Claws and code

Big bruises and big babies

Mark took one look at us, Sasha told him we were fine and he took off without an other word. In the direction that the other man had run off in. I had no idea what he hoped to achieve, it was probably luck that he went the same way as the bearded guy. David pulled us apart and looked Sasha over before turning to me. He was looking more serious than I had ever seen him and when he grabbed for the same arm that the man had pulled me on, I flinched away from him. Sasha shoved him away and pulled me back in her arms, telling David in a quiet voice about what had happened. 

Louis arrived the next afternoon and he showed up at our door with Mark and David in tow. He asked me politely if I felt like sparring with him but something in his face and the faces of the others told me that it wasn't really a question but an order. I decided that letting off some steam wouldn't be such a bad thing, it was Saturday and I had the day off. Working that night, I wasn't due at work until eight thirty.

I changed into my workout gear and put a baggy sweater over the top. Sasha had changed as well, she was looking rather grim. She'd been looking upset since the night before and no matter what I said, she seemed to think it was her fault that that Weirdo had attacked us.

The ride was silent, we went to a gym that I didn't even know existed. Nothing about the structure hinted that it was a huge gym. A rather busy gym that fell silent the moment we entered. I noticed some people that looked like they were actually sniffing the air but didn't think anything of it because Louis started talking.

'Since you were attacked while you were out with my sister, I think we should see what you can do. Now, because you are such a tiny human, we'll start off easy. Sasha said you got a decent hit in on the miscreant last night. Our size human against one so small isn't really fair in any situation.'

'I'm not that small, you overgrown, jacked up brute.' I snapped at him. But looking around at the chuckles I realised that everyone in the gym was at least as tall as Sasha and all the men were at least as broad as Daniel. He was the leanest of the three men who had come with us. Okay, so I was smallish compared to these people but I wasn't tiny. 'I'm going to stretch first.'

I pulled my sweater off and saw that everyone was still looking at me. I turned to Louis because he was closest and noticed that his eyes were slowly, appreciatively scanning my body. I was about to remark on it when Daniel coldly asked. 'Did that happen in the attack last night?'

Suddenly the four people I had arrived with crowded in on me, looking at the purple band around my arm where the man had grabbed me the night before. It was quite impressive and I could only hope that I had left the bastard with an equally nasty bruise on the sternum to remember me by. I shrugged.

'Meh... it'll heal.'

'FUCK!' Mark cursed loudly, turning on Sasha. 'This shouldn't have happened at all! This is why you aren't supposed to go out without one of us. What were you thinking taking a small defenceless girl!?'

Without thinking I stepped in front of her like she had done for me the night before and pushed him back. 'Piss off, Mark! We went shopping. We went out for dinner and we had a great day. It isn't her fault that some random crazy tried to hurt us. It's just a bruise. It'll heal! She feels bad enough already, no need for you to make it worse!'

'You got lucky, little girl! Because we got there on time!'

He got up in my grill and I stepped close enough that we were almost touching. I had to look up at him but it didn't matter because I was fuming. 'Luck had nothing to do with it, you big Bully! And I'll prove it to you if you don't apologize to Sasha right now!'

'I'm not apologizing to anyone, Little Girl! That mutt would have killed you!'

It was eerily quiet now but I didn't care. 'I'm going to stretch and then I'm going to kick your ass!'

'I'd like to see you try!' He growled with his nose almost against mine.

Louis looked like he wanted to say something but I glared at all of them and dropped to the floor to start my stretches. Nobody in the gym went back to what they had been doing. None of them even pretended not to watch us. Sasha looked close to crying and I gave her a hug when I got up. In her ear I whispered. 'I'll kick his ass on your behalf as well.'

'Cloe... You don_'

I didn't let her finish but turned to Mark. 'Where do you want to do this?'

He stalked off to the mat that was already surrounded by people. He ignored them all. Louis told me I didn't have to prove anything to anyone but I glared at him too. 'You are just as bad! You called me tiny! As if that makes a difference when it comes to skill!'

Without another word I stalked onto the mat and stared at Mark. He was clearly still angry but he now looked a bit apprehensive. I was quite tiny compared to all of these people but these boys were underestimating me and I had every intention of teaching them a little something.

In my head I picked up a beat and started swaying to it. Mark didn't move and I grinned tauntingly. 'Wimping out already, Big Boy?'

He tensed and I ducked just in time. I didn't just duck, I dropped sideways and on one hand twisted while kicking him with two legs. He obviously didn't know Capoeira. I landed back on my feet and winked. 'There's more where that came from, Big Boy. Try again.'

He did. This time I moved into his space when he tried to punch me, grabbed his arm, swept his legs out from under him and jumped back out of reach. There was a scattering of laughter but I was fully focused on him. 'Maybe you aren't a big boy, maybe you are just a Big Baby.'

He obviously hadn't been taught that you have to control your emotions when fighting. My taunts were clearly riling him up. I was impressed when he jumped back to his feet without using his hands. I nodded even as he started stalking towards me. 'Neat trick, Baby..'

He came at me in a flurry of fists, I noticed that his style was solely boxing. I only managed to dodge him because I had stopped thinking, he was insanely fast and I reacted on instinct. The moment he got his first hit in, against my side, he stepped back. I stepped with him and started kicking him. He blocked every one of them and the moment I gave him an opening he tried to punch me again. He was predictable, he had a pattern of hits that he had been using the whole time and I used that knowledge to duck under and into him. I literally jumped up and forward, monkey style, then locked my legs against his hips to push him down with my momentum. We went down with me on top and my arm pulled back. I used my fist in his face to finish up when we landed and jumped back in case he'd get up. I'd learned to never let my guard down in a fight. Louis stepped on to the mat with his hands up in surrender.

'You proved your point, Cloe. You aren't defenceless. This is enough.'

Mark was sitting up, shaking his head like a wet dog. Louis knelt down beside him and said something I couldn't hear despite the deadly silence in the gym. I finally glanced around and saw them all looking at me like I had two heads. Louis helped Mark up and stepped back. Mark bowed his head, tilted to the side while sticking out a hand. 'I stand corrected, Cloe Smith. You are still a little female but you carry a big punch.'

I took his hand and gave it firm shake. 'When you grow up, you should try different combinations when you fight. You're predictable, Baby. Doesn't matter how hard you hit. Predictability in a fight can cost you your advantage, as you have now learned.'

To my surprise there was a loud mixture of laughter form those around us and Mark laughed along. 'Truer words were never spoken.'

Then Sasha was there, engulfing me in her giant hug and lifting my feet right off the ground.