Neal is undeniably relieved that the other guy hasn't moved in yet. He's not a fighter. He never has been. He hates pain. "They're here because they take their impotence so personally that they need to leave bruises to feel like men."
Neal keeps his tone jeering as he tries to stay out of reach but still between Mere and the guards. "This one, anyway."
He jerks his chin at the redhead. "I'm pretty sure you're going to need to do more than hit some people to feel like a real man. That's a high bar from where you're standing."
The kid loses it. Neal braces himself, ducks the first punch, takes the next right to the stomach. He staggers, catching the kid's arm to keep himself from going down. It also, conveniently, allows him to hurl the results of the punch directly onto the little asshole's shoes.
CW EMETOPHOBIA
Neal keeps his tone jeering as he tries to stay out of reach but still between Mere and the guards. "This one, anyway."
He jerks his chin at the redhead. "I'm pretty sure you're going to need to do more than hit some people to feel like a real man. That's a high bar from where you're standing."
The kid loses it. Neal braces himself, ducks the first punch, takes the next right to the stomach. He staggers, catching the kid's arm to keep himself from going down. It also, conveniently, allows him to hurl the results of the punch directly onto the little asshole's shoes.