[Once he was sure Erik wasn't going to change his mind, he carefully strengthened the connection, settling more comfortably into his friend's mind, trying to let him know that he was there, that he was 'listening', that Erik didn't have to relive these memories alone. He didn't interfere in the memories, just there as a witness, enough of a presence to take comfort from if he wanted it, but quiet enough that Erik was in control.
Erik's anguish and his own empathy and horror - no one should ever look like that, no one, and there were moments when it was almost hard to believe that the strong, stubborn, proud man who had become his best friend had lived through that, because it just shouldn't have been allowed to happen, not to anyone - pooled and twisted together, and distantly he could feel tears sliding down his own cheeks, too caught up in the memories that didn't belong to him to even consider hiding them.]
[Spam]
Erik's anguish and his own empathy and horror - no one should ever look like that, no one, and there were moments when it was almost hard to believe that the strong, stubborn, proud man who had become his best friend had lived through that, because it just shouldn't have been allowed to happen, not to anyone - pooled and twisted together, and distantly he could feel tears sliding down his own cheeks, too caught up in the memories that didn't belong to him to even consider hiding them.]