All For Us (Mezo Shoji x Reader

Chapter Six

—First Person POV.—

A few days later, our routine had settled into a monotonous rhythm.

Or at least, that's how I'd explain it.

While I was used to getting my energy out by rushing through a lush forest and climbing for my own food—Shoji found this unending stillness as the norm.

Right now I think it was about midday, judging by the light peaking into the room and dimly illuminating up the concrete walls encasing our shared cage as I laid on my back—dilated eyes trained up on the ceiling.

A few numbers escaped my lips, idly counting so my voice would fill in the silence trying to snare us.

And Shoji lets out a grunt as I announce the count as two thousand, seven-hundred—lowering his body down and holding that near-plank position with a slight tremble tracing up his sinewy back.

With a pause in my words, I tilt my head to the side and get a glance at the back of his head "You good?" My voice wonders when he makes no move to do another push up.

Flipping over from my back, I slightly lean forward to get a look at his eyes—which are closed as his brows furrowed with a few beads of sweat glistening his forehead.

He's still wearing the mask, the faint blue color illuminated by the doors light when the mutant offers me a slight nod.

My ear flicks.

"Come on, you've got another hundred in you— We can't leave off on an odd number!" I move on to encourage, smiling when he sucked in a long breath before opening his dark eyes.

His gaze flickers my way but it's actually kind of hard to tell what he's trying to communicate, and just when I think he'd simply tell me to get off now—his arms push forwards, elevating our figures up once more.

I count that one.

Then he lowers himself and does another push up—starting up a rhythm that leaves me to flip onto my back again.

I fixate my attention back on the ceiling, sounding off loud enough for him to hear and keeping my ears perked up—listening in on his breathing while watching out for any off sounds that could indicate someone coming to check up on us.

Each day went by as a blur of confinement, punctuated only by his company and the occasional visit from the guards bringing our necessities.

In the cramped space of the cage, there was little room for privacy or personal space, but we made it work.

And by work, I mean if he wanted to work out—I was now included as extra weight plus a partial motivator every time he tried to rest between sets.

It was actually kind of entertaining.

Granted, the only entertainment I've really had is the times guards have entered and tried to get a look at me before slowly remembering there was a Red present in the cage as well.

Their faces are so funny to look at—

"What am I at?"

I blinked as his low voice cut through my thoughts, reaching out and dragging my attention back to reality as a surprised "Huh?" Escapes my lips.

And I catch his head shifting to glance back over his broad shoulder at me.

We stare at eachother for a few seconds and then it clicks into my head "Ohh— Uh, around fourty-six? Maybe.." I pause, awkwardly glancing off as I tried to recall what I had stopped counting at.

When a weary sigh escapes his mask, I clear my throat—slightly shifting up from my laying position and criss-crossing my legs beneath me.

"Here, just restart and we'll go from there!"