[ it's the kind of move bro would pull, if he'd ever managed to knock bro off his feet. that's what dave thinks as it happens, and he's always been paranoid of the next trap, conditioned to expect everything to be yet another giddamned test he won't understand or ever even pass.
but he was also just laughing seconds ago and it's more relaxed than he usually gets with a blade in his hand. his balance goes unsteady and he has to hit the ground with his shoulder, tucking the blade out of the way - more worried about avoiding john than avoiding cutting himself - before he comes back up on his feet in one motion. it's a trained response more than anything else; as long as you can still move, your first priority is getting back on your feet.
second priority is a lightening fast mental summation of whether or not you're injured and third is to try for a disarm, again. assuming john doesn't do something in the span of seconds where dave does hit the ground, anyway ]
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but he was also just laughing seconds ago and it's more relaxed than he usually gets with a blade in his hand. his balance goes unsteady and he has to hit the ground with his shoulder, tucking the blade out of the way - more worried about avoiding john than avoiding cutting himself - before he comes back up on his feet in one motion. it's a trained response more than anything else; as long as you can still move, your first priority is getting back on your feet.
second priority is a lightening fast mental summation of whether or not you're injured and third is to try for a disarm, again. assuming john doesn't do something in the span of seconds where dave does hit the ground, anyway ]