Spar Meet

Posted on Sat Oct 26th, 2024 @ 3:23am by Ensign Tyler Williams & Ensign S'Niri
Edited on on Sat Oct 26th, 2024 @ 3:25am

2,898 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie: side stories & mischief making
Location: Gym
Timeline: MD3 - Before "Crew Gone Wild"

"No. You are not beating me in a spar. I have a reputation." S'Niri snickered as she emerged from the changing rooms in a dark red sports bra and shorts. She stretched once and glanced to her sparring partner for the evening; her saber teeth gleamed in the overhead lighting. "Unless you don't mind walking away from this covered in claw marks. I spar rough. You hear the story of what happened to Jackson two days ago?"

"Yeah, I heard what happened to Jackson, they should've known better," Tyler grinned as he stepped out of his shoes, leaving him in a pair of shorts, a tight-fitting shirt that showed off his arms a bit, and his hand protection. He was no stranger when it came to sparring or kicking someone's ass, "You, however, should know I don't mind a few claw marks," he gave her a wink as he stood in front of her.

"Is that a challenge, big boy?" S'Niri's lips peeled back in a half-smirk half snarl as she did her warmups - mostly stretching to limber up, an. "Because if it is, I want a prize. What do you propose?" She asked, looking him in the eye mid-stretch.

"Bragging rights for the winner, the loser has to take over the winner's duties for a week. How about that?" Tyler suggested as he limbered up and did some stretches, flexing his muscles more to show off and be an idiot than anything, "But the challenge is accepted if you're keen for it?"

"Fine. We can do that." S'Niri smirked to herself. Williams really was trying to show off, wasn't he, both with the flexing and the offer. "But I hope you're prepared to lose." She put on a pair of boxing gloves and strutted onto the sparring mat with her tail flicking behind her. "Good luck managing the NCOs. They're going to eat you alive."

"Oh I don't doubt that at all," Tyler admitted as he put his mouth guard in and gloves on. He wouldn't admit to S'Niri that he had his work cut out for him with her but he'd still give it his best shot. Putting his hands up and feet into a boxing stance, rocking back and forth slightly with a grin on his face, "Come on then, ladies first."

"Glad to oblige." S'Niri put in her mouthguard, which was honestly a bit ill-fitting given the shape of her maw, but hey, different strokes for different folks, right? She stepped into the ring, flexed her wrist and aimed an uppercut punch straight at his jaw.

--Several minutes later--

S'Niri's chest rose and fell solidly in gasps. She'd lost count of the number of times she and Tyler had clashed in the past forty minutes (with breaks in between, of course, she wasn't a savage) - which she found to be surprisingly enjoyable, in fact, mostly because she dominated nearly every round. Sadly, though, she could definitely feel herself tiring. "One more round." She growled, baring saber teeth at him. "Or do I have to go over there and prop you up with crutches?"

"One more round... Famous last words there," Tyler could feel the pain in his jaw start to become more prominent and he knew it would be purple by the morning. If he hadn't been so cocky, then he wouldn't have missed the first punch she'd thrown. How could I miss the first gods be damned punch?! he thought to himself and shook his head with a worn-out grin on his face and a laugh, "Prop me up with some painkillers and I'll be right as rain." Steadying himself after taking a knee for a bit of a breather, he stood back up. Even if he did sway slightly.

"You'll get painkillers if you survive." S'Niri snarled and lunged at him with her boxing glove aimed straight at his mouthguard. Her entire body might have been aching, but she would never have forgiven herself if she faltered right there and then.

It had taken this long for Tyler to realize that S'Niri wasn't just sparring, it looked and felt as though she had something to get off her chest and he was her literal punching bag for it. Having only just learnt from the first time and multiple others after it, Tyler instinctively put both his arms up in front of his face to deflect her punch to his forearms instead. "Damn, you're vicious when you wanna be!"

S'Niri snarled and let her boxing glove connect with his forearms while simultaneously aiming for his stomach. Sweat dripped off her body in droplets and stained her workout clothes so that they clung to her body, but she was honestly having a pretty good time.

Tyler felt his body tense at the last punch to the ribs. In a brief second, he anticipated what she was going to do and took advantage of the situation: using his foot to sweep S'Niri's out from under her, he watched as she landed on her back with a dull thud. He too was out of breath as he straddled her and pinned her to the mat. "Do you yield?" he said with a grin and a bit of a laugh.

"I will yield when I'm dead." S'Niri snarled. In a manic burst of energy, she rolled to the side, knocking him onto his side as she aimed punch after punch to his face.

Tyler blocked most of the punches and (somehow) managed to get some of his own in, figuring she was leaving herself unprotected just as much as he was when exchanging the blows. In between the attack on his face, he managed to get out a laugh and some words, "Can you avoid the nose, please?" He already had enough issues with breathing through it at the best of times, he didn't need any more.

"No." S'Niri's lips curled into a snarl as she went in for another punch. A rush of satisfaction tingled down her spine as she felt her glove contact skin - at the exact same moment one of Tyler's punches connected with her mouthguard. All went black.

When S'Niri next awoke, she was staring into the overhead lights of sickbay, now free of the boxing gloves and mouthguard - and laying down on a biobed, it seemed, with Thivi's gangly form looming over her. "Chief Thorsen found you and ensign Williams over there on the floor, out like light bulbs, when he went there for his eighth tabata session this week. Would you both mind telling me what happened?" The Kelpien chided gently, nodding at the human lying on the next biobed over.

Tyler groaned as he came to and saw the light as well. By the Gods, it was bright. He attempted to sit up using what felt like his stronger arm and winced as he realized his ribs hurt, "It started with sparring and now we're here." There was no bad blood between him and S'Niri because at the end of the day, they still had to work together in the same team, and he figured she was just letting out some pent-up energy.

"You gave my staff a fright, you know. When you two came in and we had to check under your clothes the bruising we saw was pretty bad. Don't worry, we've cleared it up just fine." Thivi quipped. "Are you sure she wasn't angry at you, mister Williams?"

"Nah. Just needed to get rid of some steam." S'Niri replied with a feline snicker. "He's alright. Speaking of. I guess we knocked each other out, huh. How'll we settle that challenge now?"

"I think playing cards would be a lot safer next time," Tyler grinned as he settled back down on the biobed, "Unless you've got a personal vendetta against me and just want to win at any cost?"

"Nah. Just sort of pent up and frustrated, is all. Especially with this whole Ataran situation. S'Niri replied with a shrug.

"At any rate, you two, please try to resolve your repressed tensions in a healthier way next time? You're free to go." Thivi suppressed a smile as she picked up her PADD and walked away into sickbay.

"Now what. Or... where?" S'Niri raised an eyebrow at him.

"That's completely up to you, I don't mind. As long as it doesn't involve you beating the shit out of me again, I'm fine." Tyler grinned.

"Sugarplum Cafe. I hear their pastries are to die for." S'Niri replied with a wide feline grin. "Literally the best. I hear their zilm'kach tart is to die for. Whaddaya say?"

"Boss lady Andersen has mentioned previously that the Sugarplum Cafe does some really good pastries, so yeah, I'm keen for that," Tyler replied with a shrug as he swung his legs off the biobed and stood up, testing his steadiness by shifting his weight from one side to the other. "Ready when you are."

S'Niri smiled and followed him out the door.

-- A while later --

"Oh, they were so right. This tart is delicious!" S'Niri crowed. The Ferasan hybrid seemed happy, at least, with her mouth full of zilm'kach tartlet and a caramel milkshake in front of her. She'd followed her nose as soon as she and Tyler emerged onto the deck, and suffice it to say her sense of smell did not lead her astray. She grinned toothily at her human companion across the table from her. "I think I'll get another. How's yours?"

"Told ya so," Tyler grinned back at her as he put down the white chocolate caramel turnover he'd almost finished. He'd even forgotten to ask if she wanted to try some, "Sorry, I forgot to ask if you wanted to try this. I've probably had enough sugary stuff to do me a while but I'm happy to order another one of these and a coffee, if you want?"

"Raktajino, with sugar. Once you go raktajino, you don't go back." S'Niri replied, her maw full of tart and juicy zilm'kach flesh. "Iced. Thank you, sweetie."

Tyler had pushed out his chair and was about to get up but stopped when S'Niri said the last part, "Sweetie? Really?" He said credulously, raising a brow and giving her a half grin. "That's probably the nicest thing you've said to me all day!"

"Don't read too much into it. Now get me my coffee." S'Niri purred in a playfully condescending tone and with a flick of her tail. "Before the line gets too long." She pointed to the counter - indeed, there seemed to be a slowly growing queue for the poor barista standing at the counter. She looked a bit harangued, the poor girl.

Tyler felt sorry for the girl serving too and was almost inclined to go and help her but then decided against it and just waited in line instead. He gave her an apologetic smile when he ordered and received a stressed one back. Before too long, Tyler was walking back to S'Niri with her coffee and extra little pastries, "You'd think for the lunch and afternoon rush they'd put someone else on to help out, right?"

"Mrrr. Yet there she is, taking it like a champion. She's a fighter, that girl." S'Niri purred as she sipped her coffee with a straw. It's a pretty funny sight, watching a human-sized cat with blue-black fur drink like that, but hey, that's kind of how some species do. "You know, I might just invite her to a drink sometime. To be nice. People like her deserve a little love too, of course."

"Shall I give her the heads up to not get on your bad side then?" Tyler teased playfully. Aside from her beating the absolute shit out of him, he actually really liked S'Niri.

S'Niri eyed him with mild amusement, tail flicking. "Yes." She said at last and with an amused sharp-toothed smile. "And you better apply that to yourself too. I'll tenderize you and eat you for dinner if you don't. Sound good?"

Tyler watched her with amusement sparking in his own eyes and lifted the drink he'd gotten up to his mouth and muttered, "Don't threaten me with a good time," before he sat the drink back down again.

"You like being pummelled half to death, Williams? Is it a kink of yours, or something?" S'Niri's eyebrows lift somewhat in surprise - though her facial expression very much implies amusement more than surprise. "Dammit, you humans are really freaking weird. Did you do this with your previous female peers?"

He cocked his head to the side in amusement, "I don't have kinks, thank you very much, I just happened to like a bit of foreplay." He laughed and added, "Anyway, you happened to just get me at a bad time when my guard was down. And I get that I can be weird, but there are plenty of other people out there who are weirder than I."

"Oh, I've met worse - but really, now. I thought human men preferred that their lovers not chew them up and spit them out before the actual fun in bed." S'Niri quipped coolly, twirling a whisker round her finger. "You, Williams, are weird. But I'm not here to judge what you like a woman to do to you, am I?"

"Anyway. Did you just imply that I would've lost if you weren't on a 'bad day'?" S'Niri's yellow eyes narrowed at him.

"You know I'm only messing with you, right?" Tyler question her in response. "I prefer the safer kind of activities in the bedroom, preferably with minimal scratching. Anyway, why am I discussing this with you?" He shook his head and took another sip of his drink. "I think we both know that if I'd have been given a chance, I would've got some good hits in at the start too."

"Sorry, sweetie, I don't give chances. Not in a fight at least." S'Niri replied with a feline snicker. "Maybe next time we'll see you put your mouth where it's supposed to be, huh? In the meantime, you're welcome to challenge me again, anytime you'd like..."

"My mouth where it's supposed to be?" He echoed before picking up the drink again and finishing it, "Now who's the one sending out mixed signals, huh? I think challenging you on a regular basis would be beneficial for both of us, just try not to let your frustrations get the best of you, yeah?"

"Sounds good to me. Though I guarantee you you're not the only one I spar with." S'Niri replied nonchalantly. "And what I meant by that comment was to see you actually pull off what you say you're going to pull off. Don't get it twisted - unless that's actually what you want?"

Tyler clasped his hand to his chest and feigned shock, "I am offended that I'm not the only one you spar with." His eyes glittered with glee though. "But in all honesty, I have no idea what you mean by 'unless it's actually what I want.'"


"Do you actually want your arm twisted, sweetie?" The feline smile that S'Niri returned was half predatory, half amused. "Because I can if I want. And like I said. Put your mouth where it should be. Beat me in a spar if you can. I'll be waiting."

"Okay, okay," Tyler put his hands up defensively and laughed, "Jeez, lesson learnt: don't go up against you in anything and put my ego and pride ahead of everything."

"I never said that! I like it when people try and push their limits. It's way more fun that way. Whether you prioritise your ego and pride before doing it is totally up to you." S'Niri purred with a flick of her tail. "I'm just telling you that trying will probably end with you getting hurt. Just physically, hopefully." There was a hint of playfulness in her large, yellow feline eyes as she sipped the last of her drink and put it aside. The pastry was her next victim, losing a large chunk of it in one toothy bite. Go figure.

You can push me to my limits any time, Tyler thought to himself with a smirk as he watched her eat. "You hurt my ego, you know that?"

"And?" S'Niri asked, cool as a cucumber. "You humans are really, really funny. You take one loss in the ring and complain about hurt ego. Back on Ferasa Prime doing that kind of thing gets you mauled. So there's a lesson you gotta learn if you wanna deal with me, mmkay, sweetie?"

"Righto then," Tyler nodded with a laugh and rolled his eyes. Once he'd finished eating, he was content to just be done with the day now.

S'Niri finished her pastry and coffee in short order. Go figure. "I'll be seeing you on duty tomorrow, then." She quipped as she stood and stretched.

"I'm gonna hang out here for a bit, I'll see you tomorrow then," Tyler replied as he slouched down into the chair a little bit to get comfortable. All this time he'd known her, he still couldn't figure her out.

S'Niri smiled a saber-toothed feline grin and padded off, tail flicking behind her.

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