Haunted

Five

It's hard giving Casper space after watching him have such a visceral reaction to an innocent surprise party... To hearing him reject the love that I can't stop from pouring out of every pore of my being towards him...

The need to hold him still almost overwhelms me until I turn away from watching him perch on my front porch swing, gently rocking himself back and forth while sparks of magic pop off in the air in what must be an attempt to self soothe while he fiddles with the envelope that had been so carefully nestled in the bouquet that Kore had told me he spent most of the day on yesterday.

I try to busy myself by helping Kore as he starts to clean up the shattered arrangement but he smacks my hands away when I bend to snag a shard of the crystal vase, his own magic sparking from his palms causing the crystal to stir and collect itself, "Why don't you grab Uncle Cassie a blanket? Sometimes flashbacks leave him kind of chilly."

Flashbacks? His drop to the ground had been sudden and into a protective crouch...

What on earth could fuel flashbacks that make him feel the need to protect himself from unseen assailants?

How could someone so gentle looking be plagued by flashbacks?

"Liam. Blanket. Now." Kore sighs over his shoulder, the vase almost completely restored to its original form as sparks fuze it back together shard by shard, the broken stems and delicate petals of the dropped blooms knitting themselves back together under Kore's careful efforts, "Show him you can take care of him... It just might sway things in your favor."

...
Casper
...

I'm so engrossed in the touching words on the page that when a heavy body settles onto the swing next to me it frightens me almost as much as the party poppers and yelling had.

I nearly crumple the heavy cardstock in my hand, but manage to breathe for a moment before locking eyes with Liam as he nudges my hands up only far enough to tuck a soft afghan over my lap, the muted fall colors of the handmade blanket easy on my eyes and more comforting than it probably should be...

More touching than it should be to experience him try and care for my well being once again.

He tucks my legs in, his hands stopping when I panic a little when he gets too close to the bad part of my leg... Even though there wouldn't be skin to skin contact you can never be too careful with cursed flesh... Especially since Liam doesn't have his own magic to protect him.

Kore had touched my bad ankle on accident once and it had made him sick for weeks, the inflammation of his spirit merging with flu-like symptoms still flaring to life every now and again when he's stressed out or when he uses too much of his magic at once, his system still plagued by the remnants of my curse still working their way out of his body even now, months after the fact... Just another reason why I shouldn't let this kind wolf get himself involved with me.

...
Liam
...

"You have to be careful! Don't touch my leg, please." My sweet mate rubs his palm over his bad leg, his cane still in sight even if it is set off to the side, and it only stirs more and more questions in the back of my mind...

Is he hurting right now? Does he need medical care after such a scare?

It's almost as though he can read my thoughts even without our bond made complete... Without the mental connection that would form if he ever lets me nestle my mark in that beautiful shoulder of his, " You didn't hurt me just now... Just... It's not safe for you to touch... I'm not safe for you, Liam... I don't deserve the flowers or the party or-"

I cut him off by looping my arm around his waist and pulling him flush against me, not wanting to jostle him by pulling him completely into my lap, "I don't want to hear it."

Him not deeming himself safe...

The way he seems so terrified to let himself be close to anyone but his own descendants, leaning only on Kore for protection and safekeeping...

...
Casper
...

"Baby... You deserve everything... I know some people are still afraid of warlocks... But you've been here for months and kept your magic under control." The feel of Liam's hand on my hip makes it hard to breathe... Comfort leaking from his palm into my side while his scent tickles my nose and makes my head spin.

The words that leave his mouth match up with the words that had been swimming before my eyes... Words of love and adoration... A description of the stirrings that happen deep within this man's chest every time he catches my scent on the wind... The way finally catching a glimpse of me made him feel even if I did flee from him and get myself into trouble in the process.

"I want you, Casper. I want you right here next to me, every single day. I want to know you... I want you to be happy and safe." Liam croons the soft words into my hair as he inches just a tiny bit closer to me... Or rather the hand currently soothing me inching me just a bit closer to him until I relent and let my face get buried in his strong shoulder, my little pops of stressed magic not even making him flinch as I just this once let myself melt into him...

Surely just taking comfort this once wouldn't hurt...

I only give myself a moment...

A single moment to believe the words that seem to flow so effortlessly from Liam and let myself pretend that it really would be okay...

That everything would work itself out and that it'd be alright to let myself fall for the calm shifter and let him treat me the way he seems to so desperately want to...

To be genuinely cared for and not out of guilt or familial obligation...

To let myself be loved.