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when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-25-2025
[say]”You can be a man or you can be a dog, Everest, but you are leaving this apartment and we are going for a run.”[/say] Mateo’s voice is cheerfully insistent, carrying up and through the windows of said apartment from the street where he’s waiting for his friend. Having carried himself down to the plaza at some gods awful hour (read: a perfectly ordinary time of the morning), he’s doing the sorts of stretches he sees from other runners in passing. Because Mateo, of course, doesn’t favour this kind of exercise; he prefers to burn his calories between the sheets.
But Frey had suggested finding a way for Ever to relieve his physical tension, and working out is notorious for that sort of stuff, or so he’s heard. [say]”It’s either this or an orgasm,”[/say] he adds as an afterthought, not bothering to lower his tone and straightening up to stretch his arms above his head. Dressed in the sort of running clothes one might imagine draped upon a mannequin in a store that doesn’t sell anything close to actual exercise gear, nevertheless, Mateo’s heart is in the right place as always.
Also, he’s purposely not hungover this morning, so Ever needs to come and take advantage of that, stat.
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-25-2025
Through the thin windows, Everest heard every word Mateo shouted—and though the timing and volume made his skin prickle, he didn’t flinch. He was prepared. He had known Mateo would come. He had calculated how many minutes it would take to get from the plaza to his building. He had even laid out both his running clothes and the easier-to-manage clothes he would wear if he chose to shift instead.
Still, it took him an extra thirteen seconds to move.
By the time he stepped out into the hallway, Ever was dressed in soft grey running pants and a navy blue long-sleeved shirt, the seams aligned exactly along his arms, his shoes double-knotted to within a millimetre of evenness. He paused at the door—checked the latch once, twice, thrice—then opened it carefully, scanning the corridor before stepping out. Descending the stairs required counting each step under his breath (twelve, turn, seven, turn, six) to keep the rising noise in his mind from cresting too fast. It helped a little.
Reaching the street, he found Mateo immediately—flamboyant, overdressed for the task, and blindingly unbothered in a way Ever could never hope to be. He approached, slower than necessary, movements small and rigid. His eyes didn’t lift higher than Mateo’s chest.
[say]"Of the two options, running is preferable."[/say] He paused, his lips pressing into a thin line. [say]"An orgasm would involve... variables I am currently unable to accommodate."[/say] He hovered awkwardly for a second, then looked pointedly at the horizon, at the break in the street where the plaza opened up. [say]"What is the route?"[/say] he asked, because if he didn’t know, the uncertainty would eat him alive.
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-25-2025
[say]”I thought that would be your answer,”[/say] Mateo says, turning as he hears Ever’s door open and shut and his friend’s quiet voice reach him. With an easy, dimpled smile despite the obvious discomfort the aviator feels at being outside, he steps up beside Ever as he has always done, turning to look at the street ahead and shielding his eyes from the morning light.
[say]”We will do a closed circuit around the plaza, and then exit that way,”[/say] he says, pointing, [say]”towards the Celestine. I thought we could run through the main strip and back again.”[/say] Listing the enclosures he knows are on said strip, he advises that they’ll turn back at the one that had the black dragon in it last time and take the same route back.
[say]”How does that sound?”[/say] he asks. [say]”And like I said, if it is easier for you to be in shift, you just let me know, okay?”[/say]
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-26-2025
Everest listened closely, his eyes flicking not to Mateo’s face but to the gestures he made, carefully tracking each point of the route. His hands stayed clasped behind his back, shoulders rigid, as if standing still took as much effort as sprinting might have. He nodded once, shallow and quick. [say]"A closed circuit is good,"[/say] he said, his voice even but quiet. Known start. Known end. Known exits. It mattered.
At the mention of shifting, he hesitated, his thumb tapping once against the inside of his wrist before he caught himself. [say]"Maybe partway,"[/say] he murmured. [say]"If it gets—"[/say] His fingers twitched in a way that Mateo would probably recognize by now; overwhelming. [say]"I’ll let you know."[/say]
He adjusted the sleeves of his shirt precisely at the wrists, realigning the cuffs even though they hadn’t shifted. Then, a small furrow appeared between his brows, his mind snagging on a different concern. [say]"You’re not a runner,"[/say] he said, not accusing, just factual. His gaze hovered somewhere around Mateo’s shoulder. [say]"What have you had today? Food? Water?"[/say] There was a faint edge of fretfulness in his voice, like the idea of Mateo collapsing from dehydration mid-run was a real and immediate threat.
Almost as an afterthought, softer but no less sincere he added: [say]"Thank you for mapping it."[/say]
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-26-2025
[say]”That is what I thought as well,”[/say] Mateo agrees with a smile. It also helps, he imagines, that it’s still relatively early and thus quite quiet in the Plaza, and it’s a place that Everest knows well so as to be more predictable than somewhere less familiar. [say]”Whatever helps you to run off some of that stress,”[/say] he says of the aviator’s shifting partway, bobbing his head in an easy nod and turning as if he might just set off before remembering who he’s with and keeping himself from sprinting away without warning.
Which is good, as it happens, because Everest is already getting his fretful tone on, Mateo smiling warmly back at him. [say]”I had one of those weird protein shakes for breakfast,”[/say] he confirms. [say]”And water - and there are water fountains in the Celestine if we need them. I also did not go out last night, so I was asleep relatively early for me.”[/say] And quite proud of himself he is, too.
His smile softening, Mateo nods once more in acknowledgement of Ever’s gratitude, before he gestures around. [say]”Shall we? I will let you set the pace.”[/say]
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-26-2025
Everest nodded, though his shoulders stayed tight, the motion small and cautious like everything else he did lately. The fact that Mateo had eaten something appropriate and slept was...reassuring, if not surprising. Enough that some of the tautness eased out of Ever’s arms, though it didn’t quite reach his face.
[say]"Good,"[/say] he said quietly, tapping once against the side of his leg with two fingers before smoothing his palm flat over his thigh again. [say]"Protein is important."[/say] There was a flicker of something like old instinct there—an impulse to offer a detailed breakdown of electrolyte intake and ideal pacing for non-runners and to record Mateo's starting heart rate—but it snagged against the tired clutter in his mind and died before it could form fully.
Instead, he let his gaze flick once around the Plaza—mapping the exits again, noting the open paths, cataloguing the people—and nodded once more. [say]"We can start."[/say] He drew in a slow, careful breath. [say]"I’ll keep the pace under five miles an hour to start."[/say] Too specific, maybe, but safer than letting things spiral. He shifted his weight minutely forward, waiting until he was sure Mateo was ready, then murmured: [say]"On three."[/say]
One. Two. Three. And Ever set off, neat and steady; already counting every step between here and safety.
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-26-2025
[say]”That sounds good to me.”[/say] Mateo grins, despite not having the slightest indication of what under five miles per hour looks or feels like. Instead, standing beside his friend and feeling the sort of cheerful that will absolutely evaporate within minutes of doing actual exercise, the botanist sets off and keeps his pace even and matched to Ever’s, so the other man might not have to worry about the difference in the sound of their footfalls on top of everything else.
They make their circuit around the Plaza easily enough - the street is mostly empty and there are no crowds or busy clutters of people bunched at the stalls yet - and soon enough the exit towards the Celestine is coming up on them. Of course, given that they have both established that Mateo is not a runner, already the botanist can feel the muscles in his legs start to burn. Determined to push past it though, he offers an encouraging smile to Ever and powers ahead.
[say]”Perhaps we will see some different creatures because of the time of day,”[/say] he suggests, referring to the enclosures they’ll run past.
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-26-2025
Ever kept pace with Mateo easily, his breathing measured out in careful four-counts. One-two-three-four inhale, one-two-three-four exhale. The rhythm helped—like stepping stones laid over a river he might otherwise fall straight into. Even so, his eyes flicked constantly across the path ahead, sweeping for anything that might change: a glint of metal from a vendor setting up a stall, a cart left askew, a dog straining at a leash.
He didn’t speak at first. Speaking meant disrupting the balance he was maintaining between sensory input and forward motion. But when Mateo suggested seeing different creatures, Ever made a soft humming noise that was meant to be agreement, though it came out sounding more like a mechanical acknowledgment.
[say]"Morning activity patterns,"[/say] he said after a moment, slightly breathless not from exertion but from the effort of managing everything at once. [say]"Some diurnal species are most active just after dawn."[/say] Another flick of his eyes toward Mateo—not quite eye contact—and a furrow of concern touched his brow when he noticed the slight hitch in his friend’s stride.
[say]"Are you overheating?"[/say] Ever wondered, slowing a fraction without thinking. [say]"You should hydrate within the next half-mile."[/say]
Then, belatedly: [say]"You’re doing well."[/say] His voice was soft but genuine. Whether or not this run was helping his stress levels wasn't entirely clear, but a had always been the case when it came to Mateo, focusing on his friend meant that Ever had fewer mental resources allocated to his own quirks.
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-26-2025
[say]”Crepuscular,”[/say] Mateo pants, nodding his agreement as if this is some sage piece of wisdom and not just a word he’s learned that he particularly likes the sound of. Automatically slowing his pace as Ever does, as if he’s matching himself to the aviator rather than the other way around, he gives a soft shake of his head. [say]”I am feeling good,”[/say] he assures the other man, as he would whether or not it was actually true. [say]”The sun is not too high yet. I will stop at the fountain at the entrance to the Celestine for a drink, though.”[/say]
Trusting that this warning will be enough for Everest to manage his expectations, Mateo falls quiet again to focus on the dull thud of their footfalls and the way he automatically tries to match his breath to the rhythm his friend keeps. As Ever has expected, though, by the time the gates of the Celestine come into view, he is definitely ready to re-hydrate, and he slows his steps to pause and take a slow, shallow sip from the drinking fountain. [say]”How are you feeling?”[/say] he asks. [say]”Good to keep going?”[/say]
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-26-2025
[say]"Maybe,"[/say] Ever said quietly, not outright disagreeing. His voice was mild, not chiding—more like a small, automatic correction, the kind he would have once rattled off in a lecture hall. [say]"Diurnal animals are active during the day, so it would make sense we might tart to see them. Crepuscular means active at dawn and dusk, so likely they'd have already tucked themselves back away."[/say] His thumb pressed twice against the seam of his trousers, steadying himself with the familiar ritual of explanation.
When Mateo asked how he was feeling, Ever turned his gaze momentarily to the path ahead, as if the answer might be written there. [say]"I’m… operational,"[/say] he said at last.[say] "I can keep going. If you still can."[/say] His hand shifted slightly, hovering awkwardly at his side before he folded it neatly back against his ribs.
There was a pause—small, but deliberate—before he continued, thumb resuming its familiar tap-tap against the hem of his sleeve. [say]"Is this… sufficient? For your quest, I mean,"[/say] he asked, tilting his head a fraction without lifting his gaze. [say]"Or would walking accomplish the same thing? You don't have to jeopardize your cardiovascular system for the sake of technicalities."[/say] There was also the question of how they were actually meant to measure the success of their efforts, but that could wait until they'd established the experiment was actually set up properly.
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-26-2025
[say]”Ah, I see. Well, then, perhaps we will either see some crepuscular animals who are staying up too late, or just some diurnal ones out for a stroll.”[/say] Taking a few deep lungfuls of air after his drink and using some of the water to splash his face, Mateo rolls his shoulders and steps back to stand with Ever. Operational is good enough for him - and the botanist has managed many a day of work under such an adjective - and so he nods and gestures for the other man to set off again whenever he is ready.
[say]”Running releases endorphins, and is known to be good for the cardiovascular system,”[/say] he reminds him with a crooked smile. [say]”I will be fine, I promise. We can walk the route back around the Plaza as a warm-down though, if you like.”[/say] Because let’s all be honest, Mateo will likely need it at that point. [say]”And I think as long as you are relieving some physical stress, the requirements of my quest will be met.”[/say]
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-27-2025
Ever nodded again, his throat bobbing in a way that suggested it wasn’t just exertion making it hard to swallow. [say]"That sounds manageable,"[/say] he murmured, his voice low and even, but slightly thinner than before. He stayed in step with Mateo, gaze pinned ahead like he was afraid to look anywhere else and come apart.
At the reminder that this was for him, Ever’s mouth twitched—not a smile, exactly, more like a small fault line opening across something long-pressured. [say]"Alright,"[/say] he said after a beat, voice steady only because he was working very hard to keep it that way. [say]"I just... it's hard not to think of myself as a problem someone wants to solve."[/say]
His hands flexed once, curling against the fabric of his shorts before releasing. [say]"I know you're doing this for me,"[/say] he said, quieter still, as if the words themselves were something sharp he was picking up carefully. [say]"And I'm grateful. Even if it doesn't look like it. Even if I don't know how to make it... land right."[/say] His breath hitched, barely audible. [say]"I just wanted you to know."[/say]
He didn’t slow, didn’t stop—but there was something raw flickering just beneath his skin now, something more fragile than the careful steadiness he wore like armour.
RE: when push comes to shove - Mateo - 04-27-2025
Operational. Manageable. All words that mean something and nothing, depending on the context and the recipient, and Mateo certainly doesn’t miss it. Even so, he maintains his pace with Ever as they set off again into the Celestine, where the enclosures are blessedly quiet and empty, as are the majority of the pathways. Glancing to the side as his friend speaks again, the botanist taking deep and measured breaths, he can’t help the way his eyebrows flinch together, though the odds are good that Ever won’t even see it.
[say]”I do not consider you a problem at all,”[/say] he tells him earnestly. [say]”But you are my oldest and best friend and I want you to be happy and comfortable. If you were able to say that you were and for me to mind my own business, I would, but… that is not the case. And I can do something about it, so I am. I want to.”[/say]
Falling quiet so as to give himself a chance to get his breath back, Mateo listens quietly to the things Ever does say, and what he doesn’t. [say]”You are welcome, Ever. And for what it is worth, you do not need to try to be anything but who you are around me. We grew up together. I know you.”[/say] He smiles.
RE: when push comes to shove - Everest - 04-27-2025
Ever kept his gaze steady on the path ahead, absorbing Mateo’s words with the kind of careful quiet that had become second nature. He didn’t nod this time, but the slight shift of his shoulders spoke of hearing—of letting it filter in, even if he didn’t have the proper drawers to store it in yet. [say]"I know you don’t,"[/say] he said softly, the words almost lost to the sound of their shoes on the gravel. [say]"That’s why it’s easier with you."[/say] There was no resentment in it—just a fact stated plainly, like naming a colour.
Under the steady motion, Ever couldn’t help but consider the contrast that pressed against the inside of his mind like a stone in a shoe. Mateo, who had known him from the start—through all the stuttering, silent years—and never once tried to fix him. Who made space without making demands. And Isla. Isla, who had only known the untroubled version of him for real—who had once promised no expectations, and yet whose every gentle, loving word now seemed to search for the version of him she missed. He didn’t blame her. Gods, how could he? She deserved someone who could meet her with hands open and heart unburdened. Someone who could choose love easily, rather than have to build a ramp and a map just to find the start of it.
He didn’t judge her. But some part of him—fragile, trembling—wished it could have been easier for both of them.
Glancing sideways, Ever cleared his throat quietly. [say]"You said exercise helps,"[/say] he murmured. [say]"Would you mind if I... experimented a little?"[/say] His fingers twitched briefly by his side, his version of a gesture. [say]"If I shift. Try running properly. Just for a little while."[/say] He knew Mateo would understand what he meant without the need for a full explanation: that sometimes it was easier, faster, clearer when he wasn’t fighting the shape of his own body so much.