InsaneJournal

( who ) Toby Shaw & Eli Worthington
( when ) Afternoonish
( where ) New York Health Club; Gym
( what ) Eli and Toby run into one another...dun dun duuunnn!
( rating ) TBD


With the sentiment of the memorial still hanging heavily on his mind Elijah found it hard for his thoughts not to mull over the topics that were discussed at the wake. Life, death, redemption, tolerance and a focus on family and friends. All those thoughts kept spiraling and spiraling in the young telepath's mind that it eventually gave him a headache. He tried not to let everything that happened lately weigh his spirits down but the idealist in him felt down, it was depressing to see such chaos still evident in the world. Elijah tried doing his best to work through these emotions by spending time with his parents but both of the former champions seemed to be handling things by comforting each other and keeping a sharp watch on Elijah. What would've been a weekend at home with his loved ones turned into him being grilled about everything in his life. From romances to his work to even the decor in his apartment. His parents were doing their typical inspection but Elijah felt like he was under a microscope with them and such sentiment left him itching to be free. So when Sunday afternoon rolled around Elijah decided he needed to get out of the house. Warren had taken Betsy back to his estate to show her what he had done with the place. Which was code to Elijah that his parents were once again still doing the same dance around their former relationship. With the house empty and the young heir finally able to breathe, he did something to help himself out. He hauled butt to the local gym!

It was after he arrived that he found himself feeling better as he worked out the slew of emotions he felt. A couple of miles on the indoor track and Elijah's spirit didn't feel as weighed down. It wasn't training with his abilties but being around a new environment and sensing that constant buzzing of other minds around him was a strange comfort. It helped take his mind of things. He managed to channel all that energy he spent dwelling too long on things and focus it on something more beneficial that wasn't his work. There was a warm glow to his skin as he left the weight room of the gym. His heart beat was quick and he felt alive, which was more than he could say for the victims.

A pang of guilt struck him for that thought but he pushed to it. He'd done cardio and strength training, now what? Clearly he didn't want to go home just yet. He eyed the hallway to the indoor pool but passed on it this time. Heading to another corridor of the gym and finding rows upon rows of heavy bags. Now this was more like it! The room was partially empty sans a few boxers who were training. Elijah claimed one of the bags for himself and as he took his first swing it helped sort out his emotions. Each blow to the bag was hard and well placed, a sign that his mother's training was very much with him as he incorporated his kick-boxing into his routine. Elijah's sinewy frame kept charging the bag with a determined heat, his grey beater sticking to his skin with sweat as Elijah pressed forward. He channeled every ounce of emotion into his powerful moves, all his thoughts just centered on he and the bag.

As he kept fighting away Elijah's focus on his surroundings drifted away. Not as sensitive to other's thoughts and for a moment forgetting about the world and the devestation that still haunted it. Then again like all good things, someone always had to come in and be that record scratch didn't they?

That scratch happened to be Tobias Shaw. Of course it was. Toby had been having quite the opposite emotions running through his mind than Eli. On his side of the playing field, Mutant Media was up and had more viewers and readers than ever, which meant a small bonus for the star of the show, him. He had celebrated by buying himself a small line of new clothes and various other worldly possessions that the Shaw boy used to fill the big empty hole in his heart where affection from others would normally go.

He had been at the memorial service, but only for a moment before vanishing. While it may not appear to others, inside Toby knew when he should go unseen and avoid people. He wouldn’t exactly have been the most favored guest at the service, but the signature in the guest book would prove he had a heart. However, if life stories, films, television, and parents had taught anyone anything, even when you had it all, you always were missing something, and unfortunately Tobias Shaw was no exception.

After a rather sharp pang at his self esteem from Parisa on his blog, Toby had decided that it warranted another visit to the gym. Toby was a fairly well put together individual. He wasn’t exactly as toned or built as the other playboy mutants of New York City, but he certainly wasn’t hard to look at, or so he thought. Besides, as much fun as one-night-stands and actors and super models displaying their whorish sides, Toby longed for more attention than that. Probably developed of years without a father figure, appreciation from his parents, or a loved one, but the gossip-show host decided to do what he did best and ignore any emotions he felt creeping upon his heart.

While at the gym, however, Toby spotted someone he didn’t exactly expect to see, but was certainly happy he did. While wandering through the large gym’s halls, the very same Elijah Worthington caught Toby’s eye. A small devilish smirk crossed his face as he looked through the window of the room at Elijah’s back as he punched at the bag. Only after a few seconds did Toby realize he was staring and quickly did something else he did very well. As if a monster out of the fog in a suspense thriller, Toby appeared almost out of nowhere. Elijah’s distraction by the bag and personal thoughts provided a good cover. After one of Elijah’s punches, Toby’s slender hands stopped the bag and the king of mutant gossip appeared from behind the bag with that usual half-smirk, half-smile on his face. He certainly stood out now, what with his perfect hair, every strand in place, and lavish work-out clothes; a red tank stop stripped with yellow and orange pins, his matching shorts and orange custom shoes. After all, appearance, even at the gym, was everything. “An agitated mind is the devil’s workshop, they say.”

Their chance encounter was almost like religious parody. The devil appearing right in front of (the son of) the angel. As his final blow was delivered and Tobias stopped the bag with an offering of his usual sneer, Elijah's moment of clarity was now rained upon by the gossip king. Elijah didn't jump or startle at the other's presence, no, his instincts were too sharp and instead he almost took a swing at Toby. Was it a flight or fight response or pent up frustration? Only Eli would keep that dark secret. Instead Elijah managed to restrain himself before impulsively striking and focused on catching his breath. His chest rose and fell quickly as he tried to let his body relax but a distinct huff was evoked from young Worthington. Great, of all people of all days. Sure Tobias was put together but it didn't make sense to Eli when someone was at a gym. Weren't you there to exercise and not try to compete for fashion points? Then again his simple gray tank and black track pants were more practical than fashion savvy. But that was just Eli.

Instead he heard the other's words and again Eli resisted the urge to deliver one quick blow to the man. Patience young Worthington, let's not make a scene. Instead Elijah retorted to Tobias' comments with an icy tone that would've made Emma Frost tear up at how cold he could be. "Is that so? That must explain why you're here," he placed his hands on the bag and gave a faint tug, signaling for Tobias to let it slack. He had no patience for this gossip pariah. All they did was create bullshit that was a far cry from who he was. He made a huge effort to change from who he was that Elijah would appreciate if people acknowledge the new him instead of wanting him to relapse to his old ways. "Now if you mind, I'd like to get back to exercising. Shouldn't you be I don't know, sucking the blood out of some corpse or something?" Oh yes, Bright Eyes was not going to play nice when it came to Tobias. He knew the man's game and was determined not to fall for any of the bait he would tempt him with. He learned that lesson long ago, even before Tobias was the monster he became now.

Toby only responded to Eli with a soft chuckle that was probably first heard from the snake when Adam and Eve ate that apple. He released the punching bag and stepped aside letting Eli have at it. He had sort of a mixed feeling and relationship with Eli. They could be best friends for five minutes before one would agrivate the other in some way or another, usually Toby's doing. He stepped back a little, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Eli. He wasn't worried about ever getting hit by Eli or anyone else, since he would easily nulify their movements at any sign of a swing. "I suppose so." He responded with an equally snarky tone. But he had not come to make war, no, that was what Mutant Media was for.

He made a small humph sound and eyed Eli's punching bag, then cast his piercing eyes back on Eli. If only he had brought a photographer with him to catch Eli like this. What excercises that kept Bright Eyes one of the hunkiest bachelors in NYC. He could see the headlines now, but he pushed those thoughts aside. best left for his writing. "I sense some hostility." He cast Eli a look which would never be able to be determined as either a smile or a sneer. "I didn't bring a camera crew. You don't have to exagurate your hatred. Just normal hatred is enough."

It was strange how a few years could rapidly change your perspective on a person. Sure Elijah was no saint years ago when he first met Tobias, but back then Toby was far from becoming the gossip fiend he was now. Back then there was a certain akwardness that ran under the front Toby projected. Elijah could always sense it and it was that intrigue that lured him down a brief path with the man. But like most illusions the glimmer faded away quickly and Eli moved on before serious damage could occur. Then Tobias underwent his transformation from awkward to snarky. Now Eli was more or less on the defensive when it came to Toby. The other man never hesitated to smear his name in the gossip columns, so why should he act like a lamb in front of him? While Toby tried to make peace from time to time, Elijah was always on guard with the man. He could play nice when it mattered but as far as Toby was concerned, Eli just waited for the moment Toby did something that had them going back to their usual cycle of feuding.

Thankfully Toby never failed to deliver when it came to that department. Showing genuine compassion or a focus on something important? The signs didn't look that promising. When the bag was released and Toby stepped away the young heir returned back to his work out. Fists striking the bag in hard blows as he did his best not to focus on the smug bastard next to him. Trying to push out that buzzing radiating from Tobias' thoughts, churning away some false lie he would post on his blog later on. Oh Eli knew the man's games now. Elijah almost regained his focus until Tobias insisted on trying to engage him in conversation. Well, wasn't that just peachy-keen? He cocked a brow at the sensing of hostility, no shit sherlock. Eli only offered silence as he continued to punch at the bag, turning into a roundhouse kick at the bag to distance himself more from Tobias. Even though Toby assured him it was them alone, Eli still felt skeptical. "Exagerate my hatred?" Eli questioned between pants for air.

"Don't flatter yourself, it's tacky. I wouldn't waste my energy exagerating anything for you." Yep, Elijah was still keeping his frosty persona as he meekly tried to keep a semblance of a work out up. "Is there a point why you're still here or did I inherit a bad streak of karma recently?" another raised brow and he returned back to punching the bag as he envisioned it was Toby's face he was striking with every blow. If anything Elijah's annoyance was forcing him not to restrain as much with the bag.

Right then, that was how the game would be today. Toby always set the field and waited for the first move. It was how he played with social run ins. He would say something neutral and depending on the responce, that would be how he acted. It was his way of communicating and today Elijah seemed rather defensive and even more anti-Toby than usual. Inwardly Toby shrugged. He could play that game. As Eli began punching the bag again, slowly Toby circled him, giving him a wide birth so it didn't seem like he was going to rape him or anything. No, just a vulture keeping its distance as it circled. He eyed Eli with those hollow dark circles of his, hands dropping to his sides. "Oh I understand now. Someone's slightly touchy because their past few days have been somewhat rough." It was never any use lying to Toby about what one was doing. Tobias knew almost everything that happened to anyone. It was his business to know.

He stopped standing to Eli's right, crossing his arms over his chest again and he smugly grinned and tilted his head slightly to one side. "Oh well at least you just hate me the normal amount. I wouldn't want you to strain yourself." Truthfully there were two reasons Toby stuck around Eli. One of them was simply to bother Eli and get on his nerves. It was sort of a fun activity of Toby's to see how far he could stroke Eli before he would snap, or at least get close. The other half....well...Toby would be lying to himself if he said being around Eli made him feel a little less lonely. It had been years since the two were actually close but Toby never forgot the actual feeling he got when near Eli. It was mostly gone now but there were always memories. "

"I only wanted to catch Elijah Worthington in his own natural habitat. No paparazzi, no pressuring interviews, nothing. Besides, this gym, yourself. Wouldn't say it didn't bring me back." He meant that sincerely, however his voice translated to a somewhat snarky jab at their history.

While Tobias made it his life to be informed on everyone's business there was still a large portion the man didn't know about Elijah. Hell, the same could be said about others too. But he knew the type like Tobias, they were more ego than substance half of the time. For every bark they had, it was nothing but vain pride that backed them up. So as Tobias cockily tried to play the game with him, Elijah was already in step to keep his composure. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing any reaction Tobias may have on him. Instead Elijah took the classic route and kept a stoic silence at the man's taunt. It wasn't going to work Toby, Elijah could hear that stirring of thoughts radiate from the other man. Tobias while predatory in his annoyance of people was too obvious in how much he calculated his movements.

Elijah could sense this and simply let the man think he had the upper hand for the moment. Instead he kept throwing jabs at the bag as he did his best to show no emotion. Tobias would tire himself out before Eli would have to do anything. Eli remained aware of Tobias' movements as the other baited him again. This time the heir offering a scoff at the coment. This guy was a piece of work if he was this full of himself. Eli kept vigilant in his use of the bag as Tobias tried shifting his approach with Elijah again. Elijah paused briefly and gave a cold glare at the man. Oh so he wanted to bring up the past, did he? Elijah would gladly shove those barbs back at him as he did his best not to impulsively lash out with other methods.

"Brings you back?" he repeated, "I could see that, because I do distinctly remember you just standing there half of the time looking at me like a creep. Nice to see some things never change." He gave the man a quick once over. Sure Tobias might've stared at him differently back then but that was the awkwardness that choked him, now it was just nothing but arrogance. But Elijah would jab back at the man. His patience stayed checked as Elijah moved away from the bag and approached a water fountain in the corner of the room. He hunched over as he took a long drink to quench his thirst and offer him reprieve from deal with the thorn in his side.

Tobias glared. He didn't like this. Normally his targets were far easier to taunt than Elijah was, then again Toby remembered that Eli coould already feel what Toby was thinking before he said it. It made things far less fun and Eli seemed to be in a more angry mood than the normal taunting playful mood they usually had. Normally it was just witty banter back and forth. Toby snarled a little and watched as Eli stopped and made his way to the water fountain. Toby took a breath trying to ponder his next move. He didn't want to do this if it wasn't going to be any fun. Eli used to be fun, but he only seemed angry and aggresive these days. Not that Toby cared...no, he didn't care about Eli anymore....no, definitely not....nope, not at all.

He cleared his throat and tugged on his red tank top, adjusting it so it wasn't so tight around his neck and then shrugged his shoulders a little, trying to get himself to loosen and relax. There was no point in holding a composure if Eli wasn't even going to pay attention. Toby just pursed his lips, looking at the ground and tried to figure out what exactly he was supposed to do. He couldn't just walk away, no, Eli would win. He always won. Always. But...you can't win when the other person isn't playing the same game. Toby finally decided to just approched Eli again, keeping a few feet between them. "Fine. I can see something's crawled into your busy little brain and has your attention held." He certainly wanted to avoid the idea of the past now that Eli had stepped into that door he had opened. While Toby would never admit it, he didn't like their past. it was where he had actually lost. He wouldn't admit that to Eli....not when they were like this. "So fine." He straightened his shirt and gave Eli another sharp look.

"I suppose I'll see you at Max Summer's party." he took a breath and gave Eli another once over before turning around, grabbing his gym back, which of course matched his gym attire perfectly, and made way for the steam room.

Elijah tried not to draw too much satisfaction from the flustered reaction he heard radiating from the other man. While his power wasn't in full use to let him distinguish what the other was thinking, he could hear that buzz of thoughts filling the air as Toby tried to recalculate his plan of attack. Yes Eli had an advantage in their game, but right now he could only hear the man plotting. He had yet to actually figure out what his next move. It was a trick he learned from his mother, his way of reacting to his opponent's next move before they even threw the jab. If anything he just kept himself connected to the constant flow of psionic energy he sensed around him. Staying at the lowest level of his abilities and poised to strike sharply at his opponent. As he quenched his thirst Elijah managed to show no emotion as he heard how ruffled the other had gotten. Direct hit. Eli was blind to this competition Toby had between them, but if he pieced it together he might've felt sorry for the man.

Competing against someone who genuinely didn't care what Toby did. See, while emotions were a complex thing, one thing that usually nullified everything was apathy. And apthy drove a sensationalist like Tobias crazy. A fact Elijah was willing to exploit without having to reach into Tobias' mind and dig up the skelletons he convinced himself he hid so well. No, Toby thought he was playing with one of his usual targets when in actuality Eli was far from usual. As Toby feebly tried to approach him again, Elijah faked a look of sincerity. "Hate to break it to you, but there are things far more interesting and important than you." Another cold jab as he showed a relentless nature when it came to Tobias. Elijah didn't have a notorious reputation before for nothing, the boy could dish it as much as he got it. Which seemed to be the opposite in Tobias' case.

With Toby finally (thank you God) moving to leave Elijah stayed planted on his spot. Just watching the man move away from him, not even looking at him approach
the door as he left his final statement in the air. It was another ploy for a comeback but Elijah didn't give him the satisfaction of another word. Not even a cold goodbye. The man only deserved silence and to know he would not get to Elijah so easily. However while Tobias was calculative in his approach with his people, Elijah was a little more devious and figured he could convince Max to take Toby off the guest list. Or better yet, plant the thought in Toby's mind that the party was three states away that night. But would Eli show such display of power? Well... Tobias wasn't the only one between them that held a devious side to him. Sometimes the most innocent of faces held the biggest potential for mischief.

Once outside in the hallway, Toby snapped open his phone from his gym bag and scanned through it. Nothing of use. He deleted it and snapped the phone closed again. He glanced back at the door leading to where Eli still was. Eli had thought that Tobias Shaw was weak and walked away, that Tobias Shaw couldn't take what he dished. Please. Foolish of Eli to think that. Just wait until Eli read tomorrows MM posting.