Healing chains (rewriting)

Maniuplation: part 8 (college closed?)

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Dimitri after calling Thea calls the twins too, all three were behind Thea who blissfully ignored their footsteps to engrossed in listening to Ava, when Dimitri heard her dilemma, he understood what he had to do.

they all settled in the living room, where Thea's attention finally caught on Yaroslav's hand. She frowned, noticing the bandage for the first time.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Yaroslav's shoulders tensed momentarily, but then he relaxed, a smirk of amusement forming on his lips. "You're only noticing it now?" he teased.

Thea's frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

"I got this while I was making breakfast for you," Yaroslav explained, his tone light but teasing. "Those three idiots decided to make a surprise entrance, and in the chaos, I accidentally cut my hand."

Thea's eyes widened. "So you're telling me you've had this since morning and I didn't notice?!"

Her face softened with guilt. How could she not have seen it? She chastised herself for being so unaware, but then again, how could she blame herself? She was in a house with four strangers, all of whom were men. Even though she trusted Yaroslav, the morning had been overwhelming—her mini breakdown, the distraction of the chocolate stacks, the stress about university. Yaroslav had clearly tried to hide the injury during lunch, and only now, with her mind finally quiet, had she noticed the bandage.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I really didn't—" she began to stammer, but Yaroslav cut her off gently.

"It's okay, Thea. There's nothing to be sorry about," he said, offering a comforting smile that immediately eased the tension inside her.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, sitting beside him on the couch, while the twins sprawled out on the floor. Dimitri took a seat next to her, maintaining a respectful distance.

"No, it doesn't," Yaroslav replied, his eyes never leaving hers.

There was something about her gaze that captivated him. The vulnerability, the innocence, and the quiet fear behind her eyes made his chest tighten with an unfamiliar ache. It stirred something deep inside him—an urge to protect her, to hide her away from the world, maybe even to lock her away in a tower where no one could hurt her. Her eyes felt like home, a place of safety he'd never had growing up.

Thea, flustered by the intensity of his stare, quickly averted her gaze. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she tried to make sense of the unfamiliar feelings swirling inside her. Every time she looked into Yaroslav's eyes, all she saw was warmth—adoration, even—and it made her heart race. But she couldn't understand why. Why would someone like him want her? She was a mess of insecurities, weighed down by a past she was too ashamed to reveal. If Yaroslav ever found out, whatever attraction he might feel for her would disappear in an instant.

Her mind swirled with self-doubt, so she chose to ignore the butterflies dancing in her stomach and focused instead on the movie that Ivan had chosen.

It was well past midnight when Yaroslav noticed Thea's sleeping form slumped awkwardly on the couch. The others—Dimitri and the twins—had spread themselves out haphazardly around the living room, too exhausted to care about their positions. With a soft sigh, Yaroslav stood and moved towards Thea, his eyes softening as he took in the sight of her.

Gently, he slipped one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders, lifting her with a grace and care that belied his strength. She stirred only slightly, her head nestling against his chest, a contented sigh escaping her lips. Yaroslav felt something tighten inside him—a tenderness he rarely let himself feel—as he carried her upstairs and into her room.