face looked almost pained. It was as if the god holding him felt every bit of the long-sought bond he did. Sitting there felt like kneeling at the base of the tree but more intense, where before he felt the intensity of the moon in patches against him he now felt like he was drowning in it. Was this what Samandriel had felt? Was it anything like what Dean felt holding him?

“Why were we drawn to the tree?” Full lips pressed into his forehead, his body shuddering in response to the spark of power that snapped into him.

“The spring we're sitting in flows down to the river, but it also runs deep underground, if you dig in the right area, it'll flow up from under the roots of that tree, too.” Dean touched his face, tracing the lines of his features with great care. Castiel tried to keep his eyes open, to watch the god watching him, but it was difficult. He felt pinned down and cut open under the scrutiny. Somehow he'd never imagined anyone besides his brother looking at him like he was so important.

Castiel had seen beautiful people in the past, both within the village and the travelers who walked through. Dean was something else entirely. More than just the shape of his body overall, even the smaller details seemed designed to tempt him specifically. Starting with the thick head of light brown hair, much like the color of the bark on the tree he and Samandriel had visited so often in the dead of night. It was just slightly overgrown, hanging down onto his forehead. Castiel found his fingers were carding through it before he could even register the movement.

Dean hummed appreciatively. “Just as receptive as your brother, good.” Small circles were rubbed into Castiel's lower back, any lingering tension and apprehension draining from him and carried away by the flowing water. He settled against Dean, head resting against the tan skin of his shoulder. “I wasn't sure what to expect at first, there's no guarantee the minds of the Chosen will be open. So I started out with the dreams. It was so easy, almost like you were looking for me too. Then I decided to reward you, build your faith. I gave you pleasure.” Castiel made a soft noise of confusion, his fingers still idly playing in Dean's hair. “I made it so you didn't have to sleep at night. You both spent the first few days looking up at me. Eventually your brother got a better idea. After that you made love every night and let me watch.”

Castiel tried to bring himself closer, his skin already pressed against the god as much as possible. Just like the first walk to the tree, he felt himself feeling pulled closer to the being holding him. Dean's voice had dropped lower as he spoke, his grip tightening as he mentioned the first set of sleepless nights.

“It aroused you?” The thought was potent, that he and Samandriel had aroused a god. It made him feel like he had actual power.

Dean slipped a hand down his back, kneading the flesh of his ass greedily. “I gave you time to take pleasure, then I asked for a gift in return. At first I was kind of nervous. It doesn't always happen right away, many refuse to give back to an obscure god, believe it or not. They don't think I can give them ten times anything I ask in return. So when you and your brother started walking into the forest it took every last bit of willpower I had to wait it out. You kept coming, though, night after night so long as I was there.” Dean's fingers slipped to the center, causing him to gasp as they rubbed against his hole. “Mm, when you and your brother proved yourselves, I decided to reward you again. We shared our pleasure.” Images sprung into his mind of Samandriel slumped against the tree, one hand wrapped around himself as he moaned and squeezed himself.

“What are we?” He lifted his head looked Dean in the eye, a rather gallant feat considering the god was slowly rubbing around his hole, massaging and loosening it. “My brother and I, what are we?”

Dean's smile was proud, the light of the moon flaring in response. “You're demigods. If you accept my love.”

“If we accept?” Castiel gripped Dean's shoulders tightly, pleasure distracting him. He'd always wanted to know what it felt like to having something thicker than his fingers or his brother's tongue inside him, but Samandriel enjoyed being filled to much for Castiel to ask him.

“Alfie already accepted, he's agreed to stay with me. If you accept, you'll both be immortal, you'll gain the powers owed to you and you'll be with me until the end of time. No more will be born after you.” Dean pulled his finger away, seemingly aware that Castiel wasn't going to be able to carry a conversation if he kept up.

Castiel panted, body tingling where the finger had been. “And if I refuse?” Not that he had any actual plan to, but he needed to know his options.

Dean's eyes filled with sadness and regret. “You'll both still be mortal. You won't see each other again and after so many years, you'll die.”

“You need both of us to accept?” Behind them he could hear Samandriel shifting, probably rolling onto his stomach, just as he slept most nights.

“Of course, you're a matching set.” The corner of Dean's mouth lifted into a sideways grin, he was still nervous, that much Castiel could tell.

“No, what I mean is, you need our consent?”

Dean's eyes widened his shock, mouth gaping momentarily before he responded. It was like even the suggestion of taking them against their volition was an affront to his very existence.

“Of course, you might be made for me, Cas, but I can't take away your free will. If you accept your fate, it has to be your choice, not mine.” The god studied him carefully, eyes dancing across his skin like he was trying to work out a puzzle. “You're kind of peculiar, you know that?” His tone was curious and fond at the same time, not insulting as the phrase could have been from someone else.

Castiel tilted his head softly. “Is that a good thing?”

“Depends. Will you stay?” Dean had gone completely still beneath him, water no longer rippling with his movements, but instead flowing around him like it would a stone.

Castiel turned and looked back at his brother, sleeping under the paw of something that even a day ago he never would have thought real. Then he turned back to the deity whose lap he was sitting in, fear pooling deeper into his eyes every second that Castiel remained quiet.

He leaned forward until their lips were almost touching, letting his eyes slip shut to enjoy the lead up to the inevitable. “I will.”

Dean hissed yes and pushed their lips together, his tongue forcing Castiel's mouth open. When he relented he felt a surge of burning cold run down his throat, exploding through every inch of him. His vision whited out, his ears filled with the most intense ringing he'd ever heard. After barely more than ten seconds Dean backed off, panting heavily and catching Castiel when he fell forward. Dean rearranged him so that he was sitting astride one thigh. Splashing dully echoed over the roaring deafness the kiss left him with. He watched Dean kiss his brother when he sat down, suddenly aware of why his vision went brightly blank as he saw flares of shifting starlight pouring out of his brothers eye sockets. Samandriel collapsed as well, chest heaving as he shook against the onslaught of power.

Dean let his head fall back as he looked up at the luminous disc in the sky that first appeared in the dreams that led them there. Their god's arms tightened around them possessively, a glowing smile and tangible relief accompanied the slacking of his muscles as they sunk deeper into the water. “Welcome home, boys.”