Dimensional Descent

Remembering back now, Leonel could understand why James had reacted that way. When he spoke his truth, saying that James was his closest friend, remembering the details of how it had happened now hit him like a ton of bricks.

His voice had been so cold… So detached… So emotionless… It was as though he had said it all perfunctorily, as though he was shaking his head toward a child that had disappointed him rather than been heartbroken at the betrayal of a friend.

By that point, he had already disassociated, ripping that part of himself out and ignoring it like he always had. Even when he knew that James had betrayed them during the biggest game of the year, Leonel hadn't said a word, just silently finding a method to win anyway… Just like he always did.

He didn't approach James, he didn't ask him what was wrong, he just did things as he pleased, finding a solution that could 'please' everyone. James got to appease whoever had commanded him to lose by making it obvious he had done his best, and Leonel got what he wanted: another victory.

When the two met in the locker room, Leonel could remember how livid James had been.

"… You knew you get the unnecessary roughness call, right?"

"I know you too well. You don't like to lose, but you're too soft-hearted to call me out on my bullshit too. So you'd find a way to protect our friendship and ignore it, all while winning the big game anyway. Am I right?"

"If you knew I needed your help, why couldn't you lose this one time?! This is just a game, isn't it?! You've already won it three times, did you really need to win a fourth?! You don't even want to be a quarterback!"

head, even down to James eventually apologizing. At least then Leonel had still been able to lace his words with

there months later, Aina gone from his side, his body beaten and tired, an entire Fortress of enemies eagerly waiting to take his head… Leonel

thinking them to be a jumbled mess of nonsense. He had even somewhat arrogantly thought that this was just another case of James not being quite eloquent enough to say what he needed to say, another example of his imperfect best friend

still love him now? Even after such a betrayal? Was

a fucking

even left James as white as a sheet and

speechless wasn't a feat. Hadn't he arrogantly proclaimed that his so-called best friend wasn't very good with words to begin

didn't become the sort of person who could treat human lives like weeds. And yet… in order to come to that conclusion to begin with… hadn't he needed to assign some value to James? Didn't he need to mark him down as someone worthy or unworthy? Make a list of his deficiencies before deciding whether or not

what that truly meant, it was sick… As though Leonel thought of James like a little pet project of his, a poor little boy who no one else wanted but

could actually feel Leonel's true intent. While everyone else only saw Leonel for what he showed

had told himself that he would be able to use his influence over his