[FIN] Physical Re-Education (Alg & Aodh)

[iloveyouDIE]

He hadn't been to Strongman Gym to work out.... ever. He'd stopped in while picking up Jeremiah on occasion or poppedin to exchange pleasantries with the owners. Alg's recent interest in exercise was a bit acute and he didn't even own exercise clothes in the proper sense.

He seemed awkward, out of his element, walking into the sanctum of fitness. He was able to have a free trial day without paying to get in the door and only passed through the locker rooms to lock his things away.

His training on the otherside had been impromptu. No thought to proper attire or things like wrapping his hands. He felt like he was moving through a haze here now, trying to remember the proper workouts from a thousand years ago when he was a young boxer in school.

By the time the Professor found a heavy bag out of the way, away from most others, he was still looking very uncomfortable and out of place. Without someone else there to challenge him, he had a difficult time determining a routine to challenge himself.

He had no headphones, no hand wraps, and he hadn't even removed his glasses. Alg just punched the bag in aggravation in his t-shirt and sweats and willed himself to get into it.

azuredreaxms

 

[azuredreams]

Aodhan preferred the quiet parts of the gym himself. Mostly because he was aware that Sigurd kept a few pictures of him working out where people were most likely to be. The gym owner was proud of him, even if he had not made a career of it. It had taken a little while to work back up to actually doing what he was doing now, the incident at Blackfriars having injured his side bad enough that he had not been able to work out for a while.

The scars were still a not-so-pleasant reminder that Ashdown was definitely not what it seemed and all the weird things that had been happening lately further proved that.

He was taking a break, drinking from a water bottle, when he saw Algie. Aodh knew a boxer's form when he saw it, could tell that the older man knew what he was doing but he was ... uncomfortable? Out of place? (It definitely resonated.) Except that the older man was-

Aodhan was moving before he realized it, coming over to where Algie was. "Hey," he said, loud enough to get his attention but a respectful distance away. Aodh was in boxing attire, though he was wearing a full shirt because he had no desire for people to see his scars. "You've got a solid right hook."

Yeah sometimes he sucked at starting conversation if the person wasn't Jaro.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

It wasn't exactly like the younger man could have snuck up on him in this empty corner of the gym. Alg's posture relaxed to be joined by someone else. It was almost a relief to have someone talk to him, as much as it made him reluctant. He probably needed some help, even if he was reluctant to work out in front of other people.

"Hello," A hand steadied the heavy bag in front of him and Alg pushed his glasses up a moment, "I'm slowly remembering my boxing days. I used to fight in school.."

He recognized the blonde vaguely. Perhaps from the shop or the college (or even the pictures in the gym he didn't quite remember were there). He couldn't say he could place his face.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Oh? Did you do any competing? You've got good form." That certainly made Aodh relax a little, easing into the conversation. "So you're trying to get back into it?"

Except that Algie clearly looked a little uncomfortable. It was a little like himself (or it made Aodh think about himself a bit).

"Ah, sorry. Manners." Aodh held out a hand. "Aodhan Beverly." He paused. "I go by Aodh most the time though."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Ah, no not really. Just school circuits. A long time ago in a land far far away," The Professor chuckled softly.

He took Aodh's hand for a firm, warm, and reassuring shake. "Algernon Mercer. My husband Jeremiah comes here. Alg works or Algie. Unless I taught you- you look a bit familiar?" Maybe at the college?

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Back in England?" If he was placing the accent right. Aodh's handshake was likewise firm, though the warm and reassuring was not there.

He was, however, immediately put at ease in Algie's presence. "Oh! The detective! Well- he's not a detective anymore. He's chief of police now, isn't he?"

Aodh was ducking his head a moment, grey eyes glancing at Alg because of the familiar comment. "I didn't go to college here, actually ... I, ah ..." There was a vague hand waving towards the wall of pictures that Sigurd had. "Sigurd has a lot of pictures of me up from when I was actively competing and college."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Yes," Alg chuckled a bit obviously.

He was sure it was something college related, but he couldn't place it. Something like a passing face in a crowd probably. "Maybe you've come in my shop? Bibliophile?"

Alg did shrug it off though, handshake given a firm pump before he let go. "A pleasure anyway Aodhan." And he pronounced it correctly.

"You must have been a bit of something if Sigurd put you on the wall.." He knew as friendly as the gym owners were, they had high standards.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"A couple times actually, but I don't think I've seen you working?" Aodh shifted on his feet, stretching a moment and then settling comfortably. His posture was relaxing moment by moment, the unease of talking to someone he was not familiar with fading.

Especially when his name was pronounced right.

The blonde scratched at the back of his head a moment, glancing away. "It paid for college," a full scholarship, "and there was talk about doing it professionally ..." Aodh shook his head. "Decided I'd rather not get paid to clean someone's clock or likewise get mine cleaned."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"So what do you do now?" Alg seemed to be relaxing but talking wasn't much of a problem for him, it was the doing things in front of other people.

"Something that I assume has less risk of repeated concussion?" Because the young man's interest in fighting and fitness hadn't seemed to wane by the look of him.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Art," he said with a smile - a real one - and then chuckled. "I, uh, ... that's what I went to school for. I actually make jewelry and some other stuff." There was a bracelet around his wrist, one that was chainmail linked together, but there was also a necklace he wore that had a dragon that was made of carefully worked wire woven together.

"You know the scrapyard? With all the art and sculptures? I help with that sometimes too." If Jaro and him actually worked. It did happen but sometimes even Aodh would give in to the distractions. "Well ... and live there."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Art, of course. Algie wasn't a hater of the arts, he was a novelist and thus an artist in his own right, but it seemed more often than not people nowadays were doing art.

Perhaps he was just old. Where were all the architects and engineers?

"I've driven past it.. I believe the owner has come by my shop as well," And he had a vague knowledge of his family. Roughly. If this young man lived there that meant he.. RIGHT.

"Follow your passion hm?" Alg said pleasantly. His hand patted idly on the heavy bag before he drew back and hit again.

"Don't suppose you've got some pointers for someone who... isn't used to being in the gym?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Aodh did not seem at all bothered by any potential realization about Jaro and himself. The young man was wearing a dragon necklace as if that didn't say enough.

Not that Algie would know that ...

"Something like that. My family is nothing but artisans... I didn't actually settle back into crafting until a couple months ago." As he had found his passion with working with Jaro. Grey eyes focused on the older man and flicked to his hands. The healing knuckles said a lot.

"Yeah, actually ... I had to ease myself back into boxing recently so I can help." He made an idle gesture towards his side. "Blackfriars."

He had learned that often easily explained things to people.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Blackfriars.." Alg snapped his fingers, "That must be why I seem to associate you with the college. I was there.." Was this young man dragged into the drama? He hadn't seen him any other time, nor run into him on the other side.

He must have been an unfortunate bystander.

"I was there," His fists curled a bit, "Upstairs."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Aodh's eyes widened briefly before he nodded. "I ... uh ..." He reflexively wrapped an arm around his side briefly, protecting that which had finally healed properly.

"I was one of the injured. He," the rogue were, "sliced up my side after the nurse when he was bolting." The blonde sighed a moment later. "Ended up with my side having to be stitched back up and a couple transfusions."

It still didn't sit right with him but there wasn't much to be done. "You must have been able to hold your own at least with the skill you displayed just now." His eyes cut to the punching bag. "You're rusty but you've still got the stances down."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg frowned, as if somehow it had been his fault what happened, and apologized, "I'm sorry that happened to you.."

Obviously it wasn't his fault but having normal civilians hurt wasn't really acceptable. The blonde, having been hit by the were, was lucky he hadn't been bitten and further more he hadn't mentioned anything about it being an animal man.

"You wouldn't mind training with me a bit would you?" Alg seemed reluctant to ask but he knew himself and a near stranger was a safe training partner. "I probably won't get much done on my own."

azuredreams