[She can see that the other woman is good, too. She can appreciate the skill in how Lakshmi moves, cam see it even through her own frustrations. That she should be faster than this, doesn't dampen her eye for skill and competence -- it just means that she doesn't stop.
She can appreciate that desperation, because there's an edge of it in Natasha, too.
She's looking for an answer that she can't find, that seem to beyond her reach. Sparring is good, practicing, training, it's all good, but none of it is enough and this, at least it's real. Not something with lines that wont be crossed, and instead with a willingness to go as far as their bodies will carry them.
Lakshmi connects but Natasha rolls with it, lips thinning and her face a little harder at the compliment--] I used to be good.
[This isn't good. This isn't enough. She feels sick and weak, slow and blind. So she does all she can do, she steps in, hits hard like that's any way to fix the thing that's wrong.]
no subject
She can appreciate that desperation, because there's an edge of it in Natasha, too.
She's looking for an answer that she can't find, that seem to beyond her reach. Sparring is good, practicing, training, it's all good, but none of it is enough and this, at least it's real. Not something with lines that wont be crossed, and instead with a willingness to go as far as their bodies will carry them.
Lakshmi connects but Natasha rolls with it, lips thinning and her face a little harder at the compliment--] I used to be good.
[This isn't good. This isn't enough. She feels sick and weak, slow and blind. So she does all she can do, she steps in, hits hard like that's any way to fix the thing that's wrong.]