[[ BET YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD SUCKAS
heres a short thing i wrote to get back into writing ]]
Rap.
"Again."
The sword cut through empty air. He was five inches away now, readying his own sword, aiming to strike. Shen parried. Once, twice.
Rap.
Wood cracked against wood. Sweat dripped into his eyes. No time to clear it. He would strike again soon.
Rap.
Shen parried and took advantage of the opening, knocking the sword out of his hand and landing him on his back with a swift sweep kick. He grunted as the air was knocked out of his lungs and Shen held the sword point up to the other's neck. "Dead." Shen pulled back, not a hint of feeling in his eyes.
"Shen wins. Again. Stand up, Zed." Zed did as he was told, stumbling to his feet, face red with exertion and humiliation. Every week this would happen. They would spar, Zed would get too cocky, and Shen would beat him due to one simple mistake. Every damn time. It made Zed's blood boil. But on the surface he had to stay as calm as possible, less Master discover his hidden feelings. Any feelings of any kind were forbidden here. Happiness, anger, shame, hate. Everything. They were being trained for one purpose and one purpose only- to kill. Killing machines had no room for emotion, only blood and skill. "I'm disappointed. Next time you will perform better or the consequences will be more severe. Fifty today."
Zed grit his teeth and nodded his head, getting down on his knees and baring his back. Master delivered the punishments himself.
One.
Zed didn't grunt, or make a face. He barely felt it. Losing to Shen was more painful than the punishment it garnered. Shen was the Master's son, and Zed was the newest member of the dojo. It was only natural that he try to prove himself against the biggest target.
Two.
Zed closed his eyes. He had no friends here. At least, that's what he wanted to think. But Shen was unnaturally kind to him outside of combat. He was a perfectly oiled machine when they sparred but a gentle, almost human acting person when they were alone together. Zed liked it and hated it because of how confused it made him.
Three.
His eyebrow twitched. The whip opened up a wound from last week that hadn't healed yet.
Four.
Zed could feel blood running down his spine.
He had to clean the sparring arena as punishment for losing as well. Zed cleaned his own blood off of the floor with an old rag, his back throbbing with each motion. At least Shen wasn't-
"Zed." Never mind. Zed didn't turn to look at him, instead staying vigilant with the task at hand. He heard Shen take a few steps into the room but he refused to turn. He scrubbed at an old bloodstain vigorously and pretended not to hear his name being called.
"Zed, I want to apologize." Shen moved so he was standing behind Zed. "I tried, I really did. But-"
"You promised." Zed hissed under his breath. "You promised you would let me win." He dug his nails into the rag in his hands. Shen took a deep breath and sighed. "I tried. But it's hard to control. I see an opening and I just...take it. There's no thought. No hesitation." Shen spoke quietly so they couldn't be overheard in case someone walked by. "It scares me, Zed."
Zed stood and turned to face Shen, who was dressed in the same thing they had fought in. Despite being only twenty years old, Shen's face was scarred with worry lines and his eyes were a dull and lifeless brown. There was a single scar across his right cheek, which Zed gave him during their first fight six years ago.
"You shouldn't be scared. This is what you're training for. What we're all training for." Zed rested a hand on Shen's shoulder. "You're being too emotional about it. What would Master say?"
"He wouldn't say anything. He would beat me until I stopped feeling."
Zed clenched his teeth and sighed through his nose. "You know we can't have both parts in us. We can't be efficient ninja if we regret each victory." Though he was being incredibly hypocritical by saying such things, he just wanted Shen to feel better, and Zed had very few ways of making that happen.
"I don't want to fight you anymore." Shen said after a long pause. "I despise the sight of you getting hurt."
"And I can't say I particularly enjoy getting beaten over and over again. It's fine, Shen. It's fine." Zed looked around the room and, making sure they were alone, he pulled Shen close and embraced him. Shen kept his arms around Zed's waist so as to not disturb the fresh wounds on his back.
"Done."
Shen sat back and viewed his handiwork- a criss-cross of bandages wrapping around Zed's torso, covering his whip wounds and battle scars. "Thank you." Zed said, turning on his knees to face Shen. They were in Shen's private room- since he was the Master's son, he got his own room. The rest of them slept in a line in the main hall. It was nothing special- just four walls and a mat to sleep on in solitude.
"Zed. I promise next time I'll let you-"
"No need. If I can't win against you fairly, I don't deserve to win at all." Zed was two years younger than Shen, and hadn't spent his entire life in the dojo. He had a slight disadvantage in those regards, but he made up for it in ferocity and tenacity. "Did I land a single blow?"
Shen smiled in the dark of the room, leaning back on his palms. "I don't know. You'll have to check yourself."
"It's too dark to see," Zed said quietly, a smirk in his words as he leaned close and brushed his lips against Shen's. His hands started on the other man's neck, slowly moving down his shoulders and arms and resting on his chest. He pushed Shen back and straddled his waist, pressing their lips together softly. Shen made a soft noise of compliance and wrapped his arms around Zed's neck. He threaded his fingers into the younger man's hair, which was rough and cool with sweat. Times like this were his favorite. Things were simple, but also emotional. It was just the two of them and they could be human with each other. Sometimes, that was all Shen wanted. And he knew that was all Zed wanted as well.