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Today was the day. No more waiting, no more ifs or buts, and no more anxiety. Today was the day Go would finally buckle down, go right up to Spark and spill everything. For as long as he’d known Spark, Go held a warmth inside him that, only until recently, he discovered was an unrelenting desire to be with him. Finally, he decided, he was ready to share these feelings and make what was once a guarded secret, open to the one that meant the most to him. He planned on telling them how when they smiled his heart melted in his chest. About the way he'd secretly look at them from the corner of their eyes, desperately hoping they'd look back in acceptance. Their long held dream of them getting closer and closer and… closer… Go became lost in his thoughts for a moment but snapped back to reality at the buzzing of his phone.
It was the good morning text from Spark signaling it was time to hit the gym for their daily workout routine. It also signaled that Go was out of time to chicken out yet again. How it typically went was Go would decide to confess to Spark. He’d be so determined to do it too, but the second he would enter the gym and see Spark working at the bench press, their muscles flexing under their “Cool Guy” workout jersey and their sweat causing his entire silhouette to shine, he’d completely clam up. He’d then spend the rest of his time alternating between the dumbbell station and treadmill. Whichever Spark wasn't using at the time as to avoid any awkward conversation until they departed from each other and went about their days. That had been their routine for the last month, however, Go was utterly determined that today was not going to be another one of those days. Today they would be met with true happiness, or heartbreak. Either was better than the heart wrenching longing Go held. Go packed up his satchel with an extra pair of clothing and slipped into his favorite workout tee; a sleeveless jersey Spark had gotten him that read “I flexed and the sleeves fell off.” He responded to Spark’s text, telling him he was on his way, and set out.
He and Spark had been going to the gym together every morning for a few weeks now. Go accepted hoping it would bring them closer together. It had for the most part, they were definitely together more both in and out of the gym, but he still yearned for more. The gym they frequented was one run by Spark himself. Well he didn’t run it exactly, it was owned and operated by the Team Instinct facility as a place for team members to train for their journeys, but as the leader of the team he got the right to use it at any given hour. Spark used this perk just for them, so they could use the work stations without wait times and concentrate on their routines with little distraction. Working out with Spark, at least the first bit was true enough.
Looking around, Go spotted Spark by the weight benches setting them up for a set of reps. “Good morning, Spark!” he greeted the young man as he approached the weight station.
“Morning, bro! You gonna lift or run today?” Spark was always eager about their workout routines. When they started he’d made up a workout schedule for them to follow together, but Go’s avoiding tendency kinda ruined that idea.
“I was thinking of maybe starting off with some weights and then moving over to cardio,” Go responded plainly.
Spark shot him one of his doofy, big smiles, “Nice! Since you’re here can you spot with me?”
“Yeah sure,” Go replied, looking away to hide his red face.
Spark laid back on the workout bench and got into position. When he started Go’s flushed face only grew a deeper shade of red. It didn’t always show, what with him being seen as a massive goofball, but Spark was remarkably built; lifting the weight with ease. After a number of reps and a rather uncharacteristic silence from both parties, Go decided to speak up, “Hey…”
“Sup?” Spark muttered between ragged breaths.
“Um….” Suddenly, Go was at a loss for words. Just like always his nerves started kicking in, and he began to sweat. Everything was going like before, he was gonna chicken out and run away like always. He so desperately wanted today to be the day but from the looks of it, that day may never come.
Looking up at Go’s face, Spark saw they were thinking hard about something, “Everything okay dude?”
Spark’s concern has taken him by surprise. Go swallowed his nerves and took this opening, “Uh well...So we’ve been buds for a while now right?”
“Yeah?” Spark responded, finishing his rep.
“W-well the thing is…I’ve had a lot of fun hanging out with you this whole time.”
Spark began another rep, “Yeah dude it’s been awesome hangin’ together! You’re fun to be around.”
“Oh, well thanks I guess,” Go let out a nervous laugh. “The thing about that is...I’d like to hang out more together, ya know?”
Spark finished his last rep and Go helped him lift the weight back onto its stand, “Yeah, dude, I’d love to do that.”
“That’s great!” This was finally it. There was no way for Go to chicken out now. He was going to ask Spark the question he’d wanted to for weeks now. “S-so I thought it would be cool if maybe…” Go gulped really hard, his hands shaking at his sides, ”...we started dating?”
Spark sat up from his position on the bench and looked toward Go with a not so subtle expression of confusion. “Why are you asking that?”
Go’s body shook at that response. He’d prepared for the possibility of rejection, but all the same actually hearing it, and in such a cold demeanor, really hurt. It was honestly uncharacteristic of the guy he’d known for so long but Go solemnly accepted it. “Y-you're not interested. Of course you wouldn't be, not with a rookie like me anyways. I'm sorry I’ll-”
“What?!” Spark let out in utter surprise. He waved his hands in front of his face defensively, “No I just mean!” He drooped an arm to his side and brought the other up to scratch the back of his neck, “Were we not...already going out?”
Go’s face went completely blank at the question. The two big lugs stood in the middle of gym staring at each other with genuine confusion. The awkwardness of the whole situation was apparent as Spark looked around wearily and kicked at dust on the floor.
Eventually Go broke the silence, “Were we?”
Spark perked up at the response, though an obvious sense of worry emitted off the young man, “I...when I asked you to go the gym with me a few weeks ago. When you said yes I thought that meant…”
“You’re date invite was...to the gym?” Go asked, a sole eyebrow quirked up on his brow.
“Hey! Being gym buddies is a huge step in anyone’s relationship. You're responsible for the physical well being and health of your buddy! I just thought… I don't know what I thought.” Spark’s shoulders sank further. He glared at the ground, unable to look directly at Go.
Go didn't really know what to say. All the plans he made this morning, the script he’d so carefully rehearsed for weeks. Everything had gone askew and to a place he had never even considered; nor would anyone consider for that matter. Had Spark really believed they'd been an item for the last month or so? Go tried his hardest to reflect the last few weeks with Spark. He remembered the time they invited him to the pier. When they’d gotten on the Ferris Wheel it’d stalled for a few minutes. Go was absolutely terrified, shaking in his seat, but the whole time Spark did his best to calm them down. His mind then trailed to the time Spark had an early meeting and rescheduled their workout session for later in the day. When it came time, Spark suggested they just forget about it and have fun the rest of the night. Go laughed as he remembered how they ended up going mini-golfing and eating ice cream together.
The night Spark showed up outside his window with a boombox blasting “Love Like Woe” by The Ready Set has been put in an entirely different light now. A final thought occurred to Go as he looked down at the very clothes he was wearing. He remembered how it was Spark that had bought him his workout gear, even when Go insisted he could get them on his own. All the signs had been there but Go was so stuck in his head he didn’t even take to time to realize. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and words that didn’t make sense or flow well into each other. Regardless of what they thought the other was to them, Go never took the time to appreciate how much his friend had done for him.
He looked up at Spark with a stalwart expression, and Spark reluctantly looked up to meet his gaze. “Spark. I’m sorry I never realized how you felt sooner.”
“I should be the one apologizing!” Spark retorted. “I was the one who assumed too much.”
“Even so, I shouldn’t have been so dense to what was happening. I was so stuck on the fantasy of us being together I never looked to see how you felt. You’ve been nothing but an amazing guy, and amazing friend.” Go exclaimed with much vigor. He reached toward Spark and clasped his hands around theirs, “I’d love it if we continued being gym buds. I want to continue going out and I promise this time I’ll be the one putting in 100%.”
Spark stared at their hands and up at Go, still confused as ever, “None of this is making sense, dude.”
“Yeah to be honest I have no idea what I’m saying either. I’m kind of just as confused about everything as you are, but I think what I’m trying to say is.” Go made sure to take in a long breathe this time so his thoughts wouldn’t come out as messy, “I want to be with you. I want to be as good a boyfriend to you as you’ve been to me,” Go explained.
Finally there was something Spark could understand. He looked at Go and nodded his head; a smile forming on his flushed face. Go smiled in return, forming a noticeable blush of his own. He let go of their clasped hands, and as soon as he was freed, Spark wrapped him arms around Go, pulling them into a tight embrace. Go couldn’t help but let out a small gasp that turned into laughter. He wrapped in own arms around Spark and returned the embrace.