takewing | TRAUMA PROM

Do you think dying along with them would bring them back? Do you think it would make her pay for kidnappin' and killin' all those people?

[his grip tightens, ever so slightly]

If I died, maybe they wouldn't.

[Maybe.]

[But if I die, how will I know for sure that she'll be stopped? Who's going to look for Da? With a low curse in her own language, punches him half-heartedly in the shoulder.]

It might not make her pay, but it would show her that she can't force me to bow to her cruel whims.

[rolling with the punch, barely flinching]

. . . but she can. She already has.

She's already trapped us here, hasn't she?

There's a difference between being trapped and being forced to compromise this.

[thunks her fist, loosely curled, lightly over his heart.]

She'll take it from you, whether you refuse her or not.

[placing his hand over her fist, gripping it just as tightly as he's gripping her shoulder]

We're already at the mercy of her whims. And if you refuse her, she'll kill you, and then you would be left with nothing.

[I would be left with nothing--]

. . . And you, too.

[For all that she doesn't doubt he could live without her, she's seen what he's willing to do for her sake. Heard him call her name as the raptor bore down, saw the blood all over his shirt after he'd killed those men to save her life.]

. . .

[I would kill an entire army if I had to in order to keep you alive. leans forward, thunking his forehead lightly against hers]

. . .

[closes her eyes tightly, the fist over his heart turning white-knuckled]

Fine.

. . .

[drawing her in for a tight, but warm, hug]

I'm sorry.

[wow hugs and apologies, the next thing we know it'll be snowing in Canis]

I do have one condition.

Yeah? What is it?

[not letting go yet]

[good; don't. she's curling her fingers into his shirt to make sure that he stays.]

Let me the one to risk my life.

[. . . that is what he had been afraid of]

[his expression darkens for a moment; it's probably good that she can't see it, but he's already pushed her this far. . .]

[he'll just have to make sure their sacrifice isn't denied]

All right.

[Thanks are probably the last thing he wants to hear right now, so she simply nods.]

As for the sacrifice . . .

Somethin' we know she'll accept.

. . . which means it has to be somethin' important to us.

[She can already feel her control over her anger slipping again. Why should we have to give up what's ours for the sake of what's ours?!

Sucks in a breath, shoulders trembling faintly.]

There's rather a lot that's important to me, and not much that I'm willing to hand over to the likes of her.

Trust me, I feel the same way.

[. . . in fact now that he thinks about it there is very little important to him he would risk sacrificing]

. . . Well. It's my life. If it's to be paid for, it should be by me.

You're already giving up somethin' important to you, Nalea.

[your principles]

Now it's my turn.

This isn't about turns.

It's about not lettin' you do things alone when you're already sufferin'.

[Frowns up at him.]

I don't want you giving something up for my sake.

You know I would give up anythin' to keep you alive.

[and now that he frames it that way, a few things are starting to come to mind]

There are some things I won't allow you to give up.

[Just. Just so we're clear on that.]

. . .

[the hand that's against hers over his heart twitches]

Fire.

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