As the two of them settled against the headboard with Duchess, Basil felt that fond little smile flicker across his face again. Lissing’s sleepy mumbles were endearing, if not confidence boosting. He knew this conversation wasn’t over, it never really would be, but Basil supposed he trusted the redhead enough not to go diving over the side of the cliff. Most days. It was something that though yes, was a shared joke between them, actually hit the brunette rather squarely in the chest. There were days when Basil didn’t have the strength to fight the pressure, and the side of that very cliff looked more enticing than he was willing to admit. The very reminder of those thoughts now made him nauseous. In this safe little space, with Lissing’s soft hair brushing against his cheek as the other nodded off there was just something so easy and precious about life. Something Basil wasn’t particularly willing to give up. He must have nodded off too at some point because the next thing Basil knew he was blinking awake with the warmth of a human body beside him. Lissington had shifted off his shoulder and Basil must have moved to curl around the other at some point because he now found his arm draped over the other’s side. Lifting it slowly, reluctantly, Basil felt a pounding in his temples. Bloody… How much had he drank last night? His mouth was dry and tasted of bitterness, so evidently enough to feel ill. Basil sat up on the bed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair. Beside him, everything was very still. The fire must have petered out and the houseelves hadn’t intruded to reignite it, thankfully. Basil let out a soft breath into the calm stillness.
This was a moment he wanted to wrap up and keep forever. He took a mental snapshot of Lissginton curled around Duchess, both of them cuddled up in a precious little pile. Then, easing himself off the bed so as to not make a fuss, Basil stood. It must have been rather early morning yet as the sun was only just beginning to rise and the blue light cast into the room from the window was still dark. Idly, the brunette wondered what Lissingotn’s morning habits were and it occurred to him that for the first time, ever, he had the opportunity to actually find out. The thought was… alarming in its way, and Basil felt himself blush. No, better he not linger. It wasn’t gentlemanly of him.
With a quick flick of his wand, the brunette settled a small piece of parchment on the nightstand beside his guest. Then, with one last fond look in the red-head’s direction, he turned to vacate.
Please stay.