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As I enter the gym, I'm hit with the sound of weights clanging and the smell of sweat. I scan the room, looking for Marco. He's nowhere to be found. I'm getting more worried by the second. Spotting the front counter, I wander closer. On the smooth surface is a sign-in sheet. The pair of guys who run the check-in are chatting to themselves. They don't notice me.
Sneaking towards the clip-board, I run my eyes over it. Marco's name...there!I spot it, as well as the sign-in time of 5:14 in the morning. The sign-out spot is blank.
He's still here. Where?
I turn around and make my way though the gym, looking for any sign of Marco. There's a changing area for both men and women, a spot to get a protein shake or smoothie, squat-racks, machines, dumbells...
In the back corner is a doorway.. The sign above it readsSauna.My gut tingles again––I power-walk to the doorway, hurrying inside. It's darker here, a wall of humidity slamming into my face, drenching me within seconds.
Through the thick clouds of steam I see shelves on both sides of the large room. There are red lights above to illuminate just enough so you don't trip on anything. There, sprawled by himself in nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist, is Marco.
"Marco!" I gasp, jogging to his side. "Hey! Are you okay?" His eyes are shut, droplets of sweat all over his forehead. His dark hair looks slick as oil from the steam. He's breathing heavily, naked chest expanding beautifully, droplets of sweat beading on his smooth skin. But I don't have time to admire his perfect muscles.
I give his shoulder a hard shake. "Marco! Marco! Hey!"
His eyes flutter open; he focuses on me, going from confused to sharply awake. "Filia?" he asks, sitting up. He looks around, getting his bearings. "What are you doing in here?"
"I was looking for you! Did you fall asleep in here?"
"I...guess so." He blinks, running a palm over his slippery chest. "I'm dizzy, I must have overdone it on the weights. I was trying to relax and...what time is it?"
"After nine."
"Wow," he laughs, but his smile is nervous. "Yeah. I took a nap when I meant to rest my eyes."
"I was worried about you. I couldn't find you anywhere."
He stares at me, smile becoming a concerned frown. "I'm sorry, Filia. I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's okay," I assure him, brushing a stray hair from his forehead. "Just promise me you won't disappear like this again. I was really scared."
"I promise," he whispers, leaning his forehead against mine. "I won't do anything to worry you again."
We sit in silence for a moment, both of us enjoying the warmth of the sauna. But I can't help the thoughts that are flooding my mind.
"Hey," I say, breaking the silence. "Is everything okay? You're ripped and all, but it can't be normal for you to workout for multiple hours."
He exhales slowly, looking away from me. "I... don't know what you're talking about."
"Come on, Marco," I coax, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to me."
He hesitates for a moment, but then his shoulders slump and he looks back at me. "It's Derek. I got up early to talk to him in private. My mind was running with guilt from last night, how I went after him. I thought we could chat a bit. But when I knocked, he didn't let me in."
"He was probably asleep."
He shakes his head. "No, he was awake. He shouted at me to go the fuck away."
"Oh," I cringe.
Marco shrugs lightly. Water glides down his biceps. "After that, I had to get my anxious energy out somehow. Weights seemed logical."
I nod slowly. My eyes keep going to his gorgeous body; sure, I'm sad for him, but he's glaringly distracting. His eyes dart to mine, catching me watching. His frown becomes a slight smile. "Filia," he whispers, "you look a little light headed yourself."
"Next time you need to get your energy out," I say thickly, scooching closer so my hip touches his, "I have a better, and safer, suggestion."
"Oh yeah?" he chuckles, wrapping his arms around me. He's warm and damp––I'm burning up, and not from the sauna. His lips find mine easily.
I respond eagerly, my hands sliding over his wet skin as we deepen the kiss. The steam from the sauna engulfs us, making it hard to see anything other than Marco's gorgeous face. I press my body closer to his, feeling his muscles flex under my touch. His hands roam over my back, pulling me even closer, until we're practically melded together.
