Chapter Text
They had known it from the first set of doors.
The bitter truth had made a home in the pits of their stomachs hours ago, though they'd both tried to ignore it as best they could. Every timeline couldn't be a winner. So went the Nonary Game.
Still, they didn't look at each other the entire night.
The others had filed out of the hospital room, urged on by Aoi, and then they were alone. It was quiet but for the creaking of the building settling in. Nevada wasn't especially cold, even this time of year, but Aoi felt a chill run up his spine nonetheless.
Akane seemed to be feeling much the opposite. She was drenched in sweat and shaking, fighting for every breath. There was fear in her eyes, fear like nothing she'd shown yet tonight: something unrehearsed and primal.
Akane's fate had been sealed eight hours ago, and it had been sealed nine years ago. Soon, she would burn to death. Soon, she would have burned to death nine years ago.
"Akane, look at me." He fights the tremor in his voice, tries not to sound too much like he's pleading. "We have to get going."
She had to be in the chapel soon. Junpei had to find her there. Aoi had to announce the end of the game. They had to…
A part of him just wanted to lie down and die here, this entire shitty timeline be damned. The thought of doing anything at all made his whole body feel like lead.
Maybe if they didn't leave here, things would somehow be different.
Akane was still shaking as she got to her feet. Aoi rose too, putting an arm out to help steady her. He pretended for a moment he felt even a modicum of stability himself. They took a few experimental steps forward, staring at their feet as if neither of them could trust them to carry the pair the whole way unsupervised.
"Do you remember what you need to do? What you need to say?"
Aoi looked away, saying nothing.
"This timeline is important, Aoi. If we don't get this right, then – "
"I know, Akane."
"This timeline had to happen to some iteration of us. We knew this was a possibility." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.
"I know, Akane." Aoi caught his voice raising and heaved a deep sigh.
Akane was silent for a moment. Their footsteps echoed through the corridor.
"Promise me something."
"Akane, I – "
"Aoi. Promise me right now." Akane's voice was firm, though it wavered around the edges. "Promise me that at six o'clock, you're going to walk out of this building and live a long, happy life."
He knew what she meant but couldn't say: Promise me you're not going to just finish your obligations and then curl up on the floor until you starve. Promise me you won't get out of here just to find the nearest highway and cross it without looking. Promise me I haven't doomed you by dooming myself.
He also knew that she was right. Aoi's heart felt like it was being squeezed by an icy hand, and he couldn't even picture what tomorrow would look like for him, let alone next week or the rest of his life. He hadn't once let himself picture this timeline actually coming to fruition.
But no amount of misery – or dying – would bring Akane back. She was a dead woman walking now, and there wasn't much time left as it was. Wallowing could come later.
"I promise...I'll live." If there was a long and happy life ahead of him, Aoi couldn't see it yet. But he'd do his best to live out whatever life fate threw at him after this shitshow. That much he could do.
Akane let a bittersweet smile cross her face. "I'll take it. Thank you."
They walked in silence the rest of the way.
And all too soon, they were there, in front of the chapel, and bile was rising in Aoi's throat. He swallowed. He wasn't ready. Fuck, how could he have thought for a second he would ever be ready for this?
"If you died, then...am I gonna be able to remember you? Like this? Or does that all go too?"
Akane shook her head. Tears were beginning to well in her eyes. "I don't know, Aoi."
"Will it hurt you?"
"I don't know."
Behind her tears, there was a stony determination in Akane's eyes. She'd accepted this. She was facing it head-on, even as she seemed to be burning up from the inside out. The vise grip on Aoi's heart tightened further.
His mouth was nearly too dry to speak, but he managed: "Are you scared?"
Akane threw herself against Aoi, wrapping her arms around his waist. She sobbed into his shoulder for a good minute. "I loved you. Please don't ever forget that I loved you."
Aoi fought the convulsions in his own chest in vain. "I loved you, too," he choked.
He tried to enjoy Akane's familiar warmth for just a few short moments. He tried not to notice the way her skin burned, almost painful to the touch. He tried not to think about how letting go of her would mean letting her go.
Footsteps, distant but approaching, rang out.
She pulled away, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "You have to hide, Aoi. Go. I'll be right here."
"Akane..."
"You were a really good brother. You did everything right. Remember that, okay?"
That did it.
Hot tears stung Aoi's cheeks, and a sob forced its way out of him. The footsteps came closer. It was over. It was all over.
The words ached in his chest, but he'd sworn to himself he wouldn't let himself miss the chance to say them: "Goodbye, Akane."
She managed a smile. "Goodbye, Aoi."
And she opened the door.
And Aoi hid away.
And there was Junpei.