When she spoke, so near him, he felt like his heart was breaking. His ears flattened against his head and he reached out to her, saying, "No, It's me, I promise - what did I do to you?" His gut twisted itself in knots and he wanted to be sick - and for probably the first time in his long life, he wanted to cry. He hurt her, he fell for his curse, he thought that he was safe, but he let it take over and now she was hurting.

He moved over to the sound of her voice, his head low, and she found him, touching his nose with incredibly soft paws, hiccuping and crying, and he shuddered, feeling warm wet trails go down his cheeks. Basil didn't know if he was crying because the only thing his eyes registered was pain, but he didn't care. He could hear her shuffle and he lowered himself to the ground so she could reach him easier, and let out a small 'tss, ow' when she touched the upper part of his nose. When did he get cuts there?

"What did I do, Dovefeather?" He said softly, hardly bearing to hear the answer. "Tell me, I want to make it up to you somehow."

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

Dovefeather felt her heart calming, her fur flattening, as she took comfort in the warmth of Basil's breath, her ears laying back as she heard his panicked words. She knew then that he would never hurt her, that the real Basil was someone she had to protect. He needed her as much as she-- suddenly-- needed him, and it scared her and yet brought her a sensation of safety, of familiarity.

"No, Basil, you... You didn't do anything. That... That wasn't you, never you."

She felt him flinch at her touch, smelled the faint blood that had dried on his muzzle, and gently as she could, she licked at the wound. She had done that. She had hurt him. It hadn't been her Basil at the time, sure, but the pain stuck with him.

"It's alright now... He's gone. I'm okay, really,"

She mewled softly to him, suddenly terrified that he would retreat from her, afraid of his alternative self. That was the last thing she wanted... But if he wanted to leave, how could she stop him?

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

She started to touch and lick his cuts very gently, and even if it hurt to feel her sand-paper rough tongue go over them, he let the pain remind him that he did this to her, made her cry and made her hurt, because he was weak. She tried to comfort him and tell him it wasn't his fault, but it was. The monster resided inside of him, and if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have been hurt. If he just held on longer, broke eye contact with the reflection, had a stronger will, she wouldn't have had to go through that.

When she said he was gone, he scrunched his blind eyes closed, his chest shuddering with a wracking sob. "I'm sorry, Dove, I'm sorry," He cried, new trails running down his cheeks, hot and fast. He leaned into her touch, his shoulders shivering. "I never wanted to hurt you, I never wanted to hurt anyone, and I just-" His inhalation shuddered as he took it in. "I just wanted to be happy and learn magic and it just went all wrong. I'm sorry, Dove."

They both laid there for a while, crying in each others embrace, and after a long time, he sniffed and said, "I need to go, Dove. I don't want to hurt you again."

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

Dovefeather thought, as the moments dragged into minutes, until she couldn't remember how long it had been, that he might just stay forever. The pain in her eyes faded, and although she couldn't see yet, she knew that her sight was returning and so too would Basil's. When his words came, she found herself at a lost for words. Any purring in her chest that may have rose up in the quiet time they spent curled up together died, and she couldn't summon any words immediately.

She had other duties. The All Mother needed her still, and Basil... Basil was dangerous. She wasn't ready to defend herself from him, and that was enough to scare her into words. Enough to let him go, just for now. Even though she knew, deep down, she might never see him again.

"Basil,"

His name came roughly from her throat, as she pulled away from him, carefully getting back to her paws. She wanted to see him one more time before he went, blinking in frustration, but she knew just as well that it was a selfish thing to ask. He wouldn't be able to look at her in return without putting that danger before her again, and the real Basil would never risk it. He was a good man.

"... I'll be here, okay?"

It was the only thing she could manage out of her mouth, and even then she felt like there was tar on her tongue. She stepped aside, stumbling slightly, and felt her way around the Eyes, towards her nest, deciding that perhaps she could just sleep this all off.

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

It hurt when she moved away from him, he hated it so much. But it was necessary, he needed her to leave, he needed her to be safe. He stayed perfectly still, closing his unseeing eyes so that no accidents might happen, Origin forbid, and listened to her leave.

"... I'll be here, okay?" Her sweet voice reached his ears, calm and sorrowful, and he hated that he was doing this to her - he hated that he wasn't normal, that he could just look at her without inflicting harm, but the best thing to do for them both was for them to be separated - the absolute best would be if they never saw each other again.

He heard her leave finally, her soft footfalls growing fainter and fainter, and he sat there, quietly sobbing, hiding his monstrous face under his paws, letting the soft earth soak up his tears.

[exit Basil]

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"