[Not every human is like that, Atem wants to say. Some of them are good. Some of them don't deserve what happens to them here.

But the words stick in his throat.

He can't think like that. Individual humans can't matter to him, or they all will, and he'll make the kinds of mistakes that led them to needing to turn to the Fog for power.

So, instead, he just gathers more of Ryou into his lap, into his too-long arms with their too-big hands, and backs away from the still-impassible wall, the unsolvable problem, the understanding he has to look away from that is, this place has done terrible things to us both, but this is what we need to be, to live long enough to get out.

He's got to think about something else. He can't get stuck in the grief of it, or he'll get nothing done.

So....he just holds Ryou closer, and does his best to forget that he has no idea how all of this will end.]

I'm glad...that we talked. Just because it's eaiser for me to take control, and for you to throw yourself into danger for others, doesn't mean it's what's best...we'll both try to act knowing that we do that when things get difficult, and maybe, we won't end up in a place like this again.