𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒; 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

The Office

"You swing too slow," she commented, tightening her grip on your fist. You frown as you try ripping it away, but nothing happens, and you're left standing there in front of her, how embarrassing.

"Shut up," you grunt as she lets go of your fist. You huff, stepping back a bit and shaking the pain away from your aching hand. "Stop focusing on your arms. I know that's the whole point of a punch, but focusing on your hips is the way to go," she explains, twisting her body around to show an example. Her torso twists, her hips moving in the same direction as her arm retracts slightly, then is released like a bow is released from an arrow and her arm flies straight towards your face, her fist stops just inches away from your nose as your eyes squeeze shut.

"That's how you punch," she retracts her arm again, letting it fall to her side as you open up one eye. You frown, watching her smug and triumphant expression, seeming that she was hoping to intimidate you- if that's what her goal was, it worked, though you'd never admit that.

"You're annoying, you know that?" you say as you watch Maki begin to step back, a small grin beginning to plaster itself on her face. She chuckles, watching you get into the fighting pose from earlier. She watches as you lift up your dominant arm, your torso twisting as you throw it at her, your fist barely missing her cheek as her head sways to the side, her hand coming up to catch your knuckles and gripping them tightly.

"You're making progress," she comments. "Barely, anyways."

"Shut up, Naoya never taught me how to fight," you complain as you throw another punch. She dodges, and instead of almost breaking your hand again, she keeps dodging, letting you throw as many punches as you want.

"Are you not getting bored yet?" you ask, panting as you throw yet another punch. Maki shakes her head and effortlessly dodges another one. "I like training you, it's more fun than training with Panda or Yuta," she answers, warmth spreading across your cheeks as you throw one last punch then decide to give up.

"You're impossible, you let me throw punches for as long as I want then don't ever do anything except dodge," you grumble, letting your arm fall to your side as Maki simply stands there. She lifts a brow, "Well did you think I was gonna let you punch me clean in the face?" she crosses her arms as her expression turns to incredulity. You purse your lips as you stay silent, your tongue in your cheek.

"It's the least you could do, I bet my punches won't hurt one bit," you mutter, looking down at the grass and finding a rock showing itself underneath all the little green blades. You kick it, barely sending it rolling out from the dirt and tumbling onto a new spot. Maki doesn't pay attention (only for a moment), but then she notices you're now walking past her, kicking the rock again, and she shoots her head down to the ground in an attempt to find your source of better entertainment. When her hazel eyes find the gray rock sitting on some patch of dirt, she scoffs as she watches you kick it again.

"I'm gonna assume you're getting bored," she comments, clearly disappointed in your unwillingness to train. "A rock is worth more of your time than me?"

"This rock isn't boring me half to death, so technically, yes," you didn't hesitate, though the sarcasm is still present in your voice, and you can practically hear the eye roll she gives you when you kick the rock for probably the 20th time.

"That's mean,"

"I didn't think you had any feelings for me to hurt."

"That's even worse," she grins, walking over and stomping on the rock as if she'd ever break it with just her shoe (you wouldn't be surprised if she could do something like that). You avert your eyes from the spot that's now covered with her shoe and look up at her, making eye contact with pursed lips and hooded lids. "Move your shoe."