no one man should have all that power

[perro]

CHARACTERS: rene ramirez y tú.
LOCATIONS: the ice castle, sucker punch, all over the city.
WARNINGS: none rn! will edit if that changes.
SUMMARY: OPEN catch-all log for rene ramirez for the month of august! come hang out with ya boi. closed starters in the comments, too. feel free to hmu at frickin / canary#4628 to plot w/ me, get a closed starter of your very own, or honestly just go on with your bad self and write something spontaneous to start us off!

THE ICE CASTLE.

( alright, so maybe this ain't exactly the type of gig rene was looking for when coming to this weird ass city, especially coming off from his swanky job as the deputy mayor's assistant in star city. it's definitely familiar, though, which is kinda nice. he thinks he might've even gotten a job back at star city's ice complex when he was a teenager if the managers there weren't so acutely aware of his history of aggressively chirping at opponents and instigating line brawls during the rink's own house league hockey games.

maybe you're a pro who left your skates at home, or someone just looking to learn the ropes at the ice castle's daily public skating session. rene's kind of a multipurpose worker here; he rocks a yellow jacket that reads "STAFF" across the back as he stands at the skate rental window, tries not to sound so dead inside as he asks: ) What size? Hockey or figure?

( he likes being a skate guard a hell of a lot more than manning the rental booth, especially dreading the horror of spraying each boot and wiping each blade clean as he puts them back at the end of his shift. the two hour public skating session allows him to let loose for a little bit, lace up his skates and skate the perimeter and generally mind his own business while making sure jackasses aren't trying to cut little kids off or icing innocent bystanders by the door when they aggressively skid to a stop, even if the temptation to really go for it and just speed around the corners with all his might is strong.

— shit, yeah, someone definitely busted ass bad over by the blue line. rene hustles over and stops with ease, a concerned eyebrow raised as he extends a hand. ) You good?

( maybe you're one of the little shits who likes to enjoy every last millisecond of your precious ice time that you paid for, and you linger on the ice even though it's 2:59:35 PM and rene's already got the big double doors at the end open, and he's climbing back up into the seat of the zamboni and cruising on out, aggressively beeping. ) Session's up, man! I ain't afraid to run you over!

SUCKER PUNCH.

( when he's not at work, rene's probably at sucker punch. honestly, the eternally tired-looking woman manning the front check-in desk once woke up enough to comment, "you again? i didn't even see you leave last night."

sucker punch is kinda what constitutes as rene's happy place here in cadelle, if he's even capable of such a thing. it's hard to feel happy when you're constantly worried about your little girl back at home, who probably thinks you don't give a damn about her, who thinks you abandoned her —

he spends hours at the punching bag instead, rapidfire punch after rapidfire punch as muttered curses in both english and spanish intermingle with his grunts until he thinks his knuckles might bleed — scratch that, until his knuckles do bleed, and it takes him a long time to notice shining red that barely stands out against the worn black leather of the bag, mostly noticing the smear of blood against his skin beneath his gloves.

it's probably an intense sight to see, but rene doesn't give a shit. nah, he just undoes the velcro of his gloves and lets them fall to the mat on the floor, sighs, almost defeated, as he lifts his hands to examine the damage, cringes as he flexes his fingers. )

AROUND THE CITY.

( perhaps you'd like to encounter rene elsewhere in the city; even though he's trying not to fall into old, bad habits, he might spend a night or two a week unwinding at the colonel's with a beer and watching some kind of sports or another from a bar stool, or maybe he'll be lucky enough to stumble in on criminALEs. the green room is definitely his style, too, if it means he can actually beat someone at something, even if it's gotta be pool. the vigilante wild dog, hockey mask on and twin pistols a-blazing, may even be spotted after night falls, when crime is afoot. get ready for his especially terrible brand of vigilantism, cadelle. )

Comments

@ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD, sucker punch. ( backdated to earlier this month )

[perro]

( rene's ready to roll at sucker punch.

he's decked out (""decked out"") in sweat pants and a loose-fitting tank top, and his black leather grappling gloves are tugged on with practiced ease, velcro tightly fastened. dios, this girl is hot, if her picture on that tinder-ish thing's anything to go by. it's a lingering thought as he stretches out his arms, rolls his neck, jumps up and down a few times to get his blood pumping.

isabelle wasted no time in inviting him to spar, didn't hesitate at all. he knows he sure talks big game, and maybe she does too, and that's alright with him. he'll go easy on her if he has to, but rene has a feeling that she actually just might make him work for the right to call her mami. the unknown's got a hell of a way of sending a jolt of excitement through him, makes him grin to himself a little as he whales on a punching bag for a moment, easing him into it.

next thing he knows, though, there she is, red lips (hell yes) and all, and it's enough to make rene stop dead in his tracks, unashamed by the way he stares at her, the way his gaze rakes over her from head to toe and back again. isabelle had teased him about being distracted, and she definitely ain't wrong, 'cause he sure is — but who the hell could blame him when she looks like that? )

enjoy the gifs, i've been obsessing.

[distractly]

( she's got ebony strands pulled up in an elastic, a few stray pieces having fallen to her temples, a slight curl at the nape of her neck or tucked behind an ear as she's en route to the familiar gym. it takes little thought, the trek from her building to sucker punch's bricked exterior with no more than gloves of her own, a water bottle, and phone in hand. she catches the reverberating echoes, the familiar sound of a curled fist hitting the firm plush of that punching bag, and a smirk plays across her lips.

never mind the fact that it's slipping to a slight pout, nearly, as the sight of her clearly sets him off his path. she allows him a moment of study, mainly because she busies herself doing the same—however it's with far different intentions. she'd considered stripping the ruby-red lipstick just because of his expectations of it, but isabelle lightwood was far from a girl to let another man steal such a staple from her. )

By all means, cari, don't stop on my account. ( there's already the slightest sheen of sweat like dew kissing her skin from the walk over, outfit consisting of a maroon sports bra and matching bottoms, mesh cuts at their sides and hugged just above the pronounced swell of her hips. )

i am, thx

[perro]

( it's the tattoos (well, what he sees as tattoos, anyways), admittedly, that cause rene's stare to linger for as long as it does. he didn't quite notice them on the screen of his phone that now seems way-too-small to do someone like isabelle justice, but now that he's seen them, he can't look away.

rene's not too good with his words when it comes to saying things out loud, but she's absolutely magnetic — the way the one tattoo, bold against her skin, stands stark on its own between curved hips and a tight sports bra. and speaking of — god damn, he ain't trying to be a super perv or anything, but jesus, the way that one just seems to perfectly placed between cleavage that would already be tantalizing enough on its own...

rene's a goddamn goner — he's screwed. he swallows hard, makes himself look at the floor for a second to get his shit together, before forcing his gaze back to her eyes, they're up there, hello. no, he can do this. he's got this.

he wipes his forehead with the back of his glove, lets out a breathy huff of laughter, hints of a smirk creeping onto the corners of his mouth. ) Didn't realize I was putting on a show. But if you're more into watching ...

[distractly]

( the double entendres were only to be expected— they hadn't messaged for long, yet however brief the exchange was that'd landed them here ( which spoke it's own tale, really ) she'd managed to figure a good majority of the way he carried himself. texts were revealing that way, and while she can't deny that he's all kinds of easy on the eyes, she's learned better than to let something as infantile as attraction distract her.

doesn't seem he can say the same, though she wouldn't take it as a crowning just yet. by the looks of him, intricate muscles within his arms flitting from just-prior contact with the bag, as if antsy to coast that adrenaline further, he trained well. whether it was professionally or merely a means to release, she found it didn't matter. a lithe shrug. )

Depends on my mood.

( that quirk to her lips blooms to a full grin, now, sauntering closer to set her phone and water bottle off on the far end of the nearest bench, curling shoulders back to situate her own gloves up snugly to her knuckles, strapping them tightly. slowly, she circles around to the opposite side of the bag, predatory smile still in place. ) I prefer to participate. ( syllables sharp, crown tipping to the side appraisingly. )

[perro]

( his smirk turns into a full-fledged grin at her response, a laugh barked. ) Good news for me, I guess. ( it's said as rene circles from his side of the bag, head tipped so he can keep catching a glance of her past tough black leather. this feels like a kind of dance, to see who dares make the first move, take the first shot. )

Wouldn't mind watching you fly solo, though, mami.

( the word is said with a certain emphasis, completely tongue-in-cheek, trying to goad her into swinging first through silly pet names and overt flirtation. at least, like this, he can focus on the physical — okay, no, he's definitely already way too focused on her physicality — he can focus on the physicality of their sparring, even if his mouth makes his tactics a little mental, too.

rene takes a step away from the bag back into the open space of the mat, spreads his arms wide with a cheeky grin, practically begging for her to come at him. ) We gonna do this little dance, or what?

[distractly]

( pink tongue runs across her teeth as that word slips all too neatly from his tongue, as if it'd only been waiting upon it's bed for the right moment to strike, far too suave and confident for her liking. she'd have to change that. of course, showing her distaste for the title would only foster his endearing ego. definitely couldn't have that. )

I'm sure you're used to letting the work be done for you, no?

( a dig for a dig—something that seemed to quickly become their preferred language. not once does her gaze shift from him as he moves, a brief flit down to the cross-step of his paces, offering himself like a taunting prize that could be so easily taken; she knows better than to underestimate, he wouldn't of compelled such a relentless bark if he didn't have some means of a bite to back it up.

already her adrenaline's kissing a teeming fire beneath her skin, grazing over to join him on the thin plush of the mat. it isn't like her to stay still, and so she doesn't, leveling him as she circles around him once more, and it's only once she's able to drift a sweet-toned murmur at his shoulder that she adds- ) Don't take it easy on me, querido. I'd hate to see you hurt.

[perro]

( her little quip earns her a laugh from rene; that's certainly an assumption that he might've gotten from a lot of ladies back in the day, and they'd probably be right if laura didn't happen to him, flip his world upside down. no use thinking about her right now though — that'll only dredge up feelings, guilt, even, that he'd rather not think about right now.

it's easier to distract himself with this song and dance of his and isabelle's, his gaze following her as she circles him slowly, maybe checking out her ass, maybe just trying to be prepared for when she strikes.

no attack comes, however, only words, murmured sugar-sweet near his ear as he feels her presence behind him. there's a small smile on his lips meant only for himself when he responds, ) I appreciate the concern, sweetheart, but you'd be better off worrying about yourself —

( which is, apparently, something he thinks he should do right now, 'cause he's too antsy for all this inaction if she's not gonna make the first move, than rene sure as hell will. lightning fast, he reaches across his own body to grab hold of her wrist, if her reflexes aren't too good, intending to yank her in front of him and use his other arm to pin her against him, keeping one of her arms firmly in his grip. )

@KARA DANVERS, sucker punch. ( wtf is time )

[perro]

← context lmao, surprise, it's game canon now.

( dogs? dogs? why in the hell would there be dogs at a place like this?

it doesn't make any sense to rene, and definitely shouldn't make sense to anyone else. it's gotta be some whack ass alien logic, and he just stares at her incredulously, eyes wide and brow still furrowed, breathing hard as he ignores the waves of pain emanating from his knuckles.

kara's explanation doesn't offer much clarification, either, save for something about the gps bringing her here. and then, as though on cue, her phone chirps out a perky "you have arrived at your destination" yet again. rene lets out a world-weary sigh, shakes his head. this place is fucking ridiculous. )

Doesn't matter. ( even if the hint of annoyance still hasn't quite managed to leave his voice. ) I was done, anyway. ( ... even if that definitely sounds like a lie. but it's not worth his energy, questioning kara and her messed up phone and this almost comically sitcom-like situation. rene undoes the velcro of his gloves, bends down with a slight groan to toss them in his gym bag on the floor and sling it over his shoulder. )

Come on. Ain't gonna find any dogs in here — it smells too bad. ( and he probably does, too, without a post-murder-the-punching-bag session, but there's no point in ditching kara when she's a familiar face. ) Phone service is probably better outside, too.

[advena]

But — ( of course it matters, she almost spits out, but he's still talking in that clipped tone of his, strength displayed with every determined gesture and motion, in the tug of his gloves and the one-two-down-up lift of his oversized gym bag over his shoulder. but that's rene ramirez to a tee, wasn't it, brushing off arguments or explanations as if they were an errant fly in the atmosphere, always too sure of his own opinions to listen to reason. she opens her mouth again to protest — though she's not quite sure what she'd protest, considering how completely lost she happened to be at the moment — but he beats her to the metaphorical punch, nudging her forward and out the door before she has the opportunity to figure out an alternative.

blinking into the bright afternoon sun, the door to the gym slamming with a satisfied thump behind them, kara peers back down at the screen of her phone. it's still convinced she's standing near the front entrance of the best friends rescue center. useless. ) Now what, then?

( because, to kara's dismay, her superhearing isn't quite what it should be here. she's already tried her old standby of flying into the clouds and focusing for the sounds of something unique to a location — the sound of barking dogs, in this instance, or the steady drip of a coffee pot mixing with the gentle buzz of a waffle maker over at the diner — only to find that she can't hear that far away. it's a little disconcerting, a little frustrating, and even more so when what should work in the interim simply doesn't. a working gps shouldn't be that much to ask for. )

I don't think my phone wants me to find any dogs today... ( a beat, and then, with the smallest hint of a smile, ) except you, I guess, Wild Dog.

[perro]

( you know, rene might actually give kara a begrudging laugh for that — it's surely her lucky day, despite her tech troubles. ) Real cute, Supergirl.

( he doesn't really have an answer to her whole "now what?" question, 'cause he has no clue. what rene does actually know, though, is that there's really not a good chance of there being dogs — a place with dogs, rather — in this part of the city, slightly sketchy in a way that rene finds comforting.

instead, he heads in the general direction of the center of the city. maybe there's a dog park? a pet store? hell if he knows.

somehow, though, rene gets an Idea. ) Well, maybe your phone don't, but mine should. ( smiling, satisfied with his own ingenuity, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and types "dogs" into the gps, and the female voice says "calculating. calculating. calculating," to which rene responds, confident as shit, ) See? I told you s—

( "you have arrived at your destination." ) God damnit.

[advena]

Mmmhm. ( as far as kara danvers was concerned, rene could take his smug, overconfident sees and shove them where the sun didn't shine.

because she was cute, thank you very much, and generally at least somewhat competent at handheld electronics — at least enough to know how to operate cadelle's version of mapquest — so whatever caused this particular error was obviously not her fault. )

What was that?

( it was becoming increasingly obvious that finding the hidden location of rescue dogs in cadelle was not a thing that was going to happen for her today. let alone volunteering with said dogs, or potentially taking one home with her. she'd be lucky if her phone even decided to figure out the actual location of the rescue before the day was over at this rate.

as they round the corner, kara lets out a quiet huff, murmuring mostly to herself: ) I told you so, he says.

[perro]

( listen, rene may not have superhearing, but he ain't deaf, supergirl. he heard that.

exasperated and annoyed himself, he drops his phone into his partially-unzipped gym bag haphazardly, 'cause whatever, what's the point of it if it's not gonna work right? kara's sudden 'tude isn't helping matters, especially when rene was trying to be nice in his ... own particular way.

his head snaps towards her as they walk aimlessly, his response equally snappy, ) Look, do you want my help finding this place or not?

[advena]

( just because she's not the picture of sunshine and daisies in her cape that billowed all on its own doesn't mean she's got an attitude. just because rene can't handle a taste of his own cranky medicine...

they pass by a park, a wide stretch of seemingly impossibly green grass and sprawling oak trees, but there's no dogs to be seen. maybe their timing is bad. it is the middle of the afternoon, after all. maybe people are keeping their dogs inside during the height of the afternoon heat, or maybe they're just at work.

she's doing her best to battle the creeping feeling of uselessness and disappointment as they cross over to the next block, when his snippy quip catches her attention. ) Well, are you helping me? Because you don't usually want to do that.

( which isn't... exactly false, really, but it's not very fair in this moment, either. a pinch to the bridge of her nose, and kara continues, a little softer. )

Which way do you think we should go? I know it's here somewhere, I saw it on a flyer, but I can't remember what the address was.

the ice castle.

[myownwoman]

[ gaby's nose crinkles up as she looks up from her position splayed on the ice, feeling the chill seep though her tights and dress, elbows cold from the way she's propped herself up. ]

Ice skating looked easier in the Olympics.

[ she hasn't had a lot of time for fun stuff in the past few years, so she's taking advantage of her time here to make up for lost time. it wasn't meant to include falling on her ass, but here they are. ]

I'm being showed up by five year olds, [ she adds, gesturing to a pair of tiny children skating around holding hands while she flounders on the ground, accent growing more pronounced with her unhappiness. ]

omg gaby u cutie

[perro]

( rene can't help the tiny grin that seems permanently etched onto his face, despite how sympathetic he tries to appear as he looks down at gaby. it's not that he doesn't feel bad, but there's just something about the way her agitation seems to grow by the millisecond that's almost kinda funny.

but he does offer gaby his hand, and a small platitude. ) If it makes you feel any better, those five year olds probably had their overbearing hockey dads lacing skates onto them before they could even walk on land.

Besides, I'm pretty sure them figure skater chicks fall on their asses more than you'd think.

[myownwoman]

[ it's a change from her un-emotive male friends, that's for sure, but gaby can't help the way her nose scrunches up as she lets him help her up. she wobbles almost immediately and her other hand flies to his forearm to help support her. ]

I was a ballerina, balance should be natural for me. [ and it's annoying that it isn't. she appreciates his comment about figure skaters, but she's fairly certain that they fall doing complicated spins and jumps and not going in a straight line on a flat surface.

whereas one of those five year olds is skating backwards now, mocking her probably. ]

[perro]

Yeah, well, a lot of things should be natural to a lot of people and they ain't. ( the little wobble that sends her grabbing for his forearm doesn't really catch him by surprise; he's used to this kind of thing. usually it's, well, clumsy kids on the ice, but honestly? maybe this is a nice change of pace.

rene's free hand goes to gaby's own forearm, his knees slightly bent to he can help steady her. ) You can't go too hard too fast with this kinda thing, you know? Sounds silly, but easiest way to figure out your balance on blades is to march in place first, then you can try marching forward before you get into the complicated stuff.

Go on, try it — I'll even let you keep holding onto me if it'll make you feel better. ( so much for rene choosing not to be one of the skating instructors 'cause he didn't want to deal with kids that aren't his own (she picked up skating so easily it almost freaked him out). at least gaby's lucky that she won't have to pay a half-hourly rate; this little lesson is being done gratis. )

[myownwoman]

[ gaby looks at him, calculative, mouth twisting to the side thoughtfully. marching on ice seems like a very easy method to look like a complete imbecile and she's already done a stellar job doing that already, all on her own. still! she wants to learn to ice skate again.

the slant of her mouth turns into a frown but she starts marching, feeling absurd, huffing out a breath. ]

My parents taught me when I was very small, but I barely remember. [ her foster parents that is, if udo teller taught her, she has no memory of it. also she was prime teachable age during world war ii in germany so, you know, not exactly the time. the upside is that skates haven't changed much from the 1960s so she at least recognized the contraptions. ]

Germany wasn't even invited to the first Olympics I can remember. [ all said to her feet instead of her companion because she's failing all her ballet and dance training all at once today. ]

[perro]

( germany — so that's where this chick is from. he's not good with the whole placing accents thing.

but hey, she's doing a pretty almost-decent job at marching in place, so that's something. rene can even manage to look impressed, offer a compliment. ) Hey, look at you, mama. You're doing better already.

( she might think she looks ridiculous, but hell, anything's gotta be better than falling on your ass so much you end up with a bruised tailbone, right? she's doing better than the clumsy couple over in the corner that keep getting their blades tangled up in one another and crashing in a not-even-cute-looking heap. ) Aight, we're gonna start moving now. Just start moving forward. I ain't gonna let you fall.

( a pretty hefty promise, but rene's sure he can deliver; he's content to glide backwards, keep his grip on her as she does so. but, as an aside, ) Germany wasn't invited? I don't remember that. Though I guess nothing ever tops that one figure skater chick knocking the other one's legs out so she'd lose.

[myownwoman]

[ gaby's eyes widen as her gaze darts up like a startled deer, but she nods a moment later, looking back down at the ice and turning her little march in place into a march forward. part of her wishes she could just hang on while he scooted her around, but she knows she'd much prefer to skate on her own.

or maybe she will decide she hates it and never come back, we just don't know. so far it's only marginally demeaning.

eventually she feels steady enough to speak again. ] I don't remember that, but I suppose I should mention the first Olympics I remember were in 1948. And I was ten.

[ so you know probably didn't live through whatever he remembers. ]

ice castle. ( just bros skating, what of it )

[unrecognizable]

( ‘ice rink’ doesn’t typically fall under the umbrella of places someone would expect to find oliver queen; yet, there he is, dangerously near closing time. rene’s the reason. someone from home; familiarity, and the only one that remembers. maybe they haven’t seen eye to eye on...a considerable amount of things. stubbornness a defining trait in both of their personalities; but he’s not just a ‘trainee’ anymore. partners.

the incessant beeping doesn’t have him turning around immediately; what would be the fun in that? instead there’s purposeful sliding in front of the zambomi; oliver isn’t the greatest at ice skating but smooth enough, keeping a steady pace. rene’s threat to run him over elicits a broad grin. of course he would say that.

slowly circling around, he scrapes the ice with the flat part of the blade, bending his knee, coming to a halt. ) You sure you don’t make exceptions? Or is that off the table now that I’m not mayor?

( except there’s no real intention on his part to continue skating; mostly, this was just an excuse to drop by and see how rene’s been doing. because texting and asking is obviously a bit too much. don’t you dare take this as him missing you, rene, because he’ll never admit it )

i'm dying RIP thx

[perro]

( jesus christ — can this guy take a hint? rene lays on the horn, lets its high-pitched beeeeeeep echo piercingly through the rink, but no goddamn dice.

the called response of said annoying-ass offender makes rene's brows knit together suddenly in confusion 'cause he knows that voice, and finally he stands up from his seat atop the zamboni so he can actually see the guy and — yeah, annoying-ass still fits the bill. oliver queen, the green arrow in the flesh, rocking a pair of rental hockey skates and looking way too amused with himself. )

Wouldn't be on the table even if you were the god damn mayor of Cuddle City herself, man.

( and, despite still standing, that doesn't mean rene isn't going to literally lean his elbow against the horn, maybe hoping to deafen his teammate instead. hell, just 'cause rene missed you, too, oliver, doesn't mean that he's not gonna run you the fuck down with a large ice resurfacing vehicle. )

@JYN ERSO, sucker punch. ( some time mid-month )

[perro]

( yeah, rene wasn't kidding when he said he'd be at sucker punch pretty much all day, considering he was the first one through the doors when the exhausted receptionist unlocks the door at 6 am. this is all par for the course for rene, though, already making himself a regular at the gym despite only being in this damn city for a few weeks now.

it's an easy routine to slip into: wake up at ass o'clock, haul himself to the gym, lose himself there for a few hours, maybe go to work, and maybe, if he's feeling particularly wild that day, heading back to the gym before its doors get locked again for the night.

he's been at it for a few hours now when he sees jyn make her way inside, which is enough of a cue for him to take a well-earned break, loose-fitting tank top, arms, forehead drenched with sweat. grabbing his water bottle and very gracefully squeezing much-needed hydration into his mouth as he flops down on a bench, he gives her a head nod of recognition, a short, ) 'Bout time.

[unanticipate]

[ This isn't the first time she's been here but it is her first time seeing him face to face. Her brows go up at the greeting but she isn't phased at all. Taking in the state of him, she shrugs, dropping her bag on a bench and tugging her jacket off. ]

You did say you'd be here all day.

[ Just wearing a t-shirt and snug track bottoms, she pulls her hair back into a ponytail and steps out of her boots. ]

Plus, you seemed busy enough.

[perro]

I was just getting warmed up for you, that's all, ( rene says with a probably stupidly cocky grin, considering he definitely doesn't know what this girl's made of.

and warm up he did — except he probably overdid it a little bit, but that won't stop him from stepping up to the plate and then some. speaking of, it's time for another swig from his water bottle as he looks up at jyn, asks, ) You gonna warm up at all, or are you one of those people that likes to just jump right into it?

[unanticipate]

[ She pulls the wrapping for her knuckles out of her bag with a grin. ]

Why would I need to warm up if I'm always ready?

[ He's met his match in the cocky department. But to her credit, if there's one thing she's confident in, it's her fighting ability. ]

what if i wasn't trash and did tags regularly

[perro]

Alright, alright, I see you, girl, ( rene says with a laugh, a cheeky grin on his face and his eyebrows raised. jyn sure knows how to talk a big game, which he respects. is pretty into, actually.

time to see if she can deliver, though. besides his navy seals training from back in the day, he's got a whole bunch of team arrow training drilled into him. he's pretty eager to see what kind of training she's got under her belt, which is why he's quick to end his little break, rise to his feet and drop his water bottle back into his bag. with a tipped head towards the boxing ring, he says with the hints of a smile, ) Let's do this, then.