Xaviers!

Colette Rosenhof wrote:Colette slipped her socked feet back into her shoes. Now that she was properly covered she dared wrap arm arm around Basil, rubbing his back as they headed for the exit.

"I am... sorry zat you had to see zat side of me."

Basil was in his mind as he walked away from the confrontation.

He had abruptly stopped and asked a Jez for a drink of water for the gelatin girl before he'd gotten back to Colette's statement.

It took him an uncomfortable amount of time to put together what was said to him.

-" What do you mean 'that side'?"

Colette almost snatched the cup from Basil's grasp, the way she drank was more like she poured it into a bucket than sipping. The silence was uncomfortable for both sides; while back at the ring combatants were laughing over milk and banana slugs. Her hair was starting to come in, but very close to the scalp.

"It... I misspoke." Colette was slow in her speech, searching for the proper words. Even in French she couldn't think of how to explain it.

"It is not anozer side of me, but razer... just what I am. I do not like ozers seeing me zat way." The girl had a new appreciation for her roommate's quirks, they had something in common.

Basil remained silent, again for an uncomfortable amount of time.

He reached out, and used a gentle finger to pluck up her chin.

"Dear, sweet lady.

Don't ever think you have to hide what you are from me." He replied, tracing his finger from her chin up the profile of her cheek bone.

Then he booped her nose.

Colette would probably have blushed, had her face not still been red from the pepper spray earlier. The touch to her nose gave her a shakey smile even though tears were welling up in her eyes. She threw her arms around Basil and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest.

"... you are a good, good man, Basil Benson."

Basil laid a hand on top her head, and wrapped his arm around her.

"I wouldn't go that far love. I ended up getting you hurt.

I never wanted that."

"No, you were looking out for ze safety of anozer. I was doing ze same zing."

"Mmmm. But the person you were looking out for is an idiot who placed himself in the position."

Colette tilted her head to look up at Basil.

"And you are suggesting zat ze same cannot be said of William?"

" I honestly couldn't say love. But I know he was frightened and I just... Couldn't allow him to be bullied like that. "

"Because you are a good person, wiz a large heart. I am proud of you." Colette traced her fingers up the side of Basil's face until she found his hair, playing with it.

"You could have shrugged off what Nailah dzrough at you, but I did not wish to see zat happen. You look out for me, and I look out for you. Zat is a healzy relationship, no?"

Basil leant into the attention like a pet animal, unsurprisingly.

"Yes. But if I break my leg, it will heal.

If someone damages your core, I could lose you.

I'm... not sure I could handle that. Not over me."

She cupped Basil's cheek, looking at where she knew his eyes to be.

"If I lose a leg, it comes back. If I get hit by a truck, I bounce back. If I am zrown into a woodchipper, I would be upset zat my clozing was ruined but I would ozerwise be unscazed. Yes, my... core may be a weakness, but should I fret because you could hit your head? Be stabbed in ze heart? Would I be able to handle zat loss any more easily?"

It was awkwardly quiet again for several moments before Colette would feel his nose nuzzling up against her own.

"You'd cry for exactly three days solid before some other chappy stepped in to put a smile on your face.

Probably Diego." He was obviously joking, she could feel the smirk on his face.

Colette's nose dimpled in a way that noses were not intended to.

"I zink you underestimate how devastated I would be. Imagine, having to start training a new boyfriend from scratch."

"Mmm. I suppose at least with me you know I won't spray on the drapes.

C'mon love. Let's go find you some more water, eh? I don't feel like feeling sorry for myself here. Others can see me.

Kind of."

"Yes, some water, and maybe we can do somezing to lift your spirits." There wasn't any innuendo behind her words, at least from her tone.

"I think I just want to hide in my room, if that's alright. I've made more than enough spectacle of myself for today." He replied, his mind wandering to what had happened.

He still didn't know how he did it. But obviously he did. Outside input being the decider on that one.

"Would you like some silent company while you contemplate?" Colette gently hugged Basil's arm, intent on at least walking with him back to his room.

"You're fine.

I just don't want anyone grilling me right now."

"No grilling, just chilling. Got it." Oh, she was picking up some of the vernacular.

"It's cute when you're clever." He complimented, taking her by the hand to walk away from whatever anarchy was ensuing behind them.