Thompson
is completely asleep on the couch. His Adventure studies book splayed open on
his chest. The first few knocks at the door get no reaction. But as they continue
He sits up suddenly, dropping his book to the floor. “Coming!” He told the
door, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. He made his way across the living room
and opened the door to discover Cynthia on the other side. “Cynthia.” He said
in surprise.
She didn’t
even look at him, she just stared at her feet. “Look I wouldn’t have come but I
didn’t know who else to turn to.” She admitted.
Thompson
hesitated for a split second and then moved out of the way to let her him. “Come
on in” He welcomed her.
She
hesitantly walked into the Apartment. Thomson closed and locked the door behind
her. There wasn’t much more than the couch, a coffee table, and the tv in the
living room so she ran out of things to look at quickly. “I see you haven’t
changed your decorating style.” She said, glancing at him quickly.
Thompson
smiled in spite of the tension. “What can I say?” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m
a simple guy.” His sarcasm was desert dry.
She shook
her head. “We both know that’s not true.” She was still trying not to look at
him.
He
stooped down in an attempt to catch her eye line. “Cynthia are you ok?” He
asked.
She
raised her gaze to meet his and he could see she was holding back tears. “are
you?” She asked.
Thompson
looked away and out his living room window, avoiding the question.
“Of
course I’m not ok!” Cynthia exploded. “I lost my best friend and my partner
last semester!” She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. Thompson took a
step toward her and she stepped back an equal distance.
Thompson
shook his head. “You never lost me.” He said quietly.
She shook
her head. “Don’t lie to me, I deserve better than that.” She chastised him.
His eyes were locked on his feet. “I, I didn’t want to hurt you.” He looked up at her and saw fury in her eyes.
“Yeah, well
you’re doing a really horrible job.” She growled.
Thompson
shook his head. “You don’t understand.” He started.
“How
could I?” She interrupted. “You cut me out completely after last semester and
now you can barely even look at me.” She accused.
Thompson
met her gaze without wavering. “I’m sorry.” He started. “I really am. Do you
think this is what I wanted?” He asked, waiting a second before he continued. “Because
it’s not!” I’m just trying to keep the people I care about safe!” He exploded
and wave of blue flamed burst off his shoulders.
Cynthia
saw it but didn’t flinch. “From what?” She yelled back. “Ever since Professor
Daigo died you’ve been acting so strange.” She took a step forward. “Please
just talk to me” She asked, taking another step forward. Thompson stepped back
in response. “I know you two were close,
but he’s gone –“
She reached
out her hand and Thomson spun while pushing her hand away. “I don’t want you to
be next all right!” Thompson moved around her to the other side of the living
room.
She cocked
her head to the side. “The next to what Dean?” She asked. She followed him and
he let her get close enough to touch him. “I miss you. I miss my friend, and I
miss my partner.” She admitted to him. Dean was looking at his feet again. “You
can find another sparring partner.” He barely whispered.
Cynthia
smiled, she lifted his chin until they were eye to eye. “I never thought of
what we did as fighting. It always felt more like, dancing.” She said.
In a
flash Thompson held Cynthia in the starting position for a waltz. “So you miss
dancing then?” He asked. Waltzing around the living room with her. She smiled
and let him lead for a few steps but then incorporated some leg strikes into
the movements. Thompson shifted his footing, blocking and parrying her attacks
out of instinct, caught himself and stopped dancing. “I thought you said you
wanted to dance?” He asked.
Cynthia
smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes. Thompson continued the dance,
changing to a salsa. Again she let him lead for a few steps but turned his spin
into a spinning back fist which he caught and locked her arms up in defense. “You
know what I mean.” She replied.
He let go
of her wrists and stepped back. “I don’t dance
like that anymore.” He stated sadly. She didn’t hesitate for even a second
before full on attacking him. His instincts took over and they were fighting at
full speed, Thompson stuck to blocks, parry’s and holds that would allow him to
manipulate Cynthia into more dancing but all of her pent up anger and
frustration was exploding out of her and he was never able to hold her down for
long. As the struggle over fighting and dancing continued she resisted the
dancing less and less until he Had control of both her wrists. Her back was to
him and so he spun her around so they were face to face. He leaned in until
they were almost lip to lip.
