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who: Isabelle Lightwood & Jace Wayland
what: Sparring!
when: Early-mid November (after Max's departure)
where: Training Area
warnings: Feels, but will update as needed!

Izzy should've known that all of this was just too good to be true, and yet she had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Life had been a little too normal, a little too easy around here for them. It's sort of a rule of life that things can't stay that simple, that good, for them.

So, now more than ever, Izzy needs to let a little steam out. And who better to pummel than everyon'es favorite blonde fighting-machine? After all, she knows Jace can take a hit and even after the years that they've sparred he still gives her a good workout and a good run for her money. Things with him had even been better here lately after everything. Shaking that errant thought away, though, Izzy tries dispel any thoughts that are going to distract her. The other good thing about sparring Jace is that you have to stay in the moment otherwise you will probably get your ass kicked.

And Izzy has no intention of having her ass handed to her today.

Max is gone, the family feels as if it's got some sort of...hole in it now, everyone is trying to be strong for one another, and none of it feels quite...right now. And that's including her. She's not quite sure how to deal with her feelings about Max, knowing the complicated details about her baby brother and knowing that she didn't do enough for him while he was here. It's a pretty terrible feeling. Especially considering...just like everyone else she feels the need to be strong, to take care of everyone else before herself. "Pick your poison, Jace, hand-to-hand, bo staff, or..." Izzy smirks slightly, picking up one of the two bamboo sticks that she and Jace sometimes prefer when they spar. "An old favorite of our's? What're you feeling?" It's just better, easier even, to focus on this, rolling her wrist and gesturing with the bamboo staff and waiting on the verdict, tennis shoe clad feet (shock and awe, she knows) planted and not fidgetting in the least--her mask pretty well in place to work passed it.

She's pretty sure they can both use this, which is basically the reason they're here; it'll do them some good.

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Izzy rolls her eyes at the retort, seeing that he seems to have zeroed in on the bamboo staves, picking the other up and rolling the wrist of her other hand--testing the weight. "Poor baby. Do I even want to ask why?" The question falls out easily, the inclination to focus on him, rather than herself, a little too strong to ignore. Instead of giving him a real, in-depth answer the petite shadowhunter instead puts forward her usual mask, speaking up in her confident tone. "Like kicking your ass." He didn't specify, after all, so it is an answer.

It'd be different if Jace wanted to, or even needed to talk, she'd take it much more seriously. The inquiry about her, though, she avoids it deftly focusing on the weapons in each hand and taking measured steps toward her brother, feigning that she isn't a threat, of course. She doesn't want to talk about her feelings with Max.

She ignored him enough while he was here...focusing on everything but the little brother that needed her attention...and her encouragement. All the kid wanted was to get more hands on, to be a shadowhunter like the rest of them. And they didn't get anywhere near far enough. It was the only thing he really wanted and she definitely didn't make time for him, or listen. Watching Jace toss his staff, Izzy waits all of a moment before darting forward, moving to strike, straightforward, with her left hand while already preparing the right to follow up in response to however the blonde blocks. Striking, lashing out, feels much better than getting into a discussion about her emotions right now.

Jace catches the staff in one hand while moving to block with the other, sweeping inward to force Izzy's attack to the side while spinning his body out and around in the opposite direction, out of her way. The move is meant to block and evade, but he's already planning his attack using the staff he'd feigned as a distraction.

Jace knew Izzy wouldn't fall for it, keeping her focus on him, not the staff in the air. he brings the staff around, aiming for the back of her legs. Neither of them are prepared to talk about their feelings and he's secretly hoping she does kick his ass.

Just a little.

It'd take a cold day in hell to truly catch Jace off-guard. Izzy's more than a little aware of that fact. She has known him for a long time now. So, she's not surprised by the block or the way that he re-directs the momentum of her strike. However, she was also prepared for that, her other hand coming up in front of her and moving backward to strike at Jace's back, keeping aware of the direction that he's spinning to get out to reach as he goes...figuring she won't get that lucky so early in their sparring session because he knows her moves pretty well by now. It feels good to focus, purely, on striking her opponent. If nothing else pushing her negative energy and her feelings outward into her strikes will eventually help exhaust her...and quiet the thoughts that she's got that won't go away...all about Max, obviously.

So, win-win.

Seems like they had the same idea, though. Spotting the incoming staff Izzy reacts in the only way she can at the moment, jumping in an attempt to escape the sting of the bamboo that would sweep her feet right out from under her. She just barely gets high enough in the air, the slap of the staff getting her shoe instead. And though she's a definite fan of heels, Izzy's glad she picked something a little more padded today. The contact throws off her landing, causing her to have to stumble back a little before she catches herself while angling her body back to face him. "I've fallen for that one too many times already. Nice try, but you'll have to come up with something different, Jace." She points out before moving to swipe at the other shadowhunter again with her right staff, already coming in with a follow up on the left, sweeping upward.

"Fallen being the operative word in that sentence." Jace teased despite the focus being on the staffs and blocking Izzy's strikes with practiced precision. He enjoyed the familiarity of this, the sound the staffs made, the focus, the thrill of pushing himself and Izzy to be faster, better. Until he found his opening, ducking under, spinning on one knee, and stopping the strike with the staff touching lightly against the side of her neck.

"Tag. You're it." He smirked, straightening and slowly backing away, twirling the staffs. "I know you don't want to talk about Max, but I know you Isabelle. You're blaming yourself for things out of your control."

The same way Alec blames himself and carries the guilt of things he can't control or change no matter how much he wishes he could. The same way Jace carries his own. The all keep quietly carrying the weight of everything they feel in the hopes of sparing others their burdens and pain. All of them trying to be strong for everyone else and no one is saying anything that needs to be said.

"Don't let it get to your head. A broken clock is right twice a day." Izzy replies tartly, though, there isn't any actual animosity there. Jace is sort of the ultimate warrior when it comes to shadowhunters, and Izzy's aware of that. The fact that they've trained and learned together only makes so much of a difference; the fact that she can keep up with him and go toe-to-toe even if not with every step is still a testament to how good she is too even if Izzy isn't the first fighter that people would think of as capable back home athe Institute.

The sound of the bamboo meeting in strikes and blocks is almost it's own music with the rapid rhythm being set by the two of them. Even if it isn't helping everything, the sound is familiar and comforting for her. Even if Jace ultimately manages to find his opening and his staff is touching the side of her neck. There's a certain amount of frustration that comes with Jace's cocky smirk and the fact that she left the opening there for him. Letting out a burst of air, Izzy shakes her head and rolls her shoulders. "I'll give you that one, you're not getting another opening." Izzy states, confidently, as she moves to circle her brother, readjusting her hold on both bamboo staves.

And even though there's a part of her that almost lashes out with her strike at Jace's words, she holds back, a part of her brain knowing that that might be what he'll expect. "What's the point in talking about Max? He's gone and we can't do anything about that." The words aren't practiced, but they have none of the playful edge of anything previous in their conversation. She can't really joke, or pretend to be jovial about her baby brother. Instead after a beat Izzy moves in, but instead of going straight she spins at the last second going for a backhanded strike with her right hand and readying to strike out and duck--her body on alert.

"But trust me, I'm blaming myself for things that were actually in my control, Jace." Izzy says, brows slightly furrowed. "Alce...well we both know the same can't be said for him--he'll take it all on his shoulders period." Izzy legitimately feels as if there's a difference. And, even though she addresses herself...it's only natural for her to bring Alec up and to divert the focus. "Even the things that had nothing to do with him. Speaking of....I'm guessing he hasn't talked to you either?"

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