[Training] so i guess all the rumors are true

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

They're finally getting somewhere. Their words aren't so heated. There isn't as much accusation or defensiveness behind their eyes. Both of them seeming to agree to let it be for now. This was fine by Maeve. It was the best they were likely going to get for the time being until things settled on all sides. "I understand, Jata. Sorry for speaking out of turn." And she is sorry. If only because it made him look at her like that. It's selfish, but it's true. She meant it when she picked Locke. He was who she wanted, but it didn't change that she still wanted a friendship with this man before her.

Once they leave that conversation behind all together it become easier to breathe. His eyes seem lighter, softening as he looks at her and a breath of relief pushes past her lips at this small acceptance. Maeve turns her full attention to the task at hand. Training. Lesson number one, wrap your fucking hands. She nods, offering him her already battered hand, grimacing at the purple molting covering her knuckles. The skin is split in a few places and she huffs a breath, "Kinda too late for that one, don't you think?" She mutters, a slight smile tugging on her lips as she glances up at him from beneath her lashes.

"Show me how to do it. Probably best I don't fuck up my other one too." Maeve says as she slips her hand into his, letting it hang limply so he can manipulate it how he needs to properly wrap it.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

There’s a dip of his chin in the mutual understanding they’ve come to. The air gets easier and Sunjata reaches for the bandage, stepping toward her and extending his calloused, scarred hands out for her own bruised ones to help wrap the bandages around the damage that’s already been done. A hum of a laugh passes through his lips as he works to wrap it around her knuckles and the rest of her hand, wrapping the support around her wrist. “Maybe a bit. But it could always be worse.” He pauses, considering her as he wraps the other hand. “I almost broke my hand once, sparring with Ronin.” He informs her, flashing an amused smile.

But he’s done with her hands and he moves onto his own, taking one of the bandages between his teeth. His words might be a bit muffled, but he steps toward her, lowering his hand between her, gesturing where to place each one and goes slow through the wraps to show her just how to wrap it. “Not too tight. You don’t want to cut off the blood flow. But also not too loose so it doesn’t fall off.” He finishes wrapping his hands, ensuring she has the hang of it.

Then, he moves toward the boxing ring, gesturing for her to follow as he kicks off his shoes, takes off his shirt to not get it messed up. There’s a few new marks along his skin, mostly around his neck (mirrored, yet still healing Ascended bites, love marks still healing along his neck in the spaces between), but a distinct NW is a new scar to his body, one worn contently so much that he’s forgotten about it. “Alright, so, what do you know about fighting?” He asks, leaning against one of the posts of the boxing ring, face taking on a more neutral look, one that seems to suggest that he’s taking this quite seriously.

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

It's easy to ignore how warm his skin is against hers when she's so focused on how he's wrapping her hand. The movement smoot and practiced, seeming to be more muscle memory than anything else. She makes note of the tightness, flexing her fingers and rotating her wrist when he releases her first hand. It aches just a little, but that's likely from the damage she's already done. "Why am I not surprised? Guess Ronin is more than just hard headed." She jokes, huffing out a laugh as her lips curl into a smirk, glancing up at him. "Why do you wrap around your wrist too? Is it for extra support?" Perhaps it was for the same reason her ballet slippers wrapped around her ankles. That would make sense in this case, giving the joint some extra support for all the strain it's under.

Icy green eyes stay on his hands, studying each movement as he completes the prep on his own hands, nodding as he explains. "Is the wrapping just to protect your skin from damage or is it for more than that?" One thing was quickly becoming clear, Maeve took learning seriously. Her usually playful demeanor replaced as she tries to think of anything and everything that might help her better learn this skill. The wrapping seems easy enough. Not all that different from what she does when she prepares to dance.

Maeve follows after him, toeing off her own shoes before climbing into the ring with him, taking the time to tie up her own tank top to keep from having loose fabric getting in the way. She stretches out her limbs, rolling her shoulders and taking a few deep breaths if only to distract herself from the marks that litter his skin. It doesn't bring on an ache in her chest like she thinks it will. Not until her eyes land on the NW, but she pushes it away. He's not the only one with marks. The bruises that were last left on her body have long since faded, but there are plenty of love bites on her neck and bruises on her hips that can't be mistaken for anything but fingertips.

She lowers herself onto the mat of the ring, continuing her stretches as she considers her words, "I admittedly don't know a lot. Just that you keep your arms in and you don't tuck your thumb beneath your fingers inside your fist." Maeve explains as she lays herself across one of her legs, gripping her ankle to stretch herself out properly and then switching to the other side.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

“We did go a little hard with the sparring.” He murmurs as he wraps her hands, a hint of amusement flickering in his face at the thought. “And yes, it’s for extra support.” Sunjata continues to wrap her hands, before he’s moving to his own, going slow as for how he wraps his – covering scars and the like, shifting up to his wrist to cover the base of his sleeved tattoos, and from this distance she might be able to notice the way the stars in his sleeve shift and move a fraction.

“It’s both for protecting your skin from breaking, but also to keep your bones safe so you don’t break them.” It was the first thing he’d learned in the boxing rings. Though it wasn’t like it mattered – one of his first fights had ended up with a dagger – had ended up with him sprawled out on a bar table up top getting stitches on his hip from where he’d been stabbed by his first love.

He finishes wrapping his hands, pulling his shirt off and his boots and socks, to step into the sandy ring, leaning against the ropes with his arms spread out, watching her as his question is aired – wondering where to even begin. Luckily, she knows some things, which makes it easier. “Good, good.” He hums, pushing off from the ropes to step toward her. “So another thing you want to find out is your opponent’s weaknesses. Find which side they favor and try to aim for the opposite.” He takes up a stance, a readying stance (a bit less perfect from where he’d usually do it, so that she could pick out his own.)

“Where do you think mine are?” What side does he favor, which side should she focus on trying to reach to catch him off guard?

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

Maeve tucks each little bit of information he gives her away for safe keeping, planning to do plenty of research on this herself. Locke's a fighter too. She wonders if he'd be open to sparring with her. Before her thoughts can get too far, Sunjata is approaching her and readying himself into a loose stance. Maeve finishes the last of her stretches, standing and dusting the sand from her skin. Sea glass eyes examine his form, mimicking it herself in a way that feels natural. Elbows tucked into her side, right side forward to lead her, giving away her own strength. "You favor your left. It's your dominate hand and therefore stronger. You will tend to lead with that side."

She observes, brows pulling together slightly in thought, "I'd want to go for your right side if I were trying to catch you off guard then." It's not a question, but a dark brow does raise as she waits for his conformation. Maeve was fairly observant, having spent many years learning to read people; clearly that was coming in handy now.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

She tucks the information away and moves to stand from her stretches and Sunjata remains in the same placement – arms tucked in tight but ready for a strike, his weight settled between his two feet, his steel gaze narrowing on her with focus. He’s silent while she works through his weak side, which side he strikes with that’s considered his strong one. So an approving smile crosses his face as she finally comments her decision, his chin dipping in a nod. “Yes, exactly.” He rumbles, taking a step toward her after he lets go his position, so that he might help get her position right as well.

Evening out her weight, making sure that she’s not sitting too hard on one side versus the other. “And for yours, it’s your right.” He murmurs, because it’s the way she’s settled with her striking foot forward, to carry most of her weight. “So I would focus on your left.” He pauses, giving her a good look up and down, determining the other factors. “And you seem to have pretty good balance, so my main goal would be trying to get you off balance.” He adjusts her posture just a fraction, before he rounds back to her front, taking up his stance.

“Now try and take that into account and throw a punch.” He’ll remain still, just to see where she chooses to have it land.

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

A smile of her own settles on her lips when he confirms that she's correct, approval clear in his voice, boosting her confidence further. Maeve doesn't drop her position when he moves towards her, letting him adjust her this way and that until she's in the proper stance. Even as he shifts her, it's clear that her balance is a strong point, core tight and weight evenly distributed between her feet. Maeve nods, humming softly, "It's my dominant hand." She confirms, looking up at him as he drags his eyes over her, taking in whatever pertinent information is needed to better instruct her. Maeve has to keep from smirking when he comments on her balance. It's one of her strengths. Ballet will do that for you.

Now it was time to throw a punch. Something she was less sure about. Her brows knit together, determination settling on her features as she looks him over one more time. His right side is further back from her, but with the way she's angled it's about equal distance compared to his left. She knows that he'll likely block her. That he might even dodge her completely. Those are more likely than anything else, but she is fairly sure whatever punch she lands on him will barely be felt. Maeve moves more quickly than he might expect, light and agile on her feet as she goes for a hit to the soft part of his right side.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

“Mhm.” Comes the quiet rumble, while he readjusts her posture. “And mine’s my left.” He explains easily, wiggling his not lightning scarred hand for emphasis, as if it made a difference. But then he’s rounding back toward her front, taking up his pose again, letting her take the first strike just to see where she chooses to make it land.

And she’s right – it doesn’t particularly hit hard, but Sunjata moves with it, instructing as he goes. “Good.” A brief pause as he continues to move toward his left since she’s chosen the right, stepping to the side to offer a punch back toward her opened side. “But you’ve thrown yourself a bit too far into the lunge and left yourself open.” He hums, his fist lightly pressing against her shoulder. “You’re quick though, so you could step back from it quickly, you just need not to over-extend.” His steel gaze is bright as he steps back and looks her over with a playful smile.

Then he takes up his stance again. “Now try again with that in mind.”

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

Maeve doesn't pull back, waiting instead for him to critique her form and the strike. He does just that. She nods, lips pressing together in a thin line, "How do you keep from doing that? I have to stretch to reach you. Your arms are longer and so any move you make won't open you up as it would me. How do I avoid that?" Maeve asks before he steps to the side and goes for a strike against her open side. He only presses his fist against her shoulder, not following through with the punch like he would normally. She takes note of the impact, nodding as her stance shifts, left foot slipping back instead. "Okay... I'll try that."

They reposition themselves and she goes forward again. This time she lands the hit low once more, dancing backwards and ducking to the right lightly, seeming to float across the sand. She tucks her arms back into her sides, grinning up at him as she returns to her proper stance. "Like that?"

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

“Well, you have to be quick on your feet.” A wink is shot her way, his smile still equally as playful as his fist meets her shoulder, gently, nothing more than a tap as he doesn’t follow through with it. And then he repositions himself, waiting for her to take the instruction and turn it into action, waiting to watch as she reaches forward again, hitting low and almost in the same spot but Sunjata’s braced for it this time. Still, he remains still, waiting to see what she does. “There you go.” He gives her a nod, pleased to see just how fast she’s picking it up.

But then it’s his turn and he considers her carefully, now that he’s in the other position. “Another thing you can do is lean away from the punch to avoid it and use the leverage from that to focus your follow-up.” He instructs. “Sometimes that means immediately punching, or sometimes it means dancing around your opponent until the opportunity strikes.” He steps forward then, following through with the same action as before, but this time he’s a bit quicker, braced for a retaliation punch as his feet take him away from her after the punch is thrown (still gently of course), but whether or not it hits, he continues to step past her until they’re parted again.

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

Maeve shoots him a playful glare, rolling her eyes at his smart ass remark, "Yeah, okay, I get that. It can't just be that, though." She's sure there is something else for it. He's bigger than her, arms longer, and he definitely has her beat in the strength department. Still, she takes his instruction and puts it into practice. Her punch lands and she dances away from him with ease, but he follows after her. Grey as bright even as they calculate her stance, picking the best place to strike.

The hit comes for her shoulder and he's fast, but she's perhaps a touch faster. Maeve leans back in almost a graceful motion, flowing like water as she takes his instruction to heart. In a move that perhaps isn't traditional, Maeve spins away from him, somehow managing to get behind him. She kicks, aiming for the bend of his leg as if she was trying to dead leg him and really throw him off balance. Whether or not he anticipates this is yet to be seen, but she gives it a go anyway.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

A crooked smile forms on his face, tugging at the scar alongside it. “Of course it isn’t just that.” He teases her lightly. But then he’s heading into the attack once they’re settled again, aiming for her side once more, making to move past and as his fist hits air, he draws it back, half spinning to meet her as she does her own spin – a move that he’s done multiple times – and when the leg comes out to try and catch him in the leg, he reaches out to catch her leg instead.

“That’s pretty good, Maeve.” He rumbles with a laugh, letting her leg go before he’s stepping back again. It takes a lot of restraint on Sunjata’s part to make the actions go slow, to work through the motions in ways that can be picked apart and remade, and sweat begins to bead along his temples from the heat of Torchline – but it’s exactly why he’s not wearing a shirt. “You do want to take out my legs, given how tall I am.” It’s a tidbit of information, given freely and easily. “Just try to make sure you’ve got a clear path to it.” This is said with a wink, before he’s settling himself again and giving her a bit of a surprise.

He aims for her like he’s aiming for her weak side, before he’s giving a bit of a half turn and striking with his right hand, trying to take her off guard from the focus of leading with his dominant one. Because while Sunjata was quite left handed, he was also a fighter and would take whatever opportunity presented itself.

SUNJATA

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

She's feeling pretty fucking proud of herself. Especially when it seems like she's about to get him, but he's anticipating a move that she didn't even know she was going to do. His fingers wrap around her ankle and her eyes going wide, a yelp caught in her throat as she wobbles for a second before he's releasing her. "Thanks. I tried." Maeve laughs, getting back on her feet and backing up from him slightly. She knows that it's probably not easy for him to hold back, used to the real thing. This is very far from that, but she has to learn some way. She pushes a hand through her hair, wrinkling her nose at him, "Freakishly tall." Maeve quips, unable to resist making the little jab at him as a smirk curls on her lips.

Then they're resetting their positions once more, starting the dance all over again, but it isn't the same choreography. He fakes her out, going for her right side with his right too. Maeve's eyes go wide, but she lifts her arm, trying to fend him off with mild success. It still connects, but she follows up with a hit to his stomach, using her smaller size to duck forward against him instead in an attempt to get under his arm and at his back again.

They take my fingers in their mouths like it's poetry

Maeve

daydream about me, and i know that you hate the nights without me

This type of fighting – specifically the take downs, are something that Sunjata’s been trained for ever since he was young. It had been part of his enforcer training, something reinforced throughout much of his youth, increased only when he’d reached seventeen and lived through his Trial. Then it had become a regimen, something that was expected of him to learn and become good at, if only so he’d be able to head his own enforcement unit. And he had, for a time, before he’d defected from it in favor for boxing and rebellions. "I'll have you know I was an average height for Korofi." He murmurs with a quiet huff of amusement.

He fakes her out but she’s quick to recover, regardless, and Sunjata finds himself smirking as she ducks under his arm, huffing a bit of air as she punches at his stomach, over a wound that’s still surprisingly tender, before she tries to get under his arm. And he lets her, but not without a bit of repercussions in the form of sweeping his long leg out quickly when he turns in his own makeshift spin to face her again, aiming to take her down with it.

SUNJATA