Chapter Three: Combat Training

[backinthsaddle]

Cole's managed to get signed up, last minute, for one of the self-defense courses at his college to use as a refresher, and to learn some new techniques. But for now, he plans to start passing along what he already knows, so long as he can figure out the best way to be a teacher.

He has the workout room outfitted with floor mats and cleared of machines so there's enough room to spar without tripping over or falling into things, and he has handwraps in case things stray into boxing type territory. But he's going to see what she seems more comfortable with first, then go from there.

Comments

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"I'm too young and pretty to be an uncle," Liam says, voice a rumble underneath the laughter.

Vic flushes heavily, looks up at Cole who is rather on top of her.

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

He gets off her immediately, grabbing the offending item between his fingertips, like he's holding a dead rat. And immediately goes to throw it back at his brother. "Funny."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

Liam dodges out of the way and closes the door behind him, saying, voice muffled by the door, "Don't let me interrupt you. That looked hot."

Both of Victor's hands go over her face where her skin is blazing pink. "Oh my God I'm gonna die."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"You're a total jerk!" Cole shouts through the door, and a huge part of him is afraid to turn and look at Victor after this.

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

Liam just shrugs and goes into the kitchen, with a smile on his face, a spring in his step, and a song in his heart.

Victor is upset. Rather very. Because she thinks that Liam thinks that they really were... doing... you know what she thinks he thinks that they were doing. "He must think-- that, oh gosh, he thinks we were...."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"No, he's just a thoughtless jerk," he assures her, and for this moment at least, he half-wishes he had the power to strike his brother dead. His own face is still very, very red as he turns to her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize he'd come home already."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"Are you sure?" she says, voice strangled and small and she's still covering her face and she sounds like she might cry. "He must think I'm a... a... um."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"Positive. He's been like this for years, always trying to embarrass me." He doesn't know whether to hug her or what, especially not after that.

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"Gosh," she says, and she sniffles, and she can't really get angry at Liam since he saved her life and all, but she's upset at the thought that he might think she's a whore. She's not mad, she's just ashamed, which is worse.

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

Cole wants to go read his brother the riot act over this, but he doesn't want to leave her alone either. "My brother is a terrible person."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"No, no... he's a good man. He's done right by me, I just... he must think I'm so awful."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"No, I promise you, he doesn't. He knows exactly what we were doing, and that was not it."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She chews down on the inside of her cheek, and she nods, and she slowly, carefully, uses her hands to push herself up into sitting. "Okay," she says, quietly, wiping her eyes with trembling fingers.

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

He's not sure what to do, whether he should get her a tissue, or just a hug, or what. "Maybe we should call it a day?"

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"I'm okay," she says, taking a deep breath that she feels all the way in her diaphragm, filling her up. "I'm alright."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"You sure?"

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She stands, steps toward him, and gives him a hug to prove it.

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

He glances around to make sure that Liam isn't watching, because the last thing he needs is for him to come back and say something else stupid and set her off again. "Right, okay." He clears his throat.

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She steps back. "I'm sorry," she mumbles, to the ground. "That was probably out of line for me."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"No, it's okay. I was just making sure my idiot brother wasn't going to do something stupid again." Now it's his turn to give her a hug.

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She relaxes significantly, and, instinctively, her hand cups the back of his head and she wraps her other arm around him. "Thanks. I know I'm kinda a freak and... thanks."

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

He wants to say you're not a freak, but he gets the feeling they would argue for hours, so he just says, "You're welcome."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She gives him a squeeze, nudges his shoulder with her forehead, and steps back again. Then she studiously studies her shoes.

[backinthsaddle.livejournal.com]

"So, um... should we start where we left off?" he asks, a little awkwardly.

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"Sure," she says, and she stretches, so carefully, back out on the floor, moving gingerly.