The Mute Fighter | 3

008

008 - Gym

Sunday night, I went to the gym to work out. I needed to clear my head, I was running on the treadmill when Mitch suddenly came into my view.

He had loose gym sweatpants on and no shirt. I noticed his tattoos from last night, how hadn't I noticed them before last night and tonight? There were different tattoo's his back was covered, his chest and arms were as well.

Most of them were simple fine line tattoos, nothing big and scary. It surprised me, but it suited his body well. I tore my eyes away as I refocused on running.

Though my focus was broken shortly after when Mitch stepped onto the treadmill next to me. I glanced at him before eyeing the remaining twenty treadmills around us.

Why the one next to mine?

I mentally groaned in annoyance. I had ten minutes of running left, I could stick it out. I had my headphones.

Mitch said nothing and did nothing. I continued undisturbed. We were the only ones at the gym. It was quiet and I wouldn't say it was awkward, because there was a comfortable silence between us.

What I didn't understand was why he was running shirtless on the treadmill. That couldn't be comfortable? At least it wouldn't be to me.

I ran my ten minutes before stopping the timer and the speed, it slowed down and I jumped off before getting some paper and sanitizer to clean it after using it.

I glanced up at Mitch who looked at me when I came back up on the treadmill and started cleaning it. I shot him a smile and walked back off when I was done.

I continued my way to the squat racks, I wasn't about to squat in front of him, so I lifted the bar with weights on it, and lifted it as I bent over slightly, I pulled it up and down.

I completed my set and walked around in my own world, forgetting that Mitch was there. After the squat racks I headed to the punching bags, I taped my hands and began.

I mouthed the words to the song and bopped my head slightly as I began to hit it, making sure I used all the muscles I wanted to work on.

I landed a perfect kick to the bag and smiled a little as I reminded myself, I still got it. I kept on punching, maybe for about half an hour. My knuckles were raw, but it felt great.

When I was done, I turned around only to see Mitch leaning against the boxing ring, he was looking right at me. He didn't even try to hide it.

I raised an eyebrow and pulled my airpods out. "Can I help you?" I asked him, unknowing of how to move past the fact that he was obviously staring at me.

'Your last name is Martell?' He signed. I narrowed my eyes but nodded my head. 'Are you related to Ward Martell? The ultimate fighter?' He questioned.

I swallowed the saliva that suddenly gathered in my mouth and I shook my head no. "Maybe he's a distant cousin out there, somewhere" I lied and faked a laugh.

'You have the body of a fighter, the moves of a fighter and the techniques?' He signed to me, for each thing he signed, he stepped closer to me.

"Well, I don't fight. I've been training for years, I'm into martial arts" I said. Mitch tilted his head at me as he was one step away from me, he eyed me up and down.

'Why the dragon?' He signed. I chuckled a little, he really wasn't hiding the fact that he had been watching me.

"It was pretty" I said with a smirk, he rolled his eyes a little. 'Original' he signed, I laughed and shrugged.

"Why so talkative today?" I ask him and unwrap my hands. He eyes my hands as he crosses his arms over his naked chest.

'I'm sorry about friday' He signed, the playfulness was gone, replaced by a look of regret and worry. "It's fine. Don't think about it" I said and walked around him, his arm wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

I looked up at him in surprise, he glanced at my arms and saw the fading bruises from last time. 'Train with me in the ring' He signed and nodded his head toward the ring.

I eyed it and then him. "Why?" I asked. 'Humor me' He signed back and released my wrist. He walked back up to the ring and pulled the string down for me to slip through.

I shook my head a little and followed, I slipped through and he followed. "I don't fight. I was in an accident that left me with head trauma, another hit and my brains turns to mush" I told him.

I didn't want to be his punching bag. 'What accident?' He signed with worry, a frown was also on his face.

"It doesn't matter. I can't take another head trauma, so I can't humor you" I said and my gaze dropped a little.

'You saw me fight last night, what did you think?' He signed to me. I leaned my arms back on the strings of the ring as I watched him.

"Your footwork is off, your defense is great, but your offense needs to match it and it doesn't. It's gonna be your weakness in a fight" I said, I didn't hold back.

"I have the opposite problem, my defense sucks" I told him, those words put a small smile on his face.

"How long have you been fighting?" I ask him. '4' he signed. "Years?" I asked in surprise. I knew he was skilled, but if he had been fighting for that long, how hadn't he been on Ward's radar before?

Mitch nodded his head and eyed me. 'You are a mystery to me' Mitch signed as his head was tilted, taking me in.

"Likewise" I retorted and raised a brow. "I've been told you haven't always been mute" I dared to go there. He froze and his eyes, dropping to a cold gaze.

'Not your business' He signed and turned away from me. I narrowed my eyes at the sudden change in the air.

I scoffed a little before glancing to the side, I saw a baton stick, I grabbed it and twirled it a little in my hands before sneaking up behind Mitch.

There was a fifty-fifty chance he would kill me, yet I didn't want to stop. I smacked the stick at his legs, letting him fall onto his back.

"Never turn your back to your opponent" I lectured and stepped over him cockily. He glared at me and watched as I stepped over his body, while spinning the stick perfectly.

"Get up, show me that footwork" I retorted and he grunted before getting up, I could tell he was unsure of how to handle this, he was unsure of what I wanted him to do.

So, I flicked the stick at him and he avoided it easily, which allowed me to take another hit at his feet, once again he fell onto his back in defeat.

'Again' He signed, he pushed himself up on his feet and this time he took initiative to attack me. I smacked his arms away with the stick and easily read his moves.

"You're open like a book, Mitch" I called out and predicted his next moves, once again he landed on his back with a groan.

I knew his vocals worked, because he could grunt and groan, but he wouldn't speak. He had the ability to do so, but he couldn't make himself do it, for some reason.

'Again' Mitch signed and jumped back up and started circling me.