Diamant's POV
Noah's hand lay small and fragile in his palm.
Diamant stayed exactly where he had been for hours - sitting beside the hospital bed, fingers laced with Noah's, watching every rise and fall of the Omega's weak breathing.
His eyes were burning.
Not from exhaustion.
From fear.
Fear of losing this gentle person who had walked into his life with soft apologies and warm smiles...
Fear because he had almost lost Noah.
Fear because he didn't even realize what this feeling in his chest was until the moment Noah was taken from him.
He brushed his thumb over Noah's pale wrist.
The hospital room was quiet, dimmed by evening light. Noah's hair-long, soft, golden-fell over the pillow like spilled sunlight. His lips were slightly parted, breaths shallow, but steady.
He came so close... too close...
Diamant closed his eyes, steadying himself.
It was only when Noah shifted slightly and a small sound escaped him that Diamant's breath caught.
"Noah?"
He leaned in immediately.
Noah's eyelashes trembled before fluttering open.
Slow.
Weak.
Confused.
But open.
"Noah... you're awake."
Diamant's voice softened instinctively, the way it never did with anyone else.
Noah blinked, his vision foggy, throat dry.
His gaze struggled to focus.
"...Dia...mant?"
It was barely a whisper.
Diamant swallowed hard.
"Yes. I'm here."
He helped Noah sit slightly upright, supporting him with steady hands. Noah winced, his hand instinctively going to his stomach - but Diamant gently caught it.
"No, don't... you'll hurt yourself."
Noah hesitated.
His voice was small.
"...something... happened."
Diamant's heart twisted.
He cupped Noah's cheek with trembling fingers.
"You're safe now. You're here. With me."
Noah's eyes watered - but not from pain.
From the realization of who was holding him.
"...you came."
A tear slipped.
Diamant's thumb brushed it away.
"Of course I came," he whispered.
"I would move the entire world if you needed me to."
Noah's breath hitched, overwhelmed.
"...why?" he whispered.
Diamant froze.
Why?
The answer was so deep, so raw, he had been terrified to name it until now.
He exhaled shakily, leaning closer so Noah could hear the truth directly from his heartbeat.
"Because I care about you," he murmured.
"More than I realized."
Noah blinked slowly.
"...care?"
Diamant nodded, his forehead gently touching Noah's.
"When I read your message... when I thought I might lose you... Noah, something inside me broke. I can't... imagine a world where you're not in it."
Noah's eyes widened, soft and trembling.
Diamant swallowed.
"And when I saw you on that floor - hurt, alone - I understood something I should've realized long ago."
He took Noah's hand, lifting it to his chest so Noah could feel the rhythm under his ribs.
"This," Diamant whispered,
"beats differently for you."
Noah gasped quietly.
Diamant's voice trembled for the first time in his life.
"Noah... I think I'm in love with you."
The words hung in the quiet room like warm light.
Noah's breath shook as tears slipped down again.
But these tears felt different - softer, stunned, aching.
"I've never had an Alpha like you," Noah whispered.
"You're calm... gentle... you actually see me."
Diamant felt something warm burst open in his chest.
He leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together again, his voice a whisper of devotion.
"And I will continue to see you.
Protect you.
And never, ever let you be alone again."
Noah's fingers curled weakly around his.
"Diamant... don't leave me."
Diamant stood, leaning over him, brushing soft strands of hair back from Noah's forehead.
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered.
"I'm staying right here. All night. As long as you want."
Noah's eyes closed slowly, comforted by the warmth in his voice.
"...okay."
Diamant lowered himself into the chair again, still holding Noah's hand.
But this time, he didn't look afraid.
He looked sure.
Certain.
Anchored by a truth he could no longer deny.
He watched Noah drift into a safer sleep and whispered:
"Noah... I love you. And I'm going to make sure you never feel unloved again."
Outside, the evening sky faded into a deep, peaceful night.
Inside, their two heartbeats - one strong, one fragile - rested in the same quiet rhythm.