[It's certainly been a while since Thor properly trained with any of the Avengers. Two years and change. A lot has happened in between, enough so that he's out of sync with their habits and routines now. It only makes sense to pick up where he left off.
At Natasha's question Thor hums in thought, throwing aside his jacket.]
Yeah - what it's like having someone come at me from the right.
[Thor cocks his head to the side briefly, then grins.]
You did ask.
[He isn't sure how this will go. As fighting styles go, his and Natasha's couldn't be more different. But this isn't a battlefield and Thor's not using weaponry, physical or otherwise. He could stand to practice more basic hand-to-hand
After a moment he nods, and brings his fists up in a ready stance.]
[She tips her head, taking a deep breath. Should be interesting, and Natasha has never been one to back away from a challenge.
Then she moves, fast and practiced and determined, starting with a feint to Thor's right—his bad side, which she said she'd go for—before swinging around fast and low.]
[That kind of initial move was what Thor had been expecting, and he is nothing if not straightforward. It means the feint works - he's moving with intent to block a strike on the higher right, only to find Natasha's swooped behind him instead. He spins on his heels, sweeping his arm out as he does so intending to block any strike already incoming.]
[Even when she's not fighting gods, Natasha is used to fighting people bigger than her, stronger than for. Usually actual super soldiers. She takes every advantage she can get, and not being straight forward is one of her biggest strengths.
She hits his arm, nothing enough to damage them.
She goes for the back of his knee, then is side, drawing his attention further right.]
[Thor's not worried about injuries here. This is a sparring session, and more than that he knows his own durability. He can easily ignore the strike to his arm but the one to the knee is a little more of a problem.
There's a split second where his leg gives out of reflex, but no such luck with the side-blow. That one he could anticipate coming. Instead he moves into it, a quick lurch to bodily smack into Natasha while her forward momentum is still there.]
[Natasha has every confidence in Thor's durability; her own is more in question.
But she trusts him. And the idea is to test him, not to hurt him.
He checks her, and she rolls with it, falling into a three point crouch before coming around behind hi—all intention of losing herself on his blind side.]
[It's been a long time since he sparred with an Avenger, but Thor is still well practiced at keeping his own strength in check. It helps that he's been throwing Sokka around for weeks at a much higher level, and knows where to draw the line.
This time Thor steps back quickly when Natasha drops into her crouch, putting a bit more distance between them. It's damnably easy for her to disappear from his view; they both know it. All those cracks Tony made about Fury having to turn have taken on a new dimension for Thor these days. If he ever sees Fury again, he'll really have to ask him about it.
He spins right, as wide as possible so he can get Natasha within sight again. Once he does, he runs forward, aiming a fist at her shoulder.]
[She falls back, getting out of the way of his fist. For the time being, she's playing a game of evasion, testing how easily she can get out of his line of sight, how much she can get him to over-commit to extending himself.]
[Thor's quick to halt and change course again, still opting to turn entirely rather than lead with his head. It means it takes longer. It's another forward charge from him once Natasha comes into view.]
[There it goes again. He grunts out of annoyance, taking the hit and lurching back around haphazardly. He goes left this time in a bid for more distance.]
[It's not long in coming. Thor surges forward again and continues with direct attacks. Before they finish he's upped his response times, less of a gap between getting blindsided and striking back. Undoing centuries of habit is going to take more than one session though.
Finally Thor comes to a halt, and holds up his hand to stop Natasha's next move.]
[He grins back. It hadn't escaped his notice that Natasha was starting to flag, though he assumes she would have called time on it herself had she wanted to.]
You hardly need it. Maybe it's the back of my knee that needs some mercy.
[For someone as long-lived as Thor, it stands to be 'new' for him for decades. Yet if the last few years have proven anything, it's that he's more capable of adapting to strange new circumstances much faster than others might expect.
Thor's own lips quirk in response.]
Well, you kept doing the same thing.
[It made it easier to work out a counter. He knows he won't be that lucky in a real fight. Thor tips his head to the side slightly, musing.]
You know, my father was missing the same eye. I never once thought to ask him how he got used to the difference.
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At Natasha's question Thor hums in thought, throwing aside his jacket.]
Yeah - what it's like having someone come at me from the right.
[Which is now his blindside.]
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You say that like I wasn't going to focus on your right to start with. Even sparring, I'm going to need every advantage I can get.
[She doesn't actually sound that worried. Losing isn't the real danger here, because the point isn't to win.]
Ready when you are.
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You did ask.
[He isn't sure how this will go. As fighting styles go, his and Natasha's couldn't be more different. But this isn't a battlefield and Thor's not using weaponry, physical or otherwise. He could stand to practice more basic hand-to-hand
After a moment he nods, and brings his fists up in a ready stance.]
All right. Let's begin.
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Then she moves, fast and practiced and determined, starting with a feint to Thor's right—his bad side, which she said she'd go for—before swinging around fast and low.]
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She hits his arm, nothing enough to damage them.
She goes for the back of his knee, then is side, drawing his attention further right.]
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There's a split second where his leg gives out of reflex, but no such luck with the side-blow. That one he could anticipate coming. Instead he moves into it, a quick lurch to bodily smack into Natasha while her forward momentum is still there.]
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But she trusts him. And the idea is to test him, not to hurt him.
He checks her, and she rolls with it, falling into a three point crouch before coming around behind hi—all intention of losing herself on his blind side.]
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This time Thor steps back quickly when Natasha drops into her crouch, putting a bit more distance between them. It's damnably easy for her to disappear from his view; they both know it. All those cracks Tony made about Fury having to turn have taken on a new dimension for Thor these days. If he ever sees Fury again, he'll really have to ask him about it.
He spins right, as wide as possible so he can get Natasha within sight again. Once he does, he runs forward, aiming a fist at her shoulder.]
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This isn't a sustainable strategy in a real fight. Natasha would run out of steam long before Thor did. But she can be annoying for the moment.]
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She takes a moment to consider, watching him closely for signs of an offensive.]
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Finally Thor comes to a halt, and holds up his hand to stop Natasha's next move.]
All right. Break?
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She smiles a little at that.]
Taking pity on me?
[Teasing.]
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You hardly need it. Maybe it's the back of my knee that needs some mercy.
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[She knows her limits. Not much of a workout if she doesn't get up a sweat though, is it.
She stretches her shoulders experimentally.]
I'd have to climb you to get to your head.
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It was good though.
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How'd it feel? Dealing with the blind spot.
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I can handle it. [That's his immediate feeling on it. He can and will handle it. His brow does furrow though and he continues:] But it is aggravating.
[It was only a training session so he didn't let frustration get the better of him. It did start to get to him towards the end though.]
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[Natasha smiles slightly, brief. Call it reassurance?]
You were getting the hang of it there at the end.
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Thor's own lips quirk in response.]
Well, you kept doing the same thing.
[It made it easier to work out a counter. He knows he won't be that lucky in a real fight. Thor tips his head to the side slightly, musing.]
You know, my father was missing the same eye. I never once thought to ask him how he got used to the difference.
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Must be strange.
[With a shrug then.]
Maybe Fury will show up. You can ask him?
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[Ending up with the same injury like that. He does wonder if Hela did it on purpose. At the mention of the former director, Thor grins a bit.]
I could, but I wonder if he would answer.
[Not that it would stop Thor asking anyway.]
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