Too late. He can't quite stop himself from thinking of it and then it's happening. Everything is happening so much.

The memory ends mostly because he doesn't remember what happened afterwards very clearly. He thinks Nikandros showed up, maybe? There's a whole stretch of days he's not entirely sure if he was awake or dreaming for, honestly.

When it ends, Damen isn't quite looking at Laurent, because he's trying his damnest not to think of the next thing he remembers clearly: Laurent sleeping next to him, still covered in his blood.

"If you'd like me to stop endangering myself," he says quietly, "you might try doing the same."