Post by Cause and Effect on May 16, 2017 20:59:51 GMT
The gym floor itself is abuzz with activity as the regulars go about their usual routines, music pumping through the speakers to drown out the crash of weight and varying noises that fill the room. Off behind the workout equipment a training ring is set up, sitting up in the apron, dressed in a pair of black workout shorts and an oversized tee, her long hair pulled back into a ponytail, Lyric Night looks down at Gabriel who stands in front of her, a light smile on her face.
“You really think this is a good idea?”
She arches a brow her smile turning into a more pensive look as she nods at the ring set up behind her; her eyes travel across his face trying to read his expression as she lets out an apprehensive sigh, obviously not looking forward to their task for the day.
Gabriel looked down to her, shaking his head a little bit. Rolling his bared shoulders, he had a light smile on his face. Stretching out a little bit, loosening himself up for the task at hand, he reached up to rub the top of his own head, laughing a bit.
“I know this is a good idea. At the very least, you should know a little self defense, not just for this but for life in and of itself. You don't have to be a hulking beast to be able to take one down, subdue them.”
He took a single step forward, towards her, closing a small bit of that distance. Those eyes looked her up and down as his smile fell, slipping away before he positioned himself, waiting to see how she’d respond. She lifts her eyebrow at him with another pensive stare, shaking her head slowly she lets out a light exhale.
“I don't… want to be taking anyone down Gabriel, that's not what this is for…”
She frowns and drags her teeth over her bottom lip, looking down at her hands she turns them over and over in her lap as she kind of moves her head back and forth running events through her head.
“I want you to feel comfortable that I COULD take care of myself if the need arose, but maybe this it's just my hopeful nature that I don't see that need arising.”
An intake of air would be followed by a soft sigh. His eyes closing for a moment, he thought hard about how to phrase what he was going to say next. Those eyes opened back up as he returned focus to Lyric.
“I hope it doesn't come down to that either but in this business, it doesn't really matter what side of it you're on, people let their emotions get the best of them, take it out on whoever they can see. Then there's those who go after the ones close with particular ones.”
His brow lowering, he couldn't help but to think of the match she was about to have, the thought of it clearly bothering him. He shook his head, his eyes locked onto her intently.
“I just want to make sure, if I'm not there, you'll be able to at least get yourself out of a situation and if that requires physicality, that you're able to do it effectively and without much trouble.”
She leans forward slightly and reaches out to run her hand down his arm, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her eyes read into his a small furrow forming between her brows as her tone softens.
“Okay…. Okay, so show me some basics.”
She tilts her head slightly and tries to lighten her expression along with her tone, licking her lips before pursuing them, considering how to word her concerns.
“You know….”
She sits back against the ropes and half smiles, her eyes still locked on his as she repeats her words in her head one last time before addressing him again.
“I know you're worried about what's going to come from this match, but I also know how well you can separate business and… the rest, I just don't want to be the thing that messes that up so… If me learning this is going to help put that to bed so you can focus on bringing home that title, I'll do my best to learn it.”
“I'm not worried about Cecily, she's easy to get into her head. She likes to do the pushing but when she's pushed back, she becomes less of a problem. The title is as good as mine.”
A slight touch of arrogance was heard in his words, seen in the way he moved when speaking. His tongue moved back and forth across the back of his lower teeth as he shook his head.
“Keeping them separate is one thing, being able to fight whoever is across from you, no matter who they are or how you feel about them. Wanting to protect an untrained girlfriend is a different story.”
He rolled those shoulders of his, bouncing back and forth from heel to heel, he kept his gaze fixated on her, ready to jump at the task at hand. Before talking some more, he smiled reassuringly at her.
“You're going to do fine. Are you ready?”
She reaches up to grabs the ropes to stand up, looking down at him with an apprehensive smile and a slight nod, turning to slips between the ropes she spins on her heels to face him again with a more playful smirk now.
“Just so you know… anything you hurt you are so kissing better…”
She holds up a finger and shakes it at him in a reprimanding way, running her tongue over her bottom lip as she does so.
“And that is NOT an invitation for you to play rough, either.”
She steps back from the ropes and watches him quietly, taking a moment to study the way he moves as though marking out a map in her head of his form, the smile on her lips looking less confident by the second.
“First off, you can't look like you're doubting yourself. You have to go in, honestly believing that you're going to be successful. Push everything out, don't worry about anything else going on. Your job is to get past the person in front of you. That's your only concern.”
Slowly, he began to walk towards her, his vision entirely focused on her as he crept closer and closer.
“You know Kenzi’s intentions..she's made them perfectly clear. She feels you've wronged her and as untrue as it is, she's convinced herself of it and now she's coming for your head.”
A final couple steps taken as he stopped directly in front of her. Lowering his head to look at her, a rather predatory expression in Gabriel's eyes. Reaching forward, he placed his hands upon her arms, getting a good grip.
“You're cornered, nowhere to go, unable to run. What do you do?”
She inhales sharply and looks up into his eyes, looking down at each of her arms in turn then back up into his arms and moves slightly but not enough to really do anything.
“I… uh…”
She takes a half step back to extend his arms via the grip but then bites her lip shaking her head again with a mildly irritated expression, more annoyed with herself than anything.
“I have no idea.”
Patience was going to be a virtue indeed. His eyes never once left her as he shook his head, that reassuring smile growing back out across his face as he moved his hands from her arms, trailing them up to hold both sides of her face gently.
“Play to your strengths, what you know. In your line of work, what's the most common injury you see?”
A slight angle to his head, his thumb gently stroking against the side of her face.
“What's the easiest way someone has injured them self, that you've dealt with?”
She reaches out and gently presses her finger against his shoulder, her index finger pressing into the muscle there as she bites her bottom lip, thinking, then she moves her hand to reach up and point to his temple.
“Shoulder.. or head injuries… they're common and dangerous… But, those kinds of injuries…”
She drops her hands down shakes her head, looking down at the canvas she drags her toes across it with a heavy sigh, screwing up her face.
“Hurting someone like that goes against everything I was raised to believe, to use my medical training to… to injure somebody, it's against every ethical code I can think of.”
“You don't necessarily have to injure them, just enough to get them off of you. Just grabbing her arm, really gripping onto it for dear life, and throwing yourself to the floor. That there is enough to cause damage..enough damage to have her backing off for a moment.”
Slowly, he trailed those hands off of her face, letting them drop to his sides before falling back into position.
“She's going to talk down to you. Try to demoralize you. Don't buy into it. Let her say whatever she wants to say and when she's gotten in it, you strike. Hitting someone in the throat or bridge of the nose are both very effective tools.”
She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath, nodding her she opens her eyes and looks back into his.
“The nose, okay… Okay the nose I can do.”
She bites back on her teeth and swallowed hard, shaking her head she shakes her hands out at her sides and drops one foot back slightly, returning to studying his movements.
“Nothing she has to say is going to bother me, I got past caring what people have to say to me already; that's why Jade….”
She shakes her head and waves her hand in front of her face.
“Different subject… so, I just what? Let her talk herself out and wait for her to come at me?”
She frowns again and lets out a frustrated sigh, her head shakes from side to side as she meets his eyes one more time.
“Sorry… I know I'm asking stupid questions I just, I don't wanna assume and then learn the hard way.”
“We'll talk about that after all of this.”
Returning himself into that offensive position, he developed that look of seriousness usually seen on his face before moving in towards her.
“She’ll probably be the aggressor but if she's as full of hot air as she is on Twitter, she will definitely try and play with you. She's going to underestimate you, it's just natural to do it, but you can use it to your advantage.”
Standing up straight, he looked to her, an aura of arrogance starting to show in Gabriel’s stance. Bringing his right hand up, he rubbed the left side of his own face before looking back to her.
“Hit me.”
Instantly her eyes widen and she emphatically shakes her head, taking a step back to place more distance between them.
“What? No! I…. I'm not going to hit you!”
He watched her intently after she took that single step back. Shaking his head, he took another two or three steps forward towards her.
“Do it. Kenzi wants to take your head off. I want to see if you can throw a punch. Now hit me.”
She shakes her head again, swallowing hard she stares up at him.
“I can't… Gabe…”
She looks around the gym her eyes scanning the area before she looks back to him with a hesitant almost panicked look on her face.
“I'll just wait, if… If I HAVE to on the night I will but I don't want to hit you…”
“Cooperation.”
An idea crossed the man’s mind, a bit of a devious smirk growing because of that. Reaching forward, he poked at her stomach and then doing the same to her left side.
“Come on. Hit me. Pretend I'm Kenzi, enraged at the self convinced thought that you cheated me. Just..give it to me.”
She sighs and shakes her hands out at her sides before gritting her teeth, looking up at him she tilts her head, relenting she throws a punch with her right hand just connecting with his jaw.
As soon as she connects she steps back and shakes her head, along with shaking out her hands again.
His eyes closed as her fist connected with his face, he slowly opened them back up, looking to her with a slight tilt of the head.
“If you hit her like that, she's going to laugh at you.”
Shaking his head, another idea crawled into his mind, not thinking twice about implementing it. Bringing his hand up, he playfully patted the side of her face.
“C’mon. Hit me like you mean it.”
As hard as he tried to keep that serious expression about him, a rather large smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She smiles at him and sighs, shaking her head slightly she shrugs her shoulders at him.
“I can't just… bring it out, when I went at her that day I was angry, I'm not like my cousins I don't live in a perpetual state of ready for a fight..”
She drops her hands to her hips and leans forward slightly looking down at the canvas she shakes her head again, letting out a long exhale of breath.
“I know it's in me, that Night DNA, whatever it is that they have in them… But I don't have an on switch for it, the only times I've ever felt it, I lost control and I don't like that feeling…”
His smile dropped, a soft sigh slipping free. Bringing his hand up, he placed his fingers under her chin, raising her head back up. Looking down at her with a smile of reassurance.
“I can't blame you for that, losing control..is a hard thing to come back from. It happens though.”
That smile never once wavering, he brought that hand from her chin to the side of her face.
“But you're right. I'll stop pushing and there's a few defensive things I can show you instead..if you're okay with that. If not, just tell me now and we'll stop.”
She inhales deeply, staring up into his eyes she stays quiet for a moment, just locking her gaze with his until a smile breaks across her face, placing her hand on his she turns her cheek to his touch and nods against it.
“No.. show me, I said I'd try and I want to…”
She kisses the palm of his hand as she drops her own down before stepping back, half shaking out her body as she tries to find some focus, her eyes still locked on his as she smiles again.
“And um.. well, if I did… lose myself, I know I can rely on you to bring me back; just like you can rely on me to do the same, okay?”
He went to say something but paused instead. Her question had him tilting his head, almost taken aback by it. A warm smile broke through as he nodded his head.
“Of course I will. If it ever seems like you're losing control, I'll be there just as quick to help you get back. As for the rest..”
Though he never wanted to get to that point, he really felt that she would be able to level him out if need be. His smile growing into a slight laugh, he nodded his head.
“If anybody, I think you would be able to pull that off.”
And as if almost on cue, another voice spoke up.
“Damn sure hope she doesn't pull it off, for your sake.”
Xavier made his way up to that practice ring, leaning up against it as he gazed up into the ring at the two of them. He was dressed as what would be expected of him, a pair of tattered and partially faded blue denim jeans and a white tank top that acted more as a second skin than an article of clothing.
“Please, don't stop on my account tho, I ain't got shit else to do today.”
Lyric sighs and turns to look down at Xavier, half smiling she arches a brow at him as she drops her hands back to her hips.
“Uh… you hope I don't pull What off?”
She quickly shakes her head making it clear she doesn't actually want a response as she moves over closer to the side of the ring and leans on the top rope looking down.
“Are you actually, finally going to let me take a look at your knee today?”
Gabriel laughed, shaking his head as he knew exactly what answer his younger brother was going to give. Almost in unison, they spoke.
“It's fine.”
Xavier shot Gabriel a look out of the corner of his eye, waving the man off. Returning his attention to Lyric, he nodded his head.
“Yeah, you can check it out. Really tho, it feels good. Well not good good but it doesn't hurt.”
Tilting his head to the side, the expression on his face showed that he was really thinking about it for a moment.
“Y’know? I mean like..it's alright?”
She frowns and sighs softly, shaking her head lyric slips between the ropes and drops down beside Xavier to look up at him, folding her arms over her chest she shakes her head, looking him up and down.
“Not gonna clear you if you don't let me look at it… I told you the quarterzone only does so much and the last thing you need is to keep pushing and it gives out on you mid-match.”
Looking over her shoulder and up at Gabriel she smiles at him and tilts her head into her shoulder slightly.
“You think we can maybe try this again later?”
Turning his head to look down at her with a smile, giving a nod of his head for emphasis.
“Yeah, that's okay. I'll go work out a little bit.”
Ducking out of that ring, he made his way up to her, wrapping his arms around her to embrace her in that hug. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips against hers briefly before pulling back. Another soft smile given as he let go, turning to walk away.
The two shared a brief, almost weird look between one another before Gabriel walked the rest of the way away, Xavier turning his attention back to Lyric.
“So..need me to just like..pull my pant leg up or..”
Stopping there, he began to make motions with his hands that were completely unrelated to what he was trying to say. She laughs slightly and shakes her head, looking across the training room to her office behind it.
“I assume gym shorts would be expecting too much?”
Her tone is light and teasing as she lifts her hand to point across at the door, turning to walk around the ring and towards it.
“Let's go to my office? It offers… relative privacy.”
As she went, he followed along with her. Laughing a bit, he shook his head, his eyes fixed on that office she was leading him towards.
“Nah, I figured youda hadda get a good look at it, so I got shorts underneath. You're lucky tho, anyone else and I wouldn't have gave a fuck..unlike some people..”
Turning his head to the side, he looked out towards the work out equipment, not bothering to even look to see if he saw Gabriel. Focusing back on the door she pointed out, he continued on.
“You nervous? Bout the match.”
As they reach her office she leans down and pulls a key out of her shoe, straightening up she unlocks the door and looks back at Xavier, flashing him a smile with a quick shrug.
“I… think that was a compliment? Maybe?”
Pushing the door open she steps inside and waves him in, sucking in her breath through her teeth before she exhales heavily, dropping into the chair beside her desk she looks up into his face and frowns.
“Nervous is one of many… many… words I could use to describe my feelings on it.”
Leaning back in the chair she peers up at him, chewing the inside of her cheek slightly, obviously a little anxious about the whole thing.
“Nah, I get it. I'd be nervous as shit too if I didn't know what I was doin, goin up against someone who's like -really- pissed off at you. Someone who's near fuckin psychotic at times. Someone who's promised she's gonna tear you limb from fuckin limb.”
Realizing what he was doing, he stopped before nervously laughing. Bringing his hand up, he rubbed the back of his head, an apologetic smile replacing that smirk.
“Shit, my bad. That just made it worse, didn't it? Here, lemme just take my pants off, that always lightens the mood.”
That cockiness showing, Laroux smirked before reaching down to undo the button and unzip that zipper. A little wiggle to follow had those pants pooling down to his feet. Kicking them off to the side, he looked over to her, a tilt of his head before speaking up.
“So! Where do ya want me?”
She laughs softly and shakes her head, moving off the chair she takes a knee beside him and runs her hand over the back of his knee, her other hand applying pressure just above the joint, she pushes down to rotate the knee cap just enough that any sustainable cartilage injury would shoot pain up through his leg.
“How's that feel?”
He watched, wearily, as she worked his knee. Letting those blue eyes close, he waited for the stabbing pain that, recently, would have resulted because of this. A sigh of relief rushed out from behind his lips, a laugh to follow.
“I'm okay with that, it doesn't hurt.”
That smirk of arrogance he's so known for started to return as he looked to Lyric, an obvious hopeful expression showing in those eyes.
“So..we good or is there more?”
This was obviously a big deal to him, being cleared to compete. Especially after the beating he took last time.
“I hafta be there. I can't just take an ass whoopin like that and be absent the following show. I gotta be there to show that no matter how many times they knock me down..Ima get my ass right back up and keep fightin.”
She frowns slightly and stands up, running a hand over her head before she shakes her head, dropping back onto her left foot she scans his face for a second.
“You have fluid you should get taken care of… And I want you to wear a brace when you're working out, but otherwise, yeah… I can clear you.”
She holds up a hand and sighs.
“To be clear, I shouldn't… that muscle waste is almost operable and you're clearly not… at a hundred right now, but I'm going to because I understand why this is important…”
She sits back down in the chair and folds her arms over her chest and runs her tongue over her bottom teeth with a pensive expression….
“But I want something in return…”
Intrigue washed away any comments he may have had about her diagnosis. His head cocking to the side, his brow lowering.
“And just what would that be?”
A naturally curious person to begin with, Laroux couldn't help but to wonder, really delve into the possibilities. His right hand snaked up to rub the back of his head, the feeling of hair across his palm was steadying almost.
“I mean, whatever it is, you got it, don't get me wrong. But as I'm sure you know, I have a rather limited skill set. So, what's up?”
Before she had the chance to respond to his question, those eyes shot open to the size of saucers as if he had just been hit by a life altering realization. Lowering his head a bit, he spoke in a bit of a hushed voice.
“Ya want me to..handle ole girl?”
Her eyes widen slightly and she shakes her head a slight smile on her lips as she leans in a little to look up at him, her eyes narrowing just slightly.
“Ohh.. No, nah not that, it'll handle itself.”
She bites her bottom lip, exhaling slowly she clears her throat, clearly a little awkward in what she's wanting to ask him.
“Something you said before, about me ‘pulling it off’... if it comes to that, I want you to back off.”
Clearly, he was misunderstanding just what she was asking of him as shown in the look of utter confusion in his features. Standing straight up, he parted his lips as if to speak only to close them, shaking his head.
“I..”
Once more, his brow lowered as he shook his head, laughing out when he parted his lips to speak.
“Nah like..I was bullshittin around. Pull it off like..-it-.”
Those hands went back to work, falling into those completely unrelated movements, making motion with his head for emphasis.
“Y’know..it.”
Lyric can't help but laugh, biting her bottom lip she shakes her head emphatically, waving her hands in front of her face. Taking a moment for a couple of deep breaths her expression turns more serious.
“No.. Xavier…”
She lets out a deep exhale and fixes her eyes on his, folding her arms across her chest as she talks.
“What I mean is, if he gets to that tipping point; you are NOT going to push… I'm not willing to let him become something he doesn't want to be anymore for a fight that's not even his…”
Her gaze softens slightly as she keeps her eyes locked on his, tilting her head to the side.
“And you shouldn't want him to either.”
His stance stiffened a bit as he processed what she was saying to him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he shook his head slowly, opening them back up to look at her with a soft, almost forced laugh.
“Yeah..I won't. I don't think it'll really make that big of a difference, to be honest. I mean, Iunno..it's not like he jumped to fight when Atti got took out.”
Not a hint of humor in those words or his expression as he kept those eyes locked onto her, his attention not wavering in the slightest.
“Maybe he's just too distracted with his obedience awards and..”
He looked her up and down, a laugh that more resembled a scoff. Stopping suddenly, he closed his eyes, once more returning his hand to rub against that hair.
“Sibling drama, didn't mean to.”
She rolls her hands and stands up, dusting off her outfit she leans her head back just enough to meet his eyes and steels her jaw.
“You can get cute with it all you want X, but I'd care to remind you that you don't know me all that well… I mean, ask yourself; all those lumberjacks just disappeared… You needed Ray found…”
Lyric shrugs slightly with a curve to her smile as she exhales, dropping her arms to her sides.
“Whatever war you're finding yourself in, there's a line and it's one I don't want to see him cross… I told you before I was in and I meant that, I'll clear you, I'll help you… But Gabriel is one thousand percent my priority in everything, even if that means having to protect him from himself.”
Her eyes widen with a nod before she offers a sweeter smile.
“Understood?”
Standing completely still, he narrowed his eyes before nodding his head in total agreement to her question.
“Yeah..perfectly.”
Not moving an inch, his demeanor was entirely different than it had been the rest of the time thus far.
“We done here?”
An expectant look was shot over towards Lyric, Laroux angling his head to the side. She watches him quietly for a moment before nodding, turning to her desk she uses the same key to unlock a drawer, pulling out a small white bottle she holds it out to him.
“Use it sparingly….”
As she tilts the bottle to show him the high dosage on the pain meds, then turns it out to press them into his palm.
“And yeah, we're done here.”
He took that bottle without hesitation before leaning down to pick up those jeans, stepping back into them, buttoning and zipping them after pulling them up to his waist. Pocketing that bottle, he gave her a single firm nod.
“Good luck..with everythin.”
His words were sincere yet sharp at the same time. Turning away from her, he made his way towards that door.
“You really think this is a good idea?”
She arches a brow her smile turning into a more pensive look as she nods at the ring set up behind her; her eyes travel across his face trying to read his expression as she lets out an apprehensive sigh, obviously not looking forward to their task for the day.
Gabriel looked down to her, shaking his head a little bit. Rolling his bared shoulders, he had a light smile on his face. Stretching out a little bit, loosening himself up for the task at hand, he reached up to rub the top of his own head, laughing a bit.
“I know this is a good idea. At the very least, you should know a little self defense, not just for this but for life in and of itself. You don't have to be a hulking beast to be able to take one down, subdue them.”
He took a single step forward, towards her, closing a small bit of that distance. Those eyes looked her up and down as his smile fell, slipping away before he positioned himself, waiting to see how she’d respond. She lifts her eyebrow at him with another pensive stare, shaking her head slowly she lets out a light exhale.
“I don't… want to be taking anyone down Gabriel, that's not what this is for…”
She frowns and drags her teeth over her bottom lip, looking down at her hands she turns them over and over in her lap as she kind of moves her head back and forth running events through her head.
“I want you to feel comfortable that I COULD take care of myself if the need arose, but maybe this it's just my hopeful nature that I don't see that need arising.”
An intake of air would be followed by a soft sigh. His eyes closing for a moment, he thought hard about how to phrase what he was going to say next. Those eyes opened back up as he returned focus to Lyric.
“I hope it doesn't come down to that either but in this business, it doesn't really matter what side of it you're on, people let their emotions get the best of them, take it out on whoever they can see. Then there's those who go after the ones close with particular ones.”
His brow lowering, he couldn't help but to think of the match she was about to have, the thought of it clearly bothering him. He shook his head, his eyes locked onto her intently.
“I just want to make sure, if I'm not there, you'll be able to at least get yourself out of a situation and if that requires physicality, that you're able to do it effectively and without much trouble.”
She leans forward slightly and reaches out to run her hand down his arm, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her eyes read into his a small furrow forming between her brows as her tone softens.
“Okay…. Okay, so show me some basics.”
She tilts her head slightly and tries to lighten her expression along with her tone, licking her lips before pursuing them, considering how to word her concerns.
“You know….”
She sits back against the ropes and half smiles, her eyes still locked on his as she repeats her words in her head one last time before addressing him again.
“I know you're worried about what's going to come from this match, but I also know how well you can separate business and… the rest, I just don't want to be the thing that messes that up so… If me learning this is going to help put that to bed so you can focus on bringing home that title, I'll do my best to learn it.”
“I'm not worried about Cecily, she's easy to get into her head. She likes to do the pushing but when she's pushed back, she becomes less of a problem. The title is as good as mine.”
A slight touch of arrogance was heard in his words, seen in the way he moved when speaking. His tongue moved back and forth across the back of his lower teeth as he shook his head.
“Keeping them separate is one thing, being able to fight whoever is across from you, no matter who they are or how you feel about them. Wanting to protect an untrained girlfriend is a different story.”
He rolled those shoulders of his, bouncing back and forth from heel to heel, he kept his gaze fixated on her, ready to jump at the task at hand. Before talking some more, he smiled reassuringly at her.
“You're going to do fine. Are you ready?”
She reaches up to grabs the ropes to stand up, looking down at him with an apprehensive smile and a slight nod, turning to slips between the ropes she spins on her heels to face him again with a more playful smirk now.
“Just so you know… anything you hurt you are so kissing better…”
She holds up a finger and shakes it at him in a reprimanding way, running her tongue over her bottom lip as she does so.
“And that is NOT an invitation for you to play rough, either.”
She steps back from the ropes and watches him quietly, taking a moment to study the way he moves as though marking out a map in her head of his form, the smile on her lips looking less confident by the second.
“First off, you can't look like you're doubting yourself. You have to go in, honestly believing that you're going to be successful. Push everything out, don't worry about anything else going on. Your job is to get past the person in front of you. That's your only concern.”
Slowly, he began to walk towards her, his vision entirely focused on her as he crept closer and closer.
“You know Kenzi’s intentions..she's made them perfectly clear. She feels you've wronged her and as untrue as it is, she's convinced herself of it and now she's coming for your head.”
A final couple steps taken as he stopped directly in front of her. Lowering his head to look at her, a rather predatory expression in Gabriel's eyes. Reaching forward, he placed his hands upon her arms, getting a good grip.
“You're cornered, nowhere to go, unable to run. What do you do?”
She inhales sharply and looks up into his eyes, looking down at each of her arms in turn then back up into his arms and moves slightly but not enough to really do anything.
“I… uh…”
She takes a half step back to extend his arms via the grip but then bites her lip shaking her head again with a mildly irritated expression, more annoyed with herself than anything.
“I have no idea.”
Patience was going to be a virtue indeed. His eyes never once left her as he shook his head, that reassuring smile growing back out across his face as he moved his hands from her arms, trailing them up to hold both sides of her face gently.
“Play to your strengths, what you know. In your line of work, what's the most common injury you see?”
A slight angle to his head, his thumb gently stroking against the side of her face.
“What's the easiest way someone has injured them self, that you've dealt with?”
She reaches out and gently presses her finger against his shoulder, her index finger pressing into the muscle there as she bites her bottom lip, thinking, then she moves her hand to reach up and point to his temple.
“Shoulder.. or head injuries… they're common and dangerous… But, those kinds of injuries…”
She drops her hands down shakes her head, looking down at the canvas she drags her toes across it with a heavy sigh, screwing up her face.
“Hurting someone like that goes against everything I was raised to believe, to use my medical training to… to injure somebody, it's against every ethical code I can think of.”
“You don't necessarily have to injure them, just enough to get them off of you. Just grabbing her arm, really gripping onto it for dear life, and throwing yourself to the floor. That there is enough to cause damage..enough damage to have her backing off for a moment.”
Slowly, he trailed those hands off of her face, letting them drop to his sides before falling back into position.
“She's going to talk down to you. Try to demoralize you. Don't buy into it. Let her say whatever she wants to say and when she's gotten in it, you strike. Hitting someone in the throat or bridge of the nose are both very effective tools.”
She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath, nodding her she opens her eyes and looks back into his.
“The nose, okay… Okay the nose I can do.”
She bites back on her teeth and swallowed hard, shaking her head she shakes her hands out at her sides and drops one foot back slightly, returning to studying his movements.
“Nothing she has to say is going to bother me, I got past caring what people have to say to me already; that's why Jade….”
She shakes her head and waves her hand in front of her face.
“Different subject… so, I just what? Let her talk herself out and wait for her to come at me?”
She frowns again and lets out a frustrated sigh, her head shakes from side to side as she meets his eyes one more time.
“Sorry… I know I'm asking stupid questions I just, I don't wanna assume and then learn the hard way.”
“We'll talk about that after all of this.”
Returning himself into that offensive position, he developed that look of seriousness usually seen on his face before moving in towards her.
“She’ll probably be the aggressor but if she's as full of hot air as she is on Twitter, she will definitely try and play with you. She's going to underestimate you, it's just natural to do it, but you can use it to your advantage.”
Standing up straight, he looked to her, an aura of arrogance starting to show in Gabriel’s stance. Bringing his right hand up, he rubbed the left side of his own face before looking back to her.
“Hit me.”
Instantly her eyes widen and she emphatically shakes her head, taking a step back to place more distance between them.
“What? No! I…. I'm not going to hit you!”
He watched her intently after she took that single step back. Shaking his head, he took another two or three steps forward towards her.
“Do it. Kenzi wants to take your head off. I want to see if you can throw a punch. Now hit me.”
She shakes her head again, swallowing hard she stares up at him.
“I can't… Gabe…”
She looks around the gym her eyes scanning the area before she looks back to him with a hesitant almost panicked look on her face.
“I'll just wait, if… If I HAVE to on the night I will but I don't want to hit you…”
“Cooperation.”
An idea crossed the man’s mind, a bit of a devious smirk growing because of that. Reaching forward, he poked at her stomach and then doing the same to her left side.
“Come on. Hit me. Pretend I'm Kenzi, enraged at the self convinced thought that you cheated me. Just..give it to me.”
She sighs and shakes her hands out at her sides before gritting her teeth, looking up at him she tilts her head, relenting she throws a punch with her right hand just connecting with his jaw.
As soon as she connects she steps back and shakes her head, along with shaking out her hands again.
His eyes closed as her fist connected with his face, he slowly opened them back up, looking to her with a slight tilt of the head.
“If you hit her like that, she's going to laugh at you.”
Shaking his head, another idea crawled into his mind, not thinking twice about implementing it. Bringing his hand up, he playfully patted the side of her face.
“C’mon. Hit me like you mean it.”
As hard as he tried to keep that serious expression about him, a rather large smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She smiles at him and sighs, shaking her head slightly she shrugs her shoulders at him.
“I can't just… bring it out, when I went at her that day I was angry, I'm not like my cousins I don't live in a perpetual state of ready for a fight..”
She drops her hands to her hips and leans forward slightly looking down at the canvas she shakes her head again, letting out a long exhale of breath.
“I know it's in me, that Night DNA, whatever it is that they have in them… But I don't have an on switch for it, the only times I've ever felt it, I lost control and I don't like that feeling…”
His smile dropped, a soft sigh slipping free. Bringing his hand up, he placed his fingers under her chin, raising her head back up. Looking down at her with a smile of reassurance.
“I can't blame you for that, losing control..is a hard thing to come back from. It happens though.”
That smile never once wavering, he brought that hand from her chin to the side of her face.
“But you're right. I'll stop pushing and there's a few defensive things I can show you instead..if you're okay with that. If not, just tell me now and we'll stop.”
She inhales deeply, staring up into his eyes she stays quiet for a moment, just locking her gaze with his until a smile breaks across her face, placing her hand on his she turns her cheek to his touch and nods against it.
“No.. show me, I said I'd try and I want to…”
She kisses the palm of his hand as she drops her own down before stepping back, half shaking out her body as she tries to find some focus, her eyes still locked on his as she smiles again.
“And um.. well, if I did… lose myself, I know I can rely on you to bring me back; just like you can rely on me to do the same, okay?”
He went to say something but paused instead. Her question had him tilting his head, almost taken aback by it. A warm smile broke through as he nodded his head.
“Of course I will. If it ever seems like you're losing control, I'll be there just as quick to help you get back. As for the rest..”
Though he never wanted to get to that point, he really felt that she would be able to level him out if need be. His smile growing into a slight laugh, he nodded his head.
“If anybody, I think you would be able to pull that off.”
And as if almost on cue, another voice spoke up.
“Damn sure hope she doesn't pull it off, for your sake.”
Xavier made his way up to that practice ring, leaning up against it as he gazed up into the ring at the two of them. He was dressed as what would be expected of him, a pair of tattered and partially faded blue denim jeans and a white tank top that acted more as a second skin than an article of clothing.
“Please, don't stop on my account tho, I ain't got shit else to do today.”
Lyric sighs and turns to look down at Xavier, half smiling she arches a brow at him as she drops her hands back to her hips.
“Uh… you hope I don't pull What off?”
She quickly shakes her head making it clear she doesn't actually want a response as she moves over closer to the side of the ring and leans on the top rope looking down.
“Are you actually, finally going to let me take a look at your knee today?”
Gabriel laughed, shaking his head as he knew exactly what answer his younger brother was going to give. Almost in unison, they spoke.
“It's fine.”
Xavier shot Gabriel a look out of the corner of his eye, waving the man off. Returning his attention to Lyric, he nodded his head.
“Yeah, you can check it out. Really tho, it feels good. Well not good good but it doesn't hurt.”
Tilting his head to the side, the expression on his face showed that he was really thinking about it for a moment.
“Y’know? I mean like..it's alright?”
She frowns and sighs softly, shaking her head lyric slips between the ropes and drops down beside Xavier to look up at him, folding her arms over her chest she shakes her head, looking him up and down.
“Not gonna clear you if you don't let me look at it… I told you the quarterzone only does so much and the last thing you need is to keep pushing and it gives out on you mid-match.”
Looking over her shoulder and up at Gabriel she smiles at him and tilts her head into her shoulder slightly.
“You think we can maybe try this again later?”
Turning his head to look down at her with a smile, giving a nod of his head for emphasis.
“Yeah, that's okay. I'll go work out a little bit.”
Ducking out of that ring, he made his way up to her, wrapping his arms around her to embrace her in that hug. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips against hers briefly before pulling back. Another soft smile given as he let go, turning to walk away.
The two shared a brief, almost weird look between one another before Gabriel walked the rest of the way away, Xavier turning his attention back to Lyric.
“So..need me to just like..pull my pant leg up or..”
Stopping there, he began to make motions with his hands that were completely unrelated to what he was trying to say. She laughs slightly and shakes her head, looking across the training room to her office behind it.
“I assume gym shorts would be expecting too much?”
Her tone is light and teasing as she lifts her hand to point across at the door, turning to walk around the ring and towards it.
“Let's go to my office? It offers… relative privacy.”
As she went, he followed along with her. Laughing a bit, he shook his head, his eyes fixed on that office she was leading him towards.
“Nah, I figured youda hadda get a good look at it, so I got shorts underneath. You're lucky tho, anyone else and I wouldn't have gave a fuck..unlike some people..”
Turning his head to the side, he looked out towards the work out equipment, not bothering to even look to see if he saw Gabriel. Focusing back on the door she pointed out, he continued on.
“You nervous? Bout the match.”
As they reach her office she leans down and pulls a key out of her shoe, straightening up she unlocks the door and looks back at Xavier, flashing him a smile with a quick shrug.
“I… think that was a compliment? Maybe?”
Pushing the door open she steps inside and waves him in, sucking in her breath through her teeth before she exhales heavily, dropping into the chair beside her desk she looks up into his face and frowns.
“Nervous is one of many… many… words I could use to describe my feelings on it.”
Leaning back in the chair she peers up at him, chewing the inside of her cheek slightly, obviously a little anxious about the whole thing.
“Nah, I get it. I'd be nervous as shit too if I didn't know what I was doin, goin up against someone who's like -really- pissed off at you. Someone who's near fuckin psychotic at times. Someone who's promised she's gonna tear you limb from fuckin limb.”
Realizing what he was doing, he stopped before nervously laughing. Bringing his hand up, he rubbed the back of his head, an apologetic smile replacing that smirk.
“Shit, my bad. That just made it worse, didn't it? Here, lemme just take my pants off, that always lightens the mood.”
That cockiness showing, Laroux smirked before reaching down to undo the button and unzip that zipper. A little wiggle to follow had those pants pooling down to his feet. Kicking them off to the side, he looked over to her, a tilt of his head before speaking up.
“So! Where do ya want me?”
She laughs softly and shakes her head, moving off the chair she takes a knee beside him and runs her hand over the back of his knee, her other hand applying pressure just above the joint, she pushes down to rotate the knee cap just enough that any sustainable cartilage injury would shoot pain up through his leg.
“How's that feel?”
He watched, wearily, as she worked his knee. Letting those blue eyes close, he waited for the stabbing pain that, recently, would have resulted because of this. A sigh of relief rushed out from behind his lips, a laugh to follow.
“I'm okay with that, it doesn't hurt.”
That smirk of arrogance he's so known for started to return as he looked to Lyric, an obvious hopeful expression showing in those eyes.
“So..we good or is there more?”
This was obviously a big deal to him, being cleared to compete. Especially after the beating he took last time.
“I hafta be there. I can't just take an ass whoopin like that and be absent the following show. I gotta be there to show that no matter how many times they knock me down..Ima get my ass right back up and keep fightin.”
She frowns slightly and stands up, running a hand over her head before she shakes her head, dropping back onto her left foot she scans his face for a second.
“You have fluid you should get taken care of… And I want you to wear a brace when you're working out, but otherwise, yeah… I can clear you.”
She holds up a hand and sighs.
“To be clear, I shouldn't… that muscle waste is almost operable and you're clearly not… at a hundred right now, but I'm going to because I understand why this is important…”
She sits back down in the chair and folds her arms over her chest and runs her tongue over her bottom teeth with a pensive expression….
“But I want something in return…”
Intrigue washed away any comments he may have had about her diagnosis. His head cocking to the side, his brow lowering.
“And just what would that be?”
A naturally curious person to begin with, Laroux couldn't help but to wonder, really delve into the possibilities. His right hand snaked up to rub the back of his head, the feeling of hair across his palm was steadying almost.
“I mean, whatever it is, you got it, don't get me wrong. But as I'm sure you know, I have a rather limited skill set. So, what's up?”
Before she had the chance to respond to his question, those eyes shot open to the size of saucers as if he had just been hit by a life altering realization. Lowering his head a bit, he spoke in a bit of a hushed voice.
“Ya want me to..handle ole girl?”
Her eyes widen slightly and she shakes her head a slight smile on her lips as she leans in a little to look up at him, her eyes narrowing just slightly.
“Ohh.. No, nah not that, it'll handle itself.”
She bites her bottom lip, exhaling slowly she clears her throat, clearly a little awkward in what she's wanting to ask him.
“Something you said before, about me ‘pulling it off’... if it comes to that, I want you to back off.”
Clearly, he was misunderstanding just what she was asking of him as shown in the look of utter confusion in his features. Standing straight up, he parted his lips as if to speak only to close them, shaking his head.
“I..”
Once more, his brow lowered as he shook his head, laughing out when he parted his lips to speak.
“Nah like..I was bullshittin around. Pull it off like..-it-.”
Those hands went back to work, falling into those completely unrelated movements, making motion with his head for emphasis.
“Y’know..it.”
Lyric can't help but laugh, biting her bottom lip she shakes her head emphatically, waving her hands in front of her face. Taking a moment for a couple of deep breaths her expression turns more serious.
“No.. Xavier…”
She lets out a deep exhale and fixes her eyes on his, folding her arms across her chest as she talks.
“What I mean is, if he gets to that tipping point; you are NOT going to push… I'm not willing to let him become something he doesn't want to be anymore for a fight that's not even his…”
Her gaze softens slightly as she keeps her eyes locked on his, tilting her head to the side.
“And you shouldn't want him to either.”
His stance stiffened a bit as he processed what she was saying to him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he shook his head slowly, opening them back up to look at her with a soft, almost forced laugh.
“Yeah..I won't. I don't think it'll really make that big of a difference, to be honest. I mean, Iunno..it's not like he jumped to fight when Atti got took out.”
Not a hint of humor in those words or his expression as he kept those eyes locked onto her, his attention not wavering in the slightest.
“Maybe he's just too distracted with his obedience awards and..”
He looked her up and down, a laugh that more resembled a scoff. Stopping suddenly, he closed his eyes, once more returning his hand to rub against that hair.
“Sibling drama, didn't mean to.”
She rolls her hands and stands up, dusting off her outfit she leans her head back just enough to meet his eyes and steels her jaw.
“You can get cute with it all you want X, but I'd care to remind you that you don't know me all that well… I mean, ask yourself; all those lumberjacks just disappeared… You needed Ray found…”
Lyric shrugs slightly with a curve to her smile as she exhales, dropping her arms to her sides.
“Whatever war you're finding yourself in, there's a line and it's one I don't want to see him cross… I told you before I was in and I meant that, I'll clear you, I'll help you… But Gabriel is one thousand percent my priority in everything, even if that means having to protect him from himself.”
Her eyes widen with a nod before she offers a sweeter smile.
“Understood?”
Standing completely still, he narrowed his eyes before nodding his head in total agreement to her question.
“Yeah..perfectly.”
Not moving an inch, his demeanor was entirely different than it had been the rest of the time thus far.
“We done here?”
An expectant look was shot over towards Lyric, Laroux angling his head to the side. She watches him quietly for a moment before nodding, turning to her desk she uses the same key to unlock a drawer, pulling out a small white bottle she holds it out to him.
“Use it sparingly….”
As she tilts the bottle to show him the high dosage on the pain meds, then turns it out to press them into his palm.
“And yeah, we're done here.”
He took that bottle without hesitation before leaning down to pick up those jeans, stepping back into them, buttoning and zipping them after pulling them up to his waist. Pocketing that bottle, he gave her a single firm nod.
“Good luck..with everythin.”
His words were sincere yet sharp at the same time. Turning away from her, he made his way towards that door.