[Open] October Catch-all

[majorbiotic]

CHARACTERS: Kaidan Alenko and you!
LOCATION: around the station
DATE: October catch-all
CONTENT: Cooking, training with body and biotics, whatever
WARNINGS: probably nothing beyond some light swearing and friendly sparring

Cooking with Kaidan

[On certain times and days, Kaidan decided to go into the kitchen and do some cooking. He looked through the fridge and food storage for ingredients he could work with and put something together. Working out what would taste best for whatever result he had in mind helped keep his brain from spinning around everything that happened on the mission. And the end result was tasty, so that was a plus.

If anyone came by while he was cooking, he would gladly strike up a conversation and offer them some of the food when he was finished]


Training Montague

Years of being in the Alliance drilled it into Kaidan to keep in shape even between missions. This last one especially prompted him to get in more training-- biotic training specifically, but he knew it wouldn't hurt to keep up with his physical prowess as well. If there was no one to spar with in the training room, he would do his own routines. He also did laps around the station.

As for his biotic training, the simulation room seemed like the safest place to do that. He wouldn't have to worry about holding back against simulated enemies. Strengthening his shield was his top priority, but Kaidan worked on his other skills as well while he was in there.


Weird Biology (closed to Newton)

[Kaidan hadn't forgotten his promise to Newton that the man could examine his biology, he sent a thought-text letting him know Kaidan was ready to be examined whenever Newton was. He would have done this regardless, since a xenobiologist was probably the best person to know, but after the mission it seemed especially important that someone on the station knew Kaidan's biology and how the biotics affected him]


Wildcard

[If none of these appeal to you, you may also find Kaidan in other parts of the station. Sometimes in the common living area reading books, sometimes in the sunlight room just enjoying the nature. Or you can poke me on plurk seraphjewel if you want to plot something! Either actionspam or prose is fine, I'll match style]

Comments

[majorbiotic]

Kaidan was doing some push-ups when he heard the voice. He stopped, rolling up to his feet so he could acknowledge Majima's presence.

"It would," he nodded. "Haven't seen you in a while. I'm glad to see you made it out of our last mission in one piece." He took a few steps back to give them more room to work with. "If you're feeling up to it, let's dance."

[hikae]

"Heh, likewise. Risky gig, theses mines— but no risk, no gain." Getting the vast portion of Lionetta's higher-ups drunk and with hampered mobility bought the team some time, but it was hardly a frontline job.

Majima's step remained light, and before he slid into the fighting stance he did the bare minimum of a warm-up. Neck stretch, a roll of shoulders (that pop when everything got back into its place) going down the arm— aaand that will do

"Oh, if it's a dance ya want, I can put on a show" He stated in a cheeky tone, as the horrible idea struck him. Granted, breaker battles worked best in a crowd, (and with an audience, as the triplets would argue), but an element of surprise was always good when going against someone professionally trained. And Kaidan definitely was. Space or no space, he was a soldier

[majorbiotic]

He was looking forward to seeing how Majima fought. Kaidan had some hand-to-hand training, but naturally more training in biotics and firearms, and of course his technical know-how. These missions made him more determined to be well-rounded when it came to fighting, just in case.

He took a fighting stance, bracing himself for whatever Majima was about to do. He'd already encountered some unfamiliar moves when sparring with Zhao. He could only guess what sort of style Majima would use. The one mental rule Kaidan had was he wouldn't use his biotics in this fight. It wouldn't be fair, not even to use as a barrier.

[hikae]

Oh, so he's getting the opening move here? Majima decides to start simply, they're just getting the first feeling of each other moves and range, no? He's got an obvious disadvantage with a blindside right there (and plenty of muscle memory to counter cheap strikes at that), but everyone got something. Even specialists.

He opted to start right with a left hook following fluidly into a back-fist. Not giving full strength into the strikes, (it's a friendly bout, isn't it?) expecting to get either blocked or diverted. Speed was another thing, that he did nothing to keep down.

[majorbiotic]

He did indeed block Majima's opening strike. Kaidan answered with a one-two punch of his own. He tried to keep his fists within Majima's vision. He too held back some of his strength, so that if he managed to land a hit it wouldn't hurt that badly.

"I'm sure you've been asked this before, but how did you lose your other eye?" No reason why they can't talk and spar at the same time.

[hikae]

Majima's expression darkened briefly, it slowed his moves just a bit, before he regained the composure.

"On the contrary—" Or tried to, as the next hook came with more force than he intended originally. Which was already an answer on its own, he revealed it to be a touchy subject. "Most do not dare to ask"

He had to reign himself in, restrain himself again— or did he? Is this how far the leash went? That he put himself in a cage even that far away from it. While his moves did not slow down, the viciousness in them disappeared. Still keeping on the offensive, but back into a sparring mode. Words on the other hand, flew without a filter.

"Refused to bow down to a shitstain." Rather go blind, than bow to you, hah. That bravado. That drama. "He took it personally— yet didn't dare to go the whole way"

[majorbiotic]

Kaidan wasn't expecting the blow to be that hard. He took a step back when it landed, reassessed, and circled around before the next exchange of blows. Kaidan was paying attention both to Majima's story and the way he was fighting. Yeah, he could pick up that this was a touchy subject. But if James and Shepard's fight was any indication, sometimes a sparring match was the best way to talk through these sorts of things.

"Yeah? I can relate to that. Didn't lose an eye, though." Kaidan aimed the next few blows, trying to keep light on his feet. "Got a knife in my face, though. Maybe he would've killed me, I don't know."

[hikae]

Majima was a prime example of someone who processed things through talking with his fists, Kaidan was right on the money on this. There was a distraction in the footwork, in the movement, keeping balance, evading, and trying to land strikes— part of the brain was occupied, a body was tiring itself out. This lack of singular focus on an issue at hand, lack of mental resources to fully commit to it sometimes— sometimes gave it all a weird clarity.

"A nasty what-if, eh?" What if that hit landed closer, landed deeper, what if. "But it didn't kill ya, ya still standin', that's what matters. Didn't even carve a scar—"

There's a change, suddenly he forwent the punches and instead let the legwork shine, with a quick and high kick.

[majorbiotic]

"Maybe not on the outside," Kaidan agreed. He felt like he was doing decently in this fight, blocking the majority of Majima's blows and keeping on his feet. He liked how different their two styles were-- it kept things challenging, making Kaidan judge his blows differently.

"But I killed him," Kaidan went on. "Used my biotics and kicked him, snapping his neck. I don't regret doing it, but at seventeen, something like that can still mess you up." And it just so happened that Majima performed a kick after Kaidan finished that story. Kaidan turned so it got him in the shoulder. Still hurt like hell and had him almost on the ground.

"Ah, yeah, something like that."

[hikae]

Seventeen. Only seventeen? So that wasn't an act of a trained soldier, unless they enlisted them extremely young out there— that followed with the fact the kick landed a little too hard, made Majima step back.

"That's—" Oof, what were words? Quick brain, you got to find something! After a few seconds of looking lost, Majima collected himself "It was him or ya, self-defense, ya had to protect yerself. I know, didn't make it any easier for a kid-you. Hope he got to hear that back then."

He relaxed his stance, giving Kaidan a chance to start again whenever he felt it was right. A restraint, again. Should his emotions swayed differently, he could have continued without a second thought, without consideration— Adrenaline was still high, and since they were exchanging blow, but also secrets, it just— it just didn't feel right to only learn and not give anything back.

"In the end I never killed anyone— tho I was ready to"

[majorbiotic]

He smiled a little. "I've long since dealt with it. But thanks." He circled again, delivering a few more blows and jabs.

"Let's hope you don't have to here," Kaidan concluded.

[hikae]

"It is a line to cross one day." Majima stated with conviction, uncharacteristically somber. "But it's gonna be all on me then."

Not because someone said so. Not because of Sera and his pretty little speeches, the man was using him just like Shimano did before. Because— because Majima himself would deem it the only way. It would be only his burden to bear.

It's just a sparring he reminded himself, they're just fight-pretend— still he couldn't help but switch to something burning more of the restless energy down. Evading and weaving out of the strikes with twirls and quick movement, rather than outright blocking them. And when he failed and the blows connected? A better anchor to not go down the rabbit hole. Eventually he counters with a fast sweep aimed at Kaidan's legs.

[majorbiotic]

Kaidan nodded, understanding what Majima was saying. Then focused back on their sparring match. He could tell when the other man started really going hard into the fight. Kaidan was better at long-range fighting but had been doing okay with matching Majima blow-for-blow so far.

But that last sweep of Majima's legs got him and he went down. He was smiling to assure the other man he didn't mind it.

"Nice move," he complimented. "I seriously need more hand-to-hand practice. Got too used to relying on my tech and biotics, I think."

[hikae]

"Thanks—" Majima's lips curled into a bit of a smile in response too. He offered his hand to help Kaidan up and off the ground.

"I'm always up for a spar. Tryin' to not get rusty."

[majorbiotic]

He took the offer and got back on his feet. "It's not a bad idea. We don't know what we're facing in the missions. And I can always make it a little harder for you by using my barrier." He said this last part teasingly.

[hikae]

Majima cackled, briefly. "Ya can read minds too? I was just about to ask ya to show off these biotics next time."

He's curious, sure, but also— nothing they've been fighting against so far has been mundane. Sparring with someone using all these powers, could help him develop muscle memory and strategies. Gotta make by.

[majorbiotic]

Kaidan let out a soft chuckle. "No, I can't read minds. It's just that most people want to see my biotics in action once they learn what I can do. And I figured you would enjoy the extra challenge next we spar."