[It's less fun when he picks up on those clues. Terror, and Guren is intelligent enough to analyze further. Terror like this, in the middle of training, rather than full on combat? It's not as simple as insecurity. Insecurity would mean slow movements, hesitation, slip ups.
Dave is still fast. Fast, and he's got a ton of potential to grow further. This terror is something he's used to reacting to, if Guren can tell.
But he finally finds the perfect opening to end this. Dave is fast, but his body language is telling, and Guren reads it to come at him how it must be expected, a slash of a sword, a pushing forward with strength at each parry— and then he's gone, faking a parry and aiming to take a hit from Dave's sword to continue. Dave seems to hesitate. Either he'll pull back at the last moment, afraid to hurt Guren, or he'll keep going and Guren will use the blade in his arm for his follow up—
He pushes and ducks, his free hand coming forward to punch him in the gut. It's enough force to push him back and knock him over, but Guren isn't sure if it will be enough to knock him out or not.
Either way:] It's done. If this were a real battle, you'd be dead.
[He'll explain more once he's sure Dave is Okay... (If he was cut by Dave's blade, in a case of him not pulling back in time, then it will be only a bloody mark on his arm by now with no wound below it.)]
[ he should time travel. freeze things. run. he never, ever does any of those things even when he should, because thirteen years of training whisper stay put and it doesn't matter if he can dodge the punch; he fails to follow through on the strike because he can't fucking bring himself to actually hurt someone, and that means punishment, and that means taking the punishment so he grits his teeth a millisecond before there's a hit and just.
lets it happen.
he's used to falling and he does it in the practiced-fighter way before he rolls to his feet, "it's done" not quite enough for him not to expect a follow up. even though he doesn't bring his sword back up, grimacing instead. ]
If it were a real battle, I'd have cheated.
[ probably. there's bullshit he just won't do outside of a battle, but also...an adult male with a sword is just a surprisingly depressing sight.
[Guren sheathes his sword without waiting, stepping to close the gap even if he can tell how on edge Dave is.] But you should have done it already. Training is going to be practice for those real battles, so when I pair you up with someone, I want you to give it your all.
There's a difference between trying to kill someone and harming them while training. You can't be afraid to do a bit of the latter or neither of you will learn anything.
[He pauses a few feet away, placing his hands on his hip.] But it's not bad that you care about people. So... What has you so afraid?
"I'm not" my ass. Your body language was screaming it the entire time.
[He's blunt and a little rude addressing these things, but he cares, and it's what has him going so hard.] The last time, huh? If you don't address whatever sword fighting means to you, then you're not ready to pick up your sword again.
If that means you have to talk it out, then find someone you can do that with. It doesn't have to be me. I'm just telling you that your weaknesses are clear to someone with an eye trained to look for them.
[He pauses, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.] But your head's in the right place, and your talent is clear. It'd be a waste if you can't fix this.
I'm not. [ he insists again, and he actually does...a pretty good imitation of a stone wall. good little soldier boy, grit your teeth and don't show any emotions. he fell out of practice, except not really -
and shit, who can he even talk to? it's not really an option. john doesn't want to talk about anything serious, and there is no on else dave trusts even nearly enough for it. not yet. ]
[It's a lot better like that, but that doesn't take back what he already noticed. In the fight, Dave wasn't focused on his body language at all. It seemed more like he was focused on movements, on speed, on defending himself and winning if he could— and on something a little more distant. Memories, probably.
Guren eyes him with all of this in mind, frowning like he's studying him.]
You were tense before we even really started. [After he ripped the ground up, really, but that wasn't the start for Guren.] You lost your focus multiple times, and even if you were worried about what I was going to do next, it wasn't the same as you analyzing. It was practiced worry. If I had to guess, someone's pushed you time after time before.
[But it is a guess, he realizes, and he can't force Dave to tell him the truth, or even speak about it.]
If you signed up, that means you're interested in pushing yourself. In teaching others to do the same. Then take it seriously and listen to me when I'm giving you advice. Friendship makes a person stronger. It gives life meaning. So talk to your friends.
He doesn't want to. [ muttered under his breath because, yeah. the only option for the talk about hey i died and it fucked me up is john, out of everyone here. it might change, later, but just now...
bro isn't even a distant option and dave doesn't even remotely want to talk about who pushed him, or how far. ]
I should get goin'. Talk to you later? [ uncertain. ]
[All of it is fair, and Guren can't say a thing. As long as he stresses the importance now, then when he finally decides the pairings, he can keep this in mind. People Dave can befriend, maybe. Or at the very least, if talking isn't something he does easily, then people who can ease his heart in other ways.
Guren will try his best.]
Yeah. I'll contact you in a few days to tell you who you're with. But you have my hex code if you ever need me for anything else.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Dave is still fast. Fast, and he's got a ton of potential to grow further. This terror is something he's used to reacting to, if Guren can tell.
But he finally finds the perfect opening to end this. Dave is fast, but his body language is telling, and Guren reads it to come at him how it must be expected, a slash of a sword, a pushing forward with strength at each parry— and then he's gone, faking a parry and aiming to take a hit from Dave's sword to continue. Dave seems to hesitate. Either he'll pull back at the last moment, afraid to hurt Guren, or he'll keep going and Guren will use the blade in his arm for his follow up—
He pushes and ducks, his free hand coming forward to punch him in the gut. It's enough force to push him back and knock him over, but Guren isn't sure if it will be enough to knock him out or not.
Either way:] It's done. If this were a real battle, you'd be dead.
[He'll explain more once he's sure Dave is Okay... (If he was cut by Dave's blade, in a case of him not pulling back in time, then it will be only a bloody mark on his arm by now with no wound below it.)]
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lets it happen.
he's used to falling and he does it in the practiced-fighter way before he rolls to his feet, "it's done" not quite enough for him not to expect a follow up. even though he doesn't bring his sword back up, grimacing instead. ]
If it were a real battle, I'd have cheated.
[ probably. there's bullshit he just won't do outside of a battle, but also...an adult male with a sword is just a surprisingly depressing sight.
who knew? ]
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[Guren sheathes his sword without waiting, stepping to close the gap even if he can tell how on edge Dave is.] But you should have done it already. Training is going to be practice for those real battles, so when I pair you up with someone, I want you to give it your all.
There's a difference between trying to kill someone and harming them while training. You can't be afraid to do a bit of the latter or neither of you will learn anything.
[He pauses a few feet away, placing his hands on his hip.] But it's not bad that you care about people. So... What has you so afraid?
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I'm not. I just...the last time I was in a swordfight was the last time, I guess?
[ it's easier to talk about dying than it is to talk about bro. ]
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[He's blunt and a little rude addressing these things, but he cares, and it's what has him going so hard.] The last time, huh? If you don't address whatever sword fighting means to you, then you're not ready to pick up your sword again.
If that means you have to talk it out, then find someone you can do that with. It doesn't have to be me. I'm just telling you that your weaknesses are clear to someone with an eye trained to look for them.
[He pauses, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.] But your head's in the right place, and your talent is clear. It'd be a waste if you can't fix this.
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and shit, who can he even talk to? it's not really an option. john doesn't want to talk about anything serious, and there is no on else dave trusts even nearly enough for it. not yet. ]
...But I'll keep it in mind or whatever.
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Guren eyes him with all of this in mind, frowning like he's studying him.]
You were tense before we even really started. [After he ripped the ground up, really, but that wasn't the start for Guren.] You lost your focus multiple times, and even if you were worried about what I was going to do next, it wasn't the same as you analyzing. It was practiced worry. If I had to guess, someone's pushed you time after time before.
[But it is a guess, he realizes, and he can't force Dave to tell him the truth, or even speak about it.]
If you signed up, that means you're interested in pushing yourself. In teaching others to do the same. Then take it seriously and listen to me when I'm giving you advice. Friendship makes a person stronger. It gives life meaning. So talk to your friends.
You'll both appreciate it.
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bro isn't even a distant option and dave doesn't even remotely want to talk about who pushed him, or how far. ]
I should get goin'. Talk to you later? [ uncertain. ]
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Guren will try his best.]
Yeah. I'll contact you in a few days to tell you who you're with. But you have my hex code if you ever need me for anything else.
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[ AND WITH THAT HE'S OFF but he'll sound perfectly normal in a few days when he gets the assignment ]