Ghastly was carefully wrapping his knuckles, preparing for the oncoming fight. Sitting on the practice mats he had in the back of his shop, he stared at his opponent, anticipation running through him. They were strong, their toned muscles tanned and their abs displayed freely. Instead of the formfitting leathers they were usually clothed in, a training bra and shorts replaced them. The sword stayed though; that was the one thing they would never be without. Tanith shot him a smile and Ghastly looked away suddenly, embarrassed at having been caught staring.
He stood, walking slowly to the opposite side of the room, holding his knuckles up into a fighting stance. His own muscles shined in the light, sweat glistening on his skin from his earlier warm up. Tanith stepped into a wider stance of her own, the sword's worn leather handle comfortable gripped in her right hand.
It wasn't often that the two of them sparred; Tanith was usually busy training Valkyrie and Ghastly preferred to hit punching bags instead of live targets. But neither of them had really pushed themselves lately, so they decided to train together for once. It was an ordinary day, all things considered. For once, they weren't helping to save the world and were just focusing on getting stronger.
They circled each other carefully, sizing the other up. Both were waiting for the other to make the first move.
Tanith grinned, mirth twinkling in her eyes. "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough…"
She charged, sword flashing against the harsh lighting. The arc of her sword was deadly and Ghastly grunted, barely retreating in time. He retaliated with three punches but none of the landed as she twirled out of the way. Pressing the attack, he sent a low punch to which she dived over him, landing on his other side.
It became a dance of sorts, a sword swipe that was dodged and punches that only hit air. Ghastly was faster than most boxers, but Tanith was faster still. Her body moved on instinct, swiping, whirling, kicking. The fight dragged on longer than either had expected, neither being able to land a solid attack.
Ghastly backed off and they circled each other again, both panting heavily. Tanith's blonde hair was tousled, landing messily around her shoulders.
"We can take a break, if you need to," She taunted. Though her skin was glistening with sweat, her smile was still firmly in place.
He huffed in response, sucking in a breath, before surprising her with a quick roundhouse kick. Cursing, the kick landed just above her hip and sent her staggering to the side. She hadn't expected that; he'd changed his rhythm. Taking advantage of her instability, Ghastly pressed forward, hoping to end the fight. His motions were smooth and his toned muscles moved clearly in the light.
At the last moment, instead of retreating, Tanith leapt forward. She sprung at him. Her sword danced in the light and she landed on top of him, taking him down. Straddling him with her sword pressed against his throat, she smirked triumphantly.
"I guess I win," She said, breathing heavily.
Ghastly smiled. "Are you sure?"
For the first time, she noticed his hands lingering around her neck, ready to tighten at a moment's notice. His hands were large and calloused, the heat from them radiating into her skin. He had her in a choke hold. She silently cursed herself for not noticing earlier.
"Alright, I guess we can call it a draw," Tanith said. He started moving under her and it was only then that she realized how close they were. Their faces were inches apart, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath when he exhaled. Her right hand was still holding her blade, but her left hand had found its way onto his chest. She could feel how hot his skin was, how toned his muscles were. A quick rhythm tapped under her palm and she realized that it was his heart; it was beating almost as rapidly as hers was. Their eyes locked and Ghastly looked away suddenly.
"Sorry," he murmured. His eyes evaded her wandering gaze.
She frowned. "For what?"
"Being this close to my face, it's not pretty."
Tanith looked at him, curiously. He was being serious, she realized, he actually thought I was horrified at being this close to him. His scars are there and hard to miss, but that didn't make him repulsive. Ghastly's face was handsome and the vertical scars only enhanced the look. They were a part of who he was, who she'd come to see him as, and even if she had once thought them odd, she now saw them as something good about him, something he'd endured. They made him strong and they made him Ghastly. Honestly, she'd always thought scars were attractive, but she'd come to adore his in particular. She gently set her sword to the side and used her free hand to turn his head towards her. When he was looking at her, she moved closer. Their faces were no more than an inch apart now. His eyes widened slightly, confusion mingling with shock as he stared at her.
"I don't mind, honestly," She said genuinely if slightly breathlessly.
"Oh," He added helpfully.
They were so close, it would be so easy to kiss him, she thought. All she would have had to do was tilt her head and her lips would've been on his. They looked soft and chapped, but warm. He kept looking at her in awe and surprise, like he wasn't sure if this was really happening. It took the breath out of her and it made her want to kiss him all the more.
"Hi," Ghastly said, smartly.
"Hi," She replied, her voice breathy.
"You," he started, his face reddening, "are very, very close."
"Yeah, I suppose so. Should I get off?"
He looked like he was considering it for a moment, before he gave a small, sharp nod. Her hair fell in curls around her face, so it was almost imperceptible when she sighed. She rolled off of him, collected her sword and put it back in her scabbard.
"That was a good match, by the way," She said as she quickly turned to hide her flushed cheeks, "we'll have to do it again sometime."
"Yeah, sure," Ghastly agreed.
They stood there for a moment, as they collected themselves. "I'm going to make some coffee," Tanith announced when the silence threatens to get awkward, "would you like some too?"
"I would love some coffee, that sounds delightful," he said, a genuine smile on his face.
The moment was over and they fell back into routine again; it was familiar and comforting, but not what either of them truly wanted. Ghastly sighed. He watched Tanith as she danced around his kitchen, making coffee for them. Sitting on the couch in the main room, he silently cursed himself for not seizing the moment. They were so close, he thought. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkling, and her lips were right in front of his. Breathless and curious, with the way she was looking at him, he thinks she might have actually wanted him to kiss her. He was being delusional, of course. Just because she wasn't repulsed by him didn't mean she was attracted to him and it certainly didn't mean she wanted him to kiss her. He frowned slightly, unsure of himself.
He heard someone approaching and looked up to see Tanith with two mugs in her hand. The coffee was a rich, dark blend that filled the room with its lovely aroma. She handed one to him, careful that he didn't burn his hand, and then sat down beside him.
"Cheers," She said, grinning at him.
Ghastly smiled back warmly. He may have missed his moment today, but there would be another; he was sure of it. Next time, he thought, he'd have the courage to tell her how he felt.