Prompted on tumblr with "How is my wife more badass than me?"


The Adams Foster family stood in a line facing forwards, Stef and Lena book-ending their children. Stef was taking this seriously, evident by the solemn expression on her face, while the rest of the family looked a mixture of bored and bewildered.

It had been Stef's idea. A spate of burglaries in the neighborhood had left Lena feeling on edge, especially as their jobs were keeping them both very busy at the moment which meant that the kids were home alone a lot. Lena had voiced her concern one night in bed, musing over what they could do to make sure that their home and, more importantly, their children were safe. In her mind, she was thinking of reviewing the house's security system and maybe fixing some extra locks on the door. She had not expected to end up here.

It turned out that Stef had something very different in mind and, in hindsight, Lena should not have been surprised. In front of them, the self-defense instructor - a small yet solid-looking man called Bruce - was eyeing them up.

"Do I have to be here?" Mariana grumbled. "Mom already taught me some self-defense moves last year."

"Yes!" her brothers and sister said in chorus. If they were being forced into this, so was Mariana.

"Besides, if I remember correctly, you were more interested in your phone than actually learning," Stef grumbled.

"No more talking!" Bruce ordered. "In the next two hours, you will learn some key skills to fend off any attackers. Mrs Adams Foster, would you step forward and help me demonstrate the first manoeuvre?"

Stef took a confident step forwards and Bruce put his hand to stop her. "Uh, not you, Officer." He looked at Lena. "The other Mrs Adams Foster."

A little surprised, Lena took a tentative step forwards. "Uh, if you're sure…"

"Absolutely," Bruce said reassuringly. "Please, come and stand beside me."

Lena did as she was told. "Okay, this first move will get any wannabe attacker to their knees."

Looping his arm around Lena's neck and inviting her to pin his hand down, he instructed her to duck backwards out of his embrace and twist his arm behind his back, whilst holding on to his shoulder with her other hand.

"Good work. Next, you would kick the back of your attacker's legs, bringing them to their knees. Now…"

Before he had chance to explain further, Lena did just that. Bruce was on his knees in a second. The surprise movement, coupled with the momentum of Lena's actions, sent him face down on the floor with a thump.

"Like that?"

It was hard to know if Lena was as innocent as she sounded.

"How is my wife more badass than me?" Stef said under her breath, slightly disgruntled by her wife's natural abilities but equally in awe of them.

Meanwhile, the five teenagers were nothing but impressed.

"Woah!"

"Oh my God!"

"Mama!"

Lena reached out her hand and pulled Bruce up to standing. If his ego was bruised, he didn't show it.

"Exactly like that," he said with a small laugh. "Now, who else wants to try it?"

Five hands shot up in the air as Lena stepped back in line, this time at the other end next to her wife. Stef leaned sideways towards her.

"That was hot," she murmured quietly. "Wanna show me how it's done?"

"Sure," Lena said cockily. "But don't be surprised when you end up on your knees."

"Oh honey, I'm counting on it."