Saturday came and Nick, as vain as ever, was once again checking himself out in his mirror before he was to go running. The sun was just barely up, but it gave a golden glow that lit up his body nicely.
His belly hung out slightly, pooched in a way that made him feel both self-conscious and… weirdly aroused. His hips flared out in a way that made him feel soft and grabbable. He could easily picture two large, masculine hands grabbing him there and telling him how handsome he looks with the beginning’s of a bigger tummy. No— wait—
Nick looked away from his mirror, equal parts confused, disgusted, and ashamed. He’s not gay, he reminded himself, though the quick thought of, ‘Maybe I’m not as straight as I think I am,’ had already spawned from his doubts.
He looked over at the clock on his dresser. 7:25 AM. Still had plenty of time to put on his proper clothes for this particular workout and stretch before Selim got to the track (considering he was always late by no less than 5 minutes, if not more).
His jogging outfit felt a little tight… especially with how his pants tugged on his hips and the girth they’d acquired—a sensation he hadn’t experienced since that time the washer malfunctioned shrunk one of his favorite shirts down two sizes. It took all of his power to not look at himself in the mirror once more, both because he won’t like what he sees and he’s afraid that even *that* might be incorrect.
True enough, Nick gets there at 7:53 and Selim finally comes around at 8:07. He’s visibly pleased that he’s *only* seven minutes late. Nick can’t help but let his eyes travel downwards towards Selim’s body. He was always a bit on the hefty side and today was no different. But instead of finding it anywhere from laughable to disgusting, it was almost pleasing, like the platonic ideal of a man is the pudgy features of a life without unkind restraint, certainly what his father would’ve categorizes as Level 1. But he couldn’t help the sensation of it being almost inhumane to think about those unkind, slippery slope arguments in reference to his friend. It felt like night and day with how he saw his friend and he almost feels ashamed knowing how he’d turned him down in the past. Maybe if Selim had waited a while to confess, he’d have Nick as his own.
“You ready to hit the track?” Nick asked. He kept his eyes staring up steadily at Selim’s forehead so he wouldn’t go back to ogling his chubby belly.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Selim groans.
That Grow and Keep stuff was working wonders on Nick’s physique, in Selim’s eyes. He was none the wiser about the identity crisis his dear friend is having in more ways than one.
The two ran for nearly a two and a half hours off and on, only stopping for water breaks for the most part. By the time they’ve showered in the gym and changed into streetwear, it’s nearing noon.
“You wanna get lunch? My treat.” Nick felt like he had to repay Selim somehow for that wickedly tasty spice he’d given him.
“You know I’d never say no to a free meal!” Selim laughs, loud and barking like a sea lion.
The want to tease him about never turning down food burned hot on Nick’s tongue, but he let it die there. Why be mean? It’s not like he’s any different when someone brings him a salad out of the kindness of their heart.
The diner they hit is a familiar one. Selim ordered some manner of decadent omelette with multiple kinds of cheeses and breakfast meats in it, but it took Nick twice as long to decide. In the end, he doesn’t pick one of the leafy meals on the menu, he opts for a grilled chicken sandwich.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” Selim said with a snort.
“What? I’m not a rabbit, I can eat more than just lettuce and chopped vegetables.” He stirred his straw in his ice water thoughtfully. Truth be told, he couldn’t recall the last time he ordered something that wasn’t a salad when he was eating out. Maybe it’s the end of an era. The chub on his belly and hips certainly seemed to think that. Those soft additions made him look squishable. He’s simply *asking* to have someone pinch his love handles or the hanging weight of his new gut while cooing embarrassing things about his body back to him.
“Still, it’s good to see you really living. Maybe we can finally get some meat on those bones, eh? I’m sure there’s lots of ladies looking for a tough, strong partner,” Selim suggested with a teasing smirk.
Nick rolled his eyes but inwardly wished it wasn’t some unnamed third party woman he was meant to woo with his physique, but the man in front of him. Yea, definitely not straight.