Title: Exercising an Option
Author: Gina Lin Melton Genre: Romance, Action Pairings: 5+S, 3+4, 2+1, 13+6 Warnings: AU, Lemony, eventually. Rating: R Archived:
AN: Disclaimer-I don't own the Gundam Wing characters. I merely dream about them occasionally. This fic is based on a plot bunny from Misty Yuy, so I'm dedicating it to her.)
Chapter 1
"So, I'm supposed to be impressed?" asked Sally, flipping back her long honey-colored braids.
"I assume so," Trieze smirked, casually leaning upon his desk.
"I hate prima donnas," she groaned, shaking her head. "Well, when he wants San Pellegrino water with one perfect slice of lemon, I'll stick his damn head in the toilet."
Trieze chuckled. "Oh, his representatives assured me he doesn't expect special treatment. He wants to be treated like everyone else. He's coming here to recuperate from an accident, and they want it all very low key."
"Yeah right," Sally said, wiping the sweat of the last training session off of her neck.
"We'll see how long that lasts. You know Hollywood types."
"We've had celebrities here before," said Treize. "Don't worry about it. If you don't want to deal with him, I'll assign Zechs to him."
"Are you saying that I can't handle some Jet Li wanna-be stunt man with a chip on his shoulder?"
"Sally, let's just say that sometimes your social skills are less than smooth."
"You mean I tell it like it is," retorted Sally.
"Besides, you're my best personal trainer, and you're a licensed physical therapist." Trieze never begged, but this was as close as he got.
"Okay, I'll do it," sighed Sally. "But, I want a bonus."
"Done," said Trieze, "Don't ever say I don't know how to win an argument," he purred at her.
"Oh, go screw yourself," said Sally, laughing at him.
"Are you implying that I can't get laid?" asked the owner of the spa with an elegantly arched brow.
"Not by me," said Sally. "I never mix business with pleasure."
"You're not my type," said Trieze, "You lack certain, um, attributes I find desirable."
"Like a dick?" teased Sally.
"Do you have to be so crude?" Trieze sighed.
"Probably," said Sally. "I find it helps to keep you off guard a little."
"I'll remember that," he said to her.
"I've got another session in 45 minutes, so I'm hitting the shower."
"Wear something nice tomorrow," suggested Trieze.
"This is nice," protested Sally. "I'm not going to run out and buy a new exercise outfit just to impress some jerk, okay?"
"But, it's olive green," Trieze said, shuddering.
"I like green," said Sally defiantly. "I look good in green. It was good enough in the army, I'm used to it."
"Very well, I give up," the redhaired man said. "Some people just have no fashion sense."
"Some people have too much," said Sally. "You're cutting into my shower time."
"Go then, we wouldn't want you to offend the clients."
Sally walked toward the women's showers, rubbing her sweaty hair with the towel.
"I should have listened to my mother and become a librarian," she muttered to herself as she started to pull off her sweaty workout clothes inside the locker room.
But, working for Trieze at the Green Mountain Spa here in Montana wasn't so bad, she thought. It was beautiful here near the hot springs, and Sally had always enjoyed the mountains.
After her hitch in the army as a medic, she hadn't had that many options for employment anyway. She'd worked in a big city hospital a few months, and the pace of large Houston hospital and the city had made her insane. The ad for a physical therapist at the remote spa had caught her eye in a body building magazine. Somewhere she could apply her medical training and try out a slower paced, more laid back lifestyle.
The Green Mountain Spa was luxuriously appointed, and was a favorite getaway for wealthy types who enjoyed believing they were "roughing it" in the great outdoors. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It was a place to be pampered, if that's what you wanted. People came to be massaged, exercised and herbal wrapped into oblivion, if they could afford it.
Sally tended to work with injured professional athletes, because of her abilities as a physical therapist. Rehabilitating them had become her specialty, and wealthy pros lined up for her services.
"A stunt man," she thought. "This will be a first for me."
Not just any stunt man, but Sally had been told this guy was the best. Martial arts movies were hot right now, and Chang Wufei was a stunt man and instructor to the Hollywood elite.
"Bruce Lee wannabe," thought Sally, smirking as she changed into clean workout clothes.
"Hey, I hear you scored the VIP in tomorrow," said Lucrezia Noin, opening her locker and taking out a towel.
"Yeah, lucky me," said Sally. "Somebody up there hates me."
Noin laughed her husky laugh. "I'll take him off your hands if you don't want him, I hear he's hot and hetero."
"I'd love to, but I was requested," said Sally. "My damned reputation proceeds me, apparently."
"Ah, too bad," said Noin, facetiously. "What's wrong with you girl? Most women would be offering their right arm to spend a week with some celebrity."
"Apparently, I'm not most women," said Sally dryly.
"Besides, I'm here to work, not improve my social life."
"You have a social life?" teased Noin.
"Occasionally," said Sally. "Being a single mother doesn't give me lots of time to cat around like some people." She cut her eyes knowingly at Noin, who laughed again.
"Yeah, I guess you have more to think about than just having a good time," said Noin. "How is the kid, anyway?"
"He's great," said Sally. "Misses his dad, but I can't help that."
"No, although you certainly don't have some of the issues my divorced friends deal with," said Noin.
"Being a widow at 28 is not what I imagined my life would be," said Sally.
"Car accident, wasn't it?" asked Noin.
"Yes," said Sally. "Drunk driver. The usual sad story." She finished re- braiding her hair in silence.
"Sorry, hon," said Noin, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"It's the good memories that are the worst," said Sally, smiling faintly to put her friend at ease.
"I've got to get going," said Sally, finishing her hair quickly.
"Say hi to Matt for me," said Noin.
"I will, it makes him feel grown up when I tell him hello from you," said Sally.
"He's a cute kid."
"He has a crush on you."
"Oh, if only he were 20 years older," sighed Noin.
"If he were, I'd sic him on you," said Sally, as she left out the locker room door and went to find some lunch at the spa's kitchen.
"What's good, Hilde?" she asked the kitchen's chef.
"Chicken breasts with Soo Moy Jung sauce," said Hilde.
"Sounds good," said Sally.
"Make me one too, babe," said a familiar voice behind her.
"Duo, I thought you were working through lunch," said Hilde.
"I got a cancellation, sis," said Duo. "Couple scheduled a massage and then decided to go horseback riding first." He shrugged.
"So, you're going to be working with the famous stuntman Chang," said Duo.
"He's just another guest, Duo," said Sally, taking her plate and sitting down in the employee lunch area.
"I've seen all his movies," said Duo, between large bites of rice and chicken. "Of course, it's some actor taking the credit for his moves, but still very cool."
"I'll suggest daily massage as part of his therapy so you can drool on him," said Sally.
"He's not into guys," said Duo with mock sadness. "But I guess I can drool discreetly in a non-sexual manner."
"There's nothing discreet about you," said Hilde, coming over with her own plate.
"I guess not," said Duo, reaching over and trying to steal a slice of pineapple from Hilde's plate. She smacked his hand.
"No manners either," she said. They ate for a while in companionable silence.
"Well, I came, I inhaled, I belched, so I'm on my way to rub someone else the right way." He snickered.
"See you later," said Sally. "I was serious about the massage thing."
"I wonder if he'd look disdainfully at me if I asked for an autograph?" asked Duo.
"I'll soften him up for you," said Sally. "Although I do not comprehend this sort of idolatry at all."
"You're a true friend," said Duo. "I'll give you free massages for life if you get an autograph for me."
"I get those anyway."
"Oh, right," said Duo. "I'll give you something of Hilde's then. Her firstborn, or something."
"Duo!" said Hilde, throwing a piece of fruit at him. He caught it and popped it into his mouth. "Thanks, sis, must go." He left at a jog, his long braided hair slapping against his blue jeans.
"Your brother is a nut, you know that," said Sally to Hilde.
"Yeah, I know," said Hilde. "He grows on you, though." She grinned at Sally. "Thanks for pulling a few strings with Trieze and getting him this job, he's a lot happier now."
"Hell, when you told me about that creep he was living with in California, I had to do something to help you get him a job somewhere else."
"Drunken asshole," said Hilde, her features tightening with anger. "He deserves someone better than that."
"Hey, don't we all," said Sally, finishing her plate. "I gotta run too, Hilde. You and Duo come over this weekend, Matt would love to see you both."
"We'll do that," said Hilde, smiling.
"Looking forward to tomorrow?" asked Hilde.
Sally rolled her eyes. "Not really," she said. "I'm really not wild about celebrity clients, they can be a total pain in the ass, Hilde, you know that."
"Well, if anyone can handle him, you can," said Hilde. "Being a former lieutenant in the army ought to be good for something."
"Yeah, too bad I can't throw people in the stockade anymore," said Sally, grinning evilly.
"You look much too cheerful when you say that," said Hilde, laughing.
Author: Gina Lin Melton Genre: Romance, Action Pairings: 5+S, 3+4, 2+1, 13+6 Warnings: AU, Lemony, eventually. Rating: R Archived:
AN: Disclaimer-I don't own the Gundam Wing characters. I merely dream about them occasionally. This fic is based on a plot bunny from Misty Yuy, so I'm dedicating it to her.)
Chapter 1
"So, I'm supposed to be impressed?" asked Sally, flipping back her long honey-colored braids.
"I assume so," Trieze smirked, casually leaning upon his desk.
"I hate prima donnas," she groaned, shaking her head. "Well, when he wants San Pellegrino water with one perfect slice of lemon, I'll stick his damn head in the toilet."
Trieze chuckled. "Oh, his representatives assured me he doesn't expect special treatment. He wants to be treated like everyone else. He's coming here to recuperate from an accident, and they want it all very low key."
"Yeah right," Sally said, wiping the sweat of the last training session off of her neck.
"We'll see how long that lasts. You know Hollywood types."
"We've had celebrities here before," said Treize. "Don't worry about it. If you don't want to deal with him, I'll assign Zechs to him."
"Are you saying that I can't handle some Jet Li wanna-be stunt man with a chip on his shoulder?"
"Sally, let's just say that sometimes your social skills are less than smooth."
"You mean I tell it like it is," retorted Sally.
"Besides, you're my best personal trainer, and you're a licensed physical therapist." Trieze never begged, but this was as close as he got.
"Okay, I'll do it," sighed Sally. "But, I want a bonus."
"Done," said Trieze, "Don't ever say I don't know how to win an argument," he purred at her.
"Oh, go screw yourself," said Sally, laughing at him.
"Are you implying that I can't get laid?" asked the owner of the spa with an elegantly arched brow.
"Not by me," said Sally. "I never mix business with pleasure."
"You're not my type," said Trieze, "You lack certain, um, attributes I find desirable."
"Like a dick?" teased Sally.
"Do you have to be so crude?" Trieze sighed.
"Probably," said Sally. "I find it helps to keep you off guard a little."
"I'll remember that," he said to her.
"I've got another session in 45 minutes, so I'm hitting the shower."
"Wear something nice tomorrow," suggested Trieze.
"This is nice," protested Sally. "I'm not going to run out and buy a new exercise outfit just to impress some jerk, okay?"
"But, it's olive green," Trieze said, shuddering.
"I like green," said Sally defiantly. "I look good in green. It was good enough in the army, I'm used to it."
"Very well, I give up," the redhaired man said. "Some people just have no fashion sense."
"Some people have too much," said Sally. "You're cutting into my shower time."
"Go then, we wouldn't want you to offend the clients."
Sally walked toward the women's showers, rubbing her sweaty hair with the towel.
"I should have listened to my mother and become a librarian," she muttered to herself as she started to pull off her sweaty workout clothes inside the locker room.
But, working for Trieze at the Green Mountain Spa here in Montana wasn't so bad, she thought. It was beautiful here near the hot springs, and Sally had always enjoyed the mountains.
After her hitch in the army as a medic, she hadn't had that many options for employment anyway. She'd worked in a big city hospital a few months, and the pace of large Houston hospital and the city had made her insane. The ad for a physical therapist at the remote spa had caught her eye in a body building magazine. Somewhere she could apply her medical training and try out a slower paced, more laid back lifestyle.
The Green Mountain Spa was luxuriously appointed, and was a favorite getaway for wealthy types who enjoyed believing they were "roughing it" in the great outdoors. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It was a place to be pampered, if that's what you wanted. People came to be massaged, exercised and herbal wrapped into oblivion, if they could afford it.
Sally tended to work with injured professional athletes, because of her abilities as a physical therapist. Rehabilitating them had become her specialty, and wealthy pros lined up for her services.
"A stunt man," she thought. "This will be a first for me."
Not just any stunt man, but Sally had been told this guy was the best. Martial arts movies were hot right now, and Chang Wufei was a stunt man and instructor to the Hollywood elite.
"Bruce Lee wannabe," thought Sally, smirking as she changed into clean workout clothes.
"Hey, I hear you scored the VIP in tomorrow," said Lucrezia Noin, opening her locker and taking out a towel.
"Yeah, lucky me," said Sally. "Somebody up there hates me."
Noin laughed her husky laugh. "I'll take him off your hands if you don't want him, I hear he's hot and hetero."
"I'd love to, but I was requested," said Sally. "My damned reputation proceeds me, apparently."
"Ah, too bad," said Noin, facetiously. "What's wrong with you girl? Most women would be offering their right arm to spend a week with some celebrity."
"Apparently, I'm not most women," said Sally dryly.
"Besides, I'm here to work, not improve my social life."
"You have a social life?" teased Noin.
"Occasionally," said Sally. "Being a single mother doesn't give me lots of time to cat around like some people." She cut her eyes knowingly at Noin, who laughed again.
"Yeah, I guess you have more to think about than just having a good time," said Noin. "How is the kid, anyway?"
"He's great," said Sally. "Misses his dad, but I can't help that."
"No, although you certainly don't have some of the issues my divorced friends deal with," said Noin.
"Being a widow at 28 is not what I imagined my life would be," said Sally.
"Car accident, wasn't it?" asked Noin.
"Yes," said Sally. "Drunk driver. The usual sad story." She finished re- braiding her hair in silence.
"Sorry, hon," said Noin, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"It's the good memories that are the worst," said Sally, smiling faintly to put her friend at ease.
"I've got to get going," said Sally, finishing her hair quickly.
"Say hi to Matt for me," said Noin.
"I will, it makes him feel grown up when I tell him hello from you," said Sally.
"He's a cute kid."
"He has a crush on you."
"Oh, if only he were 20 years older," sighed Noin.
"If he were, I'd sic him on you," said Sally, as she left out the locker room door and went to find some lunch at the spa's kitchen.
"What's good, Hilde?" she asked the kitchen's chef.
"Chicken breasts with Soo Moy Jung sauce," said Hilde.
"Sounds good," said Sally.
"Make me one too, babe," said a familiar voice behind her.
"Duo, I thought you were working through lunch," said Hilde.
"I got a cancellation, sis," said Duo. "Couple scheduled a massage and then decided to go horseback riding first." He shrugged.
"So, you're going to be working with the famous stuntman Chang," said Duo.
"He's just another guest, Duo," said Sally, taking her plate and sitting down in the employee lunch area.
"I've seen all his movies," said Duo, between large bites of rice and chicken. "Of course, it's some actor taking the credit for his moves, but still very cool."
"I'll suggest daily massage as part of his therapy so you can drool on him," said Sally.
"He's not into guys," said Duo with mock sadness. "But I guess I can drool discreetly in a non-sexual manner."
"There's nothing discreet about you," said Hilde, coming over with her own plate.
"I guess not," said Duo, reaching over and trying to steal a slice of pineapple from Hilde's plate. She smacked his hand.
"No manners either," she said. They ate for a while in companionable silence.
"Well, I came, I inhaled, I belched, so I'm on my way to rub someone else the right way." He snickered.
"See you later," said Sally. "I was serious about the massage thing."
"I wonder if he'd look disdainfully at me if I asked for an autograph?" asked Duo.
"I'll soften him up for you," said Sally. "Although I do not comprehend this sort of idolatry at all."
"You're a true friend," said Duo. "I'll give you free massages for life if you get an autograph for me."
"I get those anyway."
"Oh, right," said Duo. "I'll give you something of Hilde's then. Her firstborn, or something."
"Duo!" said Hilde, throwing a piece of fruit at him. He caught it and popped it into his mouth. "Thanks, sis, must go." He left at a jog, his long braided hair slapping against his blue jeans.
"Your brother is a nut, you know that," said Sally to Hilde.
"Yeah, I know," said Hilde. "He grows on you, though." She grinned at Sally. "Thanks for pulling a few strings with Trieze and getting him this job, he's a lot happier now."
"Hell, when you told me about that creep he was living with in California, I had to do something to help you get him a job somewhere else."
"Drunken asshole," said Hilde, her features tightening with anger. "He deserves someone better than that."
"Hey, don't we all," said Sally, finishing her plate. "I gotta run too, Hilde. You and Duo come over this weekend, Matt would love to see you both."
"We'll do that," said Hilde, smiling.
"Looking forward to tomorrow?" asked Hilde.
Sally rolled her eyes. "Not really," she said. "I'm really not wild about celebrity clients, they can be a total pain in the ass, Hilde, you know that."
"Well, if anyone can handle him, you can," said Hilde. "Being a former lieutenant in the army ought to be good for something."
"Yeah, too bad I can't throw people in the stockade anymore," said Sally, grinning evilly.
"You look much too cheerful when you say that," said Hilde, laughing.