The next day, Eric and Kyle reported after school to the large grassy expanse where the team practiced football, seeing that there were already training dummies set up. Eric had been somewhat nervous the whole of the day, he had become so different from how he was before, and he was a lot bigger and hairier than most of the other students. Kyle on the other hand had worn the jacket all day long and had if anything gotten just the slightest bit more muscular, tall and handsome. The others on the team were whooping by the time the two of them started getting dressed in their practice uniforms.
Mostly commentary on how each time that Kyle took off that jacket he seemed just a bit more impressive, while also shouting about how huge Eric was. Nobody even seemed to blink at the fact Eric used to be short and small whereas now he was tall, heavy and impressive. Even though Eric's face was somewhat rounded, he still qualified as quite handsome - a fact that had earned him some feminine attention throughout the day. Kyle had teased him a bit about it, but Eric was looking forward to really getting to use his new build and impress people with his skill.
However as they got ready to go, Kyle barely noticed how the old lockers - weathered as they were - didn't exactly hold all of his gear one hundred percent well. By the time Kyle went outside, his locker spilled open and the jacket fell out on to the floor. Presenting itself for any new user to observe and take for themselves.
Coach Brian Danton was out front and shouting about their practice goals for the day, and both young men looked at one another for a moment.
Coach Danton was a former jock himself, but at 45 he was distinctly over the hill and everyone could see it. His face was weathered and wrinkled, his hairline distinctly retreated, and his build had gone from heavily muscled to just plain heavy. It was a matter of lack of time and lack of energy, plus a number of other commitments. Besides, everyone could also see that he lived vicariously through the successes and revels of his players.
"Alright everyone, to position. We're testing out some new linebackers and a new wide receiver today," Brian stated and then when he saw the two of them he almost blanched. His players had been talking about a gigantic linebacker, but this guy had to be over 250 lbs at the very least, and he didn't even look like a teenager, though his face was distinctly smooth. The other was almost too perfect, radiantly so, and Brian realized after a moment he was gawking like some kid.
As the practice began Eric settled into his role after some struggles dealing with how things were for linebackers. He had to trust himself and learn the right amount of force needed to hit the dummies and hit other players...while also not damaging either. For someone who used to be a more nerdy sort, this was a pretty steep learning curve. Though at least it seemed he was settling into it pretty nicely.
Kyle meanwhile was running about with a bunch of the other players, skillfully executing all the training modules. It honestly seemed to stun a few of them that someone so keenly muscled and built for appearance was also so well built for function. Kyle watched Eric blast down a training dummy and chuckled. Yeah it seemed the guy was getting used to this pretty well. Maybe he was worried for less reason than he thought.
Meanwhile, Coach Brian excused himself back to the locker room to "go get some water for the team", a task he insisted on doing for himself because he wouldn't let "some scrawny kid" do a "real man's labor". In truth, it was in order to show that he wasn't getting old or losing his ability to move stuff on his own. He looked in the mirror on the wall at the locker room at his receded auburn hair, green eyes, and heavy build and sighed. It really did seem like it was a lifetime ago.
He hadn't always been an old fuddy sitting by the sidelines trying to reassure himself of his place.
He had once been a young, vibrant stud himself. He remembered the days. They almost seemed like yesterday. He had been a muscular, athletic young man, pretty faced believe it or not (his nickname had been Pretty Boy of all things), and he'd led the team in just about everything. But now? Now he was just one bad pull of his back away from completely losing his place here too. "Dammit...I just wish I could do it all again..."
There seemed to be a weird bit of wind in there. Brian looked around, wondering if anyone came in here after him looking to ask a question, but didn't see anyone.
What he did see was the Jock Jacket laying on the floor by Kyle's locker. He tilted his head and approached the locker. He picked it up with one hand and examined the locker. "I am gonna need to get these things repaired and or replaced..." He murmured to himself and then looked at the jacket. It reminded him so much of what he used to wear. Maybe it was. It seemed like Kyle wore this thing everywhere as something like a good luck charm. "Mm..."
Brian didn't know why he was doing what he was doing, but he was trying the jacket on. He figured it would not fit him too well, or it would just be too uncomfortable a fit to wear. But Brian for some reason felt compelled. And when he did get it on, it was indeed a pretty tight fit, and left him feeling kind of odd. He examined himself in the mirror again and chuckled, "Now this brings back some memories..."
Finding himself growing a bit distracted, Brian started examining it. This thing didn't look like the standard issue jacket from here, and it certainly didn't seem like anything his friend who commissioned these kinds of jackets would make. It was really high class, and the more Brian wore it the more comfortable it felt.
Going out and hoisting a container full of water and gatorade bottles to take outside, Coach Brian left the container outside while the team was busy training. It seemed Kyle hadn't even noticed that Brian was wearing it even still. Excusing himself back into the locker room, Brian started considering what to do. He knew this was Kyle's jacket, and he knew it was wrong to keep it. But something seemed to be almost too good about it.
Brian contemplated all the way until the practice was nearing its end. By the time he took it off he looked in the mirror again...