xp_logs | Amanda, Marie-Ange, Angelo

Following the announcement of Manuel's return and her own wig-out post, Amanda spars with Marie-Ange.

Normally when sparring with a taller opponent - basically anyone but Jubilee, really - Amanda tended to hold back and circle, using the shielding spell to avoid hits. Today, however, with her emotions in a turmoil, that wasn't enough and as Marie-Ange made a move, the witch employed what was basically a rugby tackle, charging at her friend and bringing them both crashing to the floor mats.

Marie-Ange let out an 'oof' as she hit the mats, landing sprawled on her back, one leg under her, with Amanda on top of her. The smaller woman was just big enough to keep Marie-Ange from being able to push her off, so instead she rolled, using her hips to flip the both of them over.

There was a squawk as Amanda suddenly found herself flipped over and their positions reversed and she barely avoided getting both arms pinned. As it was, she had to wriggle frantically to free one arm, which she used to grab hold of Marie-Ange's hair giving a firm enough tug to show she had a good grip, if not the savage yank she'd normally employ in a real fight.

Pulled forward by the braid, Marie-Ange nearly lost her purchase on Amanda's other arm. Moving away would mean getting her hair yanked - Amanda might not be trying to rip it from her scalp but even a good sharp tug hurt. She grunted, and twisted around to elbow Amanda in the neck. There was no pressure - just the unspoken promise that if the hair kept being pulled, the elbow would keep poking her in the windpipe.

Angelo stepped quietly into the room at that moment, stopped and blinked. A moment's assessment - and the location - told him this wasn't a real fight, and he chose not to interrupt, instead slipping to one wall to watch.

Swallowing a little against the pressure, Amanda tucked in her chin, digging into the arm pressed against her throat to buy herself a little space. One leg was pinned by Marie-Ange's, but the other was free and she bent the knee, planting her foot against the floor and employing the same hip-twist Marie-Ange had to shift the other woman off her. She kept her grip on Marie-Ange's hair, using it as leverage to pull her in the same direction as she was trying to flip her.

Between the flip and the hair pull, Marie-Ange had little choice roll off Amanda. Not that she could get too far away, with the tugging on her hair. That was getting old - and bothersome, so instead of trying once again to pin Amanda, Marie-Ange instead reached behind and grabbed Amanda's wrist, twisting it to try to break the grip.

Between the grip on her wrist and the risk of having her hand mashed against the floor, Amanda let go, her other hand grabbing Marie-Ange's other wrist. "Draw?" she panted slightly, sweat sticking loose strands of hair to her face - they'd been in the gym for a while.

"Yes, please." Marie-Ange agreed, loosening her grip on Amanda's wrist as the grip on her hair was released. She turned her head slightly to swing her braid loose and then let out an embarrassed laugh

as she saw Angelo leaning against the wall by the door. "Oh.. hi Angelo..." She said. "... how long have you been here?"

"Ten, fifteen minutes", he said with a shrug. "I didn't want to break it up - looked like you both needed it."

"Something like that." Amanda blew hair out of her eyes - her pony tail was coming loose - and got up, holding out her hand for Marie-Ange. "'S good to see you - don't tell me, you jumped in the car and came over as soon as you saw the journals?" It was said somewhat self-mockingly.

"Pretty much. Your comment on Manny's journal, anyway." He was still standing against the wall, watching them.

Once standing, Marie-Ange dusted herself off, and began to undo the braid - it had gone loose anyway and it gave her something to do with her hands. "I have to admit, I am a little surprised Doug isn't lurking about. Or down here himself beating up a heavy bag." She paused in thought for a moment. "Or he has his martial arts class today. Which is the same thing. I am not letting myself get onto the journals until I am sure I won't say something like Forge did."

Amanda winced slightly, covering it up by wiping her sweaty forehead with the sleeve of her t-shirt. "It's a bit of a shock for everyone who knew... knows him," she said, correcting the slip. They'd all fallen into the habit of speaking about him in the past tense. Possibly because none of them had ever thought they'd need to deal with Manuel again.

"I'm gonna go see him", Angelo said abruptly. "Find out what's up with him these days. I mean, the guy was unconscious for over a year, an' before that... stuff might've changed."

"Maybe." Amanda sighed, stretched out her shoulders. "I think I'm gunna go clean up," she said, and gave Marie-Ange a small smile. "Thanks for that. Drinks later, maybe?"

After a shower, Amanda and Angelo talk about the implications of Manuel's return and what's been a really shitty week.

Steam billowed out of the bathroom as Amanda opened the door, coming out wrapped in a towel and drying her hair with another. She gave Angelo a small smile. "That's better. Sorry I took so long - been a stressful week."

"Well, yeah", he said with a faint smile in return. He was sitting on the couch, socked feet propped on the coffee table. "Between everythin' with Mark an' then Manuel..."

"You missed the fun and games with Wanda and Garrison. They managed to get nabbed by some lunatic... yesterday?" Amanda shook her head, and came to sink down beside him, still in her towel. "This week can stop any time now."

His arm went automatically around her. "It's over tomorrow. They're okay, right?"

"Yeah. Mostly. Garrison lost a lot of blood, but he's got that healing factor, and Wanda was pretty freaked out, but they're safe now." She leaned her head against his shoulder, damp hair and all. "Seeing Manny's post... it was the last straw, really. I didn't even know he was awake."

"Nor did I", Angelo told her, not complaining about the damp hair. Not now. "I guess, if it was just recent - well, I mean, after they got him through the physio so he could walk again an' that stuff... are you gonna be okay?"

"I don't know," came the answer, her voice small. She pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around her knees but not moving her head from Angelo's shoulder. "I just... I never even considered this. Manny waking up, coming back to the school... He must be different, tho', or they'd never let him come back, right?"

"I don't know", he echoed. "Maybe, if they thought he needed the help an' they were goin' to keep an eye on him... but I don't know. What happened to him'd be enough to change anyone."

"Hmm." The noise was an agreement. After a pause, she asked, softly: "Did you mean it, what you said down in the gym? About wanting to talk to him?" She knew she would have to sometime, she just wasn't sure when she'd have the courage.

Angelo curled around her at that, protective and somehow self-protective as well. "Can't avoid it forever, when we both live in the mansion. Best to get it over with."

She tucked herself closer to him, feeling his breath against her bare shoulder. "You're braver than me. I know I should too, but... not yet. I don't know what I'd say." She bit her lip. "The thing is... If he is here to get better, if he means it this time, I don't want to get in the way of that." Her voice dropped again. "I already messed him up enough."

"Nothin' says you have to see him", he reminded her quietly. "Or get in powers range. If you just want to know how he's doin', there's always email."

"Except if I want to see the people I know at the mansion. Or take the bus run. Or stay with you, instead of dragging you out here." Her voice took on a slightly less beaten edge. "I'll talk to him, sometime. If only so both of us aren't tiptoeing around each other." She snorted a little. "I don't think he's going to like us being together, tho'."

"Then he's just goin' to have to deal", Angelo said firmly. His lips brushed her shoulder, fleetingly. "Lot of water under the bridge since it was you an' him."

"Yeah." She turned her head a little, looking up at him through strands of damp hair. "I'm not who I was back then. Neither are you. Hopefully it'll be the same for him."

"The old Manuel wouldn't have said what he did in that post", he agreed, meeting her eyes squarely. "Not in those words, anyway."

"It did sound like he was serious, didn't it? And there was no business with signing it with his full name - just 'Manuel'." She took a breath and let it out with a small shudder. "It'll be okay," she said, sounding a lot more sure than she had earlier. "We'll sort it out. Just... I think I need today to be my official "not coping" day, yeah?"

"Everybody gets them", he said softly, bending to rest his forehead against hers. "An' I'll be here as long as you need me."

So different to being with Manuel. Normally she didn't think that way, but it was very much highlighted now. She tilted her chin up slightly to brush his lips with hers. "Thank you, love."

"Nothin' to thank me for." He didn't pull back, so that was spoken against her mouth, or very near to it. "Love you, remember."

"I'll never forget it," she replied, sealing it with a kiss.