PLOT

Jake looked up at his rescuer momentarily. He was attractive he’d give him that, but Jake was far too embarrassed right now to kick off a conversation. Glancing back down at the ground will merely mumbled his appreciation, “Thanks.” He really didn’t feel like saying much more than that, right now, but then that wasn’t surprising, he was surrounded by butch and masculine men grunting and sweating as they set about their own heavy weight limits and here Jake was struggling to even set up the machine. He couldn’t help but feel about three inches big as his cheeks grew warm from embarrassment.

Although he didn’t say much, he did take note of what the mysterious stranger did with the pin at the back of the machine, he made it look so simple, and yet Jake had been so hopelessly lost in it but a moment ago. Not to dissimilar from a grumpy child Jake made his way back around the machine and sat down again. Grabbing a hold of the lever mechanism once again he closed his eyes. Please be lighter... please, please don’t be some hideous prank on the new kid. Putting in far more strength than necessary Jake tugged on the bar. It moved! Jake couldn’t help but sigh a sigh of relief, oh thank god. Slowly his cheeks returned to their normal colouring as Jake managed to repeat the action a couple of times. He felt relieved, incredibly so actually but then he was hit by another one of his negative emotions.

A twang of guilt echoed through his soul, that guy had just come over and near enough saved Jake’s life, or at least the next few months of it from the constant humiliation, and all Jake did was throw a sulk at him. Glancing back over at the stranger he summoned up the courage to talk again but managed little more than he had the first time, “Thanks... again.” Then his fear got the better of him and he turned his head down to face the bench of the machine once again.

The young man looked up at Roman for a second, and Roman was struck by the expression of barely restrained panic that flashed through his blue gaze. But it was quickly hidden as their eye contact was broken.

Roman said nothing as the boy's cheeks grew flushed, hesitating before he tugged on the bar and moved the machine with it's lighter weight setting. A sigh of relief escaped the young man as he began to repeat the action. There was something Roman thought he recognized in this young stranger, and although he glanced around the room so as not to be rudely staring, the man lingered near by wanting to figure it out.

With that quick thanks, Roman realized he recognized the own shy manner of his youth in the boy. The abruptness of his speech was nervousness, and he struggled because he was to embarrassed to ask how to go about things. It made him wonder if this shy kid had also been stolen from home, if he knew no one just like himself. Although these people had taken Roman's little sister, she was nowhere to be found.

Roman figured they could both use a little friendly conversation, so he sat on an adjacent machine and absently set the weight. "De rien. Since it seems we are both new to this place, you must forgive my curiosity. I am Roman. You are?"

The man was being nice, Jake knew that. His tone was that of a friendly conversation and his body language relaxed but it was the way he referred to Jake as new, it really was that obvious was it? He had been trying so hard since he got here to blend in; he knew he wasn’t very good at it but having someone say it to him dawned the realisation even further. Still he was being friendly, there was nothing malicious in it that Jake could see and so he replied. “Jake.” It then took a moment for Jake to think of what to say next, he wasn’t used to social interactions and what little he did see he usually manage to screw up some how. His words were still abrupt and almost fragmented but it did show that he was trying, “When did you arrive?”

He had yet to break eye contact with the bench, refusing to actually look up at anyone, but he was making a surprising effort on the machine, each time he used the same force as he would at his absolute peak, but then that was the nature of his power was it not? He could sit here for hours, potentially days even provide he fed somehow, without ever stopping or even slowing down for a second. Despite this he still felt uncomfortable here, it wasn’t his specialty he could run, he was never meant to try and “pump some iron” as all those jock types put it and deep inside of him all he wanted to do right now was run away from the whole situation.

The young man, Jake’s question made Roman pause. Had it truly only been yesterday that he had arrived in a place that the photographer could not even guess to where it was, despite traveling all over the globe? A place that had felt like it was threatening to close in around his life, making him impulsively jump up the walls in the Yard. The failed attempt came from a strained hope that beyond them he wouldn’t feel caged. Shackled by the need for help, weighed down by an ability he had first mistaken for possible insanity. He had only been trapped for a day, but the slow assurance that they’d do everything to keep him here made the world grow small and stifling.

An abrupt loud thud of a weight being dropped broke Roman from his spiraling thoughts. Surprised he noticed that he was the one who had let the weights fall too fast, without resistance, and that his heart beat against his ribcage painfully. “Yesterday…” the breathlessness of Roman’s answer made it quiet and he wondered for how long he had been silent from the mild panic attack.

An equally breathless burst of laughter came when he wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow. “Je m'excuse, Jake,” Roman ran a hand over his face as he took even breaths and calmed his pulse, “Seems I am not handling this as I should. You must think me weak.”

Jake was surprised at Roman’s reaction to his question, he didn’t think he would react like that. It wasn’t the long silence that worried him, after all so many of Jake’s conversations were filled with the awkward long silences that they didn’t feel so awkward anymore. Instead it was the way his focus seemed to deteriorate during his thought process. But then this was just another example of horrifically tragic all of his conversations seemed to be. For some reason though, possibly the fact that it made Roman that little bit more vulnerable Jake found himself finally able to lift his eyes from the machine and look at him. It looked like he’d had a panic attack, Jake didn’t understand it, nor did he want to push it. This was the one guy who’ actually seemed approachable since he’d arrived, he hardly wanted to blow him off by pushing his luck with a sensitive subject.

Jake shook his head slowly before realising he should add some words as well. “No, not weak, we each have our own...” He paused for a moment as he searched his somewhat limited vocabulary to come up with the right word. Problems? No that wasn’t right it sounded like he was accusing Roman of some mental disease. Fears then? No that didn’t seem to fit either. Issues? Well that was problems by another name but realising he had stopped talking in the middle of his sentence he once again panicked, just throwing the word out of his mouth before his brain could stop him “Issues.” Jake could almost hear his brain shouting down to his mouth as hundreds of better words stormed into his brain. He let out a slight laugh at the thought of his brain and tongue having an argument over the conversation before realising that he had accused Roman of having issues, and then worse, laughed at him for it. Why did he have to be so awe staggeringly hopeless at this? Reverting to his embarrassed mutter Jake spoke once again, “Sorry I was just... thinking of something.”

He withdrew back into his antisocial shell for a moment, he didn’t know what else to say, he lacked the experience for decent small talk. So instead he merely sat there, repeating the steady actions of the machine almost robotically at the same rate, never ending whilst his brain tried desperately to think of something to say.

Roman turned his head while it rested in his hand to look at the young man. His heart was slowing, and it was strangely soothing to watch Jake visibly search for words for what he felt. Maybe because he experienced similar difficulty in saying what he meant, or at least getting people to understand.

Suddenly Jake seemed to notice he was pausing to think and Roman saw that flash of panic in his eyes as the boy blurted.

A slight laugh followed the word, and Roman found himself smiling at the frankness of it. What an absurd situation to be in, to have to struggle over talking to a stranger. Then the young man seemed to catch himself with a mortified expression which crumbled into resignation.

The robotic way he worked the weight machine, indicated he had retreated into himself.

With a half-smile Roman shook his head and lowered his hand. Thinking about being kidnapped and held prisoner is what had broken down his composure, and it seemed that Jake was over thinking things. It struck the Frenchman as funny, if not ironic.

“No, better to laugh!” His words were punctuated by a chuckle, “Honestly, speaking sense is an issue of mine. Thinking about this place… doesn’t help.”

Roman did not want to upset the boy, but he did not like the unthinking way he was acting. Deciding it best to snap him out of it, he touched Jake’s shoulder briefly. “And do not worry. I’m not the type to think the worst from indelicate words, I appreciate your honest efforts.”

Roman smiled in full at the implication of his words. “And truly if we are being honest,” he lower his voice to a conspiratal whisper, “I do not like weights. All energy spent without movement, makes me feel tied down.”

Jake wasn’t really listening to Roman anymore at first, his brain was too busy telling him what an idiot he had been and so when he touched his shoulder he almost jumped out of his skin. As he flinched he almost pulled away but it was Roman’s tone that stopped him, it was welcoming. Jake just found himself relieved that he hadn’t taken any offence by what he said. The obvious relaxation was almost immediate, he sagged slightly in the machine and threw his head back a fraction of a degree.

Oh thank god. Another wave of relief washed over Jake as he let go of the bar, and glanced around, the other men were far enough away and he felt like he could be a little more honest with Roman. It wasn’t that it was tiring Jake physically, that was just about next to impossible now, but mentally he had been bored out of his mind by the repetition, and with the constant worry of social interaction he was on edge the whole time here. “Neither do I.” He almost sighed with relief, “I’ve never used them before, I… like to run.” This time he ended not out of a subconscious shyness but because that was all he needed to say on the matter. Genuinely that was his sport, running; he could run forever, literally, but not just physically either. Jake had been running from things both physically and mentally for years, his dog’s death, the lack of a father, his sexuality, and he certainly wasn’t about to stand and fight an of them now, no far easier just to keep running. “I only wanted to use the track.” He grumbled remembering his entrance, “But then all these guys were here for the session, what was I supposed to do?” Jake had found two things in Roman just now, not only was he an ally and someone he could sympathize with Jake thus proving himself an ally, but he was an escape as well. If Roman was with him then Jake could race him on the track, perhaps they’d even get out of here, saving Jake from the mocking stares of all the jocks in here. Of course these mocking looks and ridiculing stares were all in Jake’s head, but that made no difference to him, to Jake it was just as real as if they were standing in a circle around him, pointing and laughing.

Jake visibly relaxed with Roman’s admission, the hard lines of anxious tension leaving his body as he let go of the bar.

Roman had noticed the track around the perimeter of the room while glancing, and it made sense from the boy’s clothes and physique that he had not come for the weight training session. The fact that he had sat down at a machine he couldn’t operate told him how much Jake was actively avoiding the other men in the room. Jake’s next confirmed these suspicions.

Roman felt his lips kick up at the young man’s admission. Jake was indeed just like him at that first step into adulthood, caring more about what others thought than what he actually wanted. He would need some stability in his life to gain the confidence to get beyond such self-consciousness, and Roman doubted this place and any strange powers wouldn’t help. Then again, he wasn’t the only one who could use a friend.

Before the boy could get wrapped up in his insecurities Roman motioned to the track, “Then why don’t we? This hardly seems to be a mandatory session, so how about a race? Running is better with a partner, non?”

The upturning of Roman’s lips made Jake feel uneasy at first. It was another of Jake’s nervous habits, was he laughing at him, with him or at something completely separate? Jake could never quite tell, but in this case nothing about Roman seemed mocking in the slightest and so he soon relaxed once again.

It was strange how much this one sentence changed Jake’s attitude. He knew running, he could do running. There was something about the rhythmical beat of his feet on the road surface that changed Jake on a fundamental level. He didn’t have to be scared when he ran, he didn’t have to worry about everyone else, he could just run. For the first time since Jake had entered the gym he felt his own lips curl into a smile, and not just a smile either, it was bordering on a smirk as the young boy replied. “You think you can keep up?” Under normal circumstances it would have been big headed and he would never have dared make such a direct challenge to another man but Jake was confident at this.

Standing up from the bench Jake came to his full height. He was tall, far taller than he appeared sat on the machine’s bench or stood in his normal slouched posture. It didn’t take long for this wave of confidence to dissolve however. As Jake glanced around and saw the other men once again he seemed to melt back into his usual shy self. HE was still more confident than when he walked int, but far less so than he had been but moments ago. Looking back at Roman briefly he asked quite plainly, yet quite sheepishly “How far can you go?” Of course it had yet to occur to Jake that Roman knew nothing of his power and that Jake could easily run for miles on end and so his question could be perceived as being more of a challenge than it was intended too.

Roman was briefly taken aback at Jake’s direct challenge; it was such a change in attitude for the boy who had been reluctant to make eye contact. The surprise soon faded though, after years watching animals in the wild he had grown accustomed to the unexpected. Gawking with disbelief only wasted opportunities to observe and appreciate. Besides, it was good seeing him confident in something and assured the Frenchman that he wasn’t totally timid.

Jake stood from the bench, at a height head and shoulders above Roman, but his confidence was quickly blanketed by nervousness with a glance at the other men in the room. It seemed that the young man’s insecurities would have to be worked around in social settings, that any confidence in his own abilities would be a step behind apprehension of others. He was no longer avoiding eye contact at least.

Roman raised a brow at the seemingly shy challenge. He didn’t hold the questioning of his stamina as anything but friendly ribbing; however, the photographer did feel an impulse to prove he was not some incapable old man. His wildlife photographs won awards because he worked for the best angles, getting himself there by strength and ingenuity. Hiking in the most secluded areas, away from and civilized comforts. He could pull himself up with his own two hands, and he walked all day sometimes into the night over rough ground without tiredness. Surely a race around a smooth track wouldn’t be such a trial?

“Quite a ways,” he nudged Jake’s shoulder with a short laugh before heading towards the track, “Perhaps it will be you needing to keep up!”

Jake couldn’t help but smile a little. He never had to keep up, in truth it was good for him. He had always been used to someone being better than him at everything, it was healthy for him to have something he was good at. It was now that it occurred to Jake that, of course, Roman had no idea of his power, just as Jake had no idea what his was. He could have told him, it probably would have been polite to, but there was a part of Jake, deep down that didn’t want too. He would run first, then explain himself later. Jake’s head was still angled slightly downwards, although it was hard to tell if this was a shy response or that he was simply doing so because he was that bit taller than most. He nodded at Roman’s acceptance of his challenge and tailed off to follow him towards the track.

It was only a few metres away, that was the advantage of it running around the outside, where ever you were in the room the Track was still fairly close and for such an informal race they didn’t need to start at any official marker. Subconsciously Jake went through an array of stretches on his upper body, more out of habit than necessity, he did stretch his legs momentarily although he was very brief about it, he just wanted to get on with it and start running. He had yet to decide exactly what he was going to do, he would be able to sprint the entire track fairly easily, but that little shy voice in the back of his head was screaming once again. If he sprinted it then he would draw attention to himself, or worse what if it annoyed Roman, he hardly wanted to lose the only friend he’d made since he arrived, especially as it would take him a good week to get over that rejection and talk to another person. Perhaps it would be better to run it like he used to, to pace himself a little, but then a quieter voice started shouting as well. Jake didn’t here this voice often, it was telling him to kick back and sprint, to just be himself and if Roman didn’t like it tough, was this confidence? Jake was torn, he didn’t know what he was going to do yet, he would have to decide during the race.

“All right then.” He was still quite distant in his words but at least he had made eye contact with Roman now, “One lap?” He nearly added a further or fifty? at the end but he wasn’t that comfortable yet. His leg’s then reacted on their own, it was something about being stood on the track as he started jogging slowly backwards and his confidence started to shout just that little bit louder, “Well? C’mon keep up.” That was strange, in any other environment Jake would never have dared utter such a remark but right now he could, and what’s more he said it with a smile on his face.

The boy approached doing stretches and looked a tad conflicted, but Roman was encouraged when Jake joined him on the track and made eye contact. The young man’s body language changed and he stood confident, this was his territory and doubts were not allowed to linger. For him to be able to reclaim assurance in a place full of stranger and undoubtedly far from home, told the photographer there was steel in his spine that simply needed forging. Roman wondered what else the boy was hiding behind that shy exterior, but knew better than further his observations into unwelcome prying.

Roman nodded at the question to make the race one lap, as a sliver of nervousness slipped back over Jake’s expressive face. He was quickly spurred into action when the young man started up slow jog backwards. With a smile Jake told him to keep up, and Roman grinned at having his own words used against him.

However, he soon found himself struggling to do just that. What started out slow soon turned into a sprint, and while Roman pulled ahead at first he was soon gasping for breath as his muscles burned as Jake flew by, sprint strong as it had been at the beginning of the race. Roman pushed himself, a bit out of disbelief that the lap was almost complete, a bit from hindered brain function of oxygen being use by his straining muscles before it could reach his brain.

This was something Roman knew he could do! He may not be able to move faster than the human eye could travel, leap buildings a single bound, or withstand a hail of bullets, like some people in this might, but he could run! Setting his jaw he pushed his body, refusing to be useless, refusing to be left behind in something he knew he could achieve in!

Suddenly the exhaustion he refused to acknowledge caught his foot on the edge of the track as he circled a bit too wide. He fell tumbling, just managing to curve his body and roll with the motion rather than take all the velocity with one flopping smash. Tucking and rolling prevented any severe injury, but when he came to a halt away from the track Roman’s vision spun.

Once his breath came back, it soon rushed out in laughter.