A Different Sort of Thing

The air was tense as the crowd looked down on the victorious gladiators, fresh from a hard fought but expertly won victory. Around them, Roman soldiers moved into formation, covering them from every side. Around the soldiers, the scattered remains of the dead lied about, those who’d come to prove their might and found themselves wanting against the gladiators. Around the dead was the Coliseum, filled to bursting with a raucous, rough, and rowdy crowd.

Commodus came through the wall of his men with a pleased smile, motioning for the victorious gladiators to rise before him. ”Rise, rise.” He neared with his nephew in tow, coming up close at the rear. ”Your fame is well deserved, Spaniard. I don't think there's ever been a gladiator to match you. As for this young man, he insists you are Hector reborn. Or was it Hercules?” If the Spaniard thought Commodus’ jape funny, he didn’t show it from underneath his helmet. “Why doesn't the hero reveal himself and tell us all your real name? You do have a name.”

From his seat in the theatre, Dmitri eagerly looked up at the big screen, watching Gladiator with rapt attention, waiting for his favorite line to come off. He wasn’t the only one. The Midnight Diner had became a favored haunt in Tokyo over the past few months, providing an environment for its patrons to enjoy movies both new and old. Today it was playing an old favorite he hadn’t seen since he was kid, and he felt it presented a unique opportunity.

One, to refresh himself with Gladiator.

Two, it was an activity he could bring Alicia along for that didn’t involve her squeezing him. As much as he’d grown accustomed to the nature of the relationship - even coming to like it far more than he was willing to admit - there were certain limits. The mind was willing, but the body was weak and spongy, and while he was feeling mostly all right today, he was curious to see if he could manage a pain-free experience with Alicia.

He took a little bite from his lasagna and quickly plopped it in his mouth, careful not to get any on the jet blue sweater he’d bought just for this occasion. Dmitri spared a quick glance at the screen, then brought his attention back to Alicia so far, her blazing red hair still clear in the darkness across the table. ”When did you say was the last time you saw this?”

On the screen, the man of the moment hesitated for a moment before his response slipped out amidst the swelling epic score.

”My name is Gladiator.”

Alicia Wells was probably the only one present who just rolled her eyes as Russel Crowe’s Maximus turned his back on the Emperor Commodus. Well, ok, it was a cool name and even she was willing to admit that there was a lot to like about Gladiator as a film. It was gorgeous for one thing, though every so often even that was spoiled as a major inaccuracy reared its ugly head.

Well, at least the company was decent and the food was good.

When Dmitri had asked her along, he hadn’t mentioned what they’d be seeing, which was probably a good thing. Speaking of her date for the evening, as that was basically what this was, he chose that moment to speak up.

That question was enough to at least temporarily distract her from the film and she glanced over to Dmitri or – at least – what she could see of him in the darkened room.

That wasn’t much, to be honest, but she knew where to look.

”Last summer, I think,” The big Brit answered after a moment’s thought, trying to place it. When she got it, she actually chuckled. After all, the last time she’d seen Gladiator had been with Mitsuru, the very day she’d met Dmitri.

Well, wasn’t that a fun coincidence? Probably not one Dmitri would appreciate very much, of course, but…

Her attention was drawn back to the film as the confrontation between Maximus the Invented and Commodus the Fake reached its climax, the redhead sneering at the screen. She could appreciate the acting and the work that went into it but that didn’t mean she was willing or able to just ignore the massive historical gaffs.

”I don’t know whether I should be more annoyed about them turning one lucky legion into Felix Legions, the whole made up story or those soldiers still using javelins as spears. Javelins. As spears.”

Alicia shook her head, cutting into her own lasagna rather harder than necessary.

”I did tell you how much this film annoys me, right? Because this film really annoys me.”

Alicia was annoyed, true, but Dmitri wasn’t too worried about that. He would’ve liked to take her to see something she liked better, and next time he’d try a little harder for something more suitable to her tastes. But he’d knew Alicia well enough, he felt. If she was really, truly, pissed off she likely would’ve left already. She’d never struck him as the sort to sit around for courtesies, and there wasn’t too much movie left.

He winced as the poor lasagna took on the lion’s share of her aggravation, sympathizing to an extent. Being the source of Alicia’s stress relief could be a rough thing, which actually reminded him of the reason he’d picked this movie in the first place.

His memories of their first memory were sparse and sporadic. Everything before the breast smother that knocked him out was a blur. He knew he’d been in pain, but he couldn’t recall the exact holds. He recall his leg being numb, but he couldn’t say what she’d done to get it that way.

There was just pain. Lots of pain. The scent of sweat in the air, hers and his, mingling. Her eyes, staring hard into him. The feeling of being totally powerless…

He rubbed his nose and sat up in the seat, coming back to reality. Those were interesting images, but there was more. He remembered another woman being there for a little while, and Alicia talking with her about Gladiator. Seemed like a happy enough conversation. So he took a gamble.

It hadn’t paid off like he’d hoped, but well, that was the risk.

”You...might have mentioned it? Maybe.” He took a quick sip of his Sprite, sparring one glance towards the screen, before looking Alicia’s way again. As pretty as the movie could be, she was a fresher sight.

”Sorry, World History’s never been my thing.” He held up a finger. ”If you like, you can make me sit through one of those horror remakes the Americans keep making and messing up. The Ring, the Grudge, Dark Water…”

A joke. A small one, but at least he was comfortable enough around her to try it.

Though he really hoped she wouldn’t call his bluff.

In fairness to Gladiator, there were a lot of good things about it. Alicia didn’t have any problem admitting that, things like the look (minor inconsistences aside) and the atmosphere were pretty solid. But in many ways that was why the big holes annoyed her more. Couldn’t they have made just as good a film without making 1st century AD Imperial Romans talk about restoring the Republic like it was a thing that might happen?

Spoiler alert – it didn’t, wouldn’t and shouldn’t be talked about just because democracy was a thing in the 21st century. It wasn’t like the Roman Republic had much in common with American-twenty-first-century-style democracy either.

Hence Alicia’s irritation with that whole line of thought but she did her best to let it go, with the exception of directing a slightly arch look at Dmitri when he said she might maybe have mentioned it. Which meant she’d been going on about it in his opinion but he was too polite to say so.

Nerd.

Not even a history nerd, so why did she hang out with him again?

Alicia rolled that horror film idea around her mind a bit as she chewed her way through another mouthful of lasagne, bobbing her head a little as she contemplated it. If she was entirely honest, she didn’t watch a lot of films, preferring to spend her time in the gym. The ones she did watch were generally historical ones or had historical settings least. Some of the harder, grittier martial arts flicks also appealed, though Alicia was self-aware enough to know that Dmitri really didn’t want to watch those with her.

They always got her in the mood for a fight – or a beatdown – and she wasn’t too picky about who was the recipient. She was also self-aware enough to know that she wouldn’t be sorry in the slightest if it came to that.

”Sometime, you’ll come back to my place and I’ll show you some of the real classics,” She decided after a moment, taking a swift swig of her own drink, ”Not that they’re exactly accurate, you know, but they’re still fun. Then we can watch one of those horror films, the original if you like.”

Alicia flashed him a smile that had too many teeth to be truly nice.

”Plus I’ve got new mats to break in.”

And there was that smile. Even in the darkened theatre, with all the glow around them, Alicia’s teeth seemed to shine in the dark. She had a nice, pearly white set, which was kind of funny when he thought about all the stupid stereotypes about the English in their teeth - jokes that he’d only tell her if he felt like spending the night in a hospital, for some crazy reason. Hers were perfect, as near as he could tell, and she had a way of curving her lips just enough to give her this manic look.

It was simultaneously alluring, frightening, and even comforting, in a strange way. At least she was always honest with him about her intentions. A lot of AFW women would’ve beat around the bush, thrown in a lot of innuendo, lead him on. Alicia? ‘I want to squeeze you in half, Dmitri.’

There was a time when that smile of hers would’ve put a look of sheer terror on his face, and it still had some effect. Dmitri’s eyebrow raised as he took a few sips, then canted his head to the side, just enough to see some of those beasts under the table. Still there. Still deadly.

With a nervous laugh, he shook his head and leaned back, sighing with a slight wince. His ribs were always a little sore, these days.

”I don’t see how breaking me helps you break in the mats, but I’m...not opposed.” As strange as that was to imagine. Her legs were an accepted part of his life. Death, taxes, and Alicia. ”I’m getting better, though, you have to give me some credit. Lasting longer. Next time, I might even last….say, four minutes? Five?”

Dmitri shrugged, then dipped down for another forkfull. ”One day I might even get you in a hold. Maybe. Possibly.” He wrinkled his nose. ”Not likely. Still, if we do it enough times…”

”It’s tradition,” Alicia retorted, in a tone that rather indicated he ought to have known that, before her lips split in a truly evil smirk, ”Besides, that wasn’t the only sort of breaking in I meant, genius.”

And he damn well better be more enthused that ‘not opposed’, or he’d be limping home on two dead legs.

That said, his suggestion that he might last five whole minutes next time got him a shake of her head and a sound of amusement through her mouthful of lasagne. Swallowing, Alicia fixed him with a glance.

”Ever hear of repeated strain injuries?”

A moment later, Alicia answered her own question.

”Of course you have. So, what do you think happens to your ribcage every time I scissor it?” That rhetorical question was followed by a quiet chuckle.

”You’ve been lasting longer because I’ve been holding back. I don’t want to give you repeated squeeze injuries; if I went at you full-force, you’d have shattered ribs.”

Alicia leant in, close enough that she was able to ghost her fingers up his side all the way from top to bottom.

”And why would I want that?” There was something in Alicia’s tone though that didn’t exactly make that a reassuring statement that she didn’t want to hurt Dmitri.

More…

She didn’t want to hurt Dmitri so much that she couldn’t keep on squeezing him.

Yes, that sounded more like it. As for the idea he’d get her in a hold – well, she wasn’t going to dismiss it but she’d agree with him.

Not likely any time soon.

Pulling back to her own chair, the redhead stabbed another piece of lasagne and started chewing as the scene on the screen switching to a new one.

Just when you thought Alicia’s smile get any wider, she found an extra inch somewhere.

It did make him laugh, though. If his ribs could talk, they likely wouldn’t have appreciated the jest. As it turned out, he had heard a bit about ‘repeated strained injuries’, from a cousin of his at a family reunion, a doctor. It was a bit weird, asking him questions about his body without explaining exactly why he was so interested in the subject. The picture his cousin painted was...unpleasant.

Strangely, though, he wasn’t worry. At least, not of any unrecoverable injury. Alicia knew what she was doing. She could get him to the edge, but he wouldn’t go over.

He jumped a bit at her touch, more surprised than fearful. The two of them made physical contact, but it was so rarely gentle that, when it was, he couldn't’ see it coming. ”You wouldn’t.” He straightened up. “Your affection is touching, really. Especially after what happened to Nobu I was starting to get jealous.”

And that was Dmitri’s annual attempt at sarcasm. As soon as it left his mouth, he went quiet for a moment and started tapping his chin, contemplating. There was an idea rumbling around in there, but it was hard to call it a good one. Or a smart one. Or a healthy one. Still, it was going to get out eventually.

”Now that you say it…” Dmitri chewed on his lip. ”It is weird that I’m curious now? Just to see how much you could pour on?”

Oddly not entirely sure why Dmitri was laughing, Alicia just let him have his moment.

Though, to be fair, it was her turn to chuckle again when he jumped under her touch. Dmitri could be so sensitive at times, and she didn’t necessarily mean in a physical sense.

But that was nothing next to the hastily muffled bark of laughter as he – obviously sarcastically – said he was jealous of Nobu.

Given what Alicia had done to Nobu…

Somehow she really didn’t think Dmitri was jealous in the least.

”If you want me to break you that badly, just be an obnoxious clown who isn’t anywhere near as funny as he thinks he is.”

With that, there was a short interlude, as Alicia ate and Dmitri thought. The redhead had no idea of where his thoughts had turned though, and her brows arched in brief surprise.

”Suppose it depends.”

Alicia wasn’t even looking at Dmitri as she spoke, her fork methodically cutting the lasagne up into smaller pieces and her attention fixed solidly on the film playing out in front of her.

”It’s probably not weird to be curious. Kind of like sticking your hand in a fire to see if it’s hot though.”

If sticking your hand in a fire could result in breaking every bone in his torso, plus the internal bleeding that’d definitely result and the organ damage that might happen if any of the bones hit anything important.

”If you’re that interested, there’s probably a medical mannequin or something I can flatten.” Alicia didn’t sound that enthused at the prospect; squeezing dummies or bags wasn’t… It was fun to be able to go all out, sure, but it wasn’t…

She couldn’t explain why but it just wasn’t fun as squeezing someone.

Dmitri’s first thought was of the poor mannequin that would meet its end between Alicia’s thighs. He could see it cracking, straining under the immense, intense pressure, until enough became enough and it broke apart. He’d seen such dummies before, used them in one of his college classes. He had a good idea of what they could take, and she was probably beyond the specs.

Still, it didn’t sound like she was too hot on the idea. Not surprising really - if she could get by with just squeezing some lifeless husk, she’d probably buy a supply of the things. Alicia wanted a real person. She was like a caged lion, longing for the hunt. Hunks of dead meat just wouldn’t do.

”That’s a good analogy.” He added, after a sip of water. ”The fire, I mean. Fire’s beautiful in a way. You look at a candle, you see the flames dance and flicker, and it has this wild way about it. It can be comforting it can keep you warm. But it can hurt you. Too much, and it can do far more than that.”

Dmitri had never much for poetry, preferring the hard facts of mathematics, but the comparison seemed apt enough to him, as he sat back and thought on it. ”Why do you think you like squeezing people so much? Or, well, me in particular?”

Some people would probably have been flattered by Dmitri’s attempt at dipping into poetic comparison but Alicia…

Well, she wasn’t insulted by any stretch of the imagination but she more or less just passed it over with a disinterested shrug. It wasn’t until she instead heard his questions that she even looked at him again, let alone spoke.

”You feel good between my thighs,” Alicia offered, throwing an almost hungry glance at him as she dismissed the first half of the question offhandedly just like his analogy. To be entirely honest, her interest in squeezing most people was less because she enjoyed it and more because she was insanely good at it and an excellent way to end fights, ”You feel good to crush too. You try just hard enough to make it interesting but we both know you’re no match for me.”

Her grin widened frighteningly.

”And I love the way you moan when I squeeze you.” Well, there it was. Now it’d be interesting to see what Dmitri made of her reasoning so blatantly laid out for him. Though now it had her thinking about squeezing him more than the film; in an effort to distract herself, Alicia switched her gaze back to the screen and the whiny Commodus.

Admittedly, there was one thing she did like about this film and how much of a fantasy it was. It let her think that, if she’d been around in Roman times, she’d have been the champion gladiatrix, earnt her freedom and retired after a lifetime of fighting to do… whatever. A more reasonable part of her knew that was unlikely and a terrible idea but, in the light of Gladiator, it didn’t seem as bad in some respects.