...Dylan. W-What are you doing?
Basil forced the words out despite the heavy lump in his throat, his eyes locked onto Dylan's face so his eyes didn't draw to the barrel of the gun the other held against his head.
Iβ I'm ending it all.. I can'tβ I can't do this anymore, Bas..
The nickname tore at his heart.. his best friend, his childhood crush, the man he loved... He was resorting... To this?
They're all dead, they've died, and I've watched.. all I've ever done is watch... I couldn't protect them, and they stillβ they still cared for me, they still loved me! Even though.. I couldn't protect them... I couldn't.. I can't live like this anymore...
His hands were shaking, as well as his entire form. His once strong, confident, warm gait, was replaced by the curled up form of a man sitting on the snowy ground, wanting to end his own life.
Dylanβ please.. none of that was your fault! Death is an inevitable part of life! No matter what, we can't run from it, or protect anyone from it! If youβ if you do this, they'd only grow upset knowing their deaths drove you to something like this... You don't have to do this..
He approached slowly and carefully, as if he was approaching a frightened animal, and maybe he was. Dylan hiccupped, forcing the barrel of the gun against his head harder as their words and faces kept flashing through his mind.
I could'veβ I could've doneβ something! They cared about me, and I cared about them, I loved them! A-and I just, let them die... I'm the one who deserves to die! I should be the one dead! Why'd they have to die and I had to live?!
Despite the hopeless feeling crawling up the back of his neck and the tears welling up in his own eyes he replied, shivering slightly at the chill the trails left on his cheeks as tears rolled down his face.
Dylan, you don't deserve to die.. you're a person, just like all of them were. None of you expected death to come knocking. Lady luck has just been kind enough to keep you around and Iβ I can't live without you, Dylan. Coral, Coral would be devastated if she ever found out you blamed yourself not just for her fate but for others you've cared about. I need you. Please. Learn to live.. if not for them, for me... Please?
He wasn't sure when he'd gotten onto his knees before him and was holding onto him, one hand carefully resting on his shoulder, while the other cupped his face, but it grounded him enough to talk, to keep trying to convince Dylan he couldn't do this. He couldn't keep letting this guilt weigh down on him.
Dylan whimpered, and then let out a full on sob, the gun slipped from his fingers easily as he let go of it, still trembling as he slumped forward to cling onto Basil with every nerve in his whole being.
I want them back.. they didn't deserve to die... Why did they have to die, Bas..?
Basil couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so relieved, the gun fleeing from his mind now that Dylan wasn't trying to kill himself, at least for now, tears running down his own face as he held him close, and tightly as well, gently shushing him, but not trying to offer any empty words or promises that wouldn't help.
They needed each other. And he would make sure Dylan would grieve properly. That he would learn to forgive himself, if nothing else.
I'm here. I'll be here as long as I can help it.