Alex is up for some sparring, sure. 

Jamie is up for watching some sparring. He is very up for that.

They call Sawney, who insists that Alexei should change to something more suitable for sparring training first and asks any training if any he has. But then they are clear to take the padded area in their gym.

He can change if they have something he can use? He didn't exactly pack with sparring in mind.

He has no formal training, or none he really remembers. He thinks someone might have taught him some basics when he was very little? He's mostly made do with instinct, observation, tricks various people have taught him, and anything he could work out for himself, from instructions or from trial and error. He's sure he has all sorts of bad habits, and probably isn't much of a match for someone formally trained who took it seriously, but he's better than most people. 

(He knows this, but he's going to have to keep reminding himself of it, probably. Getting angry about losing fights isn't going to help anything, but emotional reactions are not entirely under his control.)

(They can lend him some clothes.)

Aaron (and also Sawney) have similar advantages and formal training.

Aaron is also really good at making a smug in his face when he knocks Alexei down.

"Don't let him get on your nerves."

"Easier said than done," he snaps back, glaring at Aaron.

He manages to stay calm the first few times, getting up and going back at it, but after a few more he starts losing his temper. This doesn't exactly make him sloppy. He's still focused and paying attention - he gets a bit of tunnel vision, actually. It does makes him more reckless - he starts taking higher risks, getting more hits in, but also getting knocked down more. He doesn't use the same trick in the same way twice, so he's surprising, if nothing else. He's also learning - even while pissed, it only takes a few repetitions before he starts trying out moves Aaron has been using on him. 

(Jamie leans against the gym wall, watching Aaron beat up his brother with heated eyes. It's nice to be able to relax while Alex fights, for once. Gives him an excellent view as he gets more and more incensed. Jamie is of the opinion that 'pissed off' is one of Alex's best looks.)

(That smug look is pretty hot, too.)

Aaron is having fun and grinning, which does not make him look any less smug. He starts baiting Alex, trying to leave obvious openings just to see if they are exploited. Often, they are traps, sometimes they don't work.

But this is so fun. "You're a natural."

He might have taken that as a compliment if the ass didn't look so damn smug about it. 

He takes the bait at first, but after that ends badly for him a few times he starts paying closer attention, doing his best to ignore the more obvious traps. He still falls for some, but the rate drops remarkably quickly. Engaging his mind like this also helps him calm down, a bit, drawing his attention away from Aaron's taunting expression.

(Aw. But focus looks good on Alex, too. There's a whole world of good Alex looks, in Jamie's opinion.)

('Bruised' is another one of them.)

Oh, it's nice to see someone who can adapt to circumstances.

The door behind James opens. "Oh, nice, sweaty Aaron all over some poor kid half his size."

"A 'hello', it's not hard to start conversations with just a 'hello.'"

"I know, it's great, isn't it?" Jamie responds, turning to grin at the newcomers, his eyes leaving the spectacle reluctantly. "And, hello!" He adds to the second speaker, laughing a bit.

"Oh, hey, Gabe! Bringing in the colorful commentary as usual." Aaron says, dodging what Alexei might have thought was an opening. "Hey, Henry!" Apparently he doesn't think this is stop fighting.

"Sight to sore eyes." Gabe comments to no one in particular, he then blinks at James, and then looks back between him and Alexei, maybe realizing that they are twins. "Hello."

"Hello!" He says stepping forward and offering a hand to shake. "Henry Oswald, one of the distant cousins."

"Hello!" he directs at Gabe, grin growing as he recognizes that double-take. He has a lot of experience with noticing that particular double take. He takes Henry's hand, switching his gaze to him, "Jamie Starr, another of the distant cousins! The one getting beat up over there is my twin brother, Alex."

Damn it- he backpedals at the dodge to avoid a retaliating strike, stepping aside to come at Aaron from a new angle.

(Of course it isn't a reason to stop fighting, they're in the middle of something here.)

Yes! Alexei has excellent priorities.

And that was a really nice angle he chose. Aaron is forced to barely avoid the incoming strike. Of course, that's still avoiding the strike.

"Hello, you two." Sawney says coming closer. "Gabe, James also happens to be artistically inclined."

"Oh, nice." Gabe says, distracted by the sparing.

"Fuck's sake-" he doesn't try to change angles again, instead following after Aaron and attempting to catch him with a leg sweep.

"Sure is," he agrees, eyes going back to the scene in the middle of the room, "Oh, you're an artist too?" He asks belatedly, following Alex with his gaze. "What do you do?"