Dating After Dumbells

Story by silversnake on SoFurry

, , , , , ,

#46 of Commissions & Gifts

Another one, this time for spikewing of his characters Mike and Richard as they start dating. Kinda mushy, bit of sexy, not gonna say much, it's a short one. Still enjoyable.

Mike, Richard and Alex © spikewing


"One more," the gruff voice said, and despite the complaints from his shaking arms, the young man pushed through. His grip hardened for a moment as they straightened, the weights going as far up as he could lift. His could feel the pressure in his chest, the burn by now familiar, somehow enticing... "Ok, one more and we're done."

That's what he said last one! But despite it all, the young man still went one. One last rep and it was all over; he kept telling himself that as the pressure on his chest grew. With a loud grunt, he raised the weights above his body one final time, already feeling his arms grow weak from the effort. But when he was finally allowed to put the weights back on the rack, he felt satisfied anyway. Satisfied and tired.

"Wow..." Mike sighed. He saw his chest rising with his heavy breathing, pushing against his tank. His dark blue feathers were all ruffled from his exercise, and he was coated in sweat from head to toe. He stayed down on the bench for a moment, feeling his body ache; he had grown used to the feeling by now, even grew to like it. But it was still hard to move afterwards. "I need five minutes."

"You get one," he looked to the side, wide-eyed, hoping to find a mocking smile on his trainer's face. Of course, he found none. All he saw was Richard's stern, emotionless expression. The tall Doberman looked down at him with analytic eyes that showed none of his thoughts, as usual. All Mike could do was stare back in agony, knowing that he would soon feel the same burn when the canine made him continue.

Might as well enjoy the few minutes he did get, right? His eyes closed to try and not stare at the bright lights on the ceiling, and instead he drowned in the sounds around him. He was already used to the gym: the scent of sweat and musk that once made him gag was now part of his everyday routine. And the constant grunting from other guys, the heavy thud made by the dumbbells as they dropped on the ground, all of it behind the blaring music coming out of his headphones, was a lullaby at this point. One that suddenly got louder.

"Huh?"

"What are you listening this time?" Richard's gruff voice softly asked as he took the bird's headphones. Mike would've said something, but the sight of the doberman's thick arm in front of his face was too intimidating. And something else... Never mind that, this was more or less their thing now. Richard would randomly reach and experience on his own what kind of music his young client was hearing this time.

Mike didn't mind. Just like every time before, Richard put the plug in his ear, and his eyes closed as he enjoyed the sounds. A small smile drew on his lips, and he started gently tapping his foot to the rhythm.

At that point, Mike sat up. There was something strangely soothing about seeing a man as large and imposing as Richard getting so quiet. Because he was certainly large! It was impossible to look at him and not take notice of the bulging muscles strained against his tank. The thick, strong arms, the broad shoulders and chest, covered in a short layer of chocolate fur. The damn abs; Mike would kill to have them! And the way his factions softened as he listened to the music, his frown fading. It was hard to believe he was much older than the bird and still managed to be this attra-

"Really like this one," his sudden words took the hawk by surprise, who simply looked away just as his headphones were returned. It wasn't the first time he was almost caught checking out the old trainer, but it had to stop! Hell, he was already begging the blush in his face wasn't noticeable. But Richard had other things in mind, it seemed. "Hmm..."

"Wha- Hey!" Mike almost jumped back when the doberman's hands took his arm. His hold was gentle but firm, and his fingers were squeezing up and down, ruffling his naked feathers even more. The blush turned a deeper red and only the shock kept him from yanking his arm back. "Um... Richard?"

"There's not a lot of definition yet, but you're definitely showing a lot of good progress," he said. A couple squeezes up his bicep and Mike instinctively flexed, feeling his body putting resistance to the canine's fingers. Of course, all he was doing was checking his mass, that's what he paid him for. There was no way Richard would ever flirt with him. "You've also been wearing tanks a lot more often lately. Good to see you're getting confident."

"Y-Yeah... thanks to you," he whispered. And immediately regretted it. Was Richard flirting with him or not? Should he flirt back? Was that flirting back? When the canine let go of his arm, he couldn't help but focus on it, on where his fingers had touched his flesh. He mentally held to that sensation as all other questions clouded his mind.

"You ok?" once again, the Doberman's voice got him out of his trance. He needed to stop spacing out so much. When he looked up at Richard, he saw the same cold face he almost always had, but he could swear there was a glint of worry in his eyes.

"I'm fine, I'm fine..." Mike said in the least convinced tone possible. One he was completely sure Richard wasn't believing; hell, he couldn't believe it himself. And just as he feared, the canine held his gaze at him. It was something he was doing recently, staring at him, unblinkingly, as if trying to pry the answer out of him. After so many weeks of that, Mike was on the edge from it. He finally let out a sigh. "Ok, I'm not really 'fine'. It's nothing to worry about, though."

"I have to worry if it could get you hurt while working out," Richard's voice was stern, firm, like always. Rather than just worrying, he was stating a fact. It only made his blush burn hotter, but Mike realized there was no point hiding it anymore.

"I, um... Something happened last year- A lot happened last year, actually. My girlfriend at the time dumped me and I... did things with a guy," that last part he said it very low, still ashamed at the memory. "And I liked it... To be honest, when I started working out here, it was to experiment with being around a bunch of... big, hunky, sexy guys. Don't get me wrong, I love working out! I can't go too long without it now, but that... was my main reason. I think I'm bi? Maybe? And it's eating me out trying to figure it out... But yeah, that's it. Like I said, nothing for you to worry about. Not sure if you would even understand."

"Of course I understand," Richard assured him, and one of his strong hands dropped on the hawk's shoulder. Firm but gentle, as always. "We all go through this when coming out. I did back in the military. Trust me, it's normal."

"Yeah... Wait, what!?" Mike's scream got the attention of a few guys around them, making him immediately want to die. He leaned forward, almost as if hiding from them behind the larger dog, before talking in a much lower tone than before. "You're gay?"

"Bi. What, isn't it obvious?"

"Hehe... Not really, no..." he chuckled, still nervous. Richard's lack of reaction only made him grow more anxious. But something else started welling up inside him. There was something nice and inspiring about how casual the canine was with his sexuality, and Mike felt as if a weigh got off his shoulders now that he had someone he might be able to talk more freely about this with. That, and the fact that the attractive man in front of him was apparently available-

No! Don't think like that. He was here to work out first and foremost, not flirt. Even if his trainer was such a hunk...

"Well," Richard said, getting up, "either way, you can talk to me about it. Just don't let it get in the way of your exercises. Stand up, your minute's way up."

As expected of Richard. Always a professional, more work than play. Mike supposed that's what made him one of the best around. But as he got up, he couldn't help but cling to the idea, to focus on how the older man might be available, open to the possibility. Curious how a single, small discovery opened a whole new fountain of possibilities. And with his broad, muscular back right in front of him, tempting him... It was hard to think otherwise.

"Coach!" he called, and the trainer stopped. He wasn't sure why he had done so, but Mike was no longer in control. His body, his mouth, was almost moving on its own. His words were shaky, unlike the canine's firm voice, and it came out on a whisper, but it was nonetheless clear enough for him to make it out. "W-Would you g-go out with me...? A-As a test, of course! To check out if... I really am..."

"Sure," Richard answered without missing a beat. His face remained as cold as usual, and he kept walking towards the back of the gym, leaving a flustered bird on his wake, on the verge of collapsing from anxiety. And just like that, Mike had a date.


The night came faster than he thought it would. After that quick exchange, Mike had been going on about his day in autopilot. He was actually surprised when he realized he was sitting in his living room's couch, that it was already dark outside, and that he was waiting for Richard to come around and pick him up. When did they set up an hour? And when the hell did he even shower and got ready!?

He let out a sigh. There was no point worrying about it now, it was already in motion. All he had left now was to constantly check his phone for the time, wondering why it was moving so slow. He felt a strange mix of anxiety and dread, more than he had ever felt for any date before. Not at all helped by the large white avian smirking at him from the other side of the couch.

"What is it, Mr. Sexy Buffington? Worried your date is coming late?"

"Shut up!" he yelled at Alex, his much larger, much more muscular brother, as he threw a cushion at him. The taller bird only laughed, catching the cushion mid-air and throwing it back at his sibling. It landed right on Mike's face, getting yet another laughter out of Alex. "Jerk..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." he said as his laughter finally died out. "Man... I can't believe you're really going out with Richard. I mean, you guys have been growing closer, he talks about you all the time on the gym," that new, sudden discovery intrigued Mike, but he kept it to himself. "But actually going out? Never saw that coming."

"Y-Yeah... Me neither," that was all he could answer to his brother before going back to his phone. Ever since he started going to the gym, the rocky patch in their relationship seemed to slowly ease out, but he was still on edge around the larger avian. He had no idea how Alex could talk to him so easily after... that.

"Hey..." his brother's voice was suddenly deeper, lower. He looked up and Alex was staring at him, a small smile on his beak. "I know it's been weird, but... I'm happy for you, bro. I really am."

"...Thanks," Mike returned the smile. Whatever else he might say, however, was cut off by the sound of honking coming from outside. "That must be him. I'll get going."

"Hey, should I wait you up?" Alex teased him again. As his brother laughed, Mike felt the blush crawl back into his cheeks. With a groan, he shut the door behind him instead.

It was a dark, warm summer night. The street lights kept everything around properly lit, and the young hawk's eyes immediately landed on the one car with it's lights on. He could make out the canine silhouette in the driver's seat, and he rushed towards it with a little wave. He entered the passenger's seat and closed the door without much issue, but once he did, he really took a moment to look at the man on the other side.

Richard wore a black shirt, tight enough around the chest that it let his muscles show off, but loose around his waist, hiding the strong abs Mike knew hid underneath. Only a few buttons were popped open, giving clear view of the short fur covering his pecs. Mike almost swallowed at the sight, and he suddenly felt conscious about wearing nothing but a t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey. Sorry I didn't walk up to get you. Thought it would be awkward with your brother and all," Mike silently thanked him for it, not needing to give Alex's teases any more fuel. "You look good," hearing that compliment, however, only made Mike's feathers ruffle. It was clear who looked the best of the two, after all.

"T-Thanks. You too," he said as the engine flared to life, and he felt the rumble as they took the road. He was already trying his best not to stare too much at the canine, constantly looking away from his wide chest and definitely not thinking about the tight black pants around his muscular legs. "So, where are we going again?" he said to try and make conversation.

"The movies," Richard's eyes never split from the road, and his face never changed. Mike waited to see if anything else would come out, if he would explain further. Nothing came, of course, and he was once again forced to look out the window to avoid staring at the man's fantastic body. A quick breath, however, and he caught a whiff of a certain sweet, masculine cologne in the air. The hawk's feathers ruffled again when he realized the older man had even done that for their date.

"Um... You don't really talk much, do you?" he said, desperate to break the ice and ease his own worries. And for the first time, that got a reaction out of Richard as his eyes slightly widened.

"Ah... I'm not good with words," he said, both his tone and expression still. "I prefer to show how I feel with my face," like hell you do!

Mike could only chuckle from that, but he died inside as he tried to stare at the passing cars outside instead of looking at the Doberman's body. After a few minutes of silent driving, when they finally arrived at the movies, he was thankful for the chance of saying anything.

Once out of the car, he took the chance to stretch the tension out. He also happened to remember his first day at the gym, when Richard had taught him how to properly stretch. He could still recall how his chest felt against his back... And in that same vein, he looked back at the canine as he came out as well. It was strange how seeing him in different clothes gave him a clearer idea of how truly large he was. Mike was a short guy, but still, being barely able to reach to the man's pecs was impressive.

Suddenly, he felt like complimenting him on that. Telling him how amazing his size was, how his efforts at the gym were visible. He wanted to say as much, but was cut off when Richard reached up to him and held him by the sides, pulling his shirt to the back. Naturally, Mike's blush was the hardest of the night at that point.

"Mhmm..." the dog mumbled. "The training's paying off. You have a great shape. You'll be filling up your shirts in no time," and he let go. Mike was almost about to faint just from the heat.

"C-Coach! There are people watching!" but Richard only reacted by nodding to the side. It was such a dog thing, it was ridiculously adorable, and it only made Mike blush harder. "Y-You... fill up your shirts nicely too."

"Oh. Thanks," Mike could swear he saw hints of a smile on his lips, but you could never tell with Richard. He didn't say anything else, however, as he put a hand on the hawk's shoulder, gently guiding him towards the theatre. Mike shivered from the touch, but soon relaxed at that familiar gentleness of his.

"So... What movie do you want to see? There's this new comedy that seems-

"How about horror?" Mike's eyes widened at the trainer's suggestion. "Isn't that what you do on dates? You watch a horror movie so they grab your hand at the scary scenes. It happened to me a lot when I was your age."

"H-Horror is fine! I love horror! I don't get scared!" he laughed, even. And again, he was sure he wasn't fooling Richard, but he had to keep the act going.

Richard's arm landed on his shoulders, this time surrounding them, as the two walked over to the entrance. Mike paid no attention to anything else around him, his focus completely taken by the strong, muscular arm around his body. The weight, the heat- it was all beyond anything he had ever felt before. He was usually the one putting his arm around his girlfriend, after all; this was such a different experience.

He liked it. Through the entire trek in the theatre, that arm never let him go, and he just sank into it. As they did the line to buy their tickets, as they waited to get their popcorn, Richard's arm never left his shoulders. He felt safe, overwhelmed by the canine's sheer size and masculinity, but also wishing to keep it for himself. It was such an odd feeling... And yet, when they got into the room, the moment Richard let go of him to sit down, he felt a powerful yearning to feel their bodies pressed together again.

All he could do was let out a small sigh and sit down. At the very least he was next to the canine, so that was a silver lining. Soon, the room started filling up with people, their bustling and talking loud and messy, a big contrast to the doberman's silence. As the room went dark and the voices died out, Mike took the chance to look at the dog. He was staring straight at the screen, his face the same expression as always. As expected... To be honest, what was he expecting anyway? It was easier to not think about it too much. Rather, he just went back to the movie-

Just as the masked killer slashed their first victim!

Mike jumped back, his scream joining that of many in the room. What kind of movie starts with the killer already attacking someone!? What about the build-up!? He was almost too scared to open his eyes again, until he realized he had a date to impress. So he did... just as the screen was covered in blood and the character started screaming in pain.

"Oh my god..." he whispered, eyes wide open in shock. He couldn't tear them away from the movie anymore... And right then, he felt his entire body pulled to the side, until it landed on some sort of soft, firm pillow.

He glanced up and saw Richard, still staring at the screen with the same expression as ever, but his arm holding him tight against his chest. That same sensation as before, that weird sense of safety, washed over him as his rough fingers rubbed his shoulder, and he looked at the screen again. A final jump scare and Mike's face looked away, landing right between the Doberman's pecs as he let out an involuntary whimper.

"Heh, cute," he heard his gruff voice say, and another glance up showed him the trainer looking at him, a bit of a smile on his face, before he went back to the movie. The blush that formed in his face was beyond any he ever had before. And it only got harder when the Doberman's hand moved away from his shoulder, following the curve of his chest and landing on his hip, rubbing his sides as the movie finally gave into a calmer scene.

Mike didn't stop him. He let the canine's soothing touch continue as he laid back on his broad chest, feeling his breathing, feeling the beat of his heart.


"T-That was fun...!" was all the bird could say once they made their way out of the theatre, two hours later. Two hours in the darkness, doing nothing but watch a group of young men and women run from a relentless killer, with no salvation in sight. Definitely fun.

"You spent half the movie with your face in my chest," Richard stated, matter-of-factly rather than to tease or bother him. Of course, it did both. Mike's immediate reaction to that was to blush and look away, to try his best to hide the red on his cheeks.

"Horror movies aren't my thing, surprisingly enough, hehe..." he finally gave up. "Let's go for a comedy next time."

"Next time?" for the first time, he detected some form of emotion on the canine's voice. It was confusion. "I thought this was a one time thing. You know, to help you experiment and stuff."

"Oh... Right! Right, a one time thing... My bad," that was all Mike could say in response. It was bound to happen, all things considered. Why would a hunk like Richard ever want to date-

"I mean..." once again, the trainer cut off his thoughts. He was starting to think he could read his mind. But he also noticed him looking away, his shoulders tense. It was the same sheepish, worried pose he had whenever he blushed... "I had a lot of fun. I would go out with you again... If you want."

"O-Oh!" that was Mike's entire reaction. To be entirely honest, he had no idea how else he could go about it. How many times now had the older man won him over with this one? Every time he was feeling off, he said exactly what he needed to hear. Almost as if he could read his mind.

"Say..." he started again, his tone the same sheepish as before. For all his cold expression, his body did betray his feelings, just like he said. "Do you wanna come over to my place?"


The door closed behind them. Mike still couldn't believe he had actually taken up his trainer on the offer, but now here he was. He saw nothing of the old man's apartment, drowned in darkness as it was. Richard simply grabbed his hand, that same gentle, firm hold as always, and guided him into the shadows, towards what he assumed was the bedroom. In no time, Mike was already leaning on top of the canine, their lips roughly pressed together in a strong, forceful kiss.

"Wow, hang in there, man," Richard broke their kiss off, and only then did Mike realize how hard his breathing was. He was excited, nervous, anxious, aroused... All of it at once. And as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw Richard's face in front of him. It was the same expression as ever, the same face he made when counting his reps, but there was a glint in his eyes that showed all of those things going through his head as well. "I thought you were the shy type. Weren't you still experimenting?"

"...It's been a while. I'm pretty pent up," he coyly replied, thankful that the shadows hid his blush as his hands went down the man's body. Feathered fingers started unbuttoning his shirt, one by one, until it felt on his bed behind him, and his hands roamed the muscular torso, feeling the lines on the dog's abs, wondering if he would dare to explore further down. Just as he did, bigger, rougher hands dove under his shirt, squeezing his lithe torso, reaching for his chest and pulling the fabric over his head until it fell on the floor.

"Fuck... You look great," Richard grunted, and before he could reply, Mike's beak was pulled into another kiss as his body was squeezed and rubbed. "You've been working really hard at the gym for this, haven't you? I really have to give you that second date."

"Hey," Mike tried to say between kisses. "If we date... does that mean... I get another discount?"

"Of course not!" Richard laughed, pulling the bird on top of him as he fell back on the bed. And with Mike lying on top of him, their kiss continued. Slowly, the same rough hands reached for his pants and invaded, squeezing his buttocks. And for the first time of many that night, Mike let a moan out.