Aerin Thomas: Aerin, upon heading home, went straight into the kitchen and made himself a drink, downing it before heading out into the back yard. He sheds his shirt and takes his staff, going into an immediate Iskakku kata. Intensely focused on the maneuvers, he focuses on his breathing, letting it in and out in controlled repititions to go with the maneuvers.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "If you'd rather spar," Bliss breaks in softly after awhile, "I am right here."

Aerin Thomas: He finishes up the first kata, and certainly, the air has been defeated. He stops, taking a step back, the end of his staff planting on the ground. He's quiet for a moment, before nodding. "If you want."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Well...I'm not sure how much talking is gonna help you at moment. You seem a little tense for that. And, ah...we're um...not sleeping together. That would be awkard."

Aerin Thomas: "Can't talk about it anyway." He scowls and relaxes his stance, leaning the staff against the tree before he turns to face Bliss, taking a ready position.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He sighs. "Of course not. Even when you can, you never do." He waits, watching Aerin carefully. He's never really fought Aerin before, and even if it isn't real exactly he goes from looking concerned to looking wary in the span of a few heartbeats.

Aerin Thomas: He smiles...but it's completely without mirth. He starts moving to the right, circling as he watches Bliss's chest, looking for a weak point. "This time, I really, REALLY can't. Not that it matters worth a shit anyway."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Of course not. You can tell by how it doesn't bother you." Bliss moves smoothly, but his ands are half curled up, like he'd be holding something. Someone doesn't so much do unarmed combat.

Aerin Thomas: He snorts a little bit. "Just because something bothers me, Bliss, doesn't mean it matters." He steps forward, feinting a kick, and then brings a fist in toward the Lord's chest.

Aerin Thomas: He moves full-contact, full-speed, to. Not taking it easy, one bit.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He maes a choking sound as he falls for that one, but the eyes that meet Aerin's aren't hurt they're...just gone. "Weren't you supposed to be the gentle one of us?" He asks, just over a whisper, a breathless edge to the purr. And then, still with that dreamy smile he lashes out for Aerin's knee with one foot - the good one mind. He's just playing, after all.

Aerin Thomas: "In theory..." It's said just as the foot connects with his knee. He winces a bit and rolls with the kick as best he can, coming back up to a crouch. "Nice start."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Well...the other side would be more effective in one sense, though not in the one that matters. Mostly I make a good punching bag. I don't so much fight like this." He keeps circling. There are a few seconds while he speaks that there almost seems to be someone there in his eyes before he laughs and dances backward. "Come play!" And he's gone again.

Aerin Thomas: His brow raises a little bit, and he almost smiles. Almost. He makes a couple quick shuffling steps forward, hands in ready positions, and starts feinting, keeping Bliss off his guard. Waiting for the opening. Playful as it may seem, there's still something lacking of amusement in his face...he's moving more tactically then playfully.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss lets him 'play,' tapping back at him now again. He's far better about guarding his face and chest than his sides. And the longer they play the less careful he gets - not complacent but wild. The playful taps back grow slowly and steadily rougher.

Aerin Thomas: He raises an eyebrow, eyes narrowing as he fires off shots. He varies his attacks...punch, punch, a quick low kick, then another punch. Then two kicks, low then high. He's not great, though certainly the enhancement gained from their Totem helps. He does his best to block the retrun taps, frowning a little. "C'mon, Bliss. Let's do this."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "This isn't what I do, Aerin. Shadow Lord. Ragabash. Assassin." Tap. Tap. Tap. Punch for the face on assassin. Trust Bliss to punch for added dramatic flair.

Aerin Thomas: "Child of Gaia. Philodox. Healer." His shoulder's shrug, and he growls a little at the taps. "Doesn't hurt, you know?" He shifts up suddenly to Glabro, firing a kick off aimed at catching the Lord right in his thigh.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: The kick knocks Bliss off his feet and he rolls up not in glabro but in lupus, ears pricked up, play bowing. Oh, yes, playful wolf. Very cute. His tail wags, once, twice. Harmless. Suuuuuuuure.

Aerin Thomas: He drops to a low crouch, watching Bliss carefully. "You're not fooling me, Bliss. Assassin." Maybe the slightest curl of a smile there.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: His ears flick, his tail swishes again, and he pounces. He's careful of the teeth and claws, but even so a full speed rush from a good-sized wolf can hardly be called gentle.

Aerin Thomas: He grins now, a savage sort of expression, and he lets the wolf pounce, catching the Lord as he rolls onto his back. He slips his arm around Bliss's neck, trying to catch the lupus form in a sort of headlock/sleeper hold.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Wrestling is new to him. There is a started cross between a bark and a growl as he struggles to get loose. And even though it's Aerin a definite touch of panic. The claws that scramble for a grip on something to press back against aren't careful anymore, this is frantic. He can't handle having his head caught like that.

Aerin Thomas: He quickly lets go, though it seems almost more avoiding the claws then Bliss's discomfort. He rises quickly and steps back, taking a ready stance again.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He stares coldly at Aerin, panting, bt finally gone predatory. This time when he rushes he feints to one side before leaping for the other, trying to catch Aerin's weaker leg with real momentum behind the landing, jaws seeking Aerin's forearm to catch it and hold onto it. [Rage for two actions there.] He snarls and growls at Aerin now. Brutal. Viscious.

Aerin Thomas: He actually smiles when Bliss goes brutal, and nods. "That's it." Still, that's a definite gritting of his teeth and a strangled sound when Bliess lands on his weak leg, and he brings a Glabro fist in to catch the lupus on the side of the neck when those jaws clamp onto his forearm.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He growls and tightens his jaws on Aerin's forearm, twisting and rearing back, swiping with his forepaws. He's still semi-aware it's Aerin, he's not gnawing, and the swipes are less real attacks and more distraction as he struggles to pull Aerin off-balance and to the ground,

Aerin Thomas: He goes to the ground, rather then have those teeth tear any on the way down. As soon as he hits the ground, though, he shifts back to homid to get his arm free, and rolls back away from Bliss.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He keeps glaring at Aerin, for all he's immediately released when he shifts to homid. Pant. Pant. Pant. The wary circling is anxious now, and he favors one foreleg a bit now. Most anything Aerin has ever seen in him is gone now, dissolved into something hurt and wary and furious.

Aerin Thomas: He hits a crouch...and just like that, Rage makes him a lupus. He bares teeth, ears going flat against his head and fur bristling. Easily the most 'wolf' that's been seen out of Aerin, possibly ever. He circles, watching Bliss closely.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He keeps circling now, warily. He doesn't exactly like this right now, but he's absolutely unwilling to back down from it. He continures snarling and snapping. And limping.

Aerin Thomas: ~WS~ "Hurt leg?" It's said with a low growl, as he feints a charge, then continues circling. Those expressive green eyes, so very not human right now, watching Bliss.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He just growls back in response. But his half started attempt to evade gives away just how much he doesn't like stepping on that outside foreleg. He growls more visciously at that, but this fight is close to over. Bliss can't stand up to any sustained fighting if he won't really go in for the kill. Even so, he gathers once more and lunges for Aerin, biting for his scruff now that he has a real target for his teeth, It's still more pounce than bite.

Aerin Thomas: He hops to the side, taking the pounce to the side, and his jaws go to lock onto Bliss's neck. Not to bite, but to hold there.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He goes still at the jaws on his neck- tense, trembling. He doesn't exactly submit, but statue-still is a start.

Aerin Thomas: He waits there, jaws around the Lord's neck, and presses forward. Not to clamp down, but to push the Lord closer to the ground.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: The forward pressure strats him toward the ground, though it's more a controlled drop as Aerin forces weight onto the side he's favoring. He hits the ground with a tiny pained yelp, and just lets Aerin have his throat,

Aerin Thomas: He holds it there for just a moment, the moment of victory taken, and then he pulls back, watching Bliss.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss stays still on the ground, still panting. Aerin's move. He lost, he's the one to wait for cues. Also...there is that climbing back up to his feet will hurt much less after he heals a little.

Aerin Thomas: He takes a seat on the ground, the fight over, and brings his paw forward, letting it rest lightly on the Lord's leg. ((Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Mothers Touch: 6,1,2,6,5,2,))

Shadow's Blissful Silence: His eyes close and he shifts back to homid. "Just bruises," he says softly, confused. "It would have only taken a few minutes to heal. I would have been fine," His fingers trail lightly over where just seconds ago there was a bruise on his neck. Being healed really does confuse him. Especially if he's not dying. But at least the last of that painful wariness is gone.

Aerin Thomas: He flicks his ears forward, a sort of shrug. ~ws~ "No needless pain."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He smiles and reaches out, very carefully, to scratch behind Aerin's ears. He won't if Aerin doesn't allow it, it's not the most submissive thing ever, but it is affectionate.

Aerin Thomas: He doesn't pull away or make any sounds to look like he's adverse to it, those green eyes watching Bliss almost curiously now.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He sighs, moving so that he can sit and rest his head against the side of Aerin's neck AND still scratch behind his ears. "So what will you talk about? Because you so aren't okay lately,"

Aerin Thomas: He lowers his head and whines a little bit, leaning into Bliss. ~WS~ "Ita. Saw Ita."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Oh. Oh. Come here." He gently pulls Aerin half into his lap so he can curl around him and pet him. "It's gonna be okay. Okay? I mean it, It will be. You're going to be fine. You just need to...stop flinging yourself at things that slice you to ribbons for awhile,"

Aerin Thomas: ~WS~ "She's going to Boston. Maybe."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "She'll be safer there, likely." He keeps petting Aerin soothingly.

Aerin Thomas: He whines again, head dropping into Bliss's lap. ~ws~ "Yeah."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "I know. I know. I'm right here. I know I'm not really even who you...." He sighs heavily. "But I'm still here. And Tori is here. And Kelsey is here. And Cloud is here, Your family is here. You're safe. You're loved. You're home." Perhaps he just forgot Ethan. Perhaps.

Aerin Thomas: He shuts his eyes and settles in against Bliss. ~WS~ "I know." A brief pause, before... ~WS~ "What do you mean? You're not...?"

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Who you want right now."

Aerin Thomas: ~WS~ "Not true. Wouldn't be here otherwise." He opens his eyes and looks up at Bliss with that odd (for him), not-quite-human expression. ~ws~ "You're my pack. Where I belong."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss sighs and just curls around Aerin. "I'm currently not sure which of us is about to get into serious trouble first sometimes, you know that?"

Aerin Thomas: He gives a sort of canine 'Aroo?' sound and looks up at Bliss curiously.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Right now you're leading." He nuzzles into Aerin's neck. "With your frightening need to take on the Fenrir, whoever shot you, and the world on at once."

Aerin Thomas: He gives a mutedly pleased whine at the nuzzle. ~WS~ "We'll talk about who shot me later. Reapers still have to die. Some, anyway."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He keeps up the nuzzling, pleased whines are a good sign. "Yeah. Well. Okay. What do we talk about now?"

Aerin Thomas: ~WS~ "Talk later. Don't wanna talk anymore."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Okay." He stays curled up with Aerin until Aerin slips away or falls asleep, petting and nuzzling and generally being all kinds of affectionate.

Aerin Thomas: Eventually, he does drift off into fitful wolf dreams. It's been a taxing day for the Gaian.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: And Bliss is (of course) still with him when he wakes up.