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]

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.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

He lets the circling go on a little longer this time, Connor seems patient in a fight, and he can be when he tries. He feigns a jab, then comes in with a low cut, trying to time his motion to Connor's blade.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor's very patient about a lot of things, except dealing with people. He can be patient in a fight, though, and he also knows waiting and playing defense will give him time to recover from the last flurry of attacks. He's a little worried Nick might win just by wearing him down. The swing of the katana alters once nick gets in close, though, and Connor manages to block the blow, using the blade one handed. While their swords are locked low, he aims a solid left hook for Nick's jaw. He figures it's okay to play rough, now. He's also curious how Nick will stand up to a punch that's knocked other immortals off their feet and into unconsciousness. Assuming it lands right.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick's been in some rather unpleasant scraps with Lacroix, and he's taken much harder hits, but it doesn't keep his vision from briefly exploding when it connects. While they've been playing rough, Nick was not expecting a hit like that, and the shocked look on his face shows it. He needs only a second to clear his head, but once he does, he forces more pressure on Connor's blade with his own, trying to force him backward.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor's left hook is infamous. He goes back with a grunt, though, still focused on keeping the blade away from himself but unable to match Nick's strength. He has to switch to a two-handed grip just to fend him off.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick works his jaw briefly, feeling the ache subside and allows a small smile to cross his face briefly as Connor moves to a two-handed grip.

"Hell of'a hook." He presses a bit more, adding his other hand to the lower part of the handle, even though it's a bit short to use two hands.

((Be back later tonight!))

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

Connor gives that little raspy chuckle, but it's through gritted teeth. "Hell of an arm you've got..." He's panting a little, looking for a way to break the deadlock, but he's pretty sure the face to the nose trick won't work again, and he doesn't dare take a hand off the sword. That limits his options, so he turns in a sudden spin, to one side. That means the resistance of his blade is just suddenly gone and his shoulder brushes Nick's as he goes past. He's hoping the amount of force Nick was using will send him staggering forward.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick takes a lurching step forward when Connor spins, the pressure suddenly lifting and leaving him unbalanced. He doesn't dare leave his back to Connor and so he turns as he takes another step in the same direction, raising his sword to the ready in case there's an incoming attack. He takes the momentum he'd used against Connor to help get him away from him.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

((Staying in tonight, after all.))

Connor's not about to pass up the opportunity, and his blade comes slicing Nick's way as he passes, but that extra step makes it into a near miss. He can't really blame Connor for trying to get him in the back, right? He slides back into a defensive pose, not sure if Nick's going to launch straight into the next attack, or give him a few seconds to form one of his own.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

((Heh, same thing here.))

Nick is noticing that Connor's starting to tire, and since he was so willing to take a shot at Nick from behind, he's equally open to turning around and not giving him a break. He comes in swinging almost before he's finished changing direction.

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

In friendly sparring sessions, Connor might be willing to call an end to things. Duncan might even embarrass him by calling a halt, because otherwise their matches can go on too long and get sloppy. That's the trouble when you're evenly matched. Of course, he and Duncan have killed each other by accident in sparring before, but Connor's always sure he'll wake up again to his kinsman's sheepish smile. He's less sure about Nick, who he's still getting to know.

He healed from a cut on the arm, so he'll probably manage something worse, too. Connor braces, slides sideways, and aims a low thrust at the last minute, He may get cut up himself, but that's a risk he's willing to take to get in a potentially crippling strike.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

For having flashed his eyes earlier, Nick's not sparring with all his abilities, and Connor's move takes him by surprise. His blade tries to follow Connor but the low thrust catches him. There's the sound of a pained grunt as he stops, and looks down at Connor's sword. He stands still a moment, and then looks up at Connor with his yellow eyes again, and a sheepish, fanged smile.

"Alright, you win."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

He wasn't quite expecting that kind of surrender, and he pauses face to face with his sword still going through Nick's body, possibly into a kidney. He didn't want any risk of hitting the heart, after all. Connor blinks, and gives a smile that's genuinely apologetic. "I thought- Ngh. Steady on..." He's still on guard, just in case it's some kind of trick, but he does put a hand on Nick's shoulder to steady him and pulls out the katana as carefully as he can.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick doesn't give him any resistance as the blade is drawn out. Once it's out, he fingers where the wound should be, and comes back with a clean hand. The skin has healed, keeping the blood from getting on his clothes. He straightens up a little bit, his ego thoroughly bruised and closes his eyes a moment. When they open again, they are back to their normal color, and his fangs are gone when he speaks.

"Normally, I'd stop using the sword after that point."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"...How do you do that? No blood?" Connor steps back, since he seems stable on his own feet, and frowns. Immortals heal quick, but it still leaves blood on their clothes, which can be inconvenient in so many ways. Plus it takes longer to heal if they do get an injury so bad it bleeds out.

[det-debrabant.livejournal.com]

Nick looks a little uncertain as he turns toward the weapons.

"I don't have much blood to start with."

[1stmacleod.livejournal.com]

"...Oh. Hunh. Guess you have to avoid doctors getting a close look at you, too." He follows, katana held low in a non-aggressive way.