He almost got away unscathed. A pity they weren't playing horseshoes or throwing hand grenades, or that 'almost' might have been good enough. Instead, even as he tried to stand and dodge, her parting kick connected with his face, a lucky strike that battered his nose and split his lip, leaving him swallowing blood in surprise as he raised a hand to catch the dripping crimson and try to staunch the flow.
Wounded amber eyes looked up at Alina as he held up his other hand, palm out. "I yield," he said, though the words were a little muffled. "You win!" Not the most dignified of concessions, but he didn't want to be bleeding all over a stranger's business, even if that business was violence. He kept a wary eye on Alina as he stood, trying to keep the blood flow contained as he gave her a nod of respect that had nothing to do with her race and everything to do with her skill.
"Th-thank you. For the fight," he added dutifully, because he had learned something today.
He'd learned he needed a lot more practice.
For the moment, though, if she let him he'd try to leave the ring and start poking around for something to use as a compress against his lip.
Wounded amber eyes looked up at Alina as he held up his other hand, palm out. "I yield," he said, though the words were a little muffled. "You win!" Not the most dignified of concessions, but he didn't want to be bleeding all over a stranger's business, even if that business was violence. He kept a wary eye on Alina as he stood, trying to keep the blood flow contained as he gave her a nod of respect that had nothing to do with her race and everything to do with her skill.
"Th-thank you. For the fight," he added dutifully, because he had learned something today.
He'd learned he needed a lot more practice.
For the moment, though, if she let him he'd try to leave the ring and start poking around for something to use as a compress against his lip.
