chap. 2 mondo/maki (feat. chihiro)

mondo tries to talk to the scary girl at the gym with the help of his friend

It's a bit intimidating, how that girl Mondo always sees killing it at the gym pretty much immediately leaves upon finishing up. She seems pretty cool, and he'd like to get to talk to her, but he has no idea how to even start on that.

She's the small kind, the one that makes him nervous and causes him to talk too loudly, and somehow that's even scarier than her attitude to every guy that tried approaching her before. If he keeps staring from a distance she'll definitely think he's a creep too, but if he approaches her he has no idea how he'll ask her for her workout schedule without doing something stupid.

"Is something wrong?"

He nearly drops his dumbbell when his workout buddy speaks up. Chihiro is sending him a concerned look which Mondo simply shakes his head at. They don't seem satisfied but they don't pry further, refocusing on their own lifting.

Mondo is just about to go back to wallowing in his own lameness when a realization pops into his head. This is being kind of cowardly, isn't it? Not the worrying about messing in front of a girl part- that much he already knows- but the keeping secrets from your friends part.

Technically, he doesn't owe Chihiro any explanation, but if it soothes his friend's worries, then it's probably for the best, right? Mondo trusts his buddy wholeheartedly! There's no reason to keep secrets! "Hey, Chihiro?" he prompts before he can think too hard on it.

"Yes?" his friend responds, their attention back to Mondo instantly, as if they were anticipating this conversation.

Mondo swallows. "When you asked me to help you work out, how did you get the courage to… do that?" He knows he isn't the most approachable guy, especially at the time when the other inquired him about his training methods. He's once again reminded of Chihiro's bravery, but instead of resenting it like he once had, he revels in it.

The shorter person ponders that question with pursed lips, "It wasn't easy," they admit, "But I think I knew you were a nice person deep down, and I guess I thought you wouldn't have a reason to judge me on what I wanted to accomplish…"

Cringing at the memories of his not so accepting response to that same day, Mondo risks another glance at Pigtails, who is jogging on a treadmill. The, at the time, unworthy trust is appreciated, but he doesn't think this advice will help him in this instance.

"Do you want to invite her to work out with us?" Chihiro asks and Mondo whips his head to look at the other person who seems to be following his earlier gaze on the girl. "I've noticed she's one of the people who has a similar schedule to us, but she's always being hit on by big guys." They turn to him with an apologetic look, "I think you'll scare her off."

Damn Chihiro and their observance. Mondo sighs dejectedly, "I know."

It's quiet for a moment, and just as the taller is about to resume his work out, the shorter speaks up. "I'll talk to her."

Once again Mondo whirls his head to face them, "Huh?"

There's a blank expression on Chihiro's face as they watch the athletic girl, "Maybe she'll let me talk to her since I'm, uh, less intimidating, and explain the situation."

Without much thought to the second part of their sentence, Mondo gently places the dumbbell on the ground between his legs and places his hand on the other's shoulder. "Hey. You're scary."

Chihiro turns to give him an unimpressed stare. "Mondo. Please."

"Well… You'll definitely scare her off if you tell her that." He gestures to himself. "She'll take one look at me and probably send me to Mars with her eyes."

"If you're not going to do it, then I will." Before he can understand what's happening, Chihiro's dumbbell is placed on the floor next to his and they're already approaching the scary girl. Mondo grieves his own death.

He can't help but watch what he assumes must be a trainwreck in the making from the distance. He can't hear their conversation, but it seems that his buddy is having an enthusiastic one-sided talk with the other. But, to his astonishment, at some point the girl slows down her treadmill, pulls off her earbuds, and actually speaks back. She doesn't look hostile- that is until Chihiro points at Mondo and her gaze follows, cold.

She looks him up and down, sending a shiver down his spine that he tries to hide, before she turns back to her conversation partner and says some things after a pause. His jaw nearly drops when she hops off the machine and the two make their way towards their bench, but of course he plays it cool.

"Hey." The girl says indifferently when they arrive, picking up her own dumbbell and sitting on Chihiro's other side, who takes their earlier seat next to Mondo.

"Sup." Mondo replies nonchalantly as possible, pretending that his heart isn't racing more than the normal amount during these gym visitations.

The next twenty minutes are spent in complete silence, but Mondo finds that he quickly relaxes in the other two's presence. When a guy approaches their newfound ally with compliments already pouring out of their mouth, her killing glare only causing him to intensify his flirting, a single "Dude," and his own glower from Mondo is enough to turn the creepy dude away. He doesn't miss the flitting, appreciative glance the girl sends him.

Eventually, she pulls out her phone and checks it before she stands up, turns it off and returns her equipment to its place. "Gotta go."

"See you Wednesday?" Chihiro asks as she circles around their bench.

The girl pauses, barely sneaks a glance at the both of them and then turns her head back to the direction she's heading. "Sure."

Quickly after that she disappears into the locker room, and finally Mondo turns to his buddy, leaning in and whispering, "Dude, you're amazing."

Chihiro just winks.