We tended to keep multiples of our favorite products in each other's rooms, so I had all of the things that I would need to shave Theo’s face underneath my sink. I prepared the straight razor, shaving brush, and soap along with a few warm towels from the towel warmer.
I used my hands to smooth Theo’s beard and sideburns down, so that all of the hair was going in the same direction, and got to work. I ran the brush under warm water and grabbed the tin of shaving soap, circling the brush inside of it until I got a good lather going.
Then, I began to lather up Theo’s face, focusing on his cheeks, chin, and jaw before lathering up his neck. As I worked I casually asked, “So, why did you fall into a funk so quickly? It hasn’t been that long since Tibby came to stay here. Usually, it takes you at least a couple of weeks of staring at case files to reach this point.”
Stepping in between Theo’s knees, I began shaving his sideburns, careful not to knick him with the sharp blade, and Theo rested his hand on my naked hip before heaving a sigh that would make Eeyore the donkey from Winnie the Pooh jealous.
“It’s really hard for me to explain. It feels like we’re under a time crunch, and the more time that we waste...the more I worry about Tibby’s safety.”
“You like her.” My words brooked no argument. Theo had kept his distance from our budding relationship with the fiery-haired omega, orbiting around us like a protective moon, but never coming close enough to touch. It had been abundantly clear that both Theo and Cobb were interested in Tibby. I’d watch their eyes follow the omega as she floated around the kitchen or bite back laughter at her habit of talking to herself.
Theo’s blue eyes opened, and watched me as I moved on from his sideburns to his cheeks and mustache, rinsing the razor under the little faucet that was on my vanity. “I shouldn’t. I should stay focused on keeping her safe.”
I sometimes forgot just how much Cobb leaving our pack had damaged my poor alpha giant. He still felt guilty, even five years later, about letting his emotions drive Cobb away before he was ready to accept them. It was hard to think about the choice that Theo had made to jump in front of that bullet for Cobb. Matteo and I would have probably made the same choice, but that was our perspective from the outside. Theo had actuallymadethat choice, and the consequences had nearly ripped our family apart.
“You’re worried that if you let yourself start to court her that you’ll make a mistake.” I moved on to his jaw and chin, being careful of his lips so that I didn’t accidentally cut them. Theo said nothing, which confirmed my words anyway.
“Theo, you can’t stop fate. What happens, happens. You and I know that better than anyone.” Theo and I had one thing huge in common: both of our parents had died when we were young. Theo’s mom and dad died when he was ten years old, in a car accident. Theo had been raised by a great uncle who spent most of his time working on cars rather than raising Theo.
When I met him, I was eighteen and he was twenty-one, our connection had been instantaneous. From then on, we relied on each other to fill the holes that our parents left. We eventually added Matteo into the mix and Matteo’s parents were still very much alive and very much in love. They had practically adopted Theo and I into the family and we visited them every year for the holidays.
“Tilt your chin up,” I gently directed, and I began to shave the hairs that had grown on his neck over the past week. “I can’t tell you to get over your feelings, that would be a disservice to you and your emotions, but I think that opening yourself up to new things could really help you feel more secure in this whole mess. What happens with Hezekiah Jordan happens, but we are going to figure things out together. Like always.”
I finished with one last pass of the razor and used a damp towel to wipe the remaining soap from his face, “You also need to figure out the situation with Cobb. You can’t just leave it like it is now. You are in the perfect position to either find closure, or maybe start something new. Either way, you need to figure it out.”
Theo hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me in close, “You’re right, as always. What would I do without you, Aria Simmons?”
“Crash, burn, and just generally be very unhappy?” I ran a finger down his nose before leaning down to kiss him, trying to convey all of the comfort and love that I could through our brief contact.
“Love you, big guy.” I murmured against his lips, and finally brought a smile to his face.
“I love you too, Ria.”
Pleased with the fact that I’d managed to get Theo out of his funk, I patted both of his shoulders. “Now, let’s get dressed. Tibby has the most divine soup on the stove, and I will never forgive you if Cobb and Matteo eat all of it.”
Judging by the look on Theo’s face, I knew that the chances of those two eating all of the soup was incredibly high. The two of them could probably put away several pots of that soup if they really set their mind to it. Just the knowledge of that had the both of us dressing as quickly possible and heading downstairs.
