And so the fourth day begins...
Neil at least strongly suspected that something was up when the fourth day's workout was done. The young, nerdy college student was not looking quite so nerdy when he stepped in front of the bathroom mirror that morning to take his shower. He had been in and out for his fourth day - no scheduled workout with Bradley that day - but he absolutely blazed a trail through it. He'd never felt so good before.
Staggering into the bathroom was a muscular young man, beginning to put on some size. He shrugged one shoulder after the other, examining himself.
180 pounds, closing in on that vaunted 200. Neil didn't recognize the pectorals gracing his chest, he didn't remember having six pack abs - though they were not quite yet as tight and toned as some of the other guys had. His arms commanded a heft that he never had before, and his shoulders and back both seemed broader, wider, stronger. Neil twisted and turned to look at his legs, seeing how his quads tensed and showed, even his calves seemed tighter and more toned.
Neil had seen himself look more impressive still the previous day, but wondered if it was the bleariness of sleep. And the workout he had yesterday had only made him less sure. It was like coming home from that gym every day, he was left unable to tell how much was him post-workout, and how much was him before...? And he knew people put on some size quick at the start, but this was plainly unnatural...
...Not that Neil disliked it. Oh no. If he had, he would've been screaming.
No - Neil loved it. After so long being the punching bag for Matt and his goons, Neil now had the muscular size to actually put up some resistance. He wasn't the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth. Maybe, he considered, he'd ingested some sort of Cap style super soldier serum at some point. Maybe it was just random luck. But here he was. Neil was looking good.
Not nearly as good as some of the guys. Again, he was not exactly a pro. But he could finally be proud of how he looked. After years of being skinny, weak and told he was useless. Neil flexed for the mirror, watching his peaks on his biceps swell and a cheeky smile graced his face, "Ahh, I think I'm closing in on the next part of my workout! Brad's gonna fucking lose it when he sees how ripped I am!"
Neil then thought about Sandra. He had not seen her that morning, but she was the main figure in his mind when it came to impressing people. As he thought about Sandra and her reaction, his manhood began to thicken in his boxers as the anticipation began to shift into the sexual fantasy of a young man who had never really gotten much attention. Could...could we even really? Would she do stuff with me? Sexual stuff? I-I wanna feel her lips against my lips. And her hand on my chest. I want to feel a woman touching my abs and moving her hand lower...lower...
He gulped, recognizing he'd gone a little too far. Fuck he was hard as a diamond down there.
Neil jumped in the shower, knowing full well he was not the only one in the dorm that was in need of the shower. Before Neil even realized it, he had his hand around his meat, and he was beating off. His fantasies were remarkably vanilla for what they were. Primarily himself leading Sandra into the bedroom, the two making out furiously as the clothes came off. Sandra whispering in his ear, "My god, Neil, you're so ripped now...and such a lover..."
"Urgh..." Neil shot a load against the wall of the shower, and made sure to wash his emission down.
He wasn't gonna be that kind of gross guy, he told himself. As he finished up his shower quickly, he dried himself off and started styling his hair. Neil prior never really paid much attention to it, but Neil now was nothing if not attentive. He knew that Sandra and other women like her appreciated a man who could do these kinds of things. Pay attention to style. Look good for them. So Neil's disheveled cut transfigured through his own efforts into a more wavy, combed back cut with a few bangs at the front. A broad smile at his reflection.
Yeah, Neil thought, I actually look good now.
"Hey," Neil turned to look at the shower room door as one of the other nerds in the dorm shouted in at him, "You done flexing for the grams and toks in there?"
"Max, you know I don't do those kinds of things!" Though maybe, as Neil thought about it, he should. Neil went ahead and grabbed up a short sleeve polo shirt, a new acquisition that fit him vastly better than a lot of his older clothes, and a pair of Element brand workout pants that likewise fit him a lot better than his old clothes. After putting them and a pair of tight black boxer shorts on, Neil was up and out.
As Neil left the restroom, he saw his rather chubby and somewhat shorter dorm mate Max Walmann standing there in a blue t-shirt and jeans. Definitely needing a shower after a long night gaming. Max was hispanic on his mother's side, and had something of a natural tan. His hair was black, curly, and somewhat greasy looking. His features reflecting his rotund physique. "Sure you don't, Neil. You buff up so suddenly, impossibly, and then you go on like nothing's different."
"Hey, would you rather I start acting like Matt and the douchebag crew?" Neil crossed his arms, smiling somewhat wryly.
"Point..." Max said, "Well taken. You know, one day I ought to join whatever gym it is you joined."
"It's just 20 Fitness, you know, down from the college," Neil related, "Down the hill, right by the nice restaurants, literally a road down from the main college street." It was honestly remarkably convenient, hence why he supposed they had so many college students there.
"And you're sure..." Max said pensively, "You're not having any side effects. No steroid rages, no uhh---"
"Get your shower, Max," Neil said with a chuckle.
"Sure, sure," Max responded, "And I...guess I'll see about looking into this. At least then I should have some hope of a date before I turn 40!" With that, Max went in and locked the door behind him to take care of his shower. Neil meanwhile started to head out for his day. As much as Neil had changed, it seemed there were a lot of other people who seemed to converge on 20 Fitness who likewise just seemed...different in a certain way.
By the time Neil got up to the college, he beamed a little when he heard Samantha Hart and some of her friends walk by and shout out him "Hey Neil! Looking good!" Neil promptly responded by putting his arms up for a playful flex, "I'm not that brawny yet! Just gimme time!" How much time, Neil honestly didn't know. But still - being recognized for his hard work by pretty young women was...well, it was pretty thrilling. Certainly more than he was used to.
But what he saw as he walked around was something that really made him think.
He remembered seeing Professor Luis Tenorio around the gym a few times before, but he definitely didn't remember the older hispanic teacher looking quite so polished, healthy, and smoother in face and general look.
He saw Brock Medina looking even broader, stronger, and more powerfully built than ever. Almost reminded Neil of a professional bodybuilder or a pro wrestler or something. He'd definitely been upping his dosages, so Neil thought. Though there was something else. Medina looked...older. His hairline definitely seemed off, his forehead seemed larger, and when he grinned and hit on the women there, Neil swore he could see some lines showing on his face. Maybe he was doing the wrong kind of roids after all. Or...mm, Neil decided he was going to have to talk to Brock some time. As much as he usually dreaded it.
It was clear something was going on.
Meanwhile Lucas Peyton seemed on top of his game. He seemed to have grown into a very even and nice tan, and surprisingly, he started his day by apologizing to Neil for all the haranguing Lucas had put him through. Something it seemed had occurred to him that made him realize he wasn't being "chill", and needed to relax. Neil just tilted his head and went on. He was cool with an apology, and glad Lucas would be off his back from here on, but it was still kind of out of left field.
Speaking of out of left field, Matt Brooks. If Neil had thought that the gym and whatever it was doing was going to make his bully troop less arrogant, he had surely not seen Matt coming. While Matt was usually the more smug, cocky and domineering sort, having a more alpha male styling, it seemed today Matt leaned more into the pretty boy aspect of his look. Neil almost could see Matt looked a little smaller in some places, but retained his tone, which made him look at least still strong - and thus imposing. Matt for his part seemed to preen openly and often, taking joy in how he looked.
And what was more, nobody even seemed to find all that really unusual. Let Matt be Matt, he guessed was the response. By the time Matt approached Neil, it was clear the antagonism had not dissolved, but changed a little, "Well, look at who's suddenly dressing to impress! What, you think a polo and workout pants will make a beefcake outta you? Puh-leeze!"
"...Matt? Are you...okay?" Neil asked. He never remembered the chief bully acting like...like this.
"Of course I'm okay! Do I look like you?" Matt then chuckled at his own joke, and shook his head, "Is it really that surprising? That a football stud like me can be totally fucking gorgeous?"
"Whatever you say, man, this just all seems a little..." Neil wiped his forehead, wondering if this was all some lead up to a prank. He needed to know because otherwise he didn't know what to make of this. "Well, it's your prerogative really. How you wanna---"
"What? You of all people, Captain Flaming Closet, think I---?" Matt chuckled abruptly twice, and then laughed openly, "Haha...man, you break me up, Neil. You of all people. You thinking I'm queer? I'm Matt Brooks! I'm the hottest guy in school. I don't do stuff like what you do. Cruising for men after dark and looking for daddies..."
"You really are fixated on that stuff, aren't you?" Neil commented blithely.
"Not as fixated as you." Matt - Neil guessed - thought that was a mic drop moment, because he promptly walked off, still openly checking himself out in whatever reflective surfaces he had available...and still yet flirting with women besides. Neil did wonder what was going on here. The changes seemed wild, varied, and differentiated. He could recognize at least there WERE changes...but the thing was...he didn't want his to stop. He was finally developing into the kind of guy people paid attention to.
He was buffing up. He could probably get some dates with lovely young ladies. He could actually impress someone with his body rather than just the work he put into a piece of paper.
So as much as it alarmed him...if there was a way to keep it going, Neil would not be opposed, at least for now.