Manly Fighting [Closed]

[stopthat_destro]

Who: Rex and Hoffman, eventually Iago
Where: THE SHOWERS BECAUSE ALL FIGHTING HAPPENS THERE FOREVER
When: Second night of the flood
Warnings: Language (PROBABLY), mild violence and a few references to past sexual assault.

Comments

[expectremorse]

Hoffman had had a rough couple of days.

He was thinking about everything that Lupin had said, about it hurting to care. It's like moving the scar tissue around again, like learning how to eat. He had let everything that had happened with Sarah slide, but Rex's behavior had cut into everything.

That was why he couldn't care. It was a sad fact. It was better not to care because then...

Calm down, Calm down. What would Angelina do? Well, she had a right to defend herself. So did he.

He hated this flood. He couldn't think, every time he closed his eyes he saw rage. Violent burning rage. Buffy forgave him and the little bastard had ran around like it was some big deal. Thinking that he didn't care. He cared!

He had decided that he needed a nice hot shower and then bed. He wanted to be calm.

He was on meds that made him calm.

But then every time he thought about doing something for himself he saw Rex laughing. Be a man about this.

A man had a right to have his honor defended. He had a right to defend himself.

[stopthat_destro]

Rex cried out, a tight, pained noise, as his forehead collided with the tile, white spots exploding over his vision, the blow to his head disorienting him for the time being.

[expectremorse]

Triumphant, Hoffman rose up and curled his hand into a fist to pound him further into the ground, "You wanna fight dirty? I'll show you who fights dirty. Nobody kicks a man when he's down."

Breathing heavy, foaming at the mouth. Hoffman kept Rex pinned and drew his fist back to his him as hard as he could.

[inhumandog]

Iago had no idea what had happened to Rex. He had received the message, of course, but when Rex didn't show up and there was no warning, he got suspicious. Rex's room was empty, but he headed for the showers next, thinking he might have gotten held up there. As soon as he heard the sounds of a struggle, though, he broke into a run, shoving through the door and skidding to a stop just in time to see Rex's face slam into the ground.

He aimed a tackle straight for Hoffman, meant to surprise him, not harm, letting his own training take control. He couldn't think about Rex. He just had to think about getting Hoffman away from him.

[stopthat_destro]

"Fuck you!" he spat out, refusing to be anything but defiant, despite the way his head was spinning and his vision was blurring. He struggled to move, but Hoffman had his weight and strength on him, keeping him in place.

That was all he managed to get out, unfortunately. Hoffman's fist pounded into the back of his skull, hard, sending his face against the floor once again as his head felt like it exploded with pain. He was so dazed that he didn't even realize it when somebody else intervened.

[expectremorse]

Hoffman thought, briefly, that his crotch might be broken. His world was spinning. Something collided with Hoffman. Snarling, he twisted around and grabbed for anything from whoever tackled him.

"...Fuck you!"

Rolling over onto his back Hoffman kicked at his attacker.

[inhumandog]

The hand closed on his shirt and he was caught off balance, but he caught himself on the sink so that he didn't tumble completely down to the ground. The kick landed on his leg and he hissed in pain.

"You motherfucker!" He tried to rip himself away from Hoffman, attempting to squash down his own anger at what he saw. This was Rex on the ground. He was furious, but he didn't try and land another hit. "What in the hell are you doing?!" he demanded of Hoffman.

[expectremorse]

Hoffman didn't hear him. A thin trail of blood was running down his forehead-Rex had gotten scalp. His shoulder hurt and a light colored bruise was beginning to form on his cheek. Hoffman lunged for Rex with his hands out-more then ready to kill.

"I'm going to rip off that little bastard's head and shit down his neck! get away from me! I'm not a goddamn rapist! stop!"

He made to shove Iago away but pain-in what he was sure was everywhere-made it difficult to fight against Iago.

[inhumandog]

"You twisted little fucker," he hissed sharply. When Hoffman moved to shove him, he took his opportunity to reach out to grab him and then punch. He hadn't really meant to get in on this fight, but he wasn't going to let him hurt Rex. At least no more than he already had. He had no idea what they were talking about and he really didn't care.

[batmanschmatman]

It was always the showers. And it was always Hoffman. Just another day on the Barge.

Dick heard the yelling and ran into the showers, assessing the situation quickly. Rex was on the ground, stunned or injured (or both), Iago was defending him and Hoffman was the aggressor. Probably. He'd broken up enough fights to instinctively know what had probably happened.

"Hey!"

He threw himself in between Hoffman and Iago, less concerned about the other inmate in favor of the other former cop, although ready to stop Iago from moving forward again if he wanted to try lunging at Hoffman again.

"What the hell is going on?" Again, more directed at Hoffman.

[stopthat_destro]

As Iago and Hoffman were fighting, Rex was slowly regaining his senses. He curled into a fetal position, hands rubbing his forehead, then touching the back of his head. Blinking, he struggled to sit up, but the movement just made him even more acutely aware of the throbbing pain in his skull. He saw Dick first, watching through unfocused eyes as the warden rushed in, following his movement until Dick stopped at Hoffman and... Iago?

He got to his feet, a wave of dizziness slamming into him, making him wobbly. Still, he staggered to Iago's side, holding onto him for stability. "He-- Iago was helping."

That was true. And now came the victim act. He fixed his eyes on Dick, his expression a mixture of wide-eyed fear and hurt... which wasn't hard to fake, given the pain radiating through his head. "Hoffman came in here and cornered me."

[expectremorse]

Hoffman's eyes went wide, "You bastard! I didn't do shit! I went in here talking to you!"

He couldn't fight the pain in his balls any longer, vision swimming, he tried to stagger toward Rex again and slumped to his knees.

"I didn't do-- shit! Tell him to turn the room off everything's spinning..."

[batmanschmatman]

The vigilante instinctively moved to block Hoffman's feeble attempt at getting closer to Rex, standing in front of him to make sure he didn't try anything else.

Dick wasn't entirely sure how truthful Rex was being about what had happened - it wasn't like he was above lying and manipulating people - but considering he was hurt and he wasn't sure if Hoffman would try anything if Dick started asking more questions and trying to figure out what had actually happened, he figured the priority right now was just breaking this up.

"You guys get to the infirmary, I'll deal with Hoffman."

[stopthat_destro]

Rex stared at Hoffman, then his eyes slowly shifted to Dick, vision still somewhat unfocused. He could argue with Hoffman, make a remark about how he was so afraid that the big, scary killer was going to go after him... But the infirmary seemed more important. Besides, he didn't know how convincingly he could act right now, given all the pain in his head. He tugged on Iago's arm, and the two left to get him patched up.

[expectremorse]

Hoffman's heart had stopped. Deal with him? He had been ready to attack him but he'd restrained himself.

The boy had struck first. That kid.

Hoffman closed his eyes tightly. First Sarah and trying to sort out that mess, then Buffy and now this. And Dick wouldn't believe him. Lupin might not believe him.

The thought of upsetting his warden after all that, after he had been nice, made Hoffman's stomach churn. Blood trickled down his forehead and he glared at nothing and everything.

[batmanschmatman]

Dick watched the other two leave, making sure they were both walking okay and distantly observing and cataloging their injuries before turning back to Hoffman, looking less angry and more disappointed.

"What happened?"