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If you think winning is going to be that easy... [ up come her fists again. ] Then go ahead and try!

I know better than to think you'll make it easy for me, Yang! [But, he's determined now... and he kicks off of the ground, dashing toward her. Closer, closer, and he's watching her fists...

Before he throws several punches at her, like he's goading her into countering.]

[ There are too many punches; it's a warning, and Yang heeds it, only using her arms to block before she speeds up and pivots to try and put herself behind him, to finally use her fist against his back. ]

[Naoki's eyes track her quickly, and when she moves behind him, he looks over his shoulder at her--

And he grins just a bit. The muscles in his back tense as he swings one arm back, aiming his elbow at her even if it means a punch against his back. It's kind of like what she did earlier when she elbowed back against him.]

[ He'll hear a verbal grimace as his elbow hits right above her chest, but at least she'll get in a punch to the back.

And a kick to the back of the knee if he doesn't move. ]

[He's bracing himself right before that kick connects--and then sliding his foot across the ground as he turns, moving his arm and swinging it wide. It's not a punch, he's moving like he's going to catch her about the waist and bodily toss her--]

[ Son of a-- except no, Yang is used to her feet not being on the ground, so if he tosses her, she's going to twist herself in midair to land on her feet. HEAVILY, but--

SUCH A GENTLEMAN. ]

[OF COURSE HE IS--

And that gentleman in question will be already close, and then swerves around her, his leg sweeping at both of her feet as he darts past.]

[ She'd expected that-- and wobbles because of it, nearly toppling as one foot gets knocked into but no, not quite. Instead, she leaps back. Balance first, and hers has already been compromised. ]

[Naoki's not going to let her find the time to get her balance back, he's twisting, moving at her as fast as he can move. He lashes out with quick punches less about actually landing blows than forcing her to react quickly.

When people have to get faster, there's more of a chance for them to slip up--]

[ Look at him, being all strategic... but Yang's been trained in far too many combat settings, and first and foremost-- keep your guard up.

She's forced to move at his pace, though, and her footing isn't going to be as solid, but she's deflecting all of his (admittedly not all that vicious) punches before she swings out a right hook to try and drive him back. ]

[One of Naoki's hands breaks away from the punching he's been doing--he catches the hook with the back of his wrist... but he moves to twist his hand quickly, to catch at her wrist. Before she has a chance to pull her hand back, he's going to try to yank her in, closer.

His foot slides forward, not to sweep, but to throw off where one of her feet might land.]

[ There's clear resistance as he yanks, and she'd dig her heels in, drive her fist into his cheek-- if his foot didn't just throw off one of hers, so she steps wrong and suddenly Yang's falling against him. ]

[And the unbalance, Yang's weight against his body is just what he was waiting for--

He tips forward, of course he's going to tilt them right over, still holding at one of her wrists. And he might just press that to the ground as he moves to straddle her, other hand landing hard to one side of her head, catching himself.]

[ He sure loves knocking the breath out of her, and Yang's too winded to respond for at least two seconds.

But then her eyes narrow and she struggles to free herself, tugging at the hold on her wrist and trying to get her legs free as she gasps for air. ]

[Naoki's pretty stubbornly keeping his hold, remaining where he is so she can't break free right away. Oof, she sure is struggling though, and he tightens his hand at her wrist slightly (no he's pretty solid he's not going to move yet), thumb rubbing against glove material.

He leans over her.]

Hey, Yang--?

... [ She doesn't have the breath to speak and try to force him off at the same time, not when her chest is still heaving, but there's a fierce light in her eyes when she stares up at him. If he thinks just because he's got her pinned that she's giving up-- ]

[That fierce light is something else, he's thought not for the first time--]

Ah, yeah, I know in a second you're gonna try to get me off. But. Now we're even. [In pinning and he's also claiming this as a victory!! And then... He's going to release her wrist, flick a piece of her hair out of her face, and stand quickly, hopping back a step or two.]

[ Yang's up quickly, dusting herself off as she takes a longer, deeper breath.

... And then she's moving towards him, hands loose at her sides. ]

... [Naoki, meanwhile, is tensed up like he's anticipating that she's going to try to flip him to the ground or something...]

[ Understandable, but Yang only reaches up, letting her fingers graze his forehead, the mark over one eye as she nudges some of his hair away.

And then, smiling at him, she lowers her hand. ]

Now we're even.

[...

His heart lurched, and he doesn't know if it's because her fingers grazed one of his marks or not. The light of that mark flared a little in the wake of her touch and Naoki represses an urge to rub at it.]

And, like I thought, you didn't make it easy for me.

[ Weird, did it just get brighter-- but she laughs now, taking a step back. ]

You like me because I give you a challenge, right?

Mmm-- Among other reasons.

[There're just a lot of things to like about Yang, all right?]

Well, yeah, there's my charm, my energy, my sass, the fact that I give great shoulder massages--

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