( instinct pushes him to dodge the attack. of course, it does; nobody wants to get cut. not even him.
but the thing about instinct is that it can bite you on the ass as often as it saves you. at the last second, he decides to block instead — the blade catches him across his arm, sliding deep and parting the flesh and fabric.
pallas' voice in his ear, all silk and slow poison. the disapproval of a parent watching their child embarrassing themselves in public. it doesn't matter that she's not here, that she can't possibly be here; he feels the burn of shame at the back of his neck.
there are a few blissful seconds before the pain hits. it burns like a bitch. sharp and vicious, just like her.
hovertext for convenience
but the thing about instinct is that it can bite you on the ass as often as it saves you. at the last second, he decides to block instead — the blade catches him across his arm, sliding deep and parting the flesh and fabric.
d̶̡̲̗̼̮̤̤̳̲͖͓͍͔͓̓̎̽́̽̏̐͂̆͆͘͘͘i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅs̴̹̀̎̇͗̍͗̾̋̏̈͐͒̕͠͠ͅǎ̴̯̀͠p̴̩͙̺̩͓̣͈͖̎ͅp̴̩͙̺̩͓̣͈͖̎ͅŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝ǧ̷̡̟̲̹̩̱͉̮̭͇͚̮̖̟̽̓͊̔̓̕.
pallas' voice in his ear, all silk and slow poison. the disapproval of a parent watching their child embarrassing themselves in public. it doesn't matter that she's not here, that she can't possibly be here; he feels the burn of shame at the back of his neck.
there are a few blissful seconds before the pain hits. it burns like a bitch. sharp and vicious, just like her.
except that it continues burning. )
Fuck.