Skins & Lawyers

1.

Third week of March and he still managed to keep his New Year resolution. Joey was proud of himself. Every Friday, he would go to the local gym for a workout routine. The extra kilos had been worked off and his muscles were building up. Already he had his suits altered to fit his new shape. A few more months and he had to order new suits…

As a local gym, it was small and old school. But it was sufficient. He didn't need high tech equipment with computers and buttons, simple manual adjustments worked just fine. The men and few women were locals too, no big city show-offs or bodybuilders. It was nice, relaxing, and easy.

The showers were just like the rest of the gym; old and simple. The women had a separate locker and shower room, the men shared one large, tiled space with lockers, benches and showers. No privacy. Joey didn't care. By now, his body was worth to be seen.

His muscles relaxed under the warm stream of the shower as he washed his short, dark hair. He had spotted the first gray hairs that morning. They reminded him he wasn't getting any younger. He was thirtyfour, and spending his spare time in a local gym. Perhaps he was wasting his life…

He noticed one particular man joining him in the showers. He saw him every week, but didn't know who he was. In his mind, Joey had named him Triple B. Big, bulky and bald. He too had toned nicely. The large cock made up for the ugly black tattoos. From the corner of his eyes, as he rinsed his hair, he looked at the round butt, the firm thighs, and the gorgeous V-shaped back. He quickly closed his eyes when the man turned. He knew he would erect swiftly, if he looked at the front too long. Already he could feel the sizzle in his balls, and he closed the taps to hurry off.

With the towel tight around his hips to try and hide his aroused state, Joey slipped in flip flops. In this neighborhood, people weren't tolerant towards gays. They had just learned to accept people of other color. Accepting gays or trans people was a bigger adjustment to ask. He should move to a city like London, if he ever wanted to be free. But his work was here, and he could have every Friday off because he was able to work longer at the other days. Commuting would ruin his routine.

Still damp, Joey hurried to dress up in sweatpants and a jersey top. He suddenly felt uneasy, being alone in the showers with Triple B. What if the man had noticed him staring like that? He would get the wrong idea, or even worse, understand what he had been looking at. The outcome would be the same. Joey would find himself beaten up and bleeding in an alley, and he would have a very bad time at work.

He closed the zipper of his bag with a harsh yank and wanted to scurry away.

“Whoah, wait, you forget your phone…”

Oh gods, seriously? Joey jerked around, and saw the bald man holding up what looked suspiciously like his brand new smart phone. “Thanks,” he breathed, unable to come up with something else.

“Why the rush? There's no buss coming here,” Triple B smirked. He handed the phone over. “Careful with that thing. Looks expensive.”

“Yeah. It is. Thanks again. And no, I don't have to catch the bus. I'm…” completely captivated by your looks, he finished in his mind. “...hungry,” he said.

“I have a granola bar if you’re falling over,” the man said. He dropped his towel on the bench, and sat down to dry off with a smaller one. “The name is John, by the way.”

Joey didn't know how to respond or where to look. In the corner of his eyes, he saw how John stopped scrubbing his back, and he realized he should say his own name. “Joe… I'm Joe. Joey, for most.” Like his mother. He didn't know that many people, outside the office.

“Really? I had expected a more exotic name, to tell you the truth… or biblical, I don't know, but not Joe.”

“Joseph,” Joey admitted. Now those marvelous legs were covered with jeans -partially bleached, mimicking camouflage- he could finally look up. Dark brown eyes looked straight back at him.

“Mh. Just John, to be honest.” He pulled a black sweater over his head. The print said Lonsdale. “See you next week then, Joey. Haven't forgotten anything?”

Like your phone number? Joey bit his tongue and shook his head.

“Alright, take care.” John pulled the laces of his Dr. Martens tight, stood up, and grabbed his bag. As he passed by, he grinned and winked. “Be safe, hm?”