"I can't breathe," groaned Karmin as she rolled on the mat, covered in sweat and tears.

"Then just breathe," remarked Maddox simply as he munched on his bag of chips from his comfortable seat on a leather seat he had dragged out an hour into her training session.

She lifted her head, glaring at him. "I hope you choke on your Doritos."

Maddox flickered his eyes uneasily from her face to the cheese-dusted corn chip that was a few inches away from his mouth. After moments of contemplation, he dropped it back in the plastic bag and shoved it into his pockets, grumbling under his breath.

"Come on, Karmin," urged Lincoln, who, although was sweating, loved the adrenaline rush and looked as if he was ready to run a marathon. He bounced on his tippy toes with his gloves held up to his face. "We're almost done."

"I've learned enough. I can't feel anything. My arms, my legs," she exclaimed, poking her limbs dramatically. "I can't feel my face."

"When I'm with you," sang Maddox to himself, nodding his head slightly to the invisible beat.

Karmin sighed annoyedly, lifting herself up and lunging forward, attempting to grab Maddox's ankles. He dodged, scrambling off the chair away from her reach.

"You better run," sassed Karmin as she sat up.

He scoffed, dusting himself off. "I'm not scared of you."

"I beg to differ," she fired back as she rose to her feet.

"So, you have the energy to beat up my son, but not train?" asked Lincoln as he watched them amusedly.

"Your son makes it very easy with his annoying face," she retorted, narrowing her eyes at Maddox.

"I thought my face was handsome," fired back Maddox with his lips turned up that resembled a small smirk.

She faltered, not expecting him to say something like that. It was surprising. Heat rose to her face, but she pushed it away, shaking a fist at him. "Well, it won't be in the next few seconds," threatened Karmin.

Maddox stuck out his middle finger, backing away slowly with a pompous look on his face. Before she had the chance to react, Lincoln stepped in her line of sight, blocking her view of him.

"I think we can call it a day," he interjected. "I'm going to go tell Jordan to close up, and we can all grab some ice cream. Sound good to the two of you?"

Karmin wiped the sweat off her forehead with her t-shirt, nodded. A cool, frozen dessert sounded amazing right about now. Maddox agreed as well, so Lincoln left, but not before giving him a warning look.

She sluggishly made her way to her gym bag in the corner, sliding down the wall. She shielded her eyes from the setting sun, pulling out her phone to thankfully having no notifications from her parents or sister. They would usually leave her alone when it came to her studies, and the last thing she needed was for her Mom to call, asking where she was.

It was almost six in the evening, the whole day spent training. They went from cardio exercises to more technical drills. She learned how to spot the weaknesses of her opponents or using her surroundings to her advantage. Lincoln had her punching, kicking, and running the last seven hours. She lifted weights to the point her arms felt like noodles. A large dummy that was on the other end of her fury and jabs looked as if it went through the wringer.

Lincoln even had her going up against other gym-goers, all of them expecting the fight to be simple and easy. She thought it was hilarious to see the shocked expressions on their faces when she showed her moves. But while people in the fight club took the loss as humiliation, the individuals here took it well.

Other's would watch her fight, cheering her on. She had always loved attention, so their shouts of encouragement boosted her confidence. But as the day went on, the number of people in the gym dwindled.

For the entirety, Maddox watched her train. Occasionally, he would offer his tips or commentary, but every time, he earned a glare from Karmin, forcing him to leave before she aimed her punches at him. Other times, he would go to the vending machine, buying snacks to get through the hours, or he would lay on the mat, reading a book that she didn't know how he got.

By the end, her muscles felt tired, and her bones heavy. Her feet pained, and her hands cramped. But her mind felt stronger, and her will even better. She needed this day.

Her body would be sore for the next few days, but she liked how it felt. She could feel herself getting stronger. Her delicate hands always adorned with rings were becoming calloused and her slim arms transforming with bits of muscle.

"If you're worried about getting home in time, we can skip the ice cream," offered Maddox as he took a seat beside her, leaving about a foot in between.

She glanced up, smiling slightly. "Nah, that's alright. I told them I'd be home by nine, and I really want some ice cream."

"We'll leave right after. I don't want to worry them," he said quietly.

"They think I'm at the library studying," she shrugged, but her heart filled with warmth when she heard his concerns.

Silence fell between them as they leaned their heads against the wall, watching over the few people left, who were still working out. But something bothered her, so she spoke up. "Do you think I'll win the fights?" she asked, eyeing him lazily.

"Yes," said Maddox immediately.

Karmin raised a brow, sitting forward and crossing her legs until she faced him. "You're lying," she accused.

"No, I'm not," he replied quickly, shaking his head.

She gasped, smacking him in the shoulder. "You think I'm going to lose. Admit it."

"I..." he hesitated, opening and closing his mouth to find the right words. "I think you have a good chance of winning, but I don't think they're going to end well. You are fighting three people in a row."

Karmin eyed him carefully, but let it go. "What are we thinking? Broken arm? Concussion? Brain bleeding? Death?" she asked jokingly to hide the fear she was truly feeling.

"Let's hope it's nothing more than a broken nose," he said seriously.

"What, no. I really like my nose," she pouted, running her finger down the bridge of it.

"Would you rather have a broken nose or a broken neck?" Maddox deadpanned.

"A broken nose," mumbled Karmin, but all of a sudden, she sighed loudly. "This fighting thing is really messing with my skin. All the stress is causing my skin to break out."

His eyes flickered all over her face, lingering a little longer in one specific area until he realized what he was doing. "I don't see anything," he replied, glancing away and focusing his attention elsewhere.

"Well, that's because I've upped my skincare routine," explained Karmin, thinking about all the cleansers, serums, and moisturizers in her bathroom. "What do you use to keep your skin so clear?" His face lacked any type of acne scars or blemishes. His lightly tanned skin was clear as day.

"Soap."

"Oh, screw you," she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"What?" he asked innocently, his green eyes scattered with confusion.

"At least tell me it's a special type of soap imported from Switzerland with magical properties," remarked Karmin bitterly.

"You got me. It's made by fairies, who use the finest ingredients. Then, a witch puts a spell on it, so the person who uses it will be blessed with the softest skin. And then –"

"Now, you're just mocking me," laughed Karmin, who noticed a fleeting smile on Maddox's lips. "But really. Even the skin on my palms are harsh," she said, showing him.

He flipped his hands until his palms were facing the ceiling. "Mine too. I guess that's what fighting does."

Karmin noticed the callouses on his hands and few lines on his fingertips that must have been from papercuts that he received from his constant reading. Without thinking, she reached forward, grabbing his hand gently. He didn't object or tense up like he would have a month ago, so she kept going. His hand was warm as she used the tip of her index finger, tracing the lines and callouses lightly.

"Your hands are cold," said Maddox softly.

She peered up at him, meeting his eyes, and smiled. "Low iron."

Karmin didn't break the eye contact, nor neither did she let go of his hand. His eyes were intoxicating, and all she wanted to do was drown in the pools of cottage-core green. They were the same eyes that she felt her mind wander to in the middle of class or in the dark of her room. It was as if he was a bottle of wine that once completed, she couldn't help but come back for more.

He had flooded her entire system as if it was nothing, and she was just now realizing.

Maddox didn't pull back either, letting her draw on his palm that felt like random letters. Her skin was cold, clashing with his warmth, but he didn't mind.

Their trance was broken when his father came bustling in, a large grin on his face. "Alright, let's go, kids!"

Maddox swiftly ripped his hand away from hers, standing up quickly. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his face turning red.

Karmin cleared her throat, dusting off her hands, and stumbled to her feet. If Lincoln noticed, he didn't say anything but instead, waved at them to follow.

Maddox walked beside his Dad, listening as he spoke, and she couldn't help but watch him intently. The way he nodded and spoke to give his opinion in between pauses to show how invested he was, or how he walked with his head held low to avoid attention.

She was just now realizing the intensity.

***

Author's Note:

Hi!!

I was a little stuck with this chapter, but I really loved how it came out! I want Karmin and Maddox's relationship to progress slowly, so I really hope that shows.

On a random note, has anyone else become addicted to online shopping during quarantine? Because, damn, I have been spending so much money on clothes that I have nowhere to wear lol.

Until next time – m.k.t