[Yuan hisses under his breath, and bears down, caught between overpowering Kratos and not exerting so much of his angelic strength as to break him. With one hand he shoves at Kratos's shoulder, pushing back and bracing his own weight in turn as he presses down. He reasons that if the blade is close enough Kratos will still -- they are both too experienced not to know what a wild blade can do -- and he's right.]

[He takes a moment to breathe his own calm in the abrupt still tension of Kratos settling. It wouldn't do to have any hesitation or catches in his movements.]

[And then Yuan reaches, and sets the blade-edge to Kratos's cheek, scraping gently as he drags it down, rasping across the stubble.]

Easy.

[Kratos is so tense he might well be forged of iron. It's wrong, Yuan being the steady one.]