[Well, for what it's worth, Kel's feelings certianly shifted over the weeks. What was in the beginning a 'keep sunny safe' shifted into him clinging to his friendship with the flower boy. And, again, it feels like most of his fears and anxiety were misplaced, even if he fears for the other's sanity- this Something is worrying but he had no real wway to address it yet, he will just pretend to believe until he gets any proper idea.
In the meanwhile he holds Basil's hand and gets ready to follow. There's no leading forward, not in that moment.]
I don't know. I... don't want to talk about anything? I- tell me about stuff that makes you happy, maybe? I like to see you happy...
[Words he'd probably avoid using too freely normally, but he's talking without filters. But, hey, he loves seeing all his friends happy, right? When he walks around, he's barely lifting his feet up, it will be fun climbing down their ladder.]
You're so.. sweet. I am sorry I don't think I make a lot of sense. But, huh... I trust you. and tomorrow i'm, like... sleepng so much once I feel better. Big promise. And-
[A pause as he yeawns again. He's seriously starting to believe most of his exhaustion comes from supernatural sources, not just from the facty he moved all day long.]
Basil, come on... I don't have any negative feeling toward you, quite the contrary. You were trying your best and I know it
[He wishes he had someone like that even back home...]
( It's sweet. Even though Basil knows that Kel's absolutely delirious right now, it makes his heart swell al the same. It's been a long time since he had even though about being happy. But, Kel saying such words almost feel encouraging.
They talk through the night - about nothing, about everything. It was all with the intention of keeping Kel stay awake, and Basil knows that Kel very likely won't remember most of this, but regardless, the night feels like it's going by relatively quickly. Still, Basil makes sure that he keeps an eye on Kel through the night. Every so often, he sees Kel slipping and he squeezes his hand firmly yet gently, wanting to help him stay awake as long as possible.
When the sun begins to rise, Basil guides Kel to the healers, explaining the situation to all of them. By this time, he's just as exhausted as Kel is. His head is heavy and so are his eyelids, and it feels like he can't focus on anything in front of him. But, he tries to stay as awake he can for Kel.
It's only when the healing process is completed that he makes his way back to the treehouse with Kel, free hand moving to his forehead in a weak attempt to keep himself awake. He just... had to go a bit further... for both of them. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he knew that he'd instantly fall asleep... )
[Delirious he is and he stays. At least for the entire night as he seems to pay attention to whatever Basil is saying but retains little to no information about... anything. He doeesn't genuinely know what they're talking about, he only knows the hand is warm and nice but the soil looks even better and it would make for a fine mattress under his body. Soft, sweet soil... no. No, he will stay focused on Basil as much as he can.
He follows, not entirely sure of what he's talking about but keeping in mind he is tthere to support his friends, not to be supported, even if it seems the contrary. The night is long and heavy on his shoulders, with his body threatening to give up and crash on multiple occasions.
Everything is pretty much a blur after a certain point, he doesn't remember reaching for the healers, nor going back home and by the gods how diid he even manage to shuffle toward the bed? He has absolutely no clue. Basil is asleep the second he hits the pillow but somehow Kel is asleep even befoore that, not even knowing where he is.
The poor plants will go unwatered in the morning, Kel's morning routine will be skipped and that's... okay. For once. Nothing will die and Marigold has food and water out anyway, right? The dreams are sweet, finallly, he is back in Faraway and his friends are really there this time. He wrestles with both Aubrey and Hero, challenges Cri at a DDR tournament, Sunny and Basil are both there and so happy- everything is perfect. Mikhael even left so no complains there! It's when he starts waking up that his body reminds him that extreme physical exercise isn't good for anyone. He basically ran a marathon without drinking or eating anything, carried another person, proceeded to spend his entire night shuffling around or panicking. Good times...
Even after a good, long sleep? His body feels like an absolute mess, he's sore, feels some level of nausea and fuck it, he's at least aware enough to realize he's not.... fully there with his mind. Yet. It's much better though than the night before, at least? small victories.
Still, while every single muscle in his body begs for help, he finds himself rolling around. He... really did a number on Basil the night before, huh? He kept him up to walk like a zombie with him- and he barely remembers what came after being found in the kitchen. God, even on the bed his movements were... uncoordinated at best. Still, he did roll to the side to look at his buddy.
Huh... why... did he feel some kind of awkwardness sit in his chest? What did he even say last night? Huh... he was probably pathetic. Hero always said he got clingy and whiny whe was sleepp deprived for whatever reason- oh, well, he was just going to stay there and... wait. UNtil the oother woke up at least. Because he wasn't planning to get up anyway.]
( Their normal routine will indeed go interrupted, but Basil prioritizes Kel over such things. It could wait. He had to watch over Kel and protect him - he had to. Marigold is fine, and stays by Kel and Basil's side even. Basil's read enough about cats to know that as long as he's been eating and drinking fine beforehand, he won't let himself starve.
When he hits the pillow, he keeps his eyes open just enough to make sure that Kel can fall asleep safely before doing the same. His eyes become too heavy to keep open afterwards.
Basil sleeps without dreaming.
Perhaps it's due to Kel tossing and turning, maybe there's still too much worry for his friend's sake to truly sleep. Either way, it's only when Kel wakes up that Basil does the same, keeping it in the back of his mind that he needs to wake up when the other does just in case. He pushes himself upwards, sitting as he rubs one of his eyes. His vision is still pretty blurry, but he wants to check on the other... )
[Basil is far too kind, that's something Kel knew from back home and something that became more and more visible as they spent time together.
When the other pushes up, Kel doesn't do the same, trying to hide how much his entire body hurts and how sick he feels after the entire ordeal. There is no way he wil eright more on Basil than he knows he already did.]
Yeah, I'm... fine. Just a bit sore, really. But... I'm fine. Thanks to you.
[He just has some vague recollection of walking around with Basil there, so... he kept the other awake for a while, didn't he? Fuck. No more weird explorations for a bit.]
I'm... sorry. About how I acted yesterday. [He feels like he did something he shouldn't have, but no matter how hard he tries to remember, he's only met by vague images of something bitng him witout being seen.] Are you okay?
( Basil can't help but wonder if there's more to it than just being sore. It's not uncommon for Kel to hide just how much he's been effected by something. Still, Basil shakes his head. He's worried and scared for his friend, but he won't burden him with such things.
Basil will continue to be there for him - as long as he can. )
I... I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me. ( He lifts a hand, wanting to reach for him, but stops himself. He lowers it again, and instead offers to help him in another way. )
I can make some tea. I was going to last night, but... I-I think you need it more now than you did then. You should rehydrate...
[No need to worry, he's smiling as he forces himself to sit up- goodbye, pillow. Goodbye comfortable position. He doesn't want to worry the other too much and he ccan't just...
Ah, Basil, if you had any idea how much Kel worries constantly about you...]
Ah, but- I kept you up, didn't I? I'm sorry, I just... vaguely remember you coming to the kitchen. It must have been so much worse for you- I am fine, really. But you, you mmust have been so tired as well... I hope I wasn't too much to handle.
[He smiles in his direction, ooffering one small shrug and forcing himself out of bed. Oof, this is all pain and he can't hold back a pained grunt.]
To think... my body should be used to train soo much, ahah... but I guess it was a bit too much. Tea sounds amazing, but only if you get some with me. I doubt you had a lot oof time to eat and drink as well...
[He wants to stay in bed, but he hops up -god that hurts- and follows the other... wearing the blanket as a cape and trying to stretch a bit while moving to alleviate the muscular stress.]
Nope! You should rest. i got this, Basil. I kind of have to repay you, why don't you let me, you know, bring you breakfast in bed or something? I mean, who doesn't like breakfast in bed? Come on...
[He may or may not remember they decided to sleep together from now on, but hell not protest on the matter. AT ALL.]
Yeah... I get it. I'm so sorry, Basil. It's my fault, I should have been more honest, even if I don't remember much beside the dreams themselves. Communication is key, after all, and we should be able to talk between the two of us, right? But, please, don't feel like it's your fault, I'm certain you did everything with the best intentions.
( Kel had so much faith in him, Basil can't... help but feel like he isn't deserving of it. But, he wishes that he could be. Taking care of Kel was truly the least he can do after everything. )
... It isn't your fault. None of this was. It... It was that ghost. If it hadn't found us, then... everything would have been fine. ( The conversation brings a strange sense of deja vu to him. ) Everything will be okay from here. We don't ever have to go back there.
( Basil wonders if he can perhaps negotiate with Kel in a way that would satisfy him and push him to rest. )
Uhm... A-Alright, but... Do you want to have breakfast in bed together...? You should rest, too...
[Kel has seen enough of Basil to trust him. He knows that whatever happened, it wasn't out of malice- not now, not anymore. He can, also, at least try to keep Basil gounded away from 'ghosts did it'. Something is already problematic as it is.]
Basil. Listen. Sometimes bad things happen and it's no one's fault. I think there was no real winning condition, there. We had no exit, how many hours did we even walk in the dark? It's... It's something that happened and if someone has to be blamed, it's me, not some kind of horrible ghost that would have been left alone if I didn't bring you there. But... shit happens and we... accept it.
[He moved in front of the other, offering a rather warm smile, way more natural than the one he wore the night before.]
What matters is: we're here, together, and we both made it. You're right. Things are we okay. We'll be more careful from now on and it'll all be fine.
[He moves closer to gently pinch the other's cheek. Kel knows he'll explore again, this place leaves them with far too many questions, but Basil should be left safe and on his own.]
Mh.. breakfast in bed sounds nice. What can I make for you while you prepare tea? We can just call this a lazy day.
( Sometimes, bad things happen. Those words don't particularly bring comfort to Basil, but it brings other events to mind. How could Kel not blame that spirit in these circumstances, though? Those dreams had everything to do with the fact that Kel had been caught in the ghost's trap. It's... not something he's so ready to accept. )
... Yeah.
The healers... They were really helpful. You were able to rest for a while.
( Basil makes a face when his cheek gets pinched, rubbing his face before offering a small wary smile of his own. )
Anything you make is good, Kel. I... think I have a good tea in mind for the both of us, too.
[It's better than denying the truth, though. There already is a big spirit doing 'bad stuff' in their lives right now, one he genuinely doubts exists, but... Kel is at least trying to be positive.]
You too, I hope. I mean, don't remember much but I am positive I was probably a nuisance. Hero says I love inhibitions when I'm super tired- once I bit him, you know? Something about us camping and some deers showing up and me not wanting to get out of my sleeping bag to see them- hell if I actually remember it, though.
I hope I didn't bite you, at least?
[he sighs when he sees the kitchen, he truly left a mess behind, huh? Instead of clearing immediately the disaster of veggies and batter and oh god that pan is in such a messy stat- no, he does focus on preparing something nice for Basil instead.]
Well, I trust you, so... let's have a nice not too messy breakfast, mh?
[Fortunately enough he has enough pizza dough left in the fridge to do some pizza puffs. Kel grabs a muffins tray, makes some balls and prepares some mini pizzas on the side, making sure to cover them with cheese, add some mushrooms in the 'core' instead of pepperoni for extra bite of flavour.With the oven warm and the pizza bites cooking in it, Kel finally starts to clean after himself.]
Man... I can't believe I just left all this stuff outside despite the heat of this month... I fear we'll have some extra stuff for the compost, this poor lettuce has seen better days.
( The question Kel asks him is more than enough for Basil to stop, heart racing. Ah, last night was... A lot was said and done that the brunet hadn't meant. Some words were meant for Hero, and some of the things that were done... Basil was certain that he had no idea what he was really doing.
Better to keep anything awkward to himself. It's for the best.
At the least - he's... glad that he wasn't bitten. Poor Hero... )
A-Ah, no... You didn't do anything that would've hurt me.
( Basil gets everything ready while Kel's preparing the pizza puffs, cleaning out the kettle and choosing tea to help the both of them relax. He hopes that it'll help how sore his housemate seems to be. )
... I'm sorry. I should've stayed behind to clean up. At least, the plants in the garden will be happy.
[Was it now? He does notice the small stutter at least, making mental note to eventually ask if he did something wrong. He- ah, screw it.
Communication was one of the things they were lacking the most, between all of them.]
You don't sound convinced. So I'm just... Basil. Listen, I don't remember last night at all, various dismemberment themed nightmares aside, so... please. We're friends. If I ever do anything wrong, let me know. Okay?
I can't change for the better if you... don't tell me what's wrong. Just a thought for the future,mh?
[A smile, there, before shaking his head. He's so sore and his whole body wants to forget it exists but...]
Hey- not your fault, okay? I made the mess to begin with. And I'm sure your plants will be happy. All of them.
( He hesitates, going silent at his next words. Was it unfair not to bring it up...? It's hard to say. )
You haven't done anything wrong... Nothing that happened last night was your fault.
( It would hurt Kel to bring up the fact that he had thought of Hero so much. It would also hurt him for him to know about the kiss that was done by complete accident. His gaze lowers at the thought, fidgeting a little before looking back to Kel for a moment. )
You just wanted to stay awake. I'm... glad that you're okay now. W-We shouldn't explore the labyrinth again.
[He sees the hestitation, the doubts. As he told Aubrey, he pays insane attention to Basil's body language, lately. Something happened. Something that may be bad. ]
Nothing that happened was my fault... okay. But that implies that something did happen. Basil- [A small sigh.] Please, please know you can talk to me, okay? I know there still are things we need to talk about- [He was almost completely sure he did not share the truth, Basil wouldn't be so calm otherwise.] and we will get there, eventually, but in the meanwhile... please, let's try to be honest with each other.
I... I'm sorry for whatever I did, though. I truly am.
[But no focus on that as he starts cleaning instead. The pizza bites will cook, the rest will be tossed outside, he'll focus on washing the dishes once they're done with breakfast.
Not exploring again, huh?]
I will not take you there again, promise. Last time all I got was a big, fun nap, nothing liek this. I'm sorry this ended up happening...
( Basil hesitates once more, falling silent. When Kel puts it like that, Basil can't help but think that he's bound to worry all the more if Basil didn't say what happened. )
You... You thought that I was Hero. ( And that's what he was hesitating most to bring up. ) ... You were really affectionate, but... I-- don't think it was meant for me.
( Which... it's fine. Kel and Hero were really close, weren't they? )
I wonder why it was different when I came with you...
( Was it Basil's fault? Was it becau8se he was there with Kel? Maybe it would help if he didn't go with him, but Basil doesn't want him to have to go alone, either. )
[Oh. Oh.... of course, that makes sense. Kel presses one hand over his face, hiding it for a moment. Of course he had to- only Aubrey got a general idea of how much Kel missed Hero and even her only got snippets from random commentary mostly tied to Sunny and Basil anyway.]
I'm... sorry. [He wants to run away from the topic, but he did ask Basil to be honest. And the other was so it's only fair to... honesty and communication before anyhing else, since it was something they lacked back then. At least he couuld talk of this since it only involved him and Hero, right?] I miss him. I miss him a lot. It's... he's not been actually fine since.... you know. [The teen crossed his arms, glancing to the side.] So I tend to worry. I... the reason I didn't visit you or Aubrey after... he shut down. Like Sunny did. And my parents kept trying to... pray it away. I guess I turned into the protective brother, there? so... yeah, I guess- I tend to be affectionate with him. More than wrestling like we used to. I'm... really sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn't realize you didn't want to be touched or-
[He's jumping to conlusions, there, like an idiot, but he can try not to be touchy. Really. It's instinctive of him to seek contact but he can control himself. There are also no mentions of how he felt or anything, but when he tried to open himself with Sunny- well, that talk in front of mari's grave only got him a blank stare in return...]
Really, I'm so sorry. BUt... Basil? As much as I miss him, I am also oh so happy to be by your side right now, okay? If that makes sense...
[A pause.]
Oh. I heard there's just... it's kind of random what you find. We were just unlucky. Which was probably my fault? I consumed my luck last time.
( Basil watches him for a moment, watching the way that Kel hides his expression. Listening to his words is enough to make his heart sink before his stomach flips. He feels nauseous, and his instinct is telling him to go hide. All of their friends suffered in different ways and all he could do all this time is watch... But, knowing the hardship that Hero went through because of it reopens old wounds. Fingers join together in front of him, squeezing, digging. He attempts to breath.
Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay-- )
... Anyone would be lucky to have you by their side, Kel.
( Basil doesn't deserve it. )
I... I'm sure that it was because of your support that Hero could start to get better.
But -- ( It's so hard to breathe right now, he attempts to take in a breath again. ) ... It's.... It's okay. Sunny and I used to be close like that, too. I-It helped him when he got scared or nervous-- but... I don't hate being touched.
( It's the opposite. But, he doesn't know how he'll respond if Kel reaches for him now.
It's not Kel's fault for what happened in the labyrinth. If anything, it's Basil's fault. This place knows about his deepest desires, too? They know what kind of person he is. But, Kel... Kel deserved to find all the happiness he could find. )
[Ah, fuck. he could read Basil's body reactions and they were far from reassuring... bringing up Hero and his trauma had not been a good idea. But at least he had been... honest? They were working on honesty there, right? Even when it hurt...
He leaves his oven mitts on the table, kneeling inn front of the other and offering both hands in his direction, for Basil to lean his own upon. There was no digging in skin and such on his watch.]
I am lucky to have friends like you, too. And, for what it's worth, I am by your side now. I guess that makes both of us pretty lucky, huh?
[A smile. No, this wasn't enough. He had to bring up the good things too]
. . .
[He doesn't touch, he doesn't move, he allows the other to choose how far they'll go in terms of contact. If basil isn't against it, that's actually... well, a relief.]
And... I know I told you about the bad things a moment ago, but Hero got better. So much better. You know he attends parties at college? Him of all people, hah! They have alcohol in those parties, Basil. Can you imagine him drinking? I can't!
[Kel tasted wine while cooking. He tasted beer while making tempura batter. He found them both awful. it didn't help they were lukewarm at best.]
Basil. I can see you're a bit overwhelmed now. Do you want to breathe with me? Come on. Let's try.... take a deep deep breath with me....
( Kel reaches for him, and Basil hesitates. He doesn't reach for him right away. He's still in the habit of attempting to calm himself, first and foremost. It's something he knows that his friend wants him to try to break. They made a promise, didn't they? Basil would try to rely on others...
But then, he brings up that Hero's gotten better and Basil feels himself relax more. That's... Maybe he hasn't healed completely. He doesn't think any of them have. The light joke is enough to make him smile -- though, it doesn't seem to reach his eyes.
But, it's enough to push him to take those hands into his.
He doesn't think he'll ever not feel the way the did when it came to Mari. Not while he's keeping everything a secret. Kel makes him want to try, but that much feels... selfish... It's a vicious circle.
Still, he attempts to take in a breath. )
... I-- just want everyone to find some happiness again. Y-You make me want to believe that... it's possible.
[Good, follow him in this. At least it seem there will be no need for further tricks like HEro's 'name me five items in the room, five sounds and five smells', all exciting stuff for dealing with Anxiety. It was because he told the other Hero suffered, right? Who even knew how guilty Basil felt for hiding so much for so long, especially knowing what- focus, Kel. Focus.
He smiles up in the other's direction. Okay, kneeling down had been a terrible idea, even if it was the easier way to be in line of sight of the other. His legs are... too stiff not to get stuck. Oh, god, everything hurts.]
That's it, you're doing amazing, Basil.
[Better hold Kel's hands and breathe than slip into a panic attack, right? RIGHT?]
And, yes, we will get there. I was talking about it with Aubrey the other day. Even if we were, big surprise, yelling at each other. We will all be happy in the end, even if happiness is very personal to each person. We will all find that one thing that makes us smile. Even if Happily ever after are not a thing, I'm certain we can get to a spot where the good outweights the bad.
[A big grin from down there. Oh, dear, he's so going to struggle getting up.]
Let's work hard together until we get there, mh? And don't worry, I got your back in this- after all, we want everyone to be happy, right? This includes you too.
( Kel's here. Even after seeing some of the extent of just how awful he is, he's still there with him. He's still reassuring him, gently pushing him to try to get better. And more than that, he promised he wouldn't leave. He promised he'd always try to be honest with him.
And... Kel wouldn't leave him again. Basil knows he never would. He wants to trust in that.
His fingers intertwine in Kel's at that thought, focusing on breathing, focusing on his voice. It's warm. All of Kel is warm. )
... O-Okay. ( Basil still thinks that happiness might be impossible for him, but Kel doesn't need to know. He just... wants that for the others. ) Even if the both of you fight... I-I know that Aubrey wants that for you, too. I'll... I'll try harder for you too, Kel.
( He pauses then, his eyes finally meeting with Kel's before they look away. He's more calm now. Now that the focus is away from that and on something lighter, it's easier to calm down. )
... Uhm. There's... something else. I... don't think it'd be fair to keep to myself.
[There's no way in hell Kel is leaving, not at this point. He really saw the worst of the worst from both Sunny and Basil, yet he still loves them dearly. And he will try as hard as needed to be by Basil's side, at least... with Sunny things are just too complicated. But how couldn't they be? He cannot look at him without feeling the other's body against his own, without remembering how hopelessly he pressed a certain wound against his chest in the clumsy attempt to stop the bleeding... and how he had to rely on everyone else for Sunny to survive.
Basil would at least understand what it means having some specific memories haunting you, right?
But it's not the right time to address that. He smiles up at the other and offers a confident expression while doing his best to keep his balance. Oh, man, the pizza puffs are going to burn if he can't move from there.]
Well, You know how it works with friends, right? Your happiness is my happiness... so in my case, just help me make you happy and it'll be a work well done.
[Isn't that what his wish is all about anyway? But there is something else and that... worries him. Okay, time to see what else happened, can't be worse than hero- but before that...]
It's okay, we can handle whatever, right? Just... huh... can you help me up? I think I'm kind of stuck. Hah... my body isn't really agreeing with all the lactic acid in my muscles... [yeah, pretty embarrassing.] but after I'm ack on my feet, I'm all yours.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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In the meanwhile he holds Basil's hand and gets ready to follow. There's no leading forward, not in that moment.]
I don't know. I... don't want to talk about anything? I- tell me about stuff that makes you happy, maybe? I like to see you happy...
[Words he'd probably avoid using too freely normally, but he's talking without filters. But, hey, he loves seeing all his friends happy, right? When he walks around, he's barely lifting his feet up, it will be fun climbing down their ladder.]
You're so.. sweet. I am sorry I don't think I make a lot of sense. But, huh... I trust you. and tomorrow i'm, like... sleepng so much once I feel better. Big promise. And-
[A pause as he yeawns again. He's seriously starting to believe most of his exhaustion comes from supernatural sources, not just from the facty he moved all day long.]
Basil, come on... I don't have any negative feeling toward you, quite the contrary. You were trying your best and I know it
[He wishes he had someone like that even back home...]
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They talk through the night - about nothing, about everything. It was all with the intention of keeping Kel stay awake, and Basil knows that Kel very likely won't remember most of this, but regardless, the night feels like it's going by relatively quickly. Still, Basil makes sure that he keeps an eye on Kel through the night. Every so often, he sees Kel slipping and he squeezes his hand firmly yet gently, wanting to help him stay awake as long as possible.
When the sun begins to rise, Basil guides Kel to the healers, explaining the situation to all of them. By this time, he's just as exhausted as Kel is. His head is heavy and so are his eyelids, and it feels like he can't focus on anything in front of him. But, he tries to stay as awake he can for Kel.
It's only when the healing process is completed that he makes his way back to the treehouse with Kel, free hand moving to his forehead in a weak attempt to keep himself awake. He just... had to go a bit further... for both of them. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he knew that he'd instantly fall asleep... )
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He follows, not entirely sure of what he's talking about but keeping in mind he is tthere to support his friends, not to be supported, even if it seems the contrary. The night is long and heavy on his shoulders, with his body threatening to give up and crash on multiple occasions.
Everything is pretty much a blur after a certain point, he doesn't remember reaching for the healers, nor going back home and by the gods how diid he even manage to shuffle toward the bed? He has absolutely no clue. Basil is asleep the second he hits the pillow but somehow Kel is asleep even befoore that, not even knowing where he is.
The poor plants will go unwatered in the morning, Kel's morning routine will be skipped and that's... okay. For once. Nothing will die and Marigold has food and water out anyway, right? The dreams are sweet, finallly, he is back in Faraway and his friends are really there this time. He wrestles with both Aubrey and Hero, challenges Cri at a DDR tournament, Sunny and Basil are both there and so happy- everything is perfect. Mikhael even left so no complains there! It's when he starts waking up that his body reminds him that extreme physical exercise isn't good for anyone. He basically ran a marathon without drinking or eating anything, carried another person, proceeded to spend his entire night shuffling around or panicking. Good times...
Even after a good, long sleep? His body feels like an absolute mess, he's sore, feels some level of nausea and fuck it, he's at least aware enough to realize he's not.... fully there with his mind. Yet. It's much better though than the night before, at least? small victories.
Still, while every single muscle in his body begs for help, he finds himself rolling around. He... really did a number on Basil the night before, huh? He kept him up to walk like a zombie with him- and he barely remembers what came after being found in the kitchen. God, even on the bed his movements were... uncoordinated at best. Still, he did roll to the side to look at his buddy.
Huh... why... did he feel some kind of awkwardness sit in his chest? What did he even say last night? Huh... he was probably pathetic. Hero always said he got clingy and whiny whe was sleepp deprived for whatever reason- oh, well, he was just going to stay there and... wait. UNtil the oother woke up at least. Because he wasn't planning to get up anyway.]
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When he hits the pillow, he keeps his eyes open just enough to make sure that Kel can fall asleep safely before doing the same. His eyes become too heavy to keep open afterwards.
Basil sleeps without dreaming.
Perhaps it's due to Kel tossing and turning, maybe there's still too much worry for his friend's sake to truly sleep. Either way, it's only when Kel wakes up that Basil does the same, keeping it in the back of his mind that he needs to wake up when the other does just in case. He pushes himself upwards, sitting as he rubs one of his eyes. His vision is still pretty blurry, but he wants to check on the other... )
Kel...? Are you okay?
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When the other pushes up, Kel doesn't do the same, trying to hide how much his entire body hurts and how sick he feels after the entire ordeal. There is no way he wil eright more on Basil than he knows he already did.]
Yeah, I'm... fine. Just a bit sore, really. But... I'm fine. Thanks to you.
[He just has some vague recollection of walking around with Basil there, so... he kept the other awake for a while, didn't he? Fuck. No more weird explorations for a bit.]
I'm... sorry. About how I acted yesterday. [He feels like he did something he shouldn't have, but no matter how hard he tries to remember, he's only met by vague images of something bitng him witout being seen.] Are you okay?
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Basil will continue to be there for him - as long as he can. )
I... I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me. ( He lifts a hand, wanting to reach for him, but stops himself. He lowers it again, and instead offers to help him in another way. )
I can make some tea. I was going to last night, but... I-I think you need it more now than you did then. You should rehydrate...
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Ah, Basil, if you had any idea how much Kel worries constantly about you...]
Ah, but- I kept you up, didn't I? I'm sorry, I just... vaguely remember you coming to the kitchen. It must have been so much worse for you- I am fine, really. But you, you mmust have been so tired as well... I hope I wasn't too much to handle.
[He smiles in his direction, ooffering one small shrug and forcing himself out of bed. Oof, this is all pain and he can't hold back a pained grunt.]
To think... my body should be used to train soo much, ahah... but I guess it was a bit too much. Tea sounds amazing, but only if you get some with me. I doubt you had a lot oof time to eat and drink as well...
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I'll make some for both of us. You should rest.
( He'll take care of him today. Kel's always taking care of him, so now... it's his turn to do the same. )
I-I was happy to do what I could for you, Kel. I just... wish I had known how hard sleep was for you beforehand. I wouldn't have pushed it.
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Nope! You should rest. i got this, Basil. I kind of have to repay you, why don't you let me, you know, bring you breakfast in bed or something? I mean, who doesn't like breakfast in bed? Come on...
[He may or may not remember they decided to sleep together from now on, but hell not protest on the matter. AT ALL.]
Yeah... I get it. I'm so sorry, Basil. It's my fault, I should have been more honest, even if I don't remember much beside the dreams themselves. Communication is key, after all, and we should be able to talk between the two of us, right? But, please, don't feel like it's your fault, I'm certain you did everything with the best intentions.
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... It isn't your fault. None of this was. It... It was that ghost. If it hadn't found us, then... everything would have been fine. ( The conversation brings a strange sense of deja vu to him. ) Everything will be okay from here. We don't ever have to go back there.
( Basil wonders if he can perhaps negotiate with Kel in a way that would satisfy him and push him to rest. )
Uhm... A-Alright, but... Do you want to have breakfast in bed together...? You should rest, too...
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Basil. Listen. Sometimes bad things happen and it's no one's fault. I think there was no real winning condition, there. We had no exit, how many hours did we even walk in the dark? It's... It's something that happened and if someone has to be blamed, it's me, not some kind of horrible ghost that would have been left alone if I didn't bring you there. But... shit happens and we... accept it.
[He moved in front of the other, offering a rather warm smile, way more natural than the one he wore the night before.]
What matters is: we're here, together, and we both made it. You're right. Things are we okay. We'll be more careful from now on and it'll all be fine.
[He moves closer to gently pinch the other's cheek. Kel knows he'll explore again, this place leaves them with far too many questions, but Basil should be left safe and on his own.]
Mh.. breakfast in bed sounds nice. What can I make for you while you prepare tea? We can just call this a lazy day.
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... Yeah.
The healers... They were really helpful. You were able to rest for a while.
( Basil makes a face when his cheek gets pinched, rubbing his face before offering a small wary smile of his own. )
Anything you make is good, Kel. I... think I have a good tea in mind for the both of us, too.
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You too, I hope. I mean, don't remember much but I am positive I was probably a nuisance. Hero says I love inhibitions when I'm super tired- once I bit him, you know? Something about us camping and some deers showing up and me not wanting to get out of my sleeping bag to see them- hell if I actually remember it, though.
I hope I didn't bite you, at least?
[he sighs when he sees the kitchen, he truly left a mess behind, huh? Instead of clearing immediately the disaster of veggies and batter and oh god that pan is in such a messy stat- no, he does focus on preparing something nice for Basil instead.]
Well, I trust you, so... let's have a nice not too messy breakfast, mh?
[Fortunately enough he has enough pizza dough left in the fridge to do some pizza puffs. Kel grabs a muffins tray, makes some balls and prepares some mini pizzas on the side, making sure to cover them with cheese, add some mushrooms in the 'core' instead of pepperoni for extra bite of flavour.With the oven warm and the pizza bites cooking in it, Kel finally starts to clean after himself.]
Man... I can't believe I just left all this stuff outside despite the heat of this month... I fear we'll have some extra stuff for the compost, this poor lettuce has seen better days.
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Better to keep anything awkward to himself. It's for the best.
At the least - he's... glad that he wasn't bitten. Poor Hero... )
A-Ah, no... You didn't do anything that would've hurt me.
( Basil gets everything ready while Kel's preparing the pizza puffs, cleaning out the kettle and choosing tea to help the both of them relax. He hopes that it'll help how sore his housemate seems to be. )
... I'm sorry. I should've stayed behind to clean up. At least, the plants in the garden will be happy.
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Communication was one of the things they were lacking the most, between all of them.]
You don't sound convinced. So I'm just... Basil. Listen, I don't remember last night at all, various dismemberment themed nightmares aside, so... please. We're friends. If I ever do anything wrong, let me know. Okay?
I can't change for the better if you... don't tell me what's wrong. Just a thought for the future,mh?
[A smile, there, before shaking his head. He's so sore and his whole body wants to forget it exists but...]
Hey- not your fault, okay? I made the mess to begin with. And I'm sure your plants will be happy. All of them.
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You haven't done anything wrong... Nothing that happened last night was your fault.
( It would hurt Kel to bring up the fact that he had thought of Hero so much. It would also hurt him for him to know about the kiss that was done by complete accident. His gaze lowers at the thought, fidgeting a little before looking back to Kel for a moment. )
You just wanted to stay awake. I'm... glad that you're okay now. W-We shouldn't explore the labyrinth again.
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Nothing that happened was my fault... okay. But that implies that something did happen. Basil- [A small sigh.] Please, please know you can talk to me, okay? I know there still are things we need to talk about- [He was almost completely sure he did not share the truth, Basil wouldn't be so calm otherwise.] and we will get there, eventually, but in the meanwhile... please, let's try to be honest with each other.
I... I'm sorry for whatever I did, though. I truly am.
[But no focus on that as he starts cleaning instead. The pizza bites will cook, the rest will be tossed outside, he'll focus on washing the dishes once they're done with breakfast.
Not exploring again, huh?]
I will not take you there again, promise. Last time all I got was a big, fun nap, nothing liek this. I'm sorry this ended up happening...
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You... You thought that I was Hero. ( And that's what he was hesitating most to bring up. ) ... You were really affectionate, but... I-- don't think it was meant for me.
( Which... it's fine. Kel and Hero were really close, weren't they? )
I wonder why it was different when I came with you...
( Was it Basil's fault? Was it becau8se he was there with Kel? Maybe it would help if he didn't go with him, but Basil doesn't want him to have to go alone, either. )
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I'm... sorry. [He wants to run away from the topic, but he did ask Basil to be honest. And the other was so it's only fair to... honesty and communication before anyhing else, since it was something they lacked back then. At least he couuld talk of this since it only involved him and Hero, right?] I miss him. I miss him a lot. It's... he's not been actually fine since.... you know. [The teen crossed his arms, glancing to the side.] So I tend to worry. I... the reason I didn't visit you or Aubrey after... he shut down. Like Sunny did. And my parents kept trying to... pray it away. I guess I turned into the protective brother, there? so... yeah, I guess- I tend to be affectionate with him. More than wrestling like we used to. I'm... really sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn't realize you didn't want to be touched or-
[He's jumping to conlusions, there, like an idiot, but he can try not to be touchy. Really. It's instinctive of him to seek contact but he can control himself. There are also no mentions of how he felt or anything, but when he tried to open himself with Sunny- well, that talk in front of mari's grave only got him a blank stare in return...]
Really, I'm so sorry. BUt... Basil? As much as I miss him, I am also oh so happy to be by your side right now, okay? If that makes sense...
[A pause.]
Oh. I heard there's just... it's kind of random what you find. We were just unlucky. Which was probably my fault? I consumed my luck last time.
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Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay-- )
... Anyone would be lucky to have you by their side, Kel.
( Basil doesn't deserve it. )
I... I'm sure that it was because of your support that Hero could start to get better.
But -- ( It's so hard to breathe right now, he attempts to take in a breath again. ) ... It's.... It's okay. Sunny and I used to be close like that, too. I-It helped him when he got scared or nervous-- but... I don't hate being touched.
( It's the opposite. But, he doesn't know how he'll respond if Kel reaches for him now.
It's not Kel's fault for what happened in the labyrinth. If anything, it's Basil's fault. This place knows about his deepest desires, too? They know what kind of person he is. But, Kel... Kel deserved to find all the happiness he could find. )
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He leaves his oven mitts on the table, kneeling inn front of the other and offering both hands in his direction, for Basil to lean his own upon. There was no digging in skin and such on his watch.]
I am lucky to have friends like you, too. And, for what it's worth, I am by your side now. I guess that makes both of us pretty lucky, huh?
[A smile. No, this wasn't enough. He had to bring up the good things too]
. . .
[He doesn't touch, he doesn't move, he allows the other to choose how far they'll go in terms of contact. If basil isn't against it, that's actually... well, a relief.]
And... I know I told you about the bad things a moment ago, but Hero got better. So much better. You know he attends parties at college? Him of all people, hah! They have alcohol in those parties, Basil. Can you imagine him drinking? I can't!
[Kel tasted wine while cooking. He tasted beer while making tempura batter. He found them both awful. it didn't help they were lukewarm at best.]
Basil. I can see you're a bit overwhelmed now. Do you want to breathe with me? Come on. Let's try.... take a deep deep breath with me....
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But then, he brings up that Hero's gotten better and Basil feels himself relax more. That's... Maybe he hasn't healed completely. He doesn't think any of them have. The light joke is enough to make him smile -- though, it doesn't seem to reach his eyes.
But, it's enough to push him to take those hands into his.
He doesn't think he'll ever not feel the way the did when it came to Mari. Not while he's keeping everything a secret. Kel makes him want to try, but that much feels... selfish... It's a vicious circle.
Still, he attempts to take in a breath. )
... I-- just want everyone to find some happiness again. Y-You make me want to believe that... it's possible.
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He smiles up in the other's direction. Okay, kneeling down had been a terrible idea, even if it was the easier way to be in line of sight of the other. His legs are... too stiff not to get stuck. Oh, god, everything hurts.]
That's it, you're doing amazing, Basil.
[Better hold Kel's hands and breathe than slip into a panic attack, right? RIGHT?]
And, yes, we will get there. I was talking about it with Aubrey the other day. Even if we were, big surprise, yelling at each other. We will all be happy in the end, even if happiness is very personal to each person. We will all find that one thing that makes us smile. Even if Happily ever after are not a thing, I'm certain we can get to a spot where the good outweights the bad.
[A big grin from down there. Oh, dear, he's so going to struggle getting up.]
Let's work hard together until we get there, mh? And don't worry, I got your back in this- after all, we want everyone to be happy, right? This includes you too.
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And... Kel wouldn't leave him again. Basil knows he never would. He wants to trust in that.
His fingers intertwine in Kel's at that thought, focusing on breathing, focusing on his voice. It's warm. All of Kel is warm. )
... O-Okay. ( Basil still thinks that happiness might be impossible for him, but Kel doesn't need to know. He just... wants that for the others. ) Even if the both of you fight... I-I know that Aubrey wants that for you, too. I'll... I'll try harder for you too, Kel.
( He pauses then, his eyes finally meeting with Kel's before they look away. He's more calm now. Now that the focus is away from that and on something lighter, it's easier to calm down. )
... Uhm. There's... something else. I... don't think it'd be fair to keep to myself.
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Basil would at least understand what it means having some specific memories haunting you, right?
But it's not the right time to address that. He smiles up at the other and offers a confident expression while doing his best to keep his balance. Oh, man, the pizza puffs are going to burn if he can't move from there.]
Well, You know how it works with friends, right? Your happiness is my happiness... so in my case, just help me make you happy and it'll be a work well done.
[Isn't that what his wish is all about anyway? But there is something else and that... worries him. Okay, time to see what else happened, can't be worse than hero- but before that...]
It's okay, we can handle whatever, right? Just... huh... can you help me up? I think I'm kind of stuck. Hah... my body isn't really agreeing with all the lactic acid in my muscles... [yeah, pretty embarrassing.] but after I'm ack on my feet, I'm all yours.
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