I Could, But Wouldn't Stay

XIII

Edward could hear Harry trying to lure Louis out of the bathroom for almost fifteen minutes before finally reemerging. He watched his twin quickly get his joggers on and look around for his wallet.

"I'm going to get him something sweet. Try not to fuck this up worse than you already have." Harry threw his twin a glare before rushing out of the room. Edward felt guilt heavy like lead in his stomach for upsetting the omega.

He found himself just outside the bathroom door knocking before he formulated what he was going to say. Most people mistook Edward's overly stoic nature for him being stunted or even a psychopath. But for Edward the issue wasn't interpreting the emotions of others but rather returning the same level of vulnerability.

His father taught him from a young age that hiding his anger, fear, or loneliness resulted in less pain overall, so he did. He wore apathy like a second skin, sometimes fearing that he was a sociopath, knowing the full extent of others around him but choosing not to partake, but for Louis he'd try.

Louis' voice rose timid and thick from behind the door, "Harry I just need a few minutes, please."

"It's me." Edward said then winced at the fact he sounded so much like Harry he probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

There was a heavy pause and then Ed could hear tiny footsteps and the door opened. The omega's eyes were puffy and wet with tears, and he was sniffling, wiping his nose with dainty fingers. He quickly retreated into the large bathroom sitting on the ground beside the tub.

Edward didn't want to invade Louis' space, so he slid to the ground against the cabinets, across from the omega, after handing him a clean tee shirt, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Louis shook his head, "I was being stupid. You didn't want it and I pushed if anything I should be saying sorry."

"It's not that I didn't want it, Louis." Edward had never been good at communicating, his mind presently yelling at him to stop, "It's just that I think you should be completely sober the first time we're together."

Louis' lip wobbled and he nodded, still unconvinced, "That's very nice of you."

"Louis." Edward sighed as the omega took up crying again, looking so pitiful against the tub arms wrapped tight around his core. Edward quietly rose and sat right next to the omega whose shoulders shook with overtired, overwhelmed tears.

"S-s-sorry." Louis sobbed into his hands, "I know you don't want me and that's ok, but I just don't want to mate with someone who doesn't want me. Who doesn't love me? I just don't have the best self-esteem and I..."

"Louis, sweetheart." Edward landed a soft but firm hand onto Louis neck much like the night he found him vomiting in their bathroom. The neck was a hot spot for omegan relaxation. Edward could grab the omega in a certain way and drop him but what would that solve? He'd come up just as stressed and probably trusting the twin even less.

Some alphas found that when their omegas where unruly or overemotional the best solution was to drop them, but Edward knew that would just breed distrust. Louis flinched waiting for Ed to drop him, but it never came, instead warm and surprisingly confident fingers just brushed over his pounding pulse, "I want you. I just want you to not regret it."

Louis whined shakily into the hold on his neck finding just an ounce of relief, "I'm sorry. It's just no alpha was interested in me before Harry, and I just got so addicted to feeling wanted. He makes me feel so confident and special and when you said no, and all these terrible thoughts came to my head." Louis finally looked to the alpha still brushing over his neck with wide and pleading eyes.

"I uumm." Edward started and stopped a few times. How do you teach an omega that their worth isn't proportional to how many alphas would fuck him? How do you teach an omega that their need for intimacy is a deep and spiritual connection that can be fulfilled in more than just sex?