Out And About

Felina didn’t miss the way Leah moved throughout her apartment, and she found herself enjoying the show. One of the many things she was coming to like about her newfound friend was the she was just seemed to flutter through life - there was a light about, a glow, this way she had. It felt like there should’ve been jaybirds flying about her at all times, and with rays of shimmering light coming in through the windows.

A funny thought. There was a time, long ago, when Felina would’ve wanted to be just like Leah. A pretty little princess, like the ones in all the storybooks her mother loved to buy her. But she grew how she grew, interests changed, and she wound up trading in her dolls for boxing gloves.

Leah’s giggle made her giggle, too, like her laugh was an infection in the air. It was cut a little short by surprise, thought, when Felina learned that she and her brother were both army brats - that was something she wouldn’t have guessed. She would’ve thought that someone from that sort of lineage would be more disciplined, stricter, humorless - everything Leah and Edgar wasn’t, in a word.

It was just another missing puzzle piece in the life of Leah, one for her to ponder her as her friend laid down on her lap like a lazy kitten. Felina just smiled down on her and busied her fingers through that golden hair, envying the shine of it, stroking it like Leah was her own life-sized Barbie. ”Like a job, she says.”

She quirked her head to the side when Leah mentioned her kickboxing history, smirking at the wonder in her friend’s eyes. Yes, Felina was older, but it was sometimes hard to believe the gap between them was on in single digits. Leah just radiated youth.

”I was a little awesome, yeah.” She stretched out and gave her legs a good flexing, showing off her pride and joy. Her thighs had gotten her through her kickboxing and modeling careers, and she didn’t mind showing off why. ”I didn’t set the world on fire, but I won a lot more than I lost, way more than when I was just boxing.”

She sighed after that last part, wistful, thinking about all the walls she’d slammed up against in those early days. Some of which were coming back to haunt her, now.

”Someone’s been doing homework.” Felina shrugged, never giving the question much thought before. ”I guess I just wanted a change of pace. My cousin was doing it, that was one thing, and it looked like a lot of fun. I’d pretty much done all I wanted to do with kickboxing, I like traveling to new places...”

She snapped her fingers and bounced her eyebrows Leah’s way. ”Oh, and it ticked Army off, that was a nice bonus. At first, anyway. Even got him to challenge me for my first match, and guess who won?”

Leah wrinkled her nose at the mention of homework, even given the context it was used. Thinking back on it now, it might be somewhat creepy had she looked all this up before they hung out just to know more about Felina. That wasn't the case though, most everything she knew was from scoured research for Edgar's match… it just had the added benefit now that the two had become friends. Still, she couldn't keep a faint bit of color from rising in her cheeks, a rare sight for someone not easily embarrassed.

“Why'd it tick him off?” The blond canted her head to the side, blinking. Army had seemed pretty nice in their brief exchange. Loud and commanding, but that might have just been how he was like in Felina's corner. She didn't mind the thought of talking to him again though. Maybe the three of them could hang out sometime…

“Wait, you fought Army and beat him up?” She snapped out of her wandering thoughts to come back to reality. Felina was pretty awesome, from both what she read about her and the time they had been hanging out… but Army was pretty big. It was clear she was trying to envision it, eyes squinted, gears in her head churning. It was hard to picture after her fight with Edgar, but the two were cousins. They likely knew one another's moves inside and out, which made things real interesting. She might just look that match up later.

“He looked really tough… Is he? Do you think I could beat him?” She perked up slightly, clapping her hands together. She was always looking for new challengers and challenges. Sitting on her butt didn't get her any closer to someday holding on to gold after all. If she was going to make it to the top, she needed to climb. She had already seized a few key opportunities with open challenges and mystery matches, enough to get her noticed by some.

“How have you been liking Japan by the way? I really love it. The people, the food, all the cool cultural stuff… kanji even looks cool as heck even if I don't know what most of it means.” She found herself looking towards the door, recalling looking up the text she write on the wall outside. If it wasn't for translator application on her phone she would be lost most of the time.

Felina wouldn’t lie - there was a part of her, a very real part, that was just bringing up the Army stuff to impress Leah. She couldn't really express why she was out to do that, what was driving it, but that was goal, and it was working. Her smile widened when Leah lit up, and she couldn’t help looking a wee bit cocky. It was neat, like she was back in high school and the coolest kid in the classroom. Even if it was a classroom with only one other student.

”Army and me have a little thing, always have. We go back and forth a lot, I’m always teasing him and messing with him, he’s always taking it way too seriously. That, and…” She wrinkled her brow, considering whether to get that deep, but something about the innocent look in Leah’s eyes was enough to push her into her personal territory.

She shifted in the seat and ran a few idle fingers through Leah’s hair as she spoke, keeping her hands busy. ”See, my family’s full of boxers, not kickboxers. I tried boxing at first, but it never really took with me. Kickboxing did. Some of my family’s supportive of that, some of them…less so. Army’s always been more in the latter camp, and he gives me guff from time to time. So when I came in, we got into it a bit, one thing led to another and...bam.”

She was about to answer Leah’s other question when she dropped one that was a little heavier, made her think for a few seconds. Felina straightened up soon enough, though, maintaining some poise. ”Japan’s different.” She sighed, blowing some hairs out of her face, knowing that wasn’t much of an answer. ”I don’t not-like it. I’ve been here a while now, still trying to adjust, not all the way there. Language is the big thing for me, still trying to get that down, not quite there yet. And all these little customs and expectations and rules and...ugh. But the people are nice and pleasant and the city’s so clean. It’s cool. I’m slipping in.”

She propped her chin up on her arm, looking down at Felina with a sly smile, just a hint gracing her lips. ”Aaaaaaaaaaaanyway, let me ask you a question before I answer yours - you’ve done the research, looked me up enough. Do you think you could beat me?”

Leah pulled her other leg up onto the couch as she listened, sitting cross legged with her hands resting over top of her shins. She rocked slowly, very rarely sitting still for very long. It didn't seem like nervous jitters really, more of an energetic quirk that kept the girl in perpetually motion. Her mother had use to playful call it “idle leg syndrome” since she most commonly bounced her leg or tapped her foot… she missed her mother. Maybe she would skype her this weekend.

“We aren't really a family of anything… I guess technically Ed takes after dad? He apparently won some boxing stuff in the military when he was younger, but we never saw it. Just some pictures and a plaque. I don't think that's why Ed fights like that though, it's not like dad ever trained him or anything…” Leah glanced up in though, mulling what she said over as if she had never given it any thought before. It didn't last long before her attention was back on Felina, nodding.

“You are like, the a… what's it called? Black sheep, right? The same, but different… Ooo! Or like Oddball. That was the puppy in 102 Dalmatians that didn't have any spots. Unique.” She beamed happily, nodding firmly to cement the point to her friend that her choice hadn't been a bad thing at all.

“Haha, yeah, Japan has all sorts of weird rules. People stink eyed me really hard once cause I was eating while I was walking down the street. Apparently that is taboo or something… also I accidently went into an employee only place this other time cause I thought it was a bathroom. It even had a little person sign, so I assumed. Whoops…” The blond gave a carefree shrug, not really delving into the repercussions, if any, she may have faced.

Leah's brow furrowed and lips pursed at the question. Another thing she hadn't ever considered. She had trained against Edgar, never really won, but in terms of facing a friend he had been the closest thing to that. Would Felina take it easy on her? She wasn't sure, but was she asking because the kickboxer wanted to fight or was it just a playful inquiry? She made a soft thoughtful sound, looking the brunette over quietly for a long while.

“I think I could take you.” She declared confidently with a big smile. “I think you might have a good chance early on, but once I got you on the mat, I would totally destroy you. Besides, you wouldn't hit a girl with glasses, would you?” Leah brought her hands up to her face, with finger and thumb touched at the tips she looked through the finger hoops she had made to act as pretend glasses.

With a giggle, she lowered her hands, giving a small shrug. “If that wasn't enough, I have a secret weapon too, one that there is no defending against.”

Leah’s unending fountain of energy wasn’t something that Felina had failed to take notice of. Even though they’d known each other for a short while, it was clear to see she was just bursting with life, like she had so much in her that she couldn’t keep it contained, and she had to release it by fidgeting about every now and then. Felina was genuinely curious what was going through her mind, the whirlwind of thoughts that had be swarming about in that cute little head.

It kind of put Ed into perspective, too. Maybe he was the way he was to sort of balance Leah out...and he’d just gone way, way too far in the opposite direction and became a dick. No real excuse.

Leah’s little comparison snapped Felina out of her contemplation, and she smiled and nodded at the complement. It was a small thing, and she was content with the roll she’d chosen in life, but it was nice to have some outside corroboration. ”Unique. A special snowflake.” She nodded. ”I like it.”

She could sympathize with the custom traps that Leah had fallen into, and there were quite a few stories they could share with that, she was sure. For now, though, she was more focused on the question she brought up and the way her friend was looking over. Felina raised her arms and gave a few quick flexes, putting herself on display as she was studied.

The answer she got brought a smile to her face, then a laugh. Not meant to be mocking, not that she didn’t take her friend seriously, it was just the word choice that got her. ”’Destroy me’, huh? Getting a little too cocky over there.” She gave Leah a shove on the shoulder, barely a push, then rubbed her chin. ”Although...I am curious to see what this secret weapon of yours is.”

Tickling. Her gut said ‘tickling’. Even so, the curiosity remained.

”We’ve got some time until your brother gets back. Want to wrestle some? Nothing too serious, I won’t wreck your place. Just a bit of a tussle.”

The blond leaned her weight from one side then the other in what would have been a subtle gesture to reposition herself had the two women not been alone and facing one another. From the crossed leg position she tucked both underneath her with a likely intent to pounce, already laying the groundwork for a bout that hadn't even been agreed to yet. Was that fair? It seemed fine by her.

“Oh yeah… super destroy you.” She was grinning, a wide one that looked almost comical in nature. Leah was having trouble keeping a straight face it seemed. It was unclear if it was because she was just excited with the anticipation of this or she was lying through her teeth about being able to take Felina and cracking because she was bad at fibbing.

“Sure… we can start…” her backside lifted, wiggling a bit as she readied herself. An impending jump, telegraphed as if she were a cat. Sneaky stuff wasn't her forte… or was it? She had a hand behind her, out of sight. Was she holding something?

“Now!” Her arm came around fast, fingers outstretched as a couch pillow was flung forward towards Felina's face. A distraction and an attack, oh my! Under cover of hurled pillow, she lunged, attempting to get herself on top of of her friend before their fight could ever behind, trying to pin the other woman down onto the couch and claim an easy victory.

Being completely honest, Felina had some minor ulterior motives for wanting to take on Leah in a little play match. The competitor in her knew that it was only a matter of time before they faced each other in a real bout. Management loved to stir the pot like that, liked pitting friends and family against each other, and once it become public knowledge that she and Leah were getting on well with each other, they’d put the two of them in a ring, hoping something spicy might happen to bolster sales. Good business sense.

But, also, it had just been a little while since she’d play-wrestled with anyone. She used to do with her brothers all the time when they were small. They were too big and old now, it was awkward. But Leah…

Nostalgic, yeah. But a slice of home wouldn’t hurt.

She raised an eyebrow as Leah snuck up on her - or tried to, at least. She wasn’t exactly a ninja with her approach, but it was cute to see, and Felina was already slipping her shoes off in anticipation as the blonde neared.

She batted the pillow aside, giggling all the way, as Leah plowed into her and tried to pin her to the couch. Not the worst tactic, but it was somewhat hampered by the fact that Felina had about, oh, fifty pounds over her, give or take. She tried to use that weight to her advantage, pushing Leah off and working her way around the smaller woman, attempting to catch her in a tight bearhug from behind.

Leah turned her head, instinctively flinching away from the deflected pillow as she lunged. Her small form plowed into the kickboxer, both girls briefly sinking into the old worn out couch before it creak back to where it remained. She reached out, grasping hold of Felina's wrists to try and wrangle them in. The other woman wasn't making it easy though, actively struggling against her. How unfair?

There was a brief stalemate, one that left her looming over top of Felina, her own arms shaking as she worked to keep a dominant position. Even with leverage she was having trouble actually overpowering the other woman. Her legs tucked closer, if she could just transition to her back, maybe she could wrap in a scissorhold.

Letting up on her push to pull was a huge mistake. Felina instantly seized the opportunity throw her off, sending her partially off the couch. Her hand reached out, palm catching the edge of the coffee table and one of her legs slipping off the cushions to brace herself.along the floor.

The blond pushed herself back towards the couch, but there was an obstruction. She yelled as Felina's arms locked around her, pulling her back into a bearhug. She winced at the tight squeeze, one arm pressed up against her side as if it were glued to her body while the other flailed. She kicked her feet, heels pressing against the coffee table to throw her weight back into Felina to bury her in the backrest cushions. The table gave after too much force was applied, moving away and out of her legs reach. It opened up the floor though, no longer filled with a haphazard stack of nonsense in the way.

“Geh-get off! Or I'm gonna really kick your butt!” She struggled and strained, reaching her free arm back over her hand to push her palm into Felina's face to mess with her features. She had a tried and true method of escape in her youth when dealing with her brother, one she hoped the brunette wasn't familiar with. The moment Felina opened her mouth, she would attempt to stick a finger right inside to wiggle about. More often than not that would.immediately have Edgar shoving her away… until he just bit her instead. She hadn't tried again after that.

Felina would give Leah credit, though - while the difference in size was a big thing between them, her little blonde friend was far from weak. She actually took her by surprise when they clashed, and it was apparent she had some real muscle to work with. Maybe she wasn’t a body builder, and she would’ve been surprised to see her pulling out Army-level power moves on a regular basis, but it was clear that Leah’s shadow had darkened the door of quite a few gyms.

They’d have to train together sometime. It would actually be nice to workout with someone whose company she enjoyed, an opportunity she really hadn’t had since Amy went back to the states. Army was best in small doses and Carmen was too busy for it, most of the time.

She put a pin on that thought for the moment and focused on the task at hand: holding Leah tight.

As expected, the woman was kind of a squirmy, rambunctuous thing, not the easiest object in the world to hold on to, even with the size difference. Thankfully, Felina had another set of options when it came to restraint - her legs were still quite available, and she started to open them up to clamp around Leah’s sides, going for a bodyscissor.

That had been the plan, anyway, before a finger found its way into her mouth. Felina was, understandably, taken aback by this. ”Ew! Gross!” She was all too quick to release the hold and push Leah off, spitting the fingers out and giggling at the same time. ”Nasty! Did you wash those fingers?”

Desperation tactics were her bread and butter growing up. When you were smaller and arguably weaker than a sibling who liked to play rough, sometimes you had to break a few rules to seize small victories. Her experience in the field of family in fighting proved to be fruitful as Felina's attempt to wrap her up came to a sudden stop when Leah's fingers probed her mouth. To be fair, it hadn't been an enjoyable experience for either woman, especially now that her fingers were wet with the brunette's saliva.

With a small shriek she went toppling to the floor at the foot of the couch with a unceremonious this cushioned only by the rug. On the down low she quickly brushed her fingers off to dry them against the fibered floor, smirking back at Felina to play it off as a master stroke.

“Not since we left the movies… or did I even wash my hands there? I forget! It's okay, they are washed now! Nyeh!" She had in fact washed them before leaving as she had hit the bathroom on the way out. Felina didn't need to know that though, this all worked in Leah's favor the most off her game she could take the kickboxer. With a flop, she found herself over onto her back, another took her closer.

Reaching out she grasped for Felina's leg, attempting to arch her back and wrap her own legs around the other woman's. If she was able to coil herself around the brunette, her hands would clamp down on her foot, attempting to wrench it into an ankle lock. Far from the most graceful of applications of the move, but with her place below and the limited space, it could perhaps be useful. If nothing else it limited Felina's ability to simply drop down and mount her.