Chapter 128 CHAPTER 128

Chapter 128 CHAPTER 128
Theo can’t take the space between them, so he moves closer and closer until he’s tucked behind the Omega, gently touching his shoulder. Ever since they came back from the hospital, it’s like there’s a huge wall between them.

“Cas?” he whispers softly, his low voice laced with cautious tenderness. “Are you awake, baby?”

Castiel doesn't answer right away, but his entire body stiffens, and he shifts away from Theo’s touch; a little further and he would be falling out of the bed.

A look of hurt crosses Theo’s face, his hand hanging in the air. Maybe he should have taken the doctor’s advice to have Castiel see a therapist.

“I told you, I don’t need therapy. I’m not crazy!” Castiel clamors loudly and jerks up into a sitting position. And that’s when Theo realizes he said his thoughts out loud. Fuck. Castiel's chest rises and falls rapidly, his eyes wide and wet as he stares at Theo like those three words have confirmed every fear that has been eating at him since the hospital.

Theo winces, the regret instant and razor-sharp as he pushes himself up into a sitting position beside him. “Cas, no—that’s not what I meant. I never said you were crazy,” he says gently, reaching out a cautious hand, but Castiel smacks his hand away.

“Yes, you did.”

“No, Cas… baby.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that? Like I’m going to break? Like I’m some defective thing you have to fix!” Castiel's voice cracks as he wipes furiously at his cheeks, now wet with tears. “You think I'm fucking crazy because I tried to hold someone else's baby!”

Theo reaches out, but the more he tries, the more Castiel moves further and further away from him. Theo’s heart breaks in his chest.

Castiel continues. “I know what happened to me. I know I lost our baby. I know that baby in the nursery wasn't mine. I know I shouldn't have tried to touch him. I know. And right now, I know I don't want you to touch me.”

With that, he grabs a pillow and starts heading for the door. Panic surges through Theo’s veins.

“Where are you going?” he blurts.

"I'm going to sleep alone," Castiel answers, and Theo immediately jumps out of bed, grabbing Castiel's hand before he reaches the door, but immediately realizes what he’s doing and lets go of his hand like their skin on each other burns.

“I’ll sleep outside. You don’t have to leave. You can have the bed.” He tells him, and slowly, he takes the pillow from his hand and almost leans in to place a kiss on his cheek but stops himself, especially when the omega isn't even looking at him. Theo hides the pain in his eyes and gives him a smile.

“Good night. I love you," he whispers, and with that, he slips out of the room without looking back, failing to see how the omega’s hand reaches out for a second before it drops to his side.

Theo exhales a sigh as he walks over to the little room, makes a bed on one of the long couches, and shuts his eyes, hoping the night would end faster, and fuck, he wishes all of this was one nightmare, and he would be happy with his omega again.

~~~

Theo wakes up to a heavy weight on top of his bed. He groans and opens his eyes to find locks of familiar hair in his line of sight. A smile instantly comes to Theo’s face, and his hand moves from under his head and slowly goes around the omega’s waist as he sleeps comfortably on top of him.

For a few seconds, he simply lies there, afraid that if he moves too much, Castiel might wake up and remember everything that happened between them last night. The Omega’s face is buried against his chest, his cheek pressed against Theo’s shirt, while one of his arms is wrapped loosely around Theo’s neck.

“You came back to me,” he whispers in his head, then he moves in to place a kiss on his head, but the little action causes the omega to stir again.

Theo panics for a second, thinking the Omega is going to jump away from him again, but Castiel slowly lifts his head, his sleepy eyes locking totally on Theo, and a cute pout forms on his lips.

“You’re not mad at me, are you, Alpha?”

Theo stops himself from cooing at the cuteness. “Why would I be mad?”

Castiel blinks rapidly, and just like that, tears fill his eyes. “I shouted at you and chased you out of our bed. Am I really broken, Theo? Should I really get therapy? Are we going to be like this for the rest of our lives? What if you get tired of me?”

Theo’s hand travels to the back of his head and gently pulls him back onto his chest, even though his whole body is numb from having the Omega sleep on top of him. “You’re not broken, and I’m sorry I made you feel like you were. If you ever want someone to talk to, I'll support you, but you don't have to do anything just because someone thinks you should. You're only hurt, and it’s perfectly normal to react the way you did.” He presses a soft kiss to his hair, holding him a little tighter. “We’ll get through this, and fuck, I’ll never get tired of you, Castiel. Not in this lifetime or the next because I love you so much.”

Castiel’s tears soak through his shirt once more. “I’m sorry. I didn't mean to shut you out.”

Theo continues to silently stroke his hair. “Shhhh, you can never hurt me.”

Castiel shuts his eyes again and breathes in the alpha’s scent; it instantly calms his nerves, and every form of fear seems to vanish into thin air. “I love you too, so much,” he whispers back.

Theo smiles and kisses the top of his head one more time.

They’re going to get through this.