In hindsight, it had been a bad idea. It was far too soon after Mitchell had pulled up all sorts of raw emotions about Daisy and how over her he still wasn't. And though his feelings for Ilde were growing deeper and more complicated all the time, communication still wasn't their long suit. But the idea hadn't put him off, and she'd wanted to try, and now...

Now her hand is around his throat, and his lungs are full of water. He isn't choking because Ivan only breathes for show - sometimes he forgets to pretend - but his body isn't made for water and it burns.

He tries to roll them so that when he pushes her off, it's up and away - he trusts his size and strength enough that he'd rather that than breaking her arm.