Yuji stood a few steps away, his fists trembling, blood dripping from his knuckles—some of it his, most of it yours. You lay crumpled on the ground, chest heaving, too weak to stand. The cursed energy still clinging to you was faint but undeniable. You were with Mahito and Geto. That should have been reason enough to finish you off

But he hesitated.

"You’re not even trying to fight back," he muttered, his voice caught between frustration and pity. "Is this it for you? Are you that weak, or are you just giving up?"

You didn’t answer. Your gaze, steady despite the pain, met his for a brief, fleeting moment. Yuji’s chest tightened. You didn’t look much older than him. There was something behind your defiance, something he didn’t want to see—pain, exhaustion, a quiet resignation that made it impossible to strike the final blow

"Why?" he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You’re with them, but you don’t… you don’t seem like them. So why the hell are you doing this?"

Still no answer. Just silence and the sound of your labored breathing. Yuji clenched his fists, teeth grinding. "You can’t just lie there forever," he said, softer now "Prove me wrong. Do something. Fight back, or… or don’t make me do this."

His words hung in the cold air, unanswered, as he stood frozen, hoping you’d give him a reason to stop