Xander and Illiam sat at their usual spot at The Daily Grind, going over the lecture on cell biology from a few hours ago in class. Xander was doing his usual summarization, explaining a mnemonic trick he’d devised to him, but today Illiam couldn’t focus on Xander’s words. He was staring at Elian, roughly five feet away from them, making a bagel sandwich for some customers.
“I don’t know why we always have to go here,” muttered Illiam. “I’ve heard that juice place a few blocks from here is also very nice.”
“I like it here!” replied Xander. “I think it is a very nice shop, and the chairs are far more comfortable than the benches there. Plus, our siblings work here. Don’t you think they would be offended if we started going somewhere else?”
Illiam sighed. “That’s the reason I’d want to go somewhere else, honestly.”
“Wow, rude.” said Elian. When Illiam had turned away to look at Xander, he’d put the bagel on the tray to bring it to the customers and was walking by their table. Illiam, screaming slightly internally, was thinking of something to retort back when Elian laughed and rustled Illiam’s hair. “Aw, I get it. But I admit it’d be really weird not seeing you here almost every day.”
“We will not be leaving.” replied Xander. “I do not like the juice place, nor its owners refusal to make me the drinks I desire, nor his condescending attitude towards Crossfit! It is bad enough that I have to see him at the gym often, I do not want him sneering down at me as I attempt to enjoy some overpriced concoction with turnips and rutabaga!”
“I guess we’re staying then.” said Illiam. “Elian, can you make me one of those bagel sandwiches?”
Elian sighed. “Okay, fine. Come up and pay for it, though.” He then blinked. “Wait, Xander, so you’ve spoken to the owner of that place?”
“Yes. Ulmer, I believe?” replied Xander.
“Do you know a lot about him? What times he goes to the gym, for example?”
Illiam raised an eyebrow. “And why in the world do you want to know that?”
“Um, Market research.” replied Elian.
“Excuse me!” said a customer. “My sandwich?”
“Ah, right!” Elian rushed to the table, setting the tray with the bagel sandwich on it before moving back to where Xander and Illiam were sitting. “Anyway, market research, can I know?”
Xander nodded. “I suppose you can.”
Taking a sheet of paper from his binder, he wrote down all the times and days he knew on it, before handing it to Elian. “Have fun with your market research.”
After Elian was back at the counter, talking with Maelys about something, Illiam whispered to Xander, “You don’t actually believe he wanted to know that for market research, do you?”
“Do you think I am a fool, Illiam?” Illiam’s mouth opened up and Xander shook his head. “It was a rhetorical question. And no, I don’t, but I don’t see any harm in it. In fact, if there is harm, I see even more of a point. So why should I not give out such information?”
Illiam shrugged. He supposed he understood Xander’s point. Standing up, he looked to Xander. “Would you like a bagel sandwich, too?”
“Oh, yes please! The one I usually get.” He reached for his wallet. “Would you like me to-?”
“It’s on me.”
“I don’t know why we always have to go here,” muttered Illiam. “I’ve heard that juice place a few blocks from here is also very nice.”
“I like it here!” replied Xander. “I think it is a very nice shop, and the chairs are far more comfortable than the benches there. Plus, our siblings work here. Don’t you think they would be offended if we started going somewhere else?”
Illiam sighed. “That’s the reason I’d want to go somewhere else, honestly.”
“Wow, rude.” said Elian. When Illiam had turned away to look at Xander, he’d put the bagel on the tray to bring it to the customers and was walking by their table. Illiam, screaming slightly internally, was thinking of something to retort back when Elian laughed and rustled Illiam’s hair. “Aw, I get it. But I admit it’d be really weird not seeing you here almost every day.”
“We will not be leaving.” replied Xander. “I do not like the juice place, nor its owners refusal to make me the drinks I desire, nor his condescending attitude towards Crossfit! It is bad enough that I have to see him at the gym often, I do not want him sneering down at me as I attempt to enjoy some overpriced concoction with turnips and rutabaga!”
“I guess we’re staying then.” said Illiam. “Elian, can you make me one of those bagel sandwiches?”
Elian sighed. “Okay, fine. Come up and pay for it, though.” He then blinked. “Wait, Xander, so you’ve spoken to the owner of that place?”
“Yes. Ulmer, I believe?” replied Xander.
“Do you know a lot about him? What times he goes to the gym, for example?”
Illiam raised an eyebrow. “And why in the world do you want to know that?”
“Um, Market research.” replied Elian.
“Excuse me!” said a customer. “My sandwich?”
“Ah, right!” Elian rushed to the table, setting the tray with the bagel sandwich on it before moving back to where Xander and Illiam were sitting. “Anyway, market research, can I know?”
Xander nodded. “I suppose you can.”
Taking a sheet of paper from his binder, he wrote down all the times and days he knew on it, before handing it to Elian. “Have fun with your market research.”
After Elian was back at the counter, talking with Maelys about something, Illiam whispered to Xander, “You don’t actually believe he wanted to know that for market research, do you?”
“Do you think I am a fool, Illiam?” Illiam’s mouth opened up and Xander shook his head. “It was a rhetorical question. And no, I don’t, but I don’t see any harm in it. In fact, if there is harm, I see even more of a point. So why should I not give out such information?”
Illiam shrugged. He supposed he understood Xander’s point. Standing up, he looked to Xander. “Would you like a bagel sandwich, too?”
“Oh, yes please! The one I usually get.” He reached for his wallet. “Would you like me to-?”
“It’s on me.”
Elian’s heart raced as he stood outside the gym. He’d recruited Sebastian into his scheme to spy on Ulmer, owner of The New Juice, and the two of them were dressed in exercise clothing.
But Elian had still never been in a gym before, which was why he was so nervous. Taking deep, calming breaths, he opened the door to The Fitness Dungeon and walked in.
“Hi, welcome to the Fitness Dungeon, where you will get SUPER FIT!” said the woman sitting at the main desk. “Would you like to sign up for a membership?”
“How did you know I’m not already a member?” asked Elian with slight curiosity.
“Members go into through the back entrance usually.” she replied. “Anyway, it’s fifteen dollars for a silver membership, thirty dollars for the gold membership, and forty for the platinum. And a thirty dollar start-up fee.”
Elian almost reeled with the amount of money. “Can’t I just come in for a day to work out?”
“At the Fitness Dungeon, we don’t appreciate such noncommittal choices.”
“So that’s at least forty five dollars for the both of us, ninety in total?” asked Sebastian. He looked to Elian, no longer sure he was in with this plan.
“Well, you could spent sixty dollars for one of you to have the gold membership and take the other one in.”
Elian sighed. This was what he was planning to spend on- oh well, it didn’t matter! If he could find out more about the owner of The New Juice, then he would have more information needed to help him shut it down, so it could never threaten The Daily Grind again.
As he thought, Sebastian stepped forward. “Elian, can you pay me back half later?”
Elian nodded hesitantly. “Um, sure.” Sebastian paid the money, and was given a membership card.
“I can cancel anytime I want, right?”
“Yes, but why would you want to?” The woman handed Sebastian a water bottle. “Here is your complimentary water bottle.”
Sebastian sighed. “Thank you.”
But Elian had still never been in a gym before, which was why he was so nervous. Taking deep, calming breaths, he opened the door to The Fitness Dungeon and walked in.
“Hi, welcome to the Fitness Dungeon, where you will get SUPER FIT!” said the woman sitting at the main desk. “Would you like to sign up for a membership?”
“How did you know I’m not already a member?” asked Elian with slight curiosity.
“Members go into through the back entrance usually.” she replied. “Anyway, it’s fifteen dollars for a silver membership, thirty dollars for the gold membership, and forty for the platinum. And a thirty dollar start-up fee.”
Elian almost reeled with the amount of money. “Can’t I just come in for a day to work out?”
“At the Fitness Dungeon, we don’t appreciate such noncommittal choices.”
“So that’s at least forty five dollars for the both of us, ninety in total?” asked Sebastian. He looked to Elian, no longer sure he was in with this plan.
“Well, you could spent sixty dollars for one of you to have the gold membership and take the other one in.”
Elian sighed. This was what he was planning to spend on- oh well, it didn’t matter! If he could find out more about the owner of The New Juice, then he would have more information needed to help him shut it down, so it could never threaten The Daily Grind again.
As he thought, Sebastian stepped forward. “Elian, can you pay me back half later?”
Elian nodded hesitantly. “Um, sure.” Sebastian paid the money, and was given a membership card.
“I can cancel anytime I want, right?”
“Yes, but why would you want to?” The woman handed Sebastian a water bottle. “Here is your complimentary water bottle.”
Sebastian sighed. “Thank you.”
Sebastian was trying to look for the owner of the Daily Grind. He and Elian had seen him once or twice before, so he could probably recognize him. The two of them had split up. Elian had gone to the cardio room, while Sebastian would check the wait room.
There were so many attractive people here at the gym, though… No! Sebastian had to stay on track. They were looking for Ulmer, they had to find Ulmer, they-
Oh my god. It was Gorge. No, no, Georg. He could not accidentally call him Gorge again. Umph, just look at him, showing that guy how to lift up those dumbbells or whatever he was doing. Wait a second. That guy was-
It was Ulmer!
“Excuse me!”
Georg was walking towards Sebastian, and Ulmer was staring at him. “This is the gym, not a club. Please do not stare at fellow gym members, okay?”
Sebastian blinked. “What?”
“Did you hear me?” Georg rested a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “If you want to perv on people, you can go elsewhere!”
“I wasn’t staring at him!” Sebastian said, lying. “Um, I was wondering what you two were doing?”
“What we were doing?” asked Georg.
“I don’t really know very much about weight lifting.” continued Sebastian. “Um, I used to do some stretching and cardio for archery, but I didn’t do very much strength training. Probably should have, that’s why I never really excelled at it.”
Georg’s face relaxed. “Oh, wow, um, sorry for accusing you. I’m Ulmer’s personal trainer, by the way, I work for the gym. The name’s Georg, Georg von Wolff.”
“I know,” replied Sebastian. “We’ve met before.”
It didn’t seem like Georg remembered for several moments, but then suddenly he had a flash of recognition. “You’re that guy from that coffee place I went to once. The guy who got my my name wrong.”
Sebastian looked down awkwardly. “Guilty as charged.”
“Well, if you want to set up a time for a training session, I’m free after Ulmer and I are done. Every gym member gets a free session with a trainer, some of the plans get you more free ones per month. I could show you around the weight room, we can see how much you can lift.”
“I would love that,” replied Sebastian. “Er, or at least appreciate it very much.”
Georg smiled and slapped Sebastian’s shoulder lightly. “Well, come on over at 7, and I’ll be ready for you, okay?”
“Okay!”
There were so many attractive people here at the gym, though… No! Sebastian had to stay on track. They were looking for Ulmer, they had to find Ulmer, they-
Oh my god. It was Gorge. No, no, Georg. He could not accidentally call him Gorge again. Umph, just look at him, showing that guy how to lift up those dumbbells or whatever he was doing. Wait a second. That guy was-
It was Ulmer!
“Excuse me!”
Georg was walking towards Sebastian, and Ulmer was staring at him. “This is the gym, not a club. Please do not stare at fellow gym members, okay?”
Sebastian blinked. “What?”
“Did you hear me?” Georg rested a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “If you want to perv on people, you can go elsewhere!”
“I wasn’t staring at him!” Sebastian said, lying. “Um, I was wondering what you two were doing?”
“What we were doing?” asked Georg.
“I don’t really know very much about weight lifting.” continued Sebastian. “Um, I used to do some stretching and cardio for archery, but I didn’t do very much strength training. Probably should have, that’s why I never really excelled at it.”
Georg’s face relaxed. “Oh, wow, um, sorry for accusing you. I’m Ulmer’s personal trainer, by the way, I work for the gym. The name’s Georg, Georg von Wolff.”
“I know,” replied Sebastian. “We’ve met before.”
It didn’t seem like Georg remembered for several moments, but then suddenly he had a flash of recognition. “You’re that guy from that coffee place I went to once. The guy who got my my name wrong.”
Sebastian looked down awkwardly. “Guilty as charged.”
“Well, if you want to set up a time for a training session, I’m free after Ulmer and I are done. Every gym member gets a free session with a trainer, some of the plans get you more free ones per month. I could show you around the weight room, we can see how much you can lift.”
“I would love that,” replied Sebastian. “Er, or at least appreciate it very much.”
Georg smiled and slapped Sebastian’s shoulder lightly. “Well, come on over at 7, and I’ll be ready for you, okay?”
“Okay!”
Elian hadn’t managed to find Ulmer anywhere. He wasn’t in the cardio room, near the pool, or in the sauna. He didn’t even know this place had a sauna. Maybe Xander had just made up some times and dates to make him go away…..? Oh, look, wait! There was Sebastian!
He pulled Elian close to the wall, and whispered, “I found Ulmer. He’s in the weight room right now, but he noticed me staring, and-”
Well, at least Sebastian found him. But he couldn’t very well spy on him if he was already expecting something! He was glad Sebastian had come, but…
Well, he kind of had ruined the plan. But at the very least, he knew that Xander wasn’t lying. “Okay. Let’s come back again and do this-”
“Actually, I’m meeting a personal trainer in about twenty minutes.” replied Sebastian.
“A personal trainer?”
Sebastian smiled, looking down slightly. “I don’t know. Maybe I could take up archery again. I used to be pretty okay, at it, you know.”
“And I’m sure it has nothing to do with the trainer themselves being attractive?”
Sebastian looked away. “Um. Yes. He is.”
“Well, good luck with that! Um, I guess I’ll just hang out here in the cardio room until you’re done with him. Try to use the treadmill or something.” Elian shrugged. “I dunno.”
“Well, I’ll join you,” said Sebastian. “I just hope there’s something good on the televisions.”
He pulled Elian close to the wall, and whispered, “I found Ulmer. He’s in the weight room right now, but he noticed me staring, and-”
Well, at least Sebastian found him. But he couldn’t very well spy on him if he was already expecting something! He was glad Sebastian had come, but…
Well, he kind of had ruined the plan. But at the very least, he knew that Xander wasn’t lying. “Okay. Let’s come back again and do this-”
“Actually, I’m meeting a personal trainer in about twenty minutes.” replied Sebastian.
“A personal trainer?”
Sebastian smiled, looking down slightly. “I don’t know. Maybe I could take up archery again. I used to be pretty okay, at it, you know.”
“And I’m sure it has nothing to do with the trainer themselves being attractive?”
Sebastian looked away. “Um. Yes. He is.”
“Well, good luck with that! Um, I guess I’ll just hang out here in the cardio room until you’re done with him. Try to use the treadmill or something.” Elian shrugged. “I dunno.”
“Well, I’ll join you,” said Sebastian. “I just hope there’s something good on the televisions.”
After Sebastian left, Elian was left alone on the bikes for almost a dozen minutes until someone sat at the bike next to him. Turning to look at who it was, he was absolutely shocked to see who was sitting next to him.
Ulmer smiled slightly at Elian. “Hey, you’re that guy who always orders a strawberry fusion. Um, Illiam, right?”
Elian blinked, and Ulmer continued, “Um, I remember your name from your credit card. And because you always order the same thing. Do you really just like strawberries?”
“Um. I love them. But-”
“Well, there are several items on the menu that also have strawberries. Have you considered trying one of them?”
Elian hesitated for a moment. If Ulmer thought that he was Illiam, not a person who worked at the Daily Grind, he might be willing to say a lot more than if he knew who he really was. So fine, he’d be Illiam. For now. “Um, which ones?”
Cycling fast but not even breathing heavily, Ulmer smiled. “Well, there’s a lot of them, most of them, are multi-fruit combinations. People hate the taste of just a single fruit. You should have been there when I debuted the the original Carrots in Paradise. I think it was one of my best blends, but everyone else thought it was disgusting.”
“I’d like to try it sometime, if you really think it’s your best work!” Elian found himself saying before realizing what he was saying.
“Would you really? Give up your all-strawberry fusion streak?”
Elian did his best to smile. “Sure!”
“So, you’re a student, right?”
“Yup, at the local university. Medical School.”
“You want to become a doctor?”
“A psychiatrist.”
“Really? Well, you are always studying when you come in. Or reading a book.”
“You always have to be studying.”
“Well, it’d be nice to see you there more often.”
“Maybe I can see you there more often?”
Elian nodded. “Maybe I will pop in more.”
“And maybe we could hang out a place I don’t own?”
“What are you thinking?” asked Elian.
Ulmer looked away from Elian. “I know this sounds kind of weird, but we’ve met a lot of times before this, but you’re really cute, and- I don’t want to be that creepy guy at the gym, but-”
Oh no. Ohhhhh no.
And he turned back to look at Elian, smiling slightly. “Maybe we could, you know, go out sometime? Like a date?”
And despite the fact that Elian knew that Ulmer was the enemy of The Daily Grind, their true nemesis, it would be a great way to gather information-
And Ulmer was handsome, wow, and just look at him going, pumping his legs so fast and carrying on a conversation at the same time-
And it was the best way to gather information! Plus, it wasn’t like Elian was going on a date with Ulmer, it would be “Illiam” going on that date-
So Elian smiled widely, and said, “Sure! Definitely!”
Ulmer smiled slightly at Elian. “Hey, you’re that guy who always orders a strawberry fusion. Um, Illiam, right?”
Elian blinked, and Ulmer continued, “Um, I remember your name from your credit card. And because you always order the same thing. Do you really just like strawberries?”
“Um. I love them. But-”
“Well, there are several items on the menu that also have strawberries. Have you considered trying one of them?”
Elian hesitated for a moment. If Ulmer thought that he was Illiam, not a person who worked at the Daily Grind, he might be willing to say a lot more than if he knew who he really was. So fine, he’d be Illiam. For now. “Um, which ones?”
Cycling fast but not even breathing heavily, Ulmer smiled. “Well, there’s a lot of them, most of them, are multi-fruit combinations. People hate the taste of just a single fruit. You should have been there when I debuted the the original Carrots in Paradise. I think it was one of my best blends, but everyone else thought it was disgusting.”
“I’d like to try it sometime, if you really think it’s your best work!” Elian found himself saying before realizing what he was saying.
“Would you really? Give up your all-strawberry fusion streak?”
Elian did his best to smile. “Sure!”
“So, you’re a student, right?”
“Yup, at the local university. Medical School.”
“You want to become a doctor?”
“A psychiatrist.”
“Really? Well, you are always studying when you come in. Or reading a book.”
“You always have to be studying.”
“Well, it’d be nice to see you there more often.”
“Maybe I can see you there more often?”
Elian nodded. “Maybe I will pop in more.”
“And maybe we could hang out a place I don’t own?”
“What are you thinking?” asked Elian.
Ulmer looked away from Elian. “I know this sounds kind of weird, but we’ve met a lot of times before this, but you’re really cute, and- I don’t want to be that creepy guy at the gym, but-”
Oh no. Ohhhhh no.
And he turned back to look at Elian, smiling slightly. “Maybe we could, you know, go out sometime? Like a date?”
And despite the fact that Elian knew that Ulmer was the enemy of The Daily Grind, their true nemesis, it would be a great way to gather information-
And Ulmer was handsome, wow, and just look at him going, pumping his legs so fast and carrying on a conversation at the same time-
And it was the best way to gather information! Plus, it wasn’t like Elian was going on a date with Ulmer, it would be “Illiam” going on that date-
So Elian smiled widely, and said, “Sure! Definitely!”
“You did what!?” shrieked Illiam, loud enough for nearly everyone in the Daily Grind to hear. “We said no twin shenanigans Elian, not after the last time, no! And now you’re going on a date as me?”
“Illiam, please, I just-” He sat across from his brother, reaching out for him. “Please just go along with me on this, okay? I need to find what he’s up to. What he’s planning.”
“He owns an overpriced juice store, Elian! He’s not up to any elaborate plots or schemes! He’s an average human being!”
Illiam looked to Xander for support. “Xander, please tell Elian his plan is inane!”
Xander shrugged. “If it is important to you, Elian, I would say you should go for it. And it is nice you will be dating someone, even if the foundation of your relationship will be based on lies.” He looked down to his notes, rustling them. “Perhaps one day you will trust Ulmer enough to tell him the truth, or you will have brought him and his juice empire to his knees.”
Illiam rolled his eyes. “Juice empire, you two are both as bad.”
“Elian!” called Maelys from across the room, and Elian stood up.
“Looks like I’m needed. Illiam, please, just….”
Illiam groaned. “Alright. Fine! You just make sure that nobody else sees me as.... Just keep it discreet, alright!?”
“Thank you.” Elian got up from the chair and returned to behind the counter, ready to make a customer another bagel sandwich.
Illiam opened his laptop again, ready to go back to studying, but realized that Xander looked out of it. Completely lost in thought.
“What are you thinking, Xander?”
“Hm? Oh, nothing really. I just had not realized your brother was gay.” Xander focused his grey eyes on Illiam. “Is it the same for you?”
“Xander, please don’t ask me that question ever again.”
“Illiam, please, I just-” He sat across from his brother, reaching out for him. “Please just go along with me on this, okay? I need to find what he’s up to. What he’s planning.”
“He owns an overpriced juice store, Elian! He’s not up to any elaborate plots or schemes! He’s an average human being!”
Illiam looked to Xander for support. “Xander, please tell Elian his plan is inane!”
Xander shrugged. “If it is important to you, Elian, I would say you should go for it. And it is nice you will be dating someone, even if the foundation of your relationship will be based on lies.” He looked down to his notes, rustling them. “Perhaps one day you will trust Ulmer enough to tell him the truth, or you will have brought him and his juice empire to his knees.”
Illiam rolled his eyes. “Juice empire, you two are both as bad.”
“Elian!” called Maelys from across the room, and Elian stood up.
“Looks like I’m needed. Illiam, please, just….”
Illiam groaned. “Alright. Fine! You just make sure that nobody else sees me as.... Just keep it discreet, alright!?”
“Thank you.” Elian got up from the chair and returned to behind the counter, ready to make a customer another bagel sandwich.
Illiam opened his laptop again, ready to go back to studying, but realized that Xander looked out of it. Completely lost in thought.
“What are you thinking, Xander?”
“Hm? Oh, nothing really. I just had not realized your brother was gay.” Xander focused his grey eyes on Illiam. “Is it the same for you?”
“Xander, please don’t ask me that question ever again.”
Author's Note: I really like this story. And I wanna write a sequel! I was originally going to write a story about how Xander wrote bad fanfiction and tried to get Illiam to reenact it with him at Halloween but that. didn't happen.
Word Count: 2364 words
Date: March 18th, 2016
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