Please forgive me if this is a little out of character – I don't know as much about this game as I say I do.

I'll try my best, though!

This is my favorite pairing from Persona 3, and it makes me sad whenever I see this ending. Poor Ryoji! Anyways, I thought I would write a fic that takes you into the mind of Minato when he makes his decision.

Hope you like!

Last Words

A lot had happened to Minato in that year.

Transferring from another school, he thought, would be the biggest change his life would take. That wasn't the case. He had no choice in the matter, of course – once his Persona gift had awakened, he had to use it to fight. There was absolutely no getting around that. Still, he wouldn't have minded having a quiet school life, with normal friends and an average girlfriend. It wouldn't have bothered him a single bit.

It just hadn't worked out that way.

He had to admit, there were definite perks to his current situation. When else would he have such a diverse group of friends? The most popular girls in school followed his every word, not doubting anything he had to say. The boys in school looked up to him and often asked him for advice. It was never like this anywhere else he had been – and he couldn't deny that he loved every second of it.

…and then there was Ryoji.

Ryoji was a boy who had introduced himself rather quickly after transferring to Minato's school. It didn't take long for him to join the rest of the group and become one of them. Minato, for reasons he could not explain, had a fascination with this boy. He thought about him constantly. Somehow, there was a sort of familiarity with Ryoji that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

And just like that, it all happened so fast. Ryoji had told the members of S.E.E.S. that the end of the world was near, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. He explained that if they didn't kill him, they would spend every waking second worrying about their tragic end. If they didn't kill him, they could never live the rest of their lives in peace. There was simply no avoiding it – the end was here, and they only had two options.

Ryoji could live, or Ryoji could die.

Naturally, the members of S.E.E.S. debated this over and over again in countless meetings. They had all grown close with Ryoji – considered him to be a friend. It was the hardest descision any of them had to make.

For Minato, however, it was even harder.

Aigis had shed light on the reason for this – Ryoji had been sealed inside of Minato for years. They shared a close bond that no one else would ever understand. Minato loved him unconditionally. This wasn't by choice, of course. What choice did he have? Ryoji was a part of himself. Was he supposed to turn away and not care?

"It's your choice," Mitsuru said to him softly. "No matter how much we debate this, we'll never come to a conclusion."

It was these words that continuously rung through his head.

"Your choice."

As he walked up the steps to his bedroom, gun in hand, these words were the only thing on his mind.

Eventually the members of S.E.E.S. had changed their mind – they all decided that Ryoji needed to live. They would fight Nyx with everything they had, because it was the only way they knew how to live anymore. They had Personas, which meant they were the only ones who had a chance. They would see this to the end.

But Ryoji had come in, the night he said he would, and pleaded that they kill him. He walked up to Minato's room and waited patiently for an answer.

So this was it.

Minato was the only one going to see Ryoji, so the choice was still his. He could betray the group and grant Ryoji's final wish. He could turn his back on everything he believed in to stop the suffering of his friends. But did he have the courage?

His hand connected to the brass doorknob and turned it slowly, savoring every second he wasn't in that dreadful room.

Ryoji's face was the first thing he saw – perfect, glowing. His smile was so warm and inviting, Minato could not bear to look at him. He turned away, not saying a single word.

"I know what they all decided," Ryoji broke the silence. "I know they want to fight Nyx. You have to believe me, Minato. It's not possible. There's no way."

"I know," Minato whispered, not wishing to be heard. "I know."

"It's just you and me," the other boy continued. "They aren't here. It's you, and me, and that gun. No one is stopping you."

Minato's hand glided over the gun, feeling every inch of it as it sat comfortably in his pocket. He could feel the trigger, aching to be pulled. He wanted to pull it. Minato sat down beside Ryoji, gently taking his hand.

"I don't think I can do this," he said to Ryoji, almost at the verge of tears. "I've never had much in my life, really. Until I came here. I met all of them, and fought all of those battles… I can't let all of that go. I don't want to forget."

Ryoji's smile faded slightly. He squeezed Minato's hand.

He continued, "I know that our end is upon us. I know that I'll be happier if I lose my memories…. But I don't want to pull this trigger knowing I'll lose the only thing that ever made me feel alive."

Without a moment's hesitation, the boys embraced. They held each other tighter than they had ever held anyone. Minato no longer held back his tears. He let himself sob into Ryoji's shirt, not wanting to let go. It was that feeling again… the feeling of helplessness he always seemed to get. But this time he was with someone who understood. Someone who had always been there.

"Minato, I love you," Ryoji admitted. "I love all of you. Aigis… Junpei… Yukari… everyone. You're all so precious to me. I didn't have any friends before I met you. I didn't have anything to live for, either. But I do now, and I don't want to die…"

There was a long silence.

"…but it has to be done. All of you deserve happiness. This is the only way you can have it."

They sat for a while longer.

Ryoji waited patiently for Minato to stop crying. Several minutes passed, but eventually he was able to contain himself. His eyes were fixated on Ryoji's yellow scarf, which seemed to dance in the breeze that came through the window. It calmed him enough to silence himself.

"You've been with me so long…"

"I know."

"Ryoji, I can't."

"You have to."

Ryoji reached into Minato's pocket and pulled the gun out, putting it to his chest. He noticed that it was not a Persona evoker, but an actual gun. He looked up at Minato, taking his hand once more.

"I'm glad I met you," he said gently, taking Minato's hand and placing it over the trigger. He watched as the other boy's eyes grew wide with panic. Their hands intertwined over the gun, and Minato finally realized what decision he had made.

To be happy.

To be blissfully unaware.

To forget.

"I love you, Ryoji."

"Same to you," the dark haired boy whispered, closing his eyes. "This must be what it means to... feel happy." He calmly stroked Minato's hand with his finger, gently urging him to pull the trigger.

And that was it.

Minato could not bear to sit any longer. The gun shook violently in his hand, no matter how hard Ryoji tried to hold it steady. He shut his eyes tight, unable to bear the sight of Ryoji's sad eyes, piercing through him like a dagger.

Thinking he had more time, Ryoji's mouth began to utter what would soon be his final words, "Never blame yourself Minato. It's not your fault. I will always –"

His words were cut off by the sound of a loud gunshot.

The other members of S.E.E.S. scrambled to their feet, running quickly up the steps of the dorm to see what had become of Ryoji. In their hearts, they all knew the choice Minato had made. As their footsteps grew closer to the door, they all slowly began to forget where they were going, or what they were doing.

Fuuka opened the door to Minato's dorm. She didn't know why she had done it—her body seemed to move on its own. They found Minato there crying, sobbing into a yellow piece of cloth.

"Who are all of you?" he whispered.

They all watched in complete shock, complete confusion, as this poor helpless boy sat in a room drenched with blood. Yukari and Junpei exchanged concerned glances, but all of them felt it was some sort of dream. None of them believed it was real. They walked away in a daze, leaving him there.

Minato sat in silence for hours, staring at the blood, clutching a yellow scarf.

But for the life of him, he could not remember why.