You don't have to be sorry. [I am. That they used something that happened to me, and...] And I'm... grateful. That you tried to save me. Even if it was all a fake world.
[a pause, hesitating. before very carefully reaching down to put a hand over his, where he's gripping onto the blankets.]
But that's all it was. A well crafted fake, created by the entity to hurt you. Do you understand? [squeezes his hand, just slightly.] In the real world, I survived that experience and now I stand before you, a grown man. You don't have to flagellate yourself over something that happened before I was even old enough to remember it.
[never mind that people are still fucking awful, but at least mizu can bite back now.]
no subject
[a pause, hesitating. before very carefully reaching down to put a hand over his, where he's gripping onto the blankets.]
But that's all it was. A well crafted fake, created by the entity to hurt you. Do you understand? [squeezes his hand, just slightly.] In the real world, I survived that experience and now I stand before you, a grown man. You don't have to flagellate yourself over something that happened before I was even old enough to remember it.
[never mind that people are still fucking awful, but at least mizu can bite back now.]