the_lioness | (no subject)

Liam walks outside and double-takes. "Now, here's something that doesn't often happen. I must be slipping in my old age."

*Alanna shakes her head, still counting, and follows her last punch with a kick.*

No, you're not. I couldn't sleep. *She glances toward the bar, avoiding meeting his eyes directly.* Adam will likely be out at some point. I tried to be quiet, but...

He nods as he begins stretching. "What's bothering you?"

*sharply* Nothing. Why do you think something is bothering me?

Because there's nothing.

*She still won't look at him as she repeats stretches she performed earlier, just to have something to do.*

"Snapping at me is an excellent way to prove your point, Lioness. Well done." He walks over to stand beside her, arms crossed.

*She grumbles and makes a face, obstinately staring at something over his shoulder.*

I'm-

It's all insane. And I'm upsetting Adam.

He chuckles. "You're a woman. Such is the way of the world."

*Alanna gives him a scathing look, but rather than protest, she rocks back on her feet, ready to fight. There's something behind the anger and stubbornness in her eyes. Something she's trying to hide.*

Are you ready yet?

"Always." He rolls his shoulders and squares off, hands up. Maybe she'll talk after she's had a chance to vent some of her stress..

*Maybe. Right now, all she wants to do is fight. Face blank, she throws the first punch, aiming for his ribs.

It's different today. Her blood is boiling, her nerves humming more than usual and she has something to prove. What? She's not even sure.*

It is different today. She's faster, and she connects on her first try. Credit those nerves (and a damn good teacher). Liam silently curses himself for being careless. If he wasn't fully awake before, he is now.

He absorbs the punch as best he can and hammers down on her forearm with his right fist while aiming a kick at the side of her leading knee. Body blows slow you down, and that's not a good way to start a fight; he's hoping the leg kick will even the score a bit.

*It does. She winces and stumbles. Balance quickly regained, she spins sideways and kicks, elbow aimed for the back of his shoulder.

It's all instinct and memory now. Her mind is mostly blank as she moves swiftly and with a grace that deserts her in every other circumstance.*

He slips under the elbow which, while it saves him from that damage, puts him in a position from which it is hard to dodge the kick.

So instead he traps the leg with his body and arm and stands quickly, pushing her back and off-balance.

*Grunting, Alanna lands hard on the ground and glares up at Liam.*

Stupid.

*She rolls into a crouch and tries to sweep his legs out from under him.*

He dances back out of reach of her legs. She caught him off-guard once today; it won't happen again.

Liam gestures impatiently for her to stand. "Back up with you, Lioness. No time for resting yet."

*Alanna nearly jumps straight up from the crouch, eyes bright with her own impatience.*

I'm not resting.

*Circling him once, she kicks out again, higher than normal and ready to follow it with a punch.*

He isn't countering for the moment, just deflecting and watching form.

"So I hear. I thought we'd talked about that a few days ago."

*It irritates her on some level and the look she gives him

(fight me, damn it)

is full of frustration.*

What?

*Her form is better when she's not thinking about it too much.*

Let her be irritated and frustrated with him. It isn't the first time, and Mithros knows it won't be the last.

"Resting. From what I hear, you aren't doing very much of it at all."

*Another kick, and she backs up a few feet, head tilted.*

I rest when I can. It's enough.

*But it's not, and Adam is upset. She sighs, aiming a punch just under Liam's ribs.*

He bats the punch away and counters with an open-palmed strike aimed at the center of her chest.

"You're being stubborn."

*She turns her body enough to avoid the worst of the blow, but it still connects with her shoulder. Sucking in a breath, she nods.*

Naturally.

*For a moment, she lets the anger fade and realizes she'd been using it like a shield.*

What if-

I don't want to do this to him. *She looks down, rubbing her shoulder.* I suppose it's stupid and I'm just tired, but I'm worried that if I keep on like this, I'll ultimately drive him away like I did you. Jon. Peter. George even, though he'd deny it.

I don't want to go on like this, but I don't know how to stop.

*She breathes.*

But that's why we're hiring, yes? So that I can do this, and still be a good knight. And have time for home, and Adam.

Yes.

I'm glad we talked. *The corner of her mouth tilts up as she moves in with another kick.*

He traps her leg again (ignoring the bruise that will come from getting kicked in the same exact place twice) and just holds it, an amused smile on his face as he forces her to balance on one leg. "You have an interesting way of showing your gratitude."

*Blowing her hair out of her eyes, Alanna glowers at him.*

I rather thought you liked it.

He shrugs. "Maybe a little. Pie works better than kicks, though."

Quickly, he sweeps her other leg from under her and stands over her, still holding the trapped leg. "Though, given who I'm talking to, I don't know which would be more dangerous."