"I'll go alone. The rest of you wait here for me."
The words made Joe's chest tighten with unease. Ken always took the dangerous missions alone, leaving everyone else to worry about him. Twice in a row he'd nearly died, and Joe could remember more than one occasion where someone had to pull his ass out of the fire when he'd gotten in too deep.
"No," he said. "Not this time. I'm going with you."
"It's too dangerous, Joe, and you still need time to-"
"I've recovered from that little head injury just fine, thanks," Joe assured him. "Remember what you always say? If we die, we die together?"
"That's only when we have no choice. This time you have the choice to stay alive and let me-"
He couldn't take it anymore. Joe reached out and slapped his friend hard across the face.
"I'm going with you, and I'm not taking no for an answer, Ken!" he snapped. "I'll be damned if we almost lose you again!"
"I..." Ken seemed to falter for a moment and closed his eyes. "Joe, I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."
"Better we both get hurt than you end up dying," Joe said firmly. Ken sighed, finally relenting.
"Let's go, then." A pause. "...thank you, Joe."
They shook hands, and departed the God Phoenix.