TIAMAT + DAWON

[soulping]

[At any time when they are not in the hot seat, PARTICIPATING MEMBERS may slip away to their dressing room. It's small and comfortable, with seats for everyone, and water. Otherwise, it's bare.]

[They will not be permitted to stay in the room when they are up on the hot seat.]

Comments

[endsintheocean]

You and Clover.

[carptricks]

[fuck]

[his expression remains even]

. . . I may have to talk to Clover first. She might put up a fight.

[endsintheocean]

[nods]

I'd appreciate it if she didn't.

[carptricks]

[welp. after a nice yelling match with Clover. . . he keeps his even expression, but the forced and wry cheer from earlier is gone]

All right. I think she'll let you do it, though she might be a li'l bit abrasive. Don't. . . hold it against her, okay?

[pulls up a shaky grin, forced and tired and so so SO very done with this shit]

As for me? I'm ready.

[endsintheocean]

She has every right to be abrasive.

[giving a very weak and strained smile]

...Hold out your arm, please.

[carptricks]

This is already hard enough on you guys. Yeah? You're doing your best.

[rolls up his sleeve, his own smile fading back into that careful, purposeful neutrality]

. . . thanks, by the way. For not making a joke about-- y'know. My dad.

[endsintheocean]

[holding up a syringe]

I lost my father too, and so did most of my friends. I wouldn't make light of something like that.

Are you ready?

[carptricks]

I'm sorry.

[it's sincere]

You have my condolences. I'll. . . I dunno. I'll swing by your dorm afterwards with something to eat so we can talk about it, if you wanna.

[an offering of an olive branch; he lauve you, Cats]

I'm ready.

[endsintheocean]

...Yeah, that sounds good. Talking about those things can help, sometimes.

As for now... I'm sorry for this.

[and it's time for the injection! which probably hurts a lot because nyssa etc]

[carptricks]

[deep breath in, deep breath out, and he smiles again. this one is less forced than the one from earlier]

Don't worry about it.

I know what's going on.

[HE TAKES THE SHOT LIKE A PHANTOM THIEF because hey, he's been immunized, he's familiar with how much being pricked by a needle hurts]

[endsintheocean]

[just nods and waits for the magic to happen

and he's getting to relive his worst memory i should have mentioned that probably]

[carptricks]

[WELP, TIME TO RELIEVE THAT MEMORY OF CRY WOLF IN THE JUNGLE, WHERE HIS TEAM WAS A WOLF TEAM AND HE INADVERTENTLY WOUND UP KILLING A TON OF PEOPLE HE REALLY LOVED]

[his eyes lose focus and he lets out a cry and ducks his head, lifting both hands to clutch it while the memory plays. his entire body is shaking, and. . . well. he'll probably be like this for a while]

[endsintheocean]

[sorry bro :(

time for armin to make his exit then]

[carptricks]

[it's cool]

[he experienced it twice already, a third time ain't so bad]