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Picking up the Pieces (With BlueAmbient)

Mason immediately texts Maverick's new phone, so he's got Mason's number. "Alright, next stop, the gym. Then anywhere else you want to go. There's still lots of daylight left." Mason is humming on the way out of the mall, hands tucked into his jeans pockets. He's not one for loitering around busy places just to people watch. Thankfully, crowds don't make him nervous, but his assumption that Maverick would be had been correct. All the more reason not to stay at the mall.

In the car, Mason looks over at Maverick. "I'm sorry if this is too much. You're looking a little overwhelmed. We can always get your membership another day of you would rather just go home." Mason's concern for Maverick is showing again, as he starts the car. He doesn't quite pull away from the parking space though, wanting to make sure Maverick is okay before leaving. "Seriously, this is a lot of change all at once. I'm sorry if I'm being pushy about getting you settled in."
 
The default text noise sounded as Mason texted him and Maverick looked at the screen and acknowledged it. Seems like it was working just fine. With the phone now in his pocket, Maverick made his way out alongside the other. The gym, another place with...people. Those people of course had a specific reason to be there and had no time to be pestering others, so surely it was fine. Besides, he couldn't imagine there being that many people at a gym. Maverick nodded in agreement with the plan.

In the car he took out his phone to look at the various little apps on it and what they did, some of them not really appealing to him at all. Social media was a pointless popularity contest after all and he wasn't all that interested in seeking the validation of complete strangers. When Mason spoke up he let out a sigh. "I'm fine." he stated firmly, almost stubbornly. "Just in and out, it's not that big a deal." he added. There it was again, Mason being a bit too concerned for his well being. "I can handle it. I'm not delicate." he added, almost a bit annoyed at the very implication. He had gotten along just fine until now all on his own. If anything, the concern was making him ever more aware of the fact that his discomfort was showing more than he had intended to let on, and perhaps he had always been that way.

No, not quite. He was very good at hiding it back then because he was always busy. Now that he simply existed with no real purpose, it was a lot harder to hide the proverbial mess under a rug. "Let's get it over with. Then maybe we can get a sketch pad or something. Mine is a little...full." Not like he'd had much else to really do up until now after all.
 
Mason raises his hands slightly in surrender, nodding. "Okay, okay, I just wanted to make sure." Mason frowns slightly as he pulls out of the lot, turning down the road and slightly back toward home. The gym is walking distance from his house, though it does take roughly twenty minutes. The rest of the drive is made in silence.

At the gym, there's only a handful of cars outside, and one is in a parking spot marked staff only. Remembering the jab Maverick had made at the mall for Mason opening the car door, he opts to just stand nearby while he waits. Leading the way, Mason oulls open the gym door, swinging it enough that Maverick can just slip in behind him. Up at the counter, a redhead petite woman waves. Hey, Mason! You're early today. Ooh, who's the cutie? New boyfriend? Don't beef him up too much, you'll have the gym girls pawing at him."

Mason flushes a bright red at the woman's teasing, walking up to swat her lightly on the head. "Amanda, don't be crass! You're ridiculous. Not every guy I bring here has been an interest. Besides, he's an old friend that I'm helping to get back on his feet." Mason's face is still a shade of red as Amanda nods, one eyebrow raised. "Uh huh, and I'm a dude." Amanda snorts, then waves Maverick over. "Come hee, sugar, let's set you up. I need ID and a phone number."
 
The silent ride was almost deafening. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so direct? But he didn't really know how to be subtle. Maverick spent the ride checking out his phone to keep him occupied and when they arrived he wasted no time in putting it away and getting out. There weren't many here judging by the parking lot, and the gym itself was decently sized.

Once inside he looked at the various equipment before his attention was drawn to the woman calling out to them. Of course he naturally balked at the very direct assumption of their relationship. He held himself back somehow, because he very much wanted to tell her how not cute he was, and how very wrong she was. Boyfriend? That wasn't at all anywhere in the realm of truth, but...wait. That means, Mason has been here with boyfriends before. Unless she's exaggerating of course, but that was really none of his business.

Maverick stepped forward a bit awkwardly because did she really have to make this weird? He took out his ID and showed her before looking through his phone to figure out his number. It took him a moment with a frown on his face because he wasn't familiar with operating one of these, but once he had the number he rattled it off to her so she could get him signed up. Once it was done he couldn't help but roll his eyes at her demeanor, acting like she could somehow see something between them that didn't exist.
 
Amanda hums as she gets things put into the system, bouncing slightly on the stool she's perched on like an ADHD bunny. Her nails, short and painted red, click loudly on the keyboard. Mason is still looking embarrassed, choosing to stare out at the gym equipment rather than look at Maverick. Eventually, Amanda hands back Maverick's ID with a wink. "Be right back, guys." With that, she disappears into the back office. The souhd of a printing machine can be heard a second later.

Mason sighs, finally looking over at Maverick. "I apologize for her. Amanda can be a bit.. Much. But she's a good girl, very friendly, and yes, nosy. And don't get me started on her powers of observation. Don't worry, she'll back off. Eventually.." Mason mumbles the last word as Amanda comes back to the desk, holding out another card to Maverick. "There you go, Richter, membership card. You need to swipe this at the door if you're coming n after hours. No staff after hours, but there are cameras in the gym, so behave yourself. Quiet times are the middle of the day, and middle of the night. We also supply health products such as pre-workout, protein, electrolytes, and energy bars." Amanda waves her hand at a floor to ceiling wall display. "Mo climbing the display, let me know if you need something from the top. I doubt you would climb it, but this new member speech is in place for a reason. Lockers rooms and showers are at the back of the gym, you must supply your own lock, and empty your locker before you leave. There is a sauna but it's co-ed so keep the towels on. Any questions?"
 
It was quite clear that she was nosy, some people tended to be like that that. As she came back Maverick took the ID not at all acting as if the name she had used was out of place. He was used to recognizing it, even if he didn't use it often. He place it into his worn wallet along with his ID before listening to the standard spiel about when they were open and what not to do. It was sad that people had to be told not to do these things, as if some people truly lived in a circus.

"No questions." Maverick responded. If he had questions he could ask Mason. He nodded and walked out so he didn't have to deal with anymore of her antics, while also wondering if maybe she was right about the girls being all over him. He wasn't a fan of the idea at all, though he had indeed had girls try to win him over in the past, only to be quite rudely rejected because he didn't have time for that nonsense.

Once outside he groaned. "She really likes to talk." he muttered. "Who you bring and why is really none of her damned business." he added. He truly couldn't understand why some people just seemed to need to know every little thing despite the knowledge being relatively useless. He was at least glad that they had hours where almost no one would be around. Once they were in the car Maverick glanced over at Mason with an unreadable expression before going back to checking out his phone, this time setting up his contacts properly. Or at least, the only contact he had currently.
 
Mason chuckles as he walks back to the car with Maverick. "I'm sorry about her. I've been coming to this gym since release from the military, so she's gotten to know me pretty good. She's become a good friend, but yeah, I know she's nosy. She's a good person, though. And a good one to trust. Amanda has a heart of gold, and stands up for the people that need it." In the car, Mason doesn't miss Maverick's glance. "What? What's that look about?"

Mason pulls out of the parking space, but it's clear he's waiting for an answer. As it happens, they get stuck at a long red light. Mason keeps looking over at Maverick, trying to figure out if something is wrong. One hand taps the steering wheel idly, following the beat of the music playing quietly on the radio.
 
Perhaps she was a good person. Maverick wasn’t the best judge for this sort of thing but at least Mason could confirm that she wasn’t nosy out of malice.

As the vehicle started moving Maverick shook his head. “Nothing.” he insisted. He wasn’t exactly sure what to think of all he had learned today. Mason’s romantic interests were really none of his concern, especially since they were clearly just friends. It wasn’t like he was disappointed or anything since he had never really held an interest in that kinda thing before, but now he was perhaps the tiniest bit curious about what he had been missing out on. That, and whether or not there was any truth to what the woman had said. “We can get that sketch pad along the way back. I think this will be enough adventure for one day…unless you have other errands in need of running.”
 
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Mason hums when Maverick insists that the look didn't mean anything, an entertained smile on his face. Mason has to keep reminding himself that Maverick was always a pretty private person, and just because he suddenly showed up again and consequently moved into Mason's home, doesn't mean he's going to just open up about his every thought. reminded of the sketch pad, Maverick switches lanes and makes a left turn. They drive in silence for roughly ten minutes, then Mason turns into what looks like a strip mall. Connected buildings, but separate entrances to various stores. One is labeled The Artist's Corner.

"I used to buy my w- Ex-wife, art supplies here. It's got pretty good quality stuff, and the staff are very knowledgeable." From the sounds of it, Mason knows just enough about art things to know good from bad quality, but not enough to know super specific items or needs. He gets out of the car, almost going around to open Maverick's door, but stopping himself in front of the hood. He shoves his hands into his jeans pockets, rocking back on his heels while he waits. He does hold the door to the store open, letting Maverick walk in first. The store is currently empty except for a young man with dyed blue hair and green eyes behind the counter, and an elderly woman buying paint brushes. The young man smiles and waves as he works on cashing out the woman. Mason waves back, then leads Maverick down the aisle he knows the sketch pads are in. "That's Tony, the store owner's son. He's the manager when his dad is gone, super nice. There's another guy named Marcus, and a older woman named Alice that also work here. Very friendly people." Mason is kind of rambling, but also wanting to subtly let Maverick know that there are other safe people, if Maverick wants to make friends with someone other than himself.
 
The silence was never awkward for Maverick, so he wasn’t at all bothered by the lack of conversation along the way. As they arrived he got out and followed along, this time not at all bothered by the gesture of the door being held open. After all, it wasn’t like Mason had to go out of his way to do so, unlike the car door. “That’s good to know. While sketch pads don’t require it, drawing utensils definitely do need the quality. Especially erasers.” he responded.

The shop had a vast array of supplies of most traditional mediums. Paper, pencil, crayons, paint, you name it and it seemed like this place had it. Maverick gave the young man a nod of acknowledgement before they headed down the aisle to find something suitable. It sounded like Mason knew these people pretty good as well. He scanned the various choices thoughtfully, knowing that the type of paper mattered depending on the goal. He chose something that worked well with the set of graphite pencils he had back at the house and with that they were pretty much done. “This place seems pretty good. I’ll keep it in mind if I need other stuff later.” He quietly placed the sketch pad on the counter having noted the price and purchased it himself.
 
Mason follows Maverick back up to the counter, where Tony greets them and runs the pad through the till. He exchanges small pleasantries with Mason, simple 'how are you's and such, while working. Mason notices Maverick pay for himself and briefly considers telling him he doesn't mind paying for things Maverick wants. But he chooses not to say anything, not wanting to be overbearing. Mason has done a lot for Maverick today, and the smaller man probably wants some bit of independence.

With a quick goodbye to Tony, Mason leads Maverick back out of the store. He's mildly surprised Maverick hadn't made a comment about Mason having an ex-wife, as Mason never really talked about his family during the war, for the sake of keeping them safe if anything had happened to Mason. "I don't have anything else to do today, so unless you can think of something else you want to get, we can head home." Mason gets into the car yet again, half turning in his seat to look at Maverick.
 
Mason had always been the more sociable one between them. Maverick thanked the cashier out of courtesy since it was someone Mason knew, and then they were off. In the car he buckled up and shook his head. “Home is fine.” he replied, finding the word strange considering he had never really had a place to consider home before, aside from his car.

Now was a far more appropriate time for his curiosity once they started heading back. “You never really talked about your family before.” he murmured. Though given he had mentioned an ex-wife, it was safe to say there probably wasn’t anything of value to glean from this. “Not that it’s any of my business of course, but what happened to yours? Did things just fall apart after the war?” He could think of a few scenarios, but nothing conclusive given he knew nothing about Mason’s family.
 
Mason presses his lips together when asked about his family, but it's not in a way that shows he doesn't want to talk about it. Instead, he just looks.. Disappointed in himself. Mason pulls out of the strip mall's parking lot as he speaks. "It was safer during the war not to mention that I had family at home. My interests have always been divided between men and women, though I generally leaned towards men more. But I loved Melissa, and we married quite young. We had a son, Ryan, very soon after. Things were good for a long time, but when I got drafted for the war, things got.. Tense. Ryan was young when I left, and angry. Melissa was.. Distant."

Mason pauses for a moment at a red light, and his expression shows he's gathering his thoughts. He doesn't seem to mind talking about it. "At first, letters were frequent, back and forth. But as the war went on, Melissa's replies came less and less. Eventually, we stopped writing altogether. I can't say I was surprised when the war ended and I found Melissa had moved on, and wanted a divorce. Ryan resents me, we barely talk. The most communication I have with Melissa is the occasional text about what's on Ryan's birthday and Christmas wishlists. He's seventeen now, and graduates this year, a year early. He's very smart. But Melissa said he's expressed that he doesn't want me at his graduation ceremony." Mason sounds a little sad at this, but also has an air of quiet acceptance about it.
 
Maverick was silent as Mason spoke, listening intently. He had a feeling it might have had something to do with the war, and on that front he was right. It was also more complex than just that. He didn’t know what to really say in response. The whole situation just sounded bitter and unpleasant, the last part especially. “That’s…unfortunate.” Unfortunate was putting it lightly. “I can’t say I’d be too thrilled if someone I haven’t seen for most of my life suddenly showed up either.” He wasn’t saying it to be mean or justify things of course.

“I don’t have a family at all. Well, not that I can remember. Surely I have one, but they would be nothing more than strangers to me since I have no memory of them.” he revealed. “I don’t know if my lack of memory was intended as part of the experiments or not, but I don’t recall anything before my time in the labs.” He couldn’t imagine that his family would want him back anyway, broken as he was. “I decided years ago that I didn’t need a family. I would take care of myself because if I don’t, no one else will.” At least, that was the case before. Mason seemed to care, and that was more than enough. “Tch, I’m not even drunk and I’m spilling. Forget about it.”
 
Mason laughs lightly at the way Maverick rambles on about not having a family, and taking care of himself. The comment about not being drunk makes him laugh a little louder. "Maverick, it's not a weakness to talk about yourself. Besides, our military squad was our family. Sure, maybe not a really one, but we had each other's backs." Mason pauses, turning down the street he - now they - live on. "And you've always got me."

There's a faint blush to Mason's cheeks as he says it, but he doesn't take the words back. He wants Maverick to know he's there for him. Mason pulls into the driveway, clicking the button on the sun visor to open the garage door. He pulls in beside Maverick's car, the garage door shutting behind them as Mason turns off the engine. As he gets out of the car, he turns his head to give Maverick a smile. "Welcome home, again."
 
Mason was right. It wasn't like back then when he had to be careful about what he divulged. This was Mason after all, but it still wasn't easy to reverse deeply ingrained habits none the less. "Yeah, you're right." he stated quietly. As they arrived he stepped out and brought his new purchase inside along with him. The rest of the day was spent in relative silence with the occasional chatter, a couple movies and such.

When the evening rolled around they decided to go check out the gym since no one would be around. He put on a black tank top that he had among his belongings along with a pair of faded red shorts that reached just above his knees that would be better suited for what they had planned. The tank top was actually rather tight on him since it had shrunk slightly upon washing it a couple months back and left hardly anything to the imagination in regards to his general shape.

As promised by Amanda, there really was no one around. "So, what do you usually do when you come here?" Maverick asked curiously. Probably something far more involved than what Maverick was currently capable of given his decline.
 
Before heading to the gym, Mason had changed into black shorts of the same material as sweatpants, with elastic sewn into the leg hems so the fabric sits snug just above his knees. For a top, he wears a loose grey tank top, the hem just slightly longer than his waist. At the gym, Mason leads Maverick into the men's dressing room, picking a random locker and tossing his stuff in. He's only got one lock, so he waits for Maverick to add his stuff before locking it. Just in case someone else does join them. "I usually focus on calisthenics. You know, body weight workouts. I've had better luck maintaining muscle with that versus weightlifting. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of the bug, bulky bodybuilder look."

Mason leads the way back to the floor, moving to an open sections to sit down and stretch. His flexibility is impressive, stretching his hamstrings by putting his legs forward, and literally bending in half at the waist so his nose touches his knees. "There's a lot of people that say stretching before a workout doesn't actually do anything, but i find it gets me in the right mindset, so I do it anyway." Mason shrugs, sits upright, then twists at the waist, first one direction, then the other, nearly looking completely behind himself.
 
Following suit, Maverick also put the rest of his stuff in his locker and joined Mason. "That sounds simple enough." he replied, not really sure he was up for anything too terribly serious given his current condition. He had to agree that the large body builder sort of build wasn't too appealing, and in Maverick's case had never been practical given his agility. He followed the other out and found that he appreciated the quiet, even if there was a slight echo in the room. He stood to the side at first to simply observe, but soon he did the same, leaning to each side, twisting, just stretching out. As he did so he found his eyes drawn to Mason, just how fit the man was. Attractive, even. And with that, he recalled a conversation from earlier in the day. The fact that Mason brought guys he was interested in here. That probably wasn't the case given Mason's previous denial, so maybe he shouldn't read into it too much.

When he realized he was staring perhaps a little too long he looked away. "Stretching is probably for the best. I don't do this as often as I should. At least not seriously." he admitted quietly. Since he lived in his car until now he didn't really have the luxury of doing much more than basic exercises to keep as fit as he did, doing the bare minimum to keep the slightly toned body he had. It was certainly not quite like he was back then, but he could work on it. The shirt he wore was worn and rode up slightly each time he moved revealing his midriff slightly, along with the tease of an old scar. Maverick was quite flexible even now. "So you do stuff like push ups and pull ups? Stuff like that?" he inquired to break the silence.
 
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Mason smiles as Maverick joins him, and leads the smaller man through a variety of stretches. By the end, Mason feels fully body relaxed, but also very self-aware of his muscles. And that's exactly what he wants; stretching helps Mason take stock of how his body is doing and feeling, so he has an idea of how far he can push himself. "Sort of, but not just that. Things like dead hangs, pike hangs, lower body lifts, bicycle twists while in a V sit."

Mason shrugs with a grin, then opts to start simple, having a feeling Maverick will probably follow his lead. "Let's start with basic push-ups, five sets of ten reps, then we'll move to narrow, then wide, push-ups, in the same amounts. After that, a good plank hold, then lower body lifts." Mason gets into position, waiting for Maverick, then counts aloud. At ten push-ups, he relaxes, resting on his stomach and propped up on his elbows. "Rest for thirty seconds between each set. It's not about doing as many as you can in one go, but more about maintaining correct posture and movement."

Mason moves into the next set, rest again, then the next, until he has completed five sets of ten reps. For the next set, he places his hands wide, about six inches out to the sides, instead of directly under his shoulders, as one would in a normal push-up. Again, five sets of ten, with thirty seconds between each set. Following this, Mason sets his hands directly next to each other, beneath his chest, for the narrow push-ups. Each of the different postures works a different side of the arm and shoulder muscles, working them in different directions.
 
After they finished their initial stretching Maverick gave the other a curious look. He wasn't sure what a whole lot of that was, or at least he didn't know the proper name for such exercises but if they were explain he would know what they were based on the description. "Sure, the basics sound good." he replied before following suit with the pushups.

He started his pushups slowly, perhaps even slower than Mason given how irregular he was with this sort of thing. Maverick never really had a significant amount of upper body strength so he found it a little bit harder to keep up. "So I've been doing this wrong the entire time, huh?" he commented during one of the breaks. When he did this sort of thing he went until he couldn't hold himself up anymore, which apparently wasn't the best approach according to Mason.

Ten at a time was manageable, though around forty he had to take a bit of a longer break. During his extended break he would watch Mason keep going with relative ease. The man made this look so easy. Once he finished the first exercise he started in on the next, slower this time but steady none the less. "I just gotta get used to it over time. Work myself up to it." he stated as he tried to catch up at his own pace.
 
Mason lifts his head to watch Maverick as he finishes up his last set. He settles on his stomach, propped on his elbows. At least Maverick understands basic overall posture, like not letting his hips drop. "Well, going until you can't isn't necessarily bad, but only works one set of muscles. Then you don't have the energy for the others." When Maverick talks about getting used to it, Mason grins. "You don't have to push yourself to match me, Maverick. You should feel the burn of well-worked muscles, but listen to your body and stop if it starts to properly hurt."

Once Maverick finishes his push-ups, Mason rolls onto his back, sideways to the other man. "Leg lifts can be really good for the abdominals, and just like push-ups, have three levels. Lifts to the waist, lifts to the ribs, and lifts to the shoulders." Mason lays his arms flat along his sides, shifting so his back and shoulders are flat on the ground. He keeps his legs straight as he lifts them to a ninety degree angle to his waist, then brings them down again, but doesn't let them touch the floor. "Same as before, 5 sets of ten reps."
 
"I'll keep that in mind. I don't expect to be able to match you entirely." Maverick admitted. This was why he had opted to be a little slower, to not burn out as quickly. It would take longer but he would be able to do more than if he rushed through it. The push ups had worn his arms by the end, but the next exercise was the legs and that gave the arms a bit of a break.

Laying on his back this time he moved his legs, something that was a bit more difficult working against gravity. A few times he faltered as his legs hit the floor, but he took a moment to rest and kept going. Slowly but surely. By the time he had finished he was a bit winded, taking Mason's advice and getting up to take a break. He bought a water from the vending machine and came back to simply watch Mason for a bit.

Admittedly it was a bit mesmerizing to watch. Mason had good form and stamina, easily able to go through the reps. He found his gaze drawn to the way the other's muscles rippled with each movement. His observations brought to mind the things he had learned about Mason today. It made him wonder, did Mason think of him as a potential boyfriend? If Mason only brought guys he was interested in to the gym, that made sense unless he was somehow an exception to the rule. Why the hell was he fixated on these ridiculous questions? What would he even do with the answers?

Once he had rested enough he came back onto the floor to pick up where he had left off, but not before asking the very question that had been plaguing his mind. "You only bring guys you like here. Does that mean you uh...consider me something like that? Or am I reading into this too much?" he asked, and didn't even wait for an answer as he got to work once more. Hopefully that wasn't too personal of a question.
 
When Mason finishes his five sets of ten reps, he moves onto the next difficulty. As before, he's lifting his legs from the floor, but now also lifting his hips off the floor. Not by much, as he still keeps the majority of his back, his ribcage, on the floor. When he lowers his legs again, his heels stop just before touching the floor. He'd been focused on his muscle control, so Maverick's question catches him off guard. His heels tap the floor, but he's quick to resume. However, there's a faint pink flush to his cheeks now.

What Amanda had said wasn't a lie. Mason did bring guys he liked to the gym. Admittedly, he liked showing off to them. And he always wanted to share one of his favorite things with them. For Mason, his workouts are almost meditative. In Maverick's case, Mason had been trying to be more subtle. Someone he cared for deeply, that he'd thought he'd lost in the war and even still carried guilt-driven nightmares about, is suddenly back in his life. Of course he considers Maverick in that category, but Mason doesn't want the other man to think he's only helping him get back on his feet because he wants something in return.

Mason finishes his current set before sitting up to answer. "I.. Yes, I do. But I don't expect anything from you in return. Everything over the last twenty four hours is because I genuinely want to help you reconnect with society, find your place." Mason rubs the back of his neck, looking away. Suddenly, he feels very awkward. "I want you to have a safe place, somewhere you can sleep that's not just the back seat of your car, some stability. So, if my old feelings make you uncomfortable, please tell me." Mason leans back on one hand, the other still at the back of his neck, and his eyes are fixed on his lap.
 
Now it was Maverick’s turn to feel a little awkward. The answer was not a surprise exactly, but now he needed to decide what to do with it. As he worked his brows furrowed, the thoughts going through his mind easily distracting him enough to warrant him to pause once more. “It’s not…a problem.” he started, unsure how to word his response. “It was just a question I couldn’t seem to get out of my head without an answer to it.”

Was he uncomfortable? Not really. In fact, there was a sense of comfort in Mason’s familiar presence. “I’m not good at articulating my feelings or words, but I don’t really see a need to change anything regardless of how you feel.” he concluded. He hadn’t outright rejected Mason’s admitted feelings, he simply brushed them off to the side for later consideration. With that out of the way he was back to work on his exercises, almost like he hadn’t asked any question at all. There was no need to make this exchange any more awkward than it already was.

After a couple sets of reps he was feeling the burn and unfortunately he had to stop. The harder lifts really took a toll on him after all the work he had put in so far tonight and there was no use overdoing it. Maverick once more sat on the side but this time he was content just watching. “I think I’ve hit my limit, but you can keep going.” he announced.
 
While not necessarily excited about the way Maverick responded, Mason can respect that his long-held secret is a sudden discovery for the shorter man. It's not something someone just jumps on, of course Maverick would need time to think. Mason is glad that Maverick doesn't want things to change. They can keep this recovered casual camaraderie. So with that, Mason smiles softly and returns to his lifts.

Once Mason has finished his mid-level lifts, he moves to the third stage. Now, his leg lifts consist of legs up, hips up, then full back up. At peak, only his shoulders and head are touching the floor, along with his arms spread down and out for balance. These lifts are almost a rolling motion, muscle control meaning he makes the lofts and lowers in stages, pausing at each. But the motions are smooth, well-practiced.

When Maverick announces he's done, Mason chuckles. "Yeah, my workouts aren't exactly easy for others to keep up with." Mason can tell Maverick is watching him, and doesn't mind one bit. He focuses on his sets, working through them with ease. When he finishes and sits up, he's barely broken a sweat, and his breathing is as even as when they started. "Do you mind if I do some hangs, or do you want to go home?" Mason realizes he missed the plank he talked about, but it's not very good for showing off, and the part of him that's just a bit egotistical wants to keep doing so for Maverick.
 
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