There's a ripple of obviously incredulous laughter at Steve's bravado, and truth be told even Barnes feels a little skeptical of it. Whether he's cocky or actually that good remains to be seen, but the truth of the matter is he doesn't want to see it. Doesn't want to drag Steve into a mess he can't get out of, doesn't want the guilt that'll come along with being personally responsible for any injuries or black spots on his record.
But he... also doesn't want to get the shit kicked out of him, so maybe he's a little grateful for the backup. Even so, he murmurs a quiet warning, "Steve..."
"One last opportunity, James," Alex says diplomatically, ignoring Steve for the moment in favor of his actual objective. "Save yourself and your new little friend the trouble and just give me what you owe me."
"Think I'll just take the beating, actually," Barnes says tonelessly.
Alex sighs. The boys look at him for direction, and after a hesitant beat he gives them a little go ahead wave. And then shit hits the fan. There's no dancing around it, there's no one at a time like kung-fu movies, there's just two guys lurching forward to grab him at once by the arms, a third swooping in to snatch up a kicking leg only to take a heel to the face from Barnes for his troubles. A fourth is quick to step in and grab it mid-air, supported by three limbs and writhing between them.
A floundering backward thrust gets him cracking Left Arm Guy's nose with the back his skull, a gross crunch that starts bleeding almost immediately and earns him a sudden drop to the ground for his troubles. Krav Maga, bitch.
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But he... also doesn't want to get the shit kicked out of him, so maybe he's a little grateful for the backup. Even so, he murmurs a quiet warning, "Steve..."
"One last opportunity, James," Alex says diplomatically, ignoring Steve for the moment in favor of his actual objective. "Save yourself and your new little friend the trouble and just give me what you owe me."
"Think I'll just take the beating, actually," Barnes says tonelessly.
Alex sighs. The boys look at him for direction, and after a hesitant beat he gives them a little go ahead wave. And then shit hits the fan. There's no dancing around it, there's no one at a time like kung-fu movies, there's just two guys lurching forward to grab him at once by the arms, a third swooping in to snatch up a kicking leg only to take a heel to the face from Barnes for his troubles. A fourth is quick to step in and grab it mid-air, supported by three limbs and writhing between them.
A floundering backward thrust gets him cracking Left Arm Guy's nose with the back his skull, a gross crunch that starts bleeding almost immediately and earns him a sudden drop to the ground for his troubles. Krav Maga, bitch.