Crunches & Kisses

It started, as it always did, with Taiga flat on his back on a yoga mat, sweat dripping down his temples. Jesse was perched over him, grinning, his hands casually resting on his knees.

"Alright," Jesse said, crouching down so their faces were level. His tone was syrupy sweet. "Give me 30 crunches, and I’ll give you something better than a high five when we’re done."

Taiga groaned but shifted into a better position. "You know, I didn’t hire a personal trainer to torture me."

"No," Jesse replied, his grin widening. "You hired me because I’m hot."

Taiga wanted to deny it, but it was impossible to argue when Jesse was leaning over him like that.

"Just count," he muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up, and not just from the on-going exercise.

Jesse smirked. "Alright, let’s go. One!"

Taiga crunched up, his core burning with the effort. Before he could drop back down, Jesse leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was soft and quick but just enough to send Taiga's pulse quickening up for reasons totally unrelated to the exercise.

Taiga blinked at him as he lowered himself back to the mat. "That’s what you meant by 'better than a high five'?"

"Motivated yet?" Jesse asked with a wink.

"Maybe," Taiga muttered, but he was already lifting himself up for the second crunch.

"Two!" Jesse said, and this time, the kiss lingered just a little longer.

By the tenth crunch, Taiga was already breathing hard, and Jesse’s kisses had grown bolder, lingering even more, his hands wandering upwards to Taiga’s thighs and then his waist.

"Twenty-one!" Jesse grinned, his fingers slipping under Taiga’s shirt to press against his damp skin. "You’re killing it, babe."

"I’m actually dying," Taiga huffed, but he still managed the next crunch.

"Twenty-two!" Jesse leaned down to kiss him again, this time letting his hand slide down Taiga’s side, his thumb tracing the curve of Taiga’s hip.

By the end of the set, Taiga collapsed on the mat, panting. Jesse sprawled beside him, unabashedly running a hand over Taiga's thigh. He brushed a damp strand of hair off Taiga's forehead.

"You’re so strong," Jesse cooed, grinning like he’d just won a prize. "I'm so proud of you!"

"That's because I have a good trainer," Taiga said.

Jesse’s grin widened as his hands casually slid behind Taiga back, giving his butt a squeeze. "Amazing progress. Firm, yet just the right amount of squish. Truly, my finest work."

Jesse just laughed, leaning in to kiss Taiga’s ear.

-----

Juri had arrived at the gym, entirely against his will. Shintaro had begged him to pick him up while his car was under repair, and, like the good (read: soft) boyfriend he was, Juri had caved.

"Just try out some machines or something while I finish up with my last client," Shintaro had said, grinning like this was some kind of date.

Now Juri had been sitting on a leg press contraption for the last 20 minutes, scrolling through his phone and actively trying to forget he was there.

That’s when he spotted it.

From his seat, he had a clear view of Shintaro’s coworker Jesse and his… boy toy? Gym fling? Companion? Whatever the label was, it was obscene. Jesse had straddled the guy, his hands creeping up his sides as they kissed. Again. Maybe for the tenth time.

Juri’s face twisted into a grimace. “Ugh. Public decency, anyone?” he muttered, snapping a picture and sending it to Shintaro with the caption: This is happening at your workplace.

A few minutes later, Shintaro finally appeared, towel slung over his shoulder and looking thoroughly unbothered. "Hey," he greeted.

"I didn’t know that kind of thing was allowed here," Juri said. He gestured vaguely toward Jesse and his company, who were now in some ridiculous pose where Jesse was lifting the guy’s leg for "stretching" or whatever.

Shintaro followed Juri’s gaze, took one look at the scene, and shrugged. "Well, it theoretically isn’t. But no one’s brave enough to tell Jesse to stop."

"Hey, it’s not that bad! Those two are just so in love!" Shintaro said, laughing. "Maybe you’d like to try it out, too?"

Juri turned to him, his face the picture of horror. "Absolutely not. The last thing I want is to become a couple like that. I’ll take my PDA-free relationship, thanks."

Shintaro grinned, leaning down to stroke Juri’s cheek. "Suit yourself. Maybe we’re missing out on something."

"Are we, though?" Juri asked suspiciously. "Missing out on bothering other people?"

Shintaro chuckled, clearly enjoying Juri’s reaction. "You’ve gotta admit, it looks kind of cute."

"It looks disgusting," Juri stated. "I’d rather go home, thanks."

Shintaro smirked. "Oh, so you want me at home, huh?"

Juri glared at him but didn’t dignify that with a response. He stood up, brushing past Shintaro. "I’ll wait for you in the car. Don’t take too long."

As Juri marched out, Shintaro continued laughing, shaking his head.

"You’re totally jealous," he called after him, earning one last glare before Juri disappeared through the door.

-----

From across the gym, Jesse and Taiga looked up, watching the scene.

"You think they’re fighting?" Taiga asked.

"Nah," Jesse replied, pulling Taiga into another kiss. "That’s just their foreplay."