[Basil...has been in her shoes. The first time his own instincts overcame him, to the point where he completely mutilated his victim...it's not an experience you ever forget, nor is it easily overcome.
And he realizes, as Max stands there and begins to cry, that someday when she's in the proper headspace for it, he thinks he will tell her about his own first time. But not now. The last thing Max needs now is another helping of senseless, violent imagery.
Once more, Basil is brought right back to the night of the recital. He remembers how Sunny looked, how he acted as he froze with terror and panic, unable to do anything but catastrophize. He didn't mean to, he didn't, weren't words Sunny ever said to him, but Basil knew he felt them in that moment. It's how Max is feeling now. Perhaps it's a bit different, since death was always the outcome...just not like this.
After a tentative moment of near-silence between them only broken up by the sound of Max crying, Basil steps forward. He doesn't consider the fact that she might not want to have anyone near her right now, because he remembers how he felt. There was a reason he'd asked someone he trusted to be there with him, that night. He should be afraid of her fire, but he isn't. Instead, Basil reaches out gently with shaking hands to rest them on Max's elbows, trying to get her to look at him and not at the corpse on the ground.]
cw: gore desc, omori spoilers
And he realizes, as Max stands there and begins to cry, that someday when she's in the proper headspace for it, he thinks he will tell her about his own first time. But not now. The last thing Max needs now is another helping of senseless, violent imagery.
Once more, Basil is brought right back to the night of the recital. He remembers how Sunny looked, how he acted as he froze with terror and panic, unable to do anything but catastrophize. He didn't mean to, he didn't, weren't words Sunny ever said to him, but Basil knew he felt them in that moment. It's how Max is feeling now. Perhaps it's a bit different, since death was always the outcome...just not like this.
After a tentative moment of near-silence between them only broken up by the sound of Max crying, Basil steps forward. He doesn't consider the fact that she might not want to have anyone near her right now, because he remembers how he felt. There was a reason he'd asked someone he trusted to be there with him, that night. He should be afraid of her fire, but he isn't. Instead, Basil reaches out gently with shaking hands to rest them on Max's elbows, trying to get her to look at him and not at the corpse on the ground.]
I...it's going to be okay. I promise.