Dave ran a hand through his hair, still marveling at it's thickness as he made his way to his car. What had he just done? He wasn't into guys, not to mention he was old enough to be Todd's dad. Well, if he had had a kid in his teens anyway, he had to admit to himself. Still, it was a possibility.
Dave got to his car and unlocked it, slipping into the driver's seat. He frowned a bit as he found himself a bit scrunched up. Had he moved his seat forward when he grabbed things last night? With a sigh he adjusted the driver's seat back, giving himself a few more inches of room. He drove in silence back to his apartment. He hadn't been back in a week, but his thoughts weren't on confronting Cherise, instead the focused on the strange changes occurring to him. Would being gay be so bad? Maybe his bad luck with women was a sign, maybe he just hadn't been able to admit this thing to himself, or even realized it, and Todd was kind of cute.
And then he not only felt younger, he looked younger. Todd didn't seem to notice, acting like everything was normal. Hell, this was the first time he was going to see someone who knew him other than Todd since the changes had really started. He pulled up in front of the apartment building and into his usual parking space which was strangely still open, despite being a Saturday. He took a dep breath and headed inside, prodding the elevator button.
Stepping on he heard a shout in a deep voice from behind him. "Hey! Can you hold that!" Dave quickly put his arm across the doors to hold them open as Chet came barreling into the elevator, carrying three bags of groceries in each hand. Chet was, or had been, his next door neighbor. Though they never really talked. Chet just always made him uncomfortable. The man was in his mid or late twenties, and was some sort of personal trainer or gym rat or something. He had a well muscled physique, shown off today in a skimpy tank and track pants. Dave had to admit he was intimidated by the man. Worse he was jealous of the way he sometimes caught Cherise eyeing him, looking like a starving cat. Finally, he was pretty sure Chet swung both ways, and that had once made Dave uncomfortable. Now.. it just made Dave think what Chet looked like with no clothes on. "Dave!" He said cheerily as he caught site of who was holding the elevator for him. "Been out of town, man? I haven't seen you in, like, a week."
Well. Chet recognized him. "Uh, yeah, Cher kicked me out. I'm just here to pick up some stuff." He tried not to sound too awkward as he let the doors close and pressed the button for their shared floor.
"Ah, that explains.." Chet swallowed his next words, looking at Dave awkwardly. They rode the rest of the way in silence. Though Dave found himself staring at the curve of Chet's shoulders, the way his muscles bunched holding the heavy bags. Dave wanted to reach out and touch those well shaped arms, even more, he wanted to have those arms. He flicked his eyes away as Chet looked over at him. The elevator dinged and opened up on their floor, Dave letting Chet step off first. He started to head to his own apartment but looked back at a whistle. "Why don't you come in for a bit? We can catch up."
Catch up? Him and Chet had rarely said more than two words to each other. But something in Chet's voice made him agree. He stepped inside the apartment and closed the door behind him as Chet carried his purchases into the kitchen. "So, uh, what's up?" Dave asked a bit awkwardly as Chet pulled a pair of beers out of his fridge and handed one to Dave, motioning to one of the stools at the counter. Was it hot in here? Dave plucked at his shirt which was clinging to him uncomfortably, even more so than it had been. That tank of Chet's looked nice and cool.
"So, you need to know. Cher's had a guy over at your place since you've been gone. Some.. douchey looking asshole with a blond crew cut and too white teeth." Chet sat down, taking a sip of beer and eyeing Dave as if worried about his reaction.
"Steve." Dave said, bringing up the mental image he had of Cherise's coworker. He had met him at a few of her office parties, and found the man to be an insufferable ass. Though he had to admit, he did match Cher. He should have seen it coming. "Yeah, I thought there might have been someone else.." Dave shook his head and took a sip of the beer to relax himself.
"That's right, she's not worth it." Chet said as he lapped Dave on the shoulder. Dave looked over as he felt the hand right on his skin. Hadn't he had on a tee shirt, not this tank top? The sleeveless top showed off a pair of well-toned arms, even if they weren't as thick as Chet's they did look good. Of course he wore a tank top, he'd take every opportunity he could to show off arms like he had. Not to mention it showed of his leanly muscled, and lightly furred chest. A bit more muscle would have been good though. Chet made everything he wore look good just by virtue of his physique, and Dave had always been a little jealous of that. "You need a place to crash? I got a spare room."
"Nah, I found a place. But, uh, thanks for the offer, dude." Dude? Dave took another swig of beer, not wanting to drink too much as he'd have to drive back to Todd's soon. It was warm in here. He was glad he had decided to wear athletic shorts today instead of his jeans, or he'd ben sweating up a storm. "Might want to get your A/C fixed though."
Chet laughed. "Yeah, been asking the super about that." He shrugged. "Just gives me an excuse to wear less. Anyway, call if you need anything. Just because you're moving out doesn't mean we're not still buds. We'll meet up for a work out, get rid of some of that stress." Dave found himself nodding as he headed to the door to Chet's apartment. The guy wasn't so bad. He had thought he would have been some muscle headed douche at first, but he was a good guy, looking out for Dave like that. Che walked him out and they slapped hands together, pulling in for a bro hug before Dave stepped back out into the hallway.
It was a short walk to his old apartment door, and he almost used his key to get inside but instead took it off his key ring and knocked. Steve opened the door, cocky grin with those too white teeth spread across his face. "Dave! Cher said you'd be coming by."
"Cut the crap, Steve, I know you two have been fucking around behind my back. I'm just here for my stuff." Dave pushed by the man, a bit more roughly than he once would have, making sure to shoulder check him. He had remembered Steve being a bit on the taller side, but he met the man's eyes level to his own. Steve stumbled back, looking disgruntled. He was never happy when someone wouldn't play his stupid games.
Cher came out of the back, wearing one of the skimpy outfits Dave used to love on her, glass of wine in hand. "Dave.." She purred his name the way she used to when she wanted something, though her smile was far from friendly. No doubt these two had called him over to drive the stake a little deeper. Steve went over to stand by her, arm around her shoulder. "Your stuff is over there." She waved a hand to a couple of white banker boxes that sat next to the door. No doubt when was intending to keep all their joint purchases as hers. Those boxes couldn't have held more than the few clothes and books he had left behind.
Part of him just wanted to take the boxes and meekly scurry away, just like the old Dave would have done. Instead he looked around the apartment and caught sight of his gaming console still hooked up to the TV. "You forgot something." He said as he walked over to unhook the device. He picked it up and turned around to find Steve blocking his way back to the boxes. Oh yes, he was looking Steve right in the eyes, he wasn't looming over him. Why did he think Steve had once been taller than him. But even if they were the same height, Dave was the bigger guy, broader in the shoulders and chest by a fair amount. Even if he was no Chet. Steve was whipcord lean.
"That's not yours." Steve said, making to take the console.
Dave glared, stepping closer to Steve just so their difference in size was more apparent to the man. Something in his gaze made Steve back off. Cher was over in a blink, putting her hand to Dave's chest to push him back. "I don't even want it, you can have it. Just.. go. Okay."
Dave snorted at Cher's tone, like she was making him out to be the bad guy, she always did this sort of mid game, and Dave now wondered why he had ever put up with it. Instead, he dangled his apartment key in front of her then let it plunk into her glass of wine. "I hope you two are perfectly miserable." He walked over to his boxes, and putting the console in the half empty top box, hefted them both easily. "Just so you know." He said as he stood in the open apartment doorway. "I already found someone else. Younger, cuter, and with a much better ass."
Cher let out a little hiss of annoyance as Dave left the apartment and the door slammed shut behind him. As he walked by Chet's, the gym rat stood in his doorway, grinning and giving Dave a thumbs up. A few minutes later Dave was loading his stuff in the trunk of his car. He frowned as he slipped into the driver's seat, finding he had to push it back again. Maybe there was something wrong with the seat and it was moving forward on its own. No..
Dave pressed his forehead against the steering wheel. He had to think. He was still changing. The seat wasn't moving. He was taller. Something was happening to him but almost every fiber of him just wanted to accept it, rationalize it away. No one seemed to notice. Chet, Steve, even Cherise didn't seem to notice he wasn't his old, run down self. Not this fit, younger man he was slowly becoming. He looked down at the black tank he wore and cringed. Even the world around him seemed to be changing. Chet acting like his friend, this outfit he wouldn't have worn in a million years just two days ago? And Todd..