Work It Out

Fitness World


Fitness World is filled with all kinds of fitness equipment. Mirrors make up the majority of the walls, so that people can ensure that they are doing their workout correctly, or merely to admire their bodies. Atop a black exercise mat is a free weight area with several dumbell racks, exercise balls and specialized weight machines for each muscle grouping.
Stationary bikes, treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, and rowing machines are along the outer edge of the workout area, but still about ten feet from any wall. Televisions hang from the ceiling above the equipment and are meant to provide some form of distraction for those busily training. Surrounding the entire area is a circular track, where people can run if they don't feel like using a treadmill.
A large section of wall is void of mirrors. In place of the mirrors is floor to ceiling glass, enclosing an aerobics room. A large raised platform sits in the far back of this room in front of another mirrored wall, devised for an instructor to call out to the class.
There are doors which lead from both the gym, and the locker rooms to a large, heated pool.


The full moon is coming in four days. Leigh can feel it in her bones, and it's been making her antsy. She has the night off of work, and so she decides to work off some of the aggression she's feeling at the gym. She's just finished up a kick-boxing class, and is heading toward the step-machine. Her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail. Her clothing is very simple as well; a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra-top. Runners on her feet. A white towel hangs from her neck as she stops to talk to one of the trainers briefly before continuing on her way. Beautiful in the gym at night; generally quiet and easy to get a workout done with little distraction.

Leigh isn't the only one with an affinity for the full moon. But Sean's reaction to it is much, much different. He is genuinely fearful, rueing the night in all it's glory, and, as a result, the rest of the nights leading up to the event has suffered too. When he enters the gym, he looks pale and fitful, with bags under his eyes. Aware of the fact that he will, in fact, have difficulty sleeping this night, he has hatched a plan of action - to head to the gym at night and run so fast and so far that his body will simply collapse onto itself when he crashes.

And so, soundlessly, he moves towards the machinery of the gym, snatching the nearest treadmill he can find. He is so distracted that he doesn't even really notice the attraction, deepset in his genes, to the police officer in the room with him.

Just before reaching the stair-climber, Leigh pauses. She sniffles a few times, attempting to make it sound as if she has a slight cold. Her eyes fall upon Sean, and she cocks her head to the side. Familiar-ish smell, though a tad different from the pack back home. Her eyes linger on the man perhaps a few moments longer than necessary. "Damnit," she mutters to herself. There goes her workout.

Sauntering over to the treadmills, she tosses her towel over the arm of one and hops up onto it. "You look tired," she teases the man. "Sure you can handle the run?"

Sean is blinking with a somber frown on his face, poking unsuccessfully at the machine's touch screen as he uses all his education to puzzle out exactly how to turn the damn thing on. Eventually, he manages, but only to set it at a snail's pace. And therefor, he is walking in place by the time Leigh reaches him.

"Gah!" He is so surprised, so taken off-guard by the woman's sudden presence that he nearly trips forward to fall flat on his face. The result of his flub, coupled with the fact that the woman speaking to him is not in any way unattractive plasters a permanent blush on his features. "Uhm…what? Ex-excuse me?"

With a snicker, Leigh reaches down to offer him a hand. "I didn't mean to startle you," she says, the typical sternness she has when on-duty decidedly gone. "You just look like you'll fall asleep as soon as you start moving a bit faster." Once he's up, either by her help or otherwise, she stretches. "Was about to do a run myself. Get antsy around this time. Agitated. Would rather be out in the woods, but it's a bit chilly yet at night."

Sean can only blink at the hand that she offers him, staring at it in mild surprise before, hesitantly, offering his own to accept the help. "Oh. Uhm. Yeah. I've been sleeping badly, lately. I figure maybe using up all my energy will force me to sleep. But I'm okay - it kind of happens every month," he assures her kindly, mildly. But then, her words register with him. And then, her scent…suddenly, it strikes Sean. The treadmill is stopped, and he pauses to gape at her, open-mouth. "You…you feel it too, don't you?" His words are guarded, careful. It's all about keeping himself as vague as possible.

"Agitation around this time of month? Sure do." Once he's up, Leigh leans back against the next treadmill, eyeing him a little. A bit old to just be experiencing it though. "I think the full moon brings out the crazy in everyone." Certainly makes her job all the more difficult, that's for sure. Thankfully the place is pretty empty, so she doesn't hold back the question. "How'd it happen?" Too old for it to be new, the nervousness, the slightly different scent. It's pretty easy to assume he's not a born Werewolf.

They're skipping over everything. Sean shouldn't be giving his most jealously guarded secret to a stranger, he can't…but she already knows. And he's so, so tired of feeling lost, and confused, and alone - the only person who knows. And so, with a sigh, he lowers his head slightly, pursing his lips in thought. "I…don't know much," he admits, deciding on giving the vaguest truth he can. "I was walking home from the corner store, when I was attacked. I didn't know what it was. The next time I woke up, it was three days later and I was in the hospital."

"Christ." Leigh shakes her head at that, disappointed in her brethren perhaps. "Bitten. That's awful." She's heard of them, but never had the opportunity to meet one. "How long ago?" Then, just to be fair, she offers, "Born and raised." Her hand is held out again, "Leigh Rossum." Her accent will place her outside of Dallas for sure. "Sorry that it happened to you."

"S-Sean. Sean Miller," It is with clear hesitation that he offers this, looking a bit like a frightened rabbit. Just talking about it puts him on edge, and he is visibly nervous, with his eyes darting to and fro. "I'm not even sure, now…about half a year ago, I think? It's…it's not okay, no. I turn into a…a monster." Beat. "I can't…I can't control it, and I can't stop it. I don't…I don't know what to do." She knows. So she must have answers for him. He turns to stare at her imploringly, begging her to admit that she knows a cure or something.

The nervousness is doing nothing to ease her full-moon tension. Leigh inhales deeply, then leans forward against his machine, using the bar to rest her arms on. "I've never met a hybrid before," she answers quietly. "I can call my father though, he's a pack leader out in Illinois…" The officer backs off a bit, realizing that she's offering too much information too fast. "Until then you can call me. Come with me when I run at the moon, if you want. I can keep you safe from most other predators."

Sean looks vaguely haunted, horrified as he stares with broad child-like blue eyes into Leigh's. She will see, then, the deep-rooted fear and sorrow within their depths. "I'm not worried about predators… I am…" But, he can't finish that sentence. Instead, he shakes his head tiredly. A moment of pregnant silence passes by. "I wouldn't want to inconvenience you, really…I don't even know you."

Leigh offers a very charming smile. "Wouldn't inconvenience me in the least. It's been a while since I ran with anyone." The deep-rooted fear doesn't seem to concern her, and she places her hand on his arm. Very gently. "I'm sorry that you didn't have a choice in this. I'd offer to rip his or her head off, but chances of finding them now are slim anyhow. But you look like you need a friend, and I'm offering." She's not hitting on him, really. It's just her desire to be a good person, to prove herself to her father, plus the supernatural pull. At least that's what she's telling herself.

Sean looks surprised at the violence in which Leigh offers retribution, blinking his eyes in awe. He'd back away, almost, if he could. And then the arm…automatically, he tenses at the touch, though he tries his best to calm himself down. "It's alright. I meant…yeah. I don't want anyone's head off. I just want to be normal again. Be a human. I just…want to make this past year disappear." Solemnly, he licks his lips, looking to the floor. "…Thank you, though. You're very kind."

"If that were an option, I would gladly grant it." It's one thing to be born into it, but to be forced into it? Noting his reaction, she removes her hand and laughs. "Sorry, trying to comfort you, and I get the distinct suspicion I'm failing." Leaning off his machine, she falls into an 'at-ease' stance, arms clasped behind her back. "I meant verbally anyhow. I'm an officer of the law. Not sure how the pack runs things here, but back home, dad would have likely flayed the S-O-B for biting you. I wish there was something I could do for you."

Suddenly, Sean blinks, the redness spreading over his cheeks as he offers her a wince. "No! No, you're doing…great. At comforting me…" So…it's not exactly the truth. He sighs. "It's not you, really it's not. It's me. I'm just…I'm just a freak, is all." Cue a particularly moody frown. "You've done more then enough already you know. Thank you. And I mean it, from the bottom of my heart."

Leigh rolls her eyes at him, and smiles. "Stop, and calm down. You're not a freak, because if you are, then I am, and I refuse to see myself that way." Two-natured, sure. Forced run in the woods once a month? No biggie. A freak? Not a chance. "Look," she says, most sincerely, "I'll help, no matter what it takes. I'm sorry you've had to go through this alone for as long as you have."

Sean just peers at her, with slight surprise. "No, I am. I don't even mean…that." Beat. "I'm really twitchy and stuff. A freak. Heh." With that weak laugh explaining his word choice, the man shrugs his shoulders, at a loss for something to do. Then, as his hands reach into his pocket, he recalls his phone. "Oh. Can I have your number, then?" Wait for it…wait. "Oh! Not for - you know - not can I have your number, but like so I…oh God." He groans at his own lameness.

Leigh fires off a number that begins with 555. Because all numbers begin that way. "For any reason, if you can't reach me there, call the Dallas Police Department. They can take a message or forward your call." She grabs for her towel, and flings it over her shoulders with a wink. "Been a long time since anyone asked to have my number, so I didn't take it that way anyhow."

Sean is quick to jot down the number with precision, going over it twice as if to make sure he doesn't mistype. "Okay. And…that's Leigh right, spelled like this?" There is an awkwardness about the way he offers the screen over to Leigh to check the information. "And…err. I don't…know what I should do. When should I call you? Tomorrow, or…is that too soon? Just before the full moon, maybe?"

"Yeah, that's right." Leigh nods at the phone, then fiddles with the towel. There is an awkward feeling, but she's sure it's just the whole genetic thing. She's on top of her game. "Whenever you feel the need, no matter the time, alright? I generally take the night shift these days, thanks to the vampires, but you'll be able to reach me there unless I'm on stake-out."

"Okay! Great." He looks a little relieved, almost, and with that faint smile upon his features, Sean allows himself a deep inhalation of relaxation. "Okay. I think I just might take you up on that offer. Thanks, Leigh." Beat. "You were right. I could use more friends. Anyway…I guess back to running, huh? We came here for a reason, theoretically, and it wasn't to chat each other up. Err, not that we are or anything."

A dry look is given to him. A look that wonders if she's all that hard on the eyes. Then, Leigh just laughs it off. Must be his nerves. "Sure we did. I'm going over that way," she says, jerking her head toward the stair-master thingy. "Prefer it better than the treadmills. Harder work, more of a workout over all. You should try it after your run, it will tire you out." Then she curtsies playfully and starts on her way over to the machine, to actually do her workout.

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