Finding the Write Time - "Did you just hit me?"
I'm taking part in @did-i-do-this-write's monthly challenge, Finding the Write Time!
This month, the prompt was "Did you just hit me?", and I took this as an opportunity to write some under-represented Niamh and Phoenix stuff! This is one of their first interactions alone, and I'm really happy with how it came out!
( @meteorify I think you'll like this!)
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I don't want to be here. Skywalker insisted that I need to "bond" with Changeling, and the only way that I can think to do that is through training him; I saw him try to fight Archangel yesterday, and it was pitiful, so I know for a fact that he needs the help.
I throw a hard glare in his direction and he cuts himself off.
"Where are we going?" he asks as I lead him through the brightly-lit halls of the A.R.A.
"The training room."
"Training?"
"You're part of the band now, you need to know how to defend yourself."
"I know how to-"
He's silent for the rest of the walk. A couple of minutes pass with only the sound of our footsteps echoing down the hall for company, until we reach an unassuming door labelled only TRAINING.
As I punch in the password for the door - W-W-L-S-D - Changeling looks from the floor to me to the door to me, before clearing his throat.
"Changeling." I call his codename just as he walks past. He jumps at the noise and stops, turning back to me. "In here." I nod my head towards the door.
"Oh. Sorry."
"Uh- by the way?"
I tilt my head slightly to show I'm listening.
"Why are you calling me Changeling? You know that's not my real name, right?"
"Yes, of course I know." I turn to face him, and he wilts slightly. "We're working, alright?" I try to make my tone softer. "When we're on the clock, it's codenames only, okay?"
"Oh, right." His eyes suddenly widen and I feel a wave of anxiety spill out from him.
He shakes his head and follows me into the training room as I hold the door open for him.
"My codename is Siren."
He sighs in relief. "How did you- oh. Of course."
I think they've remodelled it since I was last here - it seems brigher, cleaner, somehow, and the targets and mannequins that line the walls don't look nearly as worn and beaten as I remember. Changeling, for his part, is taking it all in like a child in an art gallery - staring at everything in fascination, but scared to touch anything.
I walk to the middle of the floor, far enough from any windows or screens - just in case - and beckon for Changeling to join me.
I remember it well - the grand opening, when they got all the A.R.A.'s best fighters to test the facility to its limits. It held up well, for the most part - assuming you don't count the incident with Archangel and the flamethrower... I still shudder to think about how much it would have cost to replace that skylight.
"This is... cool." His voice wavers slightly, but I take his small smile as a sign that I'm doing something right.
"Yes, the faculty were very proud when they put this in."
I think about it for a second.
"Now." I turn back to Changeling. "We're almost certainly being sent on a mission soon, and you're going to need to know how to hold your own in the field. Have you ever fought before?"
"Uh- no. I've tried, but-"
"I saw your- attempt to get that sandwich off of Archangel yesterday - is that your definition of trying to fight?"
"Yes." He casts his eyes downwards and his cheeks color slightly.
"Right." I try not to sound too disheartened. "We have a lot of work to do."
"What do you want me to do?"
He raises his arm and looks at his hand for a second before it falls limp to his side.
"Hit me."
"What?"
"You heard me. I need to know what you can actually do. So hit me."
"I- I can't. I don't know-"
With a sharp inhale, I consider my options. I could calmy talk him through what to do, maybe try and rile him up by making a jab at his hair or his confidence, or- the easy option.
I'm going with the easy option.
"Did you just- hit me?!" Changeling reels back from my punch clutching his face, and I can see the tears beginning to form in his eyes. His cheek looks even more red now, even though I didn't hit him that hard.
"You see what I just did? Do that, but to me," I say calmly as I shake my fist. He doesn't need to know that it hurt me just as much as it hurt him.
I know he doesn't trust me, but maybe he appreciates me asking.
"So, you just want me to hit you? What, in the face?"
"If you want. I don't mind where, just do it, and I can tell you what you're doing wrong."
"You're just assuming that I'm going to do it wrong?"
"Everyone gets it wrong first time. Trust me."
"Fine..." he mutters. Finally.
He takes a small step back, raises his fist, and swings it towards my face. His form isn't too bad, considering he's never done it before, but the punch itself is weak. It barely even stings.
The two of us stay in the training room for another hour and a half, me explaining how Changeling can improve, and him - for the most part - doing what I instructed. By the time Incendium's voice crackled out of the radio to tell us we had to come back to the lair for movie night, he was almost capable of properly hurting me with a punch. As long as I didn't block it. Or dodge. Or see it coming. All of which were very likely to happen in the real world.
"What do you want from me? Everyone gets it wrong first try, right?" He responds with an eye roll when I tell him as much.
"Well you just proved me right, then."
I try not to be too harsh with my criticism, but by the time he heads for the door, even I can tell that he's upset.
"Hey, look." I jog to catch him before the door. "You- you were good. Very good. The way you improved, it was- impressive."
"Thanks." He doesn't look at me.
"I was- I was thinking. Maybe, if hand-to-hand isn't working, you could try a ranged weapon? We've got an archery range, if that sounds..." I trail off, unsure how open he is, but when he finally turns to me, his eyes are wide in excitement.
"Archery?" A smile creeps across his face. "Like, bows? Arrows? That kind of thing?"
"Yes." I try to return the smile. "For what it's worth, I think you've got a good eye. You might be a good shot."
His eyes widen.
He looks down sheepishly, before glancing back up. "You think?"
"I do." I nod. "Phoenix."
He rolls his eyes again, before laughing and wandering off towards the lair. As I watch him leave, I catch myself smiling, and I wonder if I might be able to properly get on with the new addition. Only time will tell, I suppose.
"What? It's the end of the day, I can call you that now."
"You're strange, you know?" He laughs, and I reluctantly smile too.
"Takes one to know one", is all I say in response.