Hungry for Gains - 4. Fanning Flames

The Forge pulsed with a primal energy. The clang of weights created a savage rhythm, in sync with the bass from the loudspeakers. The air was thick with the tang of iron and sweat, clinging to the skin like a lover’s embrace.

Lucas strode through the entrance, his movements fluid yet powerful, a predator in his natural habitat. His tank top was plastered to his torso, every muscle exaggerated under the harsh gym lights. Veins snaked across his forearms, prominent like rivers carving through a landscape. He sensed the eyes of others drawn to him, their admiration palpable, a sensation that was becoming increasingly familiar and intoxicating.

Heads turned his way, conversations faltered, and weights paused mid-rep. Even the most seasoned lifters stole glances, drawn to the primal magnetism that Lucas exuded. A treadmill runner stumbled, catching himself awkwardly, unable to tear his gaze away from the spectacle that was Lucas. Lucas smirked, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. He knew what he was doing, and he reveled in the power he held over others.

Yeah, here comes the Alpha, bitches. Lucas smirked.

As he passed the mirrors, he felt others’ gazes trailing him like invisible hands, caressing his shoulders, his chest. They weren’t just looking—they were craving, and he drank it in like a drug. He caught sight of a guy at the dumbbell rack turning his head, nostrils flaring slightly before quickly looking away, unable to handle the heat. Lucas chuckled inwardly. This was fun.

The locker room hit Lucas with a wave of damp heat, carrying the sour tang of old sweat and faint hints of body wash. The metallic clink of lockers echoed against the tiled walls, accompanied by the sporadic hiss of showers.

His friend and workout buddy Jake sat on a bench, wrapping his wrists with methodical precision. He glanced up as Lucas entered, his grin widening, until a new hunger showed in his eyes, a need, something raw and unspoken. Lucas saw it, felt the power he held over Jake.

“Thought you’d be late, you lazy slacker,” Jake teased, but his voice was tighter than usual, a subtle betrayal of his emotions.

Lucas yanked off his hoodie, revealing his slick chest still gleaming slightly from the baby oil session. The fabric peeled away with a faint rasp, and Lucas couldn’t help but admire the ripple of his muscles, knowing the effect it had on Jake.

“Late? Not a chance,” Lucas said, smirking as he flexed his neck absentmindedly. Power coursed through him, he had control over the situation.

Jake’s gaze lingered on Lucas' chest, his fingers fumbling with the strap. The air between them seemed to thicken, the faint musk of Lucas' exertion mingling with Jake’s nervous energy. There was a tension there, a palpable need that Jake couldn’t hide, and Lucas knew he could manipulate it, draw Jake in further.

Lucas chuckled, experiencing a surge of satisfaction. “Let’s kill it today.” He slapped Jake on the shoulder, feeling the slight flinch beneath his hand, the tremor of restrained desire. He knew he would use this, bend Jake to his will, push him further.

***

The barbell clanged against the rack as Lucas finished another set, his muscles burning with the satisfying ache of exertion. His breath came in controlled bursts, and he grabbed his water bottle, the faint taste of metal lingering on his lips from the cap. He was pushing harder, needing the burn, the pain, anything to feed the growing hunger inside him, the desire for more power, more control.

Jake stood nearby, his eyes fixed on Lucas. “You’re unstoppable,” he said, his voice dripping with a mix of awe and something else, a darker need that sent a thrill down Lucas' spine. Lucas saw the admiration in Jake’s eyes, the desire to please him, to be close to him.

“Just doing what I do,” Lucas replied, shrugging as he toweled off. His biceps bulged with the motion, the veins throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He loved this feeling, the power, the control, the addiction to his own strength and the admiration of others.

“You’ve also killed it today, Jake. Awesome, bro.”

Lucas’ words barely registered. Jake already was too exhausted, but he needed to keep on pushing, giving it his all. He needed to please Lucas, wanted to be like him, with him.

In a daze, Jake stepped closer, placing a hand on Lucas' shoulder. The contact lingered, the heat of Jake’s palm seeping through Lucas' sweat-dampened skin, sending a jolt of electricity through him. “Seriously, man. Your symmetry… it’s like you’re carved out of stone.”

Lucas chuckled, a nervous edge creeping into his voice. “Thanks, I guess.” But he wouldn’t deny himself the thrill that Jake’s touch sent through him, the way it fed his growing need to being wanted, to being in control.

“You’ve got some kind of magic going on,” Jake muttered. “I mean… it’s unreal.”

Lucas laughed awkwardly, shifting away. “Hard work, bro. That’s all.” But he knew it was more than that. It was the program, the power it gave him, the control it allowed him to exert over others.

***

The locker room hung in a humid haze, steam rolling from the far end where showers ran in steady streams. Lucas peeled his tank top off in one smooth motion. The fabric clung to his chest, reluctant to let go of the slick, sweat-soaked surface of his skin. He tossed it into his bag and flexed absently, his reflection catching his eye. His shoulders and chest looked incredible under the fluorescent lights, every vein and striation defined. He admired himself, the power, the perfection, the control he held over his own body and the admiration of others.

Stepping in front of the mirror, he flexed.

Behind him, Jake lingered, adjusting his towel with hands that fumbled more than they should have . Lucas didn’t need to look to know Jake was watching; he sensed it, like a warm breeze against his back, feeding the hunger inside him, the desire for more power, more control.

“So, you just gonna stare all day, or feel that pump, man?” Lucas said, his voice light and teasing. He smirked at Jake through the mirror, catching the way Jake’s face flushed, the raw need in his eyes. He knew he could manipulate this, draw Jake in further, bend him to his will. Such fun.

Jake stammered, looking down at his feet. “I wasn’t… I mean…”

“Relax, man,” Lucas interrupted, turning to face him fully. He reached into his bag, pulling out a fresh towel and slinging it over his shoulder. “You’ve been checking me out all day. It’s fine. I get it.” Not only did he see the rising panic, but also the desire in Jake’s eyes.

“I would so do myself.” Lucas laughed, a deep, rumbly sound that send shockwaves through Jake.

Jake’s eyes snapped up, wide with both shock and embarrassment. “I—I wasn’t—”

Lucas raised a hand, cutting him off again. “Just joking, dude, it’s cool. But let’s be real—you’re a sweaty mess, and I’m worse. We both need a shower.” He let the corner of his mouth curl into a half-smile, his tone turning just mischievous enough to make Jake squirm, feeding the addiction to being wanted, to being in control. “Hell, if you’re dying to get a feel, you can wash my back or something.”

Jake froze, blinking as though he couldn’t process the words. Lucas chuckled and gestured toward the showers. “Come on, man. What are you waiting for?”

Jake followed, his movements almost robotic, as if his body had decided for him. The sound of water pounding on tiles grew louder as they entered the shower area, the steam wrapping around them like a damp veil. Lucas stepped under one of the streams, the hot water hitting his skin and running down his chest in rivulets, each drop tracing the lines of his perfect body, each one a testament to his power, his control.

Jake hesitated at first, standing just outside the spray, but Lucas tilted his head back and let out a low groan of satisfaction. “Damn, that’s good. You coming, or what? I’m serious.”

The words snapped Jake into motion. He grabbed the soap from a nearby ledge and lathered his hands before stepping closer.

Jake’s hands touched Lucas' back, tentative at first. The slickness of the soap made the contact glide easily, and Jake’s fingers pressed against the hard ridges of muscle with growing confidence, tracing the lines of Lucas' body, feeding the hunger inside him, the need for more power, more control.

“You’ve got knots here,” Jake said, his voice low and almost reverent, his fingers working the muscles with a desperate need, a need to please Lucas, to be close to him.

Lucas chuckled, his deep voice vibrating under Jake’s hands. “Yeah? Guess that’s what happens when you destroy PRs every day. Keep going.”

When the water stopped, Jake continued working his hands over Lucas' shoulders, the lather spreading in thick suds. The sharp herbal scent of the soap mixed with the musky warmth of Lucas' skin, the warm, lingering steam amplifying every note in the air. Jake’s fingers dipped lower, tracing the curve of Lucas' lats and moving toward his obliques, each touch sending a spark of desire through Lucas, each one a testament to his power, his control.

“You’re seriously like a sculpture, man,” Jake murmured, his voice thick with need, a need to be close to Lucas, to please him.

“Thanks, bro,” Lucas replied, his tone nonchalant, but he heard Jake’s breathing quicken, the shallow puffs warming the back of his neck, feeding the addiction to being wanted, to being in control.

Jake’s hands slid over Lucas' chest now, his fingers spreading across the massive expanse of muscle, tracing the lines of his body. Lucas let him linger, closing his eyes as Jake explored every line and curve, each touch feeding the hunger inside him, the need for more power, more control. His hands dipped lower, brushing the ridges of Lucas' abs before skimming his hips, sending a jolt of electricity through Lucas.

“Careful,” Lucas muttered, a smirk pulling at his lips. “You’re getting carried away.” But he didn’t stop him, the addiction to being wanted, to being in control, too strong.

Jake didn’t respond. He stepped closer instead, his body now inches from Lucas’s. The water mixed with soap, dripping between them, and then Jake pressed himself against Lucas' back, his arousal hard and insistent.

Jake’s arms snaked around Lucas, one hand sliding down to grip Lucas' shaft, which had betrayed him by growing hard under Jake’s touch, feeding the addiction to being wanted, to being in control. Jake’s other hand pressed against Lucas' chest, pulling their bodies together, the heat of Jake’s body seeping into Lucas’s.

“Jake,” Lucas said, his voice low and warning, though there was a strange undercurrent to it—a mixture of surprise, frustration, and the dark hunger that he couldn’t deny, the need to be wanted.

“I can’t stop,” Jake whispered, his shaft pressing hard against Lucas’ ass checks, his voice trembling with both fear and desire. “You’re… perfect.”

The contact was electric, the slickness of the soap making everything seamless. Jake’s hand left Lucas’ shaft and grabbed his hip. His breath hitched, his head dropped between Lucas’ massive shoulder and without warning he erupted all over Lucas’ perfect, sculpted behind.

***

“Lucas!” The sharp voice cut through the haze like a blade.

Lucas' head snapped up. Jake jumped back as if burned and quickly covered his cum-dripping erection with his hands. Ethan stood at the edge of the showers, his presence crackling with authority. The steam coiled around him like a second skin, and his eyes burned with a mix of anger and something more calculating, a dark hunger that Lucas recognized.

“Ethan, I—” Lucas started, but Ethan held up a hand.

“We need to talk. Now,” Ethan said, his voice firm, a command that Lucas couldn’t resist. “Jake, good job today. See you tomorrow. Now leave.“

Jake grabbed his towel and fled the showers.

The tension between Ethan and Lucas was palpable. Lucas’ mind was a storm of confusion, anger and the growing thrill of the program, the power it gave him, to the control it allowed him to exert over others.

“Rough day, stud?” Ethan’s voice drifted toward him, smooth and calm, a predator toying with its prey.

Lucas turned to see Ethan leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, the faintest smirk playing on his lips.

Lucas scowled. “You have no idea.”

“Oh, I think I do,” Ethan said, his voice as soft as a whisper but cutting through the air like a blade. “Jake’s not gonna be the only one, you know? You’ve noticed the way they all look at you.”

Lucas froze, his breath catching, the addiction to the program growing stronger, the need for more power, more control coursing through his veins. “What are you talking about?”

Ethan stepped closer, his scent faint but intoxicating, feeding the hunger inside Lucas. “You, Lucas. You’re giving off too much energy—too much testosterone, too many pheromones. You’re irresistible now and you like it. They can’t help themselves. They just want to submit, worship you, give you pleasure.”

“That’s insane,” Lucas snapped, his voice cracking slightly, afraid of where this was going.

“Is it?” Ethan asked, his smirk widening. “You’ve become physically better than them in zero time. You’ve outgrown them. You’re toying with them. You’re out of control. I’m pulling you off the program.”

Lucas' eyes widened, a surge of panic coursing through him. But before he could respond, Ethan turned and walked away, leaving Lucas standing there helpless.

Lucas couldn’t see Ethan’s evil grin. Instead, he felt Jake’s cum dribbling down his thighs.