Do you think we're going to die here?

It had been such a simple question, posed softly in the dead of night. A quiet murmur so close to his ear and those big blue eyes of Edo's had been so worried and surprisingly guileless. Almost innocent (which, given every rumour Ryo has ever heard about Edo Phoenix swapped back and forth through the Pro League, innocent is a laughable concept) But there it had been, and Ryo said in response the only thing he could.

It's possible.

Because it is possible. Hell, it's more than possible and straight into probable that Ryo will die here. His heart lurching and stuttering in his chest more and more by the day, and the only thing keeping him going, he thinks, is that constant search. That one last great duel that Ryo is positive lies ahead of him. The big blowout and then, then, it can all come to an end.

And as for Edo...

You know, you could lie to me.

He wishes he had. It's a foolish thought, of course. Lying would have changed nothing. Not one damn thing. Edo would still have dueled. Edo would still have lost. Edo would still have charged blindly ahead, played the hero one too many times and ultimately paid for it.

Edo would still be dead.

You're not the type to crave a comforting lie any more than I am.

And Ryo wishes he was. Wishes he had gently murmured back, "We're going to be fine." Smiled and closed that inch of space between them and kissed the worry away. Wrapped the both of them up in a warm, comfortable illusion of safety and the vain belief that Everything Will Be Fine.

It would have been something. Something to cling to in those last few days before the end.

But neither of them are anything like that sort of person. No matter how much Ryo wishes otherwise.