By the time Max was done with his workout, he was soaked in sweat and felt truly accomplished for what he got done, the feeling simmering through his body, and that he was moving toward taking better care of his body. It was at the start and seeing how little he could do that really impressed on him how much work he needed to do. But by the end it seemed his numbers were trending up a bit. Though it did seem to him like he was getting tired pretty soon.
Bradley for his part was nothing but excellent. The guy was a consummate professional, and handled himself in training as a rather distant but encouraging figure. And Max swore as he worked out it almost seemed like Bradley himself got bigger! Though it seemed like Brad was either playing it off or pretending he didn't see it. He definitely noticed though - and he probably liked it. He sure did dress like he liked his body, which he had many reasons to.
When Max went in to use the showers, he was somewhat surprised to see what rested in his reflection. He was still rather obese, but... there was something off here. Not unpleasantly so. His stomach seemed somewhat tighter, his gut protruding less - seeming a bit less daunting. His chest seemed a little more taut, a little more toned - less like manboobs, more like he had some muscle behind them! His arms and shoulders seemed slightly more toned and sizable, even though that could just be the combination of a pump and the fact he was not small going in - just fat.
Max tilted his head. He wondered if this might be some kind of "beginner gains" or something. Well, this - and the pleasant way working out felt in the end - convinced him. He was going to continue going here. Probably he could get a personal training agreement with Bradley. The guy definitely seemed to know what he was saying and doing. Probably a nutrition major back in college or something.
As Max showered, he saw some of the guys come in from the locker room, playing around and joking. One of them outright slapped another on the ass - inciting a gasp and some more horseplay around the showers. The play got a little homoerotic before the guys stopped, continued on with their shower plans as if nothing happened, and then went on out to go get dried off. Max started to wonder. Those guys were obviously close if they were comfortable enough in their own skin to workout together, play like that, and not be insecure at all.
Not a single no homo out of them - and they were by all appearances gym jocks to their core!
Maybe... Max thought to himself. Remembering seeing Neil coming out of the shower. Dressed as he was.
Looking jacked after just so long here...maybe there was something good going on here. Something Max could stand to take advantage of too. He decided to look into it. To check in and see if Bradley and any other guys here changed at all in any meaningful ways. It seemed unbelievable to Max that if there was something, that Bradley might end up more ripped than ever. Dude was already enormous!
Once Max left the shower and dried off, dressed back up, and headed out, he thought about Neil again. Both could do with a workout buddy. A friend to encourage the other to go into the gym even on a less than stellar day. Someone to encourage accountability and build upon their prior workouts. A smile showed on Max's face - as unaware as he was about the true nature of the spell on 20 Fitness, he decided to try and make sure he and Neil came in every day they could, excepting a rest day to let them build up after a long workout week.
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Neil was surprised by his luck as he started heading back to the dorm.
People around campus had noticed the newly muscular look the nerd possessed, and he was actually noticed in a positive way. For some reason it seemed Matt was absent as of yet, though he didn't really share many classes with the guy. Not that Neil was complaining. Less time getting picked on was more time exercising his new social blessings. A couple girls in his trigonometry class even asked to feel his biceps - Neil's response being "Yeah, I'm into that~!" They promptly spent a good two minutes before the class officially began touching Neil's arms.
He had to fight off an erection - so as not to seem like a perverted weirdo - but that was easily the most positive experience he had in the last few weeks alone. Neil had spent the rest of the class just sitting there listening to the lecture, writing things down as usual...but in the back of his mind he was thinking about those girls touching his arms. Asking to feel muscles he had developed so shortly ago. Asking as if he was one of the jocks swaggering around campus...
And so even as Neil kept walking home to the dorm, he started to adopt some sort of a new stance in his walk.
It's said by some people that the way you walk changes based on your perception of yourself and others. And Neil, before this, largely walked with his arms slumped forward or hanging limply to the sides. Not exactly the picture of confidence. But as Neil walked along the road through the grassy paths and trees down toward the dorms, he shifted. His stance broadened, his shoulders spread wide, he led with his chest more.
It's amazing, after all, what a simple change in personal stance can do. What most people might've assumed to be a withdrawn guy turned into a more confident looking, outgoing athlete heading back from class. Prominent chest muscles sticking out from the front of his t-shirt. Neil adjusted his shirt, tucking the front in and in the process further accentuating his chest. I..., Neil looked in the window of a parked car, I look good.
His nervous expression had more or less wholly retreated by the time he entered the building. A strong, confident though not cocky smile on his face. Ian Malcolme, another of his dorm mates and a rather short and skinny-fat guy with a buzzcut, looked at him and said, "Well, someone's feeling good today. Neil? Wow, you're...looking great. Great. Wish I had your confidence."
"All thanks to the gym, man." Neil answered, "You'd be amazed what kind of energy you feel when you're pumping iron every day."
"And you're not getting dumbed down into some jock bro," Ian joked at him.
"Ian," Neil shook his head with a chuckle, "I just got back from Trigonometry. I'm no jock bro. You'd never catch me hanging out with Matt and his bunch of asshats." Though Neil did still feel rather curious about Brock Medina, and how he had been looking today. As well as, now, why Matt it seemed had stayed home or otherwise just not been around. Maybe it was his inner sense for patterns, but seeing this particular pattern broken...well. It just wasn't normal.
"I think you should just give it a try, Ian." And with that, and Ian silently getting some food, Neil went up to check on Max, and if he was home yet. Neil saw Max doing some push ups on the floor, and walked in - chucking his school bags on the chair nearby before joining Max for some push ups.
"Caught the fitness bug?" Neil asked with a grin.
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe it." Max replied, "It's almost like I was growing when I was there. Like, in real time. It's crazy! Do they lace the air with like, super soldier serum or something?"
"Maybe. I noticed the same thing," Neil admitted, and then took a seat once he was done with his push ups, "I swear it's like, people see me and they think all this is normal. Or just some kind of development over time. That I have been working out for a while. But no. It's just been a few days! It's crazy and I kind of love it!"
"...You wanna workout together going forward?" Max asked. Honestly, he knew he should be more worried. But Neil's enthusiasm was infectious, and he was eager to continue his development. He loved how Bradley handled the workout, and the way that things seemed to be changing. Though admittedly, with how Bradley seemed to be affected by it too, their chances of catching up to the personal trainer were looking slimmer and slimmer. The guy was a freaking bodybuilder. And it seemed every workout he did, he just came out of it looking even stronger than ever.
"Yeah! I knew I needed a workout partner, you know? Make sure I don't hurt myself doing a more risky lift." Neil answered. Honestly, he was pretty excited to see what might happen the next day. He was feeling like getting something healthy and protein heavy today. He remembered that Bradley mentioned that fitness was something involving both gym work and diet work. So he was going to shape that diet up and make sure he didn't imbibe in any indulgences or cheat days.
Tomorrow, Neil decided, he was going to ask Sandra out when he saw her. He would ask her out on a date. And hopefully they could like, have some nice food. Maybe make out after, whatever she was good with. Things to look forward to!