m/m Deano, Again: A Muscle University Story (Deano Story 3)

[muscleaddict]

On 1/1/2022 at 7:57 AM, Ozymandias said:

What makes this, and similar stories, so engaging is the realism of its depiction of the emotional and psychological foibles of being human. 

I’m sure we have all made similar mistakes to Deano here, being a twat to someone we care about because of insecurities, misinterpretations and pride; I certainly have. I think it’s what you do after - whether you admit you messed up etc. - that defines you more.

I also believe, and this is likewise reinforced by experience, that you know, deep down, pretty quickly whether you have a special connection with someone or not. You can have chemistry with someone, sure, but there’s not something in the very sinews of your being. 

Thanks for this comment, matie. This is what I try to do with all of my stories - depict realistic characters who are complicated and complex and have baggage and insecurities like all of us do and don't always necessarily do the right thing. Relationships and affairs of the heart are fucking messy. 

[DennisFLL]

2 hours ago, muscleaddict said:

 

I know Boca Raton. Woody's parents have a holiday home there. 

Hey, MU bodybuilders may even be descending here soon in MA's upcoming stories!  Sebastian Street Beach in  Fort Lauderdale or the Wilton Manors bars will never look better! 

[S01]

10 hours ago, muscleaddict said:

 

I know Boca Raton. Woody's parents have a holiday home there. 

Why if that isn't the story we have been waiting for "The two week orgy: A rather randy Muscle University Story"

BTW had to laugh so hard when I read this, made my day! 

[muscleaddict]

Okay, here it is - the final chapter and it's quite lengthy. I thought about splitting it out into two smaller chapters but I think it works better as one big chapter! 

 

Twenty Seven

“What the bloody hell do YOU look like?” my dad barks as I walk into the living room on the morning of Mum’s wedding. 

My brother, Josh lets out a loud, twattish laugh in response. He looks RIDICULOUSLY good in his suit. I don’t look good. I look like a fucking twat. The jacket’s too long in the sleeves for a start.

“Ignore him, Deano!” Terry says. “You look very handsome.”

“When’s your next eye appointment?” my dad says.

“The shirt’s really tight around the neck,” I groan, tugging on the collar of my white shirt and sitting down on the sofa. The same sofa me and Adam Lloyd were sitting on when we kissed two weeks ago.

“Well, you can undo the top button as soon as the ceremony's over. Are you gonna be moaning all bloody day?”

I roll my eyes and get my phone out. I thought I’d be dreading today. But I’m actually kind of glad my mum’s getting married. Because at least it gives me a distraction from thinking about everything that’s been going on lately. From replaying the last conversation I had with Seth "Ozzie" Osman in his dorm room over and over again in my head.

It’s been a week since that's happened. A week since he found out that me and Adam Lloyd had sex. And then accused me of liking him, but not being able to admit it. I keep picturing Ozzie's face. That hurt look in his eyes when he found out. I keep wondering what I could have done differently. What I could have said to make the whole thing better. 

I haven’t heard from him. No texts. Nothing. Not that I was expecting anything.

“Oh, I told Fran I’d get a picture of the three of you,” Terry says.

Oh for fuck’s sake.

Dad groans loudly. “Oi!” he then barks. I know he’s talking to me, but I just ignore him, my head buried in my phone. “Twat face. Get up!”

I sigh loudly and stand up. Terry’s in front of us directing my dad to stand in the middle of me and Josh.

“And no bloody getting pissed and showing us up today, either!”

Terry bites her lip and gives me a knowing smile.

“It’s a wedding!” I protest. 

“Yes - but you don’t have to get into one of your usual bloody states. I don’t wanna have to stop the car so you can throw up behind a black bin again.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

“That was ONE time!”

Terry directs us to smile and takes a few pics. When she's done, she hands her phone to my dad.

“Bloody hell, Josh," Dad says, looking at the pictures. "You could’ve bent down.”

Dad hands me Terry’s phone. Fucking hell. I look so bronzed compared to Josh and Dad. I kinda love it.

“I’ve often wondered whether he’s mine," my dad says. "I swear your mum had a bloody affair.”

Josh scoffs. “I wish!”

Dad picks up a letter from the coffee table and whacks Josh around the head with it. “OW!” Josh cries, rubbing his head. Then he looks at me and we exchange smiles. Out of nowhere, I suddenly feel this overwhelming warmth. For my brother. And for my dad. And at just being here. It feels like a bit of a moment.

“Right - are you two bloody dickheads ready? Let’s go and watch your mum get married to the most boring man on the planet.”

Some of the looks I get from the wedding guests are hilarious. I guess it’s not every day that you see a short, wide junior bodybuilder bulging underneath a suit. The fact that I’m still bronzed from the end of term bodybuilding show isn’t exactly helping. Josh is getting a few looks too. That pretty much happens wherever we go, though. 

The one thing I really didn’t expect though was how emotional watching my mum get married would make me feel. I have no fucking idea if Josh or Dad felt anything similar, but I almost felt myself choking up at one point. I don’t really know what happened. Maybe it’s just a thing you feel when you watch someone you love getting married.

Later on, we’re in the hotel bar. More people have started arriving. Including Terry’s son, Archie, who gives me a sort of prolonged part scared part in awe look. Nice to see my effect on him hasn’t changed since the Christmas holidays. And that the competition tan is doing its trick. 

The funny thing is - the blonde guy he’s with seems kind of effeminate. And now I’m suddenly wondering - is Archie gay? I mean, he could be. That would probably explain the looks he gives me. I’m not exactly about to ask my dad or brother though. Huh. So I could potentially end up having a gay step-brother? Why does that thought seem oddly comforting? 

Josh has gone to get drinks and seems to be on some kind of mission to get pissed. Apparently, his mate, Smithy, is coming down in a bit. Fucking great! For some reason, I don’t feel like getting pissed. I so easily could, but I just have this feeling that it would be a mistake. That I’d end up thinking too much about things. And potentially start leaving certain people drunken text messages.

Mum comes over with a tight-lipped smile and sits next to me. “It’s a LONG day isn’t it?”

“Mmmm,” I say, scrunching my nose up. “A bit!”

“You seen much of Nick and Tony since you've been back?” 

I tell her the three of us went bowling last week. And that Tony’s even apparently seeing someone. This girl he met at work. Mum seems just as surprised as I was when he told me.

There’s a pause. We’re both looking out at the scene before us. Josh is at the bar towering over everyone else. As absurdly good looking and larger than life as ever. Gary, who I guess is now my step-dad, is talking to my nan, who looked at my tan earlier and asked me if I’d been on holiday. Possibly gay Archie is talking to his also possibly gay friend slash boyfriend. And Dad is talking to Terry. I feel this unexpected warmth when I look at the two of them together. Something I definitely didn’t expect to feel back in the Christmas holidays. But I’m kind of glad my dad has met someone.

“Your friend was nice,” my mum says.

I feel my whole body tense up. She’s talking about Adam Lloyd. I cautiously look over at her. She’s got this look on her face. Like she KNOWS. Fucking hell.

“Seems a bit young to be a teacher.”

“Ummm … well, he’s just a teaching assistant,” I tell her, my voice sounding weird. “He only graduated last year.”

“Well, that makes a bit more sense.”

That’s a weird thing to say. Did she think I was lying to her about who Adam really was or something?

“Kent's not too far away, either. You seeing him over the Easter break?”

I look at my mum again. What the fuck is going on here?

“Ummm. Yeah, actually. He’s coming down on Monday.”

“That’ll be nice!” she says, looking at me with this warm, genuine smile. And I know for sure that she knows. That my mum bloody knows. Fuuuck. And not only that - but she's okay with it. My chest is swelling up. 

“You know me and your dad just want you to be happy, don’t you?”

I feel a sting in the back of my eyes. But before I have a chance to reply, Josh comes back over with our drinks and the moment's gone. 

When it’s about half-past ten and I’ve had enough of a drunk Josh and obnoxious-as-ever Smithy, I ask my dad if I’m okay to head home. I honestly can not fucking wait to get out of this stretched shirt and tight suit trousers. The jacket and tie came off hours ago. 

Dad says if I hold fire for a bit he’ll give me a lift, but I insist on walking back. But when I’m outside the hotel, I don’t head in the direction of home. I walk the other way. Towards the lights of the pier. And all those pubs and clubs I never used to go to.

I feel a mix of excitement and nerves as I approach the doors of a familiar noisy pub with a big rainbow flag outside. And then I spot him. Harry the Bouncer. Looking just as sexy as I remember. With his big bald head and sexy smouldering looks, bulging underneath his shiny blue bouncer jacket.

“Bloody hell!” he cries when he sees me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes!” His eyes are bulging. He’s got this excited smile on his face. I feel this warmth go through me. It’s so fucking nice to see him. Even though things didn’t exactly work out well for us.

“All right?” I ask him.

“I am now! Bit overdressed aren’t you?”

“Ummm … my mum got married today. Well … RE-married!”

He lets two lads go into the pub, one of them giving me a prolonged look as he passes me. 

“Still turning heads, I see,” Harry teases. “I should probably let you go in.”

I frown and shake my head. “Erm, I don't wanna go in. I just … came to see you,” I say, suddenly feeling sheepish. Harry’s mouth curls into a big handsome grin and I feel myself melting.

He tells me he’s due a break and we cross the road towards the pier. We end up on the same bench we were sitting on together on New Year’s Eve. Was that really just four months ago? It feels like so much has happened since then.

“Did you win your competition?" Harry asks. I look at him confused. Wait - how does he know about the end of term bodybuilding show?

“The tan’s a bit of a giveaway!” he says, giving me a cheeky smirk.

I tell Harry about the show at uni. And about going to Chicago and guest posing at the McCarthy Classic last month. 

“How’s your love life?”

My chest tightens sharply. I bite my lip and give Harry a look.

“Oh shit!” he says, his mouth curling into a smirk. “You been breaking some poor lad's heart again?”

I roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth and look out to the sea. He might not be wrong.

“I’ve … kinda met someone,” I confess.

“Who is the little bastard?” Harry teases. That makes me smile.

I clear my throat. “Someone at uni.”

“Annnd …,” Harry says, trying to spur me on to spill more information.

“He’s … nice. REALLY nice, actually. He’s a bodybuilder.”

“Obviously!” Harry teases, with a grin. 

“Ummm. He’s … pretty good looking!”

Harry gives me a knowing smirk and rolls his eyes.

“He’s got, like, really big ears!”

Harry laughs. “Okay?! Is that a thing for you? Guys with big ears?”

I let out a little laugh. “No. They’re just … REALLY big! But yeah - we’ve just, sort of been hanging out a bit. And then … something happened the other week.”

I tell Harry about my dad’s heart attack and how Adam drove me all the way down from Scotland to Brighton. And how he’s coming down to visit on Monday.

“Wow! He drove you all that way? He must really like you, Deano.”

I roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth and nod. Then I look out to the sea again.

Harry sighs. “Come on then,” he says. Then he nudges my shoulder with this and gives me a knowing look. “What’s the problem?”

Fuck. I don’t respond. 

“Are you still hung up on that other guy? The one you bumped into on Boxing Day?”

I frown and shake my head.

“Nah. But there’s ... this other guy.”

“Bloody hell! You HAVE had a busy term! Let me guess … a bodybuilder?”

I screw my face up. “Obviously!” I say, smirking.

“Pretty good looking?”

I nod.

“Average sized ears?”

I smile and nod. “And a mohawk!”

“Wow. You don’t see many of those anymore. So it’s Mr Big Ears versus Mr Mohawk?”

I smirk and shake my head. “Thing is … the mohawk guy annoyed the FUCK out of me when I first met him. We didn’t get on. At all! But then, I dunno … we started hanging out. And I started finding out all this stuff about him. And … I don’t know what happened.”

“And the guy with the big ears?”

“Mmmm. We’ve ALWAYS got on. Like, I pretty much liked him from the start.”

Harry nods. “So you’ve got TWO hot bodybuilders who are madly in love with you and both want to marry you tomorrow?”

I roll my eyes and smirk.

“Oh, Deano!” Harry cries, dramatically.

I stare out to the sea. My stomach twists. “But … what if I get together with one of them and then I mess it up?” I say, not looking at Harry. “What if it all goes wrong?”

And what if he breaks my heart like Ryan North PT did?

I cautiously look at Harry. “Well, it COULD go wrong. But … that’s life, Deano. Just … try not to kiss another guy when you’re on a date with him.”

I roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth.

“There is ANOTHER option, you know!”

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

“Forget about the two hot bodybuilders and come home with me?” Harry says, his mouth curling into a sexy smirk. I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. He pushes his leg against mine. Fuck. I feel myself swelling. Even after all this time. 

I could so easily go back to Harry’s. Have hot sex with him. Forget about Adam Lloyd. And Seth “Ozzie” Osman. Or maybe sleeping with Harry would just make things even more messy and complicated than they are already fucking are.

I look back at Harry. He’s giving me a tight-lipped smile. “I better get back to work!”

When we're both stood up, Harry wraps his arms around my waist and brings me into a hug. “I guess I’ll see you in the summer. With your hot bodybuilder boyfriend!”

My stomach clenches and I roll my eyes. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Ear size to be confirmed!”

When I’m standing on the concourse of Brighton train station two days later, waiting for Adam Lloyd’s train to come in, my stomach is in knots. This is ridiculous. Why do I feel so nervous? It’s just Adam. We’ve spent months training together. Occasionally hanging out. Oh - and two weeks ago we had sex in my fucking bed. 

As soon as I see him striding towards me though, looking like an absolute tank (as always) in a bright red tight-fitted t-shirt with his big jug ears and handsome grin, the nerves subside.

“When did you get a new hoodie?” he asks, looking at the Montgomery University imprint on my chest.

“Erm. The other week,” I reply, not looking at him, as we walk out of the station side by side. He’s getting so many looks. I’m not sure if he’s even aware of that. It doesn’t seem like he is. Just like he doesn’t seem to know how good looking he is. I like that about Adam. I always have done.

It’s nice being with him away from university. But I can’t help feeling that there’s this slight awkwardness between us. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. Things just don’t feel as relaxed as they usually do. I get the impression that Adam can sense it too. Even though he hasn’t said anything. Even though we’re talking as we normally do as we walk through town. About university. About the bodybuilding gym he goes to in Sandwich. And about my mum’s wedding. 

“I always forget there’s no actual sand on Brighton Beach,” Adam says as we sit down on the pebbles after buying ice creams on the pier. It’s so busy, but then it is Easter Monday.

“Are you alright, D?” he says to me.

I feel a knot in my stomach. I look over at him. “Yeah!”

Adam nods and bites his lip. “You seem a bit … distracted? Maybe I’m reading too much into things?”

I bite my lip and turn to face the sea. I feel a tightness in my chest.

“You know you can talk to me, D.”

I look at Adam. That kind, handsome face. And those ears. God, those ears.

It's weird because I feel like I CAN talk to Adam.

“I kinda feel like I need to tell you something.”

Fuck. Am I actually doing this?

“So … before that weekend you drove me to Brighton. And we … you know …,”

Adam gives me a coy little smile. 

“I kind of … had a thing. With someone. At uni!” I tell him, my insides tightening.

Adam’s eyes widen in surprise. Then something flickers in his expression. I can tell he's disappointed. “Oh right!”

“We weren’t, like, together. It was more just, like, messing around?” I say, looking away.

My stomach clenches. Why do I suddenly feel like I'm betraying Ozzie?

“Wow! With someone at Montgomery?”

I bite my lip and nod as I cautiously look back at Adam.

“Wow! I wasn't expecting this. Are you still ... you know ...," he asks. He seems to be taking this news pretty well.

"No. Well ... not since that weekend."

"And it's just like a casual thing?”

Fuck. I don't know what to say to that. I roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth, feeling awkward.

Adam's face drops. “That’s a no.”

My chest tightens. “I thought it was? But … now I don’t know,” I say, squeezing my fists in the front pocket of my new Ozzie bought hoodie. I can't believe how honest I'm being with Adam. It feels right though. For once, it actually feels like I'm doing the right thing.

Adam brings his ice cream to his lips, his eyebrows furrowing. I have no idea what's going through his head right now.

“Sorry. I feel like a dick!”

Adam looks at me, frowning. Then his expression softens. “Deano - you’re not a dick! I mean … yeah, I like you. I've already told you that. But … we’ve only been together, like, once.”

Wow. This is such a sharp contrast to how Ozzie reacted when he found out about me and Adam. And then Adam says something which completely surprises me.

"I've completely ballsed this up haven't I?"

I frown at him in confusion. He's got this look on his face. Like he's annoyed with himself.

He shrugs at me. "I've liked you for months. And I didn't do anything about it!"

I suddenly have the urge to smile. I bite my lip to stop myself. Adam looks so vulnerable. Weirdly, he's also never looked more attractive. 

"Mmmm. Well, you ARE sort of my teacher?" I reason.

Adam pulls a face. "True! The way I acted over the whole Facebook thing didn't really do me any favours, did it?"

I give him an awkward half-smile and chew on my lip. I turn away from Adam, looking out to the sea again.

“I think you've got some stuff to figure out, D.”

When I say bye to Adam Lloyd at the train station a little later on, I feel surprisingly relieved that the whole thing is over. And now I'm walking along the seafront. Passed the lamp posts and railings painted green. My hands buried into the front pocket of my bright blue brand new Montgomery University hoodie. I kind of love this hoodie. 

Adam was so fucking calm and mature about the whole Ozzie thing. I kind of don't wanna think about that right now though. I wish I could just switch off my thoughts for the rest of the Easter break. Not think about Adam Lloyd. Or Seth "Ozzie" Osman.

But when I wake up early the next morning, lying in bed in the bedroom I grew up in, my mind seems preoccupied with thoughts of Ozzie. And no matter how much I try to shut them off and go back to sleep, I just can't.

I’m thinking about the Chicago trip for the McCarthy Classic. How he annoyed the hell out of me for those first few days. Accusing me of being “the same” as him. How he said we were both misunderstood. How he seemed intent on winding me the fuck up. And yet - even then, he was under my skin. I was attracted to him. I mean, I got a fucking hard on every time I saw him topless. Or even just thought about his physique. 

And I’m thinking about when he kissed me for the first time in that hotel room on the night of the show. How it felt to have him pressed up against me. And that first time we had sex. How mind-blowingly fucking horny and amazing it was. The chemistry between us. And how it just felt so right. Me and Seth “Ozzie” Osman.

I’m thinking about being in his dorm room. Lying next to him on his bed. Just being with him. And I’m thinking about when we took me to Manchester. How he held my hand in that pub. How I didn’t want him to let it go.

And I’m thinking about the last time I saw him. How bothered he was that I’d slept with Adam. That look on his face. And how he accused me of having feelings for him. But being too scared to admit it. And now my insides are twisting. Because he was right. Ozzie was so fucking right. I don't really know how or when it happened, but I DO like him. I do have feelings for him. Of course I do.

But what if it all goes tits up? What if I get it all wrong? What if I fuck things up? That’s if I haven’t fucked things up already. Shit. A bolt of panic surges through me. Because what if I HAVE fucked it up already? What if Ozzie won’t forgive me? What if he’s already wiped his hands of me? Written me off as someone fucked up who he’s better off without? 

I pick up my phone and go to our conversation in the text app. The last message is from me, telling him I’d see him at the end of term bodybuilding show. That was almost two weeks ago. Nothing since then. If I text him now, what the hell would I say? How can I tell him everything that’s going on in my head over a single text message? And would he even reply? What if I pour my heart out to him in a text and I don’t get anything back? 

I go to his Instagram profile. He hasn’t posted anything for weeks. My chest tightens when I see the picture of him with Ally from the weekend we went to Manchester, her profile handle now removed. Because I’m suddenly right back there. Holding Ozzie's hand in that bar.  

I scroll down his profile, past the pics of him at the McCarthy Classic, including the one of him with Tommy Foster. I click on a picture of him with his dad at the gym. I’ve seen this picture before. It’s probably one of my favourite shots of him. They’ve got their arms around each other. Both smiling into the camera. I click on the location. Osman’s Gym. It brings up a little map.

Something rises in my chest. This sort of surge of adrenaline and nerves. Because I’m suddenly having an idea. This fucking CRAZY idea. No. I can’t. It’s mad. Absolutely fucking bonkers. It’s, like, something fucking Ozzie would probably do. 

And with that thought, I’m suddenly smiling to myself. Because it probably IS what Ozzie would do. And that’s what makes me decide that I’m going to fucking do it. Even though it’s crazy. And bonkers. And could potentially backfire. But I’m going to do it. I’m going to go to Cardiff to see Seth “Ozzie” Osman. And I’m going to tell him exactly how I fucking feel.

A few hours later I’m sitting on a train in my new blue Montgomery University hoodie travelling from London to Cardiff. I’m going to fucking Cardiff! I haven’t told anyone I’m doing this. Dad was at the gym when I left. I’ll text him later and make something up. Ozzie’s dad’s gym is about a half-hour walk from the station. It looks like it’s near Cardiff Bay. I have no idea if he’ll actually be there. But I know there’s a good chance he will be.

I don’t know how he’s going to react when I suddenly show up out of the blue though. I think back to the McCarthy Classic when he joked about turning up at my dad's gym unannounced in the Easter holidays. I didn’t for one second imagine that it would be me doing that to him instead. I’m nervous. I don’t know what’s about to happen. But there’s this adrenaline coursing through me. There’s something keeping me going.

But by the time I actually get to Cardiff and I’m getting off the train and I’m in this strange city that I’ve never been to before, the nerves suddenly override that adrenaline. And I start to have these doubts. That I’m doing something stupid. Something completely reckless. That this whole thing isn’t going to go the way I think it will. That me turning up to Ozzie’s dad’s gym uninvited isn’t going to be something Ozzie will welcome. That I’m actually about to make one monumentally huge mistake.

But something still keeps me going. Keeps me walking towards the most hardcore bodybuilding in Cardiff. I’ve come this far. It would be pointless to back out now.

The gym is nothing like I imagined. It’s tucked away down a little side street amongst loads of restaurants and bars. There’s a big beefy bald dude with a holdall over his shoulder just ahead of me walking towards the entrance. The words "OSMAN'S GYM" above the door in the same font as the writing on the cap and t-shirt Ozzie wears at uni with absolute zero shame and embarrassment.

The bald dude double-takes when he turns around and spots me. Maybe he recognises me from Instagram or something. I guess I should probably start getting used to that. There’s a sort of look of respect in his eyes. He nods at me and holds the door open for me. And now I'm inside. I’m in Ozzie’s dad's gym. Oh God. What’s his dad gonna think? Someone from uni just randomly turning up uninvited to see his son? Is that not weird? Even a bit suspicious?

There’s another bald meathead on reception. I guess this is the gym's equivalent to Big Steve. I can see stairs leading downstairs, giving the impression that the gym is like some kind of dungeon full of muscle freaks and hardcore bodybuilders.

“All right?” the beast says to me. He’s definitely not as friendly as Big Steve. He’s got this slight look of confusion on his face. Fuck. Was coming here a mistake? 

“All right. Is, erm … Ozzie working? Do you know?”

My stomach is churning.

“Mini Ozzie, you mean?” he says, still looking confused, his eyes going down to my hoodie. 

Mini Ozzie. I feel a flutter in my chest. Do people call Ozzie’s dad the same nickname? Ozzie and Mini Ozzie. Deano and Mini Deano. Jesus. It’s like I've stepped into some kind of parallel universe. Where Deano’s Gym has been re-named Osman’s Gym and everyone’s talking in Welsh accents.

“He was here earlier,” he says, looking suspicious as hell. Maybe I should’ve taken the hoodie off before coming in. 

“Left about half an hour ago.”

Fuck. My heart sinks.

“Dunno if he’ll be back,” he says, still glaring at me. Great! That’s not helpful in the slightest.

I nod, feeling deflated and not knowing what the hell I'm supposed to do now as the big bald scary fucker carries on looking at me with that baffled expression on his face. Just before I turn and head out the way I came.

This wave of disappointment goes through me as I walk down the side alley back towards the main street with all of the restaurants and bars. I didn’t really think about what I’d do if Ozzie wasn’t at the gym. 

I stop before I get to the main street and get my phone out. I guess the logical thing would be to drop him a text. To let him know I’m here. And prepare for whatever the hell reply I get back. OR ... I could just leave. Head back to the train station and catch the first train back to London. No one needs to know I was here. No one needs to know I did this stupid, crazy, reckless thing. I’m biting my lip as I stare at the text conversation with Ozzie on my phone. Wondering what the hell to do next when ... 

“Little Dude?!”

My heart leaps into my throat when I hear that voice. I look up. And there he is. Standing right in front of me in his black tight fitted Osman’s Gym t-shirt. His huge arms bulging out. His skin still bronzed from the end of term bodybuilding show. Streaks of blue still in his flat, neatly styled mohawk from when he dyed it for the show.

He looks so surprised. For once, I think Seth "Ozzie" Osman might actually be speechless.

“What are you …,” he doesn’t even finish his sentence. He’s just staring at me, looking baffled. But I can see the corner of his mouth curling into a little smile. Like he’s pleased to see me. Or maybe even impressed that I’ve done this crazy, spontaneous thing by turning up at his dad’s gym out of the blue. 

“All right?” I say, biting his lip. My insides going crazy.

He furrows his eyebrows. “What's going on, Deano?”

I swallow hard. “I was bored at home,” I say casually with a shrug. “Thought I’d just get on a train.”

Ozzie raises an eyebrow and bites his lip. I can see him trying to cover his smile. 

“Can we, like, go somewhere?” I ask, suddenly feeling nervous. He doesn’t respond. For a moment I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Or what he’s about to say. And then Ozzie nods and cocks his head back to the main high street.

We end up on a beach, sitting side by side, looking out to the sea. There’s a big Ferris wheel not too far away. And some fairground rides behind us. This place is kind of awesome.

“I was with Adam yesterday.”

Ozzie’s got this weird expression on his face. He's looking straight ahead. “Good for Adam,” he says, flatly, still not looking at me. 

Great. I’ve pissed him off already. I shake my head and look out to the sea. I swallow hard. 

“Adam Lloyd doesn’t do dinosaur impressions.”

I can see Ozzie turn to look at me from the corner of my eye, but I don’t look back. I carry on looking out to the sea.

“And he doesn’t … change the words to songs so they’re about me. And then sing them at me. In public. In front of ACTUAL people.”

I turn to look at Ozzie. His too big eyes looking back at me. He’s gently biting his lip. I can tell he wants to smile.

“And he doesn’t … make up stupid nicknames for me.”

The corner of Ozzie’s mouth curls into a smile. “To be fair, I do that for everyone.”

I pull a face. “This is true!”

Ozzie’s smile grows bigger. I’m now I’m smiling back. His too big eyes and cute bad boy face right there. I don’t think I’ve ever been more attracted to him.

I look away from him and swallow. “What you said after the bodybuilding show,” I say, my stomach suddenly twisting. “About … you know. Me and you.”

Being more than just messing around. About me liking him. I can’t seem to say the words. Or look Ozzie in the eye. 

“You were right.” 

I finally look at him. “The thing is, Ozzie. I’m crap. At this!”

His eyebrows furrow slightly.

“The whole guy thing. I fuck things up. And … I get things wrong.”

Ozzie bites his lip. A little smile is hidden underneath. “You know ... I don’t really know what I’m doing either, Little Dude,” he says gently. “I’ve never had a boyfriend. I mean … I’ve only ever liked TWO lads.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek and nod.

“You’re the second guy, by the way!”

My mouth curls into a smile. Maybe Ozzie’s scared of getting hurt just as much as I am?

“But … THIS works,” he says with conviction. “Me and you.”

My chest starts to swell. I nod at him. Because he's right. It DOES work. Ozzie is the one I want to be with. I think I’ve known that for a while.

“Do you know what I keep thinking about?” I say.

He looks at me confused. 

“Manchester. Being in that pub. Holding your hand.”

Ozzie’s mouth curls into this dreamy smirk.

“I find myself thinking about that. Like, a lot. And … I sometimes kinda wish I was back there.”

Still smiling, Ozzie bites his lip gently. Then he wraps two of his fingers around mine. Fuck. It’s like an electric bolt goes through me. Just from that little bit of body contact. Ridiculous. But that’s what Ozzie does to me. 

I look behind me. There aren’t many people around.

“I kinda wanna kiss you,” I confess. 

Ozzie grins. Without even looking around, he bravely brings his lips to mine and kisses me. Fuck. I love kissing Ozzie. So fucking much. 

And then I feel a sharp panic when someone shouts, “Oi, oi!” in the distance. We pull away from each other and turn around to see a group of girls laughing amongst each other as they walk away. Me and Ozzie look at each other and start grinning. God, I love that face.

“I can’t believe you came to Cardiff! You DO know you’re gonna have to come and meet my dad now, right?”

I playfully screw my face up. “Mmmm. You’re not meeting mine though!” I say defiantly.

Ozzie’s mouth opens. “Why not?!” he cries.

I give him a wide-eyed look. “Mind you - he knows who you are already! From the McCarthy Classic live stream? He asked me who the noisy twat with the mohawk was.”

Ozzie throws his head back and laughs.

“I’ll win him over,” he says with a mischievous smirk.

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Good luck with that!” 

“So … did Big Ears keep his socks on?”

I smirk and roll my eyes.

“He wore gloves, didn’t he? To wank you off?”

I roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth and shake my head. “Shut up!”

He grins at me, biting his lip. And now he’s looking at me with those too big eyes. We’re smiling at each other. Me and Seth “Ozzie” Osman. Who I guess is now my boyfriend? And who I might end up fucking things up with. And with whom things might go disastrously wrong. Like they always seem to do. And who'll probably end up breaking my heart. Or, who knows, maybe I’ll break his?

Right now I don’t want to think about that. Right now, I just want to sit here on this beach with him and squeeze his hand, not caring who might be around to see us. Right now I just want to bring my lips to Seth “Ozzie” Osman's and kiss him again. And again. And again.

Right now I can’t seem to stop. 

THE END

[Maxum]

Thank you. Loved it.

[Ro20316]

35 minutes ago, muscleaddict said:

And with that thought, I’m suddenly smiling to myself. Because it probably IS what Ozzie would do. And that’s what makes me decide that I’m going to fucking do it. Even though it’s crazy. And bonkers. And could potentially backfire. But I’m going to do it. I’m going to go to Cardiff to see Seth “Ozzie” Osman. And I’m going to tell him exactly how I fucking feel

the romcom feels intensifies*

 

42 minutes ago, muscleaddict said:

Right now I don’t want to think about that. Right now, I just want to sit here on this beach with him and squeeze his hand, not caring who might be around to see us. Right now I just want to bring my lips to Seth “Ozzie” Osman's and kiss him again. And again. And again.

What i love about this story is the Growth of the character.

Deano has matured and has become  a great man. It doesnt mean he wont make mistakes but he will make them and think about them and learned from them.

It's tiem fopr him to have a chance at life, at love at screwing up and keep growing and Ozzie will be there to grow alongside him.

Ozzie hasnt had it easy eitehr, he got some bad experience when he came out and that made him shield himself from others and adopt that goofy persona and now he will explore what it's like to be with someone for real.

 

They will laugh and cry togetehr and whatever future holds for them. Im happy they found each other.

 

The Uni setting is so interesting cause tehre is so many kind of people you can writte abou. Im interest to know if you ever thought writting about someone that does CAM shows. I just see this scenario where a muscle guy from uni (either student or teacher) gets to be a different persona online and he likes it. 

[Mickeypuk]

Absolutely amazing.

the writing is at the right pace and everyone has been in Deanos place 

can’t wait for next term or the next story

 

[DarkLord]

Great ending)) The whole story is amazing. several months worried about Deano and all the other characters in MU. I am very glad that Deano chose Ozzy as, in my opinion, the best guy. I feel that the era after this story is almost over, ha-ha)) I hope we will see more than one story with other characters, and just like with this story, we will wait with bated breath for a new chapter. Thank you for your great and incredible work, muscleaddict. I wish you further creative and life success))

[Guest]

Another great story M.A. A rollercoaster of emotions interspersed with a usual sharp wit. Thank you.

[Bjort]

Hot DAMN! Hot damn…