Atlas Gym, Wednesday Morning

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony was at the gym early for his session with Tyler this morning. He was even stretching while he eyed the padding for spars. He should really put one of the chest protectors on, but those things made it so hard to move in...

This just could not end well for him.

[[Open gym, but Tony is here for someone!]]

Comments

[tyler_gone]

Tyler was there a few minutes later. "Hi," he said, plopping down on the mat not far from Tony and starting to stretch out. "I suppose I should wear padding."

He really hated fucking padding.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I think as long as we promise not to hit sensitive areas, it should be fine." Because Tony was so the expert on fighting here. Really.

[tyler_gone]

Tyler looked at him like he was speaking Martian. "Yeah, that would work if we had perfect aim and knew exactly where the other guy was going to be," he said. "Plus, no head hits, no body blows, we're pretty much looking at kicking each other's shins. And there's some girl at the store who specializes in that."

He rose from the mat. "Padding," he grumbled, like the word were a curse.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony made a face. "I think I could do better than shin kicking."

[tyler_gone]

"It's not a strategy I'd recommend if you're older than 12," Tyler, who had been lucky enough not to be on the receiving end of one of Turtle's kicks, scoffed. "Tell you what, we both wear padding and we speak of it to no one."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"You have my word I'll never speak of it," Tony replied, grabbing the damn padding. Though maybe something similar to it wasn't a bad idea for the suit...

[tyler_gone]

Tyler was still grumbling as he strapped himself in to the helmet, chest protector and gloves. He looked like an idiot and he knew it.

"Then we're golden," he said as he stretched a little more. "I'm gonna be slow 'cause I'm not used to this stuff. Last time we just got up to hitting in real time, right?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Right," Tony agreed. He was taking his time on the helmet. Because if it made Tyler look stupid... he just hoped no one would take pictures.

"And I think you slow might actually let me win."

Not really.

[tyler_gone]

"It might," Tyler said, in a tone that suggested many things were possible. He went to his corner and bounced on his toes a couple times, getting used to the unfamiliar tug of the padding. "I'm ready when you are. Just hit me as hard as you can."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony just gave him a look. "Are you serious?"

[tyler_gone]

"No, Tony, I want you to go and buy me a pumpkin pie," Tyler said, rolling his eyes. "What do you think sparring is?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I'm not going to hit you as hard as I can, that's just asking to injure someone," Tony insisted.

[tyler_gone]

Tyler let out the sigh of one who believed he was humoring someone else. "All right. Try to hit me as hard as you feel comfortable with, given our current physical conditions."

That sounded stupider.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Better." Because Tyler was oh so breakable. Tony took a breath and rushed forward to punch him rather clumsily in the head.

[tyler_gone]

That was deflected easily enough by Tyler's arm, and he swiveled slightly to punch his other arm low at the padidng over Tony's gut.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Wincing more at the surprise than the hit, Tony stumbled back, touching his side. "You know, I really doubt I can win this one."

[tyler_gone]

"Should I ease up so you can get the practice?" Tyler danced back, more than a little cocky. He left his chest unguarded.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine." Now Tony was getting snippy as he tried again to hit him. The torso was a nice broad target, right?

[tyler_gone]

It was, and the fist caught just above Tyler's injured rib. Even padded, the blow hurt enough to cause a soft whimper.

"Better," Tyler said, and struck out at Tony's jaw.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Are you--" Okay that hurt. Fine. Tyler was probably fine with a response like that. He was going to bruise there.

Bringing his hands up to try and protect himself there, Tony gritted his teeth and moved in close to try and return the favour.

[tyler_gone]

Tyler stepped to the side, more on guard now that Tony had gotten in a good blow. "I'm fine," he said. "Hold your elbows closer to your body, you're going to throw your shoulder out with what you're doing."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony grumbled, but did as instructed. "I think it would be more helpful if I could mimic these things in the suit."

[tyler_gone]

"I'm pretty sure it's just cheap foam with vinyl over it," Tyler said skeptically. He hit at Tony's shoulder, but it was a lazy blow. He was going soft.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"The moves," Tony said, trying very badly to block before accepting it as his fate and just going to hit him in the side. "Not the padding. I don't think I could manage more than an inch of the stuff without compromising mobility."

[tyler_gone]

"...I knew you meant that," Tyler lied, about as badly as Tony had tried to block. The fist glanced off his arm as he deflected the blow. "Keep doing what you're doing and you might even get good."