OOM: Date

[master_bruce]

He's more nervous about this than he'd care to admit. It's not helped by the fact that when the time came to go and meet X, he couldn't find a route to the bar. He'd resorted to opening every door in Wayne Manor and...well. It's a really big house.

Eventually, it was the front door that gave in and put him out of his misery. So he'd taken a breath and gone on through, dressed casually in jeans and a plain, untucked, white shirt and sneakers. It had taken a while to decide on what to wear because he had no way of predicting what she would wear and had guessed, in the end, that she'll opt for casual as well. Especially as they talked about sparring. And...caves. Maybe.

So, here he is. Jeans and combed hair, clean shaved and just a dash of expensive cologne, opening the door from Milliways onto the expanse of entrance hall that welcomes people to Wayne Manor.

There is also an Alfred, which he was not expecting. An enquiring look at his friend receives a silent reply of I know when you're getting ready to meet a young lady, Master Bruce, conveyed neatly with just the lifting of one corner of his mouth.

Bruce looks at X, slightly off-stride already.

'This is Alfred. Alfred, this is...X.'

If the man looks suprised at the name, nothing shows. He's far too professional for that.

'A pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Is there anything you require?'

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

X, who is wearing her usual black track pants, black tank top, and black fingerless gloves -- as well as thick-soled boots -- blinks.

"Hello."

She flicks a look from Alfred to Bruce, head tilting very slightly. Is there something she is supposed to ask for?

"I am okay."

Beat.

"Sparring will not require supplies."

Exploring the caves might, but -- Bruce looked like he had the necessary materials last time he was here.

And, belatedly --

"Thank you."

[master_bruce]

Bruce turns his laugh into a cough, hidden by the back of his hand, then grins at X. Moments like this right here? Are why she's interesting.

'Just a couple of bottles of water please, Alfred. Thanks. We'll be in the gym.'

The butler inclines his head politely at them, practically radiating amusement from his eyes, and turns on his heel. Bruce looks at X silently for a moment, still grinning, then extends a hand to one of the doors leading off the entrance.

'The gym's that way. Unless you want a tour first?'

He's willing to bet that this house, that practically any girl in Gotham would give an arm to be inside? Holds no interest for her whatsoever.

[cutting_edgex23]

X looks from Bruce to Alfred to the indicated door.

Then she pauses to take a longer look around -- marking potential areas of ingress and egress, and noting any blind spots or areas with good cover.

It does not take very long.

Then she looks back at Bruce.

"We can. If you want. Or there are security concerns."

Beat.

"But the gym is okay, too."

Sparring is something she knows down to her bones. Well, fighting is, anyway.

Maybe it will let them both get their bearings.

[master_bruce]

'Sparring it is.'

He leads the way. Through the door (which he holds open for her) and down a corridor.

'Security shouldn't be an issue. I hope not, anyway. No one's tried to break in for a long while and Alfred's on top of the situation.'

Another door and they're in a large, airy white room. It's edged on three sides with the very latest gym equipment. One corner is given over to a couple of heavy bags and a pile of various types of padding; the centre is dominated by a boxing ring to one side and on the other, a large square tatami. The indoor pool can be seen through the fourth, glass, wall and cooled bottles of water, and a couple of towels, are waiting on a table.

The prospect of a fight has got his adrenaline up and yeah, he feels a lot more comfortable like this. Strange, really.

'Will it do?'

[cutting_edgex23]

X scans this room, too.

Then she looks at Bruce half over her shoulder, nodding once.

"I will not break anything."

It is a promise.

Then she makes her way toward the tatami, giving him another quick look -- a questioning one -- before crouching down to remove her boots.

Barefoot is safer. She does not think Bruce heals.

"I am good at being careful."

(She did not used to be. Sparring with children helps.)

[master_bruce]

'Don't worry about it if you do. It's not important.'

He's half thinking, as he kicks off his sneakers and pulls his shirt off (white 'beater underneath), that he'd quite like to see that, actually. Some of this machinery looks pretty tough but he'd still put it second in a fight with X.

'Do you warm up first?'

He's just as unsure as she is with this, for one simple reason;

'I've never fought anyone like you before.'

Four or five hardened killers at a time, yes. A large dojo full of ninjas, yes. Ninja master, yes.

Girl with killer claws?

No.

[cutting_edgex23]

"You should," X says, very seriously.

"I do when I am training."

Once her boots are removed she drops to sit, stretching out her legs and then bringing them around wide. It is not really a split.

Then she looks over at Bruce. Over and up, in this case.

"I do not get tired. That is important to remember. For you."

Beat.

"It is better not to be -- "

She pauses, looking for the right word. Cessily used it when berating Match during a training session.

"Macho."

[master_bruce]

He laughs at that.

'I'm not...at least, I don't think I'm in the habit of acting that way.'

Hopes not, anyway. And he steps up to the edge of the tatami and lets himself fall foward, body completely straight, a ninety degree switch from vertical to horizontal that ends with him catching himself on his hands and going straight into neat, controlled press-ups.

'You don't ever get tired?'

[cutting_edgex23]

"No," X says.

"But I have not worked for thirty-six consecutive hours. Yet."

Maybe then.

(It's actually twenty-four hours.)

From her prone position X pushes herself up into a handstand, then rolls forward, ending up on her feet.

That is the point at which she approaches the tatami, getting a feel for the space they have to work with.

A more accurate mental map of the room in general also helps.

"I do not think Logan has, either."

[master_bruce]

'Would you try it? Just to see if you could?'

He reaches fifty and flips himself up to his feet, not breathing hard at all. Stretches are up next.

'And...do you sleep?'

[cutting_edgex23]

"I sleep. Two hours are okay."

One is, too.

"It was tested before. When I was small."

Beat.

"I think it is different now."

He is right, she should probably find out how long she can last. Hank will probably help.

In the meantime, she is just waiting for Bruce to finish his warm-up.

[master_bruce]

'How small?'

Testing thing on small people = even more Not On that testing things on regular people. Though he's against that too.

He's done and walking to the centre of the mat. He's impatient to get going; his demeanour changes when a fight's on. Less casual ease (though this being a date has rather put paid to that already) and more steely focus, though his muscles are always loose and ready to go.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Seven," X says.

And then she's moving toward him, silent and quick.

Defense is something that happens to other people. So, apparently, are mutually acknowledged beginnings to a sparring match.

For this first pass, at least, she keeps one foot on the ground, launching a spinning side kick aimed at Bruce's midsection.

Call it testing the waters.

[master_bruce]

He blocks it, having accepted that this was when it was going to begin.

'That's too young,' he replies, throwing a punch directly at her head.

It's not as hard as it could be. Logically, he knows that she's tougher, fitter, faster, stronger than he is. But there's still the in-built knowledge that trying to hit a girl is Wrong.

[cutting_edgex23]

She drops low, diving forward and letting her hands hit the mat.

"They did not care."

It is a good springboard, and gives her the leverage to kick back at Bruce before regaining her feet.

"It made me better."

She does not like talking during a fight, but --

Maybe dates are different.

[master_bruce]

'Not the...'

He springs back just in time, seeing the tip of her foot pass him by only a millimetre or two.

'...point.'

He's half-smiling, knowing that he's being forced on to the defensive and waiting for the right moment to switch to attack. He always prefers the attack; he knows too, though, that he might not get the chance with her. So for the moment, he stays loose and waits for her to come again.

[cutting_edgex23]

She does not make him wait long -- superhuman reflexes are good for that.

So is the spinning back kick followed by an elbow-strike to the solar plexus that she throws at him.

"It is now."

[master_bruce]

He blocks the kick but he's allowed himself to become unfocused; he's too busy marvelling at the speed of her to concentrate on the incoming elbow. The block moved him so it doesn't strike full centre but it does catch him hard in the chest and he definitely feels it, sucking air in over his teeth in a sharp hiss.

At least he wont make that mistake again.

'Pragmatic.'

The hit is pushed from his head and he feints one way, as if about to throw a puch, but instead swivels on the ball of his foot and launches a roundhouse kick at her midriff.

[cutting_edgex23]

X drops low again, letting Bruce's foot pass bare millimeters away from her face.

Then she attempts to sweep his other leg out from beneath him before spinning back to her own feet.

"Yes."

She is not sorry.

[master_bruce]

And sweep his leg she does. He goes down hard but has fast enough reflexes that he just manages to avoid falling flat on his back. Which is good, because it would have winded him nicely. As it is, he falls on his shoulder, rolls and is right back up on his feet again.

'You're quick.'

Understatement.

Again, he waits. He can see that from this position, with him at a distance, she's going to be able to see anything coming so figures he needs to anticipate her move, defend and then turn it into attack from closer quarters.

Easier said than done.

[cutting_edgex23]

This time X stays silent.

There is no expression on her face at all.

And then she's moving again, darting forward and left, using short, sharp blows to attempt to drive Bruce back toward the wall --

But not too close.

[master_bruce]

Short, sharp blows, he can defend against. Blocking isn't hard but she is quick and he hasn't got the time to start an attack of his own. He also knows that they're coming up on the wall and that's the very worst place to find yourself in a fight.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot he can do about it.

Well. He could take a broken nose, drop, attempt a sweep on the way down. But this is training and also, a date. Also, she's poetry in motion.

He goes with it.

[cutting_edgex23]

X's style is poetic if one finds ruthless, brutal efficiency beautiful -- or if one is fond of the spare quality of translated haiku, perhaps.

But at this precise moment X is all speed as she spins out of a backhand blow, takes two diagonal running steps, and launches herself at the wall.

Behind Bruce.

She springboards off of that, twisting into a kick that she mercifully does not direct at his face. She does, however, bring her full weight to bear in riding him down, at the same time as she rests the knuckles of one hand lightly against his throat.

"Dead."

[master_bruce]

And he does. Bruce isn't about fighting for show, or style. He wants to learn how to do a job and, as she's just proven, she's more than adept at it. That sort of efficiency is where he wants to be and he loves seeing it now.

Of course, it does hurt a bit. But he's used to that and it just proves how well it works.

'I think...I'm surprised I lasted that long. And only because you were being sporting.'

There's no hint of injured pride, no ego. He just wants to learn how to do it.

[cutting_edgex23]

X slips to the side and stands up, head tilting as she looks down at him.

She is not sure if he requires help to stand.

Then --

"I do not want to kill you. Or make you bleed."

This is where she hesitates.

"And I am not as good at defense. Practice will help."

If he is no too sore, that is. There is a limit to how careful X can be -- to how careful anyone can be.

This is not a surprise.