[ open ]

[mindtricks]

CHARACTERS: cassandra anderson + you
LOCATION: gym
WARNINGS: none as of yet
SUMMARY: anderson offers self-defense classes. people who need no classes are welcome to come spar.
NOTES:



[ anderson divides the vast majority of her time between gunnery and the gym, where she gives self-defense classes both to people that she has a standing appointment with as well as to those who just wander by and express an interest.

in the moments between lessons, she can be found stretching, or having a go at a punching bag. ]

Comments

[mindtricks]

Anywhere.

[ she's patient, still. waiting for him to take action, but not forcing him into it. ]

[onetouch]

[ he swallows, trying to ball his hand into a fist. tuck your thumb so you don't break it. he sighs, preparing himself for the swing - but - but she's a woman. he remembers pie die and hitting her with the broomstick. maybe he could pretend anderson were attacking his pie hole or his girlfriend, or his dog.

finally, that's what does it, and his fist strikes forward etven as his eyes slide shut. he should look where he's punching, probably??? he makes pies, not war, he don't know. ]

[mindtricks]

[ at least he has some knowledge of it — enough not to break his thumb — but definitely no practice at all. he isn't even looking at her, which makes it all too easy to side-step the punch neatly when it finally comes.

shaking her head: ] You'll need to look at me. Try again.

[onetouch]

[ he opens one eye at a time, making some ugly grimacey faces in between. oh, that would help. at least she's not making fun of him, that helps a lot. ned nods, determined to get this thing right. swinging again, with more effort this time, he throws a hit towards her throat, adrenaline making his heart doubletime. ]

[mindtricks]

[ it would be counter-productive for her to mock him or to otherwise indicate impatience. he's here to learn, she is here to teach him.

she blocks the punch, this time. ] Better. Again. [ repetition until he gets used to the idea. ]

[onetouch]

[ he tilts his head when his hand hits hers. this isn't so bad. he tries again, faster this time, going for her shoulder. ]

[mindtricks]

[ she blocks this punch, makes him do it again and then again and blocks those as well, until she is satisfied that he has lost his hesitation about throwing a punch. ]

All right, now block.

[ and she hits him — in slow motion. ]

[onetouch]

[ breathing a bit hard, he nods, glad this is starting to feel less awkward. less and less each hit he throws, actually. this is a little fun, even. ] How do I... [ but he doesn't finish, holding up a hand automatically as the hit comes at him slowly, catching her blow. ]

Was that - [ he smiles a bit, hoping he's doing okay. ] How am I doing?

[mindtricks]

Not bad.

[ but not good, either. that's all right — he's here to learn, and there's no judgement or mockery in her voice. she takes his arm, shifts it a little higher. ] You'll want to catch the blow with this area.

[ indicating a little under his wrist. ]

[onetouch]

[ he knows she's being diplomatic about it, but it helps, her constructive criticism. even in the city he never made it far with hand-to-hand and fighting with broomsticks was going to get him killed up here. or worse - someone else.

ned looks down at the part of his arm she indicates, holding up his hand the way she instructs. ] Again?

[mindtricks]

Yes.

[ and so she punches him again, slow though fractionally faster than she had last time. ]

[onetouch]

[ his hand shoots up, exposing the part of his wrist she'd shown him, catching as much of the blow as he could. then a smile. he's starting to understand, at least. ]

You're a good teacher. Has anyone ever told you that?

[mindtricks]

Thank you.

[ she doesn't do it for the gratitude or recognition so much as because she wants to make a difference, but that doesn't mean that his words aren't appreciated.

and so she smiles back, even if seeing ned smile makes her think of roy and how much he didn't smile. ]