The teasing shouldn't have hit a nerve. It had been over a season and a half since LongNight, and while he knew he hadn't put it behind him, Tal had thought he'd buried it deep enough to stop feeling the prickle of shame and guilt at passing comments. Still, he flinched a little, his grin faltering along with his guard so that Zavien landed the first real hit of the match. The sting of pain helped him rally, at least, and he shoved the shadows back in their box as he covered the slip with boasting and a followup that landed a lot better than his first hit had.
"Yeah? Well, you'll have t'talk t'th'manager about that!" Did it make sense? Probably not, but Tal was grinning again at his success, utterly unrepentant - and this time he was ready for Zavien's feint. He slipped back a step so that the breeze from the jab ruffled his bangs but didn't connect and was already fading to the right as the hook came in. He slipped away from the hit so that it only grazed his shirt but he stepped in immediately with a followup punch towards his friend's chest, short and sharp - though maybe not quite at his full strength.
"Yeah? Well, you'll have t'talk t'th'manager about that!" Did it make sense? Probably not, but Tal was grinning again at his success, utterly unrepentant - and this time he was ready for Zavien's feint. He slipped back a step so that the breeze from the jab ruffled his bangs but didn't connect and was already fading to the right as the hook came in. He slipped away from the hit so that it only grazed his shirt but he stepped in immediately with a followup punch towards his friend's chest, short and sharp - though maybe not quite at his full strength.
