Work Text:
You know your heart's not in it.
Even as you suggest a fistfight, you can feel your hands hanging loose alongside your body. You will fight, yes, but you won’t struggle. You’re content with what you have. You’ve won once already: you don’t need to go for more.
You look at your teammate. He does not look back.
You know his heart is in it. You know it’s all his heart has ever known, all he has ever yearned for. You know he is restless, eager, impulsive. Hungry for recognition. You can see his fists, tight around the hilt of his sword and shaking with barely held anger.
You know he knows you’re not playing to win. You’ve sacrificed yourself for him before, let him bleed you dry with a smile on your lips. You wonder if that might be the reason why he asked to team up with you in the first place. You do not think you want to know the answer.
You know how this is going to end.
Before he’s even raised his sword, before you can feel the fire lapping at your knees, you know how this is going to end.
You don’t blame him.