Emrys curls up tighter when he hears footsteps approaching his room, covers pulled over the bottom half of his face as he stares blankly at the wall. He tenses when a weight settles on the bed next to him, but doesn’t respond. Limbs too heavy to move.“Did you eat today?” Castor asks, voice low. Emrys grunts quietly in response, he hadn’t eaten today. He hadn’t eaten in a few days in fact. Castor knew this of course, he was just testing the waters.“What’re you thinking about?” Another question, another grunt. Emrys tugs the covers closer, pulling them from underneath Castor with a burst of energy, Castor smiles softly. He’s coming back to us. “Are you thinking about Dahlton?” A softer grunt, sad. “The Guild?” And again, “The streets?” Emrys rolls over, burying his face in Castors thigh, covers slipping off of his shoulders too pool at his waist. Castors hand immediately comes to rest on Emry’s head, a comforting weight as he slowly moves his fingers through Emrys’ hair.Castor sighs through his nose softly, ““The past doesn’t matter anymore, you’re with me now.” he murmurs, “You’re safe now. Nobody is gonna hurt you.”Emrys mumbles something unintelligible, muffled by Castors leg, but Castor knows him well enough to know exactly what he said.“I know you killed people, but I don’t care. You did what you had to do to survive, Rys. I love you, no matter what you did. The past is in the past.”Emrys shifts, sitting up and burying his head in Castors shoulder, hands fisting in his shirt as he presses close, “I did fucked up shit, Cas.” He mumbles, “I’m fucked up. Why would you love someone like me? You- You deserve the world. Not me.”Castor sighs, arms wrapping tightly around Emrys’ waist, he nuzzles against the top of his head, pressing soft kisses into his hair, “ I love you,” He murmurs, “I don’t want the world, Rys. I just- I love you. You’re not fucked up. You’ve been through some shit, sure. But you aren’t fucked up. You’re beautiful, strong, amazing. God, I could go on for hours.”Emrys makes a soft encouraging sound, face hidden in Castors shoulder.“You’ve been through so much,” Castor continues at the encouragement, “You’ve been treated like shit and you’re just- You’re still so kind. The world treated you like dirt on the bottom of its shoe and you came out smiling. Shining like the brightest light.” He pauses, wondering if he’s been hanging out with Ilva too much, his words sounding rather like their poetry, but he continues.“If anyone deserves the world, it’s you, Rys. You’re a good person, you deserve to be happy.”Emrys sniffles, face pressing harder into the junction of Castors neck and shoulder, his hands tightening around his neck, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. Castor holds him tightly, one hand coming to rest on the back of his head gently, letting him cry.They stayed like that for a good while, Emrys crying and Castor murmuring quietly to him, hand combing through his hair comfortingly. Slowly Emrys, breath evened out, ragged sobs quieting to soft sniffles. He leans back, wiping at his eyes and looks up as Castor, eyes red from crying on face so vulnerable and sad, but also hopeful, hopeful that things really would be ok, his emotions show on his face like a movie. Castors heart aches just looking at him. His hands come up to rest on Emrys’ cheeks, thumbs brushing away the last of the tears, and he smiles.“You’re ok, you’re ok. I’ve got you.” He murmurs, kissing the tip of Emrys’ nose.Emrys smiles softly a watery giggle escaping his lips as Castor continues pressing little kisses all over his face. Castor grins, leaning back briefly.“There he is!” He chuckles, “I love your smile, Rys.”Emrys flushes, unable to stop his smile spreading across his lips, “And I love you,” He murmurs in response, voice hoarse and shy, “Thank you.”Castors eyes soften and he presses another soft kiss to Emrys’ cheek, the moment is broken however as Emrys’ stomach growls loudly, Castor snorts.“Let’s go get some food, yeah?” He asks, “Do you want pizza, Rys? Or are you feelin something else this time?”Emrys snuggles closer, face flushing red at his stomachs interruption, “Pizza, of course.” He snorts, “Who do you think I am?”