forum O/O with @Caustic-Fraust-is-The-Pokemon-Champion

Started April 14, 2020 by @MusicElle-is-here

tune

“Didn’t you live with your parents?” Nick’s mom asked, visibly confused.

Cas paled a bit. "Um… n-no, ma'am… I… um… I ran away from home three years ago. I-I have foster parents now, though."

“Oh,” she replied, looking a bit disappointed. Nick frowned, wanting to defend Cas but unsure how. “Well, you’re welcome here.” Nick could see the disdain on her face, and he felt awful about it. He tried to shoot Cas an apologetic glance.

"I… um… thank you…" Cas replied nervously, trying to figure out how to explain that he wasn't just done reckless delinquent. "I-I didn't just… I didn't just run away for no reason… my dad treated me… poorly, to say the least, and he was always drunk and I just… I couldn't take it anymore… but apparently he's dead now and I….I-I have no idea how to feel about it…" He sighed shakily.

“Oh, honey,” Nick’s mom responded, her eyes widening. “You poor thing.” And while she clearly felt bad for Cas, Nick suspected that she wouldn’t want Cas anywhere near him now. Or at least she wouldn’t be happy about them hanging out.

"I'm… I'm really sorry, ma'am… I shouldn't be forcing my problems on you… you seem like very nice people and I have no right to do that…" Cas said weakly, staring down at the table.

“Cas, it’s okay if you need someone to talk to,” Nick burst out, looking at him with concern before his mom could say something dumb and not helpful like “be positive”.

Cas jumped a bit at the outburst and cowered a bit again. "I-I'm sorry, I just… s-sorry…" He whispered in reply.

Nick’s mom continued to eye him with a mixture of concern and disdain. “Cas, it’s okay,” Nick said softly. “You don’t have to apologize.”

"I couldn't… I-I couldn't stay there…" Cas whispered shakily. "H-He'd have killed me…"

“Cas?” Nick asked, noticing the other boy drift off.

"It… it was my only option at that point, I swear… I-I didn't want him to kill me… I couldn't be there anymore…"

“Cas?” Nick repeated, slightly louder. His eyebrows were raised with worry.

Cas looked over at Nick nervously, his eyes shining with tears. "I don't… I don't wanna die…" He whispered shakily.

Nick looked into Cas’s eyes. “You’re not going to die, Cas,” he responded. “You’re not with your dad anymore; you’re safe.”

"I-I know, I know… s-sorry…" Cas rubbed at his eyes a bit, drawing in a few wavering breaths to try and pull himself back together.

“Do you need anything?” Nick asked gently. “Like some more water?”

"Um… s-sure… I'm… um… I'm sorry, again…" He stammered nervously.

Nick went to get him some more water. “Don’t worry about it,” he said as he left the room.

Cas closed his eyes and sighed when Nix left, trying to clear his mind. He really didn't want to be thinking right now.

While Nick was getting Cas some water, his mother was watching Cas warily. She still looked concerned and sympathetic, but underneath there was a layer of annoyance. Nick knew that she would not want him associating himself with Cas.

Cas didn't notice Nick's mother, too trapped in his thoughts to be able to focus very well. "I-I'm sorry, ma'am…" He murmured softly.

“It’s okay,” Nick’s mom replied. “Just don’t think about it. You’ll be fine. Just think positive.”

"It's… um… it's not that easy, but thank you anyways, ma'am…" Cas smiled weakly, keeping his eyes closed for now.

“Try smiling,” Nick’s mom instructed. “It’s supposed to boost your mood.”

Nick walked back in, handing Cas a cup of water with an annoyed glance at his mom. “Ignore her,” he whispered as he set the glass down. “She likes to tell me that kind of useless crap too.”