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[ Peter lets out a slow breath. ]
You’re not being a burden.
[ And he says it with as much reassurance as he can. Yes, the ordeal had been inconvenient and worrisome, but that’s a different matter entirely. ]
You’re still learning. I get that. So— just take this as another lesson, alright? Keep your comm with you, and answer it when we call you.
[ A pause, then, ]
And maybe bring along a designated driver.
You’re not being a burden.
[ And he says it with as much reassurance as he can. Yes, the ordeal had been inconvenient and worrisome, but that’s a different matter entirely. ]
You’re still learning. I get that. So— just take this as another lesson, alright? Keep your comm with you, and answer it when we call you.
[ A pause, then, ]
And maybe bring along a designated driver.
[ He just makes an acknowledging noise as he forces himself to straighten. ]
I’m fine. Seriously. Don’t worry about it.
It’s the least of what I might get if I were actually out there with you guys, right?
I’m fine. Seriously. Don’t worry about it.
It’s the least of what I might get if I were actually out there with you guys, right?
[ She inclines her head in agreement, because he's absolutely right; a bruise is minimal, compared to what he's not only come back with in the past but also for what's to be expected on their jobs. ]
Maybe it will encourage you to avoid it next time.
[ Hopefully. Though she'll likely pull back before using that amount of force until he's ready for it. ]
Maybe it will encourage you to avoid it next time.
[ Hopefully. Though she'll likely pull back before using that amount of force until he's ready for it. ]
[ The flat look he gives her is the faintest echo of one he might have used before the whole mess, something unimpressed and a little exasperated. ]
Trust me, I was already trying to avoid it in the first place. I don’t think I need the extra incentive.
Trust me, I was already trying to avoid it in the first place. I don’t think I need the extra incentive.
You would be surprised how much more motivated you may find yourself with the additional bruises.
[ She says it blandly, but there's a flicker of warmth at the briefest of familiarity that she sees in Peter's face.
Small. Something. ]
But you should still ice it.
[ She says it blandly, but there's a flicker of warmth at the briefest of familiarity that she sees in Peter's face.
Small. Something. ]
But you should still ice it.
[ He clicks his tongue, eyebrows rising a little. ]
I don’t think it’s all that surprising. Bruises, bad. No bruises, good.
[ That look that crosses her face, though, brings him up short, something so quick that Peter’s not quite sure he even saw it in the first place. His lips press together, hesitant, before deciding to let the matter drop. ]
Are we stopping?
I don’t think it’s all that surprising. Bruises, bad. No bruises, good.
[ That look that crosses her face, though, brings him up short, something so quick that Peter’s not quite sure he even saw it in the first place. His lips press together, hesitant, before deciding to let the matter drop. ]
Are we stopping?
[ He considers it for a second. His side still twinges, but— like he said earlier, this is the least he can expect, right? If he really means to work with the team, to head out with them on those jobs of theirs. If he can’t fight through a bruise, it’ll just make him even more of a liability than he already is.
He takes a breath, moving back a pace or two, smoothing his hand down his bruised side before moving into a defensive stance. ]
Don’t go any easier on me.
[ he’s bad enough at this as it is. If Gamora backtracks now, he’ll never improve. ]
He takes a breath, moving back a pace or two, smoothing his hand down his bruised side before moving into a defensive stance. ]
Don’t go any easier on me.
[ he’s bad enough at this as it is. If Gamora backtracks now, he’ll never improve. ]
[ Now Gamora really does look pleased, like he's passed some unspoken test or challenge that she hadn't meant to issue — but one she's glad he took her up on. ]
That won't be a problem.
[ She slides back into that attack posture, giving him the space of a moment before she moves in again. Gamora has always operated better at close range, so while this is far more her skillset than it happened to be Peter's, she's intent on passing on enough experience at hand-to-hand. She doesn't slow down from before, but she also isn't trying to slam him to the ground, by comparison.
Catching him once on the shoulder, she takes another sharp step closer, suddenly in Peter's space as she swings her other arm around to aim for his ribs again. She stops her forearm just inches from his side instead of slamming it into him.
Not easier, but not brutal. ]
When you counter, make distance and then close it. Force me onto the defensive.
That won't be a problem.
[ She slides back into that attack posture, giving him the space of a moment before she moves in again. Gamora has always operated better at close range, so while this is far more her skillset than it happened to be Peter's, she's intent on passing on enough experience at hand-to-hand. She doesn't slow down from before, but she also isn't trying to slam him to the ground, by comparison.
Catching him once on the shoulder, she takes another sharp step closer, suddenly in Peter's space as she swings her other arm around to aim for his ribs again. She stops her forearm just inches from his side instead of slamming it into him.
Not easier, but not brutal. ]
When you counter, make distance and then close it. Force me onto the defensive.
[ That look is unmistakable, at least, and he feels his face warm a little with it, briefly reflecting back some of satisfaction.
The round goes about the way he expects it to, which is to say, not very well, but he's still trying to balance his instinct to stay guarded and this new lesson in staying aggressive. It's a difficult harmony to strike, and he still can't get the hang of it. Even harder, with Gamora still hardly breaking a sweat.
When she steps in, when she aims for his ribs, he sucks in a sharp breath, stealing himself for the spike of pain that was sure to come. It doesn't, though, and it takes a second or two for his mind to catch up with the moment. When it does, he nods a little, swallowing the new lesson. ]
Okay. I'll try.
[ (Another Peter might intone, "Do or do not. There is no "try.") ]
The round goes about the way he expects it to, which is to say, not very well, but he's still trying to balance his instinct to stay guarded and this new lesson in staying aggressive. It's a difficult harmony to strike, and he still can't get the hang of it. Even harder, with Gamora still hardly breaking a sweat.
When she steps in, when she aims for his ribs, he sucks in a sharp breath, stealing himself for the spike of pain that was sure to come. It doesn't, though, and it takes a second or two for his mind to catch up with the moment. When it does, he nods a little, swallowing the new lesson. ]
Okay. I'll try.
[ (Another Peter might intone, "Do or do not. There is no "try.") ]
[ A short nod, and then Gamora is stepping away again, taking up that distance to prepare for another round. She helps him roll with the pace of the fight, but once again, she finds herself pushing him on the edges of his guard, closer and closer until she's completely controlling the pace. However, instead of ending the fight now that she has the advantage, she eases back their proximity, enough that when she throws her next punch, aiming right for his jaw, she telegraphs the move just a bit more.
It's not an effort to give him the actual upperhand, but rather, an opportunity to let him have another shot at redirecting the fight.
And, well, either that or she really won't feel bad about him leaving the fight with another bruise for the day. ]
It's not an effort to give him the actual upperhand, but rather, an opportunity to let him have another shot at redirecting the fight.
And, well, either that or she really won't feel bad about him leaving the fight with another bruise for the day. ]
[ It’s still a struggle, fighting against the instinct to pull back and keep his distance, and he’s battling that cautious voice in his head as much as he’s fighting Gamora. It seems it’s a losing battle.
He sees the punch coming as she swings, and there’s the vaguest bit of wrongness to it, a inelegance to the move that strikes him, though he doesn’t have time to examine it. Instead, Peter ducks under the swipe, dodging to one side, and with blink’s worth of hesitation, he moves. Instead of reeling back as he had been, he forces himself to press forward to aim a punch or at Gamora’s exposed side, before dancing back and putting that space between them again. ]
He sees the punch coming as she swings, and there’s the vaguest bit of wrongness to it, a inelegance to the move that strikes him, though he doesn’t have time to examine it. Instead, Peter ducks under the swipe, dodging to one side, and with blink’s worth of hesitation, he moves. Instead of reeling back as he had been, he forces himself to press forward to aim a punch or at Gamora’s exposed side, before dancing back and putting that space between them again. ]
[ There's a flicker of approval as Peter avoids the strike, ducking and weaving to counter.
Not necessarily good, but: ]
Better.
[ She lets his fist make contact, retreating appropriately in response. ]
Press the advantage.
[ And she's willing to give him the space of a few breaths to recover, to make up for lost ground before she pushes forward for another strike. ]
Not necessarily good, but: ]
Better.
[ She lets his fist make contact, retreating appropriately in response. ]
Press the advantage.
[ And she's willing to give him the space of a few breaths to recover, to make up for lost ground before she pushes forward for another strike. ]
[ The praise is muted, but that’s to be expected. Still, he feels a little pleased by it, even if he knows it’s not much of a step forward. He still has a great deal of work to do, still has to grapple with his own instinct telling him to retreat.
This next round, he tries, tries analyzing her movements as much as tries to avoid and counter them. Gamora is better at this, always will be, and even if she’s going easy on him, a few of her blows still land. He manages to recover enough to avoid ending the battle, then and there, and he presses forward a little more, takes on the role of aggressor now and again. It’s a tiny improvement, and while it’s not nearly enough to help him survive the caliber of fighters the Guardians typically face, these days, it might be serviceable enough in a bar brawl.
So not amazing. Not fantastic. But, well, if Peter ever finds himself in a rowdy club, he’ll be able to hold his own.
It ends, inevitably, with Gamora getting the upperhand, with Peter falling for a feint and toppling to the floor. ]
This next round, he tries, tries analyzing her movements as much as tries to avoid and counter them. Gamora is better at this, always will be, and even if she’s going easy on him, a few of her blows still land. He manages to recover enough to avoid ending the battle, then and there, and he presses forward a little more, takes on the role of aggressor now and again. It’s a tiny improvement, and while it’s not nearly enough to help him survive the caliber of fighters the Guardians typically face, these days, it might be serviceable enough in a bar brawl.
So not amazing. Not fantastic. But, well, if Peter ever finds himself in a rowdy club, he’ll be able to hold his own.
It ends, inevitably, with Gamora getting the upperhand, with Peter falling for a feint and toppling to the floor. ]
[ Gamora's biggest concern is improvement. He doesn't have to be where he was before, doesn't need to be fantastic, but he needs to hold his own and start learning how to push past that impulse to fall back, and today, at least, he was trying.
She can give him that.
But as with the other rounds, she ends up knocking him to the floor yet again, pinning him to the mat with her boot. ]
Did you see the difference it made when you held your ground?
[ She leans over him, her expression expectant as she looks down on him. ]
She can give him that.
But as with the other rounds, she ends up knocking him to the floor yet again, pinning him to the mat with her boot. ]
Did you see the difference it made when you held your ground?
[ She leans over him, her expression expectant as she looks down on him. ]
[ The air rushes from his lungs again as his back hits the mats, and her boot presses him back down to the floor as he tries to get up.
He peers up at her at her question, a look of faint exasperation crossing his face. ]
Not... really.
[ Honest, at least. ]
Still ended up down here, didn’t I?
He peers up at her at her question, a look of faint exasperation crossing his face. ]
Not... really.
[ Honest, at least. ]
Still ended up down here, didn’t I?
[ For a brief moment, Gamora finds herself reminded of another time with Peter, when they'd first started to train. She'd knocked him down over and over and over, always leaving him on his back, blinking up at her, winded and a little frustrated.
"Just— figured you'd call it before, you know."
"Why would I?"
But that Peter had been ready with a terrible joke and a smirk. That's not really the case, anymore.
She shakes the thought away, instead adding, ]
Did you think you wouldn't?
When you give me openings, I will take advantage of them, and you're easily incapacitated if I put you on your back.
"Just— figured you'd call it before, you know."
"Why would I?"
But that Peter had been ready with a terrible joke and a smirk. That's not really the case, anymore.
She shakes the thought away, instead adding, ]
Did you think you wouldn't?
When you give me openings, I will take advantage of them, and you're easily incapacitated if I put you on your back.
[ Peter presses his lips together, eyes slightly narrowed. The words “I think you just like throwing me around” try to bubble up, but he holds them caged behind his teeth.
Instead, he just makes a quiet, resigned noise at the back of his throat, as if to wordlessly say, I see your point and also, Doesn’t mean I have to like it. He moves to sit up – though with her boot against his chest her weight still holding him down, that makes things a little difficult. ]
... Are you gonna let me up at all?
Instead, he just makes a quiet, resigned noise at the back of his throat, as if to wordlessly say, I see your point and also, Doesn’t mean I have to like it. He moves to sit up – though with her boot against his chest her weight still holding him down, that makes things a little difficult. ]
... Are you gonna let me up at all?
[ He wouldn't exactly be wrong about how much she may or may not like tossing him around, but she'd never acknowledge it, even if he did manage the courage to say something about it. ]
I could.
[ And, apparently, she will, because she finally takes her boot off him, and instead, offers him a hand up. ]
I could.
[ And, apparently, she will, because she finally takes her boot off him, and instead, offers him a hand up. ]
[ For a second, he thinks she means to keep him pinned down on the floor like this, and he’s a little too tired to do much about it, if she’s honest. When she finally relents, offering a hand, he takes it and hauls himself to his feet, wincing at the feel of bruises, at the dull throb at his side, making itself known again. ]
I feel like you enjoyed that more than I did. [ A mild sort of complaint, all things considered. ]
I feel like you enjoyed that more than I did. [ A mild sort of complaint, all things considered. ]
[ The reminder makes him press a hand to the sore spot again, almost protectively. ]
It’ll be fine.
[ Not that he’s an expert on these things. Not anymore, anyway. ]
Just bruised, I think.
It’ll be fine.
[ Not that he’s an expert on these things. Not anymore, anyway. ]
Just bruised, I think.
[ She offers a small nod, and it takes a good deal of restraint not to just demand he let her take a look, to not just openly try to do... something to help. ]
Good. You should be mindful of it when we train again tomorrow.
[ Breaks? What are breaks? ]
Good. You should be mindful of it when we train again tomorrow.
[ Breaks? What are breaks? ]
[ His shoulders sag a little at those words, face falling as fatigue settles into his muscles. ]
... Right.
[ Fun.
But he had asked for her help in training him, and if this was what entailed, then it would be ungrateful of him to complain. And she knows best, he figures, on how to get him up to the appropriate level, and if meeting again tomorrow is what she thinks he needs, then—
Well. It’s what he asked for.
(Sadist, a distant part of him thinks, accusatory and good-naturedly exasperated.)
His free hand kneads at the muscle, where his shoulder meets his neck. ]
Same time?
... Right.
[ Fun.
But he had asked for her help in training him, and if this was what entailed, then it would be ungrateful of him to complain. And she knows best, he figures, on how to get him up to the appropriate level, and if meeting again tomorrow is what she thinks he needs, then—
Well. It’s what he asked for.
(Sadist, a distant part of him thinks, accusatory and good-naturedly exasperated.)
His free hand kneads at the muscle, where his shoulder meets his neck. ]
Same time?
Same time.
[ Consistency is the key to successful training, after all. ]
And try to continue stretching to keep the muscles from tensing. It will make tomorrow more difficult if you have to spend additional time working through the pain — or you'll end up with more bruises when it slows you down.
[ She hasn't had to worry about basic bruises or minor strain impeding her training in... well, a very long time, but she knows from experience with Peter that he deals with body aches in a different manner and with unmodified speed. ]
[ Consistency is the key to successful training, after all. ]
And try to continue stretching to keep the muscles from tensing. It will make tomorrow more difficult if you have to spend additional time working through the pain — or you'll end up with more bruises when it slows you down.
[ She hasn't had to worry about basic bruises or minor strain impeding her training in... well, a very long time, but she knows from experience with Peter that he deals with body aches in a different manner and with unmodified speed. ]
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