[ Isn't it great that they've put two of the angriest people in a tiny space? Severa hasn't ceased with her attempts to break the glass herself. The sight of red only seems to push her further into frenzy despite the nagging pain from her bloodied knuckles. ]

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

[It's hard for Brady to admit, to accept, but he's a healer for reasons other than being too physically frail to carve a path to victory on the battlefield — it's natural for him to put others first. So it isn't all that surprising that it's someone else's pain, rather than his own, that succeeds in pulling Brady out of the mire of his anger and fear. Gives him something to focus on, channel his energies into.]

Severa, cut it out! You're gonna break yer hands like that!

[He tries to drag her away from the glass, hands on her upper arms.]

I know that!

[ Still, she refuses to struggle against him out of consideration of just how much damage she may inflict against said frailness. He's fragile physically, so she treats him that way as her hands slump to her sides in a bout of defeat. ]

If I could just hit at it a little more-!!

[This is usually the point where his hands would drop back to his sides, but somehow, that strikes him as a bad idea. Maybe it's because he thinks Severa might start hitting the glass again if he moves away, maybe he just wants the contact to linger because it reaffirms her continued existence.]

It ain't gonna do any good. [Grim resignation. His grip loosens, but remains.] I bet even if ya were Gregor, you couldn't make a dent.

[No, that would be too easy. You don't try to force people to make sadistic choices without first removing the possibility of escape through other means.]

Is that all? [ Her body grows rigid in his hold as she pulls back towards the glass. ] I just have to be strong than him then. Think I can do it?

[ But the grim reality of the situation begins to seep through her defenses as she stops mid-step. ]

Could make a dent if I wanted to, but you're just going to fret at me so I may as well stop.

[He studies her from behind for a long moment, then hesitantly releases her.]

Yeah, that's right. I'll fuss yer ear off until you go deaf. [...] Lemme see yer hands.

[He doesn't have his staff, so he's even more useless than usual (not that it would matter either way), but he still wants to see and assess the damage. Needs to see. It's the healer in him.]

You want to get decked too?

[ Despite the threat, she's stubbornly shoving both of her arms out straight for him to look them over. Nothing's broken other than the skin, but she did give it a good few whacks. ]

I can't get us out. [ If he's ever been present for one of her dramatic stunts, that's the most warning he's going to get. ] I'm not perfect like my mother--bet you she would have already gotten you out of this mess and probably patched up my hands all at the same time! If I could only be as good as her, then you wouldn't have to look at me with that stupid face of yours!

[The threat goes in one ear and out the other He carefully examines her hands, his touch light and gentle, until he can confirm that she's only broken skin.]

Aw, horse apples. [The insecurity that seethes behind her temper isn't too different from his own. If he was only stronger, faster, better, he could actually protect others for a change. Instead he just drags them down and can only support them from afar.] It ain't your fault, Severa, so don't start with that.

[He glares at the frosted glass again.]

I don't think your ma could get us out, anyway. I mean, the scum that's behind all this.....think about it. Considerin' what they want us to do, they wouldn't stick us somewhere that would fold like a buncha paper if you whacked it hard enough.

[ Severa's fully convinced that her mother would find a way out. Whether it's by tricking the person behind this with an offer or finding a way to break the glass with the knife. Her gaze rests on those items on the floor other than on Brady himself. ]

Bet you she could. [ Her grumpiness remains as she sticks out her lower lip a bit. ] Anyone else could, but gods! What were they thinking putting me in here with you?!

[Not quite sure what to make of those words, he turns to her with an arched eyebrow and the usual scowl firmly in place.]

Whaddya mean by that? [The most obvious possibility (in his mind, that is) suddenly occurs to him.] ....I already know I'm useless, ya don't gotta rub it in.

Gods, don't start with that when I'm already this upset!

[ She's almost as much of a crybaby as he normally is by now. ] It's because of what I told you earlier! I'm embarrassed that now you have to think about that sort of thing instead of just killing some stranger.

[Ah, well. That draws him up short, the cranky expression faltering. He does, of course, immediately understand what she's referring to. The promise to not leave her all alone has been weighing on his mind since the grim reality of this change in fortune was revealed to them.]

Hey, don't be stupid. I'd think about it even if we weren't stuck together. [It seems wiser to not remind Severa that "just killing some stranger" wouldn't even work according to the rules.] 'Cause see, I meant what I said, so I ain't gonna pull some "just kidding" malarkey and forget about it.

Brady and Severa have agreed that Severa will be the one chosen to die. They're offering the wedding rings of their respective (deeeeeeead) mothers in exchange for Severa being spared.

DIFFICULTY RATING:

9 for Brady
10 for Severa

Hmm . . . I'm afraid that you've been outbid. You have ten minutes, or I'll take matters into my own hands.

[You have ten minutes to decide how to die and to put that plan into action! When that time runs out, water will begin to trickle in the room from the floor, faster and faster and faster—after ten more minutes, the room will be completely flooded. The person chosen to survive will instinctively know that they won't have any trouble breathing.

Once the person slated to die is dead, their body will vanish, and the water will recede. With a sickening lurch, the survivor will find themselves back in the garden, with the corpse of their partner nearby.]

((Here))

[Good thing the two of them had already discussed their options in case of failure.

Brady snarls at her, loud and angry to hide the icy fear coursing through his body with every breath.]

Sod off! We'll handle this ourselves, ya hear?! So make like the seat of my pants and split!

[But even so, he doesn't rush over to the knife. He doesn't even look at it. His mind is dominated by only a single thing: She's going to die because of me.]

[ It wasn't good enough. Their offered mementos of parents long gone mattered little to this woman and if she couldn't find the value in rings herself, then that meant her life was just as meaningless. ]

So that's it, is it?

[His hands curl into white-knuckled fists, but the roiling ocean of shame and dread in the pit of his stomach is leeching all his strength away.

Brady hangs his head. He feels sick.]

Severa....

You heard her. [ Even if he didn't, Severa was going to remind him of what was said anyway. ] Ten minutes. How long will it take for me to die by the method you told me earlier?

Well?

I don't have all day so spit it out!

[Teeth find his lower lip and bite down almost hard enough to break skin.]

Gods, I don't— [But she was right. They only had ten minutes.] Five, maybe six minutes at most.

[A pained, supremely bitter afterthought:]

You'd pass out in three.

[ That's all she needs to hear. Already she's come to the painful decision that she should hit him really hard until he passes out. Forcing him to have to watch her bleed out is cruel, but what if she fails at her task of doing it on her own? ]

All right, you need to tell me what to do and make it quick. I only have four minutes.

[ Somehow she manages to keep her composure in saying that despite what she's asking him. ]

[Unaware of her plan, he rubs at his eyes. They've filled with tears again and for this, it's crucial that his vision remains clear.]

I gotta....I gotta touch yer neck, to show ya where...where to— [He can't say it.

He reaches out slowly, trying to give Severa a moment to prepare herself without wasting too much of what little time remains.]

[ Her body stiffens before his fingers ever reach her. ]

Yeah, are you going to show me or are you going to stand there frozen in place? [ The usual agitation in her voice has simmered down a bit as if the fire of her life has already started to leave her. ] Please.

[ Now that's a huge warning sign that something is off. ]

[A flinch. Severa never said please. She was too fiery and bold for that.]

All right, all right! [An undignified sniff, then Brady carefully presses two fingers against the spot where Severa's pulse beats in her neck.] Here, feel that? That's where you need to cut. Do it...do it properly and you'll be out like a light in no time.

[He takes his hand back as if scalded and stares at the floor, disgusted with himself beyond words.]

[ It was too brief. He's quick to draw his hand back away from her and instead of thinking the usual self-deprecation thoughts that came with her wrecked self-esteem, Severa falls back on the thought that this is the last time anyone will ever touch her.

The last time she'll ever feel another human being.

(Provided she didn't return with the Risen and become an enemy of humankind next.)

Swallowing hard as she holds her own fingers there in hopes of replaying the moment in her mind, she's tempted to romanticize it in her mind. It'll be all right, wouldn't it? ]

Argh. [ The distressed noise is directed towards herself instead of him. If she did that to him right now, she'd be no better than her mother who always fought for a dream she never could have. Why would she inflict the same to someone brave enough to tell her what she asks? ] Is this really how fast my heart is beating?

Guess I need to speed it up a bit.