Sebastian thought that maybe by getting her into this discussion that she would realize on her own that there was still so much more to her world than the darkness she was dwelling on - and he did have his own fears and doubts to think about. They could both benefit from it.
"I'm afraid I only know about the sadism and masochism elements. I've never been exposed to the rest, the almost innumerable fetishes that come under your control. It seems that, if it exists, there's a human that sexualize it. And they expect us to be above that," he said with a rather amused chuckle.
He squeezed her hand gently, lifting it and pressing his lips to the back of her knuckles. "It was horrible," he said, still referring to the Marquis. "I was sick for years. I thought I was going to die again. That's the worst it's ever been." Thankfully, he was given a number of glorious authors in the following years to make up for the pain that had caused.
"Certain things should have never been introduced into this world and that darkness... it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to someone else. You need to wash your hands of it because they are not yours - just as they are not mine. They call horrid criminals sexual sadists, but they are not ours. Another has dominion over them, I'm certain of it. I've met him. He was a rather horrid person before his conversion and, believe me, they deserve each other."
Reaching out with his free hand, he touched her cheek, lingering there, feeling the way she was struggling with this and wondering if there was any way he could help her. "Leave them to Mania, to Death, to Caedwalla." His expression softened even more and he tilted his head, dropping his hand away. "I don't know how much you want to trust my judgment, because I can't even seem to admit to myself that I have the responsibilities that I do. I struggle with the tasks humanity has assigned to me. But this advice is what I have to offer you."