Angelo & Alani | Back to the Basics
Nov. 22nd, 2021 01:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsAlani enlists Angelo in her quest to take her self-defense skills seriously. (backdated)
Alani swallowed thickly as she looked around the gym, almost blankly taking note of her surroundings while stretching lightly before finally turning her attention to Angelo and offering a slight smile. Mentally, she counted down so her nerves settled some before finally opening her mouth. “Thank you for doing this, I... I really appreciate it. It’s so embarrassing to ask people if they’ll spar with you on baby level — actually let’s call it level 0, that sounds better. But, um, so how do you wanna do this?”
"The question's more how do you wanna do it", he said, finishing his own stretches. "Starting with what you already know about fighting."
"I'm thinking the basics, really. Not grappling, I'm afraid I'd panic. I don't want to seriously injure someone, but, fuck, thinking I died and wasn't able to protect myself really sucked." She laughed a little, jabbing at the air and hoping she didn't sound as out of her depth as she felt on the topic. Yes, she'd attended the classes the mansion required but had she internalized anything? It definitely didn't feel like it. "But, ya know, maybe punch and kick? Does that make sense to start there?"
"We can start with that", Angelo agreed, turning towards the punching bags. "How heavy a bag do you want to start on?"
She groaned as she thought, trying to remember what had been said before. Half your own weight? "I think I used a 70, so let's go with that."
"You got it." He smacked the right one to show her which it was, setting it swinging. "First thing, take a shot at it and show me your form."
"Can do, boss man." Alani flushed a little at having said that aloud, but shook the feeling out before getting into a punching position. Feet apart, thumbs untucked, she raised her left hand defensively before jabbing forward with her right. She hesitated before connecting and sighed internally, already knowing what he might say. "Sorry, I know, I know, that's no good."
"It's something to build on", he corrected gently. "Let's start with your hands. You need to get your thumb out of the way, but not inside the fist. Like so."
"Build on, right," she nodded slightly, shifting her thumbs as he'd instructed. That felt right, something she'd probably been told once upon a time. She practiced on the air once, twice – "That's better, okay. Any other corrections or am I good to punch again?"
"Your stance looked pretty good, so give it another go." He moved around a little, to have a better view.
Another nod, this time accompanied by a long exhale as Alani attempted to quiet her mind. “Okay.” With that she punched again, connecting without a hiccup, and shifting her weight to go into it.
"There, see? You can do it! And I think you're one of the quickest learners I've ever had."
"You say that now, but that's just some of the classes I took here coming back. Slow boot up," she laughed lightly. "And I have a teacher I trust myself to not go all glowing pink lights mode."
"And one where it won't matter so much if you do", he said with a grin. "I won't freak out on you and I'll know what it means in time to not be touching you."
"Yes, okay, this is all true." And this time she returned the grin fully, more at ease. "And thank god for that, it's always nice to have people know when it's clearly 'no touching' time. What would you think of a few more punches before we try kicks?"
"If it'll make you feel more comfortable that you've got it nailed, we can do that", Angelo agreed.
"Oh, Angelo, I would love to nail it, then maybe I could at least partially rely on muscle memory that isn't just flinch." A few more punches, trying to let the flow of the movement take over. "Could I ask you something? It might be a bit personal, so I'll give that warning."
"You can ask whatever you want", he said. "And if it's to do with the training, it probably won't be so personal I won't answer."
"That is almost certainly true, yeah, just reckon I'd rather preface and give you a way out," she admitted after a beat. "What's your history with self-defense and fighting? I know you have a sword and can presumably use it, but, like, did you ever have these mental stops that I can't seem to shake myself of?"
Angelo grinned, a little ruefully. "Ah, my history with fighting is... long. Way back, before I ever came to Xavier's, I was in with a gang from pretty young. Then there was Asgard, where I got my sword, and a lot of stuff since. But the question was really about the mental stops, so yeah, I did. I think most people do, to one level or another."
At his statement, Alani blinked owlishly for a moment, moving her hands as she worked through her thoughts. "I... did not expect the little view into lil' Angelo, if I'm being completely honest. But also, no judgment. So, how did you get over yours? I'm trying, I really fucking am, man. But fuck, I'm a joke when it comes to this shit."
"You're not a joke", he said firmly. "You're just new to all this stuff and like I said, you're not doing so bad at all. I guess the main way was practice, over and over again 'til it came easy."
"Ah, sorry, right," she cleared her throat. Her tone was lighter when she spoke again, motioning to the punching bag. "Right, practice is key, that’s what most things boil down to. So, gotta perfect that punching first. Ready?”
"I wasn't trying to shut you down", he said, watching her. "We can get back to the punching if you want, but I'm good to answer more questions if you had some."
"No! That's not- What I mean is, I know practice is something I need to invest in," she admitted. "And I largely avoid it, even though I know it's good. I don't have any more questions, I do think I really needed to hear that I do have to work on something to make it happen. Honest."
Angelo smiled at her, stepping back with a gesture towards the heavy bag. "Okay, then, that's good. Shall we?"
Alani flashed a grin back, rolling her shoulders a little before getting back into a starting position. "Let's."
Alani swallowed thickly as she looked around the gym, almost blankly taking note of her surroundings while stretching lightly before finally turning her attention to Angelo and offering a slight smile. Mentally, she counted down so her nerves settled some before finally opening her mouth. “Thank you for doing this, I... I really appreciate it. It’s so embarrassing to ask people if they’ll spar with you on baby level — actually let’s call it level 0, that sounds better. But, um, so how do you wanna do this?”
"The question's more how do you wanna do it", he said, finishing his own stretches. "Starting with what you already know about fighting."
"I'm thinking the basics, really. Not grappling, I'm afraid I'd panic. I don't want to seriously injure someone, but, fuck, thinking I died and wasn't able to protect myself really sucked." She laughed a little, jabbing at the air and hoping she didn't sound as out of her depth as she felt on the topic. Yes, she'd attended the classes the mansion required but had she internalized anything? It definitely didn't feel like it. "But, ya know, maybe punch and kick? Does that make sense to start there?"
"We can start with that", Angelo agreed, turning towards the punching bags. "How heavy a bag do you want to start on?"
She groaned as she thought, trying to remember what had been said before. Half your own weight? "I think I used a 70, so let's go with that."
"You got it." He smacked the right one to show her which it was, setting it swinging. "First thing, take a shot at it and show me your form."
"Can do, boss man." Alani flushed a little at having said that aloud, but shook the feeling out before getting into a punching position. Feet apart, thumbs untucked, she raised her left hand defensively before jabbing forward with her right. She hesitated before connecting and sighed internally, already knowing what he might say. "Sorry, I know, I know, that's no good."
"It's something to build on", he corrected gently. "Let's start with your hands. You need to get your thumb out of the way, but not inside the fist. Like so."
"Build on, right," she nodded slightly, shifting her thumbs as he'd instructed. That felt right, something she'd probably been told once upon a time. She practiced on the air once, twice – "That's better, okay. Any other corrections or am I good to punch again?"
"Your stance looked pretty good, so give it another go." He moved around a little, to have a better view.
Another nod, this time accompanied by a long exhale as Alani attempted to quiet her mind. “Okay.” With that she punched again, connecting without a hiccup, and shifting her weight to go into it.
"There, see? You can do it! And I think you're one of the quickest learners I've ever had."
"You say that now, but that's just some of the classes I took here coming back. Slow boot up," she laughed lightly. "And I have a teacher I trust myself to not go all glowing pink lights mode."
"And one where it won't matter so much if you do", he said with a grin. "I won't freak out on you and I'll know what it means in time to not be touching you."
"Yes, okay, this is all true." And this time she returned the grin fully, more at ease. "And thank god for that, it's always nice to have people know when it's clearly 'no touching' time. What would you think of a few more punches before we try kicks?"
"If it'll make you feel more comfortable that you've got it nailed, we can do that", Angelo agreed.
"Oh, Angelo, I would love to nail it, then maybe I could at least partially rely on muscle memory that isn't just flinch." A few more punches, trying to let the flow of the movement take over. "Could I ask you something? It might be a bit personal, so I'll give that warning."
"You can ask whatever you want", he said. "And if it's to do with the training, it probably won't be so personal I won't answer."
"That is almost certainly true, yeah, just reckon I'd rather preface and give you a way out," she admitted after a beat. "What's your history with self-defense and fighting? I know you have a sword and can presumably use it, but, like, did you ever have these mental stops that I can't seem to shake myself of?"
Angelo grinned, a little ruefully. "Ah, my history with fighting is... long. Way back, before I ever came to Xavier's, I was in with a gang from pretty young. Then there was Asgard, where I got my sword, and a lot of stuff since. But the question was really about the mental stops, so yeah, I did. I think most people do, to one level or another."
At his statement, Alani blinked owlishly for a moment, moving her hands as she worked through her thoughts. "I... did not expect the little view into lil' Angelo, if I'm being completely honest. But also, no judgment. So, how did you get over yours? I'm trying, I really fucking am, man. But fuck, I'm a joke when it comes to this shit."
"You're not a joke", he said firmly. "You're just new to all this stuff and like I said, you're not doing so bad at all. I guess the main way was practice, over and over again 'til it came easy."
"Ah, sorry, right," she cleared her throat. Her tone was lighter when she spoke again, motioning to the punching bag. "Right, practice is key, that’s what most things boil down to. So, gotta perfect that punching first. Ready?”
"I wasn't trying to shut you down", he said, watching her. "We can get back to the punching if you want, but I'm good to answer more questions if you had some."
"No! That's not- What I mean is, I know practice is something I need to invest in," she admitted. "And I largely avoid it, even though I know it's good. I don't have any more questions, I do think I really needed to hear that I do have to work on something to make it happen. Honest."
Angelo smiled at her, stepping back with a gesture towards the heavy bag. "Okay, then, that's good. Shall we?"
Alani flashed a grin back, rolling her shoulders a little before getting back into a starting position. "Let's."
