Castiel gripped the railing to Nathaniel's third floor apartment, straining to get up the stairs. Nathaniel walked behind him with his arms out to catch his boyfriend if he fell. Silent grunts escaped Castiel's throat as pain shot throughout his body with every step. He paused before taking a deep breath and lifting his leg to step up. His leg was almost up when he groaned and fell to his knees, trying his hardest to get back up.
"Cas!"
Nathaniel wrapped his arms around Castiel's waist from behind and pulled him back up, standing him on his feet. Castiel groaned again, and Nathaniel turned him around to sit him on the top stair.

"Castiel, why were you leaving the hospital?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Castiel, if you can't tell me, who can you tell?"
Castiel avoided eye contact, so Nathaniel placed a finger under his chin again and brought his face upward.

"Why were you leaving the hospital?"
Castiel fidgeted, looking completely uncomfortable before looking back up to Nathaniel.

"Can we go inside first?"
Nathaniel gave Castiel a worried look before sighing and helping him back to his feet. They made it up the walkway to his door, and he used an arm to steady Castiel while unlocking it. Once inside, he helped Castiel in and removed his shoes before laying Castiel on the couch, resting his head on his legs. Nathaniel leaned down to kiss Castiel before they broke into a stare.

"Cas…why did you leave?"
"My parents took me to get checked after they heard what happened. I got checked and wanted to leave."
"There's got to be more to the story than that. Why does it hurt so much to walk?"
"I fell-"
"Don't lie to me."
Castiel fiddld with his fingers, nervously glancing up at Nathaniel before looking away.

"Um….uh…"
"Castiel, just tell me."
Castiel glanced at Nathaniel again as if he was about to say something before looking away again. Nathaniel sat Castiel up and looked him in the eye.

"Why won't you tell me?"
Castiel closed his eyes with a pained expression as he brought a hand down to the couch to steady himself. Nathaniel frowned.

"So you don't trust me."
Castiel looked at Nathaniel and shook his head. Nathaniel scoffed before standing and walking to his bedroom, barely slamming the door before going to shower. Castiel remained on the couch in silence, massaging his legs as he watched the door where the blonde just disappeared.

Hours later, the door opened again, and Nathaniel stepped out wearing a pair of sweats. He wiped his eyes and yawned before looking over to Castiel. He paused before sighing again and going to sit next to Castiel. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke.

"Are you going to tell me?"
Castiel slowly looked over to Nathaniel. The blonde shook his head and started to get up when Castiel spoke.

"Wait-"
Nathaniel stopped and turned to face Castiel with an expression that asked "what?"

Castiel toyed with his fingers again before speaking.

"The first hospital I went to…I was supposed to get looked at but this guy injected me with something. I swear I thought he was a doctor, Nat."
Nathaniel looked to the floor as he listened.

"I woke up…I don't know how much later…but I was laying there and my hospital gown thing had been removed. I couldn't feel anything under my waist. Not my legs…not my feet…not anything…at all."
Nathaniel looked over to Castiel as he waited for more information.

"My mom was screaming and she kept telling me to relax and they would take me to another hospital and get me doctor."
Castiel nervously looked down as he sadly continued.

"I blacked out again and woke back up in the same spot. My dad was fanning me and my mom was crying and they were talking to some cop. Then my legs started to hurt and they felt hot and slippery…paramedics came to get me. I blacked out again on the way to the next hospital."
Castiel wiped his eyes as he started to rock back and forth.

"I woke up at the hospital where you came to get me. They told me that the guy wasn't even a doctor. He was…a sex offender."
Nathaniel stared in shock. Castiel avoided eye contact.

"I got raped again."

Nathaniel scooted closer to Castiel and grabbed one of his hands, wrapping his other arm around the redhead's waist. He kissed Castiel's cheek before looking into his eyes.

"Why wouldn't you just tell me?"
"I…I was afraid you wouldn't love me anymore."
"Why wouldn't I love you anymore? I still love you. More than ever."
"I thought you'd think I was dirty. Two other guys have been inside me…both sex offenders…who knows what they had…"
Castiel sadly brought his hands to his face, ashamed to look at Nathaniel.

"I'm disgusting now…"
Nathaniel pulled Castiel's hands away from his face and passionately kissed him, exploring his mouth with his tongue.

"You're not disgusting. If you're disgusting, I'm disgusting, and we'd just have to be disgusting together."
Castiel smiled sadly as Nathaniel picked him up and carried him to the bedroom. He laid Castiel on the bed and removed undid his hospital gown before embracing his nude body. They kissed again before Castiel jumped, grunting as he held tightly to Nathaniel.

"Cas?! Are you alright?!"
In a heartbeat, Castiel loosened his grip until he was barely able to keep his arms around Nathaniel. He almost fainted as he laid back, slowly closing his eyes.

"Castiel?!"
Nathaniel wrapped his arms around Castiel, pulling him back upwards as he fearfully stared into his eyes.

"Are you alright?! Did I hurt you or something?! What happened?! Castiel!"
Castiel's eyes closed, causing the blonde to panic as he tried to wake his lover.

"Castiel!"
Nathaniel leaned in to listen for it he was breathing. He was. He felt for a pulse. It existed, but it was extremely fast."

"Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump!"
Nathaniel looked at Castiel one more time before running to grab the phone. As soon as he stood up, Castiel sat back up, clutching his chest and trying desperately to catch his breath.

"Castiel!"
Nathaniel embraced him tightly before kissing his cheek.

"Are you hurt?!"
"No…I can…feel my heart…beating in my…ears…"
"I'm calling an ambulance!"
"No! I'm fine…"
Castiel was leaning over, slightly exhausted.

"No! You're not fine! I don't know what that was but you have to see a doctor!"
Castiel froze when Nathaniel said those words.

"I'm not going back…"
Nathaniel frowned as he looked to Castiel.

"We don't know what just happened to you!"
"I'm not going back to a hospital."
Nathaniel shook his head.

"Fine! I'll get a doctor to come here!"
Castiel tensed up as Nathaniel brought the phone to his ear.

Nathaniel sat next to Castiel, holding his hand as the doctor held the stethoscope to his chest. He'd put it everywhere on Castiel's back already, and concluded that there were no problems, yet now that he was at Castiel's heart, he looked concerned for a moment before writing something on his clip board. Castiel angrily stared out the window, envious of every bird that flew by.

"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

Nathaniel looked to Castiel who stared out the window.

"Bad news."
"His blood is tainted-"
Nathaniel looked over, seeing Castiel's facial expression shift from one of frustration to sadness.

He rubbed Castiel's hand as the doctor continued.

"The good news is that it isn't fatal. I can prescribe him something for it, but he'll have dizzy spells or he'll feel faint very often."
Nathaniel sadly nodded. The doctor wrote something else down before looking to the boys.

"I've sent in his prescription, you can pick it up today."
"Thanks."
The doctor nodded and left. Nathaniel sat up on the bed next to Castiel.

"Are you okay?"
Castiel sadly shrugged. Nathaniel kissed his cheeks.

"You aren't dirty, you're just sick."
Castiel continued to look out the window.

"I'll go get your meds, alright?"
Castiel shrugged sadly.

"I'll help you lay down."
Nathaniel put an arm under Castiel's legs and another under his back before gently lifting him and moving him further down the bed. He used the arm under his back to lay Castiel down. Castiel was able to roll over on his side. Nathaniel sighed and left to the pharmacy.