gocirclegogo | DOES WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN- Okay not that creepy but still

[That isn't helping her self-esteem, wow. Erika rubs her wrist, trying to ~~be manly~~ ignore the lingering ache, and follows him. She pokes him in the back repeatedly.]

You just love abusing me and we both know it. You should get me a drink and a snack for my suffering.

[How a cat says 'I have missed you': Give me more attention.]

[Oh, get over it you wuss. He effectively says as much when he doesn't even break stride walking past the kitchen and into the den. The nonverbal statement of 'shut up and get it yourself'.]

I wouldn't have to abuse you if you had a stronger self-preservation instinct.

[Erika gives him a pointed look when they pass the kitchen but fine. That means she'll just sit in his lap once he sits down because someone is going to give her attention here.]

What's wrong with my self-preservation instinct? I always preserve myself very well. You should worry about some other people. [Like your stupid girlfriend.]

[While he refuses to get her snacks and wait on her every need, he'll at least concede to giving her headscritches when she demands them. Such a needy cat.]

She's learned to make slower movements. That means she's beating you. [Even if only in self-preservation. ...Oh wait, it's Lion. That statement is horribly insulting now.]

[eeeeeee headscritches. The most important part of visiting Will. And the only reason Erika doesn't punch him in the balls for that level of insult.] Don't even bother comparing us. She's leagues below me in judgement. She's with you, after all.

Uh huh. [He knows that's baiting. And - for once! - he doesn't rise to it. Just keeps up with petting the spoiled cat.]

Any reason for showing up, or just making demands?

[What a good boy. It means she won't tease or bait him for at least one comment. Happy Early Birthday or something.]

Hmm... Well... [She thinks for a moment, eyes closed, not bothering to try to tsun-out any sort of 'maybe missed you' statement in favour of jumping to a topic.] Do you think I've gotten weaker?

[If she shows up for his birthday, he's smacking her. Fair warning.

The odd lack of tsuning gets written down, but not mentioned for the sake of her dignity and not being smacked. But the fact there's no defensive jump at first means that it's something she's genuinely worried over. Handle the topic with care.] I could ask what sense you think you're weaker in... But the question doesn't matter. My answer is 'no'.

[Erika mentally jots down that Will is getting back into the swing of his stupid heart-reading thing pretty well. Actually, she's a little impressed by it. She hadn't really expected it... Then again, it's as annoying as ever but oh well.]

Well... Ah. [Erika nods to herself.] I can explain it. Knowing you, you didn't care that people said you were going soft and senile. But... did it ever bother you that you might have...lost something in it? Even if it's a 'bad' something.

[She scratches at her head, frowning.] It isn't a very reasonable feeling.

[Around this time, she could expect his usual responses along the lines of 'no I don't care, no it didn't bother me, yes you're unreasonable'. Except a beat after the usual kneejerk answer goes unheard is when he speaks.]

I don't care about people calling me soft or senile. ...The rest is reasonable.

[Woah wait what. Erika can internally sparkle over that whole blood oath thing, since it actually earned her more honest answers without a salt shaking.] It seems unreasonable because you're worrying over insults that you're no longer good at your job, or your changes for the better make you worth less to others. But there's always that nagging voice saying 'what if they're right and I'm just blind to it?'

Sound about right?

[There is definitely sparkling because, well, she didn't even need to pry the tiniest bit. That's a...surprisingly nice feeling. It takes her a second to really process it, so she nods in the meantime.] ...Right, yes.

[Then a pause. Right, words.] Ah, I lost to Christopher. It was a friendly match, so I wasn't putting everything into it, but I still lost. I didn't think I was getting that rusty. [Erika sighs and twirls a long strand of hair.] It isn't as though I want to be...as I was...

[Where she takes a second to process before she goes rambling off, his response is immediate to contrast.] You already answered yourself. 'I wasn't putting everything into it.' Your strongest point isn't your endurance. It's better to use the word 'tenacity'. Unless you're putting your entire focus into it, you lose your ability to keep getting up and do your ridiculous stunts.

[All said like this should be obvious to her, come on Erika. Don't make him have to spell it out for you.]

I guess so. [She sighs and leans back against him with her arms folded.] In a situation where I need it, I can still do just fine. But it still stings a little that I can't do it anytime.

[Pats her head twice, then leans on one of the arm rests with his head propped in one hand. Giving her fair room to sprawl erratically as she's prone to.]

If it bothers you, you can always practice.

[She loves to sprawl and accepts Will's gracious invitation to do so.]

Are you offering?

[She is a delicate and beautiful sprawler. Like a box of spilled matchsticks.]

You're just looking for an excuse to leave more scars.

[In that case does Will wanna

light her fires?]

I'm already proud enough of the one I left, though a few more wouldn't hurt.

[The look she gets is completely blank, before taking his glasses off and rubbing at his eyes. Why. Why is she so stupid. Why.]

...I'll ignore that. What about your girlfriend?

[Erika grins. She would curtsey but that involves too much movement right now and she's comfortable.]

He enjoys fighting, so he'll only be mad if I come home with broken ribs again.

[If she curtseyed, he'd smack her off. A wise decision on her part. Unlike her answer, which earns a flat stare.]

...I suppose family deserves a warning. If you want my help with this, you'll need the guidelines to be a lot more specific.

[The only warning she's getting. That if she really wants his help with her antics, that he's not going to be pulling any punches on her. Make your rules first, kid.]

[She refrains from commenting on how she thought it would be common sense. Trying to be good about things since Will is being nice about it, too. She largely suspects he only said anything so Zelos wouldn't get mad at him.]

I guess 'anything Zelos wouldn't be happy about' isn't specific enough for you. Well... no broken bones for a start. I don't think he'd be willing to excuse that for training.

[The look she gets for that moment of silence means it was a wise move on her part to keep her mouth shut.]

It's not. I could care less what he's happy about. [At least he's honest about it.] No fractures. Anything else?

[She clicks her tongue instead of voicing any problems she has with Will and Zelos's relationship otherwise. It's fine enough.]

Sprains, bruising and gashing is fine. Gouging...nothing on the torso. Meta-level is fine since Zelos can't sense any damage I take in that respect. And nothing that results in major scarring, I suppose. You can't always predict that. [Waving her hand.] If you want me to hold to the same rules, I can...

[But since the purpose is to train her, not him, if she's trying to hold back it might now work so well. She doesn't say it since Will probably understands. The offer is his to accept or decline.]

[All things noted, but the last part gets a smirk. Easily read. It's an offer, but only out of politeness. But both parties are more than aware that accepting it ruins the entire point. But it's a nice offer.]

Thanks but no thanks. The only rule I put down applies to both of us: no dismemberment.

[Essentially, it's telling her not to go completely axe crazy. Which is also part of the point. To keep her strength without going totally bonkers. A reasonable one.]

[She giggles and stretches out her arms, feeling a little more at ease than before. Somehow, talking about how precisely to maul each other does that.] That's fair. I don't really wants to see your guts anyway. I can see those anytime I want, right, Willard...?

[Erika casually traces a finger by his stomach. It might be slightly creepier if she could keep one of her rapist smiles instead of one that might burst into laughter. She can't even mockingly flirt with him now. Brothers, ugh.]

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