[ 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

[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. ]