m/m Muscle University

[muscleaddict]

4 minutes ago, Shawn1978 said:

It's getting really good now! The payoff is coming! I can feel it!

Not. Saying. A. Word. 

[WashburnDaddy]

50 minutes ago, muscleaddict said:

Not. Saying. A. Word. 

Such. A. Wicked. Tease. 

[hardmuscl4life]

I really enjoy your writing.  Just so you are aware, I look for updates to this story...multiple times...every day.  The characters you have developed are really well done. 

Many thanks,

george 

[reeddune]

15 hours ago, muscleaddict said:

Okay, guys, here's the rest of chapter 18...

 

As our train gets closer to Bristol, the nerves I felt this morning start to kick in again. I still don’t really know whether this whole thing is going to work. I have my friendship with Emily, and then I have my thing with Luke, both of which feel incredibly special to me. And now those two worlds are going to collide. 

I tell myself it will be fine. That Emily and Luke will get on great. That it will be a fun weekend. But by the time the train’s pulled in and me and Luke are walking along the platform, my stomach is in fucking knots. Jesus. What is wrong with me? I hardly ever get this nervous. It’s a familiar feeling I get when I’m backstage at a bodybuilding show, tanned up and shredded in shiny posers and waiting to go on the stage in front of an audience of hundreds of muscle loving spectators. 

I’m pretty sure I know the main cause of my nerves. I’m still scared that Emily will see that I have feelings for Luke. In theory, that shouldn’t be such a bad thing. I mean, she is my best friend after all. But I’m not sure I’m ready for Emily to see that side of me yet. I can’t explain it. The thought of telling her makes me feel exposed. Maybe even vulnerable? And I think that once the words are out there, that I have feelings for Luke, it will make the whole thing seem so much more real. 

When I spot Emily standing on the station platform behind the barriers my nerves ease a little. I usually get this feeling when I come to visit Emily in Bristol. Like, after weeks of being at Muscle University surrounded by the likes of Deano and Shaun and all of those other testosterone fuelled muscle lads and spending all of that time by myself in my dorm room, I can breathe all of a sudden. Like I suddenly feel safe again. But it’s funny, because I don’t feel that now. This time it feels different. And I know why. Because now my life at Muscle University is different. And that’s because of Luke. God - I think I’m starting to realise just how unhappy I was at Montgomery before he came along. And, I guess, if I’m being honest, how lonely I was too. I fucking hate admitting that. I mean, I’m Woody; cocky, handsome as shit, attention loving bodybuilder whose biceps everyone wants to feel. Guys like me aren’t supposed to feel depressed. And they’re definitely not meant to feel lonely. I mean, I have twelve thousand followers on Instagram for fuck’s sake. 

I feel this warm, happy twinge as I approach Emily’s smiling face. She says hey and gives me a hug as always. Judging by the surprised expression on Luke’s face, he clearly didn’t think I was the hugging type.

“This is the new roomie!” I tell Emily, my chest tightening. I’m nervous to introduce Luke, but I feel a surprising warmth with it. Fuck it - it’s almost a rush. I’m pretty sure I’d have been more nervous if I’d have introduced him by his name. By the way, is it me or does Luke have the cutest fucking name? Luke! Lovely, little Luke. My little Lukey. Christ, I need help!

“Hey!” Emily greets him. Then she moves forward and gives him a hug and seeing Emily embracing Luke so easily, I feel a sharp twist in my stomach. For fuck’s sake. Am I seriously getting jealous because my best friend just got to hug the boy I’m completely crazy about? 

Luke looks a little taken aback by the unexpected hug. We make eye contact and he shoots me a little smirk. I can tell he feels a little shy around Emily, but he doesn’t seem nervous or uncomfortable. I really like that about Luke. He’s shy but he’s confident. I have this feeling that the two of them are going to get on fine.

“So, Luke ... what’s it like sharing a room with Seb?” Emily asks as we walk from the station to her student house.

Luke looks at me with a knowing grin and I feel a pinch of excitement at hearing his response.

“Mmmm. It’s good!” He looks at me with this slightly bashful smirk and ARGH - I feel like my insides are melting. 

“Well … mostly!” he adds, looking at me again with a mischievous smirk.

I give him a wide eyed look. “What do you mean mostly? I’m a good roommate!” I protest. Luke continues to smirks and raises an eyebrow at me.

“Is he constantly reminding you of how sexy he is?” Emily asks.

“YES!” Luke exclaims.

Ha! I love it. I casually shrug. “Facts are facts!” Emily smiles at me and rolls her eyes.

“He’s always bouncing his pecs too!” Luke teases. 

“Oh God. He does that in front of me!” 

“Erm … are you two just gonna gang up on me the whole weekend?” I cry, even though I don’t really mind. Even thoughI actually kinda love it.

“Awww!” Emily says, with a teasing smile before linking her arm with mine. 

“How long have you two been friends?” Luke asks.

“Since we were four!” Emily replies.

“Oh wow! Does that mean you’ve got some embarrassing stories about him?”

“LOADS!” Emily exclaims, excited.

“Erm … shall I just go back to the train station now?!”

We order pizza when we get to Emily’s and hang out in the living room of her student house. Me and Emily on one sofa, Luke on another. The conversation’s been flowing. Luke seems fine with Emily. Things don’t feel weird or uncomfortable like I thought they might. I’m probably a little less relaxed than I’d normally be in front of Emily, but it’s actually really nice being with the both of them.

“So … when do I get to hear one of these embarrassing stories?” Luke asks Emily, before shooting me a cheeky smirk.

“Oh yeah!” Emily says, excited, practically jumping in her chair.

“Oooh. Erm. How about never?!” I cry.

Emily looks at me, biting her lip. Like she’s debating whether to relay whatever she’s got on her mind. “Okay … this one’s kind of embarrassing for both of us!”

I shoot her a confused look, intrigued and admittedly pretty excited at what she’s about to tell Luke. Because despite my protests, I really don’t mind her telling Luke embarrassing stories about me. In fact, I actually kinda love the idea.

Emily takes a deep breath and looks from me to Luke. “When we were in year eight, me and Woody formed a pop group!”

“Oh God! NO!” I cry.

Luke has this excited and surprised look on his face.

“Well it was more of a duo!” Emily explains, “we were called …”

“I can’t believe you’re telling him this!”

“Two The Same!” 

I put my hands over my face and groan. “Soooo cheesy!”

“So what did you guys do?” Luke asks, grinning.

“Basically just made up our own songs!” Emily explains.

“They were sooo bad!” I say, glaring at Luke and shaking my head.

“Can you still remember them?” he asks, with this hopeful grin on his face.

Oh God. Emily looks at me with this knowing smirk. We definitely still know the songs. We even sing some of them occasionally. Usually when we’re both pissed. She’s got this look in her eyes. Surely she wouldn’t subject herself (and me) to the embarrassment of letting Luke hear a song we made up when we were twelve years old? I shoot her a wide eyed look, almost begging her not to go on.

“I think Luke wants to hear one of our songs, Seb!” she says.

“Sorry! Can’t remember any of them!” I say, casually.

Emily shoots Luke a look. “He’s lying!”

“Come on, Seb!” Luke says, with this teasing grin. The little fucker. “I wanna hear Two The Same’s best song!” 

“Well that would be the Monday morning song!” Emily announces. 

Oh my GOD! 

“Come on ... let’s sing it!” she says, nudging my arm.

“Erm … let’s not!”

“Fine, I’ll sing it by myself!” she says.

“I’m seriously cutting off all contact with you after this weekend!”

Emily starts to sing.

“On Monday morning, I’m thinking ‘bout you ...”

Oh God. I put my hands over my face and curl up in a ball, groaning for effect.

“When Tuesday comes, my head is spinning ...”

Despite my embarrassment, I feel the same warmth of nostalgia I always do when I hear this song. And now I’m smiling behind my hands.

“By Friday night, I’m going crazy …”

I take a peek at Luke and he’s biting his lip and grinning and I feel a pinch in my chest. Okay I’m embarrassed, but I also kind of love that Luke’s getting to hear this song. That he’s being let it on this part of mine and Emily’s childhood.

“‘And every day, I’m falling more in love with you.”

“Oh my GOD!” I groan loudly.

“That’s brilliant!” Luke exclaims.

“It’s soooo not!” I say to him, both of us smiling at each other. And now Emily’s looking at me, her eyes lingering on me with this suspicious expression and a slight, knowing smirk on her face and my stomach clenches.

“You know what the song really needs though?” I say. They both look at me confused. 

“Some dance moves!”

Emily’s looking at me, her eyebrows furrowed and smirking. I straighten up my back on the sofa. “Come on. Sing it again!” 

She looks at Luke and back at me. “Erm … okay!” 

As a baffled Emily sings the first line of the song, I look down at my chest and start bouncing my pecs up and down in time with the melody.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Emily cries, rolling her eyes and stopping the song. 

Luke’s beaming at me and shaking his head. “See what I have to put up with?” he says. 

“YES! I’ve been putting up with it for sixteen years!” Emily says, turning to me again and giving me a knowing grin.

“He’s soooo nice!” shes says to me enthusiastically once Luke has left the room to use the bathroom. This warm feeling washes over me.

I try and act as casually as I can. “He’s pretty cool!” I say, nodding. “Well ... apart from the fact he wears Harry Potter boxer shorts!”

“I was kinda surprised when you asked if it was okay for him to come and stay!”

Oh God. She’s got that look on her face again. Like she knows. And there goes my stomach clenching again.

“Well … it was kind of a spontaneous invite! And then I couldn’t really take it back!” I lie.

Emily nods, not looking completely convinced by my response. “You obviously like him enough to have invited him in the first place though!”

I just shrug, not saying anything. She can see straight through me. I know she can.

“He’s cute too!” she says, glaring at me wide eyed.

Oh God. Make it stop. I look anxiously at the door. Maybe in hope of Luke reappearing and saving me from the conversation I’ve been dreading all day. But I know there’s no escape. 

Emily lowers her voice. “Seb, is there something going on with you two?” she asks, with an excited smirk.

“NO!” I cry, but I’m failing to stop myself from smiling.

She doesn’t look convinced. “Has something happened?” she asks, still excited.

“Definitely not!”

“Okay! Just checking!” And now Emily’s just smirking at me, clearly not convinced that things are completely platonic between me and Luke. I roll my eyes and shake my head at her. But I’m smiling too.

Luke walks back in the room.

“I vote for Chinese!” I say, thinking on my feet. Emily looks confused, then realises that Luke’s re-appeared. “For tomorrow night!” I say to her, my chest clenching. Because, despite my protests, Emily clearly knows that something’s going on and it’s probably only a matter of time before she gets me to confess that I have feelings for Luke.

A few hours later and we’re all still hanging out in the living room watching something on TV. Emily leans her body into mine and rests her head against my shoulder. “I’m knackered!” 

Without thinking, I lift my arm up and wrap it round her shoulder. She leans into my side and wraps an arm around my waist and snuggles into me making an, “Mmmm!” sound.

And then I look over at Luke and he’s watching us and fuck - what is that expression on his face? He looks a little awkward. But there’s this kind of longing there too. Like maybe, and this might sound like a bit of a reach, Luke’s looking at us and thinking about how much he’d like to be where Emily is right now. Snugged into my body with my arm wrapped around him. Fuck. My heart starts beating faster. My insides are suddenly doing weird things.

“Seb, did you get bigger?! Jesus! You’re just like a mountain of muscle!” Emily says, squeezing my chest. I look over at Luke again. He still looks a little awkward, but his expression relaxes a little and he gives me a cute, knowing smirk.

“Wait ‘till I become the next Blaine Holton!” I say. “Luke’s gonna be as big as me soon too!”

Luke rolls his eyes, smirking still.

“I don’t know why you boys are so determined to get bigger. You’re both so cute already!”

Luke pulls a face and looks embarrassed. But I couldn’t agree with Emily more. At least on the Luke front. I really can’t imagine him getting any cuter.

“I think I’m gonna have to go to bed soon!” Emily announces, still snuggled into me. “Sorry to be boring! You two can stay up if you want!”

I feel a jolt of excitement at the thought of being alone with Luke again but I don’t look over at him. “Oh, have you got a sleeping bag or something for Luke?”

She shakes her head. “No need. It’s all sorted!”

For some reason my stomach clenches. “What d’you mean?” I ask.

“Mmmm. Katie’s gone home for the weekend so I’m sleeping in her room!”

Oh fuck. I think I know what’s coming next. Holy fucking, fuckity … 

“You two can sleep in my bed!”

… fuuuuck! My stomach somersaults. Sharing a bed with Luke? Okay, I did NOT plan for that to happen. I didn’t even consider that it was a possibility!

I try and act casual, but for some reason, I can’t seem to look over at Luke right now. “Cool!” I say, nodding and looking sraight at the television, completely covering up the fact that my heartbeat’s going crazy and my head is spinning at the thought of sleeping in the same fucking bed as Luke. Next to each other. Barely clothed. For the whole night.

A little while later, Emily kisses us both on the cheek and goes to bed and I’m left alone with Luke. It feels a weird but nice being with him in a different setting to our dorm room. In an actual student house. Would we still hang out as much if we lived in a house like this? I’m guessing we would, we’d just have more rooms to choose from to sit in and watch Harry Potter films together.

“Emily’s really nice!” Luke says to me. I nod. Maybe I’m imagining it, but it feels like there’s this awkwardness between us, and I think I know why. It’s the fact we’re about to share a bed.

“Not sure why she’s friends with you!” he teases.

I smirk at him. “Probably for the same reasons you are!”

Maybe I should suggest that I sleep on the sofa and he can take Emily’s bed? But wouldn’t that be weird? We’re friends. Why the hell wouldn’t we share a bed? There’s nothing weird or awkward or strange about two friends doing that after all. 

“Is it too late to watch a Harry Potter film?” I joke.

He grins at me and then his expression turns serious and neither of us are saying anything. There’s that awkwardness again. What if I accidentally wrap an arm around Luke in the middle of the night? What if he does it to me? What if we wake up, our bodies wrapped around each other, faces close together?

“I’m pretty tired, actually!” Luke says. Fuck! He sounds a little nervous. He looks a little nervous too. Is it wrong that gives me this weird, excited feeling?

“Come on then!” I say, nonchalantly while getting up from the sofa. Luke’s face relaxes a little. And I spot the unmistakable hint of a grin on his face. You could even say he almost looks excited. 

Luke follows me up the stairs to Emily’s room. I’m acting casually, but my insides are exploding. I turn my head once to look back at him. “You better not be a duvet hogger!”

A little while later and I’m standing in the middle of Emily’s bedroom wearing just my blue and white checked boxers shorts and the usual white vest I sleep in. I look at the empty double bed (a bed I’ve slept in dozens of times before) and my stomach twists. Should I climb in bed and wait for Luke to get back from the bathroom? Would that make the whole thing less awkward?

Luke walks in. Fuck - too late for that. He gives me an awkward smile.

“What side do you want?” I ask him.

He shrugs. “I’m easy!”

“Going to bed wearing your jeans?” I tease. I don’t know why I just said that!

He smiles sheepishly and suddenly looks embarrassed as he starts to take them off. I take the plunge and climb under the duvet at the far side of the bed.

“I wonder what Emily would think of your new posing trunks?” I ask Luke as he pulls his sleeping vest over his head. His cute little calf muscles and modestly thick legs on display under a pair of Incredible Hulk (fucking seriously?!) boxer shorts. 

He looks over at me, the corner of his mouth curling into this cute grin. “Are you really gonna wear your pink posers for the end of term competition?” he asks.

I shrug and give him an ominous smirk. “Might do!”

Luke hovers by the bed looking awkward while I’m snuggled in. My huge arms are outside the duvet and folded. I can see his eyes scanning them. 

“Shall I, erm … turn the light off?”

I can’t help but smile at the awkward adorableness of it all. “That is what people usually do before they go to bed, Luke!” 

He rolls his eyes and turns off the light. And then he comes over to the bed and fuck, my whole body is fucking buzzing as Luke climbs in and gets under the duvet next to me. We’re so close to each other. His legs and body next to mine. His cute head on the next pillow. I immediately get a hard on. Fuck. I don’t look over. I just carry on looking forward, my arms still folded and hanging out of the duvet. 

“I can’t believe you and Emily have been friends since you were four!” he says. I twist my head and see Luke lying next to me, all snuggled under the duvet in the dark and my chest flutters. 

“Mmmm!” I say, smiling. 

“Kinda cool that you both turned out to be gay!” he says.

“Emily thinks maybe that’s why we were drawn to each other? I mean, there’s no way we could have known at that age but … she thinks maybe we sort of sensed we were both a bit different?”

“You could say you were … Two The Same?”

I laugh. “Fuck off!” I twist my head and he’s looking back at me in the dark. I can see he’s grinning at me. His face so close to mine. Fuck. 

“Do your parents know you’re gay?” Luke asks me.

“Nah!” I reply. Wow. I kind of love this. Just lying in the dark next to Luke, talking to him.

“Mum would be fine with it!” I tell him. “She’s got gay friends. Quite a few actually! Most of them are, like, posh lovey dovey theatre types. Oooh darling. You look faaaabulous!”

Luke giggles next to me. “Some of them blatantly fancy me. Come to think of it, I think my mum might even be a bit of a fag hag!”

“What about your dad?”

“Pretty sure he’s not a fag hag.”

I twist my head and Luke’s looking at me, waiting for a serious answer.

I let out a little sigh. “I think he’d be okay? He’d probably just think, typical Woody - he has to be different! I can’t imagine him really talking to me about it either. Like, once I’d told him, he’d probably never mention it again!” 

Luke doesn’t say anything. I suddenly realise what I’m doing. I’m opening up to Luke. Telling him things about my family. Usually this kind of thing would make anxious. But, I dunno - for whatever reason, I don’t mind it. Maybe it’s because we’re both in the dark and not actually facing each other. Or maybe it’s just because it’s Luke.

“It would be much worse if it wasn’t for Elliot!” 

Luke sharply twists his head. “Who’s that?” 

“Older brother!” I explain.

“Didn’t know you had a brother?” I can see him smiling a little now.

“Mmmm!” I say, nodding. 

“What’s he like?”

I scoff. “He’s pretty much a golden boy! In other words, the complete opposite of me! He’s in his last year at Oxford.” 

“Oxford? Wow!”

“Cambridge is first on the league table though. As I remind him every time I see him!” I look at Luke and smirk. I can see him smiling back at me.

“Do you not get on?” Luke asks.

“Actually we do! Well ... now at least. We hated each other when we were kids. He used to wind me up so much. He’d push and push until I snapped and acted out. And then he’d go to mum and I’d be the one who ended up getting into trouble. Clever little prick! Then we got older and we just seemed to have a lot more in common. Mostly alcohol! Sometimes, I think he’s even …” I pause and change my mind about what I’m about to say next. “Doesn’t matter!” I say, shaking my head.

“What?” Luke asks.

“Forget it!”

“Tell me!” Luke gently orders.

I sigh. “It sounds kind of awful but … well, imagine if you had a brother and you were the golden child. Everyone thinks of you as the clever one. The well behaved one. Generally seen as the more handsome one, although … hmmm, that’s debatable. And then your baby brother goes to the local hardcore gym and becomes a bodybuilder. With a six pack and pecs. And biceps twice as big as yours. And he suddenly gets loads of attention and is in the local newspaper and has shit loads of Instagram followers telling him how awesome he looks flexing in his shiny posers?”

I look over at Luke and he’s smirking at me. “Are you saying your brother’s jealous of your shiny posers?”

I laugh. “Maybe not the posers! But I think, for a lot of guys, there’s a part of them, deep down, that would LOVE to be a bodybuilder. As huge and jacked as I am. Strutting around, bouncing their pecs and flexing their biceps. Shiny posers optional!”

“Hmmm. I dunno. I’d never wanna look like that!” Luke says, with a smirk.

I grin back and bite my lip and then turn away from him again. “But yeah, Elliot’s pretty much the perfect son. He’ll graduate uni and probably go travelling to loads of exotic countries. Then he’ll come back, get an amazing job and get married to some blonde model with a really pretentious name. And my dad won’t care that his other son is gay and spends his days stomping round bodybuilding stages in his shiny pink trunks. I guess it’s kinda fitting. I’ve always been the rebellious one.”

“So … your brother’s a bit like Prince William and you’re kinda like Prince Harry?”

I laugh. “I guess so! If Prince Harry had pecs. And abs. And shiny pink posing trunks!”

“What about you? Does your mum know?” I ask him. I’ve never really thought about it before, but suddenly I want to know. Suddenly I want to know everything about Luke.

I look over so I can see his face as he answers. “I told her last year. Well … she kind of asked me!”

I carry on looking at him. 

“It was after I split up with my boyfriend from the sixth form!”

I feel a slight twist in my stomach. Luke had a boyfriend. He told me that earlier today. But now I’m really thinking about it. Some guy got to kiss Luke. And cuddle up to him. And call him his boyfriend. Huh. I never thought it was possible to be envious of someone who I’ve never even met. And know next to nothing about.

“She asked me if we’d fallen out and I said yes. And then she said, ‘Luke I know he was your boyfriend and that you’re gay.’ And that was that.”

“Was this … after your dad?”

“Yeah! Mum said they never spoke about it, but … she had a feeling he knew!” 

I lie there looking at him. I don’t feel like I need to say anything. Just me being here listening is enough.

“And … she said he would have been fine with it. That he’d have just wanted me to be happy!”

Fuck. I feel my eyes start to sting. I carry on looking at Luke and he’s just looking back at me. “That’s really cool!” I say, giving him a smile. He smiles back and we just linger on each other's gazes. A definite Woody and Luke moment. What would he do if I rolled over on my side right now to face him? Would he do the same? Our bodies facing the other’s in the dark. Our faces close together. Me and Luke just inches away from each other in the dark.

“Do you have brothers and sisters?” I ask him gently.

“Yeah. A younger sister, Hayley!”

I nod. “So you’re like a cool big brother?” He gives me a cute grin. Somehow it feels right. I can see Luke as an older brother. Looking out for his little sis.

“Don't know ‘bout the cool part!” he says, still smiling. 

We stay silent for a little while. I look away and face out towards the room again. “Elliot and Sebastian!” Luke finally says after a while with a hint of amusement.

I turn my head to face him again. “What?!” I ask smiling.

“So terribly posh!” he teases.

I laugh. “It could be worse! We could be called … Cuthbert and Tarquin!”

“Are those your cousins?”

“Yep!” I say in a matter-of-fact tone. Luke giggles and I smile back at him.

We’re quiet again for a little while. I wonder if we’ll actually say goodnight or whether we’ll just stop talking and both drift off to sleep. I don’t care either way.

“On Monday morning …” Luke sings quietly.

“Fuck off!” I say, laughing.

Luke laughs. “What? It’s a good song!”

“I’m gonna kill Emily!” 

“Who knew you had so many talents? Woody the bodybuilder. Woody the illustrator. Woody the pop star!” 

I shake my head. I can’t stop smiling. “Do you want me to kick you?”

“I’m thinking ‘bout you …” Luke sings. “How does the rest of it go again?”

“Can’t remember! Sorry!”

“Come on!” Luke orders, giggling.

I groan. “When Tuesday comes, my head is spinning,” I say the words rather than sing them.

“That’s it! Keep going!”

“By Friday night, I’m going crazy.”

I feel a sharp twist in my stomach. For some reason, I can’t quite bring myself to say the last line.

“Go to sleep!” I order.

“Yes, boss!”

“And NO hogging the duvet!”

I don’t look at Luke again and he doesn’t speak either. I roll over away from his bed and close my eyes, a smile on my face and this warm buzz rushing through my body. At being here. In this bed. Lying next to Luke. Thinking about everything we just talked about. Thinking about all the things we’ve done that day. And all the time we’ve spent together over the past few weeks. And as I drift off to sleep, the last line of mine and Emily’s cringeworthy song goes through my head. The line I couldn’t bring myself to say out loud.

“And every day, I’m falling more in love with you.”

Lovely chapter as usual and the story immersion keeps getting better  At this point I think I'm liking Woody more HAHA

Spotlight on the music part! It's so sensitive how this song hits Woody affection towards Luke, it's sounds like it's consuming him but he still denying his feelings - I love it 

[Peterparker6018]

Hi muscleaddict! 

Im new here, i found you randomly on Twitter and started to read you with the story of AJ & Noah (Wich BTW made me cry with that one), you have no idea how talented you are. 

I wonder what's ur inspiration for make this so relatable and so immersive?, because i can easily figure out the bodybuilder mind with your words. Did you take any inspiration on any true bodybuilder close to u?. 

 

Thanks for make this all possible for us, muscle addicts, a small community who wish to be part of an amazing story like this one.

 

Thanks for let us dream with your words portrayed in characters that we want and more than that, to put the words of what our minds wish to have at least one day in our lives. 

 

Thanks alot. 

(sorry for my bad English im latino) 

 

Regards 

 

Peter. 

[crushme99]

W O N D E R F U L

[muscleaddict]

20 hours ago, hardmuscl4life said:

I really enjoy your writing.  Just so you are aware, I look for updates to this story...multiple times...every day.  The characters you have developed are really well done. 

Many thanks,

george 

Thanks for this lovely feedback, matie!  I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. Next chapter should be up in the next couple of days! 

[muscleaddict]

17 hours ago, reeddune said:

Lovely chapter as usual and the story immersion keeps getting better  At this point I think I'm liking Woody more HAHA

Spotlight on the music part! It's so sensitive how this song hits Woody affection towards Luke, it's sounds like it's consuming him but he still denying his feelings - I love it 

Awww - thanks, matie! I'm glad you're liking Woody and you're not just reading the story for Deano! 

I actually wasn't sure about the part with Woody and Emily's song so I appreciate you saying that. Obviously it's supposed to be an embarrassing thing for Woody and the song itself is supposed to be cheesy but I didn't know if that whole part of the story was a bit childish. I *do* like the bit at the end though where Luke's teasing Woody about it in bed and the way he relates the last line to the way he feels now. I'm still in two minds about the whole thing but this is where feedback like this comes in handy! 

[muscleaddict]

16 hours ago, Peterparker6018 said:

Hi muscleaddict! 

Im new here, i found you randomly on Twitter and started to read you with the story of AJ & Noah (Wich BTW made me cry with that one), you have no idea how talented you are. 

I wonder what's ur inspiration for make this so relatable and so immersive?, because i can easily figure out the bodybuilder mind with your words. Did you take any inspiration on any true bodybuilder close to u?. 

 

Thanks for make this all possible for us, muscle addicts, a small community who wish to be part of an amazing story like this one.

 

Thanks for let us dream with your words portrayed in characters that we want and more than that, to put the words of what our minds wish to have at least one day in our lives. 

 

Thanks alot. 

(sorry for my bad English im latino) 

 

Regards 

 

Peter. 

Thanks for this lovely feedback @Peterparker6018 (I think Luke would approve of that username )! Always good to see someone new commenting. Kinda love that you found out about the story through Twitter too. 

Woody is not based on anyone I know but I'd say I probably took inspiration from real life bodybuilders on the net and on Instagram in terms of him being cocky about his body and the way he looks in a playful/cheeky manner. There's bits of my personality in him but that's true of a lot of the characters I write. Thanks again for commenting, matie. 

[muscleaddict]

Nineteen

The first thing I see when I wake up the next day is Luke’s face resting on the pillow next to mine. We went to sleep with our backs to each other and we’ve woken up in this position. Luke’s still asleep, his eyes closed.

This warmth washes through my body as I lie next to him and take in his face. His little nose. His cheeks. His hair which looks fluffy and messy like it always does in the mornings. It hits me in that moment. That everything feels better when I’m with Luke. The world feels like a nicer place somehow. It’s crazy how someone who takes up so little space in the world can have such a huge impact on what I think and how I feel.

Luke stirs and I feel a sharp panic and quickly shut my eyes. And now I’m just lying here with my eyes closed, my heart beating faster, wondering if Luke’s awake and if he’s now watching me sleep the way I was just watching him. What if I were to just suddenly open my eyes without warning? Would I catch him looking at me? I’m so tempted. But I couldn’t do that to him. So I stir a little and then gently open my eyes and oh my God, I catch him. His eyes immediately veer away, but there’s no question about it - Luke was watching me sleep.

“Morning!” I say to him, my heart feeling like it wants to escape from my chest.

He looks back at me and his mouth curls into this happy grin. “Hey!” And now I’m smiling back. And his smile gets wider and giddier and we’re looking at each other and smiling and oh my fucking God!

What would Luke do if I leaned in and kissed him? I know he’d be shocked. But would he kiss me back? Would he just lie there with his head on the pillow kissing me? His nose rubbing against mine? Would he tell me how much he’s been dying to kiss me? That he’s wanted to do it since the day we met? That he wasn’t sure if I liked him back? That he never thought a bodybuilder like me would be interested in a guy like him - just like he said on the night we went to Glasgow? And what would happen after that? Everything would change for sure. I know that much.

“Happy Birthday, Woody!” he says, still smiling. “Or is it Seb?” he teases.

“Just as long as you don’t call me Sebastian!”

He looks like he’s about to say something in response but stays silent. Like he’s thought better of it.

There’s a knock on the door and my heart suddenly drops. Because I kind of just wanna stay here lying next to Luke for a bit. When Emily pops her head round the door I feel immediately guilty for feeling disappointed. “Are you guys decent?”

“Mmmm!”

She walks in and comes over to the bed. “Happy Birthday, Seb!” she says, kissing me on the cheek and sitting down. Then she hands me a card and my present; a gift experience for an indoor skydiving lesson for two. Emily always gets me awesome presents.

“No obligations to take me!” she says, giving me this look and glancing her eyes to Luke. What the fuck? Did that just happen? I have no idea what to do or what to say. I know it was meant with good intentions, but I can’t seem to bring myself to look at Luke right now. 

“Did you sleep okay, Luke?” Emily asks. 

Luke nods and says, “Mmmm!”

“Right, get showered,” she orders, “I’m taking you both out for breakfast!”

“Sounds good. Oh and Luke’s got just the outfit!” I tease, referring to the shiny pink posers hiding in his holdall right at this very moment. I look at him and he’s rolling his eyes, but smirking too. Emily looks at the two of us, smiles and bites her lip. My stomach immediately somersaults in response. I know at some point she’s going to ask me about me and Luke again. What are the chances I can somehow manage to avoid being left alone with her for the entire day? 

Half an hour later and I’m showered and dressed and sitting on Emily’s bed. Luke’s getting changed when my phone beeps.

“Text from my dad!” I tell Luke, looking at my phone. He smiles as he puts on his Dom and Cole In The Land of Ug t-shirt.

I read from my screen. “Happy Birthday, champ. Present waiting for you when you come back home. Hope you have something fun planned with your mates!” I roll my eyes. My dad knows nothing about my “mates”. He’s never asked me one single question about the other lads at Montgomery. Including my roommate. I carry on reading. “HA! Feel feel to use my Uber account!” I look at Luke and he’s grinning. 

“Oooh I wonder what your present is?”

I shug, pull a “don’t care” face and throw my phone on the bed. 

“Maybe he’s got you a Bentley!” Luke teases.

“Nah. I got one of those for my 18th!”

Luke smirks. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not!”

I just shrug and smile at him, trying not to give anything away. Luke’s expression changes as he bends down and starts rummaging through his holdall. I can’t help noticing that he even looks a little nervous. I don’t know why but I feel a sudden pinch of nerves.

“Are you getting your pink posers out to put on over your jeans?” 

Luke smirks and shakes his head. When he stands up, he’s clutching something in his hand. A present wrapped up. Fuck! My stomach clenches as he nervously comes towards me, an awkward and slightly embarrassed look on his cute little face. 

“It’s not a Bentley! Sorry!” he jokes as he hands me the parcel. It’s soft and square shaped. My heart swells as I look down at it. I have no idea what to say. I’m fucking gobsmacked. I never once thought that Luke might buy me a birthday present. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything!” I say. Luke pulls a face and awkwardly shrugs. I can tell he’s really nervous. Which is so fucking adorable. 

I feel a rush of excitement as I rip into the package and Luke sits down next to me on the bed. It’s something blue. It looks like a t-shirt. I flip it round and hold it up to see what’s on the front of it. 

“Oh my God!”

I look at Luke sitting next to me. He’s biting his lip and smiling. He looks all pleased with himself. And he should be. Because he’s only bought me a Johnny fucking Bravo t-shirt!

“This is so cool!” I say, laughing. 

“There’s another one in there too!” Luke says, signalling to the wrapping paper on my lap. He suddenly looks a little nervous again, but excited too. 

I put the t-shirt aside and see the second present hiding in the paper. I pull it out and I can’t fucking believe what I’m looking it. 

“Harry Potter boxer shorts!” I exclaim as I lift them up. They’re similar to Luke’s, but they’re bright red. 

“Gryffindor ones too!” he says, beaming at me.

“Can you imagine if I wore these to Posing Practice on Monday?”

Luke shrugs. “What would be wrong with that?”

I laugh. “When did you get these?”

“I ordered them online. They came the other day!”

I can’t believe Luke bought me these presents. I love them so fucking much.

“No pressure to wear them! They’re just, you know … more joke presents than anything!”

But it doesn’t feel like a joke. It feels like an incredibly sweet and thoughtful gesture. 

“Are you crazy? I am definitely wearing this!” I say, clutching the t-shirt. “In fact …” I stand up from the bed and take off the t-shirt I’m wearing. Luke looks excited. He’s also got that slight look of awe and intimidation on his face he always does whenever I’m topless and near him. God I love that expression.

I put my new, navy blue Johnny Bravo t-shirt on it’s in place. It’s a little tight but it still looks fucking awesome. I can totally pull it off. It doesn’t matter anyway, because Luke bought me this t-shirt. And that makes it perfect.

“I’ll wear the boxers tomorrow!” I tell him. He’s just looking at me with this giddy grin on his face.

“Actually ...” I hand Luke my phone. “Take a picture!” 

I pose in the same way Johnny is in the graphic on the t-shirt, flexing a front double bicep and pulling a stupid face as Luke takes a picture. I expect him to be rolling his eyes at me when I stop posing, but he’s not. He’s just got this happy grin on his face. I tap away on my phone and upload the picture to Instagram with a caption.

Love my new Johnny Bravo t-shirt. Check the pecs! BEST Birthday pressie ever! #muscleuniversity #lookatthoseguns #checkthepecs #woodybravo #mani’mpretty

My stomach clenches as I hand my phone to Luke to show him the post. I’m suddenly wondering if the caption was too much. But his mouth just curls into this sheepish (and fucking adorable) little grin as he reads it.

As we make our way out of Emily’s bedroom, I feel a surge of bravery. “Now we just need to get a picture of you in your new trunks for your Instagram!” I suggest.

I turn my head to look at Luke’s expression. He’s shaking his head and smirking. Although I’m clearly joking about the Instagram thing, I’m now wondering what the chances of Luke trying on his new pink posers for me are. I mean, he tried on his blue ones for me, so why not these? But will I be able to hide what I’m thinking this time as I sit there looking at Luke’s insanely cute arse spilling out of his brand new shiny pink posers?

I feel like it could happen though. That I could persuade Luke to try them on. I just need to find the right moment. Maybe tonight when we’ve come back home from our night out. Both a little drunk. Me brave enough to ask him. Luke brave enough to actually do it. And who knows what might happen then. Luke standing in front of me in Emily’s bedroom wearing nothing but his shiny pink trunks. The atmosphere changing like it did that day in our dorm room when he took a picture of me flexing topless after the gym. Who knows what I might say. What the fuck I might just do. 

Emily squints, looking at my chest as we approach her downstairs. “New t-shirt?”

I nod. “Present from Luke!” I say proudly. 

She smirks, that look on her face again like she knows something’s going on between us and my stomach twists. “Very cool!” she says, nodding. “You used to love that show when we were kids!” 

“Oh and he bought some Harry Potter boxer shorts!”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Since when did you like Harry Potter?”

I shrug. “Luke’s converted me. I bet you didn’t know that I’m a Gryffindor!” 

Emily turns to Luke. “Are you turning my best friend into a geek?”

Luke looks from me to her with a cute grin on his face.

“Hmmm. Go ahead,” Emily says, “any change would be an improvement!”

Later on that evening, the three of us are sitting on Emily’s bed drinking vodka and coke and getting ready to go out. Me and Emily have been telling Luke about how we both came out to each other at school. I don’t know if it’s because of last night or this morning, but somehow Luke’s looking even nicer than usual today in his Dom and Cole t-shirt and blue skinny jeans. 

“Woody was actually the first person I ever kissed!” Emily tells him.

“Wait - so kissing Woody turned you into a lesbian?”

I laugh. “Hardly!” I reply. I look at Emily and she gives me a knowing smirk.

“Emily went through a phase where she thought she was in love with me!” I explain.

“It’s true!” Emily confesses to a surprised looking Luke. “I was a very confused teenager! It was only for a brief period though,” she explains. “It stopped when I watched The L Word for the first time and fell in love with the girl who plays Shane instead!”

I shake my head. “Sorry. We have no idea what you just said. We don’t speak Lesbianese.”

“Oh, I told my friend, Max, he could come out with us tonight,” Emily says, looking at her phone. “Is that okay?”

“Which one’s Max?”

“He came out with us on New Years!”

“Oh - the cute ginger guy?” I ask, suddenly remembering who Max is.

Emily smiles and nods. And then I look at Luke and he’s got this weird look on his face. Like something’s bothered him. Wait - is that because I described Emily’s friend as cute? Fuck. My chest swells at the thought. 

“So what would you guys be doing right now if you were back at uni?” Emily asks me as she pours me another drink and hands it to me.

I look at Luke and he gives me a knowing smirk. “Well … we’d either be watching Johnny Bravo, that weird Dom and Cole shit or … a Harry Potter film!” I explain.

Emily pulls a face. “Wow! You guys know how to go crazy!” 

“It’s not our fault the campus is the middle of nowhere!”

“We did go to Glasgow last week!” Luke tells Emily. He says a little too eagerly, which is really fucking cute.

“Woody had a few admirers in the gay bar we went to. Especially that drag queen on the door!”

I pull a face and shrug. “What can I say?”

Emily smirks and rolls her eyes. “That’s nothing new. Every time we go out here someone asks if they can feel his biceps!”

I breathe a deep sigh. “The price of being a huge, sexy bastard!” 

“I take it he wasn’t always this cocky?” Luke asks Emily.

She shakes her head. “It started after he competed in his first bodybuilding show!”

I pull a face. “Did it? Hmmm. Can’t remember. Anyway, I don’t think of myself as cocky. I think of myself as … a realist!”

Luke and Emily give each other unimpressed looks. 

“I’m hot! Facts are facts! I mean, look at these bad boys!” I say, looking down and bouncing my pecs. Maybe it’s because Luke’s sitting next to me, but I’m feeling extra mischievous. “Not to mention my arse!” I get on my knees, turn around, pull my t-shirt up and stick out my bum. “I mean, come on - that is one hot ass!” I say, giving it a wiggle.

Luke’s rolling his eyes and shaking head but he’s smiling like crazy.

“Sorry! Not doing anything for me, I’m afraid!” Emily says.

I sit back down next to Luke, feeling a rush at knowing he approved of my display of playful cockiness.

“Max says is it okay if he brings a mate along tonight?” Emily says, reading off her phone screen.

I shrug. “Fine by me! More admirers to feel my biceps!”

Emily rolls her eyes and pours another vodka and coke. “We probably should get a move on,” she says, handing me the glass. “Do you guys need to change before we go out?” 

Luke says yes. I look down at the blue Johnny Bravo t-shirt he gifted me this morning. I think it’s possibly my favourite t-shirt I’ve ever owned. 

“Mmmm. Dunno if I can be arsed to change!” I reply. But I’m not really keeping my birthday present from Luke on out of laziness. I just don’t really want to take it off.

I look down at my chest. “What do you think, boys? Shall I keep my Johnny Bravo t-shirt on? Bounce twice for yes, once for no!” Then I bounce my pecs twice.

I look up at Luke, who’s beaming and biting his lip. Dimples out in full force.

“The pecs have spoken!”

One Chinese restaurant later and the three of us are walking into a darkly lit gay pub. It’s unpretentious with a slightly older crowd with very few girls. Heads are turning. Even more so when I take my bomber jacket off. There’s a group of three guys not far away from us and all of them are literally just staring. Luke and Emily are exchanging knowing smirks. As usual, I’m fucking loving it.

“Don’t you ever get bored of people staring?” Emily asks as we sit down at a table in one corner of the pub.

“Nope! Anyway, this is a rarity. I get zero attention back at Montgomery. Trust me!”

“That’s not strictly true!” Luke says, with one eyebrow raised. I smirk and look at him confused. “Deano and Shaun have been giving you plenty of attention lately!”

“Ugh!” I say, taking a swig of my drink. “Deano and Shaun are these two absolute fucking knobs!” I tell Emily. “They’ve been giving me a hard time because I … may have made a couple of flirty comments with some gay guy on Instagram!”

Emily screws her face up. “And?” 

“Exactly!” I say to her. “Honestly, it’s like being back at school sometimes!” 

“You two can’t be the only gay guys at your uni!”

I look at Luke and he gives me a little grin. “I really wouldn’t be surprised if we were!” I reply.

“You should start an LGBTQ+ society!” Emily suggests.

I laugh. “I think Montgomery might be missing a few of those letters! Like everything but the G. Although there could be a few closeted B’s there I suppose!” 

“Okay … a GB society then!” Emily says, grinning.

“That would just be me and Luke hanging out and going to the SU bar. Which is basically what we do anyway!”

A little later on and I’m re-joining the table after having used the toilets. Luke and Emily have both got suspicious smirks on their faces. Like they’ve been talking about me.

“What?” I ask the both of them, feeling a flutter of excitement.

Luke shrugs as if to say nothing but they carry on smirking at me.

“So, er … you never told me what colour your Bentley was!” Luke says.

I shrug. “Which one?”

Emily smirks and rolls her eyes. “He can’t even drive!” 

Luke looks surprised and smiles. “Really?”

I shrug. “What’s the point? I can just use my dad’s Uber account!” I turn to Emily. “Luke thinks I’m some super spoilt rich kid!”

She pulls a face. “Well …” she teases.

I feel a tug in my stomach. 

“I’m not spoilt!” I protest.

Emily pulls another face. What the fuck? 

“I know!” Luke says, “don’t tell me - you had a job back home and everything!”

Emily looks confused. “What job?!”

My stomach clenches. “At the restaurant!” I say, defensively.

“You quit after two weeks ‘cause you didn’t like being told what to do!”

What the fuck? Okay now I’m pissed off. 

“Erm, actually I quit because I was prepping for a bodybuilding show and didn’t want any distractions!”

Emily looks at Luke, and suddenly there’s this tension. She clearly knows she’s pushed me too far. Luke suddenly looks a little awkward. 

“Okay!” Emily says, with her hands up, trying to lighten the mood. But it doesn’t work. And now I’m in a bad mood. They start talking about something else, and I offer to get the next round in, not making eye contact with either of them as I go to the bar.

I know what Emily’s saying about me. She’s probably telling Luke that I’ve got the hump and that I’ll snap out of it.

When I get back to the table Luke’s excused himself to the bathroom. I’m still pissed off. “What’s up with you?” Emily asks.

I shrug and take a sip of my drink. Then I make eye contact with her and she’s giving me this look like I’m being stupid. “Seb! Come on!”

I feel myself softening. “I just … don’t like people thinking I’m this spoilt rich kid!” I sigh.

“But Seb - you were the one who used those words. Not us!”

“I know, but … people get weird when they find out my parents are well off. And …” I pause and shrug, “I just don’t want Luke to have that impression of me!”

“Seb, I don’t think he cares!”

“But why did you have to say that about me quitting my job?”

She looks a little guilty. “I was just winding you up. Sorry!” She gives me a warm smile and I cave, roll my eyes and smile back at her. 

I look in the direction of the mens toilets to check Luke’s not coming back. “I just keep ...” then I shake my head, “doesn’t matter!”

“What?” Emily asks. 

My stomach clenches. I know I’m veering into dangerous territory talking about Luke.

“Tell me!” she gently orders.

I shrug and say it like it’s not a big deal. “I just keep thinking Luke’s gonna suddenly come to his senses!”

She looks at me with a confused expression but I can see her mouth starting to curl. “What do you mean?”

Oh God. This is definitely dangerous territory. What am I doing? I’ve been dreading talking to Emily about Luke. About revealing my feelings for him. But at this very moment, ironically, I actually think I want to talk about it.

I sigh and shrug. “Like he’s suddenly gonna wake up and realise that … I dunno, I’m a twat!” I confess, rolling my eyes.

She shakes her head at me like I’m being stupid, now giving me this knowing, ominous smirk. As if she can read me like a book. Like she knows the real reason I’m so worried about what Luke thinks. Because of course she bloody does.

“I never thought I’d see the day!”

Oh God. My stomach twists.

“What?!” I ask, pleading ignorant, though I really don’t know why I’m bothering.

“You know what!” she says gently, still smiling. “You’ve got feelings for him haven’t you?” 

It’s totally unexpected but I suddenly feel my eyes water. I cover my face with both hands and let out a dramatic little groan. It’s like I don’t want her to see my face. Like I’m scared she’ll see my vulnerability.

“You actually like someone!” she says, grabbing my wrist and giving it a little squeeze.

I cautiously take my hands away and she’s giving me this warm, happy smile. I let her carry on gripping my wrist. And now I’m feeling something else. Something I definitely hadn’t expected to feel. This wave of relief. That someone actually knows. That I can actually talk about what’s been constantly on my mind for weeks. 

I let out a sigh. “I can’t stop thinking about him!” I confess, shaking my head. “Is that ... normal?”

Emily’s smile gets bigger. “Yes!”

“I go to bed and I’m thinking about him. I wake up and the first thing I wonder is whether he’s still asleep!” 

I don’t know what’s gotten into me. But I can’t seem to stop myself from talking.

“I’m in class and I’m wondering whether he’s gonna be sitting in the room when I get back. I keep thinking of excuses to sit with him on his bed. The other day he wasn’t home and I actually did sit on his bed! I didn’t know what I was doing! I was just sat there. I knew it was wrong. But it felt … I dunno, nice, just sitting on his fucking bed!” 

I don’t tell Emily that on that particular occasion, I also picked up one of his pillows and buried my face in it because I knew it would smell like him. I don’t tell her that I keep wearing the Muscle University hoodie I leant him because I can smell his aftershave on it. 

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I ask her, shaking my head. 

She bites her lip, continuing to give me that warm, happy grin.

“There’s this part of me that kinda hates it though!” I confess. “Is that normal?”

Emily pulls a face and shrugs. “Hmmm. Dunno. Maybe that’s just you freaking out? And maybe, you know ... not feeling like you’re in control?”

My stomach twists and I breathe a heavy sigh. Sneaking around sniffing boys pillows because they smell like them. I’d say that’s out of control. I’d say that borders on pretty fucking crazy.

And then Emily says something which makes my whole body feel like it’s been set on fire. 

“You know he likes you back, right?”

Fuck!

“Mmmm. I dunno!”

Fucking, fuckity fuck.

“Oh come on, Seb!”

It feels like my heart’s blowing up in my chest. I glance around to make sure Luke’s not on his way back to the table.

“How do you know though?” I ask Emily, lowering my voice.

“Because he looks at you the same way you look at him!”

Oh my God. Emily’s right. I know she’s fucking right. I think I’ve known that Luke likes me for a while. Whether it’s anywhere near as much as I like I don’t know. I feel this sudden rush of excitement. But I’m kinda terrified too. 

“So what do I do?” 

She smiles and shrugs. “That’s up to you!”

I look around again to make sure he’s not coming back to the table. “I think half of me just wants to ignore it. See if these, you know, feelings,” (I roll my eyes), “or whatever, go away!”

“And the other half?”

My insides clench and I smile at her. Then her facial expression suddenly changes and I know exactly why. I turn my head and, sure enough, Luke’s come back to the table. 

Both me and Emily try and act normal as he sits down, but there’s this unspoken tension. Luke looks a little suspicious. And also seems a bit nervous. God - I hope he doesn’t suspect that we were just talking about him.

“Luke - Seb was just saying he wants to sing you another one of our Two The Same songs!” Emily says.

“Erm … no, Seb was fucking not!” I reply. I look at Luke and his mouth curls into this big, cute, dimple showing grin. God I love those dimples.

“Ooooh. There’s Max!” Emily says, looking over my shoulder. I turn around I can see cute, ginger Max with another guy. Emily gets up and goes towards them, leaving me sitting at the table with Luke. That tension is still there.

I’m thinking about what Emily just said. That Luke likes me. I don’t know how much, I don’t know how deep those feelings go, but I know he likes me. And I have absolutely no idea what to do. I’ve never been in this situation before. Someone likes me who I actually like back. What if I kiss him and it’s nothing like I imagined? What if we act on our feelings and we realise it was one monumental mistake and then our friendship is ruined? What if I do something stupid and reckless and completely fuck things up? But what it, just what if, I kiss Luke and it’s fucking amazing? What if it’s everything I’ve imagined and bloody more?