Some parts of battle, Popp misses - the satisfaction of doing something he's trained to do, the relief of keeping people safe, having a very straightforward problem to solve as quickly as possible with the support of friends. What he doesn't miss is the sinking, sick jolt of horrified realization when solving a problem doesn't work out as cleanly as he imagined. He's not calm enough to think of another way out of this - he's shaking as he clings to Avan, eyes wide, trying not to think about the last time an Avan took a blow for him. Popp screams when he talks fairly often, but there's a rawer edge to his voice than there is when it's about a frog in the washbasin.

"I know I could! That's why I didn't want you to get hit! But you still...!"

This isn't exactly history repeating itself, this is... just how Avan is, at his heart. A hero.