Always With You (Caejose)

Alone (2/7)

....Joseph POV....

I stared at the man in front of me, feeling suddenly dwarfed. My heart ached, that hole in my chest seeming to absorb every ounce of life in me.

I was alone.

For once, entirely alone.

I took a breath as I glanced at Lisa Lisa, fingers brushing over the fabric tied around my head.

No.

I would never be alone.

I took a steadying breath, feeling that energy crackle through my blood.

Caesar had died for nothing.

But I would make sure that I didn't do the same.

My gaze fell on the rocks near the pillar man's chariot.

If I was to have a good chance, I would need as much leverage as I could get.

...

The battle passed in a blur- adrenaline pumping through my blood- matching the hamon with each hard thud.

I was distracted- distracted enough that I was caught off guard- pausing at odd intervals for the attack that would follow mine.

And each time it didn't come-

I was reminded painfully that it would never come.

That I would never see him again.

Never fight with him again.

Ever.

And it hurt. Enough that I realized I was pinned.

Trapped against the wall, my back pressing into the stone. He stepped forwards, eyes narrowing at me.

Face dripping blood, body bruised and broken, hamon at the last of what I had-

I watched as the last thing I had of him burned.

As it fluttered into the air, the bright colors lit with flame.

I watched as my heart shattered.

But it was enough.

He'd always been enough.

I screwed my eyes shut, leaning my head back against the wall as the pillar man exploded into nothing.

There was long silence.

I'd defeated him.

But the cost of defeating him hadn't been worth it. Not nearly.

His life was not worth Caesar's.

(Sorry this is so short... I forgot most of the details because I binged the last bit of this season at like three in the morning.... >_< .... I'll probably rewrite this when I re-watch it to give some more details....)