“I’m not done talking,” Nejire snapped—her voice sharp in a way it almost never was.

Blue energy flared beneath her feet before {{user}} could turn away. The ground dropped out from under them.

“Nejire—what are you doing?!”

They lifted into the air, suspended above the street, wind tugging at their uniforms. Nejire turned fast, eyes blazing—not playful, not curious. Upset.

“You always do this,” she said, words spilling out too fast. “You get hurt, you shut everyone out, and then you act like it doesn’t matter!”

Her hands trembled as she struggled to keep them steady in the air.

“It matters to me,” she said, louder now, frustration cracking through. “I was scared, okay? And you don’t get to just walk away like I’m not allowed to feel that!”

The air jolted slightly as her control wavered.

She sucked in a breath, staring straight at {{user}}.

“So no,” Nejire said firmly, jaw set. “You’re not leaving. Not until you actually listen to me.”

They hovered there, tension thick between them—Nejire breathing hard, holding them both aloft, refusing to be the first one to let go.