xp_logs | Logan and Marie: Thursday Morning Training Session

Logan sat, legs crossed, on a mat in the center of the floor. His body was there, but his mind was elsewhere. In the forest, on a hill, up a tree, in the mountains. Quiet places, natural places. Places where he could find his focus.

The quiet was broken by footfalls and a merry giggle as Marie came in, flushed with cold air and good humour. "Good morning, Master Logan," she said lightly, kicking off her shoes. "Where would you like me?"

Concentration broken, Logan pushed himself to his feet. "One guess," he snorted, then waved at the mat. "C'mon, over here."

"Spoilsport." She pulled off her jacket and tightened her ponytail, then came half-skipping over to hop exactly on the spot he'd indicated. "Hi." Her expression was pure happiness and mischief.

His expression softened. "Hi." He shook his head at her youth and excitement, grinning. "How well d'you remember the sparrin' form I showed you yesterday?"

"Yes, dear. It was a good one, I can't wait to try it Saturday." She bounced a little on her toes, then settled. "Let's go through it again and see, shall we?"

He groaned, knowing that Saturday would be even more painful than usual. He shook off his impatience, reminding himself that today was only Thursday. Nodding, he settled into the ready position, waiting for her to begin.

Marie stepped up and punched smoothly into his block, restraining herself admirably, then shifted back, turned a little and blocked his incoming blow before launching a pair of crisp punches, blocked him again, and spun into the kicks with a small smile on her face. It was like a dance for her when they practiced and she loved every move.

Her rear leg came up in a side-kick to his mid-section and he blocked her with a carefully-placed kick of his own, doing the same when she began a spinning side-kick, also aimed at his mid-section. Dropping his leg immediately, he folded himself toward the floor to avoid her sliding high side-kick and then straightened, falling into the fighting stance.

She'd progressed a lot in skill, speed, and control since they'd started training together. He looked forward to these morning sessions; they allowed him to test her limits. He hadn't found them yet and the thought that he might never find them made him grin.

She pivoted, blocking high as he moved against her and then kicking high again. She reached the fighting stance again briefly, then launched a side kick at his mid-section with her back leg, followed it with a spinning side kick to the same target, and laughed with delight as she finished with a high side kick, working hard to keep her feet to the floor the whole time. When she fell back into fighting stance, her eyes were brilliant green.

They were both grinning broadly when the form was complete. Logan stretched, rolling his shoulders back, and murmured his satisfaction. "Good memory." Cracking his neck, he grinned. "Now from th'other side."

Marie leaned forward to kiss him and then stepped back. "Yes, Master Logan," she said cheekily before starting in on the same sequence from the other side.

He quickly fell into step, blocking her punches and punching into her blocks, stopping just short of contact. That, they saved for Saturday.

Kicks were, for all that they were far harder for her to perfect, her favourite part of training. The perfect balance that seemed to have come with mastering flight made them into a game, or it would if she weren't also required to moderate her power. Her strength was such that, unleashed, she could damage or kill without consequence to herself. Playing with balance and restraint left her feeling accomplished and led her to trust herself more with every session. She ended the sequence flushed and pleased, mostly pleased.

"My high kicks to the left are still a little sloppy," she said with some distaste. Keeping control of the impact took more concentration than she had to do so and make the form perfectly crisp at once.

"We'll keep workin' at 'em," he agreed, noting that there had been more tension in her form during those kicks. His eyes narrowed for a moment as he stood, thinking. "Y'could practice on the punchin' bag in the gym," he suggested, then grinned. "Jus' don't kick it too hard an' break it open."

Marie laughed. "That's the whole problem, isn't it? Better that than someone who'll bleed on the hardwood though, right?"

His grin broadened. "Save that for Saturday, huh?"

She gave him a positively wicked grin and ran her tongue over her teeth. "It's my reward for a week of hard work."

Logan's eyes narrowed even more and his grin sharpened. "Been workin' hard this week, have you?"

"You tell me." She stepped up so that they were almost touching. "I've been busy all over the ...damn." She put her hands on her hips and stepped back. "I'm leaving at six Saturday morning."

"Snowboardin's this weekend, huh?" He nodded consideringly. "Well, can't have y'missin' your reward. We'll hafta reschedule..."

"Busy Friday night?" she asked, looking at him coyly. "I mean, if you don't already have a date or anything..."

Logan stepped closer, tilting his head to look at her, and grinned. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he murmured. "I do now."

Marie laughed and put her arms around his neck, then kissed him. "I love you."

"Mm. Love you, too." He kissed her again. "Lesson." And nibbled on her jawline. "Is." And then her earlobe. "Over."

"So soon?" Her protest was belied by the way she pressed against him, tilting her head to allow him access to her neck. "Don't we need to work on my kicks, Master Logan?"

Nibbling his way down her neck, he snorted dismissively. "We can work on 'em tomorrow. Right now, y'need t'work on respectin' your elders." His hands on her waist lifted her, settling her legs up near his waist, so that his mouth can more easily reach her collarbone.

Marie didn't manage to stop herself before she laughed outright at Logan. Still, she locked her thighs around his hips and snuggled closer. "I like the way you teach this part. I might even start doing it... maybe."

Logan's teeth dug into her collarbone a little harder than the previous gentle nibbles and he snorted again. "Mebbe, huh?"

"Ah... you want me to get boring?" She twisted a little to bite him back, hard, on the side of the neck. "Admit it. You love me the way I am."

He groaned, neck arching automatically in pleasure. "Mm. Mebbe," he teased. It didn't last, though. A few seconds later, he nipped at her chin and confessed, "Yeah. A'right. I do. Even when y'forget t'eat and work on lesson plannin' in bed..."

Marie laughed merrily and kissed him. "I win," she said smugly.

Somehow, with Marie's body pressed against his, her lips parted and inviting, losing didn't seem like a bad thing at all...