fandomtownies | Atlas Gym; Tuesday [09/19].

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Atlas Gym; Tuesday [09/19].

Gladio had to admit, one of his favorite things about doing the rounds to just sort of check on how things were working and what might need his attention on a management level in the gym was catching the snippets of conversation that would eventually filter through the staff into a big debate that would, eventually, come around to him for his opinion, which would be taken as the final word because he was the boss.

This week, the debate seemed to be whether or not anxiety counted as cardio, and he told them to hold on for a moment while he made himself some Cup Noodle^TM so that he could fuel up while listening to them each make their points, one of which involved poster boards, charts, and graphs.

"I just think," Gladio concluded, "you're just trying to get out of cardio, man. If you put even half that much energy on a treadmill as you did that presentation, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. No. Anxiety does not count as cardio."

A beat.

"Unless you're Prompto."

He was half-convinced that they somehow mixed some hummingbird in there with Besithia's DNA when they made that unit.

Atlas is open!

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Well, this was....awkward. Summer supposed it was what she got for veering a little bit away from the big, bold outfits this week by going with something a little more understated.

Because her usual bright and cheery, show-offy bouncing into the gym was cut short dramatically when she discovered that not only was Sonja wearing the same thing, but she was filling it out so much better than Summer was.

Well, that just wasn't even fair.

Nell was rather sleepy when she came in this morning, so it was definitely going to be a bit of a lazy yoga day. Sorry, Gladio, cardio would have to wait for another day.

But she was good for it.

Maybe there was just something in the air that day that made cardio even more anathema than usual, but Gladio was pretty sure he could change a few minds with suggesting a leg day instead.

But Nell would be safe from such suggestions, because he would support her in any and all of her workout decisions. Sometimes, after all, you just needed a nice yoga day. And a handsome, burly gym owner to give you a grin and a nod of approval in greeting.

"Nell. How's it going?"

"Sleepy today," she said with a smile. "I didn't sleep so well last night, so I think today is a nice quiet yoga day."

If he joined her in the back on the mats, they might even be able to sneak a kiss or two.

Well, then, maybe it would be better if he didn't, since he did try to at least keep it professional when they were here at the gym. But that sort of thing was the furthest thing from his mind as he frowned a little bit with concern.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

Then he'd just have to stay a little later tonight!

Nell shrugged. "Just restless," she said. "I'm okay, just a little tired. Which is why I thought something less stressful, like yoga would be good. Maybe a little of my Tai Chi variant."

There was a little bit of a pause, as if Gladio (who wasn't at all used to people trying to play down how they were feeling to avoid awkwardness or certain conversations, of course, why would he be, ahem) was maybe a touch doubtful, but this was Nell. If she said it was fine, then it was fine, so he nodded.

But he might be feeling a little compelled to keep an eye on whether or not it became a trend.

"Definitely a good plan," he agreed. "It's still something, but not anything that's likely to make it worse."

"Exactly!" Nell said. "I want to keep moving and get in a little bit of a workout, but I don't want to hurt myself if I do too much when I'm tired."

Nell would like to say she wouldn't minimize how she felt, but she probably would. Today, however, she was honest.

"Well," Gladio offered, his grin maybe putting aside his professionalism just a tad bit, actually, just for a moment, "if you do find you've pushed yourself too much and you're too tired to get yourself home, just let me know. I'm sure we can figure something out."

"You'd best be careful," Nell said with a grin. "One of these days I'm going to take you up on that and make you carry me everywhere!"

"Bring it," Gladio grinned right back. "I love a good challenge. Lotta stairs around this island. It's going to be a great workout, and way more interesting that just lugging around a bunch of weights. Lot cuter, too."

There was totally going to have to be a day where he just carried her everywhere all day.

But... "I'm sorry I can't reciprocate," she said half sorrowful, half teasing. "I think I'm pretty strong for my size, but I don't think I could carry you anywhere." Half of him would be dragging on the floor if she ever even managed to lift him.

"Well, not with that attitude," said Gladio with a grin, and a little bit of a nudge as he added, "Maybe if you did less yoga and more weights..."

Because, yes, the weight of him was definitely the only thing holding her back there and not there and not the approximate full foot height disparity.

Nell just looked at him in disbelief, did the hand measuring thing of 'you're this tall, I'm this tall, you're this broad, I'm this broad', shook her head and said. "Of course. I'll get right on that.

And then couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.

"That's the spirit," Gladio said, finding a little more room for that grin to grow, though he did try to look very serious, very grave, very professional as he nodded his approval. "Should I leave you to it? I'd hate to think I'm just distracting you from the whole point of coming in today."

"You can distract me any time," Nell said honestly, for well, pretty much any definition of that statement. "And today is a very relaxed day. Do you think an hour of corpse pose would be considered a workout?"

She joked, Gladio. But only by a little today.

"First 'anxiety is cardio' and now a full hour of corpse pose," Gladio murmured, with a shake of his head, though his amusement still lingered easily. "There really is something in the air today, I swear.

"If you did just do corpse for an hour," he said, "I reserve the right to come around after a while to make sure you didn't just fall asleep. I'd even go so far as to say that's probably my job..."

Nell grinned at him. "Might be worth it just to have you come nudge me every so often."

Anxiety as cardio might explain some things about Stark. It might explain a lot of things, actually.

"Hello, Gladio," he said as he walked in (not feeling anxious today).

"Good morning so far?" No runaway weights or rubber chickens or other odd things?

"Good morning so far," Gladio confirmed, with a nod and a snort, and maybe just a hint of a look that suggested if things started to go pear-shaped, he was definitely going to be putting that on Stark. "How about you? Have a good time at that party over the weekend?"

Stark had unwittingly been responsible for a few things lately. Oops?

"I did," he said, smiling. "Summer and I matched. Did you enjoy it?"

"I did," Gladio huffed a bit of a laugh with his mirrored response, and then shook his head a little. "No matching, but it was kind of nice to see Nell all dressed up and everything. It's all kind of new to her, but I think she really embraced it."

"I'm glad you had a good time. And so did Nell, it sounds like."

Stark sent a very predictable glance over in Summer's direction. One with a hint of a goofy smile.

"It can be fun, the dressing up. The matching was a surprise when I saw Summer."

"I was kind of wondering about that," said Gladio, with a faint bit of a grin. He hadn't really actually thought about it much, honestly, but it was clear Stark was pretty pleased about it, so why not? "Don't usually see her in blue for these things."

Stark was excessively pleased about it, really. Which was almost certainly what Summer had been going for.

"No, she isn't usually in blue. But I like blue and she knows me very well. It was a very good surprise."

"Sounds like it," Gladio agreed with a nod. "Glad you guys were able to have a good time with it. But that's not too hard to do, with a party around here."

"I do like going to the parties. I used to be nervous. No, uncomfortable, at them. I felt out of place. It's easier now being around so many people."

"I guess I can see why that might take some getting used to," Gladio allowed, although he himself never really found much of an issue feeling comfortable around most people in most spaces....unless maybe that space was particularly small. Or those people were Nifs. "Even if the parties here do seem to make a point to make everyone feel so welcome. I'm glad you enjoy it more now, though, especially since...well..."

He smirked faintly, head tilting in the general direction of no one in particular.

"Lotta people around here definitely like their parties."

Stark ducked his head, turning the movement into a nod. "When I first came back I didn't really know anyone. That took time. But yes...there are people here who like parties very much."

"Howzit, Gladio?" Steve said, coming into the gym with a quick grin.

"Can't complain," Gladio answered easily enough. "How's it with you, Steve?"

"Pretty good," Steve agreed. "I went with Danny to see his family in New Jersey over the weekend."

"Yeah?" Gladio asked. "No big family dramas or waves to nuke out there, or anything?"

"Strangely, no," Steve said, looking vaguely baffled. "Not even a mafia boss washing up on shore."

His life was so weird.

"Well, that's disappointing," said Gladio. "Although probably an overall relief in the long run."

"All I had to do was braid and eat a lot of bread, really," Steve said. "And laugh at Danny's baby pictures."

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Atlas Gym; Tuesday [09/19].

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