The Gym, Wednesday morning

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Today was a day for gym practise, River decided, but not for fighting - unless anyone should ask her for sparring, of course. She made her way to the middle of the floor, and stood still for a moment before starting to move, mixing cheer moves with a few punches and some dance steps. She found a rhythm to it, as if there was some kind of music playing in the room.

[open, of course!]

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I didn't ask you to," he muttered into the bag, shoring up his defences, building them as strong and as high as he could. "Better?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Better." She got to her feet again. "Never did ask before either. Just didn't object." She turned her back to him, stretching tall, preparing to resume her practise. "I did shelter you against the more complicated relationships, didn't I?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack turned his head, pressing his cheek against the bag while he looked at her in silence. "That's never what you were," he finally said.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling a little. "Didn't mean it as a bad thing. Knew exactly, then." Leaning forward, she stood on her hands, then slowly got back on to her feet.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

The corner of his mouth lifted. "Yeah. Me too."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

She repeated the move. "Made me happy then, Jack. Have no plans on demanding anything from you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

His eyes followed her as she moved until he forced himself to look away, stepping back from the bag and starting to stretch. "Glad I made you happy," he said quietly, more to himself than to her.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Just don't hurt me. All I ask." There was a very subtle hint of threat in her voice. She spun around, then did a backwards handstand this time, landing on her feet again.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack heard the threat, and his nostrils flared slightly. "Don't give me a chance," he said flatly, and began hitting the bag, ignoring the weakness in his hand, gradually speeding up.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River felt her anger rise again, struggling to hold it back. "Didn't give you a reason last time," she replied, turning her back to him again.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He started hitting the bag harder, glaring at it, and didn't answer.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Entering a sequence of moves, every step River took turned a little more aggressive than she'd planned. The gentleness was gone, replaced with kicks and punches in the air.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Even though Jack was angry, at River and maybe at himself, he couldn't help watching her, attention split between pummelling the bag and following her movements.

Unconsciously, he started to fall into a rhythm hat matched hers.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The synchonised movements were soothing, despite everything else, and River found herself emphasizing it. Reaching the wall, she spun around, then raised her head, meeting Jack's eyes.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He gave her a crooked smile and slowed, gradually letting his hands fall to his sides, breathing deeper but not laboured. "We always matched."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River gave a sad laugh, shaking her head. "Just not easy to find that." Part of her was close to telling him she'd missed him, but she didn't.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"No, no it's not." Jack leaned forward, resting against the bag, closing his eyes briefly, then straightened. "I'll go, leave you in peace," he said, and headed for the door without looking at her again.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River stood still and watched him leave, then turned all her focus back to her own movement. The sequence that followed was fast, very fast, with lonh sweeping kicks aimed at nothing.