The Salle, Wednesday Morning

[puppy_fair]

To say that Zack was on the antsy side was, if only a little, something of an understatement. With no classes to keep him busy, he was left to his own resources to fill his time. Work. Rehearsal. Practise.

Today was the day he'd set aside for that practise thing. And that was why he'd staked out a corner of the Salle for himself and the girl who... well... who had, in another reality, staked him.

Not that she knew that.

He was running over some practise forms with his sword while he waited for her to arrive. Keeping still for too long, after all, was hard.

[Zack is here for that girl, but the Salle is an open Salle!]

Comments

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer stared. "That's some arm strength."

She couldn't help but add 'hubba-hubba' in her head.

[puppy_fair]

"Sorry," Zack lowered the rapier and leaned forward to inspect the damage done. The dummy would live, it was all good. "Sometimes, I kinda lose track. It's easy to do, you know?"

He had a feeling that she kind of did.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that's kinda why I'm a fugitive, now," Jennifer said.

[puppy_fair]

Zack grimaced a little. Ouch. He hadn't known that.

"I'm sorry, Jen." A beat. "Maybe this will help with discipline some? I mean, I have better control when I'm holding the weapon I'm more comfortable with. I haven't accidentally skewered anyone with my broadsword, I promise."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's good to know," Jennifer said. "Though I'm not sure my discipline is helping when I'm big and green."

[puppy_fair]

"That's why we're going to work with you that way, too, once you have the basics down. I mean, whenever you're up for it."

And not a second before!

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's not quite an on-off switch, Zack," Jennifer said.

[puppy_fair]

"Well, then whenever it happens." Shrug. Casual. Whatever. "I'm fine with it however it happens, Jen. I just mean, if you're not comfortable when you're like this with the thought of holding a weapon when you're like that..."

He was kind of hoping that he was making sense, right about now.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer stared, totally confused. "Huh?"

[puppy_fair]

Well, he'd tried.

"I mean, if you're comfortable with the thought of having yourself but green handle a potentially lethal weapon, that's when we'll start training you with it when you're like that, too?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right, yes," Jennifer said. "It's not that I'm uncomfortable with the idea. It's just... hard to schedule."

[puppy_fair]

"Which is fair," Zack decided. "And I'm not going to go out of my way to tick you off or anything. I kind of suck at making people lose their tempers."

Apologetic smile. It was possibly the first time in his life that Zack felt the need to apologize for being easy to get along with.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Well, you do really the opposite with me," Jen said. "Which is probably a good thing."

[puppy_fair]

"Makes it tricky to show Shulkie how to swordfight," Zack mused, forgetting himself for a moment. There was a sort of wistful note in his voice that he still hadn't managed to ward off by the time he continued. "We'll figure that part out, anyhow."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"...Huh," Jennifer said.

Nobody but Deadpool had called her 'Shulkie' before.

[puppy_fair]

"... Huh?" Confused Zack was confused. And kinda headtilty. Did he say something?

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Have you been hanging out with Mr. Deadpool?" Jen asked.

[puppy_fair]

"Pretty often, actually," Zack replied, nodding and grinning, and totally oblivious that he was taking the easy answer to an underlying question that he hadn't even been aware of. "He and I swordfight whenever we get the chance."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Been talking to him about me, huh?" Jen said.

[puppy_fair]

No easy way out for you, Zack!

"No, why?" There he was, looking confused again.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"...how else would you know to call me Shulkie?" Jen said.

[puppy_fair]

"You told me to."

... Ooooh.

"Hooboy." Facepalm. "Okay. Long story?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jen blinked a few times.

"I hope one I get to hear some time?"

[puppy_fair]

"How's right now sound?" Awkward. Awwwwkward. "You remember that week where everyone was... kinda just falling asleep?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Where everyone was seeing that other universe?" Jennifer said. "The one with the vampires?"