Jean and Garrison: Push and Pull
Nov. 28th, 2025 04:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsA sparring match in the Danger Room becomes the moment Jean realizes her telekinesis is finally steady again.
Jean adjusted her zipper on her training uniform. The Danger Room was still in its 'loading screen' type of setting, aka just a bunch of navy blue blocks. The floor echoed as they walked on it.
"Since I've been taking it slow on my telekinesis the last few weeks, I'm ready to take it up a level with a little bit of sparring. Are you still good with one on one or...?"
"I would normally make some kind of phrasing joke but you made breakfast so I feel I owe you," Kane said, stretching a little and limbering up as he walked out. He flicked his hand, bringing up the DR interface with a golden light and tapping some holographic keys. "Standard sparring or do you want any extra factors?"
Jean smirked at the joke then tilted her head thoughtfully, pulling her hair into a hair tie. "Let's start with standard and go up if things go well," she said, drawing in a breath and letting it out decisively. She rolled her shoulders, mirroring some of Garrison's stretches. She was trying to pace herself.
It was easy to pretend things were back to normal, but she knew better. It would take time, and she didn’t want to lose them again by pushing too hard, too fast.
"Alright Red, let's mix it up." Kane said, moving in close, tucked into a defensive position.
The hum in her head sharpened as he squared up across from her. Jean settled into the stance she’d used a thousand times before, though it felt new again after so long.
She lifted her hand and sent a short, focused burst of telekinesis his way. The air rippled from the push, sharper than she intended. She caught it, steadied it, and exhaled.
Kane dummied up, taking the telekinetic force bolt on his forearms, pushing it off with a shift. He shook off the impact and advanced on her.
Jean found herself almost smiling when he shook off the first hit. Of course he did. If anyone could handle her training wheels stage, it was him. There were very few people she would let this close to her power while it was still settling.
She pushed again, small and precise, shaping a thin field of pressure in his path. Not a shove, just enough to slow his advance if he kept coming. Testing distance and testing herself, knowing he was not going to break.
Kane felt the resistance and leaned in, steady pressure on the telekinetic pressure designed to slow him down. He moved slowly and deliberately, testing and pushing back as she had to pour more of her power in to try and counteract his strength.
Jean felt the pressure shift as he leaned in, the force settling against her like weight on her palms. The field wavered for a moment, then steadied when she fed a little more strength into it. Not too much. Just enough to meet him. Enough to show she was not folding.
Her boots scraped the floor as she adjusted her stance, grounding herself the way she had been taught years ago. Like riding a bike. The hum of her power climbed higher in her chest, bright and contained, not bursting at the seams the way it had weeks ago.
She kept her eyes on him, her push steady, testing the line where his physical strength met her control. She felt the tension, but also the point of balance. It was work, but no longer tangled up with the fear that lived in her before.
"That's something, babe." Kane said, firing off a couple of punches, making her back off and reposition.
Jean shifted back and angled her telekinesis just enough to catch his fist and slide it harmlessly to the side, resetting her stance. The control held. The world didn’t shudder. The rhythm settled under her skin, familiar in a way she hadn’t felt in months.
She exhaled, and a small, relieved laugh slipped out with a quick, broad smile. “Yeah...finally,” she said, and swept a controlled wave of force toward him, low and smooth, aimed to knock him off his feet. Something she knew wouldn’t crack the floor this time.
The wave hit him, but it wasn't his strength but his speed that kept him on his feet, quickly adjusting after a couple of quick stumbles. "That was sneaky." He said with a grin. He came in again, moving a lot faster this time, testing her as he closed with her.
Jean feigned innocence for a moment before returning his grin and winking.
When he surged forward, she didn’t tense. She moved with him, stepping into the arc of his momentum instead of away from it. Her telekinesis slipped out in a smooth curve, brushing across his center like a hand on a dance partner’s shoulder, redirecting rather than stopping.
She eased back a few steps to widen the distance. “Well,” she said, eyes bright. “Looks like I’m starting to get the hang of this again.”
She circled left, keeping him in view, and sent two quick TK pulses at him, one from each side.
“Your move.”
He was hunkered enough that both pulses were resisted, but it forced him back for a moment. "Someone is getting cocky. Let's try a more direct approach." Kane said, suddenly bullrushing at her, discarding subtlety to put her to the test.
Jean cocked her head then ducked under his rush, sliding a sharp, compact TK tap between his shoulder blades, and used his own momentum to push him forward. “Points for enthusiasm,” she said.
"I still prefer when you tell me that after sex." Kane said, regaining his feet quickly. "OK Red, here's the big test." Kane was good at picking up her unconscious gestures she made with her powers, and this time came in fast but controlled, shrugging off her telekinetic blasts as he advanced deliberating, taking away her ability to overbalance him.
Jean circled him slowly, hands loose at her sides, power humming around her in a steady glow. “Keep talking. Helps me track your openings,” she said with a light smirk.
She shifted her weight and pulled her telekinesis in close, focusing it into a narrow point at his hip to redirect his momentum by inches instead of brute force. Then she flicked out three tiny TK taps at his forearm, hip, and knee, not enough to hurt but enough to keep him adjusting.
"I heard there's an app for that." Kane said, the hits registering but controlled as he closed the distance, forcing her to do more as he got within arm's length.
Jean let out a soft huff that was half laugh, half exertion. “What is this, 2005? Alright. Let’s dance.”
She stepped back just an inch and let her telekinesis slip between them like a wedge, giving her room to sidestep while keeping him in reach. She pivoted with him and flicked a narrow pulse at his shoulder, then swept a second, lower burst at his ankles in the same motion, both light enough to test him without slowing the pace.
The effect was like a random dance, as he pivoted and tried to keep his feet without success. But rather than crashing to the floor, he managed to turn it into a roll and regain his feet, circling her carefully. "OK, now I think you're showing off."
Jean kept circling with him, the two of them moving in a tight, fluid rhythm. She flicked a narrow TK push across his hand, a touch instead of a hit. “I trust you. Makes it easier,” she said, giving him a small, but real smile.
The moment held. Her power settled into place, steady and familiar. The relief that followed was quiet but deep, like finally unclenching a muscle she’d forgotten she was holding.
For the first time in a long time, she felt more like herself again. She let the telekinetic field ease down, then lowered her palms. “That’s the place I wanted to hit today.” Her tone stayed light, she let out a breath. “I’m good with stopping on a high note.”
"Always better than ending on a bloody nose." Kane said, straightening up and stretching his back. "This deserves a celebration. I can take you to Harry's, or if you feel like dressing up, somewhere in the city. My treat."
Jean grinned brightly, draping her arms over his shoulders.
"Going somewhere in the city sounds heavenly," she said. He was right. It was good to enjoy the wins when they were there.
"Tavern on the Green?" It was possible the Christmas lights were already out.
"Your wish is my command." Kane said with a grin.
Jean adjusted her zipper on her training uniform. The Danger Room was still in its 'loading screen' type of setting, aka just a bunch of navy blue blocks. The floor echoed as they walked on it.
"Since I've been taking it slow on my telekinesis the last few weeks, I'm ready to take it up a level with a little bit of sparring. Are you still good with one on one or...?"
"I would normally make some kind of phrasing joke but you made breakfast so I feel I owe you," Kane said, stretching a little and limbering up as he walked out. He flicked his hand, bringing up the DR interface with a golden light and tapping some holographic keys. "Standard sparring or do you want any extra factors?"
Jean smirked at the joke then tilted her head thoughtfully, pulling her hair into a hair tie. "Let's start with standard and go up if things go well," she said, drawing in a breath and letting it out decisively. She rolled her shoulders, mirroring some of Garrison's stretches. She was trying to pace herself.
It was easy to pretend things were back to normal, but she knew better. It would take time, and she didn’t want to lose them again by pushing too hard, too fast.
"Alright Red, let's mix it up." Kane said, moving in close, tucked into a defensive position.
The hum in her head sharpened as he squared up across from her. Jean settled into the stance she’d used a thousand times before, though it felt new again after so long.
She lifted her hand and sent a short, focused burst of telekinesis his way. The air rippled from the push, sharper than she intended. She caught it, steadied it, and exhaled.
Kane dummied up, taking the telekinetic force bolt on his forearms, pushing it off with a shift. He shook off the impact and advanced on her.
Jean found herself almost smiling when he shook off the first hit. Of course he did. If anyone could handle her training wheels stage, it was him. There were very few people she would let this close to her power while it was still settling.
She pushed again, small and precise, shaping a thin field of pressure in his path. Not a shove, just enough to slow his advance if he kept coming. Testing distance and testing herself, knowing he was not going to break.
Kane felt the resistance and leaned in, steady pressure on the telekinetic pressure designed to slow him down. He moved slowly and deliberately, testing and pushing back as she had to pour more of her power in to try and counteract his strength.
Jean felt the pressure shift as he leaned in, the force settling against her like weight on her palms. The field wavered for a moment, then steadied when she fed a little more strength into it. Not too much. Just enough to meet him. Enough to show she was not folding.
Her boots scraped the floor as she adjusted her stance, grounding herself the way she had been taught years ago. Like riding a bike. The hum of her power climbed higher in her chest, bright and contained, not bursting at the seams the way it had weeks ago.
She kept her eyes on him, her push steady, testing the line where his physical strength met her control. She felt the tension, but also the point of balance. It was work, but no longer tangled up with the fear that lived in her before.
"That's something, babe." Kane said, firing off a couple of punches, making her back off and reposition.
Jean shifted back and angled her telekinesis just enough to catch his fist and slide it harmlessly to the side, resetting her stance. The control held. The world didn’t shudder. The rhythm settled under her skin, familiar in a way she hadn’t felt in months.
She exhaled, and a small, relieved laugh slipped out with a quick, broad smile. “Yeah...finally,” she said, and swept a controlled wave of force toward him, low and smooth, aimed to knock him off his feet. Something she knew wouldn’t crack the floor this time.
The wave hit him, but it wasn't his strength but his speed that kept him on his feet, quickly adjusting after a couple of quick stumbles. "That was sneaky." He said with a grin. He came in again, moving a lot faster this time, testing her as he closed with her.
Jean feigned innocence for a moment before returning his grin and winking.
When he surged forward, she didn’t tense. She moved with him, stepping into the arc of his momentum instead of away from it. Her telekinesis slipped out in a smooth curve, brushing across his center like a hand on a dance partner’s shoulder, redirecting rather than stopping.
She eased back a few steps to widen the distance. “Well,” she said, eyes bright. “Looks like I’m starting to get the hang of this again.”
She circled left, keeping him in view, and sent two quick TK pulses at him, one from each side.
“Your move.”
He was hunkered enough that both pulses were resisted, but it forced him back for a moment. "Someone is getting cocky. Let's try a more direct approach." Kane said, suddenly bullrushing at her, discarding subtlety to put her to the test.
Jean cocked her head then ducked under his rush, sliding a sharp, compact TK tap between his shoulder blades, and used his own momentum to push him forward. “Points for enthusiasm,” she said.
"I still prefer when you tell me that after sex." Kane said, regaining his feet quickly. "OK Red, here's the big test." Kane was good at picking up her unconscious gestures she made with her powers, and this time came in fast but controlled, shrugging off her telekinetic blasts as he advanced deliberating, taking away her ability to overbalance him.
Jean circled him slowly, hands loose at her sides, power humming around her in a steady glow. “Keep talking. Helps me track your openings,” she said with a light smirk.
She shifted her weight and pulled her telekinesis in close, focusing it into a narrow point at his hip to redirect his momentum by inches instead of brute force. Then she flicked out three tiny TK taps at his forearm, hip, and knee, not enough to hurt but enough to keep him adjusting.
"I heard there's an app for that." Kane said, the hits registering but controlled as he closed the distance, forcing her to do more as he got within arm's length.
Jean let out a soft huff that was half laugh, half exertion. “What is this, 2005? Alright. Let’s dance.”
She stepped back just an inch and let her telekinesis slip between them like a wedge, giving her room to sidestep while keeping him in reach. She pivoted with him and flicked a narrow pulse at his shoulder, then swept a second, lower burst at his ankles in the same motion, both light enough to test him without slowing the pace.
The effect was like a random dance, as he pivoted and tried to keep his feet without success. But rather than crashing to the floor, he managed to turn it into a roll and regain his feet, circling her carefully. "OK, now I think you're showing off."
Jean kept circling with him, the two of them moving in a tight, fluid rhythm. She flicked a narrow TK push across his hand, a touch instead of a hit. “I trust you. Makes it easier,” she said, giving him a small, but real smile.
The moment held. Her power settled into place, steady and familiar. The relief that followed was quiet but deep, like finally unclenching a muscle she’d forgotten she was holding.
For the first time in a long time, she felt more like herself again. She let the telekinetic field ease down, then lowered her palms. “That’s the place I wanted to hit today.” Her tone stayed light, she let out a breath. “I’m good with stopping on a high note.”
"Always better than ending on a bloody nose." Kane said, straightening up and stretching his back. "This deserves a celebration. I can take you to Harry's, or if you feel like dressing up, somewhere in the city. My treat."
Jean grinned brightly, draping her arms over his shoulders.
"Going somewhere in the city sounds heavenly," she said. He was right. It was good to enjoy the wins when they were there.
"Tavern on the Green?" It was possible the Christmas lights were already out.
"Your wish is my command." Kane said with a grin.
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Date: 2025-12-04 05:59 pm (UTC)