OPEN - Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone

[bargain_batman]

Who: Diego Hargreeves & OTA
Where: Streets of Haven at night, Pour Judgment, Phoenix Rising
When: Current
What: Catch all
Warnings: Possible language. Will update.


Haven at night, in the shadows
If you see a figure in the dark, dressed all in black to include a mask over his eyes, it’s Diego silently keeping an eye out for anyone in trouble and maybe also checking that he somehow hadn’t missed a familiar face from home. He didn’t talk about the latter or really the former. It might have been mentioned to a few people that he behaved in a similar fashion before arriving in Haven. Old dog, old tricks.

He was happy the glitching had stopped but not because of the pain ending or return of his powers. The memories he'd seen of others meant they had seen some of his. Diego didn't like feeling vulnerable but there was no hiding how certain memories affected him. It was the reason why he avoided connections since arriving, they couldn't be used against him.


Pour Judgment
Security for the bar club, Diego mostly remains in the dark corners with a clear line of sight throughout the establishment. He keeps a watchful eye that anyone isn’t committing any wrongdoing. Nobody can drink who isn’t of age, take anything out of the tip jar who isn’t a bartender, harass other customers or deface the property.

Those who attempt the above find themselves suddenly nailed to the bar top (or another solid surface) with one of his many throwing knives. Or those in reach who get handsy will be on the receiving end of quick hands or feet that deter the behavior and eventually tosses the aggressor out. “Next time, it won’t be with all your fingers intact!”

His body is his temple so he won’t be found having a drink but maybe in the place when not on the clock. Far from Mr Congeniality, Diego didn’t necessarily have friends at work but he’d have conversations from time to time. Maybe even with a patron under the right circumstances.


Phoenix Rising (The Metroplex)
One of the few places that Diego wouldn’t be in long sleeves and pants but he still might be dressed all in black when training or working at Phoenix Rising. Not the most patient instructor but also not the worst? Eh, maybe the worst.

His mindset is that mixed martial arts isn’t for beginners so the students need to be pushed. He still falls in line with the rules of not advocating no mercy or striking first should he actually have any students.

However, he wouldn’t be above heckling another instructor when they aren’t with a student. “Are you at prom or trying to fight?” said by someone who never actually went to a prom. Maybe it’s a taunt from the sidelines or while sparring. Someone knock that smug look off of his face.

Comments

Phoenix Rising

[crazy_white_girl]

"Why do I feel like prom and fighting are the same thing to you?" Tandy muttered with a petulant look on her face as she glared briefly at Diego before stepping back and using the short sleeve of her top to wipe some sweat from the side of her face.

Sometimes she really wondered why she put up with the 'abuse' that she did while training with Diego but she had to admit that she was getting better. It seemed she had some natural skill when it came to fighting and even better instincts but she was rough. She'd had no training before, always surviving off scrapping as best as she could and her powers most of the time.

Now maybe she could be something more....if Diego didn't kill her in the process.

[bargain_batman]

Most of their training sessions were made up of one acting smug while the other frowned. This one, Tandy was getting the shitty end of the stick but it could turn around at any moment. Her teacher was impressed with how quickly she learned and how tenacious she was. Not that he'd tell her that.

"Maybe because I never went to prom. I didn't go to school. Home schooled in between training sessions..." He threw a few punches that she could impress him by dodging, maybe even countering. If she did attempt a counter, Diego would flip out of the way that would undoubtedly piss off Tandy. She didn't have his acrobatics--yet. "...while you were prom queen."

Of course when he made her angry enough, Diego would have to redirect her light dagger aimed at him.

[crazy_white_girl]

Tandy knew full well what he was doing. He was toying with her, doing his best to piss her off to push her into fighting harder so she could learn some kind of great lesson. At least that was her take on it as she bit the inside of her cheek, still glaring at him as he started throwing a few punches. The first time he had ever done that, he had caught her off guard and knocked her down. Now she knew better as she dodged, making sure he didn't land a blow even though they came close a couple of times, stirring her hair or causing a rush of air to glance over her skin.

Then she tried to punch back just once when she thought she had the opening to but he managed to flip out of the way which did, yes, piss her off.

"I think you have the wrong person. I was definitely not prom queen," She huffed at him as she started advancing again, taking her turn to throw punches at him, coming in a bit harder and faster as she was growing frustrated.

[bargain_batman]

"No? Homecoming queen then!" he insisted to continue pushing her buttons. Tandy let her annoyance push her harder and faster, finally connecting a hit to his midsection and winding Diego a little. "Sucker punch! Let's see you do that again."

He had moved with the hit and flipped backwards but remained low in an effort to sweep her feet. Diego had taught her kicks, punches and counters but not throws or sweeps although he'd performed them on her more than a few times. She was doing a great job for her size and amount of training.

Maybe she'd connect with a kick next if Tandy controlled her frustration.

[crazy_white_girl]

"That would mean I was popular and not...me," She grunted, biting back some of her retorts as she focused on using her frustration as strength and speed until she actually connected with his midsection. Not that she got to enjoy her triumph for long as he was flipping backward again.

But this time she wasn't going to let herself get caught off guard as she used some of her dancer instinct and speed to do a little jump straight up, lifting her legs to avoid his before she landed and he twisted.

She was twisting as well, spinning and sweeping her leg around to hopefully catch him with a kick.

[bargain_batman]

He smirked at her response. Diego would never believe that Tandy wasn't a popular girl. There was hope that she wasn't a mean girl but it wouldn't surprise him with her looks and attitude. She was a little progressive given her boyfriend didn't resemble Luther a Ken doll, he'd give her that.

She caught him with a kick that he had to flip backwards in order to capture the momentum and not crash with the force. "What, is it not cool these days to be one of the popular kids? You're not fooling anyone, Bowen. I'm sure you had them eating out of the palm of your hand."

Diego repositioned back to a fighting stance with a smirk in place as he taunted her.

[crazy_white_girl]

"I was homeless!" She snapped at him before freezing, cursing internally as she stood a bit straighter and hated herself for saying it. But then she knew he was going to push, so she glared at him. "And if I wasn't homeless, I was from the wrong side of the tracks and no one wanted anything to do with me because they blamed for dad for an explosion that happened in our city. So no, I didn't exactly have them eating out of the palm of my hand."

"And especially not when I started stealing from them," She tacked off before noting that he was a bit distracted which gave her a perfect opening or so she hoped.

So she took a step forward to close the distance before spinning and aiming a hard kick at his middle, hoping to Hell that she connected this time just because her annoyance at him and anger at herself wanted her to.

[bargain_batman]

Her words hit harder than anything Tandy had thrown at him. Homeless? Diego was older than she currently was before he experienced that and it'd only been by choice, forget being on the wrong side of the tracks. He'd been adopted with a silver spoon in his mouth that pushed him to try and make it on his own.

So regardless of his training, she managed to distract him and knock the wind out of him. Diego flew back without being able to deflect her blow. He groaned, coughing as he tried to get his breath back. He laid back on the mat, a hand over his midsection as he worked to catch his breath.

"Good kick," he muttered between coughs.

[crazy_white_girl]

Tandy felt a grim sense of satisfaction when her kick landed and he flew onto his back without being able to stop it. She also felt a twinge of guilt for lashing out of him but only for a second as she stood straight again, watching him before making her way over to offer a hand to him when he was ready to get up.

"It was kind of a low blow but I took it," She shrugged a little, somewhat unapologetically.

[bargain_batman]

"If someone's attacking you--verbally or physically, you let them have it, Bowen," he uttered while taking her hand.

Diego thought for a second about sweeping her feet and throwing her down but ultimately opted against it. He deflected her semblance of an apology instead.

His intention hadn't been to hit a nerve, a raw nerve at that. Although she was the one between them who looked like she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, it was his upbringing and not hers.

Or maybe she was calling what he said a low blow.

[crazy_white_girl]

Tandy wasn't calling what he said a low blow because she knew what kind of preconceived notions people could have about her just by one glance or one interaction. It probably didn't help that she could be rather closed off about her life but she had been pretty open with Diego. More so than she was with anyone but Ty.

She was quick to let go of his hand when he was back on his feet, brushing her own hands against her hips as she turned and took a couple of steps away from him. Part of her wanted to suggest being done then so she could take her leave but she didn't. She just hoped that Ty didn't sense there was something wrong because sometimes she wasn't sure how tuned in they were to each other.

"Okay, want to go again?" She turned to face him, lifting her chin somewhat while she shifted into a stance he had shown her before.

[bargain_batman]

To her possible dismay, there was a cloud of darkness that appeared just outside the mat. Tyrone watched cautiously, a brow furrowed on his face. She had always assured him that she'd call him for help but he still couldn't ignore certain feelings.

Diego hadn't understood fully how the two worked but never thought anything about 'Waffles' showing up and watching Tandy train. She had always touted that her boyfriend was supportive.

"Definitely. But let's get to the heavy bag so we can add a new kick to your arsenal. You've got the stance down pact. Punches on point. You can do a lot of damage with kicks, as you just demonstrated."

[crazy_white_girl]

Almost, as if by instinct, Tandy turned slightly just as the cloud of darkness started to appear, sending curling tendrils of shadow along the edge of the mat. She watched as Ty stepped out, looking concerned and answering one of her silent questions while she pressed her lips together with a look to let him know that she was fine. Rattled but fine.

"Okay," She looked back at Diego, pressing her hands together to crack a couple of knuckles as she trailed after him towards the heavy bag. "What are we adding now?"