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“Now, bend all the way down and feel how all of your worries are melting away through your arms. There you go, nice and slowly!”
“When we get a moment alone, I am going to murder you, Billy”, Machiavelli huffed, trying to get his long fingers to touch the ground without much of a success. Beside him, his lover had effortlessly bent his whole body into an impressive arch without seemingly even breaking a sweat.
“Oh come on Mac, it wouldn’t hurt for you to get some light exercise every now and then. All that reading and sitting is turning your body into a permanent heap of muscle locks and knots. This is a great way to get your old bones in movement.” The last bit was added with a teasing smirk. Billy knew for certain that even if he wouldn't admit it, Machiavelli was concerned about his body’s limits and how they might affect to their physical relationship. Not that Billy himself minded, he was more than happy to do all the ‘heavy lifting’ if neccesary, but if this was what motivated his partner to move more, he wasn’t about to complain.
“Yes well, one can acquire the required amount of exercise without a psychological encouragement offered by a hyper active woman who’s jumping is exhausting just to look at. And why on earth did you sign us up for a... pair’s course? I can’t help but feel a bit out of place.” He glanced at the other participants, all young couples who had taken more than a mild interest in two bickering men, one with a old fashioned appearance of a cowboy from the Wild West, and the other being an older man with formal clothes and graying hair. Even the trainer had called out for them, saying that she ‘was so happy to see such a cute couple participating’, and had assured to them that same-sex couples were more than welcomed to their courses. Billy had taken it like a champ, winking at her with confidence. Meanwhile Machiavelli had closed his eyes, wondering to himself just how long would this suffering last until he’d make the tragic decision to end his torment by jumping out of the nearest open window.
“Let’s see some happy faces! Come on guys, one more task and then we can go and get some refreshments!”
“Oh, thank lord”, Machiavelli muttered, straightening his back. “Please, let it be an easy stretch, preferably done with lying down.”
Billy swiped his forehead and laughed, slapping his arm playfully. “That’s the optimistic spirit you show so very rarely!” He looked at the stage up front where an another woman had just climbed to stand beside the trainer. “Although it looks like we’re doing that practise where you have to fall backwards to the arms of your companion.”
“What?” Machiavelli exclaimed, also turning around to take a look at the trainer. “Oh dear god, no.”
“Okay people, now it’s time for our most important exercise thus far! Since you all already have a partner”, she said, chuckling, “we can skip the pairing part. Now, one of you turns around so that your back is facing towards your partner. Then, when they are ready, you fall backwards and trust them to catch you. Simple as that, ladies and gentlemen!” She proceeded to demonstrate at the stage with the other woman in case of someone not recognizing the move. Most of the participants seemed to know the drill already, and a silence settled over the hall as they started to fall in each others care. All except two.
“Why do I have to be the one to fall?" Billy asked with a questioning glare. "You’re the one with the trust issues, shouldn’t it be you to try and unlock some of those inhibitions?”
Machiavelli stood stoically before him, arm crossed, shaking his head with a grimace. “There is no way I am going to make a fool of myself in front of all these people. Your training camp, your fall.”
Billy rolled his eyes and sighed. “Ugh, fine. But y’know, this is not what this trip was supposed to be about.” His back was now turned towards Machiavelli, his tanned arms spread to the sides. “And jokes on you, there might be enough time for you to do this too, darling. And since you forced me to go first, I would be careful with your fall.”
Raising his arms in front on him, the Italian allowed his eyebrow to lift at the younger man’s words.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wait and see”, was his only answer before the cowboy started to fall against him, the blue eyes closed and the plump lips smirking.
With grace and care, the magician stepped to the side. The collision and the satisfying bang caused his own lips to curve upwards, a small chuckle emerging from him.
There was a momemt of silence before Billy stood from the ground, his face red from anger and embarrassment. “You total assbag! I wasn’t gonna do it! What kind of boyfriend drops his lover onto a hardwood gym floor during a trust exercise?”
“A smart one.” Machiavelli smiled and gestured to the front where the trainer was guiding the crowd out of the hall to the dining area across the corridor. “And it seems that our joyous lesson is finally over, so we might as well go and enjoy those refreshment we were promised.”
Without looking back, he strolled to the double door leading out from the gym. Billy scrambled to catch up with him, his cheeks still glowing pink. “You surely earned your reputation in those past years as Italian statesman. Wonder how many other poor souls were deceived by your innocent skinny looks.”
At that, Machiavelli actually laughed full-heartedly.
“Oh Billy, I really should buy you some history books. It seems like you have developed quite a false image of me.”
When his partner didn’t answer, he smirked and placed his arm over the cowboy’s shoulders, a gentle glimmer dancing within his eyes. “One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.”
As they walked through the doors Billy frowned at him, running his hand through his messed hair. “Well that is certainly one way to look at it.” Gradually his frown disappeared, a sly grin replacing it. “That would also explain why you don’t have any friends apart from me and Flamels.”
“Oh, shut up.” Niccolò said it with deep affection, a carefree expression on his face lasting all the way until he found out that this was just a first day of a week long stay.