Foolish Games

34. Are you following me?

He wasn't really interested in the brat, Misha tried to assure himself the next morning when he woke; it had been just the alcohol, the difference in Joni, and the fact that they hadn't seen each other for so long. It had been just curiosity, quite innocent; nothing to worry about. And now he had apologized to Joni and his apology had been accepted.

Still, most of the day he was thinking of the brat, not because he was interested, oh no, he couldn't be! – Misha assured himself, but because he was worried about the relationship Joni had with this Canadian. 

Joni hadn't seemed like himself and it bothered him, now maybe if he would see him again? Maybe then? He wondered and thought he should maybe try and figure out what Dima thought about it if he still suspected.

As the days passed, Misha was still at times thinking about Joni; just curiosity and normal worry, after all, Joni had met the guy at his grandparents' after being sent there because... well... Misha could take some blame for it.

It took two weeks for them to meet again, quite accidentally in fact; Misha had been forced to change his gym since the old one was going through a renovation by its new owners, of course, the one he ended up choosing was really by chance the one Dima once mentioned as the gym that Joni used; nothing to do with this fact whatsoever!

He usually went in the evenings, yet this time he had chosen to go early at noon having the day off. Besides, gyms were less crowded at this hour and he could work out in peace unless of course there would be the unfortunate chance of having high school kids in their exercise class; giggling, blushing teenage girls, was there anything worse?

He was in luck, however; Monday noon and quite peaceful. After changing he headed to warm up first and to his more or less surprise he happened to see Joni there. The brat didn't seem to notice him at first; he was listening to music and using the treadmill, sweat already glimmering on his forehead seeming lost in his world. Misha grinned slightly and chose the exercise wheel next to the kid; for a while, he was staring at Joni until finally the brunet turned his head and he could see him startle slightly.

"Shit," Joni cursed, slowed down the speed, and then took the other earphone off. "What are you doing here?" he asked, raising his brow.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Misha asked in return, slightly amused, "exercising of course."

"Oh really?" Joni rolled his eyes. "I'm not that dumb you know? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Day off and my gym's closed down for a few months. I heard this place was good, though I'd try," Misha explained calmly, looking towards the TV screen ahead; football match, brilliant.

"It is a good gym, I've been going here since I was sixteen," Joni agreed.

"Anyway since you enquired about my work, I should ask why you're not at school."

"It's an evening school, besides I don't have a lot of studying left, I mostly go there for tests, or to bring my papers. I doubt you are really interested."

Misha glanced at Joni, who was looking at the TV screen as well, walking more than running now, but still at a fast pace, his face serious, almost annoyed.

"Well, what if I am? You're Dima's friend and when we met last time, I thought we put all the past behind us?"

Joni looked back at him, a flash of emotions in those honey-brown eyes were difficult to read, eyes that still to this day, remained most beautiful Misha had ever seen.

"What has changed?" Joni asked, looking at the screen in front of them now.

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't like me, and there is no need to pretend that you're interested in my life now."