[Basil is small. Not just physically, although he is short for his age and worryingly thin. He makes himself small by curling his shoulders inward and keeping his gangly limbs as close to his body as possible. He’s always the last one to take a seat at the table, or in the car. He doesn’t ask for seconds. When he needs something, if he works up the nerve to ask, he always prefaces the request with a wince and I’m sorry.
Taking up space makes him uncomfortable. He is always so surprised to be invited; so awkward when asked about his day, or after his own thoughts. Basil is not used to existing in a space where there is room for him.]
[Fugo holds him. He doesn’t push him away, or try to soothe him through his outburst before its natural ending. There is space here for Basil’s tears, his choked laugher, and his shuddering sobs; for all the ugly emotions that come spilling out of him, too large to be kept hidden, for as long as he needs to express them. Basil cries himself hoarse on his shoulder to the rhythm of his heartbeat, which gradually calms and settles as it becomes clear to Fugo that the other boy isn't going to slip through his fingers like smoke.
Eventually, the crying fit starts to wear itself out. But rather than relaxing, Basil just seems to curl in on himself tighter. His hands are tight in Fugo's shirt, his breathing stuttering and uneven even as he tries to steady it out. It's ... too familiar. But at the same time strange. Because he can remember being in Basil's position: of being so upset that all he could do was cry, all the while furious with himself for being so out of control, hiding his face in his grandmother's shoulder. She never turned him away, no matter how stupid his reason for being upset.
She just held him, for as long as he needed.]
[As Basil starts to calm, one of Fugo's hands begin to move back and forth between his shoulders. He joins Basil on a choppy inhale, then purposefully slows his own breathing to give him a rhythm to follow. At first it's only to a count of three, in and out. But as Basil picks up on it, it continues to slow; to a count of five, eventually down to seven.]
Stay as long as you need. Okay?
[They don't have to move until Basil is ready. If this is as far as Basil can make it, Fugo will gladly meet him here.]
no subject
Taking up space makes him uncomfortable. He is always so surprised to be invited; so awkward when asked about his day, or after his own thoughts. Basil is not used to existing in a space where there is room for him.]
[Fugo holds him. He doesn’t push him away, or try to soothe him through his outburst before its natural ending. There is space here for Basil’s tears, his choked laugher, and his shuddering sobs; for all the ugly emotions that come spilling out of him, too large to be kept hidden, for as long as he needs to express them. Basil cries himself hoarse on his shoulder to the rhythm of his heartbeat, which gradually calms and settles as it becomes clear to Fugo that the other boy isn't going to slip through his fingers like smoke.
Eventually, the crying fit starts to wear itself out. But rather than relaxing, Basil just seems to curl in on himself tighter. His hands are tight in Fugo's shirt, his breathing stuttering and uneven even as he tries to steady it out. It's ... too familiar. But at the same time strange. Because he can remember being in Basil's position: of being so upset that all he could do was cry, all the while furious with himself for being so out of control, hiding his face in his grandmother's shoulder. She never turned him away, no matter how stupid his reason for being upset.
She just held him, for as long as he needed.]
[As Basil starts to calm, one of Fugo's hands begin to move back and forth between his shoulders. He joins Basil on a choppy inhale, then purposefully slows his own breathing to give him a rhythm to follow. At first it's only to a count of three, in and out. But as Basil picks up on it, it continues to slow; to a count of five, eventually down to seven.]
Stay as long as you need. Okay?
[They don't have to move until Basil is ready. If this is as far as Basil can make it, Fugo will gladly meet him here.]