The salle, early Tuesday morning

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Second day in a row hitting the salle; this time, waiting for Leto, and whatever kind of workout he did.

Dinah did some stretches while she waited, then got out the eskrima and started to give the practice dummy a bad time.

[ooc: for a future emperor, but open for all your truthful confrontational needs]

Comments

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah bopped over to him, and held out one stick after a show-off twirl. "It's an eskrima. From the Phillipines. Native warriors used them against invaders with swords and guns, and they didn't win, but they did a damn good job. Arthur showed me swordwork yesterday!"

Um. Okay, that was random.

"Not in a euphemism way. Really. A sword. I was surprised."

[future_sandworm]

"That was generous of him," Leto replied, smirking slightly as he took the stick. He weighed it in his hand, then spun it around, testing the balance. "So now you can show me this." He looked at Dinah, focused on studying her movements.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Yay!" Dinah took the stick back, and moved back to the practice dummy, burblng, "This makes me nervous, don't judge too harshly, okay? I've only been doing it a year and I've gotten a lot better and god you're hot without your shirt."

Aaaaack! What was wrong with her?

And to cover that, hoping he didn't hear it, she started whapping away at the practice dummy like her life depended on it.

[future_sandworm]

Ok, that was unexpected. Leto gave her a rather surprised look. "Why, thank you, Dinah. Although I have to admit that I took it off more for my own comfort than for your benefit." That came out a little too harsh, and he frowned at himself. "Which doesn't mean I can't take it of for you some other time."

He took a step back, waiting for her to stop beating up the dummy.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Wait, did she really hear that? Well, it was Leto, he was probably flirting again. Right?

When Dinah was done with the routine, she turned back to Leto, smiling a little. "You are such a flirt, I swear, if you weren't so cool, I'd smack you for it."

What was with her today?

"Um. Do you want to try with the sticks, or show off your own stuff?"

[future_sandworm]

"First I'm hot, then I'm cool," he snickered. "You have to make up your mind, Dinah." He imitated one of her movements. "We can start with this for warm-up."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"When I make up my mind about anything, I'll let you know." The hell? Okaaay. "And now we move on to warm, and cover the whole spectrum of temperatures!" And maybe if she kept moving she could keep her mouth shut?

Dinah ran through the first drill again, half-speed, sure he'd probably get it already, and added, "Sometimes I miss getting to beat anyone up for real here."

Whoops.

[future_sandworm]

"Please, do." Had Dinah taken some sort of drug today? Not that he was bothered. Leto repeated the drill, easily picking it up. "You're welcome to try and beat me up," he added, smirking.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Ooo! Just for that, I am going to at least try to bruise you, and not go easy on you like I might because some guys get totally intimidated that I can break them and beat them up," Dinah said all in one breath, eyes going wide. "Um. Ready?"

Just tape her mouth shut, someone.

[future_sandworm]

"A woman who fight well are valued among the Fremen," Leto told her. "I would only think you more attractive if you did manage to bruise me." He nodded. "Ready."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Which pretty much inspired her to put the light-headedness inspired by that comment to good use by gleefully attacking him, eskrima spinning, looking for an opening.

"Yes!"

[future_sandworm]

And suddenly Leto was right behind her. He didn't attack, just dodged her blows, moving fast.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"You can do what your sister can do!" Dinah started laughing as she cut the eskrima faster, gleeful even though-- "I can't win but oooo fun! More!"

[future_sandworm]

He laughed, dodging all Dinah's blow and making her move fast. "Ghani might tell you not to encourage me."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"She's really cool but she's not here!" was Dinah's response to that, eyes bright as she watched him and spun the eskrima around. Not having to worry about hitting him meant-- "I can really cut loose!"

So now there was kicking added in with the eskrima blows, restraint pretty much out the window.

[future_sandworm]

Finally he grabbed the stick just above her hand. "You are beautiful," Leto told her, catching his breath. He probably shouldn't have said that, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah froze for a second, a huge smile breaking out over her face. "Being around you is like being drunk. You know that, right? It's like you carbonate my hormones."

And the only way to deal with having said that was to try and hit his knee with her other stick.

[future_sandworm]

He evaded that, barely. "Oh, I enjoy your reaction a lot more than I should." He still held on to the first stick.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah pulled on that stick, trying to tug him closer at that, delighted and a little terrified. "How much should you be enjoying it? Only a little bit? 'Cause I keep doing this until it's a lot."

What. Was. She. Saying?

[future_sandworm]

He reached out to grasp the other stick. "Considering that I suspect you might want things that I am unable to offer you, I should not encourage you," he said simply, letting himself be drawn closer.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Right, only good option here was trying to kick his legs out from under him, letting go of the stick, hoping to make him as unbalanced as she was.

"But you still want to? Don't you?" She took a breath. "And what do you think I want?"

[future_sandworm]

"I want to do a lot more than that with you," he said, trying to move his feet to avoid getting kicked. "And I believe you want someone who would care only for you and give you some kind of promises of faithfulness."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Dinah stopped attacking for a second, slightly gut-punched by that, and asked, "I'm that transparent? Don't answer that!"

And that would be another stick headed for his stomach, in an attempt not to hear anything he might say.

[future_sandworm]

He let go of her stick and moved again, ending up behind her. Attempting to grapple her arms, he said: "Not transparent, just very easy to read."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Transparent," Dinah said, mortified, then jerked one stick backwards, twisting and turning because if she kept fighting she didn't have to think, yay. "At least you think I'm hot! Sorry. I just... I'm very very confused right now."

And another attempt at a hit there, face turning ultra-pink.