The gym was relatively empty when they arrived.
Seeing as it was a weekday and during work hours, it wasn't that shocking. A Markazian was pedaling away at a stationary gyrocycle while a Blargian gave a few swings at the holo-boxer sim.
Tossing his towel across the bar of an empty gyro cycle, Ratchet spent a couple minutes stretching. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, pulling his leg behind him to work his quads.
"Just because we're temporarily off of hero work doesn't mean we should just sit around all day." The Lombax explained, giving Clank a soft chuckle. "And by 'we' I mean me. Ya lucky bastard."
The small bot merely flashed him a smile, hopping up on the adjacent cycle. He swung his feet as he watched his friend warm up. It was riveting, how fluidly that fuzzy, golden body could turn and twist.
With a soft grunt, Ratchet threw his leg over the seat and rested his feet on the pedals. He started off slow, leaning back on his hands as he legs made gentle circles. After a moment or two, he started pumping, his thighs tensing up as they started to wind in a blur. Sucking in a lungful of air, he kept a steady pace, moving his hands on the bars for support.
Ratchet went on like this for almost an hour until he was panting and gasping and dripping with sweat. Flashing Clank a sheepish grin, he clambered off of the cycle and grabbed his towel, wiping down his forehead. Beads of sweat got caught in his fur, slicking it down and making it glisten. Painstakingly slow, Ratchet rubbed himself down, drying his limber torso off. The cottony fabric traced down his muscular chest and left it messy, sticking out in every direction. Looking around, he clicked his tongue, licking his lips.
"Do you require a drink?" Clank spoke up. He fished a bottle of water from the compartment in his chest and handed it to his best friend.
"Thanks, pal."
When Ratchet grabbed the bottle, their fingers brushed. It felt strange to Clank, touching the Lombax's bare hands. Without the restriction of thick gloves, he could feel the soft kiss of his yellowish fur.
Without meaning to, the perplexed bot held the bottle for a second too long. Hurriedly, he let go, mumbling apologies to himself.
Ratchet just shook his head, unaware to his friend's internal conflict.
It seemed this was going to be far more difficult than Clank had ever imagined.