2019-09-04 - Take It Easy

Early morning, just as promised, there as soon as the gym opened is Erin. Still wearing active wear clothing, trying to dress down, but they still scream expensive. She can't help that. Gray and white pants, a white sports bra beneath a white tank top and a hoodie that matches the pants. Her hair is pulled back in a regular ponytail. She never just pulls her hair back in a ponytail. It used to be too pedestrian. Her words. Coffee is made and she has some in her Yeti cup but she was warming up on the bags for now.

As he said, Jack shows up on the day they'd agreed, train, spar, anything of the matter. He arrives, blue sweats, loose t-shirt. A couple holes in it, like old and favorite sort of. Ford logo on the bakc, some truck from maybe the 50s in a cartoon style there too. Just a good old shirt. He has a bag, change of clothes most likely, but he comes in ready to train, loose light shoes, of the canvas style. Could have been converse once before, but they're worn like his shirt. Like coming to work out, he's not done up but comfortable and ready to go. He comes in as she's warming up. "Hey, looking good," he nods in her direction, "You've been practicing." Which is what Joey wanted too, he plops his bag down nearby, starting to get ready to warm up himself a little too. In the bag are gloves and sparring mitts too, showing when he sets it down, not zipped closed.

Erin has no intention of taking a free ride. Late, when hardly no one was about the gym she'd taken to the bags and now early mornings. With the arrival of Jack he draws her attention and she hesitates after a few more punches in, taking a moment to flex her wrapped hands. They were going to hurt later, her muscles aren't used to this. Reaching for a towel she runs it down her face, surprisingly free of her expensive cosmetics. "Punctual, I like that." An easy smile given over as she drapes the towel over her shoulder. "That's punctual, not punch-ual." Making it a really bad joke. Har har. Jack is obviously someone she doesn't mind making a fool of herself in front of. "Want to warm up a little while I get a drink of water?"

Stretching a little as she makes the pun, he offers a hint of a smile. "Relaiable, always on time, you got it kid." IT fits, he is a few years older at least. Then a slow nod, "Yeah, I'll do that, make sure my old joints are ready for your youth." Playing at it some more, but his typical deapdan sort of way. He does rach in for his gloves and some tape. "That way it'll be fair in there. Mitts first." Though he will use his gloves for the warming up part. Mostly tied, he uses teeth to help pull them on for warm up. "So I can learn to read you." That's a joke, hard to tell but he's not the sort to try and gain some advantage. He moves up to the equipmetn to loosen up a little more, letting her get that drink as he gets ready. A few minutes to be sure, then he'll move to change over to the mitts when she's ready.

"You should know me well enough to read me by now. Willingly or not you've become one of my best friends. I feel like I can talk to you about most anything. Well, except about the strange and scary. I know you have no interest in that. So I leave those parts out." The most important parts. She'd offer to help him with his gloves and to stay warmed up she goes back to her bag after getting a drink of water. After several hits and an 'Ow' when she turns her hand wrong, she shakes it off and walks over for the mitts, beginning to pull them on.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," getting to know her well enough, all things considered. His eyes say as much, with a read on her body too familiar maybe. "I'm better letting it lie where it is, talking about it is like inviting trouble in this town. Like, everyone's talking about it, and well, stuff happens more now." He shrugs, his own observation at least, and more open than he has been probably. "Sorry, a lesson learned." About turning hands and correct stances even if sparring or shadow boxing against sparring mitts. "I'll go slow, see how you are. Not about winning for me but helping you improve." A just so you know sort of moment ther efrom Jack.

Erin lifts a mitted hand and waggles it side to side. "Uh-uh-uh, that? That was a dream. You can't believe part of it if you're not going to believe all of it." Wearing her amusement in her eyes, she finally gets both mitts on and approaches him on the mats. "Okay, rule one. Take it easy. Don't break my nose or anything my first go 'round. That would just be embarrassing. Rule two. Don't treat me like a porcelain doll either. Despite what I said in rule one, I don't easily break. And no one else would hold back because my name or gender." And that is it. "Are you ready?"

"Fair enough, a fantasy then," he offers about the dream thing, like he's good keeping the fantasy he has right there. But there is the hint of a grin tehre as he looks at her and the mitt waggle. "Yeah, not hitting to put you down, but you'll feel it. If you don't know its gonna hurt a little, you won't practice a little defense." He moves to square off, bouncing on toes a litttle, like still warming up. "Yeah, ready as my old ass is gonna be. Lets see how you do girl." He holds up a glove to tap with her before they go a few rounds sparring.

Erin gives him a suspicious look at the fantasy thing before she laughs and shakes her head, the ponytail flopping around like a live fish. "Okay, rules set, I'm ready." Not sure what stance to take, she keeps her knees slightly bent just to be able to move left or right easier. Having heard Joey throw out directions to her and others, she tries to keep them in mind. Square up, hands up, protect. "Old." She rolls her eyes before tapping her glove to his and then just going for it. Not all out, but testing the waters a little by throwing a few towards his gloves, not him. Yet.

He bobs and moves a little, lifting his gloves defensively to let her throw some punches. But its clear he moves more and eventually side steps to land a blow. Then he steps back, "See, have to move your feet a little. You're sticking in one place mostly." Not really she was moving, but compared to him. "Don't stand on the falt of your food, lift your heel a little, balance on the balls of your toes. And always move, shift weight, so you're ready to move to either side at a moments notice." Talks more when he's helping it seems. Not so stoic now, but more alive mabye. "You got determination Erin, that's good stuff there, can't buy that for a dollar."

"You remind me of that old hot tub commercial. Square Deal Sam here with all of today's give away bargains! I'd buy that for a dollar." Despite getting hit Erin is in a good enough mood, even making bad jokes still. She glances down to his feet and tries to mimic him, moving more to the balls of her feet and then she's moving her body a little more too, but this time she lets him take the role as aggressor.

"Yeah, well, Sam trained me, so he rubbed off a little." Was that a joke? Hard to say, Jack seems pretty serious in the moment of training. He nods and moves with her, "That's it." He'll move a little, let her follow, but comes in with something like an uppercut to get under her defenses for a tap at least. "Your getting, but you want to watch their chest more. You can read their body, their arms and legs. A better idea when they telegraph a punch." Always a little advice, he steps back, still bouncing on balls a little. His mitt goes up, waiting for her to tap when she's resdy for some more.

Mistake number one. Sparring. Not really, Erin was learning a lot. Mistake number two, not having her teeth clamped together so that when he makes contact they hit together almost painfully. There's a wince but she doesn't complain. "Chest, sure, I can try that too." SO many things to memorize, but she was determined. Watching his chest, she tries to watch all his limbs from that view alone but finds the need to roam her gaze a little more. that just that. Reaching out her mitted hand, she taps his, a sign she's ready again. This time though she doesn't wait, but goes in swinging, trying for the surprise element.

"Move, watch my body language," he repeats as she says the thing about the chest. Even as he lifts gloves and she comes at him. Giving him pause and he backs up a few steps. He lets her get a stride going, until the surprise overcomes him and he waits for an opening again, another tap at least, not another blow. "There there, you're getting it. Quick learner." He backs up to recompose, let her do the same, "You got some moves, I'll give you that. Body of a dancer, which is same as body of a boxer, good at moving." Could even be a compliment who knows, he's squaring up. As he gets back to place, he takes deep breathers, like falling back into a rythym.

Erin gives him another suspicious look at the compliment. She knows Jack. But she also knows he has his girl and he's teasing her so much. So, stepping back she takes that moment for a breather and waits for him to get into place and she launches herself at him, going for an arm around his neck just to try and tackle the beast, hoping her momentum can manage it even though he has her in weight, she's pretty damn tall for a girl. Rawr.

Talk about surprise element, as he takes a few deep breaths, she's ready with a new stance all together. Arm around neck to tackle him, he seems sort of ready for, but there is a twist and turn. She doesn't get him grappled so much but the momentum pulls them to the mat. Him over her. And though he only acknowledges half the dream, it does have that familiar feel to it. "Well, girl, you got me, caught me off guard." Said with as much gusto as not moving for the moment as he looks down at her there. "Few people do that." That could be a compliment as well.

It doesn't go at all like Erin had expected and when he twists, she loses much of her grip. And her balance. She tumbles down and he with her and suddenly she's got a Jack blanket. Both of them a little sweaty probably. She doesn't move. She doesn't dare breathe too deeply. What she does do is lift her eyes to his. Danger Will Robinson. Effectively pinned, she notices he doesn't move and she doesn't move. After several moments she gives him a wry look. "I'd say you win this bout.."

"If this is winning," he responds, his eyes go from hers and more dangerously, her lips, seems he's about to say more. Like he'll take these wins, something to justify it. But he pulls back, slow to get up but not before his body reacted naturally. Couldn't be helped by him there, but he's careful to get up at least. Before others in the gym look over maybe even. "Yeah, a bit too good, but then I'd have to acknowledge the other dream stuff, yeah?" As if testing back he tries to get up and offers her a gloved hand, but its lingering, that moment of being on her, like pulled right to the dream and he almost just went into the moment instead of thinking it through, his mind still a little fuzzy even.

He was going to kiss her. Erin could see it in his eyes. Oh man there was so much confusion in her head right now. Perhaps he recognized the vulnerability there and backs off and she watches as he slowly retreats. The unmistakable reaction from him felt rather than seen. Pushing herself to sit up, she silently lifts a gloved hand to his for the assistance and gets to her feet. "Thank you." For refraining? For helping her up? Even she's not clear on what it's for. Maybe both. A gloved hand is offered for a fist bump, an attempt to lighten the situation more. "We'll have to spar again sometime. I guess rule number three should be no tackling huh?" Her humor showing in the light smile she offers his way.

The fist bump gladly taken and a nod to her thanks. "Well, the tackling is your call," returns Jack indifferently. But a slow nod, "At least be ready for follow through." Not helping maybe, or not giving indication either way. "But, self defense thing, you do what you got to do. I'd be up to spar again. All three rules that we have now. Might as well try to get a fourth in there." Then a look back towards the water source, "My turn to get you a drink?" He offers, starting to head that way, he'll get cups if they have them.

The coffee would stay warm in her insulated cup but right now she was thirsty. 'I would very much like water." Erin twists a little, loosening up a little, flexing her hands and arms, rolling her shoulders. Her muscles were already starting to get sore. "I think only the first two rules you were right, in a life or death situation, anything goes." Walking over, she offers him a smile. "I'm up for more training if you are. I've learned a lot but I still feel woefully inadequate to go up against anyone."

He heads for water, comes back with two disposable cups, enough to quench thirst for now. "See, i got this." Helping out a little. "Definitely, use what you got. Two rules are all you need." He takes a drink, "One, live, two, any means necessary." A slight shrug, not her rules, he changed them, but life and death is different. "Sure we can do a little more, give you something to work on when you practtice. THe big bag is moving and sticking punches, the speedball is hand eye stuff. I'm sure Joey has you on that." Just him reinforcing/offering the same. He'll crumple cup and get ready for more training as she likes.

Accepting the cup, Erin downs all the contents and disposes of the cup. Refreshed, she listens to the new rules and holds to those. "That makes sense. I'm all for staying alive." There's a look to the bags and she nods. "While I do like working with the bags, the live one on one is what I feel I learn more from. I'm good with working the bags though if you think that's what I should do?"

"Nah, one on one for now," he says, meeting her eyes for the moment and giving one of his typical one nod nods. "I mean for later when you don't have someone to spar," Jack specifies. "Its good practice, it does help agility and stamina working the bags. But you get a sense of defense when you're with someone else too. We can go a few more rounds, help your muscles memorize the movements more. We can focus on stance. Square up." He turns and offers a fist bump, ready for another round even when she is.

Ready for the next round too, Erin brings up the mitt she put back on after drinking the water and taps his with it, a sign she was ready. Her hands are up and she squares up to him, aligning herself with him more equally. But this time her eyes fall straight to his chest and she watches his movments. When she thinks she has an opening, she goes for it, instead of swinging big, she goes more for swiftness and a close target, trying to get one up on him.

He squares up and exchanges lightly with her in that dance of close range, his breathing a little heavy. Showing he's not holding back so much but working out just the same. He encourges, "Good good, move," a few words to affirm what she's doing and trying. Until he lure her into a perceived opening and taps her again with his mitt. "That's good, harder with a shirt on to fully follow the moves, mine's a little bag. I guess sort of cheating." For the slightly hidden blow he offered her in that exchange.

She'd fallen for it. That sense of finding the opportunity for getting a hit in. It fails. It's really discouraging her but again she brushes herself off and goes right back into it. "It wasn't a good move," Erin grumbles. "I still need to learn defense so.. you're up, let me prepare to try that."

"It stings," he offers, maybe aware of how it feels to be on the other end of taking blows. "But success is that much sweeter." He offers a few more blows for her, then lets her get a shot in on him. With a rare grin, he nods, "See, there you go." He puts his mitt to her shoulder a moment. "I'm good anytime you want to go at it. Just get some rest. Tiger barlm has patches. You probably don't need it now, but in a few years." He offers for sore muscles tha tis. "Thanks for the workout," he is concluding. Backing his things up to get ready to go to work for the day. "Let me know when is next, otherwise, I'll keep an eye out for you in my dreams kid." And who knows, that could imply a lot. Still he offers a wave and farewell to her, shouldering his bag finally to get on out and leave her to work or train.

Erin doesn't get much of an opportunity to respond, but she's not exactly sure what she would say. She does watch him saunter off with his bag after his parting remark and she smirks after him.. because he left before she could think of a comeback. Once he's gone, she goes back to the bags and sets out trying to beat them up.