The room was barely illuminated by the dim evening light that filtered through the window panes and a smaller source of light that glowed faintly between the two figures crouching on the ground at the foot of the bed.

"Why do you keep doing this for me?"

Kyoko looked up questioningly from the black marble that she was delicately holding close to the sea blue jewel that laid in the palm of the other girl's hand. A small dark cloud escaped from the sapphire, which thus returned to shine with an intense blue light, reflecting itself on the faces of the two girls.

"I'm not fit to be a magical girl." Sayaka went on, her blank gaze still fixed on her gemstone, her shoulders hunched against the bed. "All I do is take and never give anything in return. I deserve nothing. You should stop wasting your resources on a lost cause like me. It's just postponing something inevitable, it's not worth it."

"Better late than soon. We'll all die sooner or later."

The blunette let the soul gem resume the appearance of a ring, to gloomily tighten her knees to her chest, on which she then rested her chin disconsolately. "But say in the long run you find yourself without grief seeds. You could go on living if you hadn't already wasted them all on me, and by then maybe I'll be gone already, or I'd be going soon anyway. You should just let me go."

Kyoko tilted her head to the side, seriously studying her expressionless face. "You think I don't take that into account?"

"You said you'd never risk your life again for a fool who can't even look after herself."

The redhead looked away, sighing bitterly. "Why you always gotta listen to every single bullshit I say?" She reached out to her, propping herself up on the ground with one hand, while she brought the other to cup the other girl's cheek and leaned her forehead against Sayaka's. "Course I'd do it again, stupid."

A tear ran down Sayaka's other cheek, who let go of her legs to cling to the other's shoulders, sinking her face into the hollow of her neck.

"I'm sorry..."

Kyoko returned the hug in silence, letting the girl let off steam by sobbing on her shoulder. They stayed like that in the thickening darkness for a few minutes before Sayaka felt ready to let go.

"...Better?"

"Mhm... Thanks." She brought the back of one hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. "But it won't have to come to that ever again. I'll try harder, if not for my sake, then at least for yours, I promise."

The redhead half-smiled resignedly. "Well, that'd be an improvement..."

Sayaka looked into her eyes, smiling faintly, and Kyoko suddenly felt uncomfortable. She looked around, unsure what to do before standing up and offering her hand.

"C'mon, let's go grab something to eat now."

The blunette nodded and accepted the outstretched hand.