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I Have to Be Strong, Part 4
🕑 Added 2020-12-21 00:21:40 +0000 UTCGarrett ‘Ax’ Axton opened his eyes and looked around. It took him a few moments to realize he was flat on his back in the school’s science lab – and another few moments to think about how he had gotten there.
“I remember Jeremiah and his gun, and I remember him getting bigger and stronger and taunting me,” he thought, trying to clear the fog from his head. He couldn’t recall much of anything else, though he was sure that it hadn’t been good if he had ended up on the floor.
Garrett lifted his head up slowly and looked around, but all he could see was his own big, brawny chest and bulky shoulders, so he rolled onto his side and propped himself up with his right arm. He thought at first that he might be alone in the room, but then he heard Jeremiah’s voice coming from somewhere on the other side of the lab counter.
“How’s that Lanzinium draining disk doing there, Super-Hunk? Can you feel yourself getting weaker and weaker now that my little friend has attached itself to you like a leech? In about 10 minutes your powers will be completely blocked, and if my research is correct, there’ll be nothing you can to do resurrect them. Ever.”
He tried to wrap his head around what had happened in the brief time he had blacked out. “Super-Hunk’s here,” thought Garrett. “And it sounds like he’s in a heap of trouble.”
Jeremiah’s voice continued from the other side of the lab.
“I’m going to take more and more muscle, and I didn’t want any Super Goody Two Shoes interfering. I wasn’t quite able to figure out how to take your powers for myself – not yet, at least – but for the time being, I think I came up with a pretty good plan to sideline your heroics and prevent you from stopping me.”
Garrett became frantic. He couldn’t let Super-Hunk lose his powers again, not when he just gotten them back, and he knew that he had to take action.
“I’ll figure out something, Brad,” he thought as his mind flashed on the events of the past few months.
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Garrett was doing chin-ups at the gym when he noticed a large youth with glasses meandering through the row of Nautilus machines. He decided to jump down and see if he needed assistance. “Can I help you?”
The other man answered somewhat shyly. “Um, I just signed up for one of your training packages, and the guy at the front desk said I should come out here and meet the trainers.”
“Great,” responded Garrett. “Would you like me to introduce you to everyone so you can find the one right for you?”
“After seeing how easily you do those chin-ups, I have a feeling you’re the right person for the job. I’m Brad, by the way.”
“Very nice to meet you, Brad. My name is Garrett,” he said while reaching out to shake Brad’s hand. “But you can call me ‘Ax.’”
The two men headed off to the training office to discuss Brad’s new regimen, and Garrett had a huge smile plastered on his face. He was thrilled that someone had asked to work with him – he had just started at the gym and was not nearly as experienced as the other trainers, so he hadn’t signed up many people yet.
He was also excited about the possibility of spending time with Brad. In the past few months, Garrett had been noticing other guys more and more – their bodies, their movements, their faces – and he often daydreamed about getting closer to them physically. Just last week, after seeing a photo of Super-Hunk in the newspaper article about his mysterious disappearance, he wondered what it might be like to kiss someone so handsome and with all that muscle.
When they settled in the office, Garrett handed Brad a few forms to fill out – and as he did so, he stared across the table at his new client and checked off all the attributes he found appealing.
Dark hair. Check. What I wouldn’t give to run my fingers through it…
Blue eyes. Check. I could get really lost staring into them…
Strong, determined jaw. Check. So masculine…
Dimples. Check. Like little perfectly formed canyons on his cheeks…
Tall. Check. At least 6’0, maybe even 6’1”…
Husky build. Check. Just like a corn-fed Midwestern guy should be…
“I just hope he is as nice as he is cute,” thought Garrett. “If he’s conceited or stubborn, it could make for some very long sessions.”
After finishing the paperwork, Garrett asked Brad about his fitness goals. “So what would you like to accomplish here at the Tipton Gym?”
Brad seemed to think about his answer for a few second and then responded. “I knew the question would be coming, and I had planned to say something about getting into better shape and losing some weight. But seriously, after seeing you on the chin-up bar, I want to go all the way. I want to look like you, Garrett.”
Garrett pulled up his shirt bottom to reveal his cobblestone midsection and the bottom half of his beefy pecs. The fabric grew tighter as it rose upward and clung tightly to his chest – so much so that when he dropped his hand, the shirt stayed up.
“Well, I tell you, Brad, I worked pretty hard for this body. And we can get you there, too, but it’s going to take some effort. There’s no magic formula that’s going to get you there. You’ll need to do a lot of work.”
Brad smiled and nodded. “I’m ready. Just show me what to do.”
“OK, then, let’s go.” Garrett pulled his shirt back down and they headed into the gym.
Garrett put his new client though a rigorous workout, showing him all the exercises for his complete routine. By the end of the hour Brad was completely winded, but at the same time upbeat at the thought of seeing Garrett again a few days later.
As the weeks went by, Brad grew stronger and stronger under his trainer’s tutelage. He was able to lift more and more with each session, and Garrett could see the changes on his physique. What was once lumpy and unformed was becoming burlier and well-developed as Brad’s muscles slowly seemed to inflate all across his body.
Garrett especially liked to watch Brad do squats – he wasn’t sure it was the extra amount of effort that his client seemed to put into that particular lift, or if it was just the thrusting motion of his hips, but Garrett would practically get a hard-on every time they approached the rack and he pictured Brad pushing the bar up and down with his legs. And when it came time to spot his client, he was very worried that Brad would accidentally back up and get lanced by his massive erection.
“Thank goodness for my clipboard so I can hide it until it goes away,” Garrett thought.
As Brad’s fitness level improved and the weather became warmer, Garrett began incorporating some outside activities into the routine. Instead of always meeting at the gym, Brad would often drive over to Garrett’s house where they would take long jogs through the fields, followed by an hour of tossing hale bays around. They could also do pull-ups using the trees outside of the Axton house, dips in the old horse stable, and rope climbing in the barn.
This outdoor routine was gradually extended as the spring progressed and the high school baseball season ended for Garrett. Once he had more spare time, he and Brad would still meet for their workouts, but then would follow up the lifting and running with a game of wiffle ball or tossing the Frisbee around. Garrett really enjoyed Brad’s company, and was happy to see him stay longer and longer with each visit.
The natural progression eventually turned into a friendship, and the men began doing other activities together outside of working out and exercise. Brad helped Garrett deliver food to the elderly once a week as a part of the Tipton ‘Meals on Wheels’ program, and Garrett helped Brad and his family set up for their annual Memorial Day Barbecue.
They also discovered that they both had an affinity for old movies, especially screwball comedies, Westerns, and film noir from the 1940s. Neither of them was particularly attracted to the big, noisy special-effects blockbusters that were the current rage, but rather preferred to take in the classics from yesteryear.
On one Sunday afternoon in early June, Garrett and Brad were stretching out by the Axton barn, in preparation for a jog, when a late spring storm suddenly moved in and a torrential rain began to fall. They quickly decided to change their plans and head indoors to watch a movie at Garrett’s house while they waited the rain to stop.
“I’ve got one that my uncle recommended. It’s a comedy called ‘Ball of Fire’ with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. He thought we would really like it,” said Garrett as they entered the house.
“Sounds like a good one, Garrett,” replied Brad as he followed his friend through the doorway.
“But first let’s toss our clothes in the dryer. My mom would freak if she came home from her luncheon to find we had gotten her couch sopping wet.” Garrett took off his t-shirt and athletic shorts, leaving only his boxers and socks on.
Brad slowly began to disrobe, but stopped before he pulled his shirt off. “You’re mom’s not going to walk in and find us half-dressed on the couch, is she?”
Garrett grinned at the thought. “No, she has to stay for the entire event. She won’t be back until 4:00 at the very earliest. It’ll just be us guys here.”
“OK,” replied Brad. He quickly slipped off his shirt and shorts, also leaving just his socks and boxers on, and used his shirt to wipe the raindrops off his glasses. When they were dry, he handed his clothes to Garrett.
Garrett put the clothes in the dryer, turned on the TV and DVD player, slipped in the movie, and both men took a seat on the sofa. The credits started up a few moments later and they turned their attention to the screen.
About 30 minutes into the film, Garrett glanced over to see Brad staring at him, so he reached for the remote and hit the ‘Pause’ button. “Is something wrong, Brad? Do you not like the movie?”
Brad shook his head. “It’s great so far. I’m just happy you wanted to show it to me. It was really nice of you.”
Garrett was a little confused. “Well, you’re welcome. I thought you would like it.”
“It’s not just that you wanted to show it to me. It’s more of…I guess…it’s just nice to be around someone who’s so nice. I’ve met a lot of bad people in my life, and outside of my parents, I’ve never met a nicer person than you.”
“Where are you meeting all these bad people?” asked Garrett.
Brad tried to cover his statement, trying to hide the fact that he had met quite a few villains during his career as a superhero. “That may have been an overstatement, I guess. But when your family is as wealthy as my parents, there are a lot of people who want to take advantage. So it’s nice to be around someone who truly cares about people.”
“I gotcha. But I’m not that much nicer than the average Joe, am I?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Garrett. You really are. You spend your free time volunteering instead of playing video games. You took that job at the gym just so you could help people lead healthier lives. You have never once said anything bad about anybody, even when you were presented with an opportunity.”
Garrett began to blush a little. “I’m sure some people must not think that highly of me.”
“Only if they don’t know you,” added Brad. “You’re like the Bizarro version of ‘Lord of the Flies.’ I bet if we dropped off a bunch of Garrett Axton clones on a deserted island and came back six months later, everyone would be living in peace and harmony. And Simon and Piggy would be alive and well.”
Garrett chuckled at the allegory.
“I’m being serious, Garrett. For this reason above all, I am truly glad that my father sent me to that gym.”
“Well, thank you. And might I add that you have some pretty admirable qualities, too, Brad. I like watching the news with you while we jog on the treadmills at the gym.”
“How is that an admirable quality?”
“Because, Brad, you get so worked up when you hear stories about people breaking the law or abusing their power – I can tell that it bothers you when people act dishonestly. It’s very admirable that you have such a strong moral code, and that you never try to hide it,” responded Garrett.
“Well, uh, I guess I really don't understand it when people act unethically. I wish everyone was on the side of truth and justice.”
“Exactly. And I also really love your tenacity. Some of the other people I train at the gym give up so easily – they hardly put any effort into their lift, and then they complain I am overtraining them. But you – you give it your all, even when I know you must be hurting.”
Brad smiled. “Thanks for noticing. I’ve tried to work really hard.”
“And you have! You’ve made so much progress since you started back in February.”
“Do you think? I guess I’ve gotten a little stronger.”
“Brad, I don’t think – I know,” replied Garrett as he grabbed Brad’s arm and flexed it for him, causing a bulge in his biceps. “These pythons must be stronger than a locomotive by now.”
“They have gotten a little bigger,” agreed Brad.
“Stop being so modest. Your arms are way bigger, your chest is bigger, your legs are bigger. The only thing that’s gotten smaller is your waist.”
Now it was Brad’s turn to blush. “Well, I owe that all to my trainer. You made me want to get bigger and stronger.”
Garrett disagreed, and leaned in a little closer to Brad’s face. “I don’t think so, Brad. I think deep down inside you knew you could be a great athlete – you wished to be. You just lacked the light to show the way.”
As Garrett spoke, Brad could feel his friend’s breath on his face. He took off his glasses, set them aside, and turned back to his friend. “You’re right – I did wish to be. Man, you’ve paid closer attention than I thought.”
“It’s because I really cared about…cared about…you…reaching your goals.”
They stared at each other, with neither saying a word for almost a minute. It was as if time had stopped in the Axton living room, and not a sound came from within the walls.
Finally, almost imperceptibly, Brad gave a slight nod. Upon seeing the movement, Garrett slowly and carefully reached up and put his hand on the side of Brad’s head and gently began to stroke his friend’s hair. “It’s because I really cared about you.”
Brad put his hands around Garrett’s neck and gradually pulled him closer. “Oh, Garrett, I’ve wanted to do this for such a long time.”
“Me, too.”
Their lips touched gingerly, and although neither had kissed anyone before, they quickly found a natural position with each other and connected more firmly – a long, slow, wet kiss that they would both remember until their last breath.
When they both finally came up for air, Brad spoke first. “I really care about you, too.”
After a few moments of nuzzling their lips together, Garrett continued kissing Brad on the cheek and down his neck, and Brad began to explore other parts of his close friend.
He moved his hands down from around Garrett’s neck and placed them on his smooth, thick chest. “Of course, in addition to being the nicest person I have ever met, Garrett, it doesn’t hurt that you have the nicest body as well.”
Garrett giggled and lifted his head up from Brad’s neck. “You like?”
“What’s not to like? Blond hair, blue eyes, hot body…you’re perfect. And not just a hot body, but a superhot body – with muscles that most guys only could dream about. I mean, these pecs are insane. They are just crazy big. I don’t understand why you just don’t lay in bed all day and play with them.” Brad pushed his hands into the dense muscle but could barely move them at all.
“Sometimes I do,” replied Garrett, as he unflexed them and then bounced each muscle up and down a few times.
Now it was Brad’s turn to laugh. He continued massaging Garrett’s chest with his left hand and moved his right to his friend’s arm. “And your biceps have been driving me wild lately. They've always been your best part, but lately they have gotten so much better. They look especially nice when I see them in your work shirt – it’s so tight that I can see the veins right through the sleeves.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Garrett leaned his head back toward Brad and began nibbling his ears, and then he moved his own hands onto Brad’s thighs and softly stroked them.
“Oh, that feels so good…I’m getting really hot,” said Brad.
Garrett closed his eyes, but continued his ear nibbling and leg rubbing, widening his circle so that his hands went around toward Brad’s butt.
“Yes, don’t stop, I love it.” He had now moved his hands down to Garrett’s waist and was holding on tight to his sturdy obliques, and he realized he was curling his toes as he grew more excited. “Don’t ever stop.”
Garrett did as he was told and continued his exploration, nibbling a bit more aggressively and rubbing even harder.
“Yes, yes, yes! Keep going!” exclaimed Brad.
“As you wish,” whispered Garrett, and out came his tongue to start licking Brad’s ear, while at the same time squeezing Brad’s butt with his powerful fingers.
Brad closed his eyes and mumbled, “So hot, so hot…”
Garrett moved his mouth back to Brad’s face and was about to kiss him on the lips again when he could suddenly feel a strange movement down below. Brad’s legs were jerking forward, and his hips were bucking upward. Garrett opened his eyes and saw the Brad’s cock was sticking straight up inside boxers and looked as though it was about to burst right through.
“Hey, buddy,” said Garrett, as he moved his left hand over and gently placed it on Brad’s groin. “Looks like Little Brad wants to say hello.”
As soon as Garrett’s hand touched Little Brad, Big Brad’s eyes rolled back and he lifted his head. A deep moan escaped his lips and Garrett could feel a strong shudder reverberating through his friend’s body. Little Brad started pumping like crazy, and Garrett could feel moistness underneath his hand.
About fifteen seconds went by before Brad was able to speak, but the first thing he did was apologize. “I’m so sorry, Garrett. I guess I got carried away. It’s been a while since…you know.”
Garrett smiled and moved his hand away from Brad’s groin. “No harm done, Brad. You were just excited. But we should get you cleaned up before anything stains the couch.”
Brad nodded and looked down at his boxer shorts. He raised his eyebrows and asked, “Why is it blue?”
Garrett wasn’t sure what he meant at first, but then he glanced downward as well to see the big blue spot on Brad’s formerly pure white shorts. “That’s, um, odd. Isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It’s never been colored before. But like I said, it’s been a while. Maybe something…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Garrett saw the change happening. “Brad, look at you, you’re getting bigger.”
“What do you mean?”
Garrett stood up quickly and pulled his friend off the couch. “I mean, look at your pecs. And your arms. They’re growing!”
Brad looked down to see his torso rapidly filling up with muscle. He felt a rush of energy and power coursing through his body, and suddenly felt the urge to flex his biceps. They expanded in size, growing from 14 to 15 to 16 to 17 to 18 inches within a matter of seconds. Brad’s entire upper body responded similarly – his delts popped up like cannonballs, and his traps spread outward from his thickening neck. His chest expanded wider and wider, and his pecs surged from flat and taut to full and beefy, causing his pert nipples to gently pivot downward toward the floor.
“It’s back!” he shouted. “My strength is back!”
Down below, Brad’s legs also transformed – they grew thicker and fuller as pounds of muscle seemed to appear from nowhere, and tiny tears began to appear at the bottom of his boxer shorts as his quads pumped up in size. Garrett could see the Brad was growing a little taller in addition to packing on beef, and his feet seemed to jump up a few sizes, too.
“What’s going on?” asked Garrett. “How is this possible?”
Before answering, Brad did a quick check on the rest of his powers – he could sense that everything was back to normal, and that all of the Superhero Guild formula had left his body.
“Garrett, I have a story to tell you. Let’s go get cleaned up and I will fill you in on what happened to me before we met.”
Super-Hunk led his friend toward the Axton’s washroom and started at the very beginning. “You see, I’m not originally from around here…”
Thirty minutes later, the boys had showered and re-dressed. Garrett was wearing his original t-shirt and shorts, but Super-Hunk had to borrow some clothes from his friend since his old outfit was now too small and too short.
“So this formula they gave you – it protected you from Lanzinium, but took away your powers?” asked Garrett.
“Exactly. I was just like a normal guy. The scientists said the formula might try to find a natural way to leave my system, and I guess that was the way it found. But I had been so depressed since then that I stopped…well, you know. So it stayed in me until you got me so excited on the couch.”
“And everything is working again?”
“Seems like it. I’ll need to head back to the guild for tests to make sure I’m back to full power. But if it checks out, I’ll finally get an assignment in the regular superhero rotation.”
“Does that mean you might leave this area?” asked Garrett with more than a hint of disappointment.
“It’s possible, but I’m not sure,” said Super-Hunk as he walked forward and took Garrett by the hand. “Garrett, I have no intention of forgetting you that quickly. I am 100% crazy about you, and I’m not going to let you forget about me.”
Garrett smiled, bent his head forward, and gave Super-Hunk and quick peck on his lips. “Crazy about me, huh? Does that mean I can call you my boyfriend?”
Super-Hunk returned the kiss to Garrett. “I think that would be nice. But we have to be careful, for a while.”
“Careful? About?”
Super-Hunk took Garrett by the other hand and looked him in the eye. “With my powers fully restored, we’re going to have to hold off on anything more than kissing until we get the other stuff figured out. When I get excited, I have what you might call a super-ejaculation, and it would pretty much destroy anyone I was with. That’s why I usually fly to a very deserted place and take care of things away from the general population.”
“Oh, goodness. I didn’t think of that.”
“The Superhero Guild scientists are working on a super condom, but they haven’t gotten it quite right yet. I’ve blasted through everything they have tried so far. But soon, I hope.”
Garrett hugged his new boyfriend. “I can wait, Brad. I’m just glad to have found someone so special.”
“Me, too.”
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Garrett shook free his flashback and tried to concentrate on the predicament that his boyfriend was currently facing. Super-Hunk was in trouble and needed help right away.
“Think, think, think…How can I stop Jeremiah? He’s so much smarter than me, and now he’s so much bigger than me, too.”
As Garrett sat up and peered over the counter, he could see Jeremiah’s hulking frame kneeling next to Super-Hunk. His voice once again echoed through the silent room.
“It’s no use, big guy. These muscles just won’t work the way you want them to anymore – they’re going to keep getting weaker and deflating in size, and no amount of effort on your part can change that. And it’s too bad, too – they definitely turn me on…”
Garrett knew he didn’t have much time – Brad would lose all his powers permanently within a matter of minutes, so going for help was not an option. He would have to fight Jeremiah all alone, and he would have to do it now. "I have to be strong. I can’t be weak right now. Dang it – If only I was a little bit…”
His thought was interrupted when he suddenly came up with an idea.
