Namor & Wade | Sunday Afternoon

[x-deadpool.livejournal.com]

Wade offers Namor some constructive criticism in the gym. Obviously, he then offers some practical instruction.


"Three. Two. One." Namor took a deep breath, skin sticky with sweat, as he released the post-lift stretch. Today had been a leg day, but he always liked to transition between his harsher lifting sets with a good set of stretches. He opened his eyes, still breathing slowly, and the room gradually resolved back into focus. He pulled himself up, doing a quick once over the training area. There were two people on the treadmills. Someone in the squat rack. Two people wrapping up by the kickboxing bags.

He was satisfied that he had the mat to himself. The afternoon sunlight poured lazily over the padded area as he made sure to wipe down any previous equipment down and resettle his waterbottle and towel. The young man centered himself, assuming both a physical and mental position, before beginning a series of slow, patting movements aross his arms to begin his Aikido practice.

Wade grinned as he and Meggan parted, her lesson for the day having been productive and fun. He enjoyed teaching her - she looked at everything with a sense of freshness that he found... well, refreshing. Taking off the pads he'd used to protect his hands while Meggan struck them, he unwrapped the tape around his knuckles and turned to survey the rest of the gym.

Everything seemed to be in order - except. Wade squinted. He was pretty sure that was the kid Matt'd laid out, but that wasn't what caught his attention. Approaching the younger man's mat, the mercenary cocked his head to the side, eyes still narrowed, and unabashedly butted in where he wasn't needed or, in all likelihood, wanted. "Why're you doing that?"

Namor stopped, having moved on from his luohan patting to a series of dynamic neck stretches, and stared. His eyes spoke many questions -- "What do you mean?" "Why are you interrupting?" "Don't you know proper gym etiquette?" "Why the hell are you bothering me?" -- but he stood shock still and waited for the other man to explain himself.

Wade waited, eyebrow slowly rising before he raised one hand and snapped his fingers in front of Namor's nose. "Hello, I asked you a question. I know you can't be the brightest crayon in the box, what with provoking a confrontation between yourself and somebody you don't know anything about and, therefore, have no idea what they're capable of, but a simple explanation should totally be within the realm of your abilities."

It was times like these that Namor wished his powers involved turning people into things. He could almost imagine the man in front of him transmogrifying into a pig. Alas, there was propriety. "It is a pleasure to meet you in the flesh, Mr Wilson." His words were slow and clearly enunciated to ensure that Mr. Wilson would understand that Namor's distaste was layered like a parfait of contempt.

Wade's expression flattened and he dropped his hand to his side, eyes narrowing further. "Well, that answers that question, then," he said, tone almost contemplative. "Looks like simple explanations are beyond your abilities. Noted."

He got a sigh, which was kind of a response. Namor relaxed his stance, but the knot of tension in his shoulders was only beginning to build. "I am relaxing my core with stretches before beginning my kaiten drills after lifting. Weights and Aikido require two different mindsets."

After watching Namor for another moment, Wade asked, "Your powers - they're what? Super strength, speed, agility, flying?"

"I'm only fast in the water and in the air. I can breathe underwater," Namor replied flatly.

"Do you possess an overabundance of patience and passivity that people here have somehow managed to miss and, therefore, not comment on?" Wade asked, still watching Namor through slightly narrowed eyes.

"And can you only communicate via sarcasm?" It wasn't a straight answer, but it was enough of one.

"Gee," Wade said, face morphing into a mockingly thoughtful expression. "I dunno. Can I?"

Namor's frown darkened by several more shades of annoyance, "With all due respect Mr. Wilson, is there something I can help you with?"

Wade's face dropped back into something far more neutral as he asked, "Yes. You can help me understand why you're practicing a form of martial arts so completely unsuited to your powers, your build, and your temperament."

"You're not the first to mention this," Namor conceded. "You noted my lack of patience. Aikido is supposed to help me develop some."

"That's crap - meditation would help you develop patience, but meditation through movement, not luohan patting or any of that other warm-up stuff you were getting ready to do. Aikido's too passive for you - it relies almost entirely on someone else acting aggressively toward you." Wade paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Though the joint-breaking techniques you learn to subdue attackers are pretty handy." Then he tipped his chin toward Namor and asked, "Do you enjoy your Aikido practice?"

Namor's stare had returned, but this time tempered with confusion with the idea that Aikido was supposed to be enjoyable. This discredited any hint of righteousness he tried to muster, "Self improvement isn't about having a good time." Hell, he didn't even believe his tone.

Wade snorted. "So that'd be a 'no.'" He considered the younger man for a moment longer before saying, "You come from the type of family that'd make sure you knew more than one way to defend yourself - what else do you know?"

"Some basic Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do for breathing, and Jogo do Pau if I have a staff handy," Namor noted crisply. "Although I believe the last one was more of a matter of national pride for my instructor."

"Okay, so." Wade actually smiled as he toed off his shoes and stepped onto the mat. "Let's see how much good all of that does you and then maybe I'll figure out something for you that works better."

Namor smiled for the first time, assuming a triangle stance. "Didn't you just note that one shouldn't pick fights with people they know nothing about?"

Smile broadening to a grin, Wade said, "I did." Then he went at the younger man - hard, a series of wickedly fast blows flew toward Namor's head before the mercenary shifted with the fluidity of long practice and dropped to the mat to hook the younger man's knees out from under him.

Namor reacted as quick as the strikes came with his blocks, but missed noting the kick. He chided himself as this was the same move Matt had used. Namor controlled his fall, crouching to land in such a way that he could immediately respond with a kick of his own.

Wade took the kick only to grab Namor's ankle, careful not to crush his wings, and pull him off-balance. Once the younger man landed, the mercenary was on him, pinning him in a classic Brazilian Jui Jitsu side control. Only he was pretty sure the Attilani wouldn't understand this specific method and so he backed off a moment later, rolling aside to avoid any retaliatory strikes.

Standing, Wade gestured for Namor to do the same. "Again."

Any words caught in Namor's breath as he pulled himself up. He moved his ankle gingerly -- his wings were rather sensitive, and Wade's grip on his ankle had brushed them. However, the look on Namor's face only spoke of elation. He eagerly righted himself and assumed his previous stance.

The mercenary gave the young man a nod before indicating he should attack this time. It was interesting, Wade supposed, to see what royalty was teaching its children these days so far as self-defense went.

So the harsh lessons continued. Down-again, up-again until Namor was left winded. If he went for the feint, Wade would land the kick. If he blocked the kick, Wade would follow through on the initial strikes. Namor, for his part, would not refuse another round. He responded energetically with new combinations each time and gained several small successes. Yet the fact was soon ingrained that Wade had far more experience and versatility.

It was after the sixth or seventh time that Namor laid on the mat, muscles sore, and choked out, "Please don't tell me this is a lesson about not knowing your opponent's strengths."

Slightly out of breath himself, Wade grinned again. "It totally is. If you'd asked any questions before we got the party started, you might've rethought either your decision or your tactics." He offered Namor a hand up. "It's also, however, general lesson in martial arts - what you know right now doesn't suit you nearly as well as something else could. The Muay Thai is close, but you need something more aggressive. Dambe, maybe, or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. You should also enjoy what you're learning or it won't stick, not the way it should."

"Well, that's a point that has been driven home by multiple sources," Namor sent through clenched teeth as he regained his footing. "Thank you for the sparring, sir." He bowed.

Wade arched an eyebrow. "You're welcome. But I think you're missing my point." He stretched his arms over his head and rolled his shoulders, then continued, "Do you want to learn something that you'll enjoy or are you happy with Aikido? Because I wouldn't mind working with you."

Namor mirrored his expression. "I would be delighted to continue with you, but please forgive me if it is hard to parse that I should be enjoying my studies. Old habits."

"Good," Wade said. "We start Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tomorrow. Be prepared for a lot of groundwork - a lot more than you're used to. Comes in handy, though, because most people don't expect you to grapple with them when they try to kick you in the face."

The Attilani did not flinch. He bounced on his toes a little, still high from the sparing. "I'll be there ready to sweat."

"Good," Wade repeated, giving the young man a nod before stepping off the mat and pulling on his shoes. "I'll see you tomorrow. Same time."