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+---- Thread: [Training] I'll never not (/showthread.php?tid=11382)
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I'll never not - Flora - 05-22-2025
The rhythmic thud-thud-thud of leather against sand filled the quiet stretch of the coast, sharp and staccato, like a heartbeat spiralling out of control. The sun hung heavy overhead, pressing down on the sand and sweat alike, and though the shoreline breeze did its best to offer relief, Flora barely noticed. She wasn’t dressed for this—wasn’t supposed to be here doing this—but her fists had made the decision for her.
Her tank top, tied in a messy knot just beneath her ribs, clung damply to her skin with every swing. It rose and fell with her breathless gasps, catching the breeze as if trying to cool her the same way it had cooled the sea not ten feet away. Her braid had started the morning neat, but now stray curls clung to her temples and neck, plastered in gold and fury. Salt licked her skin: sea-spray, sweat, maybe both.
She wasn’t training. She was exorcising.
Punch. Jack’s voice, calm and calculated, echoing about how she was nothing to him now. Punch. The letter, folded and kept, like a keepsake he kept as a joke. Punch. How he'd told her to go.
She struck the bag again, harder, her gloves thudding into the faded canvas so violently that it swung on its chain and came back for more. She let it. Welcomed it. Every return swing was a new insult hurled, a new memory dragged screaming to the surface. Her breath came in ragged little bursts, caught between sobs and laughter, and there was a wildness in her eyes that dared the sea to look away.
All Flora could feel was the scream curling in her throat, and the ache rising in her arms as she tried to punch it into silence.
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
A familiar, staccato rhythm echoed across the sand as Liam walked along the shore, and he might have been tempted to leave it alone had it not been for the slender blonde figure that appeared in his vision.
The soldier didn't know Flora well, but she didn't seem like her usual self. She was damp with sweat, errant curls from her messy braid clinging to her skin, as she punched a bag as though it had personally wronged her. He'd seen her be playful, and he'd seen her be serious - he'd never seen her angry, and his brow creased with concern as he neared, watching her strike at the bag with a certain wildness in her eyes, listening to the half-laughter, half-sobs that punctuated her sharp jabs.
Liam was dressed for the beach in swim trunks and an unbuttoned shirt that bared his chest to the sun; he padded barefoot until he was near enough to grasp the punching bag, holding it in place as Flora flung herself at it. [say]"If you're trying to hurt the punching bag, you'll need to adjust your stance,"[/say] he instructed quietly. [say]"Feet shoulder-width apart. Hands up to protect your face."[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
She didn’t hear him at first—not really. The rhythmic thump, thump, thump of her gloves against the bag was too loud in her ears, louder even than the ocean behind her or the scream she was still trying to silence in her chest. The world had narrowed to impact and breath and the slick weight of sweat sliding down her temple. She hit the bag like it owed her an apology, like it had said Jack’s name with the wrong tone. Like it was Jack.
It wasn’t until Liam’s voice cut through the noise—low, even, maddeningly calm—that her arms faltered, shoulders jerking just slightly at the sound.
Her braid stuck to the side of her neck, cheeks flushed, freckles darkened by the heat. Slowly, dully, her aqua gaze turned toward him, and whatever brightness usually danced in her expression was gone, siphoned out and left behind somewhere between the sea and the Ark. She blinked once, like trying to clear water from her eyes, and then, wordlessly, she adjusted her stance, spreading her feet shoulder-width as instructed.
But as for her hands—
She gave a breathless, brittle sort of smirk, one corner of her mouth twitching as she glanced back at him. [say]"Why?"[/say] she rasped, voice thick and not even trying to sound put-together. [say]"It’s not gonna hit me back."[/say]
And then, with that same wild ache burning in her chest, Flora turned back and threw another punch. And another. Each one a little too hard, a little too sharp. Like maybe if she hit it enough, she'd finally shake loose whatever the hell had her so close to falling apart.
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
Liam watched as Flora followed his instruction - to a point. The young woman adjusted her feet, but balked at the idea of getting her hands up. Understandable, really - he'd wondered the same thing in his youth, when he'd first started training. [say]"Builds good habits,"[/say] he told her, adjusting to better hold the punching bag. [say]"The bag might not hit back, but a person would. And you want to have muscle memory to protect your head when that happens."[/say] He offered a crooked sort of grin, hoping to bring her out of whatever rage she seemed to be in, even if only a little. [say]"Ask me how I know."[/say]
Flora continued to punch, and Liam continued to brace the bag. One particularly sharp jab earned a quiet, [say]"Good,"[/say] but he otherwise remained quiet. Whatever Flora was working through, she clearly didn't need too much input from him.
After a few more minutes, Liam motioned for her to pause. [say]"How are you with a moving target?"[/say] he asked. He moved away from the bag. [say]"Aim for my hands,"[/say] he said, clapping his palms together before holding them at face height. [say]"Try not to miss."[/say] It might hurt his bare hands, but he could take it - especially if it meant helping Flora to blow off some steam. If she complied, he'd move his hands with each blow - high, near his face; middle, near chest-height; and low, by his hips, always moving, forcing her to concentrate more on the movement and (hopefully) not punching him in the face.
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
Flora’s fist stilled mid-swing, her arm trembling faintly from the force she’d been putting behind it. Her mouth twisted, and for half a second it looked like she might spit out something brash and reckless—maybe I want to get hit—except it was too raw to say out loud, even for her. Too close to being true. Too close to something she couldn’t explain without crying.
But then Liam grinned at her, and gods damn it, she looked at him. Really looked. It wasn’t the usual spark in her eyes that rose to meet him, but something softer—fragile around the edges, a little scraped up. Still, she smirked, the curve of her lips twitching upward even through the sweat and sting of unshed tears. [say]"Ask you how you know, huh?"[/say] she murmured, half a breath away from being charmed despite herself.
When he motioned for her to pause, she straightened slowly, panting and flushed and windblown. Her braid stuck damply to the side of her neck and her tanktop clung to her ribs, tied in a knot just above her navel. Normally, she might’ve teased him about whether or not he was sure, if he knew just how strong she actually was, but today? Fuck it.
So she nodded, brushing her arm across her forehead to push her hair back and blinking the burn from her eyes. With a flex of her fingers inside the gloves, Flora took a breath, shifted her stance again—feet grounded, weight poised—and when he lifted his hands, she threw herself into it.
Each punch snapped out fast and hard, more instinct than technique, driven by a need to do something, to chase the hurt out of her lungs and into motion. She adjusted where he moved—up high, then down low, then middle again—her teeth gritted, eyes sharp, following his cues like her life depended on it.
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
Something loosened in Liam's chest as Flora smirked back at him. It wasn't the playful, mischievous look of the Queen of Torchline, but it was something better than the hopelessness that had plagued her a moment before. Maybe that was still there, but it seemed like perhaps he was starting to work his way through it to draw out the hurt beneath. He recognized the drive to punch - he'd felt it himself, too many times to count, always when he was at his most vulnerable. And it was that vulnerability that tugged at an innate need to protect - even if Flora wasn't in need of his protection.
[say]"I trained with a punching bag for months before I was allowed to spar,"[/say] he told her as she continued to attack the bag. [say]"And when I finally stepped into the ring, I was on my ass in two seconds flat. Didn't have the training to block. My instructor laughed himself hoarse."[/say] Liam made a face. [say]"Practice the way you mean to go on. Otherwise, eventually, you'll have to unlearn bad habits to make room for good ones."[/say]
They shifted, moving away from the bag enough that Liam could prepare for the onslaught of blows to come his way. Flora was faster and stronger than he'd given her credit for, but he ignored the stinging in his palms as he moved, taking each jab without complaint. Every once in a while, she'd land a particularly devastating blow, and he'd grunt with the effort of fending her off, but for the most part, he just continued until they'd established a rhythm: up, middle, down. Up, middle, down. [say]"People underestimate you a lot, don't they?"[/say] he asked. [say]"Don't take this the wrong way, but you're stronger than you look. You pack a hell of a punch."[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
Flora snorted softly, eyes flicking up at him as he told his story between the cadence of their jabs. It was simple, direct, and the kind of honest that people rarely offered her anymore—not since she became someone with a crown on her head and a hundred expectations stitched into her skin. [say]"Sounds like your instructor was kind of an asshole,"[/say] she puffed, breath catching as she snapped a jab toward his shoulder, [say]"but I guess it's lucky for me, you learned the hard way, huh?"[/say]
There was a flicker of something in her expression then, not quite gratitude—Flora was rarely that vulnerable aloud—but something warm. A kind of quiet, cautious appreciation, tucked behind the sharp glint of her eyes.
As for being underestimated? She blew an errant strand of hair from her face with an exaggerated huff, letting the corner of her mouth curl into something smug. [say]"People always think it’s the blonde curls and my choice in outfits,"[/say] she said, twisting her stance to swing another punch. [say]"But I’m not called The Doubletake because of my looks. At least not anymore."[/say]
And maybe it was the heat, or the beat of adrenaline still in her veins, or maybe it was just Liam—steady and solid and clearly capable of holding space—but Flora threw her next punch with too much force. Her balance tipped forward, momentum stealing her grace, and her foot slipped in the sand just enough to ruin her recovery. With a startled laugh—half curse, half breathless wheeze—she tumbled straight into Liam’s chest, her gloved hands catching weakly at his arms to stop from falling further.
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
Liam chuckled, a nostalgic smile on his face. [say]"Yeah, I guess he kind of was. It worked for him, though."[/say] Or at least Liam had learned a lot from him - and at the end of the day, wasn't that what mattered? Maybe it was the soldier in him, but he'd taken his lessons without complaint, and he thought he'd come out the better for it.
Flora huffed at his question, and he considered her answer seriously. Perhaps he'd once been one of those people who would see a pretty face and hear 'Doubletake' and make his own assumptions, but he knew her better now. There was more to Flora than that, and feeling the strength behind her punches only worked to solidify that fact in his mind.
Before he could say anything more, she threw another punch, but there was more weight behind it this time - and she slipped in the sand, tumbling forward. Reacting on instinct, Liam reached out to grab at Flora, wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to keep her upright. When he was certain she had her feet underneath her once more, he released her, moving his hands to her shoulders. [say]"You alright?"[/say] he asked, quirking a brow. [say]"Want more, or need a break?"[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
Caught between Liam’s arms, the press of his bare chest against her slick skin, and the gentle steadiness of his grip on her shoulders, she found herself...still. Not in the usual Flora way, all golden flash and restless motion—but quiet. Present, maybe. Her breath came quick, more from proximity than exertion, and for a moment all she could hear was the distant hush of waves and the heartbeat of blood still drumming in her ears.
Her gaze lifted to his, hair damp where they clung to her cheeks, and she studied the angle of his jaw, the crease of sun-darkened skin around his eyes. Gods, she’d missed being this close to someone—missed contact that wasn’t obligation, missed being held without it costing her something. [say]"More,"[/say] she whispered, voice feather-light between them. The word slipped out before she could decide if she meant the lesson or something else entirely.
Swallowing, one of her gloved hands rested lightly against his stomach, the other hovering like a question. [say]"So,"[/say] she murmured, glancing up at him with a glint of mischief beneath her lashes, [say]"what are you supposed to do when your opponent’s this close?"[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
Liam, in all his oblivious glory, noticed absolutely nothing out of the ordinary in the way Flora stilled, her breath coming quickly. Obviously, she was thinking about his question, about whether it was time for a break or whether she wanted to keep going, and there was nothing more to it than that. Still, when she didn't move away, he looked down at her in surprise, and the mischief in her gaze was as much a relief as it was bemusing.
Cheeks tinged pink (and not entirely from the sun), Liam cleared his throat. [say]"Well,"[/say] he said. [say]"It depends on the situation, but you could go a couple different directions. In a full-out brawl, this would be when someone would probably start grappling, and the fight would go to the ground. Then it's usually a matter of size and skill who wins out. But if you're being attacked, or someone's trying to grab you... then it's more about self-defense. Targeting strategic areas to get away, that sort of thing."[/say]
Grasping her by the arms, he continued. [say]"A knee to the groin is usually fairly effective, although I'd appreciate it if we could skip the practical application of that particular move,"[/say] he suggested with a chuckle. [say]"I'm barefoot, so stomping on my foot - particularly the instep or the toes - can be effective as a distraction. Headbutting my nose, a thumb to the eye, anything that targets sensitive areas."[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
Her brow lifted the moment the words left Liam’s mouth. [say]"Oh, going to the ground, huh?"[/say] Flora echoed, her voice a touch too innocent to be anything of the sort. There was a dangerous sparkle in her eye now, more wildflower than warrior, and the corner of her mouth tugged upward in a sly little grin. [say]"I dunno...If a fight ever goes that way with me, I’m not just banking on size or skill." [/say] She let the implication hang between them like a heatwave, humid and heavy, while her stomach tightened ever so slightly and she shifted forward, leaning into his space with all the lazy confidence of a cat who knew exactly what she was doing.
As Liam's hands curled around her arms, steady and grounding, Flora tilted her chin up. The gloves slid off her fists with a flick, the soft thud of them hitting the sand. [say]"Groin,"[/say] she repeated, brushing her fingers across the air like she was sketching out weak points in his body. [say]"Nose. Eyes."[/say]
Her gaze sharpened, though the smirk remained. [say]"Welllllll since I’m not in the mood to spend the next three days itching sand out of places sand should not be..."[/say] She stepped back, eyes bright, feet sliding into a readied stance. [say]"Why don’t you try and grapple me instead, hm? Let’s see if I can slip out before you get me on my back."[/say] Her grin widened, utterly shameless. [say]"Figuratively, of course."[/say]
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
It took Liam a moment to catch Flora's meaning, and when he did, his cheeks reddened. [say]"I, uh... right, I'm sure there are plenty of ways to, er, catch your opponent off guard,"[/say] he said weakly, feeling as though his control over the situation was rapidly dwindling. Now that Flora didn't seem quite so angry and hopeless, her playfulness was returning, which was great - except now all that mischief was turned squarely on him.
And he wasn't really sure what to do with it.
Fortunately, whether she took pity on him or simply wanted to torment him further, she suggested a new exercise, and Liam grasped onto it with relief - even if her feline grin had him suddenly nervous. Releasing Flora's arms, he took a step back, shifting into a fighting stance: just as he'd instructed Flora earlier, he balanced easily on the balls of his feet, holding his arms up to protect his face. Even if the intent was to grapple with her, she could still target his head, and he still needed to be able to guard against that.
Then, without warning, he lunged forward, reaching with one hand for Flora's dominant arm, intending to block her from striking while he grabbed at her shoulder with the other, hoping to twist her so that her back was against his chest.
RE: I'll never not - Flora - 05-23-2025
Flora didn’t really try to avoid Liam’s grip. She could have, and gods knew she’d danced out of more dangerous holds before—but that wasn’t the point of this exercise. So, as his arm slipped around her, pinning her dominant one and twisting her in close, her body melted against him without resistance, soft and warm and infuriatingly pliant. Her spine aligned with his chest, her braid swaying as she tilted her head just slightly, a smile playing at the corner of her lips even if he couldn’t see it. [say]"Oh no, whatever shall I do?"[/say] she purred, the words barely a breath.
His hold was good. Firm. Strategic. But distraction, as he’d said, was its own kind of weapon. So Flora used it.
She shifted subtly in his arms, just enough for her hips to press back against him with featherlight contact as she lifted her head to brush her cheek against his chin. Meanwhile, her free hand dropped low, slow and precise, gliding down his side until her fingertips ghosted across the waistband of his shorts; he’d said the groin was a valid target, after all, so she let her fingers begin to threaten to slide beneath the material.
RE: I'll never not - Liam - 05-23-2025
Liam reached to grab Flora, knocking her dominant hand aside and twisting her in close. It was easy to pin her against his chest.
Too easy.
For a moment, he was confused. She melted against him, and he tensed, waiting for the inevitable counterstrike, because this was a spar and surely she was gearing up for some kind of retribution -
But it came in a manner that he most certainly did not expect: her hips pressing against him, her cheek ghosting across his chin, her free hand dipping towards the waistband of his shorts. Suddenly flustered, he almost dropped her to back away, especially as he realized that this was a beautiful woman pinned against him, and he hadn't been in quite this position in far too long. But he was a soldier, and if Flora wanted to play dirty, then so could he.
He slid his arm down from across her shoulders, brushing across her breasts to pin her dominant arm more firmly against her side. With one hand now free, he grabbed the hand that skimmed under the waistband of his shorts. His voice was a low rumble as he tugged her hand away, his breath ghosting across the shell of her ear. [say]"Nice try,"[/say] he murmured, tightening his grip. It pressed her closer against him, but he diligently did his best to ignore her supple curves - and mostly succeeded. [say]"But now you're pinned. How are you going to get free now?"[/say]