[he watches her ease up and pause on the scalpel and the little bolt of hope goes through him before he crushes it down. Hard. He doesn't get to escape the pain and the experiments. And... this is Aerith doing what she knows he deserves. He doesn't get to want to dodge away from that. He still has to wet his lips because his mouth is as dry as the desert around Edge and his teeth shiver against each other for just a minute when he goes from the locked jaw to letting his tongue shift against his lips.]
No.
[he doesn't buy that 'proving you're tough'. Not anymore. Hasn't for... for a while now. Bragging is a sign of stupidity but more than that - he's not that tough. Everyone's got their breaking point and it doesn't matter who they are. He knows better than anyone that he shatters too easily. He's let people down and done it often enough. He still tries to keep his voice steady for her even if the tremble works it's way in toward the end.]
I just - you deserve this. If it - if it means I can show you I'm sorry, I'll do it. For as long as I can.
[he means it too. But the muscles on his arms still twitch sporadically despite himself, weakly resisting the bindings and he knows that he's not a hero. He won't be able to last as long as she deserves. He knows. It's not as if this is a new experience for him, even if the face above him is. All he can do is last as long as he can for her - and try not to scream. For as long as he can. Screaming will upset her.]
as long as you still show up - that's what counts
No.
[he doesn't buy that 'proving you're tough'. Not anymore. Hasn't for... for a while now. Bragging is a sign of stupidity but more than that - he's not that tough. Everyone's got their breaking point and it doesn't matter who they are. He knows better than anyone that he shatters too easily. He's let people down and done it often enough. He still tries to keep his voice steady for her even if the tremble works it's way in toward the end.]
I just - you deserve this. If it - if it means I can show you I'm sorry, I'll do it. For as long as I can.
[he means it too. But the muscles on his arms still twitch sporadically despite himself, weakly resisting the bindings and he knows that he's not a hero. He won't be able to last as long as she deserves. He knows. It's not as if this is a new experience for him, even if the face above him is. All he can do is last as long as he can for her - and try not to scream. For as long as he can. Screaming will upset her.]