Status: My first fanfic : ) Hope you all like it!
Fighting for Her
The Diner
The punching bag rocked maybe two inches back after Riley had punched it with all of her strength. Tommy tried to cover his mouth with his fist but couldn't fight the laughter.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She was starting to like the way he dragged out his "R's" when he spoke. He held the bag steady for her and motioned for her to try again. "Come on, and this time really punch it." Riley shook her head at Tommy who had some how coaxed her into trying to knock the punching bag around. He had thrown on a backwards cap which came down and covered his eyebrows. His gloves were off and on her own hands, cinched tightly together since they were way too big for her.
"You said you wouldn't laugh." She put her gloved hands on her hips.
"I know. I'm sorry. I wont laugh again, I promise." He kept a straight face and as soon as he took in a breath, he snorted a laugh. Riley swiftly punched him in the arm, catching him off guard and sending him to the ground.
"Oh my god! Shit! I'm so sorry!" Tommy's face was red from laughing so much, and soon Riley chimed in and couldn't stop laughing either. This was definitely not the same guy from the video, she though. He was so playful and happy. Not at all a raging fighter locked in a cage. She helped Tommy up to his feet who was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm sorry. I feel really bad." She snickered under her breath and pulled her lips in to keep from smiling.
"Yeah I bet you do." He shook his head and looked toward the door. "Come on, I'll buy you a beer."
"Its not even noon." Riley tried to take off the oversized boxing gloves but was having trouble so she held them out to him without a word, just a smile.
"Its 11:45. Close enough." Tommy gently held her wrist while he undid the first glove. "So is that a yes?"
Realizing she hadn't actually said no, Riley was surprised that she in fact, didn't want to say 'no'. Both gloves were off and Tommy was already putting on his long sleeved shirt.
"Yes."
The side of Tommy's lips curled up as he grabbed his hoodie.
-----
The diner was busy for lunch time, and Riley was surprised that they weren't the only ones drinking beer at twelve in the afternoon.
"Isn't that going to interfere with your training?" Riley nodded towards Tommy's beer bottle.
"Why do you think I'm in training?" He took a swig of his beer, keeping his eyes on her.
"Because you can probably lift a car and everyone in that gym seems to be afraid of you." She nibbled on her French fries.
"What kind of car?" He snatched a fry off her plate and smiled. Riley pursed her lips and squinted her eyes at him. He pinched his bottom lip with his fingers. "There's this tournament. Top 16 middleweights of the world. Winner takes all."
"And you're in the top 16?" She sat up slightly, thinking of the face in the video. The waitress brought over the check and smiled at the two of them.
"Well a lot of doors open when you knock the number one contender out in less than thirty seconds." Riley just stared at him. The sun was beaming through the window, lightening his blue eyes. There was a glint of silver around his neck, tiny metal beads gleaming in the sun. She reached over the table and pulled the chain out of his shirt. He froze instantly at her touch. Two silver dog tags clinked together as she let them drop from her hands.
"Army?"
Tommy was silent. His time overseas was a rough part of his life and he wasn't sure if he was ready to talk about it just yet. She kept her eyes locked on his, waiting for a response. He felt strangely open with her though, maybe just enough to get through the main points of his time in the Corps, but definitely not the detailed parts. Those he'd save for another day.
He cleared his throat. "Marines." His whole demeanor changed, she noticed. He was suddenly quiet and kept looking away. She covered his hands with her own. The tips of her fingers wrapped around the side of his hand, barely touching his palm. He held his breath, afraid that she would retract her hands if he moved. Her hands were so soft against his dry, worn ones. Their eyes met again but this time it was Riley who broke the stare.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Riley couldn't stand staring into those sad, blue eyes of his.
Tommy slid his hand from under hers to grab the check. He left the money on the table and in a low voice said, "Let's go for a walk."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She was starting to like the way he dragged out his "R's" when he spoke. He held the bag steady for her and motioned for her to try again. "Come on, and this time really punch it." Riley shook her head at Tommy who had some how coaxed her into trying to knock the punching bag around. He had thrown on a backwards cap which came down and covered his eyebrows. His gloves were off and on her own hands, cinched tightly together since they were way too big for her.
"You said you wouldn't laugh." She put her gloved hands on her hips.
"I know. I'm sorry. I wont laugh again, I promise." He kept a straight face and as soon as he took in a breath, he snorted a laugh. Riley swiftly punched him in the arm, catching him off guard and sending him to the ground.
"Oh my god! Shit! I'm so sorry!" Tommy's face was red from laughing so much, and soon Riley chimed in and couldn't stop laughing either. This was definitely not the same guy from the video, she though. He was so playful and happy. Not at all a raging fighter locked in a cage. She helped Tommy up to his feet who was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm sorry. I feel really bad." She snickered under her breath and pulled her lips in to keep from smiling.
"Yeah I bet you do." He shook his head and looked toward the door. "Come on, I'll buy you a beer."
"Its not even noon." Riley tried to take off the oversized boxing gloves but was having trouble so she held them out to him without a word, just a smile.
"Its 11:45. Close enough." Tommy gently held her wrist while he undid the first glove. "So is that a yes?"
Realizing she hadn't actually said no, Riley was surprised that she in fact, didn't want to say 'no'. Both gloves were off and Tommy was already putting on his long sleeved shirt.
"Yes."
The side of Tommy's lips curled up as he grabbed his hoodie.
-----
The diner was busy for lunch time, and Riley was surprised that they weren't the only ones drinking beer at twelve in the afternoon.
"Isn't that going to interfere with your training?" Riley nodded towards Tommy's beer bottle.
"Why do you think I'm in training?" He took a swig of his beer, keeping his eyes on her.
"Because you can probably lift a car and everyone in that gym seems to be afraid of you." She nibbled on her French fries.
"What kind of car?" He snatched a fry off her plate and smiled. Riley pursed her lips and squinted her eyes at him. He pinched his bottom lip with his fingers. "There's this tournament. Top 16 middleweights of the world. Winner takes all."
"And you're in the top 16?" She sat up slightly, thinking of the face in the video. The waitress brought over the check and smiled at the two of them.
"Well a lot of doors open when you knock the number one contender out in less than thirty seconds." Riley just stared at him. The sun was beaming through the window, lightening his blue eyes. There was a glint of silver around his neck, tiny metal beads gleaming in the sun. She reached over the table and pulled the chain out of his shirt. He froze instantly at her touch. Two silver dog tags clinked together as she let them drop from her hands.
"Army?"
Tommy was silent. His time overseas was a rough part of his life and he wasn't sure if he was ready to talk about it just yet. She kept her eyes locked on his, waiting for a response. He felt strangely open with her though, maybe just enough to get through the main points of his time in the Corps, but definitely not the detailed parts. Those he'd save for another day.
He cleared his throat. "Marines." His whole demeanor changed, she noticed. He was suddenly quiet and kept looking away. She covered his hands with her own. The tips of her fingers wrapped around the side of his hand, barely touching his palm. He held his breath, afraid that she would retract her hands if he moved. Her hands were so soft against his dry, worn ones. Their eyes met again but this time it was Riley who broke the stare.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Riley couldn't stand staring into those sad, blue eyes of his.
Tommy slid his hand from under hers to grab the check. He left the money on the table and in a low voice said, "Let's go for a walk."
♠ ♠ ♠
short but sweet :)