[Gymnasium - OPEN]

[flamenoir]

Who: Blackfire and YOU
Where: Gymnasium near the dorms
When: Afternoon
Rating: PG
Summary: A little exercising and socializing. Get fit and mingle.



Although she could have hit the Training Room for some exercise, today Blackfire had opted for her own. She'd watched a few exercise videos with little handweights that looked like a fun way to exercise. The only dilemma was in finding weights that were just right for her. Fortunately, some of the equipment in the gym was set up for people into power-lifting, even if the Training Room was more fitting for those with superhuman strength.

At last, she found a set of two hundred pound dumbbells that she could work with. They almost felt too light to her, but they were the heaviest set available without resorting to the use of the larger barbells.

And so, she began her exercises. Not long into her workout, someone else entered the gym just at the point that a song she liked came over the speakers.

"Hey, do me a favour and turn the volume up? I love this song!"

Comments

[flamenoir]

"We really should. Now I just have to ask...do you speak any languages other than English? You know, just in case eavesdroppers might decide to ruin our very noble goal of trying to challenge ourselves to be the best we can be?"

She was so very sarcastic about the 'noble' part. Far less so about the desire for a challenge.

"It's not a problem if I don't know it yet. All Tamaraneans can assimilate language through direct contact. It only takes a few seconds."

[maximoff_boy]

"Take your pick. French, German, Russian... Chinese. Celtic. Romanian." He shrugged. "My native's Polish. You're telling me you're going to get all of those just from a little tap?"

[flamenoir]

"Well, well. I'm impressed, Pietro."

She supposed he could speed read too, but that was still an impressive amount of study for learning things the old fashioned way. Albeit at an accelerated rate.

"And...prettymuch, yes. I will get all of them that quickly. I might need a repeat or two so that I don't botch the slang and language-specific expressions, but I can go from zero understanding to almost completely fluent in a few seconds."

[maximoff_boy]

"Mmm, that's my kind of speed. I like it." Though there was a twinge of annoyance. Because, yes, it WAS a lot of studying to learn all those languages. He had a ridiculous amount of time on his hands, but it all moved at a normal speed for him. At least when he was by himself, and not being dragged down by others. But in the end, he was used to it.

"You remind me of a girl I used to know. Could steal your memories, your abilities, whatever, just by touching skin to skin. Of course, she would knock you on your ass whenever she touched you; Took life force too, uncontrollably. Nothing like that would happen here, though, right? I'm sure you'd warn me if that were the case."

[flamenoir]

"No life force, memory or ability stealing here," Blackfire confirmed. "Just language and general semantic knowledge...things like understanding that when someone says they're going clubbing, they're referring to going out to a dance club, rather than planning on walking around with a club to hit people with."

Blackfire was grateful that her ability to assimilate language was stronger than Starfire's. Coupled with her interest in other cultures, it enabled her to fit in much better than anyone would have expected of an extra terrestrial. People didn't instantly realize she wasn't an Earthling because of it.

"Possibly some minor awkwardness if you're one of those people who gets uncomfortable when someone gets into your personal space bubble because I do have to get up close and personal."

She took a couple of steps closer and reached up toward his face but didn't put her hands on his cheeks yet.

"Shut your eyes for a few seconds."

[maximoff_boy]

"Alright. But a few seconds can be an agonizingly long time for me, just as a heads up." He did as she asked, curious as to where this was going, and enjoying the back-and-forth, regardless.

[flamenoir]

Blackfire placed her hands on his cheeks and then leaned in to bring her lips up against his. Although she wasn't being the least bit rough, she'd taken a gentle hold of his face to prevent him from jerking away if he was startled. Some Earthlings could get so jumpy over this sort of thing, even if he didn't strike her as the type. Finally after a few seconds she pulled away and released him.

When she spoke, she addressed him in Polish. "I trust that wasn't too agonizing?"

[maximoff_boy]

He definitely didn't pull away; he was more or less expecting this, given her general demeanor and what she'd said. When she put her hands on his face, he covered her's with his own. He lets her do her thing, not reacting much more than that, to let her do her thing, enjoying the experience regardless.

"Hmm. I don't know. Maybe we should try again, just to make sure. The scientific approach, you know?" He responded in kind.

[flamenoir]

"Oh, of course," said Blackfire, switching to German with a little chuckle. "For science. Or at least for the learning process."

Well, look at that. He didn't seem to be the least bit surprised. Clever boy.

"Like I said, it can take two or three tries to make sure I have all the language-specific expressions and slang."

Without further adieu, she leaned in for another kiss.

[maximoff_boy]

Oh, he liked her. She was interesting-- or at LEAST not boring. And that sort of currency was few and far between in his world. His brain had to double back to track the language switch, and he enjoyed being made to think.

He went ahead and met her half way for the kiss this time, but was otherwise still not terribly aggressive, or as aggressive as he might have been, had he not been genuinely enjoying her company.

"I more meant that I didn't find the first experience agonizing," He said as their lips parted again, this time in French, before switching over to Russian, "Didn't find this agonizing either. But "two" is hardly a scientifically diverse sampling pool."

[flamenoir]

"Technically, if we want to make this really scientific...," said Blackfire, speaking in Romanian this time, then switching over to Celtic, "...we'd have to form a hypothesis."

At this point, it wasn't just about learning the languages. That may have been her initial purpose, yes, but now she was just flirting and entertaining herself. He didn't seem to mind in the slightest. That earned him several points in his favour.

She changed yet again to Chinese. "So I *hypothesize* that you'll continue to not find the experience agonizing over repeated trials. So...how many trials would you say would qualify as a diverse enough sampling pool?"

[maximoff_boy]

"Hmmm... tricky." Italian now! "A good hypothesis allows for many-- many trials, but I also confess. I may grow bored at some point." He switched back to English. "And if I'm bored long enough, it becomes agonizing. Nothing personal, I assure you."

He may have slipped an arm around her waist at some point. Sly asshole.

[flamenoir]

"None taken. If you get bored, I'll just have to make things interesting again," said Blackfire with a grin.

She had no doubt that she could keep things interesting. She hooked her arm around his shoulder shortly after he put an arm around her waist. Challenge accepted, Pietro Maximoff.

Glancing around the room, she remarked, "Although maybe we should continue our research somewhere other than the gym? You know, for science and a change of scenery might keep you from getting bored. I vote for the roof."

[maximoff_boy]

"I second that motion, the vote's unanimous, roof-science passes. Now. I can run there just as fast as anything. But how were you planning on getting there?"

Alright. She officially has his attention. She's cute, super powered, a flirt, and doesn't seem to mind that he's an asshole, so far.

[flamenoir]

"What, you're not going to sweep me off my feet?" Blackfire asked teasingly.

"I'll tell you what. You go that way," she said, pointing to one exit and then to another, "and I'll go that way, and I'll see you up there in a minute."

Yes, she could have just told him first, but he seemed to like seeing her powers for himself.

[maximoff_boy]

Part of him wanted to make a smart-ass remark on how long a minute was, and what was going to take her so long to get up there, but even more than that, he wanted to show off. As was usually the case with him, the show-off impulse won out.

"I'm already there."

It might as well have been true. By the time the words left his mouth, he was already out, running to the nearest exit (window, door, or other). He hadn't quite mannaged to break the sound barrier yet, but he was damn close, he could feel it. And gravity? Pssh. That was a cake walk. Running up the side of the building he made it to the roof in only a few seconds. Skidding to a halt, he glanced around, not expecting her just yet, but preferring to know his surroundings, just in case.

[flamenoir]

Blackfire arrived just a couple of seconds after he did. She looked mildly amused, but ultimately not surprised that he'd reached their destination first. She was capable of moving at considerable velocity when she really focused, but the gravity of a planet factored heavily into that as well.

"I suppose I should have said a few seconds, but I was being generous in case you wanted to powder your nose," she teased.

[maximoff_boy]

He was surprised she was so quick behind him. There was a twinge of annoyance-- he was the one who did speed. That was HIS power. The ONE thing that made him special-- before it was overtaken by the sudden euphoria of I don't have to wait on her. He grinned like a lunatic.

"Naw. Appreciated, but not necessary. After all. Have you seen me?"

Modesty? What's that. Growing up with his silvery white hair, Pietro had to develop a healthy ego, to deal with the constant teasing. That his ego had since grown wildly out of control was another matter all together.

[flamenoir]

"I have. Sharp-witted, multilingual, ambitious enough to try to overthrow governments, cute, and very dedicated to science."

She floated over to him with a big grin on her face and jokingly put her hand over her heart. "Be still my beating heart."

Maybe it was shameless flirting, but she was having fun with it. In light of what she'd observed about him, she didn't necessarily trust him even as far as she could throw him with her pinky finger, but she did like him. He was fun and he'd make her time here at Shield Academy more enjoyable and interesting. She was sure of that much.