Self Defense
"I still don't see why this is necessary."
Rupert puts his hands on his hips and gives you a withering look. "It's not necessary. It's totally up to you. If you insist on coming on patrol with me while Buffy's gone for Spring Break, you need at least some basic combat training. If you don't want to do the lesson, then you can't come on patrol."
"Fine." You sigh and stand across from him. He has pushed most of his living room furniture aside and stands before you on the mat he's placed on the floor. He is barefoot and wears his jogging suit while you are in shorts and a tee shirt.
You shake out your arms and legs. Rupert is smiling at you sweetly, if not a little smugly. "All right. Turn and face away from me." You do and he comes up behind you, gently placing one arm around your neck and the other around your waist. "Now what do you do if a vampire's behind you?"
You smile. "Scream for you and then faint?"
"If you're not going to take this seriously then I don't see any point in..."
While Rupert has begun his lecture, you have wrapped your ankle around his and pulled it toward you while at the same time thrusting your backside into his stomach and pushing all your weight backwards. You have caught him off guard and the two of you tumble backwards to the mat. He lands with an audible grunt as you land as hard as you can on his abdomen. The force of your landing knocks the air out of his lungs and he releases you. You scamper away and sit on the edge of the mat.
Rupert turns only his head to look at you. He is scowling.
"What?"
"Of course, if a vampire came up behind you in a battle situation you would be able to irritate him long enough to distract him into letting you go. Yes brilliant strategy. I must tell Buffy to stop practicing her martial arts skills in favor of this incredible tactic you've thought up."
You stand up. "If you're going to be mean, I'm going home."
Rupert rises as well. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get you to understand how much danger you're in when you come out with me."
"You don't mind when Buffy's there."
"That's because Buffy can look after herself and take care of the majority of anything we meet. I'm her back-up which means I have the luxury of looking after you. When it's just me, you have to be able to watch yourself or you put us both in danger by being there."
You lower your head. "Sorry."
Rupert approaches and lifts your chin. He kisses you softly and looks into your eyes. "Why don't we try again?"
You nod and he walks you back to the center of the mat. Once again, he turns you away from him and places his arm around your neck. "Now, in this position, what do you do?"
You wrap your hands around his arm and try to tug down. He pulls back up and nearly lifts you off the mat. You sigh in defeat. "I don't know what I'd do."
"All right, let's take it back a step. When you start to see my arm come around you, you grab it. Stop me from getting a good hold."
"Okay." He brings his arm across you again and you grab his wrist before he can encircle your throat. "Now what?"
"Now," he removes his wrist from your grasp and turns you to look into his eyes. His arms gently hold yours. "You would take that wrist and twist it as hard as you could. This is a vampire. If you can do it hard and fast enough, you should be able to break it. At the minimum, you've given him a serious handicap in the rest of the fight. And if you're lucky, you might just get enough time to get completely away. Let's try another one." He pushes against you and you land flat on your back on the mat.
In seconds, his body has covered yours and he has your wrists pinned down. "Now what?" He questions.
You blush and find waves of heat moving to all kinds of interesting parts of your body. You lick your lips. "You kiss me?"
He blinks at you then smiles slowly. "You call that fighting?"
You grin. "Who said I was going to fight it?"
He lowers his head until his lips are almost brushing yours. "If this is your way of trying to get extra credit with the teacher..."
"Yes?" you whisper.
"It's working." His mouth covers your own in a kiss.
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| The character of Rupert Giles and the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer were created by Joss Whedon and are © Fox. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made. |