Players:
Summary: Robyn is worried about his friendship with Dallas.
Date: January 7, 2010
Log Title It's No Big Deal
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Weight Room
/All the weight machines are powered by hydraulics, you set the weight you want and your bench-pressing that many pounds, or even tons in some super strong students' cases. Punching bags, stair machines, bicycles, treadmills, weights, and anything found in your standard gym can be found here.//
The Weight room is blessedly empty and Dallas is alone, for the moment. He's dressed in the colors of his old school, both t-shirt and sweat pants in dark blue with the yellow lettering and Greek helm logo on them. Perhaps some subconscious statement there. He's currently on the treadmill and to judge by the amount of sweat on his brow and the pace he's set, he's been both at speed and distance for quite some time. The slap of his shoes on the treadmill and the whir of the motor itself provide an almost heart-beat like backdrop to his breathing, which is a little harsh.
Robyn feels bad about what happened at lunch and he's afraid he just lost a friend. Robyn has never been popular or made a ton of friends so it matters to him. Knowing that Dallas is one to spend most of his time working out, he's checked the pool, than the gym and now here, the weight room. He steps in and watches him run for a bit, biting his bottom lip nervously, he's not sure what to say. Eventually it's just a simple word. "Hey."
Dallas blinks at the sound of a voice, pulling him off whatever path his thoughts were rushing down and he slows down the treadmill so he can actually talk. His nod to Robyn is a bit reserved but not angry. "Hey. Look. I'm sorry for getting in your, ah, friend's face." He shrugs apologetically.
Robyn shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry about Jordan saying that stuff, I mean Jordan's awesome, he really is, but I think he was just trying to embarass me and didn't realize you were getting annoyed." He doesn't step any closer and just stays in the door, still a bit nervous. "I really do think you'd get along under…not so embarassing circumstances."
Dallas sighs and nods, "Yea. Probably." He's obscurely ashamed of putting any stress on anybody else's relationship but too stoic (and wary of the topic) to articulate that. His expression shows some of it, though, as does that reluctant, regretful tone. After a moment he adds, "I'm cool if you are. I just…." He shrugs again, realizing there is nothing he can say without saying too much. "Anyway, it's done and I'm not holding any grudges."
Robyn smiles and nods. "No, no, I'm fine. I just didn't want things to be weird between us, cause I like you as a friend Dallas and I think you're cool and stuff." He says and even if he does find him attractive doesn't mean it's more than that, a physical attraction. He's happy with Jordan. "I just was worried you'd be weird around me after what Jordan said."
Dallas grins, "Weirder than normal? Wow." He slows the treadmill again, letting his pace drop to a slow walk and feeling the burn in his legs as he does so. Looking back at Robyn he says, "Ok, he's himself and you're you. You're not responsible for what he says or does. And also, I like you. I'm not going to cut you loose because somebody gets in my face who happens to be, um, close to you." He shrugs. "I'm not even pissed at him. He's who he is. That's fine. I just don't agree with him."
Robyn laughs and shakes his head. "Thanks, it's just…I never had many friends before coming here and I didn't have any guy friends. And Jordan's like that, he's very aggressive. But I think that's what got me to admit things about myself and things just kind of happened." Other people may be suspicious but Robyn doesn't think that Dallas is hiding anything, or anything like he is. "That is one thing I don't understand about you two though, how you can spend all that time just working out."
Dallas blinks and says, "Um, do you do any workout stuff? It's … you get to a place. It's like those bad ninja movies, you know? Where the guy sits under a waterfall and he gets all centered and badass and stuff? Working out is like that. After a while, your body goes on cruise control and your mind either goes blank or roams to let you look at your problems." He frowns and shrugs. "It's hard to describe. Also, endorphins and other cool stuff."
"I have seen a few bad ninja movies, not many." Robyn says as the Shaw Brothers only caught his attention a bit. "I like swiming and I strech before danger room sessions but I just felt like running in one place for a while was boring, my mind would wander to other stuff I'd want to do like work on art or play the cello or watch movies."
Dallas shrugs and says, "I don't do art, play anything and I like working out more than movies. I think it probably works less for brainy people. Also, bad ninja movies are the /best/ ninja movies." He grins a bit as he says that one.
"I'm really not brainy." Robyn says as he makes okay grades but is nothing extrodinary. "Alright, on the movie night we'll watch a bad ninja movie, you just have to direct me to which ones are good." He says as he looks at one of the elipical machines curiously. "Maybe I should make an effort to try to get down here for at least thirty minutes a day, get into better shape. Even if I don't plan on being a hero….I don't mind being one when the time calls for it."
Dallas grins at Robyn. "That's the awesome thing. /None/ of them are good. So they're all awesome!" He pauses and says, "Well, I'm sure Jordan would show you how to handle things. You're not supposed to work out alone but I practically live in here these days." Especially since he's using it as his escape valve to keep from exploding or thinking too much. "And if he's too busy or something, you could join me. Probably not the the same exercises, but we could figure out some routines for you that you can do and build off."
"Well…if you two don't kill each other with your differences, Jordan and you would probably make great exercise partners since it seems you guys actually have a bit in common." Which is why Robyn might be attracted to Dallas. "I've actually had to do the superhero thing once or twice, got in trouble for it too, but I should be able to defend myself even if I'm all mind."
Dallas pauses and says carefully, "I really /don't/ have anything against him. He's just …jumping to conclusions… and stuff. So if there are any hard feelings, they aren't mine. But yea, I could use a workout partner." He gives Robyn a look that suggests he's trying to be polite as he finishes, "And if you're going to fight crime…dude. You need to bulk up a little. Even running needs calf muscles."
"I know, I was just never into sports or anything. And it's probably why I got kidnapped so easily by the MGH guys months ago." Robyn says with a shrug. "But, I might need help with someone pushing my ass to actually start exercising. I can't be an art dork forever…well my Mom is but, anyway. And I'm not a horrible runner, I just get winded easy." And side cramps, just cause you're skinny doesn't mean you're in shape.
Dallas shrugs and says, "Look at it this way, spandex is /totally/ unforgiving. Everybody from Beijing to Boston knows if Ms. Marvel had too much cheesecake last week. If you want to do the hero thing you have to pay for the muscles to make it look good." His tone isn't /quite/ serious. He adds, "And besides, imagine how cool it would be to have somebody think they're immune to brain stuff and just have you punch them in the nose and lay them out?" And then something registers. "Did you say kidnapped?"
Robyn is trying not to chuckle at Dallas seriousness but he's trying to be nice and hide it. "I've never really punched anyone before, but I did get close to punching that new kid." Robyn admits. "I don't know, I'm not really a spandex guy, I just wear the Alpha Flight uniform, but maybe it'll make Jordan distracted during sessions if I bulk up a bit." He says blushing a bit. "And yeah, I did. By some MGH people. Along with Skyler and Robin and a few others."
Dallas laughs and says, "Lucas? Yea. I don't envy his squad. He's a cool guy though, under all that stupid." He tactfully doesn't mention distracting Jordan because he just isn't going to let himself think of anything along those lines. After a moment he turns off the treadmill entirely and leans on the control panel, looking with some surprise at the number of miles racked up. "Crap. I wasted all afternoon in here." And skipped a couple of classes. /That's/ going to go over well. "Well, glad you guys got back. You'd think the X-Forcers would be better at keeping the students from getting, um, rustled."
"Do you remember which squad he's on? I don't really know whose on whose, just whose on mine." Robyn admits as to him, it's not really a competition. "I've done that a few times in the art room, started working on something than realized I missed math or history, but I'd rather spend five or six hours in there than fourty five minutes of math. And well…I wasn't here when I got kidnapped, I was home, visiting my parents."
Dallas nods. "Paragons. With Rashmi and others." He sits down on a weight bench and stretches his legs out in front of him, sighing a bit at the twinges. It was a /long/ run. "And yea. Losing yourself is good and bad. But wow. Kidnapped. Pretty stupid to kidnap a guy who can possess people."
"Well maybe trying for a half hour a day is good. I dunno, I don't know too much about it. What do you recommend for starts?" Robyn says as he doesn't really know much about developing a routine. "We were able to escape, I don't remember who got injured, I just think I ate so much food when I got home I got sick. It happens here, nothing stays normal for long. I mean, I was a frog when you met me."
Dallas grins at Robyn. His tone is lofty and utterly obviously false. "Really? I didn't notice a difference." He tries to hide a laugh at that and says, "I'd start with time on the treadmill and build up your endurance then branch out from there. Basically hit a couple of different stations but nothing complex. All the ups. Chin, push and sit. After a few months of that, you'll probably be good to get into a /real/ workout."
"I know, I'm green and small all the time." Robyn says chuckling, he doesn't mind be teased by friends. "I can't even do one pushup…" Or chin up but he can do a few sit ups. "Yeah…I guess I'm too much of an easy target for jocks like you to beat up." He says joking around as he knows Dallas wouldn't. His old school is a different story.
Dallas shakes his head and says firmly, "I /never/ beat anybody up." He winces and corrects himself, "Before coming here. But yea, I wouldn't do that. And if anybody tries it now, I'll shadow-up and suplex them so hard they wake up in China." He seems quite serious about that bit. Even a little fierce.
Robyn smiles and shakes his head. "Relax Dallas, I know you wouldn't do that to me. I just….I never got along with people like you and Jordan before coming here which is weird why Jordan and I and ended up together but…sorry, I'll get off that subject." He can't help but blush and laugh a bit as Dallas says what he does. "Well now I know that if I get kidnapped by MGH dealers again, you'll beat the crap outta them for me." Again he's joking.
Dallas nods and says, "Yea. Until you kick the crap out of them yourself." He's not kidding, apparently. He stands and sighs. "Alright. I need to go get some homework done. I'm probably failing everything already." For just a moment, he looks worn out. Two or more multi-hour workouts a day, low sleep, high stress and a tougher academic environment than he's used to are catching up with him. After that moment, Dallas just shakes his head and grins, dispelling the fatigue, at least visibly and saying, "History papers have to be turned in on time. Which is pretty ironic considering everything in them happened a billion years ago."
Robyn notices Dallas looks worn out and he walks over to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Relax, get plently of sleep tonight and we'll hang out and relax this weekend. Forget about this place for a bit and have fun." He smiles and nods. "I should go get some homework done anyway, I think my parents would would pissed if failed, even if I just get C's they're fine with that." He says as he heads out with Dallas to have their paths differ at the dorms.
