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.

Comments

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

It's usually him that's wary to give out information, but he's starting to feel a pleasant buzz from the scotch. Connor just laughs. "Small world."

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Nick watches Connor a moment. "What about her?"

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"She's... a friend, that's all." He says it slowly, like he's trying out that word for the first time.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

His wariness seems to lift at that, Connor seems to be uncertain with the word, but that he's trying it out certainly means something.

"She's very interesting." He smiles and backs up a few steps toward the ground that's now slightly trampled from their earlier efforts.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"Sweet kid." Things like friends and trust are hard for Connor, but he is trying. He's just climbed out of a pit, but he still needs people to hold him from falling back in.

Connor sees him moving back towards what's become their arena, and he paces after him, keeping out of sword reach until they're both ready to actually face each other again. "Everybody I meet in the Nexus seems to know everybody else I've met, though. It's getting obnoxious." This is another one of those growls Nick can just ignore as Connor being grumpy.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, right now, there are the only a few people I know in the Nexus, so, chances were good I didn't know her." He shrugs with a smile, keeping out of reach but stopping in their little zone. He raises his sword in salute again but keeps it pointed away, waiting for Connor to show he's ready.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"But you do. I'd call that one hell of a coincidence." Connor rolls his shoulders a little, one more time, and then slides into a defensive stance and gives a casual salute.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Call it...a vampire's instinct. We can usually pick each other out of a crowd." Nick raises his sword, tip pointed at Connor.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He raises an eyebrow, but nods slowly. "Immortals... sense each other, too." He starts moving, one defensive pose straight into another, ready to block if that pointing turns into a lunge.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Slowly, Nick starts to move, side stepping in a lazy circle. Then he lunges in, sword moving into a block for another forced close engagement.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

That can't end well. If he keeps forcing Connor to close quarters, he'll be forced to fight dirty, because he knows he'll lose otherwise. Connor figures he's given fair warning, though, so all bets are off. He's ready for it this time, and circles Nick's blade away from himself, making a couple of frustrated attempts to put space between them, then he whirls suddenly, lightning-fast, aiming to kick Nick in the gut.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick takes the hit with a pained grunt and stumbles backward, trying to keep out of Connor's range while he recovers. It's hardly a wound, but the dazed feeling is always harder to shake off. Even while he does, there's a small smile on his face, he knew he might be asking for trouble.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He is asking for it, and this time Connor's the one who lunges right back into close quarters, spinning his katana in a way that's distracting and threatening, but meant to end by jamming the carved ivory dragon head pommel against Nick's jaw.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

That smile disappears in an instant as he swings his own blade around, trying to keep the lithe flurry at bay. He's inclined to draw on his speed again, but he keeps from doing so, at least until the pommel comes into view. Instinctively he ducks his head out of the way, narrowly avoiding the strike. He's completely on the defensive, Connor's blade is naturally faster, so long as Nick continues keeping himself in check. He reaches up with his free hand, making an attempt to grab at Connor's wrists as they come by his face.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor knows he's at risk, too, and winces when one wrist gets caught. Just twisting away is probably out of the question, he's just not strong enough. The katana can be used in just one hand, though, so he keeps it moving around to smack into Nick's side if he can. He's using the flat of the blade, or trying to, but if that doesn't work he'll have to get ugly.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick turns his blade down, the swords clanging as he barely blocks it in time, Connor's blade hardly an inch from his side. It's an awkward block, even for the strength he is using, Connor has the mechanical advantage. He carefully keeps his grip on the immortal's wrist, looking Connor in the eye with intense determination.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

That should give him a good view when the crown of Connor's high forehead comes hard and fast at his face!

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Indeed it does, and Nick shouts as he lets go of Connor and backs off, a hand to his face as he takes a risk and looks away from Connor for a moment.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"Heheheh. Warned you." Connor just gets a safe distance, sword whirling in slow, defensive arcs. He's got a hard head.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." For a second, there's a nasally tone to Nick's voice, but it's gone by the time he speaks again. "You did." He turns already on the offensive again, blade swinging as his yellow eyes glare at Connor. His strength and speed is still reserved as he comes at him again, hoping for at least a little shock value. Connor's enough of a veteran though, he's not certain if it'll even work.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Hunh. Yellow eyes. Well that's interesting. The vampires April led him into a fight with had weird faces. Nick's still a pretty boy by comparison. Connor's not impressed.

He makes another last-second low dodge, spinning and aiming to hit the back of Nick's knees in passing, with the narrow back of the blade. He's tired, which is good for Nick in a way, but it also means he's not pulling his blows so much anymore.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick's knee buckles under the force of Connor's attack and he shoves him away as carefully as he can with a quiet snarl. Nick definitely has a better looking face than April's vampires, he just doesn't know how good he has it. He uses whatever opportunity he has to calm down enough to return to normal to face Connor again. It's easier to control himself if he hasn't changed.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor waits, catching his breath and watching like a hawk. He doesn't want to get caught off guard, but he's not sure going on the offensive right now is such a good idea. He can't tell if Nick's transformation was on purpose or if he's lost his temper, but if it's the second, he wants to give him time to get it under control.

Being bled to death, after all, would be an obnoxious way to die.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

NIck looks back at Connor, his eyes returned to their natural color again as he brings his blade up defensively. The last thing on his mind at the moment is draining Connor but he doesn't know that. He circles again, waiting.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He'll take that as a good sign. Connor tilts his head slightly, watching with slate-grey eyes and moving deceptively slowly. The katana swings in fluid circles, and he matches the circling, waiting for Nick to make the next attack.