Work Text:
“Can’t hurt to try now can it?”
“I could sprain an ankle.”
“I’ll make sure you won’t!” Bert beamed at Gerard as he rolled out the second yoga mat, yet his boyfriend didn’t seem convinced. “C’mon, sugar.”
Gerard sighed and walked over to the mat. He really didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of his athletic boyfriend, he could barely even reach his knees. But he had a hard time refusing Bert’s puppy eyes. As instructed, he also tied his hair back into a little bun.
“Ready to go? We’ll start with the mountain pose.” Bert straightened his back and folded his hands in front of his chest. There was the first hurdle. Standing straight. “Stand tall and proud. Your feet should be hip wide distance apart.” He glanced over to his boyfriend. Gerard stood with his feet slightly parted, but not exactly ‘tall and proud’. Blame his crooked spine. He certainly tried though. “Take a few deep breaths, feel steady on the ground. Inhale and raise your hands to the sky, exhale and bend over, bringing your hands to the floor.”
A loud groan chimed. Bert looked to his left and saw Gerard futile half assed attempts at reaching the floor. Really, his hands weren’t even close. That’s when Bert remembered right. Most people in their 40s aren’t that flexible anymore. Gerard seemed to have given up on trying to keep his knees straight and bent them to reach the floor.
“Step back with your right foot and kneel down as if you are about to sprint.” Another groan, followed by a few huffs. “You okay there?”
Gerard’s face was already red from exhaustion, but he nodded. “This is why I don’t fucking exercise,” He whined.
“You’re doing great! Now bring your left foot next to your other one and do the plank.” That’s when Bert got up and helped Gerard adjust into the pose by pushing his bottoms down and steadying his torso, but he ended up basically holding Gerard from collapsing.
“You didn’t have to coerce me into yoga to touch my booty, y’know.” Gerard tried to play it cool even if he looked like he was about to die.
But Bert only grinned. “Now carefully lower your knees—” Gerard’s knees basically fell down onto the mat. “Then your upper body without your butt, and then push your torso with your ass into the up dog.” Gerard giggled as he followed the instruction.
“What’s up dog?”
“Not much what’s up with you?” Both bursted out in laughter, so much that Gerard forgot to complain about how much his back hurts. Even though it was just a minor pull. Bert swallowed down the laughter because he didn’t want Gerard to stay in one post too long. “Now prop up your legs and go into the down dog.”
Gerard immediately went silent. He had seen Bert do that pose before and it looked torturous. But he tried his best to recreate it, pushing his butt up in the air and stretching his knees. His t shirt rolled down to his chin and exposed the many rolls on his back. A few beads of sweat were visible chasing the hemline.
“No, you have to keep your back straight, hold on.” Bert pushed down his back and securely held his derrière. He was quiet for a moment and ran one of his hands over Gerard’s thick stomach. Maybe it was the blood rushing to his head from keeping it down like that, but the elder blushed deeply and his knees went soft. “You’re doing great,” His boyfriend whispered.
At last, he was allowed to bring his right foot back to the front and back into the sprinter’s pose. Bringing his left foot to the right one once again he was allowed to slowly straighten his back. “Feel every little inch of your back as you reach for the sky. Exhale and bring your hands to your heart. How do you feel?”
“…Can we do that again?”