Chapter Eleven

Trent

I tried not to fidget seeing Charlie pick up the dark blue electric guitar from the stand in the corner. I was waiting for a moment like this—for Charlie to share his songs with me. After all, we’ve already done naked, the act of him baring his soul in the form of music and lyrics, was the most precious. Gone was my concern over my cum leaking through the slit in the cage, I was fully focused on the new gift Charlie had chosen to give me.

He turned on the amplifier and dragged the cable with him so sit in front of me on a chair.

Meeting my gaze, he offered me a small smile. “I wrote this one three years ago. It’s called Me, Myself, and the World .” He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Okay then.”

He strummed the guitar, then his left hand moved through some chords. It was all sorcery to me and sounded great. But I knew nothing.

Until he started to sing. Then I understood I would never grasp the magic that was Charlie.

“I’m just a human,

Wanting to be me

But you don’t like that,

Forcing me to flee.”

Charlie closed his eyes and his pure voice carrying those words sent goosebumps through me.

“Your goal is to change me

Or erase my existence.

Because I don’t fit

In your ideal system.”

Then the music slowed, and the pain tinged with fury in his voice reached my heart.

“Let me be myself,

Like I know I deserve,

Just leave me be

So I can find my way.”

Then he sped up, the notes angrier in tone.

“I want to live

So let me

I don’t want to die

So you can’t make me.”

By the time he sang the second verse and chorus again, I was crying. The words hit hard, so had the anguish in Charlie’s voice, and it all turned me into a sniffling mess.

I could never know what Charlie had gone through, but the lyrics resonated with me on a deep level. The feeling of being misunderstood. Hearing I was too much and too talkative my entire childhood was a burden I carried with me every day. When I was young, I was too fat. Then after I went to the gym, I was stupid and vain. Since I could remember, I’d wanted to be like my brother, calm, collected, and with perfect grades. But I had never been any of those things. Only after moving further from home am I seeing who I truly am.

“Thank you.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

“Oh, Cupcake.” Charlie set the guitar aside and straddled my lap to hug me.

I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck.

“Was it that bad?” he asked, mirth in his voice.

“It was beautiful. Thank you for playing it to me.” I sniffled, inhaling the earthy scent of his cologne. It was light, like grass after rain, reminding me of our time sitting in the tent in the backyard when it was pouring. He had understood me then, accepted the chubby kid who could never get an A on any test, but talked a mile-a-minute about a random NBA game.

He pulled away and held my face in his hands. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, the lyrics touched me on a deep level. I know you probably sing about different struggles, but your words hit me.”

“That’s what music is made for. If it resonates with you, then the meaning is as you interpreted it. It’s a bit shit that it’s true for so many people, though.” He released a dry laugh. “I wish life would be a bit easier. But my journey made me who I am.” He swiped the tears off my face with his thumbs.

“And now you’re helping me figure out who’s this big lump of a dumb gym bunny.”

“Hey, hey, no talking smack about yourself. You’re not dumb.” He kissed my nose. “Bunny? I haven’t seen you with white ears and a tail, but I can arrange that.” He smirked, adding new ideas to my imaginary chest of new kinks.

“Shithead.”

“I love—teasing you.” Charlie ran a hand up my chest, making my heart thud beneath it.

I touched his nose with mine. “For you, I’d consider wearing a tail.”

“The one I have in mind wouldn’t be a Halloween costume.”

“Well, I’m open to experimenting. If you take this off first.” I thrust my hips up, poking his ass with my trapped cock.

Charlie ground his ass on me and took my lips in a slow kiss.

I melted. Stroking my hands over his back, my heart beat fast. Feelings bubbled into the surface but as much as I was ready to let it all out, I’d learned that was not a good idea.

I’d been stupid enough to say the big words first and every time it had only led to an awkward conversation and, soon after, a breakup. “Too fast” and “needy” had been the most used adjectives.

All I wanted was Charlie, however I could get him. It would break me if he told me we couldn’t be together, but I’d survive and fight for our friendship. For now, I’d leave my rose-colored glasses on and let him hold my heart in his skilled hands until he decided to give it back.

We remained lip-locked until I was breathless and my cock hurt, trying to get hard in the confines of the chastity device.

I broke the kiss. “You’ll make me come even in the cage if we continue.”

“Oh, it’s my fault?” Charlie moved back on my lap, then stroked my upper thighs.

“Yup.”

“I love how insatiable you are and not afraid to show it. Are you always that horny?”

“Well, yes and no.” I reached for my dick, needing the relief, but Charlie caught my hand. “Being around you intensifies it. But I could deal with excess horniness if I could burn some energy at the gym. I still haven’t found one close that wouldn’t reek of toxic behavior and offensive commentary. And I know I don’t have a leg to stand on, being a white cis male, but it just pisses me off.”

“Yeah, you’re exactly that, but you’re not an asshole.” Charlie sat up straighter. “Why don’t you open your own gym? You know so much about workout and diets.”

“That’s insane. I—” I was about to say I knew nothing about running a gym, but that wasn’t true. The look Charlie was giving me was full of encouragement. “Do you think I could?”

“Yes,” He said without an ounce of doubt. “I’m a nobody dreaming of playing my own music for a living. Would opening a gym be your dream?”

Goosebumps broke on my skin. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Charlie took my hands and intertwined our fingers, his positivity and belief in me, filling me with courage to even consider what we were talking about. “Tell me, what would be your ideal gym?”

I didn’t have to think about it. The image was clear in my head. “It would be in a neighborhood where people of all genders and orientations would be safe walking to and from the place. The vibe would be friendly and free of judgment. Strict policy of no hate. And… the towels would be hot pink—”

“—So no one would steal them,” we said in unison and burst out laughing.

“Well, I’d absolutely love to go to a gym like that. And so would Trixie, and probably two dozen of our friends.” Charlie stroked my shoulders, and I felt his excitement in the touch, mirroring mine. “How’d you feel about running it?”

“I’ve worked in gyms since I was a teenager because I wanted a discount on membership to lose weight. Which in my case resulted in turning the fat into muscles. I have a decent grasp of how the booking system works, the maintenance, and equipment, that kind of stuff.” As I was saying it out loud for the first time, it hit me that the idea made sense.

“That’s fantastic! And you’ll know who to hire too, since you’re familiar with exercise plans too.” Charlie’s genuine smile told me he believed in my dream more than I’d ever had. He believed in me more than anyone else in my life.

“Oh yeah. I’ve been a trainer on and off, but I only did a course on muscles and diet. I don’t have a degree or anything.” School had never been my strong suit, and I’d never lied to myself about it. But Charlie had been an A student even when we were kids, and now had his own column at a newspaper. If he said I could open a gym, then maybe it was possible.

“Okay. I’m looking for buts, but are there any? How about funds?” Charlie stroked my shoulders.

“You found a but .” I snorted. “I have a healthy sum set aside for a new start here, but it would maybe cover the solicitor and rent for a place for the first month, but not renovations. And that’s where the big money goes.”

“Shit. Maybe we could organize a fundraiser?”

I shook my head. “Nah. It sounds like asking for money from people who don’t owe me shit. I’m not even from here.”

“I’ll figure something out. But I believe you can do anything you set your mind on, Cupcake.” Charlie kissed my nose, grinding on me, a sly smirk on his face.

I groaned and grabbed him by the hips. “Oh yeah? Today I set my mind on giving myself to you to play with. I’m so strung right now.”

“I know of a massage that would help you with that.” Charlie waggled his eyebrows. “It relieves tension too.”

“Tension in my dick?”

“Yup.” He hopped off me and crooked a finger.

I was on my feet and following him to the bedroom in a flash. Fuck. I was so whipped and I loved it.