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z. s. luther {javert} ([info]sentinelstar) wrote in [info]bellumlogs,
@ 2010-03-08 14:00:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:cinderella, javert, red riding hood

Who: Luther, Hannah, and Boyd
What: Self-defense lessons
Where: 401
When: Um. Last Wedsneday
Warnings: Swearing, possible clinicial descriptions of certain self-defense measures?, mentioning of abuse? Editted as needed!

Luther had considere it his civic duty to volunteer after 1007's post. He was free and a small break from the computer and files he was investigating would be good to clear his mind. Besides, knowing more about the people in the building - especially one of which had been a victim of 1002 - would help in the long run. 

His apartment hadn't been decorated and he'd been fully unpacked long ago. Pushing the furniture in the living room to the walls wasn't any hassle, nor was grabbing two water bottles for the ladies. The coffee table, usually covered with case information was bare though he left his mapping of the building on the back of his front door. There was no need to move it and Luther didn't care what they thought of it - it was his work and his work was the law. If the law wasn't above the public opinion, then it wouldn't be what it was.

When the knock on the door came, Luther moved from the kitchen and pulled his sleeves down. In a polo shirt and jeans, he didn't look like this was going to be a physical lesson - but then again, he was good with illusions. He didn't bother with the peephole, simply opening the door and ushering them in.

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-08 07:32 pm UTC (link)
Hannah still wasn't sure about getting self-defense lessons from a stranger, but the fact that she had Boyd with her did make her feel a little better. Besides, knowing how to defend herself would come in handy if - if - Liam came back and decided to try round two.

Boyd had met her at her apartment and they headed to 401 together. She hesitated before knocking on the door, trying to appear completely cool and collected as she entered his apartment, glancing at Boyd in the process.

"Hi. Um-- thanks, for doing this." She didn't even know his name - that was kind of embarrassing.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-08 08:13 pm UTC (link)
Boyd looked better than she had the last time she'd seen Hannah. Her hand was still lightly bandaged, but the stitches had come out that morning (7 days), and the bruises at her neck had faded into memories with scars. She was wearing sweatpants and a white t-shirt, and her hair was piled in a ponytail on her head.

She was glad of the distraction today promised, actually. Hitting things seemed like a wonderful way to release tension, and she liked being around Hannah.

She brushed past Luther, stretching up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for having us, honey," she said with easy affection. "I'm Boyd and this is Hannah," she said motioning to the other girl, then giving her a quick squeeze of encouragement.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-08 08:24 pm UTC (link)
"It's no trouble," Luther said, moving to shut the door. He didn't flinch at the kiss, but his otherwise even expression frowned. First Ella, then this Boyd - he wasn't used to such affection, even if it was platonic. The door was pushed shut and he stepped away while pointedly, not locking it. Better to assure them.

Nodding slightly, he moved to the living room. "I'm Luther. Did we want to cover anything in particular? Possibly scenarios?" It was said mildly, but any prompt would help him learn more.

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-08 08:32 pm UTC (link)
Hannah was torn between surprise and laughter at Boyd's kiss and the man's expression, but she managed to keep a straight face. She noticed that he didn't lock the door, since she'd been keeping mental notes to start looking out for stuff like that. She was wearing sweatpants, like Boyd, but wore a long-sleeved shirt rather than a t-shirt. There were old scars that never quite healed, and the last thing she wanted was to spend time trying to explain them away.

Luther - she'd have to remember that. Following him into the living room, she paused to consider his question. "I think-- if someone takes you by surprise, and you're not expecting their attack, I'd like to know how to defend myself against that." She tried to keep her voice casual, as if she wasn't speaking from personal experience, but she knew that Boyd probably saw right through it.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-08 09:20 pm UTC (link)
The picc line in her arm was covered in wrapped gauze (she'd be getting IV antibiotics for a few weeks yet), and unlike Hannah, she didn't even bother hiding anything from Luther.

"Defending against a man, honey," she told him. "Someone you care about, so you don't wanna hurt them too permanent, but you want them to quit whatever they're doing," she said easily, sitting on the bare coffee table and crossing her legs as she looked at him expectantly. She looked her age, but her eyes were clear and determined and older. "And we both need to know what to do if we run into the wrong end of a knife."

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-08 09:43 pm UTC (link)
Luther let his hands move behind his back, clasping them. He glanced between both at their explanations, putting it together. Abusive boyfriends, then. Not what he expected or had hoped for information on. But he was still fine with helping them - this would just not be as useful as expected.

"I wouldn't have taught you anything too damaging," Luther said. "That knowledge can be dangerous - maybe at a later point, if you two feel like you need more." It wasn't guaranteed, just a simple offering that had nothing attached to it and no pressure.

"First thing - don't reach for their wrist if they have a knife to your throat. You'll either kill yourself or they'll overpower you. It only works nine times out of ten. You need a combination if at all possible - only changed slightly, depending on where they have that knife on you." He pondered for a moment before gesturing to Hannah - who seemed the quieter of the two. "There's a few things we can do, we're going to have to demonstrate. Let me know if any of this isn't relevant, alright?"

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-08 10:02 pm UTC (link)
Hannah tried to keep the dismay out of her expression, even though she really wished Boyd hadn't made it sound like they were in abusive relationships. On the surface it might look like that, but it wasn't that simple. She didn't bother arguing, though, or even trying to set things straight. It would just look like she was in denial.

Despite herself, she did listen - Liam hadn't had the knife to her throat, exactly, but it was close enough that he could have killed her if he'd wanted. Demonstrations weren't exactly appealing, but she nodded - if it could help in the future, she'd do it. "Alright."

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-08 10:14 pm UTC (link)
"Vaughn was in front of me with the knife at my chest, and she wanted me to carve myself up," she said, voice completely matter-of-fact, thanks to her regular dose of meds that morning (she'd given up on the shaking). "Then she was running after me with it." Also said with matter-of-fact calmness. "And she pinned me on the couch once and beat me, so something to get away would be good too."

Then she crossed her arms over her chest, and she waited.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-08 10:24 pm UTC (link)
Luther nodded to both. Boyd's explanation was taken as someone in his profession would - emotionlessly. The only difference was that this was unprofessional and not in the office as he should have been.

"I'm guessing we don't care as much about what happens to her?" Luther asked casually. He didn't want anyone to kill or be killed. Ella had requested it, about her sister as well. But he suspected the line on Vaughn, for others was different.

And there were the two, Ella had said would kill her.

He moved towards a small side table, grabbing the newspaper from there. He pulled a sheet, folding it a few times before rolling it up. Held up, it was a mockery of a weapon which worked for the situation. "We'll start with if you're still, then what to do if you need to run."

He gave the 'knife' to Boyd, motioning for her to stand. They probably trusted each other more than they did him and he could adjust from the sides. "You two can switch afterwards, but for now Hannah you'll get away from Boyd."

While he waited for them to get into a position that worked for them, he began to list specifics. "Start with one hand on her wrist that's holding the knife. Be ready to keep your other hand free or to twist it free from her. You're going to want to aim for her nose."

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-08 11:02 pm UTC (link)
Hannah couldn't help but stare at Boyd, the situation sounding horrifyingly familiar. Her stepmother had done things like that, right before the suicide attempt, and she admired how steadily the other girl could talk about it.

She personally didn't know Vaughn, but if she was capable of things like that then she certainly wasn't going to be the one who started defending her rights. "I don't think so," she ventured, waiting for Boyd to confirm or deny it.

It wasn't as difficult as she'd expected to imagine the newspaper was a knife as she faced Boyd, following Luther's instructions and taking hold of the wrist she was holding the newspaper in. She kept her other hand at her side somewhat awkwardly, but was prepared to use it if need be.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-09 12:02 am UTC (link)
Boyd smiled at the harmlessness of the newspaper, and she resisted the momentarily silly desire to bop Hannah over the head with it, though she wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep that in check. She held the newspaper in her uninjured hand, and she kept the wrapped arm at her side carefully, and she shot Luther a winning smile.

She watched Hannah grab for her wrist, and she waited until Hannah's fingers were closed around it before pushing the newspaper forward, toward Hannah's chest, using the momentum to surprise Hannah and advance on her at the same time.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-09 12:56 am UTC (link)
Luther moved closer, nodding slightly. "We'll go slow and remember to leave space between you two. Think stage-fighting." Moving next to Hannah, he raised his hand in front of her, thrusting with the palm of his hand. "If you move your hand like this, it'll do one of two things. It'll either hit her on her chin, knocking balance off, or you'll hit her in the nose. It might crack, it might break. Don't be afraid to thrust hard - when it's your life on the line, you have to be ready to do what you have to."

Moving around to the other side, Luther pointed to Boyd's wrist. "If you push with that at the same time or just after, she'll either drop it or it'll be at her neck. Survival instincts will have her drop it then."

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-09 04:08 am UTC (link)
Hannah didn't flinch when Boyd pushed the newspaper forward, but instinct told her to block it with her hand - which, if it had been an actual knife, would have sliced through the skin. She made sure there was enough distance between herself and Boyd before mimicking Luther's movements, lifting her own hand and thrusting forward.

She was pretty sure that, if it came down to life or death, she could break someone's nose - even if it was Liam's. Or Emery's. She still hadn't figured that part out.

"Okay. So I'd push forward--" Hannah thrust forward with her free hand again, "And then like this." She shoved the hand holding the newspaper back, careful not to use too much force.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-09 04:18 am UTC (link)
Boyd wasn't frightened of Hannah, and she let the other girl go through the motions as Luther instructed. Her hand went back when Hannah blocked it, and she smiled happily at her friend's success with the move. She gave Luther a smile that was wholly thankful, and then she hugged him softly, before stepping back. Boyd was naturally affectionate, and there was little chance of that changing overnight.

She grinned at Hannah proudly.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-09 04:26 am UTC (link)
"Good," Luther said, approvingly. The motions on Hannah's part were enough to make him feel comfortable that she could care for herself. He noted to keep an eye on things, just as Boyd gave him the hug.

Mentally, he made a note to spend some of his freetime on understanding women beyond their motives for killing spouses.

"Let's try that in reverse, before I recommend one other thing..."

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-09 05:13 am UTC (link)
She couldn't help but feel faintly proud of her success, even though it was followed by a sense of sheepishness. It was just a practice run, really, but at least she hadn't completely screwed it up. Hannah gave Luther a faint smile, a stark contrast to Boyd's hug. She was beginning to realize how affectionate her friend was, but it amused her more than anything.

She grinned at Boyd, slipping the newspaper out of her hand and curling her own hand around it. "Give it your best shot."

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-09 05:59 am UTC (link)
Boyd smiled at the image of Hannah brandishing the newspaper; it was a young, carefree thing, and it seemed perfect for Hannah. It made her smile wider, and she almost forgot why they were there for a moment. Then she centered herself, and she closed the fingers of her uninjured hand around Hannah's wrist, and she pulled, even as she swung up the butt of her injured hand toward the other girl's face. She stopped short, and she looked over at Luther with a slight bounce, her ponytail bouncing along with the rest of her.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-09 07:47 pm UTC (link)
There was something reassuring that both had wanted to learn, even if they'd gotten themselves entangled in something dangerous. People shouldn't take the law into their hands - that was what Luther dealt with after all. But they should be able to take care of themselves, be able to get away from the crime before becoming the victim he'd have to investigate.

"You both catch on quickly," Luther said, before stepping backwards, in order to have more space. "There's one other thing that's good, temporary deafness is surprisingly useful." He held up a cupped hand, then gave an arcing swoop. "They say to swing it like a whip - aim for the ears. If you get can both, even better. It'll mess with their balance as well as their hearing. Grabbing the ear can work too - people are surprisingly sensitive there."

There was a faint smirk there - after all these years it was strange how he'd accumulated this information. An alley-way in Chicago with a potential informant had given him that. "You should have enough time to run, after this one. Give each other some room and try."

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-09 09:43 pm UTC (link)
She didn't think of herself as an expert reader of people by any means, but Luther didn't strike her as the sort to give praise where it wasn't deserved. As long as she could remember all of this during the actual situation, Hannah was fairly confident in her ability to defend herself.

She liked the sound of this technique - buying time to get away was something she might need in the future, although she did wonder how he knew these sorts of things. Was he some sort of law enforcement or something? If he was, Hannah would have to make sure Boyd didn't mention any names or anything she'd told her about Emery, for that matter.

Figuring she would go first, she made sure there was a decent amount of space before cupping her hands as he had, mimicking his swoop save for the amount of force used. "Have you ever done this to someone before?" She asked, turning her head to regard him curiously.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-09 09:51 pm UTC (link)
Boyd also mimicked the move. Secretly, she thought a gun would be better than all of this, but there was Rick's cautioning words that a gun could be taken away or be used against you. At least this was something, and she really didn't think Vaughn was any sort of opponent. In her mind, if Vaughn really had the balls to want them dead, they'd be dead right now. She smiled sweetly at Luther, and she waited for his response. "He's got to be law, Hannah," she said as she waited. Because Luther clearly was. You didn't grow up in the Mafia without being able to tell a cop.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-09 10:19 pm UTC (link)
Luther frowned - not becuase of their moves and questions. It was no secret, but there was something about the way they asked. "I'm a homicide investigator," he said, moving his hands behind his back again. "Before that, I was a member of the police force."

Of course, the first wasn't true. Not exactly due to the discharge. But he still did his work, still was chasing that same case. He grimaced slightly before saying, "You learn these things on the job."

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-10 12:18 am UTC (link)
Hannah wasn't too sure about his frown, but she did manage to hide the fact that she wasn't overly thrilled about his profession. Still, he wasn't asking too many questions about their need for the lessons, which was a good sign. "Oh. I was just-- wondering, whether you knew firsthand if these techniques worked. Which... well, obviously you do."

Despite herself, she realized it was a good thing Emery had left. Hannah herself had nothing against the police - they'd been nothing but good to her when she'd dealt with them - but things were different now.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-10 02:25 am UTC (link)
Since Boyd had already assumed him to be law enforcement, what he said didn't bother her. She rubbed her hand subconsciously, and she thought about the fact that she hadn't warned Shane about him. She didn't know if that was because she didn't perceive him as a threat, or because...

Her thoughts trailed and she shook her head to clear. She gave her friend a reassuring smile, because she trusted this Luther, and she looked back at him. "We done for today's lesson?" she asked, the question implying that she expected lessons in the future.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-10 02:34 am UTC (link)
"I wouldn't recommend them otherwise," Luther said to Hannah. His frown cleared into something more neutral - content even. By doing this he had accomplished something, to help the greater good.

"I think it was a good start." He stepped away and into the kitchen, grabbing the water bottles before heading back. In a test for reflexes, he tossed them to each of them - aiming for Hannah's free hand and the hand Boyd had favored. "I reccomend practising though, without your usuals knowing."

He paused, pointedly. "You do know the most important step after an attack, don't you?" A report for someone more official to look into things was always recommending. How many people had bled to death on the streets, simply because they wouldn't go the police?

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-10 03:11 am UTC (link)
A start was good enough for her - at least, for the time being. She realized that she was better off than she had been, and at least now she could be prepared if the unexpected happened. Whether she fully trusted Luther or not was something still undecided, but being a police officer was a strike in his favor character-wise.

Hannah managed to catch the water bottle, but barely - she hadn't been paying all that much attention. "File a police report, of course - the sooner the better." Even if she hadn't done that in her own case, it was common sense.

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[info]ex_sanguine300
2010-03-10 03:18 am UTC (link)
Boyd caught her own water bottle with a look of smug pride, and she rushed forward and gave Luther a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, sugar," she said, stepping back with a grin and giving Hannah a quick hug as she walked past her to the door. "Next time, you can teach us to shoot," she said, giving Luther a wink and then leaving the apartment.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-03-10 03:24 am UTC (link)
Luther's lips curved just slightly, at Hannah's answer. "Exactly - my door is always open."

By then he wasn't surprised by Boyd's movement. He barely flinched or responded, beyond a small shaking of the head as she left.

"Shooting's a bad idea," Luther called out. He may have owned guns, but he didn't own them because he was proud to. They were a neccesity, an unfortunate one.

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[info]noglass_slipper
2010-03-10 04:14 am UTC (link)
Boyd may have been comfortable with hugging and kissing a man she'd just met, but that was a bit out of Hannah's comfort zone. Plus, she didn't miss the implication in Luther's offer - at least, she thought there was one.

"I'll remember that-- thank you for the lesson." She turned toward the door, but unlike Boyd didn't completely turn her back. "And I'll make sure she doesn't shoot anything."

Even as she left and made her way towards the stairs, she still couldn't figure out what she thought of him. One thing was for sure, though - if Liam did come back and try something, Luther could never know about it.

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