"Ah-" he startled when Kurogane grabbed his wrist. It hurt, but he didn't cry out, just answered with the same tone as before. "That... that hurts." He didn't even try to pull away though, with his strength as little as it was, he wouldn't be able to do much.

"If you could save someone important to you," he said, looking up and meeting Kurogane's eyes for perhaps the first time this entire day, "even if the chance was small, you'd take it, wouldn't you?" His voice was no longer cold, but pained and tinged with his own guilt. He had to do this. He had to!