[Today, her partner also happens to be putting his hair up when she turns to speak with him. He finishes pulling the bulk of it through his hairtie before glancing over at her, expression neutral as he studies her. He'd done this run himself with so many different people, he'd probably been paired up at least twice with nearly everyone in his old academy before he'd been booted out and re-assigned to Valpraiso. He was good at setting a pace, good at navigating between pushing his partner to excel and staying with their limits. It would be an excellent quality to take into the Drift, they told him--if he could get his attitude in check.

There was always an 'if', when it came to him, it seemed.]

I'm not all that worried about anybody's pride.

[there was nothing in his tone indicating he didn't take her at her word, despite her being both younger and shorter than him. he rolled his shoulder--half a shrug, half a stretch as he leaned forward over his outstretched leg to finish warming up]

You ready?