Weightless

Rated: T

Story Summary: Ash goes to work-out with Johnny at the gym - it's a lot funner than she could have imagined.

Was supposed to be a much longer one-shot but meh, I'm just glad it's done. ;-p Hope it's not terrible.

"So this is where you disappear to after practice a few times a week?" Ash asked as they walked into the facility. It's horrendously whiteness burning her eyes in its intensity. Fluorescent lighting and mirrors were rather overwhelming as she took in their new surroundings.

In the back of her mind she was still wondering why on earth she agreed to go the gym with him but with their hectic schedules, it was hard enough to find enough time to spend together so she decided to join him in the free time they did have. Also, getting to see him in a tight fitting tank and shorts was just a hefty bonus.

"Heh. I don't disappear, I always tell ya where I'm going." Johnny chuckled in response as he opened the door for her.

Ash still was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, tugging at her sports bra and the shortest shorts she owned. Feeling so unbearably exposed but didn't feel right coming in her normal outfit. Actually, Ash was quite surprised she even kept her old high school gym clothes (she truthfully only wore twice at the most).

As their feet passed the threshold, Ash was inundated with bright lights and animals of all shapes and sizes working out on various machines and most of them sweating up a small rainshower.

"Ugh, it reeks in here." Ash grumbled, pinching her black nose to hopefully block out some of the sweat and BO leeching off some (most) of the occupants.

"Yeah, it does." Johnny replied, his nose cutely scrunched when she shrugged, "Ya get used to it, I s'ppose."

Along one wall were treadmills, a few feet behind it, some various workout equipment that frankly looked more like torture devices, and along the wall behind them was a bench, a punching bag, and below were weights of various…well, weight, that were stacked neatly on a pyramid by her feet.

"Ulck. Why did I agree to this?" she asked nasally before following him into the next room.

"...you want to leave?" Johnny asked while putting his gym bag down by the bench. "I, uh…guess I could drive you home."

Shit. She did not just say that out loud, did she?

"No! I wouldn't make you do that!" Ash poked him in his firm stomach making Johnny flinch. "I was just joking… It's just - don't you have a gym at your house? We could have just went there."

"Eh, all that's there is a punching bag, some weights, and a bench."

"Isn't that what you planned to use anyway?" Ash asked, brows furrowed in obvious confusion from his spot where he laid his stuff.

"Well, yeah, but I also like to swim a few laps and get some cardio on the treadmill from time to time." Johnny answered with a shrug and Ash had a hard time getting the image of him sopping wet in a pool out of her head.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mr. Universe. I know all about your hunky gorilla routine." Ash muttered even as her face flushed a bit when she inadvertently couldn't help but appreciate how the clothes hugged his taut form.

Johnny just chuckled deep in his throat before nudging her lightly; her blush increasing further.

Without any other teasing words in that moment, Johnny went right to working out and Ash basically followed him around and supervised. She did not intend to embarrass herself in front of her obviously fit boyfriend in the view of all these animals (and more than a few females who were taking quick notice of the hunky gorilla). Ash was certain to flash them dirty looks to keep their lecherous eyeballs to herself when Johnny got her attention.

"Ya not gonna workout, Ash?" he asked from his slight jog on the treadmill next to her much smaller one.

"Oh…Uh…No?" she said more as a question than a statement.

Johnny's brows lifted but he said nothing before focusing back on adjusting his machine to escalate further.

After a grand total of two minutes, she became antsy and decided she might as well do something so with great reluctance, she turned on the machine at a grand total of 2 mph and walked slowly. Never did the porcupine think she'd be working out with her boyfriend - she never was for physical fitness whatsoever so to be doing this was almost like a strange fever dream.

Ash glanced over to Johnny who was almost at a full on sprint and she appreciated the view for a few stolen moments before her attention went to the television above and she shrugged. This isn't so bad.

That's basically how it went for the next hour.

The porcupine following around her gorilla boyfriend to various places in the gym. Mainly watching him workout as she watched and did the smallest incriment possible as to not make Johnny feel as if he should rush on her behalf. She'd drug him to many a places (alternative rock concerts, guitar shopping and such) she knew he wasn't crazy about (but he never complained) for hours on end so an hour or two in the gym couldn't hurt.

Ash silently followed him back over to the weights where he laid his bag when they arrived but instead of picking up the weights, Johnny instead got on his hands and knees and for a second, Ash just stared wide-eyed at actually being eye level with him for once.

"What are you doing?" she couldn't help but ask as he got into a push-up position.

"What does it look like?" he said cheekily while flashing her those pearly whites and sexy canines.

"Touching a really filthy floor." she muttered, tongue sticking out between her teeth.

Johnny just chuckled, "I was going to wash my hands after." he promised when she started doing push-ups.

Ash felt her face heat up and she turned away and glanced over to where there were an influx of mirrors behind her and she inwardly groaned. Were there people who actually watched themselves working out? All red, sweaty and fur matted? Yet as she glanced over at Johnny, he still looked damn good even if his gray skin had a sheen and his face was flushed with adrenaline.

"What is it?" Johnny couldn't help but ask when she realized she'd been staring.

All of a sudden, a brilliant idea popped in her head.

"Get on your stomach." she ordered and even Johnny looked a bit grossed out at the thought of touching the floor that much.

"...what?" he asked.

"Just do it." she replied and he confusingly obeyed; brow ridges furrowed but trusted her anyway. Ash didn't think about it, just instantly climbed onto his back and plopped herself down across his shoulder blades.

Johnny's tenseness melted away and before she could properly hold on, he'd pushed himself back up. Ash squeaked at the sudden change in gravity but melted at the smile he sent her over his broad shoulder.

The mirrors that seemed so weird a few minutes ago gave her a wonderful opportunity. Without any further hesitation, Ash took her phone out of her pocket and faced it toward the mirror - the frame filled with her on happily perched on Johnny's back as he did push-ups. A smile pulling at her lips and his as she hit the button to take the picture and reminded herself to brag on social media later about her fit boyfriend.

All of a sudden, Johnny lowered again and she squeaked and lightly bopped him on his back and he just chuckled as he did another round. Ash holding herself upward by her fingers grasped in his muscle shirt and just enjoying the weightless experience it gave her.

Fluttering in her stomach pleasant like how Johnny always made her feel…

A few dozen reps later, Johnny lowered back down for her to climb off and she couldn't help but steal a kiss before he could fully get his bearings. Johnny's face flushed further if that was possible at this point but he deepened it anyway before breaking it to stand up and not try and draw too much attention for essentially making out in the middle of a packed gym.

Ash simply smirked at his expression as he stood up, and as promised, washed his hands in the nearby lockers before going back to his workout routine. It still wasn't the funnest place to spend time together, but she supposed it could be worse.