Basil and the Slumbering Emerald

The Cost of War

It isn't long before all three patients are released from the hospital. Everything should have gone back to some semblance of normal, they missed a month of school they were excused from but had to catch up on. Trisha and Becky were amazed by their return to school. His teachers welcomed Basil back with open arms and Basil had to make up a lot for the track team, so he was mostly withheld from any upcoming competitions despite being one of the best runners.

Things with Basil's family were bittersweet Basil was accepted back into the family but Sorrel and Rosemary, his mother, and father filed for divorce. Rosemary couldn't get over Sorrel's abandonment and traitorous ways. She left to go live with her sister in southern Texas. Sorrel sold the house and moved away leaving Basil with Petril. Petril and Joe were happy to be back together and took Basil back in without any qualms.

Everything seemed to be shaping up pretty nicely, but Basil knew everything wasn't okay. The price of war is always going to come with costs and Basil's came to collect mid-March. For weeks Gram had focused on his hockey training to get caught up so Basil didn't expect constant attention but what he got was nothing. Gram actively avoided him for a while and Basil couldn't fully blame him, it was his fault any of this happened. It wasn't until mid-March that Gram comes knocking on Petril's door like a stranger. "Hey Gram. Good to see you." Petril answers the door and calls for Basil. Petril goes to leave the two alone but Gram stops him.

"I have to say something, and I'd like if you were here... Basil... I don't want to drag this out but I can't do this over a text message. I think we should call of the engagement and... break up." Gram bites his lip unable to look Basil in the eye. "I'm sorry but since your birthday you have done nothing but keep secrets from me. Marriage is about honesty and sharing everything with one another and I can't see that happening if you won't tell me what is going on." Petril puts a steadying hand on Basil's shoulder to comfort him. "WE could move past this and be together again if you could just tell me the truth. If you tell me right now, we can pretend nothing happened. I don't mind risking my life for you, but I need to know why." Gram still can't look Basil in the eyes. Basil has started to cry at this point, body wracked with sobs that seem to hurt Gram each time another sob chokes from his throat.

"Gram, I'm a-"Basil starts to explain but Petril grips his shoulder tightly stopping him.

"Basil... I'm sorry but I can't let you." Petril says sternly. Basil looks up at him with wide tearfilled eyes, shocked.

"I'm about to lose my fiancé and you won't let me tell him? Despite everything I've put him through. Seriously!?" Basil started sobbing harder and Gram frowns.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this. You can keep the ring." Gram turns to leave before Basil's choked up voice stops him.

"You're just going to leave me? Don't you love me?! Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't. Look at me Gram." Basil demands and Gram turns around. He looks into Basil's silver watery eyes and immediately stops. He starts to cry himself.

"I.... I can't. I do love you Basil. I love you so fucking much it hurts to do this. I want nothing more than to wrap you in my arms and make everything okay but I can't. I can't risk my life blindly no matter how much I love you." Gram doesn't linger he runs off down the street crying as he goes. Basil collapses to the floor, hyperventilating. Petril kneels and tries to comfort Basil but he shoves him off.

"How could you!? After everything that has happened you had to take this away from me too? Why can't he know. He won't tell anyone. You know he won't Petril. How could you." Basil barely manages to get out. Petril sighs heavily and stands up.

"We have laws and rules Basil. You either abide by them or there will be far worse consequences. Do you really want Gram to have his memory removed of everything to do with you? That is what the committee will do if they find out you exposed us." Petril sighs. "I'm not the bad guy Basil. I'm trying to protect you."

"Fuck you! You aren't protecting me from anything. You are just hurting me more." Basil teleports away to the same Beach that he went to the first time he teleported on his own. It's the first beach Petril ever took him too. He can still see himself making a sandcastle. He stays there all day curled up silently in a ball just crying He goes through all the emotions, anger, grief, numbness, bitterness, and then just depression. It isn't until twilight that Kelkian and Mattias come walking down the beach looking for Basil. They almost missed him if it weren't for his platinum blonde hair that shines brightly in the early moonlight and setting sunlight. Kelkian and Mattias sink into the sand beside him and wrap their arms around him as fresh tears overtake him. "How could he do this...?" Basil begs and neither lover has the heart to say anything. They just listen as Basil ends up wailing sobs into the early night. Basil ends up falling asleep in their arms and instead of heading to Petril's they head back to Mattias's for the night.

The next morning Basil refuses to go to school and see Gram at all. His heart couldn't take it. Mattias goes to work and lets Kelkian take care of Basil but it isn't much. He refuses to eat again, and it is like after Basil's rites all over again. He won't eat, he just sleeps and cries. Kelkian tries to comfort him but the one he needs isn't there. Kelkian lets Basil sleep after a major crying fit and teleports to Gram's. He knocks on the door and a very hung-over Gram answers the door squinting in the sunlight. "What do you want Kelkian? Here to gloat? You finally have him. He is all yours." Gram says bitterly and Kelkian clenches his fist contemplating beating the shit out of him before reminding himself that isn't why he is here.

"Basil is broken again. It's him after his birthday all over again. He needs you Gram... I know you don't know all these secrets but if you had been patient and just gotten married he could have told you everything. Instead of committing to him fully you broke his fucking heart. I want to just lay into you right now, I may not be a jock but that wouldn't stop me from kicking your ass. You have no idea what I'm capable of. Just know you were lucky to ever have Basil in your heart. I hope you come to your senses." Kelkian glares, "And stop drinking. The last thing Basil wants is for you to become an alcoholic. He loves you more than you deserve right now. Do the right thing." Kelkian attempts but Gram just slams the door in his face before collapsing against the front door sobbing. Kelkian shakes his head and heads back to check on Basil.