Hiro just watches

Hours ticked by. The light from the floor-to-ceiling windows shifted from bright afternoon to the golden glow of early evening. Hiro’s initial lecherous excitement had long since curdled into a sour, exhausted jealousy. He was tired, he was horny, and he was profoundly annoyed that Calvin Ellis, President Superman, was so goddamn decent about the whole thing. He couldn’t even hate him properly.

Finally, Cassandra finished her last set of tricep pushdowns. She let the handle snap back to the stack and stretched her arms overhead, her body forming a long, taut line. A fine sheen of sweat coated her from head to toe, making her skin glow under the lights.

“Done,” she declared.

“Impressive session,” Calvin said, grabbing a towel from a rack and handing it to her. He didn’t use one himself; he wasn’t even sweating.

“Thank you for your help.” Cassandra took the towel and dabbed at her neck and chest. The white terrycloth dragged over her nipples, and Hiro had to look away, his own kimono feeling uncomfortably tight.

“My pleasure. I’m heading to bed. It was good to see you, Cassandra. And you, Hiro,” Calvin said, nodding to the corner where Hiro sat slumped.

“Yep. Great. Super,” Hiro mumbled, not looking up.

With a final, friendly nod, Calvin turned and left the gym, his powerful form disappearing through the door. The silence he left behind was heavy.

Cassandra wrapped the towel around her shoulders and walked over to Hiro. “You stayed the whole time.”

“Yeah, well,” he sighed, finally meeting her eyes. They were so dark, so clear. So unaware of the torment she’d put him through. “It was… educational.”

“You should train. It’s good for you.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Hiro lied. “You heading out?”

“Mmm. Need water. From the store.” She tilted her head. “You are… sad.”

“I’m fine,” Hiro said too quickly. He stood up, his joints stiff from sitting so long. “I’m gonna go to the onsen. Wash off… the day.”

“Okay.” Cassandra gave him a small, fleeting smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes—her version of empathy, he guessed. Then she turned and walked out, the towel slipping from her shoulders to the floor as she left it behind. She didn’t look back.

Hiro stared at the discarded towel for a long moment before sighing again, a deep, soul-weary sound. What a fucking day. He trudged out of the gym, turning not toward the convenience store but toward the onsen baths. He needed to soak his pathetic bones and try to wash away the image of Calvin’s dick swinging over Cassandra’s face.