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"He still loves you, Nix. He just… he's still deciding how to show it while you're in this form. He hasn't stopped loving you, even when he gets mad at you. And I love you too, Nix. Cas isn't the only one who loves you." Halm kissed Nix's head, close to tears himself.
Nix buried his face in Halm's chest, trying his best to hold back his tears. "It feels like he hates me now, though… I c… I c-can't…" He whispered.
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"I swear he doesn't hate you, Nix." Halm cupped Nix's head in one hand again, holding him tight to himself. "And- and there's no way he would be okay with letting you keep thinking he hates you."
"But he's so mad… he's never been mad at me before…" Nix mumbled shakily, huddling closer to Halm.
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"I know it can be scary, wheen someone you love gets angry at you for the first time," Halm started quietly. God, did he know. Mother had only ever gotten mad at him once, but… it had been terrifying. "But we have to remember that's how things work. We'll get made at people, and we'll get upset and fight and feel horrible, but the most important thing to remember is that you still love them, and they still love you. Cas still loves you, Nix, even if he gets mad at you. We just… have to make sure we work through the problems together, all of us."
Nix rubbed at his eyes with one small fist, hiccuping a bit. "H… How are we supposed to work things out with him if he doesn't want to speak with us at all?" He asked weakly. "And… and Zachary can't talk at all…"
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"I… I can communicate with Zachary still. I… Can read his mind. And we have to allow Cas to calm down enough to be able to talk this over." Halm rubbed Nix's cheek gently, holding him with his other arm.
Nix nodded shakily. "Okay… are you sure that'll work?" He asked as he huddled ever closer to Halm.
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"It will," Halm said softly. "We'll… We'll do this right. I promise." Halm kissed Nix's cheek gently. By now, they were almost completely pressed against each other.
Nix clumsily returned the kiss and buried his face in Halm's shoulder. "Mmkay… should we plan out what we're going to say?"
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Halm hesitated, then shook his head a little.
"We need to let Cas speak first, before we think about it." Halm leaned back against the wall, rubbing Nix's back gently.
"Alright, then…" Nix yawned a bit and seemed to somewhat settle down. All the crying had clearly drained him. "Tomorrow, maybe…?"
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"That sounds good. I think you should go to sleep, Nix." Halm kissed Nix's head softly. He was glad Nix had relaxed, but he knew it was just because he was drained from the crying.
"Mmkay, master…" Nix mumbled sleepily, soon drifting off to sleep in Halm's arms. He finally relaxed and his breathing evened out.
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Halm was the only one awake now, and he stayed that way, watching over the other three. He just wanted everyone to be safe.
Nix was still fast asleep when Cas stirred in the morning. Cas yawned with a soft whine and looked around sleepily. "Mmmm… Halm…?"
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Halm looked up when Cas woke up, giving a soft breath.
"Good morning," he said softly, Nix still held gently in his lap.
"Mornin'… why are you two still in here?" He asked, rubbing at his tired eyes. "Don't you normally go to your own room to sleep?"
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"Normally, yes. I thought it would be a good idea to stay here for the night, though, to keep an eye on Zachary." Halm let out a soft breath. Zachary was still asleep, but he shifted a bit when Cas moved.
Cas nodded a bit and huddled up on top of Zachary with a shaky sigh. "How long will it take for him to be better again?"
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"Ah… It will be a while, Cas," Halm said, voice quiet. "Maybe even years."
Cas's eyes stung with tears as he looked away. "O-Okay… how… how can I help him? Can't you use your fast healing thing?"
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Halm shook his head.
"I can't heal this. He… He's forgotten how to do things. I can't fix that with my powers. We just… We have to help him. Teach him out to walk again, and form words, and read, and all these things."
Cas sighed. "But… b-but I don't know how to help with any of that… I can't even read myself!" He started trembling a bit.
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"You know how to talk, though. And how to walk, and move, and eat. There are so many things you do know that we need to help Zachary with. And you can learn to read with him. He'll need the support." Halm reached out, gently cupping Cas's head. "You'll be able to do so much for him just by being here for him, Cas. He loves you, after all."
Cas buried his face in Zachary's shoulder, trying not to cry. "B-But what if I can't? What if I fail and fuck him up even more?"
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"That won't happen, Cas. Nix and I will be here to help you, I swear it. We'll all help Zachary get better together." Halm shifted a bit to be next to Cas and Zachary. Zachary stirred a little, just barely able to put his arms around Cas in his sleep.
"But I want him to be better now…" Cas whispered with a broken tone, a couple tears rolling down his pale cheeks.
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"I know," Halm said gently. "I do too." He gently ran his fingers through Cas's hair, letting Zachary be the one to hold him close. Even if the other was asleep.
Cas hiccuped a bit and buried his face in Zachary's chest, shying away from Halm a bit. "I just… I-I dunno what to do without him… I need him…"
