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+---- Thread: [Training] all I ever desired is here with me (/showthread.php?tid=11750)
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all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
The training grounds were quiet. Fall leaves littered the ground, creating pops of color on an otherwise bare field; a gentle breeze sent more spiraling through the air, a pretty distraction. But not, perhaps, as lovely as the woman by Liam’s side.
The soldier watched her openly, admiringly, though he knew that in a moment he’d need to prepare for their spar. It had been his idea: training, because why not? There was absolutely no other reason for this. None at all. Except for a secret quest on Maea’s behalf, and a task to keep her warm through non-traditional means. And while Liam could now think of a variety of ways to do just that, in the end, he’d settled on this.
The breeze stirred a lock of Liam’s hair, and he reached up to tie it back out of his face. He wore comfortable training clothes in dark hues that highlighted the lingering tan on his skin, and his Oakblade was sheathed at his hip. [say]”Anything in particular you want to work on?”[/say] he asked, finally tearing his gaze from her face as he stretched out his neck and shoulders. He hadn’t planned anything special - just something to get her moving, and to test his skills.
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
The wind played with the silken tresses of Maea's hair, tugging wisps out of the loose braid to fall softly around her face. There was a nip in the air, like a premonition of the colder season yet to come. The mornings grew hazy with mist that left glittering dew in the grass, and though there hadn't been any real frost to speak of yet, her breath fogged as she worked the night's stiffness out of her joints. A smile tugged on the coroners of her mouth. She felt Liam's lingering gaze on her like a near physical thing. Though sorely tempted to let herself be distracted by it, she liked training too, and wanted to be able to actually do things in his presence without bedroom activities getting in the way.
Having chosen the velvet dress for the day, the ancient woman looked up and nodded. The cooler temperatures were making her body feel sluggish, and she looked forward to getting started, if only to keep from freezing in her single layer of cloth.
[say]"I'd like to practice unarmed, if that's alright with you,"[/say] she replied. [say]"At least for a round or two - it's partly what I need to finish my armor."[/say] Her visit to the shrine during their time in the Climb had been fruitful, and this particular task was easy enough to complete. She knew Liam must be looking forward to acquaint himself with his new blade, and she'd be happy to assist - but perhaps he wouldn't mind getting properly warmed up with a bit of sparring first.
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
The velvet dress was a favorite, it was true, but despite how much Liam might enjoy peeling it off of her, there was more to life that he wanted to experience alongside her. Training was something that had always brought him joy, and being able to share it with his lover was something to be celebrated. So however reluctantly he tore his gaze away, it wasn’t with any real disappointment.
Liam nodded. [say]”Unarmed it is,”[/say] he agreed, removing his Oakblade from his belt and setting it near the edge of the clearing, where it would be out of the way. He was more than happy to contribute to anything that kept Maea safer, and if finishing her armor was the goal for the day, it was one he could wholeheartedly support. [say]”We can get started whenever you’re ready,”[/say] he added, preparing himself for whatever attack was sure to come, taking up a fighting stance, balancing easily, and raising his arms to protect his face.
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
[say]"Thank you,"[/say] she replied with a look of warm affection. Twisting her torso left and right to check her mobility one final time while he put his sword aside, the petite woman approached Liam with a light smile playing on her lips, hands down and looking entirely relaxed - like she was just approaching him for a bit of closeness.
Without any real warning, her stance shifted once she came within reach. Shifting her balance over on one leg she pivoted and sent a high kick flying at his stomach, quick and sharp if a bit lighter on the power than she could have been. The long tail moved with her, following after her lightly shod foot like a flail, with the intention of wrapping around his wrist to yank him off balance should Liam manage to block the kick. Too often had she been caught by the leg and yanked off balance in the past; this time Maea wanted to see if she could prevent that from happening.
1/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
Liam was prepared for anything, which was fortunate, given how casually Maea approached. She might have been coming up for a hug or a quick kiss, but then she was shifting her balance, so quickly that it was almost hard to follow, and then a foot was flying towards Liam’s stomach. Grinning in spite of himself, the soldier might have reached to catch his partner by the ankle, but at the last moment, he noticed her tail coming in behind, and he merely deflected her kick with a practiced ease.
Her tail, though, was more difficult to dodge or block, and he ended up with it wrapped around his wrist as Maea tried to knock him off balance. Digging in his heels, Liam sought to make himself immovable for a moment - long enough that perhaps Maea herself would be caught off guard and fall prey to her own scheme. Liam flicked his arm in an attempt to knock her tail aside, then lunged forward, aiming a punch towards Maea’s side with his free hand.
1/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
Despite being able to cleanly execute the movements, Maea could feel the cold of the air like a sluggishness of her limbs, a slower reaction rate that took the edge off. In a real fight it would have been cause for concern; today it allowed her the chance to figure out how to work around this disadvantage, with an opponent who was sure to make her work for every inch of progress. It felt good to move; grounded her in her own body and helped to re-establish the steady friendship between them that she valued just as highly as - if not more than - any pleasurable tangle in the sheets.
Her tail was strong despite its supple length. While not as dexterous as a hand, and while unable to make the soldier budge, the coil around Liam's wrist did the trick of providing an anchor point from which she could pivot back around. Releasing him, she ducked low out of the path of his fist, felt it ghost past her lower ribs and retaliated with another whip-like kick. Aiming lower this time, she tried to connect the overside of her foot to the inside of his leg. Hitting the knee would be spectacular, and even if all she did was graze him it should sting good.
2/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
Well, he hadn’t expected that - to be used as an anchor point from which Maea could launch her next attack. She ducked low, then kicked out - and this time, Liam wasn’t fast enough. He stepped back, aiming to twist out of the way, but Maea’s blow grazed the inside of his leg, near the knee, missing the joint but stinging all the same. It was a move that Liam might have stopped to admire were he not in the middle of a spar, but alas, here he was.
The soldier struck out with a one-two combination of punches, aiming for Maea’s hip. If he could land a blow there, it might be enough to dissuade her from further kicks. As soon as his strikes landed (or not), he withdrew, immediately anticipating a counter attack and trying to step back out of range.
2/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
Landing a hit on an opponent, especially someone she loved, always came with mixed feelings. Satisfaction was there, and so was guilt that churned her gut. Yet what was the point of training if she didn't try to get through his defenses? None of them would learn by going easy on the other. Recovering her stance after the kick, Maea put her hands up to block the swift jabs at her hip, catching his hands within palms angled to deflect the force rather than stop him dead on. When he withdrew she did so as well, taking the chance to catch her breath and ground herself again.
[say]"Having fun?"[/say] she asked brightly, breaking the focused silence. She certainly was; it always felt good to face skilled opponents, and for all that she was ahead of Liam in some areas, raw strength certainly wasn't one. His experience as a fighter didn't betray him and she had to really focus in order to keep up.
Speaking of which… Surging forward again, sharp fangs flashed as she grinned and attempted a leaping kick towards his chin. She'd seen Torchline youths use a similar move as they danced or horsed around on the beach, usually meant to kick at a ball or a hat suspended from a pole - and she fully counted on the element of surprise as her short stature didn't normally lend for high attacks.
3/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
It didn’t bother Liam in the slightest that Maea was the first to draw blood, so to speak; if anything, he was proud of the fighter that she was, fully capable and breathtaking to behold. A part of him, however, was disappointed when his returning blows were blocked - while he already knew she was the stronger of the two of them, he’d hoped to be able to keep up at least somewhat decently. Even if hitting or kicking or attacking Maea in any way went against his every instinct, he also knew that testing each other in this way was simply part of their relationship. And he wouldn’t trade any part of that for the world.
The momentary pause gave Liam a chance to catch his breath, and he circled Maea with a singular focus. Her question, though, broke his concentration enough that his eyes flicked to her face as he grinned. [say]”Always,”[/say] he assured her. Because it was fun, testing himself like this. It always had been. It was one of the reasons he made such a good soldier.
Suddenly, Maea surged forward, and while Liam might have been expecting a kick of some kind given she seemed to be favoring them today, he certainly didn’t expect whatever flying leap she took as she aimed at his chin. But luck was on his side today. Leaning back and down, Liam just barely managed to duck beneath the blow and came up swinging, with an uppercut towards Maea’s chin in return.
3/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
Her bold move paid off at least in part. The flicker of surprise before Liam ducked showed that she wasn't completely off course in her thinking. Unfortunately he was able to dodge, and retaliated before she had really landed properly. Thus unable to dodge, she ate the uppercut head on and staggered backwards with her head ringing. Having clipped her own lip with a sharp corner tooth, the coppery taste filling her mouth was oddly invigorating; with a grunt Maea recovered her balance and wiped away a line of crimson with the back of a hand. [say]"Nice one!"[/say]
Was the world tilting ever so slightly, or was she the one tipping over? Best not to think too much about it. She kept coming, fiercely determined to finish this round on a good note. When she kicked again - because why stop when she had a good thing going? - it was a double attack, leading with a shin aimed at the outside of Liam's thigh, then immediately straightening the leg out and kicking again with the foot towards his upper arm near the shoulder joint. At least her balance was good, despite the swishy skirts dragging at her hips. They swirled around her like butterfly wings, black lined with crimson, flaring out as she twisted and turned and obscuring the exact motion of her legs; and for all that they ought to be a tripping hazard, she was used to the restrictions they placed on her footwork.
A light sheen of sweat was building up on her brow, proof of the effort it took to keep coming back. She didn't feel like she had the upper hand in any of these exchanges. Rather she was striving frantically to keep a good distance between them, knowing that if she was grappled or seized by the former dragoon, she'd be all but defeated.
4/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
Shit, he hadn’t thought that one through. He’d simply reacted, letting his body take over the habitual routine of dodge and strike. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but this was Maea, and as she wiped her mouth and the back of her hand came away crimson, Liam frowned, suddenly filled with guilt. But she kept coming anyway, and the soldier shook his head, completely in awe of his partner, who could shake off a hit like that without even seeming to hesitate.
Unfortunately, Liam’s hesitation had cost him valuable time, and he twisted to absorb the impact of Maea’s kicks rather than attempting to dodge. She struck hard and true, and he hissed through his teeth as his balance was staggered sideways when Maea’s foot connected with his upper arm. If that blow had been aimed downward instead of up, she might have brought him to his knees; as it was, Liam shook out his arm with an appreciative laugh, not sure if his fingers were always that numb during a spar or if the tingling in their extremities was due to her hit. Probably the latter.
To her credit, Maea was able to keep away, far enough that the former dragoon was quite unable to make a grab for her. Perhaps if he had done things differently - but oh well. There would always be next time.
Sweat shone on Liam’s brow, warm now in spite of the nip in the air. He stepped forward, into one final punch aimed towards Maea’s ribs, a hard, quick jab that he bit down the impulse to purposefully soften. Maea wouldn’t thank him for going easy on her, that was for certain, and he had no interest in drawing her ire.
4/4
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
Indeed, she would not. He'd never pulled his punches with her before, hadn't underestimated her; never treated her like she was fragile or incapable. Maybe that was why she was okay with his protective streak, where it chafed coming from anyone else. He didn't get to guard her back because she couldn’t, but rather because she felt acknowledged in her ability to handle whatever was in front of her. The blood on her tongue, therefore, was worn like a badge of honor. A symbol of equals going toe to toe and coming out just as bruised as the other.
That her kicks landed where she meant them to was deeply satisfying. Unfortunately Liam's punch reached her faster than she could dodge or block. She tried, hands rising to deflect, but his fist slipped deftly past her guard and connected solidly with her ribs.
Her armor ate the damage, which was fortunate for Maea. It didn't do anything to kill the force behind however, and she was sent stumbling backwards, slipping on the dew-laden grass and was brought down on one knee. A moment was needed to catch her breath again. When she looked up, it was with a wide smile aimed at Liam, pride and pleasure at his success softening the blood-lined edge of her teeth. [say]"Yield! You got me,"[/say] she conceded, not at all displeased to be defeated by him.
—---
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dress lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage. Requires a 3 post cooldown between uses.
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Liam - 07-20-2025
Liam’s returning punch landed, and Maea staggered back, slipping down to one knee to catch her breath. Just as winded, the soldier waited in a guard position, just in case she came up swinging, but to his surprise and delight, she yielded with a wide (if slightly crimson) smile. Dropping his hands, Liam strode to Maea, offering a hand to help her up if she wanted it. She didn’t need it, he knew, but it was there all the same, as it always would be.
[say]”You almost got me with that one kick,”[/say] he said with a grin. [say]”I’d have been out cold if it landed.”[/say] It was, perhaps, a strange thing to be able to spar like this with only a minimal amount of guilt for the blood spilled. But this was them in their truest form, friends before all else, and maybe that was what made them such a strong couple.
RE: all I ever desired is here with me - Maea - 07-20-2025
Taking his hand as it was offered, Maea let him pull her to her feet. [say]"Then it's a really good thing you dodged,"[/say] she laughed, despite the internal wince at the possibility of taking him out by accident. [say]"Got any advice for me? I know kicks aren't the most useful in bigger fights, but I like the extra reach it gives..."[/say] The downside being the need for flexibility and a high risk of being unbalanced. As a last line of defense, hand to hand techniques were best suited for one on one encounters - but that also meant she needed the skill to finish a fight once it got up close and personal.
Running her tongue across her teeth to clean them of blood, she touched a fingertip to her swelling lip. It didn't seem to bleed any longer, and though it would bee tender for a while, it was no worse than the red mark on her chin - now that was definitely going to bruise. Overhead a gust of wind found its way down through the canopy of leaves, scattering debris around their feet. A soft shudder passed through her; Maea rubbed a hand over the opposite arm, feeling the chill even more keenly now that sweat was cooling over her body.