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<Jewel> ::It is late in the afternoon of the second day since Dawn's breezy assurance that Angel would be back in "a couple of days" that Jewel closes up shop early and betakes herself to Dusk and Dawn's shop to avail herself of Dusk's offer to spar. Having knocked and waved her own personal Iron Maiden, Isa, off, she paces their doorstep impatiently.:: * Dusk opens the door himself, not being able to call her to enter. He smiles warmly in greeting. {Closed already?} <Jewel> Slow day. ::she shrugs a shoulder, not willing to admit that she got Isa to loom over her last casual window-shopper until he went away:: Are you busy just now? * Dusk shakes his head and steps aside to let Jewel in. {What can I do for you?} * Jewel steps inside quickly, her movements brisk. "Well, I thought, since I'd nothing else pressing at the moment, I might take you up on your offer to spar?" Her voice goes up a little plaintively at the end, despite her attempt to keep from sounding like she's begging. * Dusk grins. {Certainly. Clear a space while I get the set.} He rummages around in an unseeable drawer or shelf, and eventually emerges with a couple of sets of dull-bladed daggers. * Jewel scans the open area of the room, collecting a set of throwing daggers laid on a small table, moving the table aside, and chucking the daggers quickly into the target from close range. She picks up a couple of discarded towels, holding them by her fingers at arm's length, and drapes them over a nearby chair. Lastly, she removes her skirt and drapes it over another chair, revealing close-fitting leggings beneath. * Dusk very gallantly pretends not to be looking at Jewel's legs. <Jewel> All set. ::She rolls her neck and paces around in circles for a few moments, bouncing lightly on her toes and shakes out her arms to settle herself a bit.:: * Dusk tosses one set of knives to Jewel, then positions himself a few feet away from her, his half-smile indicating his preparedness. * Jewel catches them, juggles one over her hand with a grin, and nods to him, lowering into a slight crouch. * Dusk waits approximately half a heartbeat, gauging her stance, then attacks. <Jewel> ::Instead of shying away from his first attack as she normally does, she moves into it this time, parrying one blade and trying an inside feint of her own. * Dusk barely parries the attack and steps sideways around her. He looks surprised, then grins and tries another approach. * Jewel circles him, drawing his attack off to the side to try to keep him off-balance. A fierce grin pulls at the side of her mouth as, for a change, she actively looks for holes in his defense, instead of following through on openings he's allowed her as she normally does. * Dusk frowns, concentrating, increasing the intensity of his approach. * Jewel gives up a little ground at the fierceness of Dusk's attack, and then attempts to dart in and score a hit on his shoulder, receiving a scrape on the back of her hand for her temerity. She gives back a step and concentrates on her defense again, watching, the faint smile hovering on her lips as her eyes lose focus somewhat. * Dusk circles warily for a moment, then leaps for her in an overhand attack. * Jewel parries the overhand feint. More surprisingly, she takes a half-step to the left and drops her blade to fend off the second blade headed for her gut, almost in tandem with Dusk's movement. * Dusk stumbles, startled, and then freezes as Jewel's blade touches his neck. He stares at her, blinking, then steps carefully back. {Are you borrowing from Angel?} * Jewel blinks in surprise, both at Dusk's backwards step and at finding where her knife has ended up. Her eyes lose their somewhat fuzzy look. "What? No, I... at least... I don't *think* so. I don't know *where* that came from." She frowns. "You *were* headed here... weren't you?" She ends on a puzzled note, touching the right side of her abdomen lightly with her fingers. <Dusk> ::grins:: {Aye.... Were you reading me?} <Jewel> I... ::frowns:: I wasn't *trying* to make contact. But... something was different. You... did you slow down? A moment ago, I would have sworn I *saw* your knife moving that way, but... you didn't move, did you? <Dusk> ::shrugs and nods:: <Dusk> {I can see I'm going to have to step things up a little, to keep you on your toes.} <Jewel> ::looks dubious:: I'm not sure whether I should be pleased about that or not. ::grins weakly:: <Dusk> ::laughs, soundlessly:: {I am pleased. It means I will worry less about you, when I go.} <Jewel> ::smiles a little more genuinely:: You'd worry about me? <Jewel> You shouldn't, you know. I have Angel to take care of me, after all. Not to mention Dawn and Angel and Lady Quick and everyone else. <Dusk> {I'll worry about all of you.} ::he smiles:: {I'll expect you all to take care of each other.} <Jewel> ::grins wider:: Yes, Dad. <Dusk> ::snorts and smirks:: {Good girl.} <Jewel> ::bites her lip:: Do you think... what kind of sparring partner would Angel make? I've... he's given me some lessons, but I've only ever *seen* him spar with Snowman. <Jewel> ::sheepishly:: I'm a little nervous about asking him. I know I'm not that good, and I don't want to worry him *more* about me. <Dusk> ::considers:: {I don't know. Some can spar with their lovers, and some can't. Once I'm... gone, remind him that you'll need a new teacher. He'll know, what he can handle.} <Jewel> ::nods and moves one dagger to the other hand:: {I realized... I never really gave you an answer the other day.} <Dusk> ::raises an eyebrow:: <Jewel> {So, yes. I will help you. I...} ::bites her lip:: {Does he really have to believe that you're dead? It *wouldn't* be a lie to tell him that I can't find you. I don't think my range extends *that* far.} <Dusk> ::firmly:: {He has to believe it, but you don't have to say it.} <Jewel> ::nods sadly:: {I'll... do my best. But I don't know what I could do to keep him from coming after you. Are you... do you plan to leave him... anything?} <Dusk> {Such as?} <Jewel> {Well... } ::her fingers fumble a bit, twisting around each other uselessly:: {A note? A... a memento?} <Dusk> ::gives her an incredulous look:: {When I'm going to all this effort to make it seem like an *accident*?} <Jewel> Oh. ::hangs her head a little:: {Good point.} <Dusk> {He'll have most of my possessions, if a reminder will help. And he'll have you as his friend. And...} ::his jaw clenches briefly:: {...Her.} <Jewel> ::nods miserably:: {It still won't be you.} Her fingers freeze. {I'm... I'm sorry. I'm not making this any easier.} * Dusk smiles sadly. {He'll be better for it. I have to believe that.} He bends to kiss her cheek lightly. {You'll take good care of him for me.} * Jewel nods, biting her lower lip hard to keep from crying. * Dusk pats her shoulder. {You'll be fine.} * Jewel smiles at him a little tearily. {Better than you, at least. Unless someone in your family's a worse watering-pot than I am.} <Dusk> ::pretends to think about it:: {I'm sure that's possible, and yet...} * Jewel sticks her tongue out at him. * Jewel bites her lip, her eyes losing focus again for a moment as she "looks" around the shop. She blinks again and nods once, like a woman coming to a decision. Putting her hands on either side of Dusk's head, she kisses him once, vigorously, on the lips, and then steps away quickly, blushing. "That *didn't* happen." * Dusk stares at her for a moment, blinking, then grins. {Damned right it didn't. I only want to *pretend* to die...} |
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