houseofcards_rp | [ota] always tests

Supposedly, it was just sparring. That's what the young Seven had said he was interested in, to learn. But Julien could see the gleam in the younger man's eye that suggested it was more than that. More about seeing if the Ace who was now proven to be fallible could fall even further.

At least, in sparring among Spades, it's not unheard-of to beat your opponent black and blue. Bruises to remember the lesson by. More unheard-of is Julien helping the young Seven back to his feet, apparently all courtesy. Though the hissed come back when you're worthy is rather less than courtesy, but for the boy's ears only.

Of course, it was only the first of many such tests and lessons Julien expected he'd be getting in the near future, looking for weakness. And in this particular case he was fairly certain the boy had been put up to it by a supposed friend to be the punching-dummy, as it were.

He shakes his head, flexes his hands, wipes the sweat from his face. Then he raises his eyebrows at the small audience that seems to have gathered in the practice room. "Anyone else? Because I'd really rather go have some tea."

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She's taken aback by that, but manages to regroup. "I shouldn't think so. I kept Zoe company last night while Victor was dragged off for his bachelor's and thought I'd get in a workout while I could."

Besides, even Sophie would hardly go about blabbing her intentions if she did have an ulterior motive. She wonders if she's the first Diamond who's spoken to him since that incident.

She might actually be the first Diamond he's spoken directly to, indeed.

"I see. The nuptials are just about on top of us, aren't they? And I didn't even get them a gift..."

Then again, probably they could consider his absence from their wedding event gift enough.

"No doubt they'll forgive you." Impossible to shop for the couple who has everything. She'd settled for a top of the line espresso maker for Zoe. Victor would need to accept his part of that gift was a happy morning Zoe. Impossible to shop for someone when you can only buy him whiskey, ties or knives.

"That one hand strike was interesting." She attempts to emulate it, slow motion. "I haven't seen such a variation. Is it best used at certain times?"

She doesn't have the opportunity to discuss sparring nearly enough.

Julien rolls his shoulders, loosening them a bit, not really a shrug. And at least if he's going to apparently be asked both politely and genuinely, he repeats the motion she's referring to, slowly so she can see it better.

"Certainly you would not want to use it against someone who has longer reach -- or a sword for that matter, but it is also useful in straightforward hand to hand combat." As could be seen considering the impact it had had on the young man he was sparring with.

"I'd hope I'd be intelligent enough to arm myself--if I could, that is--should I be attacked by someone bearing a blade." It's possible to defend oneself from an armed attacker, and she's certainly trained for it, but real life is not a Kung Fu movie. The graveyards were littered with show-offs.

"You would need to be fast and careful to get under the guard and out again before they countered." She smiles her thanks when Julien demonstrates the move again, her rendition nearly flawless. She can muffle the worried, Did I do it right?, though she can't stop the anxiety that flashes across her face. Experience taught her long ago that only perfection avoids punishment.

"No...more like this, right?" She tries again, clearly thinking things through even as she shifts her feet and moves, turning this time as if to block the new move and offer a counter. "Lower is better, I think," she says to herself and tries her counter again.

Watch out, Sophie, or this might turn into an actual lesson. And then the gossip machine about the deposed Ace of Spades and his Diamond fetish might really get going.

"That is better," he agrees. And he will manage to refrain from commenting about how Gerhardt trained her well. Somehow, he suspects she won't actually take that as a compliment.

"But I suppose there's only one way to be certain, mm?"

He might be surprised. Sophie would admit Gerhardt had been a superb trainer. The problems came with his other tendencies.

She smiles at what can only be interpreted as an offer. "Freestyle?" He's never seen her at her best. If she's honest with herself that could very well be why she stopped to speak to him. He'd acted as judge for her bout, witnessed more moments of error and uncertainty than he had triumph. She hadn't enjoyed fighting poorly in front of him and Sade and Tegan.

Julien nods briefly, "as you like."

It would be refreshing, anyway, to work with someone from outside the Suit with a different mode and a different style in general.

And while he may not have seen her best moments, he's seen enough, as well as the way she picked up what he had done earlier. And of course he was aware of just who had trained her. So it would be highly unlikely he'd go easy on her.

Sophie smiles brightly. She likes to be challenged. She especially enjoys being challenged by something--and someone--new and different. She doesn't know Spade etiquette, so she follows Diamond, hurriedly divesting herself of pointed objects concealed about her person before removing the combs from her hair and swiftly pinning it into a tight bun. For all she knows they keep an Ace in the hole so to speak. Diamonds remove their weapons to indicate trust. She'll do him the courtesy of treating him as one.

"Oh!" she exclaims as she steps onto the mat. "I just thought of something. Can we agree not to go for head shots? Zoe will kill me if I show up to the wedding sporting black eyes." She shifts without thought, presenting him only one side, habit, training and a dose of natural talent keeping her stance loose and balanced.

It would be a bother if he kept her distracted trying to avoid facial injury.

"I shall try to restrain myself from hitting you in the face, m'lady." He sounds amused, anyway. "I certainly would not like to upset Miss future-Mrs. Fox."

He's already divested himself down to the clothes he wears for working out in and the shirt has short sleeves so it's fairly evident there's not much in the way of weaponry on his person at the moment. Then again, he hadn't been using it in his other sparring sessions either.

That settled, and when she appears ready, they can begin.

"Thank you. She's at the melt-down stage now. A battered maid of honor might well send her over the edge."

He has the reach on her, so she'll need to rely on speed and maneuverability. She circles counter-clockwise. They're at the testing stage. Who does what and how? Do I spot any weakness I can exploit? If I do this, will he do that?

[ota] always tests

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Punting through my lack of knowledge

all the handwaveyness is okay :)

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handwaveyness happening again?

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