09.01 - telepathtic broadcast

[lefthandfree]

[Well, Bucky’s reached his limit. As if the calm in T’Challa’s palace wasn’t already nerve-wracking enough, he’s now on a veritable life-long vacation by comparison, and there’s no training facility in the damn base. Shadow boxing only gets you so far. He doesn’t like drawing publicity, but he’s running out of options, and he knows better than to ask the obvious suspects, especially since variety is good and bolsters adaptation on the fly.]

«Don’t suppose there are any fighters around?»

«Name's Barnes. James Barnes. I’m looking for consistent sparring partners. One hour sessions minimum. No weapons, just straight hand-to-hand and close quarters. Willing to taper strikes and throws as needed, but it’s straight sparring and not a lesson.»

«If you're interested, let me know.»

Comments

[abide]

« If you wanted to be thrown around, you could've just asked. » [ It's a tease, of course, but it should be evident that he believes Bucky's serious., which means he is too. ]

[lefthandfree]

«Yeah, sure, pal. Someone’s gotta throttle that attitude of yours.» [Teasing back. God, why is this shit so easy now that they’re not on Earth? It’s bad.]

«Don’t want you to go easy though.» [’Cause of the arm. Well, lack of one.]

[abide]

« Didn't say anything about that. » [ He feels like laughing again, but this many times in less than a week? He doesn't know what to think of it just yet. So, he sort of keeps it to himself. ] « I'll go easy when you say easy. Did you wanna do this now or later? »

[lefthandfree]

[He knows Steve won’t ever say it, but he’d think about it and worry. Bucky just felt it’d be easier for them both if he nipped it in the bud first thing.]

«Whenever is best for you.» [Because he never wants to make Steve feel obligated. But,] «Feelin’ a bit stifled today.»

[trainees]

[ geeze, it's like everyone from home is showing up now. peter recognizes the voice; you don't forget the voice or face of the guy who tried to break your face with a metal arm. ]

If we're not formally trained, is that an issue?

[lefthandfree]

[Oh, God. God, why. Why this kid.]

«I think you faired pretty well without it before. Can’t see why it’d matter so much now, so long as you aren’t chucking display boards at me or using that web of yours.»

[A beat.]

«You weren’t around when it happened, but I’m short the metal arm now.» [Mentioned for posterity because no one else has ever reacted so positively to it.]

[trainees]

Okay, okay, no webs. I'm in the process of modifying them anyway, so it's not like I would've been able to use 'em. And hey, I only chucked the board at you because you threw it at me first.

[ don't be a dick. though nothing beats the jet bridge steve just casually dropped on him. anyway.

the news about the arm makes him pause. a cold feeling tinged with worry could be felt on his end. ]

Are you okay?

[lefthandfree]

[He snorts to himself quietly at the sudden concern. This kid...]

«I’ve been through worse, don’t worry. Just figured you should know if we were gonna test your mettle again.»

[Ha. Get it? Mettle? Metal? No? It’s fine; it’s not one of his best.]

«You’re honestly not bad for your age.» [Not that he knows exacts, but Bucky can estimate his age from the way he talks. The kid’s easily more limber than Steve was at that age, though Steve was always more of a brawler rather than a strategist when it came to direct combat.] «Never did catch your name proper though.»

[intranslatability]

[ holy crap. ada's going to be all over this since warmups and jumping jacks in her and eve's room can only go so far.

so despite eve's concerns: ]

I'm available. Trained in hand-to-hand combat though I specialise more in evading and deflecting blows. [ being a scout meant going forward no matter what, after all. ]

[lefthandfree]

«That’s fair enough for me. Do you have a preference toward keeping with deflection tactics? Or is anything fair game? Doesn’t have to all attack or defense on my part, I mean. I just need to get my blood going.»

[Changing it up between sparring partners is good too.]

[intranslatability]

Fair game. And don't hold back if you get into the rhythm of it. I like to think I can take the blows.

[ the military engineers were certainly confident of her body being able to sustain damage. let's see if it holds up or not without them always buffing out the slightest dent or scuff she got on her person. ] Adaline. Nice to meet, Barnes.

[lefthandfree]

[It’s all likelihood that he’ll be holding back anyway, since sparring isn’t about beating your opponent so much as practicing, but he likes the confirmation.]

«Will do. Good to meet you, Adaline. You got a preferred time of the day and week? I was thinking weekly sessions, but I know people have plans, so I don’t mind bimonthly. Deciding now means we can stick to it, though obviously if things come up, we can work around them.»

[highflights]

Do you mind if I watch?

[lefthandfree]

«Only watch?» [That’s some spy-level technique there, assuming it’s the standard reasoning.] «What for?»

[highflights]

I can fight, but my training got cut short.

[ By coming here. ]

[lefthandfree]

«If you can fight, you may as well join.» [Unless,] «—would you prefer if I trained you? I can make an exception.»

[He’s one of the best, after all. It could help.]

[inyourlight]

Yo, Barnes. I'm game. You don't have to hold back for me.

Name's Killua. I've been thinking that I wanted some exercise.

[lefthandfree]

«Yeah?» [He’ll have to see, but it’s always good to have a strong opponent.] «Sounds like a plan, then. Jogging in circles around the labs isn’t hardly as entertaining as a good fight.»

«You got a preferred time you’d wanna make that regular, Killua?»

[inyourlight]

Well, I'm pretty free. There's not a whole lot to build up a schedule around here. But if you want a suggestion, how about in the mornings?

[inject]

Valentine.

Give me a venue and a time and I'll meet you there.

[lefthandfree]

[That’s sure a rare kinda name.]

«Those free rooms will do for now, though I plan on eventually setting up something better. Sunday evenings fair for you?» [Just gauging before he picks an actual time.]

[inject]

I can make time for now. I'm a busy woman, however, so understand that if you miss the hour, I'm not hanging around.

[vigilantims]

Hand to hand combat, huh? Count me in. My fists could use the practice.

[lefthandfree]

[Now, that’s the enthusiasm Bucky likes.]

«Oh? You a fighter too?» [He wants to say soldier, but that’s maybe not true of most fighters.] «Seems to be a shortage around here. Real damn shame.»

[vigilantims]

Not strictly. I do use a sword or axe, but hand to hand combat is part of my technique. Nothing feels better than getting a good punch in during a fight. [ yuri please ]

You're the first I've seen to ask for hand to hand sparring. It'd be a shame to pass this chance up.