May 23 18:37:30 107 PA - Coffee and Concussions
From Chronicles
May 23 18:37:30 107 PA - Coffee and Concussions
Kingsdale - Tradewinds Coffee Shop
Ash is sitting at the counter, relaxing with a large cup of coffee as one might expect considering it's a coffee shop. He is currently dumping large quantities of sugar into the coffee cup along with a bunch of milk to lighten the bitter liquid up... it really might not even be called coffee by the time he's done.
Bridget and coffee. Those two can't be kept apart very long, and shops like this help to keep reality stable. She walks in briskly towards the counter, and even gets her order out before she notices Ash. That shaves the edge off her lips and pulls out a grin. "Hey, you. Still waking up?"
Looking over towards the woman when she speaks up Ash smiles, "Nah, I just like the taste, a little bit of coffee with my sugar and milk." He grins at that and lifts his cup of pale coffee before he takes a drink. "What about you?" he asks curiously, "Recharging?"
"Trying to..." Bridget nods a little wearily. "Wish I could blame you for all of it, but... work sucks." A little shrug while she waits for her cup to get there.
Ash chuckles a little wryly at her comment and reaches out to place a hand on the small of her back, "You know you love it." He says playfully but then he hmms, "Maybe someday I'll have that work issue... Maybe not." He rubs the small of her back a little. "It'll get better. Things could be a whole lot worse."
Bridget now gives him a smirk. "Yeah, maybe I could get paid for asking 'How high?' when someone yells 'Jump!'" The smirk softens up quick enough, maybe because her coffee shows up, and it's easier to drink it that way. Well, it's more than that, since she smiles. "Yeah, I do kind of like the rest."
He continues to rub her lower back lightly, "So do I." Ash says with a small smile, "But, it could always be worse..." His eyes dull a little but he pushes it away. "At least it's not all bad, it's amazing what a person can put up with so long as there's those moments where none of the rest of it matters."
Bridget lowers her cup after a long slurp and nudges him with a shoulder. "Like when there's coffee?" She waggles the cup and grins a little more, but cuts the tease short by leaning into the rub and the arm doing it. "Everybody puts up with alot. Maybe too much. Sometimes, it gets to be that nothing -does- matter."
Ash slips his arm around her when she leans into him a little more like that and rubs her arm instead, "That's life hon." Ash says softly, "We put up with what we can, we don't put up with what we can't. The only other option is to give up and die." He sips his coffee and then sets it down to try and pull her down to sit on his lap there at the counter. "You don't strike me as the type to give up and die my warrior goddess."
"Fire goddess," Bridget corrects him with more grin and a little prod of a finger on his not-nose, "or that's what Jack said. I guess warrior fire goddess might work, too. So, how's your sugar with a little coffee? Sure you're not just waiting here for the next caffeine-addict goddess to walk in?"
Ash shrugs, "Don't really care what Jack calls you. You'll always be my Warrior Goddess." Ash says simply as he looks away, perhaps a tinge of jealousy there? "It's fine." He says reaching to take a drink from his cup. "For some reason I don't think coffee is what it'd take for me to get a goddess to notice me most of the time." He says with a little smile.
Bridget pokes him again when he looks back. "He just said that's what my name meant. You don't need to get all... whatever about it." There's the smirk again. "Really? That's how I noticed you. Just stand at the counter, between a girl and her coffee. She'll notice you, trust me."
"For some reason I doubt it's the kind of notice I'd like." Ash says with a wrinkling of his brow at the poke in his version of a frown what with no way to scrunch his nose up. "And hey," He looks up at her then, tightening his arm around her waist. "Can't blame me for not wanting to get kicked to the curb can you?" He asks with a smile, "You're the best thing that's happened to me in years."
"Really?" Bridget quirks up a brow. "I didn't think things were all that great for you, most of the time, but I didn't know they messed you up -that- bad..." She just nudges him with a hip, this time, half grinning and half not. "Can't blame you, but that don't make me anything special."
"Makes you special to me." Ash says without thinking about it before the words escape his lips. "Who?" He asks, looking up at her, "Who messed me up bad?" He asks her curiously. "And I wouldn't call living in a little run down crappy apartment month by month is really making it." He smiles at her, "I'm hoping that this thing Vix is planning pans out... may be my ticket to get out of the Dregs."
Bridget leans in and steals part of the last word from his lips with a quick peck. "Just meant things, not really people, but it doesn't matter. I hope it does, too. Work out, I mean..." She stops to suck in some more coffee. "It's good to get out of the crappy apartment. Been there, done that, don't really want to again."
Ash chuckles softly after that brief kiss, "Bad thing is... or sad rather... is that even what I've got is a palace to some." He then shrugs, "I'm a product of my environment." He says to Bridget, "You learn to accept, to deal, with stuff you can't control. The only other option is to give up." He smiles a little, "And I'm not the give up type either." He chuckles, "So... what is up with that Tirzah woman? She comes off all thinking she's going to whip my ass and then wants me to fight an elemental?"
"No idea..." Bridget lets out a little laugh and a shrug. "Well, I don't think she thought you'd be so quick. Maybe she just assumed she'd win, until you showed her she wouldn't? Some people are like that. You know, nothing can stop them, unless it does."
A grin slips onto his face at that, "Yeah, people like me." Ash says with a grin he shrugs, "Still, it was worth the burns on my feet just to wipe her smugness off. Next time, I'm wearing my armored boots and gloves." He chuckles, "She's right though, I could really use a pair of swords." He rubs his hand over her arm again. "What kind of weapons do you like to use anyways? For all this talk of you being a warrior goddess I've never seen you fight."
Bridget smirks and prods his chest with her Ash-poking finger. "I was -supposed- to at the park, but you went after the hot girl. I'd rather shoot things from far away when I can, but I've been in a fist fight or two. Used to carry a couple of little collapsing batons in case things got really bad. That was back in the crappy apartment days."
"She picked me not the other way around." Ash says with a grin as he moves to capture her ash-poking finger and lift it to press a soft kiss to the tip. "You didn't tell me you wanted to fight her or I woulda let you." He smiles and then lets go of her finger so he can take another drink of his coffee. "But you seem in a better mood anyways... so it looks like it worked out in the end." He waggles his eyebrows playfully.
"Not as good as if she had kicked your ass all over the park." Bridget winks over her cup and pours more coffee into her grin. "Then again, now I get to have the fun doing that, all to myself. After you're all healed up."
Ash raises an eyebrow, "Oh you think you can do you?" His tone is playful, "What makes you think you'll be able to catch me to kick my ass?" He leans over to playfully nip at her upper arm and shoulder with a light practically loving bite.
Bridget uses her specially-designated finger to poke him again, since he let go of it. "I bet I can catch you. Already did, didn't I?" She waggles brows back at him. "The hard part'll be getting you to run away from me, I think."
"Maaaaaybe." Ash says with a grin, apparently not minding all the pokes so much since he doesn't say or do anything to stop them. "Not sure why I'd want to run away from you though." He then looks towards her arm that was bitten, "How's your arm holding up? Is it healing ok? You've changed the bandages and made sure it's not getting infected right?"
"It's good. Probably be closed up and done by tomorrow." Bridget shrugs lightly. "Heals fast."
"Good." Ash says and he sounds like he means it, "Don't want you to end up being taken from me... Might lose all respect for life and become a monster myself." He smiles at her and then reaches up with his one free hand to stroke the back of her neck and her hair tenderly. "Not that I could really do much... no magic super powers over here." He chuckles.
Bridget nudges him with a kiss this time. "Still a smooth talker, but don't push it. You're too damned cute to be a monster... and can't do much, my ass." Now he gets another poke. "You can outrun -almost- everyone, live in the Dregs, and take out trees with your face like nobody else I know." Her big grin is just there to reassure him.
Ash mmms at the kiss and then nods, "I will be hell against tree people and can dominate them with my face bashings... assuming my face ever gets tough enough to survive it... lost my nose that way you know." He says seriously, well, mostly seriously till he can't help but grin and kiss her again. "Still, being fast doesn't make one a good tyrant or dictator."
"Won't keep you away from blondes, either," Bridget winks, "if you decide you want to run away. And maybe I need to go thank those trees. Never noticed how useful not having a nose could be until you didn't have one." Only sucking down the last of her coffee keeps her from poking his not-nose. "So... now that we're all recharged on coffee, or sugar, what else are we doing today?"
"You know... you're my first blonde." Ash admits with a chuckle, "I usually am drawn to brunettes and redheads." He says playfully but then he takes a drink from his coffee and shrugs, "I have no idea. I had no plans for the day. I am sort of in a holding pattern until Vixen gets in touch with me. I suppose could go to the gym or something... I was going to try and figure out if I knew anyone who might know something about that slug thing that fucked with your head and bit you."
Bridget loses her happy grin in a sigh. Could be the brunettes and redheads, or the hungry slug monsters. "I could go beat on a bag a little, I guess. Treadmills and weights aren't really worth it, unless I'm just trying to get loosened up. Not sure what to do about the whole slimy monster thing."
Ash is real good at killing moments it seems. "Well, none of those are my first choice... but after last night I figured you might get all sorts of put out if all I did was try and convince you to come back to me to your place again." He moves to wrap both arms around her waist. "I'm fully recharged you know." He says with a grin and gives a playful nip.
"Really?" Bridget perks right back up and playfully snaps her teeth at him. "Good. How about we get out of here, then? If you're all full of energy, maybe you'd be better than swinging at a bag." He gets a nudge-jab in chest with her knuckles. "If you're -really- good, maybe I'll kiss all the bruises better..."
Ash laughs, "Really." He then leans up to give her a quick kiss, "So I'm taking it you would rather go beat me up than go back and tire each other out hmmm?" He reaches for his coffee cup and drains the last of it down, "Alright, lets head to the gym then."
Bridget just grins. "Well, I have to get you to run -somehow-... so I can catch you. Besides, never said I wouldn't wear you out twice. Maybe more if you can keep up." A wink, and then she heads for the door, with a little extra sway. Her cup gets tossed in the trash on the way.
That sway of course captures Ash's attention and he ends up smacking his lips together lightly, "Yeah, I'll be running from -that- all the time..." He says to himself with some amusement before he rises to his own feet and moves to follow the woman out of the coffee shop. "Mmm I dunno about that... have you ever worn me out yet?" He asks playfully.
"Have I ever tried?" Bridget calls back over a shoulder, wearing a coy smile, then steps outside. She probably has tried, more than once, but that doesn't mean she can't try harder.
Ash chuckles as he follows out of the coffee shop and then reaches out lightning fast to goose her bottom as he laughs, "Suuure, well, next time we'll have to really see who can wear out who."
Kingsdale - Harry's Gym
Bridget doesn't detour to her place, but it looks like she didn't need to. She does have to part from Ash when she walks into the ladies' locker room, though. One rented locker and a few minutes later, she comes back out better dressed. Shorts, tank, and sneakers are way more appropriate for kicking Ash in.
There's only a little bit of a delay while Ash goes to change as well and comes back wearing his normal gym style stuff. Sweat pants, tank top, shoes. Check. He then looks over towards Bridget and he raises an eyebrow, "So... you're bound and determined to beat me up huh?" He says as he moves over towards the ring and climbs into it, starting to stretch and limber up a bit, though you kow he doesn't need to at all.
"Just a little..." Bridget assures him. She even holds up her thumb and finger to show how little. "Can't let beating up Tirzah go to your head. You might get all... -more- cocky." There's a stretch or two, but she really doesn't need to, either. No, there's no WD-40 in her locker, either.
"Well, it's just a little one sided." Ash says with a grin, "As strong as I am, can't hurt mega-tough materials with my bare hands..." He stretches out to the sides, swinging his arms wide back and forth, "Well, whenever you're ready then babe." He grins at her making a 'come on' type motion with one hand. "Show me what you've got."
Bridget drops her playful grin for a frown with that, but quickly pulls it back to a smirk. "Still stings like hell... so, what are we going 'til, tough guy? Uncle? First bloody nose?" Her hands come up in a loose ready.
Ash raises an eyebrow, "Come on chica." He says playfully, "No backing out on me now." He rolls his head back and forth, "And you -know- I love every inch of you, so quit being so defensive about it." He grins at her at that, switching stances quickly, adjusting which way he places his feet and how much weight goes onto each. "We go till you stop. Unless you're chicken." He teases her.
"It's not just about you, Ash. No kiss and tell, remember?" There isn't any smirk or playful tease with that, and just plain worry. She doesn't hang on that, though, and jumps right in to answering -his- tease. With a jab.
"And I haven't told anyone." Ash says as he ducks to the side, turning away from the jab and backing away even more. "Not like there's anyone here to hear us talk right now anyways." He makes sure to stay away for the time being, so that when she's coming in he's moving away. Then he says with a smile, "So stop worrying so much." Finally bringing his hands up in a loose ready, just like he did with Tirzah.
Bridget smirks and has no problems advancing. "Wow, you're running away, already? I didn't know it was -that- easy. I'm always worried, about alot of things." She fits that comment in there before she beckons him with a wave of her hand. "What's wrong, sweetie? I thought you said you'd never be running away?"
"There's a difference between running away and not standing around to get your teeth knocked in." Ash says with a grin as he continues to stand back, "Besides... I'm not all keen on busting you up so much I can't enjoy you afterwards." He teases right back tossing her a wink and blowing her a kiss. "And I thought you wanted to chase me... lets see if you can catch me." His tone entirely to playful.
"Teeth? I thought I was aiming at your nose..." Bridget isn't really aiming for either, and it's not even her ready fists he has to worry about. Long legs get her a little bit more reach, and she brings one up in a low kick.
The kick lands solidly enough, Ash must still be slowed down from his fight with Tirzah since his feet aren't moving as fast as normally but he recovers from it quickly enough, not apparently doing a whole -lot- of damage to the d-bee. "Oh so it's gonna be 'bout my nose is it..." He says with a grin, "I notice ya still have yours. Even after you said you was gonna get rid of it." He dances in though and throws out a pair of quick jabs in response, two snaps with his left hand.
Bridget isn't too worried about breaking him. He can take on trees. She brings up an arm to block his first jab, hard. Maybe a little too hard. As much as it stings, she's really not worried about breaking any bones. That might be what knocks him off balance, but she doesn't take advantage of it. "You sure you're all healed up?" It's not only a tease.
Ash is tough enough that the parry isn't what threw him off balance more than his feet not exactly working like they should that sent him sprawling. With a smirk he jumps back up to his feet and then says simply, "Alright, bring it." His tone much more serious now as wide dark eyes narrow slightly at her.
"You're going to try and impress me all the way to the floor, aren't you?" Bridget didn't really expect him to back down, but she's right back to teasing. Along with a step and a left hook.
The quick-flex takes the left hook and shakes his head a bit after it with a grin, "C'mon... you think you're going to take me down with that?" He asks playfully, "Can take little kitten punches all day long." The quick-flex says with a grin and then snaps out a jab followed by a stepping side kick as he tries to plant his foot into her stomach immediately afterwards. It doesn't matter that he's already starting to show signs of what will be a nasty bruise from the two punches she hit him with already it seems.
Bridget smirks at the taunt, and smirks even more as she knocks away another jab. The solid kick in the gut... well, she's not really smirking with that. More like grunting and stepping back to catch her balance. "Ow... sneaky." A step forward brings her back into the fight, and her leg comes up for kick, then a jab. See? She can do it, too.
Seems Ash was ready for the kick as he lifts a foot up and checks it with a shin, pushing it off course but his attempt to stop the jab is... far less than stellar. As he plants his foot back down after the check he visibly jerks it back up, apparently having stepped on one of the burns wrong and he half-slips into the punch which catches him straight in his non-existant nose and snaps his head back. Blood trickles from his 'nose' and he lashes out in rapid fire sequence, a pair of knife hand strikes coming one after the other in quick blurs, the second knife hand coming in straight after the chop. One thing can be said for the quick-flex, he's tough as hell.
"Damn, are you..." Well, Bridget learns he's mostly Ok, because of the hands that come flying at her. She's slow on the check because of her worry, though, and catches the solid chop to her face. Even if it doesn't break anything, it snaps her head to the side, and already starts to leave a mark.
Not that it really helps much, since once again Ash looks like a freaking clutz with no skill whatsoever... quite the opposite of last night at the park since he's laying face first on the ground with a knot forming on his forehead. Apparently the quick-flex slipped and cracked his skull on the hard mat of the boxing ring, unmoving but still breathing at least. One things for certain, he's unconscious and on the ground, just like she predicted.
Bridget wasn't -really- thinking that he would, and didn't really want him to be, either. "Ash?" She stops and kneels down to roll him over. "Ash... you don't -have- to knock yourself out for me, you know..." It's a weak joke, and she's not laughing as she looks him over.
It most likely wasn't according to plan, if he'd had a nose it might of broken his fall. He groans a bit when he's rolled over onto his back, all limp and floppy like a dead fish practically. He's bruising up pretty good from where her punches hit, and he's got a nose bleed from where she punched him but it's the bump on his forehead after he slipped that did him in... well for now.
"Damnit... Don't bleed too much, alright?" Bridget hops up and goes to the nurse's office to fetch a few things. A cold pack, a cloth, maybe a capsule or three of smelling salts... Looks like her fixing gets to start a little earlier than she thought, and the knot on his head gets the ice, first.
When the ice comes down there's a wince and the quick-flex reaches up to feel what's going on but it's a slow sort of dodgy sort of movement, as if he hasn't gotten full control of his limbs yet, "What the hell?" He asks in a slightly slurred voice thankfully before he has to get the smelling salts treatment. "You kick me in the head?" He asks with an annoyed and slightly pained groan. Fortunately he wasn't really bleeding, no real damage from those punches he took even the bad one. He frows 'nose' twitching slightly as he coughs, "Hate the taste of blood."
Bridget keeps the cold pack there with one hand and cradles the back of his head with the other. "You're lucky you have a hard head. I thought you were going to duck." She's not that mean, and doesn't bring up how the floor was involved.
Ash says, "Well," He swallows and blinks a few times, "Was it as good as you hoped?" He asks with a weak laugh and then coughs turning his head to the side so he can spit up some of the blood that was draining into his throat after he was laid on his back. "Don't even remember what happened."
"No." Bridget shakes her head and helps him turn. "I just wanted to kick your ass, not -kick- your ass. You're going to get carried out of here, for not being careful." Yes, she's worried. No, the carrying is not an idle threat. Yes, it is all his fault.
"I remember you hit like a girl..." Ash says with a grin before he winces and reaches up to rub his jaw and then he sits up, "Like hell I'm bein' carried out of here." He says seriously even though his eyes unfocus briefly after the quick move to sit up. "I'll be fine in a minute... and don't you go thinkin' this gets you off the hook for later." He notes seriously.
Bridget gets some grin back at that. "Well, if you keep thinking like that, it might keep the swelling down at this end." His noggin gets a tap. "Fine, you can walk out, but I'm helping. We're not going far, and then I get to make sure you don't have a concussion, or worse, -more- brain damage than normal."
