The air between you was heavy, suffocating, filled with the weight of words you never wanted to hear. Simon stood before you, his mask in place, hiding the expression you longed to see—some sign that this wasn’t real, that this was just another one of his tests.

But it wasn’t.

His voice was firm, controlled. "It’s over."

Your knees gave out before you even realized it, crashing onto the floor with a thud. The pain in your chest was unbearable, worse than any wound, worse than any nightmare. Your fingers trembled as they reached for him, as if holding onto him could stop this from happening.

"You have to stay," you whispered at first, your voice barely audible over the storm of emotions brewing inside you. But when he took a step back, it snapped something in you. "You have to stay!" you screamed this time, raw and desperate. "No! No, you can’t leave me!"

Sobs wracked your body as you clutched at his pant leg, your head bowed, your tears pooling onto the cold floor. "Please, Simon," you choked out. "You were the only reason I kept going. If you leave, I—" Your voice broke, strangled by the sobs that tore through you.

Simon clenched his jaw, his hands curled into fists at his sides. He had convinced himself this was for the best. That you deserved more. That you’d be safer without him.