A/N: Yep. Another sparring gym idea. Gods, I really did write down like seven of them as I read through IF, didn't I? In my defense…sparring is hot. Always. *shrug*
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Late night Flame Section, Fourth Wing sparring has become one of my favorite things, and I never thought I'd say that. Maybe it's because it's not as serious in Aretia as it was at Basgiath. Maybe it's because of how close we've all become. Whatever it is, and however sore we all end up, I always leave the mat smiling.
Yes, absorbing Cat's Drift has made for some tense moments, but for the most part we just stick to our own mats - riders on the close end and fliers on the far, two mats each. So far this week the only thing hurled between our mats have been snide taunts that have almost turned into a game.
Almost. Cat is still way too…well…catty. But, as long as my dagger is on, I know I'm good. For the most part, I give better than I take. Tonight, she, Maren, Bragen, and a few others from her drift are working on grappling in pairs, and it seems like they're here for the same reasons we are: blowing off some steam and messing around to relieve the tension.
Guess they are human after all.
"Come on, Sawyer," Ridoc shouts as Rhi flips him over her hip before coming down with the wooden training sword across his stomach, a 'thock' pulling a groan from all of us watching. He doubles over with a cough holding up his middle finger to our squad leader as she laughs victoriously above him.
The doors open and Bodhi jogs over to us as Ridoc holds out his arm to Sawyer, and we all jump back as the much taller and thicker marked one grabs Ridoc's legs in a tackle before spinning forward and to the right, dragging him to the mat.
"Yield!" He hollers, a dimpled smile on his face as his legs hold Ridoc's lower half in place while one meaty arm wraps around his neck, the other looping under his arm set to bring his upper body into submission.
"Fuck off," Ridoc wheezes before sticking out his tongue and dragging it the length of Bodhi's relic-laden forearm.
"Gross," he growls and drops his hold allowing the dark-skinned second year to cackle and slowly get to his feet.
The tingle at the back of my neck tells me that Xaden isn't far behind, and moments later he and Garrick walk through the door.
I see Cat stiffen as she talks to Maren out of the corner of my eye, but Rhi gets my attention by tapping my arm with one of the two training daggers she's holding in her left hand, a sword in her right.
"You and me, Sorrengail," she grins.
I drop all my weapons, save the one that blocks Cat's mindwork strapped high at my ribs, and palm the soft worn wood of the trainers. They're only slightly bigger but well crafted and balanced enough to work more in my favor with my smaller hands.
Xaden passes us as Garrick drags Bodhi to the other mat, and I feel the kiss he places to the top of my head.
"You're in a good mood," I say through the bond.
"I had a good afternoon," he answers in a gravelly tone that shoots straight to my center, and I hum in agreement into his mind.
"What do you think, Violence - shirt on or off tonight?"
I freeze as I check the wrap on my left elbow, my eyes meeting the hard width of his back.
"Don't you dare."
His full laugh in my mind contrasts his casual demeanor as he sits to tighten the laces of his boots while Garrick and Bodhi take the first round. Garrick immediately has the younger, less-experienced rider onto his back with a loud thud and groan.
"You don't want me to show off your artwork? It's not like you can show off mine since it's someplace only I'd be able to see."
I heave a sigh and he meets my eyes, mine shining with a clear warning but his glittering with a hidden secret. The blush is high on my cheeks when Rhi claps her hands and snaps me back to attention.
"Stop making googly eyes and let me smack you with this sword."
Sawyer and Ridoc both, "oooooooooh," at the same time as if we're in class and I just got caught doing something naughty by the teacher.
Loosening my shoulders I step in and am met with a flurry of swings, almost all I'm able to dodge while the last ends up parried, the dull clank of the wood drawing a few pairs of eyes as I go on the offensive. Rhi manages to block and turn to reflect my swings, again, save for the last. I spin into her parry on my right hand and bring my left up, the dulled tip of spruce coming up to rest just under her chin to dent the soft part of her jaw.
"Ooh, good one, Vi," Ridoc claps and I see surprise on Rhi's face as well as a shit-eating grin.
"Look down," Xaden says from where he's definitely paying attention to Garrick and Bodhi and not me, corded arms crossed over his chest. But that damn superior smirk sits on his lips.
I peek to see the tip of Rhiannon's sword pointed just under my ribcage, angled up for a killing blow against my lungs. "Nice," I admit.
"Same."
We untangle, all smiles, and I point my dagger over at Xaden, "I don't need your shit tonight, Riorson."
"Get stabbed less," is all he says as he turns back to his own match. "Damnit, Bodhi, tap out." Three smacks on the mat later and Garrick pops back up as the two biggest men in the barracks square off.
Speaking honestly and frankly, everyone loves watching Garrick and Xaden spar. They're arguably the best two hand-to-hand fighters we have in Aretia, and while half of us are looking for potential techniques, the other half are shamelessly ogling the two muscled men as they go full-out on one another.
Unfortunately for Garrick, Xaden knows he has an audience and that's never good for his sparring partner, best friend or not. Shooting in, his shoulder slamming past any defense, I can hear the air leave Garrick's lungs from here as his shoulders slam hard onto the mat.
"You dick," his hiss comes out as Xaden chuckles, holding his arm out to help his friend off the mat.
Sometimes the lesson is 'be bigger or be faster - both if you can pull it off'. As Rhi and I turn back to one another, the first crack of wood is overshadowed by Cat's snarky voice.
"Oh look, hard and quick. That's the Xaden I remember."
Everything. Everyone. Freezes.
It's as if Andarna's ability has reemerged and time stops, all save for the queen of bitchiness and Xaden. His hands hit his hips after he pulls Garrick to his feet, and he shakes his head.
"Not tonight, Catriona," he growls and I see a shadow fall over his eyes.
Rhi leans into me, her pointer finger poking at my chin to get me to close my wide open mouth. "I haven't seen his death glare for a while and I forgot how terrifying it is."
Cat keeps going despite all of us hoping she wouldn't. "Why…it's almost like your partner wasn't even there. Don't worry, Garrick, I too know how that feels."
Everyone else's eyes go every which way trying to act as if they weren't paying attention, and the bubbling anger I feel rising in my chest makes me check that the dagger is still right where it should be. I unsheathe it for a moment just to make sure it's the right one, the opposed V shapes that make up the rune shining in the overhead mage lights.
Nope - this feeling is all mine. What a perfect time for me to be holding wooden daggers.
"Cat, come on. Let's just go for the night." Bless Maren, she tries her best, but I recognize that stance. Hip cocked, arms folded, jaw set, fiery brown eyes glaring daggers into Xaden from across the other set of mats, she's not going anywhere and she definitely isn't backing down.
I drop my shields just enough to feel the frustration flowing from my bond with Xaden, and now I'm extra pissed. The man doesn't get to be in a good mood very often and she's just ruined it.
It's my turn now.
I look pointedly at Rhiannon and raise my eyebrows. "Weird storms we had this afternoon," I say, loud enough to catch everyone's attention. "No clouds yet…all that lightning and thunder."
I match the slow, crawling smile on her lips with a straight face as I flip the dagger in my hand and catch the rounded tip with practiced ease. She knows exactly what that means, my best friend whom I've shared more than enough stories with during late nights at the tavern in town or in either of our rooms during study sessions without the boys. And now she knows why I bailed on her after lunch, but I doubt she minds.
Especially since I'm weaponizing the information for the one person that needs it most.
I send a pulse of overwhelming satisfaction across our bond and glance in his direction. His eyes are still boring holes through Cat, but his shoulders are more relaxed which brings me some relief.
"You want to borrow my dagger?"
"I just might," he growls.
"You need some truth?"
His eyes shift over to mine, which I take as permission.
"Work up a sweat and you'll feel me at your back." I pause. "You know I have no problem with quick and hard."
He grins. The beautiful man actually grins. That breaks his glare and he goes back to Garrick on the mat.
I turn to Rhiannon as things shift back to normal. In the blur of strikes and the ebb and flow of switching from offense to defense, I hear the, "damn, Sorrengail," from Sawyer to my right, Ridoc whistling in response.
Confusion breaks my stride and I feel the sting as I miss my parry and take the wood blade to the back of my hand. I shake it off along with Rhiannon's apology as I notice that everyone is looking back and forth between us and the sparring on the far mat.
"Actually, I think that's a point for Riorson, not Violet," Ridoc corrects.
I feel my stomach drop along with my jaw when my eyes catch sight of Xaden's bare, bronze skin. "Really?!"
Sawyer counters, a wicked grin on his lips, "oh, I'd say that Vi also scored."
I can't do anything but close my eyes and bite my lips together as my cheeks flare bright red.
It's Rhiannon who goes for the death blow, mid laugh. "It looks like that was more of a you problem, Cat."
On full display is Xaden's navy blue daggertail relic, 107 three-inch scars, and half a dozen red lines that I'd scraped into him this afternoon with my fingernails.
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