Aki watched passively as the boy in front of him placed his head to the ground. Dogeza, an act of complete submission. This went beyond desperation. Seeing Yamamoto act so hopeless, so goddamn [i]pathetic[/i] sent something through Aki.

Bliss.

He felt powerful by bringing a man to his knees with mere sentences. By being above someone, no, by being needed by someone. His choices mattered now. They had incredible repercussions. With Yamamoto’s pleas for help, Aki held actual lives in his hands. He held strength in his words. And he could use it however he liked.

He had felt strength that day too. When Metis had released a surge of wind at those Shadows, he felt almost unstoppable in his determination. But it had been stripped away in an instant, the excruciating burns being a reminder that he really was nothing. His life could be swept away with the flick of a monster’s hideous appendage. In that dark place, he was nothing.

But up here where the sun still shone, where there were people he could still twist with sugary facades and hidden agendas, that was the only place he had any sort of influence.

The Drama Club could, WOULD rot in that hell. And Aki wouldn’t care less.

He wished it were that simple.

"The last person you want at your back in a fight is a coward."

And all at once the heady rush he was feeling was washed away in a torrent of shame. 

What was he even thinking? Being important? Strength? What the fuck was it worth if it was a product of cowardice?

Aki took a shaky step back as Takahashi tried to pull the beggar to his feet.

He was being just like before. He had learnt nothing from the dungeon. These lies, this falsely earned power…

Aki wanted to cackle out loud.

Earned? POWER? Those words had no meaning. He had no meaning. He was nothing. And being nothing was worse than death. Aki was lower than every sort of inadequacy Yamamoto would ever show in his lifetime.

[color=82ca9d]“I…”[/color] Aki’s voice was barely louder than a whisper, like even his voice was conveying the weakness he truly held, [color=82ca9d]“I’ll go. I don’t want to do this anymore.”[/color]

Aki didn’t budge from his spot as he awaited Yamamoto’s response, his shrivelled posture a clear indication of his fear and self-loathing.