stolen moments

Circenn swung at her, fists moving fast, intense focus on his face, knowing a moment before the blow would have landed that she was going to dodge. And she did.

He grinned at Roxy, wolfish and fierce, as he murmured a "good girl" before he dodged a blow she aimed at him. He wasn't sure what it was about today, perhaps the win against Portree earlier this week after the game had lasted hours and hours or if the uptick in the Magpies standings in the league, but either way Circenn was in a good mood today. And for today, it meant challenging Roxy to a sparring match at the Magpies team gym.

It was an off day and not too many people were around to see them together, given Circenn still wanted to keep their relationship private. They had told as few as people as possible when they started dating about a month ago and he was happy to see that it was working so far for them. Plus, it gave him a great sparring partner. He was doing everything he could to make sure she didn't win, again.

"Gotta be quicker than that to win, Rox," he challenged, a sheen of sweat covering his tanned skin, his dark hair tied back at the nape of his neck, his Magpies team tank tight on his chest as he danced on the balls of his feet, grinning at her just before he added, "No wonder we're catching up in the standings if you're that slow."

@Roxanna Rathbone

Being at the Magpie’s training center felt like seven different kinds of betrayal, but it was also exhilarating. Like being behind enemy lines, and there was something to that. She was high on the adrenaline of being here, sparring with Circenn, and from the secret they were keeping. The relationship was new enough that keeping it private made it feel that much more intimate. Like it was only for the two of them, and Roxanna loved that feeling too.

The beater ducked out of the way of Circenn’s swing at the last second and countered with a shot to his side that he dodged, and Roxy smiled. Her breath was heavy by now, little pools of sweat on her back and shoulders, but she was nowhere near ready to stop. She loved how evenly matched they were, Circenn probably had at least fifty pounds on her (of pure muscle, because, of course, she had noticed), but Roxanna was no fragile thing either. She huffed at his teasing and then focused another shot to his abdomen. “You saying it has nothing to do with your skill then?” She asked, dipping to the side to avoid his fist and smiling playfully.

There was something extraordinary about finding someone who shared the same interests. Quidditch, working out, simple things, being outside, and not fucking around with expensive nonsense. For years the Griffins publicist tried to change Roxanna to be more like some of the other women in the league, but she wasn’t the type. She hated fancy clothes, refused to let them turn her wild curls into something dull and flat, and she wasn’t looking for a husband. And Circenn seemed like he didn’t care about any of those things either. Roxanna could tell he wasn’t afraid to hit her while they sparred, she loved that about him, but she also knew he’d take care of her if she got hurt; it was like having the best of both worlds.

“Careful what you wish for, Circenn,” She said as she rushed toward him, another swing headed for his face; Roxanna was never the type to hold back, especially when there was something to win.

Circenn laughed, deep and rumbled in his chest, as he swiped the back of his hand across his brow to stop the sweat from dropping into his eyes. Roxy was different in the way he treated his usual relationship partners in that she had been a friend and a rival on the pitch first and then more so the trash talking and good-natured ribbing was already part of their vocabulary and while it wasn't something he wanted to change, he was cognizant that it still felt new to him to be so antagonistic even in a playful sense with someone he was dating.

New but exciting, and that was saying something since Circenn didn't always feel comfortable with new things.

She gave herself away by stepping with her right before she swung with her left, a habit he had noticed over the last few sparring sessions, and blocked her easily, moving his arms down to cover his exposed side. "Not saying that at all. If you can't keep up, just say the word," he huffed, the slickness of his arms sliding against hers.

Roxy was so quick that it surprised him sometimes and as she came at him again, he didn't have enough time to bring up his hands to protect his face so instead he ducked a little lower and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her into him and rolling back onto the mats before twisting his legs around hers trying to reduce her leverage. It did give him a great vantage point to nip at her ear as he said, "I'm always careful." Maybe that a little too on the nose for his likes so he pushed her (gently) away instead and spun so he was crouching, grinning at her wolfishly before her perked one brow in invitation.

“Oh, I can keep up,” she huffed; her breath was unsteady, but Roxy loved the feeling. She had always loved the mix of adrenaline and muscles tearing from a workout. Something about it made her feel alive; it fueled her to push further, even when her body screamed for her to stop. “You of all people know I can keep up,” Talking trash was easy with Circenn, probably because she had had a lifetime of practice. First, they had played together for Gryffindor, then opposing teams, and now they were dating. It was as comfortable as breathing; maybe even more so after that last punch, he’d landed on her side.

The witch launched forward again, but Circenn was ready, and Roxanna huffed loudly as she realized he’d seen it coming. Knowing someone for damn near your whole life had plenty of advantages but just as many downsides. He was hard to surprise when they sparred, but it made this practice even more effective in some ways. Roxanna liked that too. She felt her hand connect with his face, but not a second later, she registered his powerful arms wrapping around her. A soft sound escaped her lips as he brought them both to the ground.

“Lame!” She called him out as he nipped her ear, and then Roxanna let out a howl of laughter. Circenn knew exactly how to distract her, and it had worked. She rolled off of him and away just as fast as he had before getting back on her feet. A part of her wanted to keep trying to hit him, but seeing the look on his face and how he was crouching, she smiled instead and rushed him. Roxy used all of her body weight to knock him over, so his back was on the mat again, and she was on top of him. “Careful is boring,” she teased, but it wasn’t entirely true. Roxanna imagined she was the more reckless of the two of them, but that didn’t mean Circenn was boring. Far from it.

Pushing Circenn down with her weight, Roxanna’s legs moved so that she was on top of him, his knees on either side of her hips, and she pinned him. She knew she had about fifteen seconds before he overpowered her, so she used her time wisely and stole a kiss instead of a punch. Lowering her face to his, she kissed him hard on the mouth and pulled away smiling, expecting him to have the upper hand again any moment. She was strong and fierce, but there wasn’t a lot she could do about the sheer difference in mass between them.

Circenn laughed and gave her a crooked smile even as he didn't move from where he crouched, poised for the attack he knew she was going to take. "I do that know, don't I," he mused, his eyes warm with affection. Roxy was probably his equal in almost everything - physicality, temper, drive. It's why it had felt so natural for them when they had turned into something more than friends. He wasn't one to date casually, and at some point in their friendship, it had started to become more without him realizing and once he had noticed it, he felt he needed to bring it up to Rox. He was lucky that conversation had been as easy as the rest of their friendship. It just made sense. The rest was history as they said.

He was ready for her rush, his muscles tensed, but he didn't expect her to knock him over entirely. She caught him by surprise, his back slapping against the mat, feeling her weight on his chest as he grinned up at her, his hands resting just above her knees where she straddled him. "Agree to disagree, then," he told her as he faked her out as if he was going to make a maneuver before relaxing under her. He tried not to let her joking words seep into his more serious mind. He was careful, but he didn't want to be boring. Circenn wasn't sure how to reconcile both of those, at least not in that moment.

Her lips on his was a surprise and he smiled against her lips, one hand coming up to cup her jaw and kiss her back but she was moving away before he had the chance to capitalize on it. No matter, he thought. He pushed his hips, using momentum to roll the two of them, this time pinning her beneath him as he grinned down at her. "Admit defeat this time, Rox," he goaded her, knowing the likelihood of that.

“Admit defeat?” Roxanna repeated him with a scoff and a smirk ready on her lips. She had never been the type to go quietly, and today surely wasn’t going to be the start of that. Roxanna was a fighter till the very end, and sometimes it barely even mattered what she was fighting. She pulled her arm out of his grip so that she could offer him her hand, mocking the first greeting and speaking playfully, “Hi, we haven’t met before, I’m Roxanna Rathbone, and I never give up,” The witch wiggled her eyebrows at him and then let out a laugh.

While she might not have been able to overpower him from how they were lying on the mat, Roxanna was far from out of options. Just because she couldn’t physically push him off her didn’t mean she couldn’t use her body in other ways. Roxy was never helpless. Moving her hips toward him, Roxanna pressed her body into his, and her smile grew. If nothing else, it’d get Circenn off his guard and offer her an opening to get out from under him. Roxanna’s hips pressed into Circenn’s as she looked up at him through full eyelashes.

“So are you saying I should stop?”

"Mhm," he said with a nod. "Say uncle," Circenn said again, mostly to rile her, knowing full well, she'd probably make him regret saying that anytime now. His body tensed as she stuck a hand out to him, not expecting her to offer her hand for a mock handshake, but he smiled wider, sitting back on his heels as he wrapped his hand around hers. "Very nice to meet you, you seem familiar somehow."

The feel of her body pressing against his made him match smile for smile. She was smaller, yes, but not any less powerful and he huffed a breath in surprise at her tactics. That look he knew all too well; it was dangerous.

He rolled them again so his back was flat on the mat as he gazed up at her, a familiar position. "No," he replied easily but then glanced around. "Well, maybe temporarily," Circenn qualified. They had the training room to themselves, but it didn't mean they were alone and Circenn was nothing if not the most private of people. Rox knew that.

"Showers then lunch?" he suggested.

While a part of Roxanna would have been satisfied kissing Circenn for a bit longer, a more adamant part of her wanted to get back to training. As much as she enjoyed the closeness, Roxanna was nothing if not motivated. They had work to do, and she wasn’t going to let other desires distract her from the upcoming finals. And she knew Circenn well enough to see this sort of public display was not something he was comfortable with.

It was a delicate line to walk, really, but Roxanna had always been able to handle complicated things. She wasn’t ashamed of their relationship, but nor did she wanted everyone and their gossiping mums to know about it. She trained here with him even though she knew she’d be recognized because he’d guaranteed their privacy. Roxanna valued what they had, and she didn’t see the need to force everyone around them to witness it, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to keep kissing him.

“Maybe a quick stop at my place in between?” She whispered, giving him that trademark smile that showed she was up to no good and pulling away slowly. Her curls had fallen out of the tie, and Roxanna rushed to push them back up into a messy bun. Coiled tendrils stuck to the back of her neck; she needed a shower. Rox began unwrapping the tape around her knuckles as she moved to her side of the ring and ducked out of it. Quickly, she gathered up her Griffins gym bag, stuffed the tape inside, and took a swig from her water bottle.

Roxanna waited for Circenn before heading for the locker rooms; her muscles were already starting to ache but in that good way that she was addicted to. The athlete would trade just about any feeling for the adrenaline and endorphins from a good workout.

/end

A stop at her place?

Circenn pressed his lips together, knowing exactly what she meant, even if he hadn't see the familiar glint in her eye, but he gave her a nod. She brought out a different side to him and he liked it, but he sometimes had a hard time finding the balance in it all. Roxy was so steady that it was easy to fall right in line with the path she was carving. It was easy with Rox.

He watched her as she moved around the ring and only when she looked back at him did he realize he hadn't moved. He grinned sheepishly at himself as he got moving, stepping out of the ring and shouldering his gym bag and slinging at arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her forehead despite his reluctance for PDA.

"Good session today, see you in a few," he said before he headed into the showers, still smiling.

/end