[sage feels like he's going to shake apart in that chair, so minsu does the only thing that he knows how - he wraps his arms around the witch's shoulders, like he can physically hold him together. he'd give it all his strength if it would just work.

and then he listens, imagines a girl with mint hair and fair skin, a scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. and still he doesn't let go, not even to wipe the tears that slide down his cheek. he cries for lily, for sage, maybe even for the younger version of himself that thought magic was all shimmers in the air and flowers springing to life. now he hears the truth. he's not even afraid of ghosts now, because the dead surely don't envy the living at all. he's sure lily would not want to be in her brother's place.

minsu would trade places with her, but he's only human, no magic to turn back the clock or do alchemy or whatever if is he'd need to do to take the pain out of every breath that sage takes. all he can do is what he's doing right now. all he can do is love someone and hope it makes them hate themself a little less.]

This isn't your fault. [minsu squeezes his eyes shut, two more tears falling before he presses a kiss to the crown of the witch's head.] This isn't something you did. This is something that happened to you. And I'm telling you that you're amazing, and beautiful, and I'm sorry if that scares you, but it's true.

[minsu whispers those last two words again as he slides into the chair beside him, cups sage's face in his hands and tries to scatter kisses against his face.]