"You're pathetic." She suppressed a need to punch him and focused on her exercise. A few more sit-ups and she'd be done. Minho had his knees on her feet and elbows on her knees, keeping her steady while he teased her. She gritted her teeth and breathed through her nose. "We've been at it for ten minutes and you're already panting. Or is it just me, babe?" He smirked.
"Only ten minutes?" she gasped in disappointment, hoping he was just messing around.
"Yup, and I still want you to run those laps for me." He winked and released her. "But first we gotta train those arms of yours. They're-"
"-Let me guess… Pathetic?" She smiled bitterly.
"Utterly pathetic, babe," he chuckled, and - against her will - Vivienne did, too.
"That's why I came to you."
"And that was a shucking perfect choice for a slinthead like you." He winked again.
"Please tell me it's something in your eye because I'm beginning to wonder which one of us is really pathetic." Rest of the evening Vivienne spent throwing punches at Minho's opened palms. Surprisingly, he offered her lots of advices.
"Grip your fist tighter." He took a hold of her hand, squeezing her fingers tighter. "If you were to punch me right now where would you aim?" Vivienne took a moment, before she answered,
"I guess not your nose…?"
"Well, it's an option, but if you don't aim properly you can break your fingers or something and even though Medjacks try their best they failed at healing Newt's leg properly, so fingers would be even harder to fix. Without your hand you can't do your job, and you become useless."
"Alright, so nose is out. How about groin?" she suggested and Minho pretended to wince.
"You'd have to kick for that, and today we practise punches; don't get ahead of yourself."
"Minho teacher mode is on, I see," she teased.
"I know you're into it, babe." He winked once again, making her groan. "So, try again."
"I have no idea. Where should I?" she asked honestly.
"You can pretend to go for the nose-"
"-What do you mean pretend?" Minho groaned.
"Let me finish, woman-"
"-No longer babe, huh?" she chuckled at how annoyed he looked and she couldn't believe she really got under his skin.
"I don't have to help you; you know that, don't you?"
"Sorry."
"Anyway," he continued, "If your movement will be predictable your opponent should be able to block it. Let me present." Minho formed a fist and in slow-motion-like tempo aimed for her nose. With a confused expression she put her palm around his fist, stopping it from any further movement only to have him launch at her neck with another hand. "And you go for the throat. If you manage to hit it the shank won't be able to breathe for a while, so you can-"
"Run away." She nodded slowly continuing what he started. He looked her up with confusion. "Minho," she said, seriousness clear in her voice, "I know I'm… weak and if some guy attacked me and I managed to stun him then I should scream and run until someone comes to help me." Minho shook his head with a grimace as if he suddenly became very uncomfortable.
"You're not weak... You're petite and very feminine, and that might make you a target, but you know your vulnerabilities and that makes you strong, not weak." Vivienne couldn't believe what she was hearing; she'd never seen Minho being so sincere. Always goofy and cocky, there he was comforting her – something she never expected but deeply appreciated.
"Thanks, Min." She whispered as her vision became blurry against her own will.
"Hey, babe, didn't mean to make ya shucking tear up." He put his arms around her tightly. She nestled her head into his chest. If she saw him smirk she didn't comment.
"We should-" She started to calm down.
"Uhm… Yeah," he interrupted untangling his arms. "So, you ready for more?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Bring it on."
It was dark outside, when Vivienne finally left the shower. In all honesty, she would have stayed there much longer had water not run cold. With her hair wet, khaki pants and loose shirt on she entered the homestead, trying to avoid zephyr and supress a shiver that crept onto her spine.
She saw light dim through a gap under a door to Newt's room and heard voices coming from the inside. She knocked lightly, already squeezing the knob as she let herself in.
"-I'm telling you, Barry is the weirdest-"
"- Try spending time with Minho-" Newt interrupted Legend, whilst he turned to the door.
"- Leave my babe alone!" Vivienne chimed in.
"Well, it's about time!" Legend squealed, making her grimace.
"God, were you always so loud?" she chuckled though, and sits next to Newt on his bed across from Legend.
"The loudest of them all," Newt snickered, "How was your training session?"
"You know about that?" Vivienne frowned. She wasn't mad, just shocked Minho would walk around and tell everyone.
"Yeah, he talked with Alby about this and we had a gathering to discuss it. All keepers actually liked the idea."
"Wait!" Legend interrupted clearly confused, "You have training sessions?" Vivienne's stare moved from Newt to Legend and back to Newt with a grimace.
"Only keepers know?" she guessed, and it turned out to be correct when Newt offered a nod. But he smiled letting her know it was alright to tell the Youngling. "Minho's training me," she announced, "But don't tell anyone. Only keepers, you, Newt and I know." A doubt crept onto her spine as Legend grinned. His mouth rarely stayed shut and she wondered if explaining further would be a good idea.
"I trust those slintheads, but we want Vivienne to feel safe, and if training does the job then good that." Newt clumsily took over. "But we don't want others to know so if some shank turns out jacked better if he doesn't know what our shuckette can do?"
"Shuckette?" she squeaked, "Just keep them coming," she grumped. They spent the rest of the evening talking about the training, her sore muscles and guys' day – not that it was much different from any other.
"Sorry about before," newt mumbled after Legend's eyelids fell shut and did not reopen. She turned from the boy to look at the blond.
"It's fine. Everything alright, though?" He nodded slowly.
"Alby's just… confused about everything, I guess. " He shrugged.
"Are you?"
"I try not to overthink it."
"That's not what I asked." He shrugged again so she decided to drop it. "Wake me up in the morning?"
"Do you want me to walk you back?" As sweet as the offer was Newt was odd the whole day and besides her chamber was near Homestead and everyone was already asleep.
"Nah, it's alright. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." She turned the light off on her way out. Exhaustion seemed to hit her out of nowhere. Sky was a colour of ink with barely any star above. Wind grew stronger and silence was broken by rustle of the brunches brushing against one another. Everyone appeared to be asleep and the whole place was unbelievably calm. So she stayed out and wandered unwittingly a bit longer until she noticed someone on up on the Tower – bagger.
Before he could noticed her she bucked away to her room. She didn't bother to open the door quietly for she lived alone, after all. And there he stood with his almost white, tinselly hair; brown eyes piercing into hers.
"You kept me waiting."