[The sting of the slap barely registers, drowned out by the pain of trying to remember and a strange, familiar shame. He asked Mlynar to hurt him, to humiliate him, and all it's done is waste more time. Mlynar won't blame him out loud if they're recaptured, probably, but that won't make it any less Ademnet's fault. If he can't pull himself together--
I can't do this. Not again.
He doesn't remember what he's so afraid of. Somehow, that makes it worse. The dam opens in Ademnet's eyes, and he wipes away far more than three drops, shaking them off of his fingers and into the cup.]
There. [His voice is husky but stubborn.] Told you I got it.
[Still blinking back tears, he sets the cup down on the plinth.]
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I can't do this. Not again.
He doesn't remember what he's so afraid of. Somehow, that makes it worse. The dam opens in Ademnet's eyes, and he wipes away far more than three drops, shaking them off of his fingers and into the cup.]
There. [His voice is husky but stubborn.] Told you I got it.
[Still blinking back tears, he sets the cup down on the plinth.]