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The three of them were in the main room, what we can call the living room of the MILGRAM prison, both near and far away from each other.
The verdict of the third trial fell, and the restrictions from it came along.
Mu has been saved by Amane: she couldn't bear Haruka's death and the guilt of killing Rei finally took over. Rei could have been someone's Haruka, and the simple thought of it just made her head hurt from the tears that would come over and over. Seeing this, Amane had reached out, telling Mu that the sin she feels can be overcame, and that the pain she bears is only a trial from God. Thinking this way, it wasn't this much of a bad thing to feel this.
Yet, of course she still hated pain, but it felt less worse since Amane used these words for her.
The second person in this room was Mikoto. Or John. Since Mikoto hadn't been forgiven in Trial 2, the borderline between them two had been even thinner, despite John's promise to Es of disappearing. He couldn't have done this with Mikoto being more and more pushed towards his limits. Now, John switching could happen anytime, just because of the host's spiraling thoughts. They both were exhausted, and the physical restrictions bothered them too.
Their body having hands tied in the sleeves, they couldn't use them easily, struggling to even eat. The veil over their face was dark, making their world a black and white shame, something that only made them realize further how bad their situation is. Moreover, the barbed wires over it made them feel like being trapped, or being a monster needing to be restrained.
With all this, Mikoto barely slept, and John barely lived, because every time he was fronting he'd force himself to sleep and would shout over whoever disturbed him to do so.
And there was this one person, lastly, in the room. Kajiyama Futa. He seemed a bit relieved of being forgiven, and there was only two visible differences between now and the previous trial: his hair, which had grown up a bit, and his face, which was more relaxed now. His loud voice, however, didn't alter for the least.
And right now, the 3rd prisoner was walking over the 9th one, after having looked at him for the last quarter of the hour.
While Mu was sitting in front of the table reading a book Es have had the kindness to provide, Mikoto was curled up against the wall, isolated and looking badly tired. He looked up when he heard footsteps coming over, keeping silent.
«Hey, Mikoto... I've heard from Yuno that you asked many times for Es to give you sleeping pills, in vain... You alright?» Futa said the words hesitantly, unused of caring for someone.
But this was not what he'd call "caring", just some curiosity and maybe a bit of fear of loosing another person in this prison. He had lost Haruka, the one he used to act kind to, Shidou, the one who saved his life, and Mahiru, with who he hadn't been close but he still didn't hated. Because yes, she was thoughtful, and it was still a nice presence in the room.
Well, until now, of course.
Mikoto answered to Futa, his voice trembling, almost like he'd panic but didn't have the force to.
« Did I....? I don't remember.. again... But no, from what I know I didn't sleep since... Since when?»
He embraced his knees with his tied arms. He then asked, his eyes on the floor and trying to laugh:
« You're being unexpectedly worried, Futa... Were we this close you and me? Not that I hate it, of course...»
The latter swallowed hard. Surely he was acting weird. But he was scared. He felt like he was the only one being mentally still stable here. And why would it be him? He had pushed a girl to kill herself because of his dumbness. Yet he didn't know Mikoto and the other's crimes, but... He was sure that they all had reasons. He hadn't. Aside of following the glory and the cheers from his supposed "friends".
So, he spoke up again:
«I just... Uh...... Don't want to be alone, I guess. And as long as you don't shout at me, I think we can get along... Wait, what am I even saying...? » He looked away.
The red haired seemed embarrassed, and a bit lost. Which was perfectly understandable in this situation: he was a pretentious proud guy afraid of loosing one of the last persons he kinda liked here. Speaking words had always been hard for him, and he was now confronted to it by needing to be sincere.
Because no matter how open and friendly Mikoto was as a person, right now he was just near to break. He knows asking him to act nice would be simply cruel.
So he never asked.
He never did, yet here Mikoto said:
«It's okay, you know. You don't have to force yourself. I know you're not bad.»
...
There was a silence.
...
Then, he added.
«You have been forgiven after all.»
His voice was shaking further.
Futa had his head bowed so he could look at Mikoto's face.
He was looking at him, feeling guilty.
«I know. That's nice for me.»
We could see Mikoto was gripping his sleeve from the insides.
Noticing this, the stubborn one asked:
«Do you envy me?»
Mikoto's face darkened a bit.
He still wasn't looking at Futa.
«Of course I do. Isn't it obvious?»
He resumed.
«But I'm glad, still. You don't have to go through... all that.»
He chuckled. One of those that were desperate.
Hearing this, the other one felt even worse, because he felt even happier that he had been voted innocent.
How could he be happy while everyone around him seem to suffer this much?
The only thing he could do, is trying to be less of an annoying person.
«Do you... want something? I can't get you the pills, but... I don't know.»
Mikoto finally looked up again.
« I never asked for the pills. Don't talk about it. I'm sure it's one of his manigances. He's still inside me... I don't want to even think about it... What am I being?»
His breathing quickened a bit. By instinct, Futa took a step behind.
Then, Mikoto's voice lowered when he said, almost crying:
«I'm enough with it....!»
Tears fell over.
«Why would I have to endure all that??! I can't even sleep! And I can't provide me what I need! Why am I still here if it's only to make me feel bad......?»
Futa's breath catched. It was maybe the first time he saw John cry. Or at least, spill over his doubts this way.
His mouth asked before he could think about it:
«You wanna go? Stop being here?»
John sobbed a few seconds. The body he was in had been more fragile lately, making crying way easier, and shouting more grueling.
«I do. It would be better for everyone. For me, too.»
...
They looked at each other, longly.
«Why are you staring dumbass?»
His words were crude, but it was lacking its usual anger, replaced by calm tiredness.
«And you? Do you need something? Aside of the pills...»
Futa tried once more, his voice smaller.
« ... »
The green eyes bore into the blue ones. He was waiting an answer, but not expected one.
So he was surprised when the older man told him the following words.
« – Be with me. Don't leave me. I need someone, else I'll just lose myself.
– What...
– You heard me. Or are you a hypocrite in addition of being a shouting mess?»
The words hit hard from the one who was always screaming and being annoyingly mean and loud, and now who was calm and almost composed.
Futa gritted his teeth.
« As if I'd stay with someone as rude as you! That's not how we ask for help!» He blurted out, regretting everything he said as soon as he pronounced it.
He always did this. Acting like an idiot being above every single person.
John didn't took it well.
«Huh?!»
Futa jumped a bit.
« So you're the one presenting help and you say such absurd things?! I'm not talking about ME!»
We could see his hands agitate in the sleeves, indicating he would probably have hit the wall or took Futa's collar if he hadn't been restrained.
« I talk about me. If I bother you you can go away. But don't go away from me.»
...
«Please.»
Futa's hand turned into a fist. Even John was more genuine than him. Even him can swallow his pride and anger if it's for someone he cares about.
So, Futa kneeled down.
« Okay. I'll stay. Near Mikoto. »
After something he could have sworn was a little smile, John closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He was giving Mikoto's body a bit of a break.
Futa was sitting there, slowly watching the Alter trying to sleep. Something he eventually successes, as his breathing evens out and his muscles relax.
The next days, Yuno noticed to Mikoto how him and Futa seemed closer, often next to each other. He answered simply at this.
« You think so? Nice to hear that.»
They even slept in the same bed some times when Mikoto struggled to sleep but wasn't stressed enough to make John front.
Futa didn't know, but these moments were helping Mikoto much more than he thinks.