Duel 002: Peaceful Days! The Fluffiest Training Montage Commences

[fluffydeathdealer]

[It's a bit of a pain, being in a school with no teachers.

Ryou Bakura isn't the type of kid who really likes being too active; he's about on the level of most ordinary teenagers. But after being laid up for so long with the burns to his arms and leg, not only is he extremely restless, but he's sure even his metabolism won't hold up much longer, with the amount he eats. That's why, after checking to see that Henry isn't home to take him up on that training offer, he's decided to try treating this like school and taking an hour or so to do his very own gym class, all by himself. It'd be easier with teachers, but... he doesn't have a choice right now.

Most kids probably would just take the break and be lazy, but right now, Ryou's working hard. Apart from the occasional break, he can be found pretty easily in the east wing, dressed in gym clothes and doing everything from running laps on the track field to climbing ropes.

...though that last one is more like 'falling off ropes'. Stupid mats... they don't cushion that fall at all. Hopefully nobody's dumb enough to stand below him.]

Ow...

[Time for a banana and some water, he thinks.]

Ah, I'm so tired...

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

Ahaha... alright.

[That nervous laugh was less out of fear of Malik and more out of how embarassed this is going to make him. Well, he won't get better if he doesn't try, so he mimics what Malik did.]

But I'm really out of shape compared to you, so I don't think I'll be able to do as many, if even you can't do more than that.

[obeytherod]

[Once Ryou's off him, Malik turns and presses his hands firmly the other boy's shoes.]

Kehkeh, how about this...I'll be impressed if you can manage just one! Go ahead~

[He'll just be sitting here on his knees...watching you!]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[That is both a pleasant sight and a terrifying one. But... just one, huh? He's sure he can do that. Hands behind the head, he closes his eyes and tries to ignore Malik's eyes on him.

...he doesn't even get halfway to a sitting position the first try. Not even close. The resistance in his body is harsh, especially considering he's on his back, where he's still injured, and trying to avoid letting his back hit the floor if he messes up.]

[obeytherod]

[Predictably, Malik is left snickering.]

Make sure to use your stomach muscles. [He pats Ryou on the flat of his tummy...like a dog.] If you use the hands behind your head to try and sit up, you'll just hurt yourself.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Hey...! I'm not a puppy...

[Sigh. Though that makes sense. Don't rely on his hands, huh? Linking them behind his head, he lies back and tries to focus on it. Use the stomach muscles... don't use your legs... or your hands... It seems impossible.

But if he just lies there and thinks about it, it will get even less possible.

Decision made, this time he moves fast, managing to sit up before falling back almost immediately.]

...ouch!

[obeytherod]

[Could have fooled him, Ryou.

Malik watches the boy's second attempt, grinning again as he succeeds and...hurts himself.] Don't do it so fast, you'll strain yourself~

[fluffydeathdealer]

But if I take it slow, I'll never get off the ground. My mind keeps stopping me.

[It's a quietly awkward admission as he awkwardly rubs his shoulder.]

But I guess you'd know better than I would. I'll try.

[obeytherod]

Then you'll just have to conquer it. Kehkeh...unless you'd rather me use the Rod to force your mind into it.

[It wasn't an actual offer; he didn't expect Ryou to agree to it anyway.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...you can do that?!

[Ryou blinked up at him blankly, confused. He knew that Rod thing was kind of weird, but that it had powers like that, he didn't know yet.

...nice work, Malik.]

I think it's better if I do it on my own.

[Speaking of which, he's just going to keep trying here.]

[obeytherod]

[...Shit. He mentally curses himself. He'd gotten so used to talking with Bakura, and considering Ryou shared the same face...

He has to think quickly.]

Sure. You're afraid of knives, aren't you? [Malik pulls the knife from his Rod, smirking a bit viciously.]

Kehkeh, but suit yourself~

[fluffydeathdealer]

[MEEP]

IDONTNEEDTHATKINDOFINCENTIVETHANKYOU

[Okay that was almost worse.]

[obeytherod]

[Phew! That was a good save.

He aheathes the Rod with another snicker.]

Just hurry up and do your sit-ups! I still have things to do, you know. This week preferably.

[fluffydeathdealer]

R...right.

[Awkwardly, he tries it again until at last...

...he manages to do one without hurting himself.]

I did it!

[obeytherod]

Congratulations. [He moves off Ryou's feet and gets to his own, stretching himself a bit.]

You're probably going to be sore for the rest of the day, hmhmhm.

[And now...he'll start doing actual stretches!]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Eheh, I kind of expected to be when I started in on this... but you're right, I'm already feeling this bad.

[He'll probably need to see Lisa later to make sure he hasn't done anything to the wound on his side, but despite that, he feels a little accomplished.]

[obeytherod]

Luckily it gets easier in time!

[He reaches down now, touching his toes! Malik made it looks so easy and painless.

Once he's finished he heads over to that rope Ryou had been failing so miserably at now long before.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

That's a relief... I'll just have to keep working on it.

[...

He wonders how good at climbing Malik is. Sitting on the mat and sipping water, he watches.]

[obeytherod]

[Ryou's answer to that was...

Slow and steady, just like everything else. Malik didn't seem interested in exerting himself more than he had to. As long as he reached the goal, he'd get the same amount of work done without straining himself.

Once he reaches the top, he playfully taps the bell with his Rod, smirking down at Ryou all the while.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Ryou actually pouts at that. How cocky... Malik was loving how much better at this than him he was, wasn't he?]

Man... you must really have practiced a lot.

[His arms don't feel capable of climbing up there, so he'll just be watching. Raising his voice so Malik can hear, he calls up.]

If you need to take a break, I brought fruit!

[obeytherod]

[He might have been eating up his blatant superiority, yes...

Malik eases his way back down, not wanting to give himself rope-burn by slipping. Once his feet are firmly back on solid ground, he plants a hand on his hip, looking over at Ryou with interest.]

Did you bring any creampuffs?

[YOU GOT HIM ADDICTED...]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[The walking creampuff just stares over at him in turn. What part of 'fruit' implied 'dessert'?]

Uhm... cream puffs aren't fruit...

[Sigh.]

But I can get some.

[obeytherod]

I know that. I was asking if you brought any.

[He waves his hand dismissively and walks over to take a seat on the mat next to Ryou.]

Forget it. Fruit's fine.

[fluffydeathdealer]

You shouldn't eat anything as sugary as that right after exercising, you know? Or during it. It's probably not very healthy.

[Grabbing his bag of fruit, he offers it to Malik carelessly.]

[obeytherod]

... [Malik shoots Ryou a warning look, just daring him to question his choice in exercise-snacks one more time.

Deep down, he knew Ryou was right.

Malik grabs the bag, taking a brief look inside before pulling out an apple and a peach. Setting one down, he starts chomping down on the other as he leers at Ryou.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Sorry, Malik, but he's not really afraid of you even if you have a knife now. Though he doesn't question it any longer as he just grabs a banana and devours it in four bites.]

Ah, that's good~!