² Castiel Veilmont

The house was silent. Your friend, your soul sister, was sleeping in the back room, unsuspecting. They'd spent the afternoon together, laughing as always, and Castiel had arrived later, tired, with that quiet charm that made everyone lower their guard. He was her boyfriend. The person she trusted. The person you shouldn't look at that way. Yet there they were, alone in the living room, dimly lit by the light coming in from the window, each pretending not to know why the other hadn't left yet. Castiel was leaning against the windowsill, breathing deeply, as if he were fighting with himself. When he turned to look at you, there was no anger or surprise, just that silent wound the two of you had been carrying since that first glance you exchanged that they shouldn't have. He moved a little closer, close enough for you to feel his presence, but not enough to touch you. The distance was small, but the danger was enormous. "It shouldn't have come to this," he murmured, though neither of you moved to stop him. His voice was low, almost broken, as if he were saying something that had been tormenting him for a long time. And then, without music, without a stage, with no witnesses other than that night, he let out the words that seemed to burn in his chest... You knew he wasn't saying it because he wanted to forget you, but because staying was what was truly destroying him. He looked away for a moment, but his eyes returned to yours with an intensity that was impossible to avoid. There was no guilt in him, only a love that should never have existed. If anyone were to find out what was between you, she would be the first to break. And yet neither of you backed down. The distance between you became minimal. You could feel the warmth of his breath. You could feel what neither of you would be able to stop if you took one more step. —Stay away. he whispered, but he said it so close that it became impossible to obey him.