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Gaara never really liked working out. He never understood the societal pressure behind going to the gym. Being stared at by seasoned gym-goers and subsequently victimized by the spotlight effect certainly didn't help. But after one particularly embarrassing afternoon of “helping” his brother put away the groceries, he thought maybe he could afford to go. It was the first time Kankuro had ever called him “fucking weaksauce” and Gaara was going to make sure it was the last.… Which is how he ended up with his older brother at a local gym. He took in the sheer unfamiliarity that surrounded him, a place overrun with various machines, workout equipment, and people whose bodies were much more well-suited for this environment than him.“I usually start on the treadmill, but you can do whatever you want,” Kankuro said as they passed through the entrance to check in. Gaara followed him over to a long row of machines where other people were running. He wasn't entirely familiar with the place, so staying by Kankuro would at least help calm his nerves. Maybe running would help him get some of that nervous energy out.He hopped onto a treadmill next to Kankuro and began messing with the settings, but wasn't completely sure how to use it. He stared for perhaps a moment too long at the screen, and eventually decided to press a green button that said “quick start.” That was probably correct.After some time, Gaara was able to figure out how to adjust the speed and incline settings, but settled on a light jog, so he wouldn't tire himself out immediately. Gaara felt pretty proud of himself for (barely) figuring out how to use the treadmill and sought out his older brother for validation. But when he turned to his right, he noticed Kankuro was already gone, having gone off to use one of the other machines. His stomach dropped. Maybe Gaara took too long to adjust the settings. Gaara let out a nervous sigh at the thought of being alone. He turned his focus down toward the screen and decided to increase the speed. He glanced up for a moment to watch the other gym-goers around him.But just as he looked up, someone caught his attention. A tall, thick-eyebrowed man with rippling muscles, and a pretty stellar ass, bent over in front of him. He was wearing a sweat-soaked green shirt, leggings, and, for reasons Gaara couldn't understand, orange legwarmers. As he stood up straight, he took a swig from a water bottle and Gaara couldn't help but stare at the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed.This guy may not met the conventional standards of beauty, but he certainly fit the bill for Gaara. This guy was one hot potato.Unfortunately, in Gaara's temporary distraction, he didn't realize he still had his finger pressed down on the “increase speed” button. The belt of the treadmill began moving so fast, he lost his footing and went flying off, slamming his face on the corner of the machine as he landed.The whole gym seemed to go silent, save for the sound of ringing in Gaara's ears.“Oh, my gosh, are you okay?!” he heard someone say.Gaara looked up to see the beautiful, greenclad man leaning over him while he lied on the floor. His shiny, black hair glinted off the fluorescent lights that lined the ceiling. Gaara smiled weakly at him as he tasted the blood that dripped into his mouth.“I am now…”He heard Kankuro pipe up from somewhere nearby, “No, you're not! Your nose is broken!”“You took quite the spill!” the stunning man said, reaching up to press a wet cloth to Gaara's face. He winced. “Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”“Probably,” he smiled through his glazed expression.Sexy legwarmers boy gave a light laugh that cause Gaara to practically melt into the floor.Kankuro weaved through a couple of machines and kneeled down next to Gaara. “Sorry about him,” he said to the hottest guy Gaara had ever seen, “he's my brother. I can take him.” Kankuro reached his hands under Gaara's armpits and propped him up while his bloody, broken nose continued to drip. The thick-eyebrowed god in front of him helped to stop the bleeding.“I'm Gaara,” he offered lamely, his pale eyes glued to the man nursing his wound.“Lee,” the super sexy, bowl-cut beauty reponded with a smile, his teeth glinting in the light.“You come here often…?” Gaara asked, tasting iron as his mouth continued filling with blood.“Pretty much daily,” Lee answered. He pulled the cloth away and folded it to a less bloodied side before pressing it back to Gaara's face. “You?”“I'm pretty much a seasoned… professional,” he said. He could hear Kankuro's colossal eye roll.“Okay, I think this one's lost enough blood as it is,” Kankuro said, pulling Gaara up to standing. “Let's get you to the hospital.”“Do you mind if I help?” Lee asked. He tilted his head to the side, the bangs from his bowl-cut swishing with the movement.“Please do,” Gaara answered before Kankuro could.The two hauled Gaara through the parking lot and into the car. He stared at Lee pretty much the entire time they walked, which bordered on a bit creepy, given how profusely he was bleeding.Lee helped a loopy and apparently lovestruck Gaara into the front seat as Kankuro started up the car. He thanked Lee for helping his little brother out and Lee smiled in return.“I hope all goes well,” Lee said.“Yeah,” Gaara sighed.“I'll see you next time!” he winked and offered a thumbs-up.Gaara gave him a thumbs-up back, but it was so weirdly uncharacteristic, Kankuro slapped his hand down to stop it.Lee shut the door and waved a small goodbye before heading back into the gym. The whole time Gaara sat with Kankuro in the waiting room, he knew one thing was for certain. He was definitely going to the gym more.
