Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. This story is not for profit -- please don't sue.
A/N: I decided last year that I have a donut problem, and while I was strolling sedately along on my treadmill in order to counteract said problem, this is what I started to imagine.
Feel the Burn
by Bryony
Wufei walked out of the changing rooms feeling pumped and ready to go. His experienced eye roved over the Preventer gym, trying to decide what to tackle first, and landed on his partner Sally Po, who was stretching over by the treadmills. Unbeknownst to Wufei, a competitive smirk spread across his face as he strolled over to take the treadmill next to Sally's.
"Po," he greeted coolly, dropping his waterbottle in the cupholder and beginning to do a few quick stretches.
"Chang," she mimicked. "Nice shorts. Did your grandma pick them out for you?"
He turned to glare, a retort hot on his tongue, but Sally had slipped a pair of headphones into her ears and was about to power up her machine, apparently oblivious to Wufei's ire. So Wufei bit back his comment and instead glowered at his partner's back while he hurried to catch up with her. He quickly sprang onto his treadmill and got the belt moving so he was heading nowhere at a brisk jog.
For a few minutes nothing happened.
Wufei and Sally stared straight ahead, their eyes glazed and somewhat bored, their breathing even, their sports drinks untouched.
Then Sally gained a little spring in her step as, apparently, a song she particularly enjoyed started playing. She began humming along with her music, much louder than Wufei thought she intended to with the headphones distorting her hearing. She was, unfortunately, a woman incapable of carrying a tune, and the off-key excuse for a song grated on Wufei's nerves like nails on a chalkboard. He shot her a prolonged dirty look, which it took Sally several minutes to notice. When she finally did, she peered in his direction, an expression of such beguiling innocence on her face that it couldn't possibly be real.
"Stop singing!" He purposely shouted these words so she could hear him over her music, but she just smiled blankly and cocked her head, as if she didn't know what he was saying. Which was bullshit. Wufei knew she could read lips just as well as he could.
Then she reached over and notched her speed up a bit.
Wufei immediately knew this seemingly innocuous gesture for what it was: an act of open warfare. He let out a low growl and slowly, with determination, increased his pace, first to match hers, then to surpass it. The next time she looked over at him, he met her eye with a defiant smirk, smiling with satisfaction when Sally's eyes narrowed to determined slits. She abruptly turned her head back to face forward, but Wufei could see that she continued to glare at the wall. Bring it on, Po, he said to himself, noting from the corner of his eye that she had brought her speed up to match his but no higher. This was going to be easy -- Wufei could run like this for hours.
So, just to show he could, Wufei bumped up his speed again, but politely kept his smile to himself when Sally turned her face in his direction in open-mouthed indignation. Then, before she had the chance to match him, he bumped it up some more. Keeping his observation discreet now that he had a credible lead, Wufei watched as his partner picked up her music player and angrily spun the volume dial before inching up her speed on the treadmill. That was Sally's weakness -- she relied on her music for energy, whereas Wufei relied solely on himself. But it wouldn't pay to be smug -- he had to keep his eye on the prize, and he was beginning to sweat now.
Instead of a prize, his eye was now drawn inexorably toward his water bottle. A quick glance at Sally revealed that she was running with long, even strides -- and doing an admirable job of keeping up with him, Wufei had to grudgingly admit. And she had stopped singing. But she had yet to touch her water. Just a few more minutes, Wufei told himself sternly, but when that time had gone by Sally had not yet caved and his gaze slipped longingly over to his drink again.
Oh what the hell -- she had stopped singing, and he wasn't dumb enough to sacrifice his health over a little competition. Without breaking stride, Wufei popped the cap on his water bottle and drank deeply. Over on his right, Sally did the same, with just a few seconds' lag to let him know who had cracked first.
Hah. Let her try to rub it in -- Wufei knew they were still even.
Or at least they were until Sally increased her speed again.
Growling deep in the back of his throat Wufei did the same. They were sprinting now, running all out. Not even he would be able to keep this pace up for long -- so he'd have to make it count. Gritting his teeth and squinting at the wall, Wufei let loose all the energy he'd been storing up in front of his computer all day.
Until he heard Sally let out a savage curse.
Without even thinking, his body reacting as if on a mission in accordance with the adrenaline rushing through his veins, Wufei whipped the emergency cord out of the system and vaulted over the handrail, ready to protect his partner from any danger. His brain caught up only milliseconds later -- reminding him that he was in a Preventer gymnasium where the only danger was contracting athlete's foot, and ready to blame his red face on exertion rather than embarrassment -- but the damage had already been done. He'd gotten off the machine first.
Damn!
Scowling angrily at the sneaky cheater he called a partner, who had herself slowed down to a walk, but was maintaining a deceptively forlorn expression, he demanded (somewhat sulkily), "What's wrong?"
Sally popped her headphones out of her ears and mournfully held up her music player. "I ran out of power." There was just a hint of gloating behind her doleful tone. Wufei silently seethed at her treachery. Oh yes, she would pay for this in spades. Catching his expression Sally smirked and leaned in playfully close. "Gosh, Wufei, you're looking awfully hot. How about a swim?"
Wufei met the challenge with a smile of his own: Payback would be sweet.
-end-