And We're All Falling

Friendly Competition

“Three more sets and you’ll be done!”

“Three more?!”

“Quit whining! You signed up for me and you’re going to do what I say! Now three more!”

The smirking red-head watched the man she’d been yelling at flop back onto the mat. Walking toward a rack that was missing the weight she’d been using to make the man work harder, there was a spring in her step. 

Guys signed up for her class because she was a girl and they assumed she’d be nicer to them. Boy, were they wrong. Her red hair wasn’t just for looks; it led straight to a personality just as fiery. Not to mention her eyes were a bright green that seemed to pierce anything that wasn’t satisfactory to her.

Now, outside of her work, she was considerably nicer. The only way she made money was by getting people in shape, so she had to be, well, motivating to them. Some said she took that a little too enthusiastically, but she didn’t really care. Her work was fun and she got to stay in shape all year round.

“Hey, Lina! Mind bringing me that weight?” a voice called.

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, she turned toward the voice. Hovering over a woman who was lifting, a man smiled. He was good-looking, but the scarred right eye kind of threw things off for most. His other eye, golden brown, had a glimmer in it that made it clear he was teasing her. That didn’t stop her from getting a bit mad.

“York, I thought I’ve told you before?” she asked, walking closer. “It’s Carolina. Here’s your weight.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet. Might want to go check on your client. Seems a little…unmotivated,” York said playfully, taking the weight from her and putting it on the bar. 

“Um, am I supposed to keep going?” the girl who had been lifting asked.

“Just a sec, love. Then we’ll finish up for the day,” York replied, flashing her a smile.

Carolina’s face struggled to remain composed. York was trying to push her buttons and make her mad. Gritting her teeth, she crossed her arms and stormed back to the man she’d told to do three sets. He’d only finished one set and was resting.

“Aw, I thought I said three sets?” she asked, playing sweet to try and get him to keep going. “Well, I guess we can finish with a two-lap run instead?”

“Better….that’d be better,” the man breathed, sitting up and looking at her.

“Come along then, uh, Frank, was it?” she said cheerfully, pulling her hair into a high ponytail with a black hair tie.

As she chatted with the man on the way to the track, York eyed the pair. He set the bar back and walked to the front of the rack. The girl sat up, confused look on her face.

“Let’s finish up with a run,” he suggested, offering her a hand.

“Oh, okay? But I thought Delta ran a report through the doctor and I wasn’t supposed to run?” she asked, taking his hand and standing up.

“Nope! I had Delta run another report and you’re in the clear!” York lied, pulling her toward the track.

“For a computer program, he’s pretty good,” she laughed, stepping through the door onto the track behind him.

York started jogging and the girl followed him, chattering away. A flash of red ponytail caught his eye ahead. The teal tank-top and black shorts with the matching tennis shoes confirmed that it was Carolina and the man she’d been working with beside her. Picking up the pace slightly, the duo soon caught up to the other two.

“Well, well, well, fancy seeing you two here! We’ll be finishing up soon,” York called, shifting into the lanes beside the man.

“Hm, same here! Frank here traded sets for laps. One more after this and we’ll be done,” Carolina replied, smiling sweetly.

“We’re only doing one, right Kai?” he asked, looking over at the girl.

“Huh? Oh yeah. One lap,” she agreed.

The quartet went silent as they went, the only sound being the slap of tennis shoes onto the track. It wasn’t long before the end line was in sight for York and Kai. Pulling up at it, York grinned as he watched Carolina scowl and keep going.

“Don’t hurt yourself, Lina!” he called.

“YORK!” 

“Thanks!” he laughed, following Kai through the door back to the main part of the gym.

Later, after Kai had left, York sat in the trainer’s locker room, scrolling through his phone. North had sent him a text asking about dinner and York was going to go, but only if Carolina was going to go too. If not, he was going to just stay and tease her relentlessly. 

“Ugh, I thought that guy would never leave.”

Speak of the devil…

“Aw, I thought you two were getting along,” York teased, looking up at her as she opened her locker.

“Shut up. What about you and the girl you forced to run?!” she snapped, slamming the locker door after she got her bag.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, watching her walk toward the wall tablet where Delta could be interacted with.

“Delta, pull up Kai Grif’s latest report with her ability to run,” Carolina ordered, tapping once on the screen.

“Kai Grif is not allowed to run for three weeks, Miss Carolina,” a monotone voice replied, pulling up the girl’s picture.

“Thank you, Delta. That will be all,” she replied, raising her eyebrows at York.

“I didn’t say that she could run,” York denied.

“Do I really need to pull up the security cameras and play that back too?” she sighed, crossing her arms.

“No!” he said quickly, jumping off of the bench.

“Then I was right, hm?” she asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

“Yes, you were right. What’s my punishment?” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Tonight at dinner, you pay for dessert,” she declared, grinning widely.

“So you are going?” he asked, walking toward his locker.

“Of course. Apparently CT’s bringing a new girl who ‘needs some friends besides stallions’ or whatever that means,” she replied, walking toward the bathroom.

“IS SHE SINGLE?”

“DO NOT SET HER UP WITH WASH!”

“Who said anything about setting her up with Wash?” York laughed.

“YORK!”

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(Disclaimer: I do not own the Red vs Blue characters, they belong to the lovely people at RoosterTeeth :))