Red Star

[Zixin Kao]

It was customary for the smaller combatant to dictate the intensity of a spar. As Zixin nodded, lips twisting into a smirk of appreciation, he figured he had at least twenty pounds on Li. The other man was half a foot shorter too. Oh, Zixin was aware that Li could do some damage if he wanted, but there were rules to this sort of thing that Zixin was civil enough to observe. Red Star was a classy place after all. Exactly why he stripped out of his shirt and chucked it to the wall, displaying the goods for the delicate flower with a few pec pops and wink for good measure.

When he stepped up, he was ready, feet bouncing, arms up and eyes focused. Li moved like a striking snake; the first one connected Zixin on the ribs. It didn’t hurt, which told Zixin they were going to start light and technical. Zixin returned as good as he got, and let the smaller guy decide their pace for the first few minutes.

For all the peacocking before the round started, he was intensely focused on the spar now. Zixin was technical and controlled. He could throw strikes fast and precise, but pull it just the last second so to not hurt Li. To his credit, the master actor was just as controlled.

A few more minutes passed and both their blood was pumping hot and heavy. Zixin felt amazing, and it might have been a shitty thing to do, but he did it anyway. He stretched out one of those powerful legs and connected with Li’s chest hard enough to push the guy back a few steps. Then Zixin hurried in close and swept the guy’s feet out from under him.

He stifled a smirk and paused. “Oh man, sorry about that. You alright?” he asked from above.