Let's (watch you) Fight!

Ian
[Who is winning this match? Ian's Dex+Brawl]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 3, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9) ( success x 4 )

Ian
[Jae-shin's Dex+Brawl]

Dice: 8 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10) ( success x 7 ) Re-rolls: 2

Ian
The air was a bit chilly that evening, but Ian scarcely noticed it. His pulse beat a quickened rhythm through he veins as he and Jae-shin sparred, dancing around each other in the grass. Both were barefoot and shirtless, their skin flushed and slightly sweaty from activity. It'd been a long hour of this: no words, just two bodies in motion. Elegant and lethal all at once.

For a while, Ian held his own against the Akashic. And that was victory enough, really. There'd been a time when Jae-shin would have grounded him within seconds. Now anyone looking on would think them evenly matched.

But there was always a point when Jae-shin stopped fighting like a teacher. At least, when he was with Ian. It happened when Ian swung a kick that landed a little too hard on his side (there'd be a bruise there the next day,) and Jae-shin caught Ian's leg and flipped him onto the ground. Ian landed hard, and the breath shot from his lungs. He could feel the grass and the dirt scraping against his unprotected skin, and he tried to roll out of the way, but Jae-shin was on him too quickly, pinning his arms behind his back. Ian gave a hard, frustrated wrench, but it only served to jar his shoulders.

Finally, he laughed, and dropped his head to the ground. "Fuck you."

Ian
[Edit: through his veins]

Elijah
Elijah Poirot was not a martial creature. He was not a terribly physically adept creature beyond- well- we don't talk about one's prowess in polite company and Elijah, bless him, could round to being polite company on most days. He could have been any number of things. He broke a guy's nose once, but he'd been panicking at there was magic involved and everything hurt and the other man had put him on the ground within a matter of seconds afterward because that's what orderlies do sometimes when a patient is a danger to himself or others.

He wasn't a martial creature, but it didn't mean that he wasn't fascinated by the physical, that he wasn't enthralled by movement and the various things it could communicate.

His mind wasn't on girls or his current screw ups, it was on his own breathing, and breathing, as he had learned, was an incredibly important and complex thing. He inhaled deep and felt his lungs expand, exhaled just as deep and felt composure leave him. And there were sounds. Sounds of something interesting and Elijah, darling Elijah, was content to follow the sounds with that wide eyed curiosity that seemed to suit him so well.

There were familiar figures, and perhaps he shouldn't have been watching like he was entranced, like this was just as remarkable as dancing or as music or any other art form, but this was physical and this was astounding and Elijah was finally in speaking distance and-

"Holy shit, you guys, do it again," in awe. Because that suited him.

Ian
Anyone who knew Ian knew that he was not a creature prone to submission. Even now, pinned to the ground with Jae-shin perched atop him, he did not truly surrender. His muscles tensed, and his eyes sparked defiantly. He was angry (not at Jae-shin, but at himself for losing.) But he was also more alive than many people were used to seeing him. The competitive aggression that lay between them was laced with friendly familiarity, and for a moment when Ian craned his head back to look at Jae-shin, the air around them seemed to spark.

Did Jae-shin like having Ian pinned beneath him? Maybe a little. Ian swore, and Jae-shin broke his steely composure for a moment, grinning down at him. He leaned in and whispered, "Next time, be faster."

Elijah came upon this scene, and maybe if he had not Ian would have done something other than roll his eyes. But there was no use in wondering about what-ifs. Do it again, Elijah said, and Jae-shin laughed. He released his hold on Ian's arms and stood up.

"Maybe another day. I don't want to be too hard on him."

Ian shot Jae-shin a withering look as he rolled over and got to his feet.

Elijah
Ian never seemed like the surrendering type. it was admirable, beyond that it was entrancing, enthralling, that force of will being strong and intense and intent Even now, pinned, he wasn't the type to just give in, even if it was just for sparring. There was a sort of chemistry between the two of them- Jae-shin and Ian. Something that was alive and alight and that was worth watching. Intrigued wasn't the correct word, but it did have the same tone as how Elijah had watched.

"So," he starts, "supposing someone was completely and utterly and one hundred percentedly clueless regarding whatever you guys just did… how do you go from clueless to amazing?"

A beat.

"Basically that was the coolest thing I've been witness to all week, you two are fucking lethal poetry."

Ian
"Do you want a real answer to that?" Jae-shin seemed amused by Elijah's question. "It takes a lot of time and commitment."

For all his flaws, focus and commitment were not things that Ian lacked. (One would imagine a dancer wouldn't get far without them.) And he'd come rather an impressive distance in his training since arriving in Denver. Elijah though? Ian eyed him skeptically.

"Thanks. I think." (The compliment was rather a mixed blessing, considering he'd lost the fight.) After a moment he said, "I can show you a few things, if you want."

Elijah
Elijah? Was not a creature of focus and commitment. Elijah could not commit to much of anything, and that much he knew.

"Hmn," he responds, "time and commitment?" it was strange, because he knew he wasn't a committing creature. He knew he wasn't a focused creature, or really even a dedicated creature, but that? That seemed cool, and not only that but it seemed useful. Elijah had a number of knowledges and talents, but something that involved defending himself? Well, maybe that was something that he really should have devoted more time to.

Ian said he could show him some things, if he wanted.

"Of course I wanna see some things, the fact that you guys made things look easy is, oddly enough, testament to how incredibly freaking difficult it must be."

Grace
[Dex + Stealth (Arcane 2) = How well can Grace sneak up on people?]

Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (5, 5, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 3 )

Grace
Oh, why is Grace here? At the park in the evening of all places?

Someone's being followed. Someone is the mayor of a 7/11 and an all-night pho place on Foursquare. It's amazing how easy someone is to track in the days of social media and geotagging, and that's all Grace needed, really. She didn't even have to utilize the special shit -- an app specially designed to trace Elijah.

He can opt out at any time. But he has yet to disagree with her argument that while the Techs are sending him nastygrams, it would be nice to be able to know where he's been kidnapped to.

Consequences suck. Like being ambushed in the park while you're just trying to forget about things and learn some martial arts skills.

"Oh, this should be fun. And a little hilarious. Can I take the video? We can turn it into a GIF and make him falling on his butt his cell phone start screen," Grace says, seeming to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Ian
[Per+Alertness -2 for Arcane, -2 diff for acute senses]

Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (2, 2, 5, 9) ( success x 2 )

Ian
[curse you arcane!]

Elijah
[Do I notice a grace? Per+alert, -2]

Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (3, 3, 4, 6) ( success x 1 )

Ian
They were on a stretch of open grass framed by two rows of trees. In the distance, if the light were up, you'd just be able to make out the lake. But it was late, and the sun had long-since disappeared. Jae-shin walked over to where they'd left their bags. He pulled a towel out of his and used it to dry the sweat on the back of his neck.

"He's all yours," he said to Ian. "I have to be up early tomorrow." Ian shot him a lingering glance.

"Sorry about that kick."

Jae-shin just shook his head, as though to imply that it wasn't a matter of any importance. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll let you know if rehearsal runs late."

Jae-shin was already on his way to his car by the time Grace appeared (suddenly and out of nowhere.) Ian looked at her a little sharply, less out of anger than surprise. He wasn't an easy person to sneak up on.

"Apparently we have an audience." Ian fixed Elijah with an appraising gaze. "Alright. Let's see what you can do." Ian stepped closer to Elijah and balanced himself lightly on his feet. "Try to hit me."

Elijah
[OMG I'm supposed to do what? Dex+brawl]

Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (4, 6, 7) ( success x 2 )

Ian
[Dex+Athletics (evasion)]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 1, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8) ( success x 5 )

Elijah
He raised a hand to say goodbye without saying it. He couldn't help but want to watch Jae-Shin go. And there was a lingering glance, something quiet and understated and something like a tiny grin lingered on his face and it was nice for Elijah to be less… well… mopey. He was decidedly less mopey. Or perhaps it was just the joys of watching a handsome man depart. He was too young to be a lech, but certainly one was never too old to appreciate art in motion.

Poetry aside, he turned his attention back to Ian only to hear Grace and-

He jumped. He jumped thought he heard something but couldn't quite place Grace at first. Once he does, he grinned and shrugged, "there is footage of me doing much more stupid things on the internet, let's do this."

He took a stance, something that wasn't quite build for fighting, but was balanced enough and poised enough and could mirror well enough and… well… he took a swing at Ian. And missed. Completely. It would have been a decent enough hit, but at that juncture he didn't have the element of surprise and all he got was a good solid swing at the air. Elijah blinked, clearly surprised.

"I think trying is the operative word here," he said.

Grace
Grace knows. She's had time enough to get used to the fact that if she ever wants service at a restaurant, she's got to employ liberal use of attention-grabbing antics or else it's likely the waitstaff will forget she exists. She's seen the look of wary shock on people's faces before -- how she tends to have that element of surprise.

It's why she announces herself.

She shoots a grin at Elijah, holds up her cell phone. If only she had a folding chair and some popcorn...

"Remember! Float like a bee! Sting like a butterfly!"

Ian
[Wait were you just checking out my Akashic friend? Alertness!]

Dice: 6 d10 TN4 (2, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9) ( success x 5 )

Ian
It wasn't really all that surprising that Elijah might find Jae-shin attractive. And Ian, well. He chose not to comment on the manner in which Elijah's eyes trailed over the Jae-shin's body. Grace made good on her threat and pulled out her cell phone, and Ian tossed an amused smirk in her direction. "It's the other way around."

That was when Elijah went for the hit. And actually, it wasn't a terrible attempt. Not especially impressive, but the aim was good. If Ian had remained still, the punch would have landed on his shoulder. But of course, Ian didn't stay still. He ducked out of the way in a swift, fluid motion. The way he did it, it almost looked like dancing.

"Alright." He approached Elijah and stood just to the side, settling his body into an attack stance. "Pay attention to your core. The attack is going to come from here." Ian touched his abdomen, indicating the muscles there. "Where you place your feet is important to your balance and momentum. The motion is in your whole body, not just your arm."

And then Ian illustrated by throwing a slow punch, giving Elijah a chance to watch the way his body moved. When he was done, he turned to face Elijah again.

"Try one more time."

Elijah
[try again?]

Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (5, 8, 9) ( success x 3 ) [WP]

Ian
[Evade?]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 3 )

Elijah
Heavens, oh heavens, he was actually paying attention. Not that Elijah wasn't capable of paying attention, but he was a young man who was accustomed to the bar being set very… very low in terms of what peoples expectations of him were and what the expectation was of him to be. There wasn't usually a bar to measure himself against, which was at once liberating and incredibly… incredibly frustrating. But, at that juncture, it didn't matter. The past didn't matter and it wasn't anything other than just a reflection of something that was now.

Everything was now and everywhere was here and people weren't pieces of themselves, but rather a whole being.

So, he nodded, as though the fact that his motion being with his whole body made sense. Elijah nodded, pursed his lips and kept his attention on Ian instead of keeping his imagination from wandering over physicsl touch and memory like some overeager puppy. He paid attention, nodded, and was ready to try again.

This time, it was a little better, or at the very least Elijah was more cognizant of his body. How it moved, how every piece worked together and how it wasn't just a motion of the arm but a transfer of motion and force from one's core to the rest of their body to the outside world. He took his swing, and this time, he tried. He tried and while he still didn't connect, it was… it was a feeling he could place a little better.

Grace
Grace should not be throwing stones inside her glass house over here. Elijah would stand a good chance of kicking her ass. Still, she giggles into her phone as she watches and records all of her friend's misses for posterity.

She's also listening to Ian, absorbing some of the wisdom of fighting, even if she's not participating herself.

"Butterflies sting like crazy, Ian, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Ian
In Elijah's defense, Ian was a difficult target to hit. But that time? He almost did. And that was impressive enough in its own right. A punch was thrown, and Ian felt the rush of air brush his chest as he pulled back, pivoting on his heel. "That was better." He slid his tongue over one of his canines and grinned. "My turn."

In the interest of fairness, Ian gave Elijah a moment to digest the fact that he was about to have a punch thrown at him. Then he stepped forward and struck with his fist.

[Dex+Brawl]

Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 3, 7, 8, 10) ( success x 3 )

Elijah
[Oh fuck, evade! Evade!]

Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (6, 6, 7) ( success x 3 )

Ian
[go Elijah!]

Elijah
He had a moment. Okay. Okay. Ian was going to throw a punch at him?

When was the last time that Elijah had someone throw a punch at him? It had been at least two years, and he hadn't been sure what he was doing and there had been someone there to pull them apart and Elijah was not a scrappy person, but he was six feet tall and people tended to assume he was much better at things than he actually was because he could fake enough competence to make himself seem like the type of person that could hold his own in a fight but frankly? The fact that Ian warned him that it was his turn to retaliate was the only thing that kept Elijah from saying ohjesusnotintheface. He had time to prepare.

So, he moved. the wake of the blow just barely being felt and he turned just right and he was focused and at the right time he did get out of the way, and it was, quite literally, the very best that he could have done at that juncture.

And he was proud of himself.

Just a little.

Grace
Both of them are stinging like butterflies tonight, it seems. Which is admittedly a little nice. Grace doesn't have to take Elijah back 'home' and make sure he gets a bag of frozen peas at least.

"Hey! Not bad, Elijah! He was really going at it too!"

That should make you feel better, dude. Confirmation that Ian wasn't pulling that punch for the newbie at all.

Ian
Ian probably could have put more effort into the strike, but he certainly hadn't been playing it easy for Elijah's sake. To be fair, if the punch had hit its mark, Ian would have stopped there. One doesn't throw real punches during a sparring match (else he and Jae-shin would be walking around with broken ribs and bloodied noses.) Especially not while sparring with someone you've slept with.

Ian didn't want to hurt Elijah, and he certainly wasn't trying to.

But that wasn't the reason why his strike missed its mark. Elijah could be quick when he wanted to be, and Ian pulled back when his fist hit the air, his expression subtly surprised. He nodded with approval, as though to say: alright, you aren't as terrible at this as I thought you'd be.

"That was pretty good." He relaxed his stance into something more casual, glancing at Grace and the cell phone camera she had pointed at them. "Honestly, if you want to be able to handle yourself in a fight, the best advice I can give is to just get used to getting hit. It's not fun, but it'll help when it matters. Most people, when they get hit, they kind of go into shock. And then you can't think clearly. It's just fight or flight. You need to be able to push through that and keep your head."

After a beat, he stepped away, moving to where he'd left his bag in the grass. "You'll need to find someone else for that though."

Elijah
"I wanna do this again," he admits, though there is no real need to admit much of anything. He has delight on his features. There was something physical to do. Something that he could focus and funnel his energies into and something he could pour his whatevers into.

but if he was going to get any better at this, he was just going to have to get used to taking a hit. Beyond that, he was going to have to get used to keeping his head together, and that? That was something that he could get behind. That could be something that he would benefit

"You're a pretty damn good teacher, I can't take credit."

A beat, "hey, Grace, wanna go to have pho?"

Elijah
"Ian?"

Grace
She ends the video recording with a few stabs of her fingers. And, she's a little sad Elijah didn't end up taking a spill that she could use for teasing purposes, but eh.

"Yes. Yes let's. I want some of that coffee with the condensed milk. And maybe an avocado smoothie. Does your all-night place make them with real avocado?" Grace says, still not looking up from her phone screen. But she does walk toward the two others, contented smile on her face.

"You did good, Elijah. You know I just like to give you shit because I like you, right?"

Ian
"Nah, I need to get home. You guys have fun though." Ian pulled a t-shirt out of his gym bag and slid it over his arms and torso. He pulled his shoes on a bit lazily, leaving the laces tied so he had to stretch them open to get his feet in. When he was done, he hoisted the bag onto one shoulder.

"Later," he offered to Grace and Elijah. Then he walked off toward the parking lot.