Alex's bunk

Alex stormed in the barracks, legitimately pissed off. He had done below par at sparring, unacceptable for his standards. Three whole years striving and... strifing. With everyone. Over insignificant details. Well, everyone that wasn't higher in hierarchy or a fairly good person. Or, rarely, both. For the millionth time for the day, he thought about when he will,be done with the legion and completes his mixed martial arts training. He was already practicing in some basics with his father when he was in their house, conveniently placed in New Rome.
Dressed in camp T-shirt and jeans, he was toying with his gladius, his hands having full control over the sword. He itched for a fight. Or for fun. Oh well, the two are not too different. The barracks were currently empty. Loneliness was so desireable sometimes. Now though, not that much.

Leandra walked into the barracks ready to change uniforms from sparring. She had taken her armor off, except her sword belt, but was sticky with sweat. She noticed Alex, the three-year legionnaire who took himself too seriously, playing with his gladius over near his bunk. She pulled her own sword, silently, moving with all the skill of a seasoned scout as she walked up and smartly smacked his podex with the flat of her sword. She was prepared to duck or block as necessary.

When Kershaw entered the barracks he didn't pay lot of attention to her. He wasn't too fond of the healer, not that she was on his bad side. Just not a particular liking. He 'paid the price' for not paying attention to her when she slapped him in the podex with the flat part of her sword. What gave the brat the right to do that? She wasn't superior to him. Just more years as part of the legion. He though didn't attack, just shot an angry look at her and inquired explanations. More specifically he said "Why the fudge did you do that Kershaw?"

"Make you jump, Probie." It had been two years since he was a probatio, but he was still the newest person in their particular barracks. She would let probie drop when they had a new probatio to harass. Until then, he was still it. Three years in. She sheathed her sword, looking at him carefully. "You weren't paying any attention, and a legionnaire's guard is always suppose to be up." Hypervigilance: Not just a sign of PTSD, it's a way of life.

He cringed at the probie comment then took a deep breath so as not to charge at her. He should have gotten used to her teasing by now, but coming from Leandra, it just hurt his pride and ego. "Shut your mouth kiddo. I could wipe the floor with you. So, not conceiving you as a threatand lowering my guard is expectable."He said that more in a challenging way than it being actually hurtful. Besides, his own aura, caused by his parentage, made people angry at him. Not like he would be hurt or anything of the sort.

Leandra gave him a calculating look. Reynolds, you couldn't wipe the floor if I gave you a push broom and instructions." She said cooly, a challenging smirk pulling up on her lips. She could feel the urge to get mad, he always exuded that feeling, but she had also had years of pushing it down. Which was good, the first few months she had wanted to slit the boy's throat in his sleep, which wasn't like her at all.

Alex smirked back. They were like two old buds talking trash. At least he tried to convince himself that, because he really didn't want a real fight to burst. Real fight equals real violence. And he knew of violence pretty well. Because he was violent. He was acquainted with it and sometimes enjoyed it. But attacking Leandra was really not cool. "Whatever you say, kiddo."

"Oooh, Alex, you wound me with your retort." Leandra said, putting both hands over her heart and feigning injury. "Come on, big guy." She really did this just to mess with the guy since he always took everything so seriously. He didn't understand that, yes, everything was life or death, but treating it like it meant you were going to go insane before you died young.

Alex smirked. "No need to wound you verbally when at any moment l can wound you physically. Even though l'm against child abuse, you could be the exception that confirms the rule if you keep pissing me off, Kershaw." he growled, part of it through gritted teeth. Due to his parentage, it wasn't hard for him to get angry at someone, but Kershaw was asking for it. He had messed people's faces for less, though if he went on her he would probably be punished by her best bud. Punishments were harsh, and for losers. So he would have to keep trying to calm himself down and not beat Kershaw into unconsciousness.

"You certainly think highly of your ability to lay hands on me. Although, child abuse is the only fight you can win." Leandra said sarcastically, although she regretted it after she did. She knew she wasn't usually this aggressive. Maybe she wasn't pushing down the anger from Alex's aura well after all.

The smaller Roman stepped back, cocking a head as she looked at him. He needed to relax. And yet it was so easy to goad him. And amusing, as he puffed his chest out and tried to demean her age by calling her kiddo and child. She might be younger, but she had seen a lot more than he had.

Aaaaand, Alex lost it. Who did she think she was to be all sarcastic as if he was a nothing? Kershaw has signed her deathwish. "You think so, huh?" Right after he said it with a rapid he grabbed her pugio, which was strapped in her hip and proceeded to pick her up.


OOC: Sorry for the shortness.

Well, okay, that was not exactly what she had planned. And she couldn't exactly blame him, she had totally baited him. Going for the pugio, however, made her mad. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she felt really insecure without having a weapon on her. It was like a very sharp gold security blanket. And right now, hanging four inches off the ground, she was definitely wanting her security blanket.

Unwilling to just bow to her brother-in-arms, she lashed a leg out to hit him in the groin and hopefully get him to drop her.

Everything was going well untill Kershaw kicked him in the groin. He groaned and dropped her and bowed down. After a second of pain that watered his eyes. Gods, she was playing dirty. He hadn't intended to at the beginning, but now he was left with no choice. He punched her in the stomach with full force and tried to get up. "That's for being a sneaky b**ch."he growled as he got on his feet.


OOC: Cutting it off there because l figured you'd want to insert her reactions.

Leandra dropped to her knees coughing when he punched her in the stomach. Pain radiated up through her, as well as a distinct urge to expel her lunch. Black spots danced in front of her eyes. She was used to fighting, but she was not used to taking blows without armor on. The girl coughed and tried to push herself up, but she also couldn't help but be amused by his comment about being sneaky.

"What...what did you, oh gods, expect? Passive acceptance?"

Alex measured his options. He could keep on this fight, but there were two issues with that. First off, anyone that walked in would report him either to Tiberia or the centurions, and second, Kershaw would probably start scratching and biting and kicking him where it hurts the most, so even if he beat her up he would partly come out a loser. He extended his hand to help her up. "There's a difference between fighting back and what you did, you know. You play dirty, Kershaw. Uh, you okay?"

Leanrdra was still trying to fully catch her breath through the pain in her abdomen, but waved off the older demigod. "I'm fine, just...ugh, used to taking those hits wearing armor. Cotton is not exactly great protection." She said, pushing herself up to stand, although still doubled over a little and guarding her stomach with her right arm.

"Reynolds, look at me. I'm four-foot nuthin' and a half, I weigh less than my armor, and my only demigod powers have no offensive or defensive uses. Do you think I could survive anyway but playing dirty?"

Leandra waved him off, which took him aback a little. Also, it seems he had hit her a little bit too hard, which was his full intention. When she commented on her not being able to survive in any other way than playing dirty he wanted to reply that she had a point, but that would be discouraging to a fellow legionnaire. "Well, l mean, you could outsmart most people any given day, including me. No need to start giving nutshots here and there." That was the most encouraging he could get. He was ready to reignite a fight with any given chance.

Leandra laughed, then winced when she did, that hurt. "Sometimes, Alex, fighting smarter is knowing there are no rules unless you're in an arena with referees. Nut shots might not be glamorous, but they are darned effective. Except with Centaurs. Then you go for the jugular or eyes."

Alex smirked. "You tell me you could give a nutshot to a Cyclops or a hellhound if given the chance? You're tougher than l thought Kershaw." Then he looked at her with an as apologetic as a look of his face could get. "Hope this little... occasion remains between us two. Not that l hit you too hard, or you made me unable to procreate."

Leandra felt her face twitch with his comments. First mentioning a hellhound, a shot of fear dropped through her veins like a dose of epinephrine. She hated hellhounds. Instinctively her hand went up to her chest, where the scars remained from her first and hopefully only encounter with such a beast. The girl hoped she hadn't shown too much in her facial expression, she had managed to avoid admitting her...what would you call a hellhound phobia?

The next comment was about keeping things between the two of them. Truth be told, Leandra had little interest in telling anyone about the fight. She had, after all, been the instigator and knew what buttons to push on Reynolds. She'd end up in a sack of weasels for it. Now, however, she was magically bound to not mention it. Reynolds knew her powers, most people at camp did, but like the time she got bound to never admit Romulus was human, it probably didn't cross his mind when he said it.

"I'm not going to tell anybody. I mean, I started it. Think I want to see the punishment for that?" Leandra asked, not pointing out his forcing her silence. "Can I have Sting back? I'm kind of attached to him."

Kershaw got the weirdest reaction when he... complimented her? Made a joke? Little bit of both. It was like he had rubbed salt in a wound of hers, like he brought up a memory that hurt her. That was odd. He decided not to try and see what exactly it was. After all, they weren't best of buds. She would probably be reluctant to reveal what bugged her . When she promised not to speak he remembered her powers. She basically wouldn't be able to speak since he told her not to. At least that would work out well. Then she asked for... Sting? Sting as in what? He thought about it for a second, then he realised she probably meant her pugio, since that's her only belonging he currently possesed. He handed it back to her.