Sparring session for Nick

[1stmacleod]

For some reason, Connor never expected the holidays to be this hard. Thanksgiving passed by without much notice, he's never really celebrated that, but Christmas has had him on a private roller coaster. One minute he's blissfully happy to have a home and a woman he's in love with who loves him back, even knowing the truth of what he is, the next minute he's remembering holidays with John and Rachel and even Brenda and he just wants to go bury himself in a dark corner with a bottle of whiskey. All the scotch he's been given as gifts is going at a distressing rate. It's not even New Year's yet, and then it'll be his birthday soon after that, which he just hopes nobody will notice at all...

Just a few days after, and he's pacing, resisting the urge to crack open the next bottle. He needs a distraction. He needs to get out. He needs something to do.

The message that comes on Nick's pinpoint is typical Connor, brief and brusque and to the point.
Want to spar?
There's coordinates attached, and he's got the sense to have picked somewhere it's night. Connor's waiting in a grassy field on a quiet world he ran across in a Nexus guidebook. There's an almost full moon that gives him enough light to see by, and it's not the dead of winter, here, so he can stand around in t-shirt and jeans and sneakers without freezing his ass off. He swings the katana slowly, working his way through kata. There's a couple of rapiers and a western broadsword on the ground nearby... and a bottle of scotch, because his willpower gave out already.

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[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor helps with the untangling and gives Nick a light kick, mostly to push himself away and roll back to his feet. He's starting to breathe heavier, now, but lunges back in while the vampire is still getting his feet back. He aims a much heavier blow than he's used up until now, with the back of the blade, for Nick's sword arm. He's hoping to weaken his grip or even make him drop his sword.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick sees the sword coming, and while it's only the back of the blade, he's determined it's not a hit he wants to take. There's a rush of air as he becomes a blur, moving away from the attack and coming to a stand off to the side of Connor at sword's length. His touches the flat of his blade to Connor's arm once he's stopped moving. His eyes stay their normal hue even though he's tapped one of his abilities. The move he's made is a cheap one, but it wouldn't be the first time he's used it.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor sucks in air and whirls, but he can't match Nick's speed and it registers in his mind that if they were actually enemies, he'd be dead now. Nick can hear the little jump and sudden increase in his heart rate. That's the warning that he's just thrown Connor into a controlled panic. The katana slices one way toward Nick's arm while Connor's leg sweeps in from the other direction to take out his feet yet again. It's really not a good idea to startle him.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick realizes it would probably be best if he just, tried to step back calmly, at a normal speed. The foot catches him though, he's more used to people backing up from this sort of thing than lashing out, and it stalls his retreat. The blade takes a cut of his arm and he hisses, looking down at it as he backs up. He figures it's just punishment for his actions. He lowers his blade, the wound on his arm already healing as he keeps backing up, in case Connor decides to come after him.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor's expression is almost a snarl, but the blood makes him pause, sliding into a defensive stance. He blinks, absorbing what just happened, then smiles weakly but doesn't lower his guard. "Sorry."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"It's fine." Nick's wound is almost closed, the blood pulling back up into it, and in another moment, it will be little more than a cut in his shirt. He takes a second before he looks back up at Connor apologetically. "I think it might be a good time for a break."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"You startled me." He gives a shrug, and an apologetic smile, but his blade lowers very slowly.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick turns his shoulder to Connor, walking back over to the weapons and setting his down. He rubs at the palm of his hands again, a bit nervous as he keeps his distance from Connor. He may not have a blade in hand, but Connor knows he's fast enough to still be a threat, if he chooses to see it that way.

"Sorry."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

When Nick walks away, Connor lets out a very quiet breath, and forces himself to relax a little. He can recognize an accident, probably more on his part than Nick's. Connor rolls his neck and shoulders with a quiet popping sound. "You want me to pay your tailoring bill?" All that's hurt in the end is his shirt, after all.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Hm?" Nick was not expecting that remark from Connor and then smiles. "Oh. It's nothing I can't fix." He sits down where he is, looking calm enough.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"That's always the trouble with real fights. After you've managed to survive, you still have to get away and find a change of clothes and wash the blood off..." He follows, now that Nick's sat down, katana pointed toward the ground. There's still something wary about the way he moves, but he drops in a crouch facing Nick, taking the chance to relax and catch his breath again.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick can't blame him for the wariness, though how much he should attribute it to tonight's events, he's not entirely certain.

"Cover up the fact that something had happened..."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Partly it's just Connor's default. He has trouble relaxing around people until he knows them very well. He settles though and reaches for the bottle again, laying the katana at his side, and still in easy reach. "And that's not counting the dealing with the body part..."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"It's certainly harder." Nick looks down at the ground, pulling gently on some grass, but not picking it. "In a way, I'm glad for it. Vampires are less likely to kill; but it doesn't stop them. It does complicate things though, when the victims show up and we have to deal with the damage control."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor considers this, and takes a swig of scotch while he does. That's probably not great for clear-headed thinking, but he's got a high tolerance thanks to immortal healing ability. A gulp here and there between rounds isn't enough to get him drunk.

"There's... no victim, in a fair immortal fight. Just a winner and a loser."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"I imagine the aftermath isn't any easier to deal with. People always ask questions when bodies show up." Nick looks up as Connor takes a swig, and then averts his eyes.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"...or heads." He's already had to tell Nick that the neck is off limits, so he figures that secret is pretty much out of the bag.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Or heads." Nick nods and gives a tired sigh. "I really don't like those calls."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor grimaces, and it's not the scotch. "I... have a bad history with the cops..."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"My record isn't great either." Nick's eyebrows raise, it's about the most encouraging expression he can summon, considering the conversation.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor lifts an eyebrow briefly. "...Yeah? But you are a cop. If anybody should know his way around them..."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"You'd think so, but I have to worry about Internal Investigations while I'm doing whatever it is that needs to be done." Nick rubs at his forehead, as if just the thought gives him a headache.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor rolls his eyes and smirks faintly. "Here I was going to ask you for advice..." There's sympathy in his expression, but sarcastic jokes come easier to him than gentle words.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick manages a small smile at Connor's humor. He appreciates it, at least.

"I think I'd only be repeating what you know already, anyway."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Good thing, because Connor is a snarky bastard to people when he likes them.

"Yeah, well, I always have trouble with the most important rule."