Gym, Saturday Afternoon

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

The gym was a good place for a moody teen to spend time hitting things without get in trouble for it. He exhausted himself beating the heavy bag for as long as he could. Rather than call it a day when the sweat had soaked through his shirt, John decided to see just how far he could run on a machine that could take him nowhere.

It was the only way he could think of getting himself to a place where he was too tired to think about how the whole stupid argument was his own fault.

[open gym! cranky, sweaty teen!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"You're back!" Ben said, trying not to sound ridiculously happy about it.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Glad someone's happy to see me," John muttered under his breath as he ran. "How's life in Fandom been?"

[momslilassassin]

"Uneventful," Ben said carefully, stepping closer and looking a little worried.

Empathy was terribly inconvenient sometimes.

"How was...where you were?"

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Uneventful sounds kind." John tried a little harder to be normal. "I just did training and stuff. Nothing important."

[momslilassassin]

Up went an eyebrow. "Uh huh," Ben said. "Training is always important, but training until you faceplant on the treadmill is a bad idea."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"I'm not planning on faceplanting," John said, mostly because that would hurt.

[momslilassassin]

"No one I know plans to faceplant," Ben said, "but it happens anyway. Is there a reason you're running so hard?"

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Just keeping in condition," what for, he didn't know. "Wanna race?"

[momslilassassin]

"On treadmills?" Ben blinked. "I've never done that before."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John slowed to a jog. "First time for everything."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "But you've been going for a while. It's not a fair contest."

It wasn't stopping him from getting onto the next treadmill, though.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"It wouldn't be a fair contest between us ever," John pointed out. "Doesn't mean I won't try."

[momslilassassin]

Ben quirked a smile at him. "Do or do not," he quoted. "How far are we going?"

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"What's a good challenge?" John pondered, pressing buttons to prep his machine.

[momslilassassin]

"For me or you?" Ben said. "You look pretty wiped out and I just got here."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"I've got reserves," John promised, wiping his hand through his messy hair. "But I'll ease your mind and race you to the fastest mile."

[momslilassassin]

"Sounds like a plan," Ben said, cranking the incline of his treadmill way up to make it a bit more fair. "Ready when you are."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"On three, then," John said, getting ready.

"One, two-" Oh was he not supposed to go till three?

[momslilassassin]

Ben snorted as he began to race. "Cheater."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John ran as hard as he could. "You're," he rasped, "the one with super speed!"

[momslilassassin]

"And you thought that one second was going to make a difference?" Ben replied, speeding up.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Makes me feel better," John managed, decidedly not looking at how fast Ben was moving.

[momslilassassin]

"Cheating makes you feel better?" Ben laughed. "My father has a lecture about that."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"That's Luke for ya," John replied, jealous that Ben could be laughing while he was running like his own ass was on fire and there was a swimming pool at the end of the mile.

[momslilassassin]

"Did you see him?" Ben asked, perfectly content to try to hold a conversation while pretty much sprinting the last half mile.