All Inclusive Fitness: A Weekendverse Story (MM/MM)(Concluded 8/04/22)

[gag1195]

@Socksbound @DeeperThanRed @KidnappedCowboy @Volobond @cj2125 @MountainMan_91 @Msueta@2 @squirrel @Pup Wingletang @tugfan @TightsBound @szlm1515 @ohazut @gaggedfeety @MaxRoper @Donbrown @TayDay95 @ShortSocks @bondagefreak @blackbound @LockedCheeseBird @NeedControl @Jason07 @privateandrews @Canuck100 @jackroper @fratboydanny @wataru14

Author's Note: This is a sequel to my recent story Liam Learns the Ropes! Again, Liam is the main character, this time as he tries to find the courage to ask out his crush and dream hunk, Connor. The events of that story, and the first story in this series, Bondage Weekend, will be referenced, as will the characters. I encourage you to read those stories first! If you're all caught up, I hope you enjoy your visit to All Inclusive Fitness!

Part 1: Finding Courage



Liam looked around the gym, which was still surprisingly busy for this late on a Friday evening. More than half the ellipticals and treadmills were in use, whirring and humming in their rhythmic motions. Liam could see a full yoga class winding down in one of the larger class spaces. He turned his attention to the central bulletin board, skimming the various flyers and brochures hung there. The morning yoga class, Sunrise Salutations, had added a second instructor to address overflow issues. The interest sheet for a tai chi class had earned a few more signatures. And the small cafe in the lobby was advertising a new guest arts speaker series. “CreativiTEA” promised a weekly class in a different artistic endeavor, hosted by a local artist- knitting and crocheting, pottery making, watercolors, even a still life class. Liam could only imagine the models standing amongst the half full cups of coffee and forgotten scones. I wonder how much the gig is paying?

“Hey, Liam!” A peppy yet firm voice sounded down the hall. Liam turned and saw Connor striding confidently towards him. “Ready for our session?”



Liam smiled at his personal trainer and nodded. “Yes! And I know I keep saying this, but I really appreciate you moving my session times! It’s been a lifesaver.”

“No problem! You’re one of my favorite clients, so anything I can do to make you happy!” Connor smiled back, then raised an eyebrow. “Although, I’m not sure you ever explained why you wanted to switch times. This is quite a bit later than your previous sessions with Markus and Peter.”

Liam sighed. He didn’t have a good reason for Connor… well, he did, but not one he felt comfortable sharing.

He thought back to a few weeks ago, his fateful weekend at his best friend’s house, where Peter and Markus introduced him to the world of bondage, the missing piece Liam didn’t know he was missing. He’d left that introductory weekend feeling more confident than he’d felt in a very long time. That confidence had lasted the entire trip. His family noticed, and were convinced Liam had found a new boyfriend. The confidence had helped him ace his financial reports meeting, and on his way back to the airport, his boss called to gush about how impressive Liam had been.

But that confidence faltered when Liam got back to work the day after. As soon as Peter showed up, the images of their weekend together flashed in Liam’s mind. He couldn’t look at his best friend without seeing ropes, tape, gags, and his friend barely clothed. Peter, forever going with the flow, didn’t seem bothered by their experiences. But Liam was having a hard time keeping those feelings down. When Peter tried to talk, Liam defaulted to pleasantries and polite agreements. His mind was too jumbled to separate Cubicle-Mate Peter and Kinky Peter knotting Liam’s wrists together.

Liam hated it. He hated his stupid brain for complicating things, for dragging his feelings up to the surface to bubble over in the form of shyness and social awkwardness. Peter noticed it, but thankfully didn’t press the issue. He definitely told Markus about it though, because a day or two later, the bearded teacher texted Liam, asking him how his trip was and how he was feeling. Liam barely responded, keeping his replies short and to the point.

Liam had decided that the best course of action was creating space between himself and the kinky couple. And so he spoke with Connor about changing his personal training session.

He realized that Connor was waiting for an answer, and the two had settled into something of an awkward silence. “Oh! Sorry, I drifted off there for a second.” Liam apologized. “Work’s just been tough lately, extra reports to deal with, needing to stay late, that’s all.” He lied.

Connor nodded. “But Peter…” he began, confused since the models had the same job.

“Barely does any work before lunch, and always has a reason to leave at least 15 minutes early!” Liam quickly finished. They laughed, and that seemed to satisfy the redhead.

Connor led his client to an open weight bench and the two began their reps. Connor did a few to limber up, and Liam enjoyed every minute of it. The trainer was dressed in a two tone blue and grey sleeveless workout tank top, with short black mesh shorts, and brand new black tennis shoes. Liam could just barely see the tops of Connor’s white workout socks poking out of the rim of the shoes. Liam watched Connor’s arms flex, the mighty muscles raising and lowering the bar with ease. His stomach was flat and firm, and Liam could just see the faint outline of Connor’s abs as the tank top moved with the up and down motion of the bar.

Liam felt an erection growing in his own blue mesh shorts. It didn’t get far, thankfully, as his cock crashed against the athletic cup Liam was wearing. Liam had taken to wearing the cup after his first few solo sessions with Connor. His dreams, his fantasies, his persistent crush on the hunky redhead had all proved too much. It was impossible for Liam not to get hard watching the man bending and flexing, guiding Liam, pressing close to him. He’d laughed it off the first time it happened, and raced to the store after that session ended. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it worked enough to hide his horniness from the other gym goers, and most importantly, Connor.

When Connor had warmed up, he offered the bench to Liam, then stood behind the bench to spot his client. The trainer’s crotch was inches from Liam’s head. He closed his eyes and for a moment, just a moment, pictured himself lashed to the bench with feet of rope and happily servicing the hunky Connor. He tried to push the image away and began his bench presses. His erection continued to rage against the athletic cup prison… this was going to be a long night…

-----

Connor piled on an extra set of weights to the leg press, smiling down at Liam. “Time to work on your endurance a bit!” Liam knew it was an innocent statement, referring to their training session, but man did those words make him melt.

About halfway through the set, Connor spoke up. “Any idea where Markus and Peter are tonight? Peter texted saying that they had to cancel this afternoon, but he didn’t give details. Just something about a play?”

Liam chuckled between his breathing. He may be awkwardly distancing himself from his friend, but he knew exactly what was happening. “Markus is dragging Peter to the Opera tonight.”

Connor looked stunned. “The opera? Like, fat lady singing, foreign languages, 3 hours minimum?”

Liam nodded. “A whole date night actually; suits, dinner and a show.”

“What did Peter do to deserve a night at the opera?”

“Peter said that it was payback for Markus having to sit through weekend after weekend of football talk and endless games.” Liam left out the part that most of those times the poor teacher was bound and gagged in some fashion. But knowing Connor, he was sure the personal trainer could put it together on his own.

“Poor Peter. I remember when Markus forced me to one of those ‘cultural’ events like the opera. Markus is a great guy, but man, that modern art exhibit was one of the most boring things I ever attended.” Connor reminisced.

The pair finished with the leg press and moved to the built in workout mats for crunches. “You and Markus seem to be on good terms, despite being exs.” Liam continued. “How do you do that? I’ve never been able to be friends with any of my ex boyfriends.”

Connor smiled as he held Liam’s feet in place. “Well, it helps that Markus and I never got too serious. There was attraction, sure, but we found out pretty quickly that we just weren’t compatible. We stuck it out, tried to make it work, but we knew our relationship wasn’t going to last long.” Liam curled up, chest against his knees, inches from Connor’s beautiful face, his lips. “Now, if Markus and Peter were to break up? That would be some bad blood.”

Liam silently agreed. As awkward as things were between him and Peter, Liam didn’t want to think about what would happen if the kinky couple called it quits. He tried to focus on happier things. Connor’s smiling face. I want to ask him out. I want to take a chance. I just need to work up the courage…

-----

When Connor and Liam finished their session, most of the gym had cleared out. It was getting late, past 10pm. Liam had gone to collect his belongings from the locker room, which was practically deserted. Only one or two guys remained. He quickly wiped off the lingering sweat with his gym towel and rolled on some deodorant, something to tide him over until he made it home. Connor had worked him hard tonight, and both men had sweated up a storm. Already he could feel the soreness settling into his muscles. He would definitely feel it in the morning.

Connor was manning the front desk when Liam came into the lobby. The red haired hunk had changed out of his tank top, which was drenched in sweat. Now he wore what he always wore after an intense workout, a dark grey sleeveless hoodie. Although the zipper was pulled up, Liam could see Connor’s bare chest and the light fuzz of bright orange chest hair barely contained by the fabric.

“You don’t have to rush out so soon.” Connor joked, waving to the handful of lingering patrons streaming to the main doors.

“Have a good night, Connor.” Liam waved as he headed for the exit.

“Liam, wait!” Connor called, breaking his cool demeanor. Liam stopped for a moment to look back. “Do you wanna hang out for a bit? It’s just me tonight, and I gotta lock everything up. Wouldn’t mind some company…”


Liam was surprised. Connor usually came off so confidently, a trait Liam was sorely lacking. But now he seemed almost… nervous? Was this the chance Liam was waiting for? Could he work up the courage to put himself out there? Fuck it. Here goes nothing. He spun around to face Connor.

“S-Sure.” He said, cursing under his breath at his anxious stuttering. “I’ve got no plans, and no one to drag me to the opera.”

Connor beamed, and the two chuckled at their own little inside joke. Liam strode back over to the welcome desk, waiting for the right moment to pop the question that had been haunting him for weeks.

-----

Fingers typed furiously on the keyboard of the phone. A figure dressed all in black waited in the shadows, hidden from view. But with the perfect vantage point to see into the windows of the nearly empty gym, the black clad shade could see his targets.

Plan is in motion. The bull is in the pin. Targets are ready to be lassoed. Send.

The figure watched the screen. There wouldn’t be a reply. There didn’t need to be. ✓ Seen at 10:13pm. It was all the signal that was needed.

The phone was stashed into the figure’s pocket, and a pair of leather gloves was produced and slipped on. And silently, the figure began to move towards the waiting lights of All Inclusive Fitness.

[NeedControl]

YAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

I can see where (I think) this is going and it is FABULOUS!!!

[LockedCheeseBird]

Great start, and damn those two are adorable! Happy to see that there are plans in motion to give this a jump start, Liam obviously needs a push or shove. Great work!

[Volobond]

Yaaaaaay Liam again! And of course it'll be fun to see what happens with the hunky Connor. Here's hoping Liam gets his confidence (and some kink) back!

[bondagefreak]

[mention]gag1195[/mention]
I voted for this option on the readership poll, and am really happy to see that other readers have seen fit to elect this as the winning option.

I won't pretend to know where this is going, but as an unabashed fan of drama and deliverance-through-tribulation themes, I must say I'm really liking this moderate break from the more Disneyesque genre we've come to expect of you. I can't wait to find out what this sinister figure dressed in black has in store for our two protagonists.

Super well done, my friend.
Anxiously awaiting the second part of this weekendverse!

[gaggedfeety]

Can't wait to see what our shadowy figure has in store for the two of them, although I have a feeling it's going to be quite the bonding experience

[KidnappedCowboy]

Fantastic first chapter, [mention]gag1195[/mention]...

Cannot wait to see what happens to Liam and Connor, but I have this slight hunch Connor may be in on what is about to happen when only he and Liam are left in the gym!

[gag1195]

@NeedControl I would love to hear your theory about where you think this story is going! You could be very close! Glad to have you along for the ride!

@LockedCheeseBird Thank you! I hope Liam and Connor become just as beloved as Markus and Peter ended up being! And yes, poor Liam could use something of a push!

@Volobond I'm excited to bring Connor get some screen time outside of Liam's dreams! And rest assured, even though Liam is a bit naturally shy, we will hopefully see some of his confidence return as this story goes on!

@bondagefreak My last two stories were squarely in the wholesome category, weren't they! My goal with this story is as you've said, take a small break from that! I hope this story delivers on that! And hopefully our black clad friend will help in that regard!

@gaggedfeety A bonding experience indeed! Our shadowy figure has quite a few plans for our innocent pair!

@KidnappedCowboy I cannot confirm or deny if Connor is involved, so I'll just have to say, we'll have to find out as the story continues!

Thanks everyone for the comments! It's great to be back to writing again after my break! I can't wait to share more of this story with you all!

[Pup Wingletang]

Great start. Nice to know Markus is getting his own back on Peter with opera! Love the awkwardness between Liam and Connor but it looks like there's someone waiting in the shadows to move things forward, ready or not!

[TightropesEU]

Love the suspense here, like watching a movie, where you see everything, but not knowing what will happen next.

[gag1195]

@Pup Wingletang Thanks! I'm enjoying writing the awkward "beginning of relationship" stuff between Liam and Connor! And yes, movement in the shadows is coming soon!

@TightropesEU thank you friend! Hoping I can keep the suspense going!


I am hard at work on the next chapter, which should be up later tonight or tomorrow! Stay tuned, and thanks to everyone who commented!

[gag1195]

Hey everyone! Sorry for the slight delay! I wasn't very happy with how this chapter was turning out, so I had to scrap it and restart. I'm much happier with it, and I now you all will enjoy it! Can't wait to see your comments!

Part 2: Closing Time

Liam stood at the gym’s reception desk, waiting for Connor to say something. The pair had settled into an awkward silence following Liam’s agreement to stay behind. How was Liam going to ask him out? He couldn’t even manage to have a conversation with the red headed Adonis. He took a deep breath and managed to speak up.

“So… what do we need to do?” His voice cracked, as if he was a nervous teenager standing by his crush’s locker.

Connor looked up from the computer screen and flashed his pearly whites. “Well, let’s see…” He held up his fingers to count off all the tasks that needed to be completed. “We need to wipe down all the equipment, clean up the free weights, collect all the used towels from the locker rooms, but I guess we should start by putting the donations in the safe in the office.”

Liam nodded and followed Connor to the large table in the lobby, upon which rested an acrylic collection box. A brightly colored poster proclaimed: All Inclusive Community Center Donations: Help Us Reach Our Goal! The poster contained more information about the project, and a stack of brochures rested next to the clear box currently full of various bills and loose change, any amounts that the different gym goers were able to spare.

“How is the fundraising going?” Liam asked as the two began lifting the cumbersome and weighty box of money. “You must be getting close now, right?”

Connor chuckled. “Two steps forward, one step back. We’ve secured the space needed to expand, but the construction firm had to back out due to scheduling and other commitments. We’re close to our target amount though. The grant we applied for finally came through so we are on target for funds.”

They hefted the box onto the reception desk so Connor could open the office door. “We’re so close…” His voice trailed off, clearly lost in thought.

Liam didn’t really know what to say. He knew how hard Connor and his employees had been working on this project for a while. He’d heard Connor’s pitch enough times to almost recite it from memory. Expanding All Inclusive Fitness the gym into the All Inclusive LGBTQ+ Community Center had been Connor’s passion for the last few years. GED and life skills classes, temporary dorms for runaway youth, mental health professionals, partnerships with queer friendly adoption agencies. Connor also wanted to offer alternative meeting spaces to gay bars, especially for teens, the 50+ crowd, and for people that didn’t like the bar scene.

It was an admirable goal, and Liam had probably donated more than he could actually afford into the donation box every few weeks.

Liam and Connor carried the donations box into the office, and Liam couldn’t help but stare as the muscular hunk bent down to the gym’s safe. Liam quickly darted his gaze away when Connor turned around. “Um, sorry Liam. Could you step out for a second? Courtney would kill me if anyone other than gym staff saw the combination.”

Liam nodded. Courtney, the head yoga instructor, could be quite scary when she needed to be. Off the yoga mat, you wouldn’t want to mess with her.

“Thanks buddy!” Connor called as Liam left the office. “Could you close the blinds and make sure the door is locked? I’ll be out in a jiff!”

“No problem.” Buddy? Liam felt the sting of that word pierce him. Buddy? Is that all we are? Is that how Connor sees me? Was it even worth his effort of trying to ask out the personal trainer?

Liam tried to shake that feeling off as he made his way over to the front windows. After wrestling with the cursed blinds string for longer than Liam was proud of. He was very glad that Connor hadn’t seen his ‘buddy’ struggling with such a simple task. He pulled the blinds down on three of the four massive windows. But as he moved on to the final window, something caught his eye. Before the final set of blinds lowered, Liam could have sworn he saw a shadow moving near the bushes outside.

But when he peeled the blinds back to investigate… nothing. No movement, no shadows. Just a quiet city street on a Friday night. Great, now I’m seeing things. Still, something felt off. Liam couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on him. He quickly checked the lock on the door, sighing deeply when he heard the satisfying CLICK of the deadbolt.

He walked faster than he needed to, seeking the solace of the receptionist’s desk. Connor rejoined him shortly and motioned him to follow into the workout space. It was time to get to work.

-----

“You’re lying. You are absolutely lying right now.” Liam sprayed another treadmill before wiping it down. He paused to look over at Connor, also in the middle of cleaning a piece of cardio machinery, the next in a seemingly endless line of equipment.

Connor smiled, but remained insistent. “I swear to God! I wish I was, but I’m telling the truth!” He moved on to the next machine down the line. “I was originally going to call this place ‘Gayns’, a play on gains… you know, like muscle growth?” He held up his arm to flex his own impressive gains. Liam couldn’t help but stop and stare at the muscles on display. “But”, Connor resumed his cleaning, “Courtney talked me out of it, explaining that it wasn’t inclusive enough. The rest is history!”

“Thank god for Courtney!” Liam joked, ducking out of the way from Connor’s towel being hurled at his head.

“In hindsight, I guess!” Connor laughed. “But it actually caused a pretty big argument between the two of us. Almost tanked our relationship at the time.”

Liam held up his hand. “Wait, you and Courtney dated?”

“Is that surprising?” Connor responded, collecting his rag and resuming his cleaning. “You think she’s too pretty for me? Too good for me? Both are probably true.”

Liam shook his head. “I don’t know. I just can’t picture you with her. That’s all.”

“Jealous, Liam?” Now it was Connor’s turn to dodge an incoming towel.

“N-no!” Liam declared, trying to hide the blush creeping up his face. “But I do agree, she’s definitely too good for you.”

Connor clutched his heart, as if wounded, then held up his middle finger. “Hurtful!” He laughed off the teasing. “It’s fine though. Court and I are much better as friends and business partners. Besides, even without the naming argument, we probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyways. We were more of a casual fling.”

Liam nodded, but didn’t respond. The two focused their energy on cleaning up the lines of cardio equipment. When they finally reached the end of the machinery, Connor sighed, smiled, then led Liam over to the free weights station.

“Would it kill people to put their weights back where they belong? It’s not like it’s rocket science! They are labeled and color coded!” Connor complained, picking up a set of small pink weights and dramatically slamming them down into the pink painted shelf.

Liam followed suit, picking up various weights and depositing them in their rightful place. “But, if people did put their weights back, you’d be out of a job!”

Connor gripped his wounded heart again. “Do you like hurting me? Does this bring you joy? I think you’ve been spending too much time with Peter.”

Liam held up his hands in mock surrender. “Didn’t know the great Connor couldn’t take a joke.”

“A Joke huh?” Connor sneered. “I’d like to see how much you’re laughing when I raise my personal training rates, then!”

The two laughed. Even if we’re just ‘buddies’ I still like hanging out with him. They continued to joke and talk, but something was nagging at the back of Liam’s mind. Courtney and Markus. Connor had mentioned things fizzling with both of them. How many more of his relationships never get serious? Am I wasting my time?

This was going to be awkward, but Liam had to ask. “Hey Connor… you said you never really got serious with Courtney or Markus, right?”

Connor paused in his weights cleaning for just a moment. “Yeah…”

“Well, have you ever had a ‘serious’ relationship then? Something long term?” God he hated this. This conversation could tank any chance he had with the redhead.

“I mean… yeah? I think so?” He set down the blue barbells and stood there, not looking at Liam. “I know what I like, and I know what I don't like. If the relationship isn’t working, I end things. Life’s too short, ya know?”

“I guess that makes sense. But…”

Connor held up his hand to stop Liam. “Look, if you’re gonna psychoanalyze me, I’m gonna need a drink or two.” he stared intently at the model. “What do you say we grab a drink after we’re done here. Head down to the Cloak and Dagger?”

Liam looked down at their sweaty gym clothes, their hair matted down from their workout and now cleaning. “I mean, we aren’t exactly dressed for it…”

Connor couldn’t help but laugh. “Given that it’s Friday night, we might actually be overdressed.” His gaze softened. “What do you say?”

Liam smiled. If nothing else, it was a first step. “Sure. I-I’m in.”

“Great!” Connor beamed. “It’s a date!”

Liam froze. Was this a ‘date’ date? Am I really about to go on a date with Connor in my stinky gym shorts?

He must have been noticeably distracted because Connor snapped his fingers to get Liam’s attention. “Earth to Liam? You still with us?”

“Oh yeah, sorry. Just… can’t seem to focus tonight.”

“Well, We’ve still got a bit of work to do. I’ll finish up here.” he waved his hand over the remaining free weights. “Why don’t you head to the locker rooms and start gathering up the towels?”

Liam grimaced. “You aren’t paying me enough to deal with random peoples used towels and who knows what else!”

Connor smirked, a handsome grin. “I’m not paying you at all, Liam!” Then he cocked his eyebrow. “But I’ll buy the first round? How about that?”

Liam shook his head. “The first two rounds at least.” Connor nodded. “Fine.” Liam left his dream hunk to clear the remaining workout equipment, and set his sights on the locker rooms. Connor, you better be worth it…

-----

The Bull heard movement out in the lobby. The targets were talking. And moving something? Had to be the donations box. He just needed one of them to come into the locker room. A faint vibration in his pocket. But The Bull didn’t check immediately. He paused and waited, making sure his targets wouldn’t see him.

He pulled a leather glove off and fished the phone out of his pocket. Blinds closed. Lost visual. Change of plans. Do not engage. Wait for my signal- Hare.

Bull shook his head, stashing his phone and jamming his fingers back into the supple material of his glove. They’d waited a couple hours, what would a little longer hurt?

Then he heard footsteps approaching, getting louder and louder. One of them was coming in. Bull had to hide… and fast.

[Volobond]

What is it about the combination of humor and kindness that rockets a man's attractiveness through the roof? Connor is a huge dork and an adorable lunk of hunk, and while part of me can't wait to see him all bound up by the Bull and the Hare, part of me really does hope it's just Markus and Peter trying to matchmake and not a real danger to the fund for that absolutely awesome community center idea!

[tugfan]

Great start for next chapter.... thnxx for continuing

[NeedControl]

Oh man, this is definitely not going in the direction I thought it was! I know I never replied to your inquiry last week... (sorry)

Anyway, the way you've written this chapter really makes it seem like Connor isn't involved in planning (or even consenting to) what is about to happen to the two of them, which I was convinced was the case after the first chapter. So... I'm excited for whatever comes next, hope they don't get hurt, and am enjoying Liam's insecurity and the conversation between the two of them!

[KidnappedCowboy]

God, [mention]gag1195[/mention], I really liked this chapter. It was the give and take between Liam and Connor. We've all been there wondering what signals the guy is sending...the uncertainty of the meaning behind his choice of words. Connor is really making Liam work to get him...

But will any romance between the two have one too many knots along the way...

Or will those knots draw them tighter together??

Just what the hell are Bull and Hare up to?

[gag1195]

@Volobond I'm loving writing Connor so far! You're right, he is a big, hunky, dork! We'll have to see how much he enjoys being bound by Bull and hare... And obviously, I can't say who our mysterious friends are or what their plans/intentions might be... at least not yet...

@tugfan thank you friend! I can't wait to keep going with this story!

@NeedControl I'm glad I was able to subvert some expectations! But the mystery persists then, doesn't it? Glad you are enjoying it!

@KidnappedCowboy Honestly, I can't tell you how many sleepless nights I've lost in the past because of silly and stupid mixed signals. It's so frustrating, which is definitely what Liam is feeling right now! And worry not, Bull and Hare have some great things planned (at least in their opinion)

Also, shout out to @bondagefreak for the amazing new banner for this story!

Thanks for the comments everyone! I really appreciate each one! If you haven't commented yet, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Not sure when I can get chapter 3 out, but it should be within the week! So stay tuned!

[KidnappedCowboy]

Honestly, I can't tell you how many sleepless nights I've lost in the past because of silly and stupid mixed signals. It's so frustrating,

I know it too, [mention]gag1195[/mention]...

It's why I hope Connor gets the treatment, if he's just playing Liam!

[Pup Wingletang]

As always the interaction between the characters is superb. The friendship between Liam and Connor is real as is Liam's awkwardness at trying to work out how he can take things to the next level. Why does life have to be so complicated!

And I like the undercurrent of tension lingering behind everything as darker events unfold around them.

[AbductedAddiction]

Yum. Gloves. I love where this story is going.

[gag1195]

@Pup Wingletang @AbductedAddiction thanks for the comments guys! Glad you're liking the story so far!

Here's the next part everyone! Things are starting to pick up! And I promise, bondage is coming soon! Hope you all enjoy!

Part 3: Alone?

Liam pushed open the door to the men’s locker room, figuring that this would be the least appealing part of his task. If he could quickly suffer through cleaning this locker room, the others had to be easier. At worst, the other locker rooms couldn’t be any worse.

The door closed behind Liam, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d spent the better part of a few hours with his incredibly attractive, dream inducing crush. Their conversations had been good, great even, but everything had been frustrating. Was Connor flirting? Did he feel the same way? Was him calling drinks later a ‘date’ an indication of romantic interest, or just using the common phrase?

Liam walked over to the row of sinks and the large mirror on the wall. “I’m overthinking this, aren’t I?” He asked his reflection. Then he stood there, staring, desperately hoping for an answer. But of course, no answer would come.

He turned on the sink, letting the cold water rush through his fingers. He splashed some of the refreshing water onto his face. He slapped his cheeks a few times, trying to chase the uncertainty away.

He turned off the faucet and turned his attention to the task at hand… cleaning the locker room… which was not as disgusting as Liam anticipated. It wasn’t clean by any means, but given it was a men’s gym locker room, the mind paints certain pictures.

As Liam expected, more than enough of the towels had been used and discarded on the floor, on the benches, on the countertop, and ironically, in a pile underneath a poster reminding guests to place towels in the available laundry bins.

“Come on guys!” Liam complained. “This is just being childish.”

He reached down to start cleaning up the pile of old towels, but paused. A persistent drip… drip… drip echoed through the locker room. Had Liam left the sink on by mistake? He looked back to see that no, the sink was off. The dripping was coming from around the corner, from the row of showers.

Liam was about to return to picking up towels, making a mental note to make sure the showers were turned all the way off, when the dripping sound grew louder. Grew stronger. Grew faster. No longer was the shower aimlessly dripping, it was completely on, it’s cascade of water crashing against the tiled floor.

Liam froze. The shower definitely wasn’t on when he came in. I thought Connor and I were the only ones in the gym…

Against his better judgement, Liam called out to the mystery bather. “Hel-Hello?” he waited. No response. “Hello?” He called again, louder. Still no response. “I’m sorry, but the gym is closed! You’re gonna have to finish that shower quickly… okay?”

And still, no answer from the person in the shower. Liam set the towel he was holding back onto the pile, and started towards the shower stalls. I’m a white woman in a horror movie. This is how people die. He tried to call out again, but his voice wavered. “S-s-sir? You need to leave! S-s-sorry!”

He stepped closer and closer to the sound of the water. “I’m really sorry…” Liam said as he slowly pulled the curtain aside.

Empty. The stall was empty. Not a soul was there, just the shower head spraying down, nearly hitting Liam’s well worn tennis shoes. “What the...?” He reached in, leaning awkwardly against the side of the stall to avoid being completely soaked. Even still, his right arm was still drenched in cold water before he managed to turn it off.

Liam sighed, bemoaning his own cowardice at the “haunted shower” he was playing up in his mind. That is, until Liam stepped away from the stall and caught the glimpse of a shadow moving around the corner, disappearing further into the locker room.

He froze. He definitely saw someone… something move. “...Connor?” Liam optimistically called out. He desperately hoped it was the personal trainer checking up on him. But why wouldn’t he announce himself in some way? Again, no response. Whatever this shadow was, it wasn’t in the mood to talk.

Shit. shit. Shit. Liam didn’t dare move from his spot. Between him and the door was a mysterious shade. I need to make a break for it. I can’t just stand here all night. Nothing is there. I’m imagining things. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. There was no shadow creature. He was being ridiculous. He was just nervous about Connor and his feelings.

There was no shadow creature. There was no shadow creature. Liam repeated that mantra as he walked away from the row of showers. He had a job to do. He needed to clean up these stupid towels. He needed to impress Connor. He needed to work up the nerves to talk honestly about his feelings. He needed to…

BANG!

Liam stopped dead in his tracks as the sound of a locker slamming resounded throughout the space. He definitely didn’t imagine that. He couldn’t explain that away. He wasn’t alone in this locker room. And he didn’t want to stay to find out who or what his company was.

He sprinted for the door. Adrenaline pulsed through him, his vision hyperfocusing on the door to the rest of the gym. He didn’t want to look for the shadow, he didn’t want to see it. Liam wasn’t ashamed to admit that in that moment, he was scared. He burst through the door, and made a beeline for Connor.

-----

Connor had joked about Liam being a scaredy cat, but still agreed to join Liam in cleaning out the Locker room. He saw that whatever had happened in the lockers clearly affected the smaller man. Liam was breathing more easily now. And of course, when Connor entered, nothing ominous or mysterious happened.

No lockers opened or closed. No showers started on their own. No shadows appeared and moved on their own. Great. Connor thinks I’m a scared little kid… They cleaned the locker rooms in silence. In a way, Liam appreciated Connor offering his quiet support. But he was also incredibly embarrassed by his own fear.

When they finished, Liam was all too happy to leave the lockers behind and follow Connor back to the front desk area.

“Still up for those drinks? I’m pretty sure the Cloak and Dagger isn’t haunted either.” Connor laughed.

Liam’s face went red. “Shut up! I know I saw something! Why would I make that stuff up? Clearly you aren’t scared. It’s a pretty poor prank on my end!”

Connor scrunched his face up in thought. “Hmm… I think you just wanted to spend some more time with me. I’m flattered, but really, you coulda just asked.” He flashed Liam a bright smile, but the model wasn’t in the mood.

Liam was insistent. “I swear there was someone in that locker room. I’d bet good money on that!”

Connor nodded, and his face softened. “Ok, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be mean. Truce?” Liam nodded. “So… drinks?”

“Yeah, I’m still down for that.” Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “But first… do you think we could talk?”

Connor straightened. “Uh, sure. What’s on your mind?”

Liam took a deep breath. “Well it’s just that…”

RIIIIIINNNNG! The phone in the office screamed, interrupting what was going to be his heartfelt confession.

“Hold that thought!” Connor said as he raced into the office to answer the phone.

“That’s fine.” Liam mumbled to himself. “Not trying to bare my soul or anything.”

A sudden knock on the door diverted Liam’s attention. What the fuck is going on tonight? Liam was prepared to ignore the person at the door, but the knocking continued every few seconds. The person outside was persistent.

Even Connor took notice. The redhead poked his head out of the office. “Hey Liam, could you tell whoever that is to fuck off? Gym’s been closed for almost an hour! I’ll just be another minute!”

Liam looked over at the wall clock and saw that Connor was indeed correct. It was almost 11:30pm. Who is trying to exercise this late at night?

Liam walked over to the door, but didn’t open it immediately. Thankfully the knocking had stopped. Liam tried to discreetly lift one of the blinds to see who was there. The man, at least Liam guessed it was a man based on the build, was standing at the door with his back to the gym. He was dressed in all black, with dark jeans and jacket. He looked like he was wearing a black knit hat, the kind you wear when it is cold and snowy outside, which was odd because it wasn’t cold enough for that kind of attire.

Liam groaned and opened the door. “Hey, I’m sorry, but the gym is closed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

The guy didn’t turn around, but nodded. “S’okay. I know you’re closed.”

Liam was about to respond, when he felt a presence behind him. Two dark, shadowy arms wrapped around him, enveloping him and pressing him against what felt like a mass of solid rock.

The man at the door turned around, and Liam saw that he was wearing a ski mask. All he could see of the man were his hazel eyes. The man shouldered a gym bag.

Liam needed to warn Connor. He needed to get someone’s attention. He needed to get help. He opened his mouth to scream… or tried to. Whoever was holding him tightly pressed a hand over the model’s lower face, silencing him.

Liam recognized the smell of leather wafting into his nose. The living wall he was pinned against was wearing leather gloves, and Liam saw the figure in the doorway wearing something similar.

“Mmmmmmmmmmfffffffmmm haaaaaammmmmmff!” Liam cried out, most of his valiant attempt to warn the personal trainer muffled by the leather covered palm.

“Now, now, pretty boy. None of that.” the man holding Liam commanded in a hushed voice. The voice was deep and calm, and easily a foot higher than Liam’s head. Whoever was keeping Liam prisoner was a hulk of a man. The massive arms wrapped around the model confirmed his theory. Not even Connor was that bulky.

The other man, the one standing at the door, was closer to Liam in size and build, but that wasn’t much comfort at the moment. The giant shadow pulled Liam back into the gym lobby, followed by the smaller man, who quickly closed and locked the door.

One arm let go of Liam and he immediately began struggling against his captor. He had to get free. He had to try.

“I wouldn’t do that pretty boy.” the hulk man whispered. In his now free hand, he held up a switch blade so Liam could see it. “Wouldn’t want to mess up that beautiful face.”

Liam felt the sharp blade press against his neck, and instantly went rigid. He stopped struggling entirely. This was a far cry from Peter holding Liam in a similar manner a few weeks back. Liam was in real danger here. And Connor… Connor! Liam couldn’t warn him! What did these two guys want anyway? Liam was afraid he was going to find out the hard way.

[Volobond]

Ahhhhh! My sweet Liam, already captured! I can't wait to see what's going to happen and I hope it ends up with Connor and Liam having a first date tied together!

And oh, goodness the "white woman in a horror movie" line! So true!

[KidnappedCowboy]

“Now, now, pretty boy. None of that.”

Omigod, [mention]gag1195[/mention], I almost blew my... Well, I'll leave that to your imagination!

You built this chapter up to a crescendo of suspense and terror with the dripping of the shower, the shadow behind the lockers, the slamming of the locker, and the ringing of the phone. All along Liam is getting increasingly frightened, while Connor brushes it off as an attempt by Liam to get into his gym shorts! And then this climax...

Can Liam warn Connor in time to save him?

Or is Connor in on this?

[AbductedAddiction]

Fuck. This is AMAZING.

@Pup Wingletang @AbductedAddiction thanks for the comments guys! Glad you're liking the story so far!

Here's the next part everyone! Things are starting to pick up! And I promise, bondage is coming soon! Hope you all enjoy!

Part 3: Alone?

Liam pushed open the door to the men’s locker room, figuring that this would be the least appealing part of his task. If he could quickly suffer through cleaning this locker room, the others had to be easier. At worst, the other locker rooms couldn’t be any worse.

The door closed behind Liam, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d spent the better part of a few hours with his incredibly attractive, dream inducing crush. Their conversations had been good, great even, but everything had been frustrating. Was Connor flirting? Did he feel the same way? Was him calling drinks later a ‘date’ an indication of romantic interest, or just using the common phrase?

Liam walked over to the row of sinks and the large mirror on the wall. “I’m overthinking this, aren’t I?” He asked his reflection. Then he stood there, staring, desperately hoping for an answer. But of course, no answer would come.

He turned on the sink, letting the cold water rush through his fingers. He splashed some of the refreshing water onto his face. He slapped his cheeks a few times, trying to chase the uncertainty away.

He turned off the faucet and turned his attention to the task at hand… cleaning the locker room… which was not as disgusting as Liam anticipated. It wasn’t clean by any means, but given it was a men’s gym locker room, the mind paints certain pictures.

As Liam expected, more than enough of the towels had been used and discarded on the floor, on the benches, on the countertop, and ironically, in a pile underneath a poster reminding guests to place towels in the available laundry bins.

“Come on guys!” Liam complained. “This is just being childish.”

He reached down to start cleaning up the pile of old towels, but paused. A persistent drip… drip… drip echoed through the locker room. Had Liam left the sink on by mistake? He looked back to see that no, the sink was off. The dripping was coming from around the corner, from the row of showers.

Liam was about to return to picking up towels, making a mental note to make sure the showers were turned all the way off, when the dripping sound grew louder. Grew stronger. Grew faster. No longer was the shower aimlessly dripping, it was completely on, it’s cascade of water crashing against the tiled floor.

Liam froze. The shower definitely wasn’t on when he came in. I thought Connor and I were the only ones in the gym…

Against his better judgement, Liam called out to the mystery bather. “Hel-Hello?” he waited. No response. “Hello?” He called again, louder. Still no response. “I’m sorry, but the gym is closed! You’re gonna have to finish that shower quickly… okay?”

And still, no answer from the person in the shower. Liam set the towel he was holding back onto the pile, and started towards the shower stalls. I’m a white woman in a horror movie. This is how people die. He tried to call out again, but his voice wavered. “S-s-sir? You need to leave! S-s-sorry!”

He stepped closer and closer to the sound of the water. “I’m really sorry…” Liam said as he slowly pulled the curtain aside.

Empty. The stall was empty. Not a soul was there, just the shower head spraying down, nearly hitting Liam’s well worn tennis shoes. “What the...?” He reached in, leaning awkwardly against the side of the stall to avoid being completely soaked. Even still, his right arm was still drenched in cold water before he managed to turn it off.

Liam sighed, bemoaning his own cowardice at the “haunted shower” he was playing up in his mind. That is, until Liam stepped away from the stall and caught the glimpse of a shadow moving around the corner, disappearing further into the locker room.

He froze. He definitely saw someone… something move. “...Connor?” Liam optimistically called out. He desperately hoped it was the personal trainer checking up on him. But why wouldn’t he announce himself in some way? Again, no response. Whatever this shadow was, it wasn’t in the mood to talk.

Shit. shit. Shit. Liam didn’t dare move from his spot. Between him and the door was a mysterious shade. I need to make a break for it. I can’t just stand here all night. Nothing is there. I’m imagining things. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. There was no shadow creature. He was being ridiculous. He was just nervous about Connor and his feelings.

There was no shadow creature. There was no shadow creature. Liam repeated that mantra as he walked away from the row of showers. He had a job to do. He needed to clean up these stupid towels. He needed to impress Connor. He needed to work up the nerves to talk honestly about his feelings. He needed to…

BANG!

Liam stopped dead in his tracks as the sound of a locker slamming resounded throughout the space. He definitely didn’t imagine that. He couldn’t explain that away. He wasn’t alone in this locker room. And he didn’t want to stay to find out who or what his company was.

He sprinted for the door. Adrenaline pulsed through him, his vision hyperfocusing on the door to the rest of the gym. He didn’t want to look for the shadow, he didn’t want to see it. Liam wasn’t ashamed to admit that in that moment, he was scared. He burst through the door, and made a beeline for Connor.

-----

Connor had joked about Liam being a scaredy cat, but still agreed to join Liam in cleaning out the Locker room. He saw that whatever had happened in the lockers clearly affected the smaller man. Liam was breathing more easily now. And of course, when Connor entered, nothing ominous or mysterious happened.

No lockers opened or closed. No showers started on their own. No shadows appeared and moved on their own. Great. Connor thinks I’m a scared little kid… They cleaned the locker rooms in silence. In a way, Liam appreciated Connor offering his quiet support. But he was also incredibly embarrassed by his own fear.

When they finished, Liam was all too happy to leave the lockers behind and follow Connor back to the front desk area.

“Still up for those drinks? I’m pretty sure the Cloak and Dagger isn’t haunted either.” Connor laughed.

Liam’s face went red. “Shut up! I know I saw something! Why would I make that stuff up? Clearly you aren’t scared. It’s a pretty poor prank on my end!”

Connor scrunched his face up in thought. “Hmm… I think you just wanted to spend some more time with me. I’m flattered, but really, you coulda just asked.” He flashed Liam a bright smile, but the model wasn’t in the mood.

Liam was insistent. “I swear there was someone in that locker room. I’d bet good money on that!”

Connor nodded, and his face softened. “Ok, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be mean. Truce?” Liam nodded. “So… drinks?”

“Yeah, I’m still down for that.” Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “But first… do you think we could talk?”

Connor straightened. “Uh, sure. What’s on your mind?”

Liam took a deep breath. “Well it’s just that…”

RIIIIIINNNNG! The phone in the office screamed, interrupting what was going to be his heartfelt confession.

“Hold that thought!” Connor said as he raced into the office to answer the phone.

“That’s fine.” Liam mumbled to himself. “Not trying to bare my soul or anything.”

A sudden knock on the door diverted Liam’s attention. What the fuck is going on tonight? Liam was prepared to ignore the person at the door, but the knocking continued every few seconds. The person outside was persistent.

Even Connor took notice. The redhead poked his head out of the office. “Hey Liam, could you tell whoever that is to fuck off? Gym’s been closed for almost an hour! I’ll just be another minute!”

Liam looked over at the wall clock and saw that Connor was indeed correct. It was almost 11:30pm. Who is trying to exercise this late at night?

Liam walked over to the door, but didn’t open it immediately. Thankfully the knocking had stopped. Liam tried to discreetly lift one of the blinds to see who was there. The man, at least Liam guessed it was a man based on the build, was standing at the door with his back to the gym. He was dressed in all black, with dark jeans and jacket. He looked like he was wearing a black knit hat, the kind you wear when it is cold and snowy outside, which was odd because it wasn’t cold enough for that kind of attire.

Liam groaned and opened the door. “Hey, I’m sorry, but the gym is closed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

The guy didn’t turn around, but nodded. “S’okay. I know you’re closed.”

Liam was about to respond, when he felt a presence behind him. Two dark, shadowy arms wrapped around him, enveloping him and pressing him against what felt like a mass of solid rock.

The man at the door turned around, and Liam saw that he was wearing a ski mask. All he could see of the man were his hazel eyes. The man shouldered a gym bag.

Liam needed to warn Connor. He needed to get someone’s attention. He needed to get help. He opened his mouth to scream… or tried to. Whoever was holding him tightly pressed a hand over the model’s lower face, silencing him.

Liam recognized the smell of leather wafting into his nose. The living wall he was pinned against was wearing leather gloves, and Liam saw the figure in the doorway wearing something similar.

“Mmmmmmmmmmfffffffmmm haaaaaammmmmmff!” Liam cried out, most of his valiant attempt to warn the personal trainer muffled by the leather covered palm.

“Now, now, pretty boy. None of that.” the man holding Liam commanded in a hushed voice. The voice was deep and calm, and easily a foot higher than Liam’s head. Whoever was keeping Liam prisoner was a hulk of a man. The massive arms wrapped around the model confirmed his theory. Not even Connor was that bulky.

The other man, the one standing at the door, was closer to Liam in size and build, but that wasn’t much comfort at the moment. The giant shadow pulled Liam back into the gym lobby, followed by the smaller man, who quickly closed and locked the door.

One arm let go of Liam and he immediately began struggling against his captor. He had to get free. He had to try.

“I wouldn’t do that pretty boy.” the hulk man whispered. In his now free hand, he held up a switch blade so Liam could see it. “Wouldn’t want to mess up that beautiful face.”

Liam felt the sharp blade press against his neck, and instantly went rigid. He stopped struggling entirely. This was a far cry from Peter holding Liam in a similar manner a few weeks back. Liam was in real danger here. And Connor… Connor! Liam couldn’t warn him! What did these two guys want anyway? Liam was afraid he was going to find out the hard way.

[gag1195]

@Volobond I'm sure Liam and Connor would have appreciated a regular date first before getting into the bondage stuff, but alas, the decision was made for them! And yes, I really enjoyed writing that line!

@KidnappedCowboy Thank you! Happy to see the suspense worked! And is Connor involved? Who knows?

@AbductedAddiction Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for the comments you guys! Even though it seems that interest in this story has waned, I shall press on! With the upcoming holiday, I should have some more free time! Expect the next part sometime in the next day or two!