Entanglements

Posted on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 6:02am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib
Edited on on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 6:29am

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Deck 32, Hand to Hand Training Center
Timeline: MD 1
1509 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

Dressed in her pt gear consisting of black shorts and free t-shirt, Naxea stepped onto the sparring mat in the gym. "So, are you sure you're up to this?" Naxea said, turning to S'hib.

Like Naxea he was wearing black shorts, his lower legs and arms wrapped in black fabric to strengthen his thinner limbs. "What, you think I'm gonna go soft on you because you say nice things about my cooking." S'hib snorted as he skipped about on the mat, only ever leaving one hoof on the floor as he brought his fists up to his bare chest.

Naxea chuckled as she began her stretching routine. "I wouldn't dream of it. How are you readjusting?"

"I'm doing ok so far, though my first shift back was pretty weird," S'hib said before shaking his head wildly, flicking his mane from one shoulder to the next. "What about yourself, you ok?" He questioned, looking at the red marks over her knuckles.

"Nothing a few hours in the holodeck couldn't fix," she replied as she began bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Ready?"

“Just don’t push yourself too hard, I don't want you getting hurt.” S’hib snorted before skipping forward suddenly, closing the distance between them with a loud stomp of his hoof and hoping to throw off her guard.

'Too late for that,' she thought before S'hib quickly closed the distance between them. She cursed his size and speed that allowed him to cover distances more quickly and easier than she ever could. She leapt to side, throwing a back kick at his supporting leg as she did so.

The kick was unexpected, catching his hoof before it could find purchase on the floor and sending him slightly off balance.

A sharp frustrated snort leaving his nostrils as he shifted his weight onto his other leg and spring boarded away, tucking his long neck under his chest as he rolled back to his hooves, shaking his long mane from his face before charging forward once more.

Naxea charged, dropped and rolled under the charging Sequus, striking her legs out, intentionally entangling his.

Not anticipating Naxea to throw herself at him was a fatal mistake, only realising after the fact as his shoulder hit the mat with a startled whine. "That didn't work..." He thought to himself, attempting to break free from her grasp.

Seeing S'hib fall to the mat, Naxea jumped at the opening as she grasped his arm, securing and twisting it into an armbar, something she found difficult against S'hib's strength as she strained to keep onto the hold.

Her hold was secure, much to his surprise. "Why do I get the feeling..." S'hib grunted, moving one leg up until his hoof could dig into the mat. "You let me win... last time." He snorted, pressing off the floor with his other arm, attempting to stand with Naxea on his back.

'Shit,' Naxea thought with surprise as S'hib began to stand. She had never had anyone stand while in an armbar. "I could say the same about you," she grunted as she attempted to keep the pressure on his arm--just enough without really hurting him.

"Someone has to keep you," S'hib grunted, bending his long equine legs as his hooves dug into the mat, tearing into the outer layer protecting the foam. "On your toes!" He snorted, his trapped arm gripped onto whatever part of her clothing it could before thrusting his powerful legs into the floor, springboarding himself over onto his back with a loud thump and clatter of hooves.

The move caught Naxea off guard and before she knew it, she had been slammed to the mat hard with part of S'hib laying on her. She let go of the hold, breathing hard.

"You ok?" S'hib snorted as he moved off of Naxea, scrambling to her side with worry gripping his chest.

"I'm fine...just...need...to catch...my breath," she said before beginning to laugh. "You cheated."

"What?" S'hib snorted in protest, forcing a frown while attempting to hide a growing smile at her infectious laugh. "How did I cheat?" He grumbled, nudging his muzzle into her cheek.

Naxea shrugged. "I don't know...I'll let you know when I come up with one," she chuckled to keep from grimacing, sitting up. Her body complaining in the form of pain and stiffness from the abuse it had taken over the past several days.

"You are a terrible liar Naxea," He sighed, shuffling along the floor to kneel behind her. "You should have had me beat back there, and I know why..." He snorted, blowing hot air onto her scalp before pressing his lips gently against the back of her head. "Because we get an alert every time the safeties are disengaged on the holodeck..." He continued, his lips still against the back of her head with his arms now gently wrapped around her waist. "But, I'm not asking you to stop what you're doing, just that maybe you could do with a break."

"I'll take a break when I'm dead," she said defiantly. "I have too many people depending on me and my department to be ready." Training meant she stayed busy--something she needed at the moment. At least until the next emergency came along. "And stop huffing into my hair--I have a hard enough time with it without you messing it up."

"You aren't ready though Naxea, you're exhausted..." He sighed, resting his long neck gently on top of her head, leaning his bare chest against her back. "Couldn't even pin a scruffy security officer down." he teased, trying to make light of the sudden seriousness.

"Don't make me hurt you," she teased as she got to her feet, afraid that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't want to leave S'hib's embrace. "Besides, I need to keep busy."

"You are as stubborn as any mare I've met." S'hib snorted as he darted his head forward, barging gently through her legs and standing with surprising speed, heaving her up into the air on his shoulders with two loud hoof clicks.

The move caught her off guard as she grabbed his mane. "What the?! S'hib! You ass!" She was now beginning to laugh.

“I hope you know I'm not putting you down.” He smiled innocently, tilting his head up slightly to look at Naxea as he revealed how childish he could be, skipping from one hoof to the other as he aimlessly trotted around the gym mat.

"Is that so?" she asked looking down at him with a wicked grin as if gauging his sincerity.

"Mhmm..." S'hib grinned. "Though I might be convinced if you promise to do something."

"Oh? And what might that be?" she asked, continuing to grin.

“Well since you’re working so hard keeping busy,” He said mockingly, gently spinning on the spot while looking up at her. “Someone's going to have to make dinner for you...” He snorted cheerfully.

"You drive a hard bargain," she replied. "Your place then? Or mine?"

"How about yours... maybe, we could cook together?" He mused, leaning down to plant a kiss softly on her left knee.

"Nuh uh. No kissing until I get fed," she teased with a smile while waving her finger.

“I'm not waiting that long.” S’hib huffed before stubbornly planting a kiss on her knee and then nudging over and kissing the other.

"You asked for it," Naxea replied as her fingers began to tickle under his ears

His ears flicked at the sudden attention, finding himself gently throwing his head side to side in an attempt to escape her fingers. "Wha- No no no no..." He squirmed, snorting loudly as his tail lashed out behind.

"You gonna be good and put me down now?" Naxea asked, grinning.

"Ok ok..." He laughed through gritted teeth, stamping the odd hoof every time a fingertip trailed around the base of his ears. "I'll put you down." He submitted, carefully kneeling down.

"That's better," she said as she got off of S'hib, forgetting how sore her body was for the moment. She looked at the torn up mat and shook her head. "You know, if you keep tearing up mats, you're likely to be banned from the gymnasium," she laughed.

"Well..." S'hib said as he stood, moving towards Naxea with a certain look in his eyes. "Maybe you should pin me down better next time." He said with a deep rumble in his throat and a broad smile across his face.

Naxea raised an eyebrow at S'hib. "Oh, I plan to mister," she said, poking him lightly in the chest with her finger.

"I'll look forward to it." He teased while leaning forward, his hands already moving to her hips.

She grabbed his hand and turned, leading him towards the exit. "Come on. We've got some cooking to do."

"Yes Ma'am." S'hib snorted, grinning wildly as he followed Naxea out of the Gymnasium.


END

Major Azhul Naxea
Marine Detachment CO
USS Elysium

Lieutenant JG S'hib
Security Officer
USS Elysium