Chapter 1 - A Craving Stirs
It had all started on his 20
th
birthday, Julian woke up and felt...different. The alarm clock blared at him as he sat up groggily, slapping the OFF button before standing to stretch.
Julian lumbered over to the closet to get dressed and glanced at himself in the mirror. As he examined himself in the soft morning light, a strange sense of vanity surfaced. His skin looked smoother, his cheekbones a bit sharper. His messy brown hair fell perfectly without effort, framing his face in a way that drew you to his eyes.
His eyes, usually soft and understated, glinted with a flicker of mischief, that hadn't been there before. His lips--full and slightly parted--looked inviting, almost seductive, and a strange confidence crept over him, as if seeing himself for the first time.
"You're beautiful",
whispered the voice in his mind, a quiet hum that reverberated in his head "
Why not show it?"
He ran his fingers down his chest, his slender frame had always felt awkward, too delicate. He had always wished he was more muscular like other guys, but today... today, he felt sweet, irresistible, like he was meant to be noticed.
"Pick something cute... something that shows a little more."
His hand reached into his closet, brushing past the bulky sweaters and baggy jeans he usually wore, and stopped at a short, fitted t-shirt he'd once bought on impulse but never actually worn.
He slipped it on, feeling the fabric cling to him, highlighting his narrow waist and drawing attention to his slight, lithe frame. The shirt barely skimmed his belt line, revealing a thin strip of his toned stomach.
An urge took hold of him as he reached for clothes that would accentuate... well, everything. He rifled through his closet, pulling out a pair of snug jeans he usually kept for parties. They hugged his hips and sat low, framing his ass and making it full and perky.
He turned in front of the mirror, admiring how the outfit made him look...
slutty.
It was a word he'd never associated with himself before, but somehow, he liked it. He felt cute, but in a daring way, like a signal echoed out from him for others to latch onto.
"Yes, That's better."
**
Julian stepped outside and made his way to the bus stop. The sun was barely up, casting long shadows onto the road while the soft glow of streetlights fell overtop him.
He could feel the chill of the morning air against the bare skin above his waistband, where his t-shirt just barely met his jeans. As he walked, he began to notice more than just the sounds of cars rushing past and the faint chatter of early commuters.
He could sense the attention drawn to him, subtle but undeniable.
A couple standing by a cafe, barely awake with coffee cups in hand, exchanged a look as Julian passed. The man's eyes drifted, lingering on Julian's silhouette, while the woman whispered something that made them both smirk.
At the bus stop, he joined a small cluster of people waiting silently in drab spring jackets and faded clothes. As he approached, he could feel eyes moving over him, some quick and bashful, others more blatant. A pair of college-aged girls whispered, nudging each other, one of them raising an eyebrow as her gaze swept over him. Further down the stop, a man in a crisp suit looked over his shoulder, his gaze flickering from Julian's face down to the curve of his hips and back up again, his jaw tightening subtly as he adjusted his collar and shifted uncomfortably.
"They're noticing you,
" the voice purred, curling around his thoughts.
"Isn't it thrilling, to be seen?"
As the bus pulled to a halt with a hiss of brakes, Julian stepped into the cramped interior, the noise of chattering commuters filled the space, mingling with the screech of metal against metal as the doors swung shut behind him.
Julian made his way further down the aisle, brushing against a couple of passengers who grumbled under their breath as he squeezed past. As Julian settled into a spot near the back of the crowded bus, he became acutely aware of the bodies surrounding him. The bus jolted forward, staggering the people around, Julian included. As he found his balance, he felt the presence of someone behind him.
Just as he was about to dismiss it he felt them press against his hips, glancing over his shoulder he noted the suited man from earlier standing there, tall and broad-shouldered.
The bus swayed again, and he found himself inadvertently leaning back, giving the man an opportunity to press closer. It was a small movement, almost instinctual, and the man stepped closer in response.
With each bump of the bus, the stranger's body shifted slightly, brushing against Julian's lower back and sending shivers down his spine. It was subtle--almost innocent--but deliberate.
"You want this, Let him feel you."
Around them, the bus was filled with commuters, mostly wrapped up in their own worlds. However, he caught glimpses of curious eyes from a few passengers, noting how he allowed the man to rub against him gently. He felt exposed, a chill raced through him at being the center of attention, yet he didn't want to pull away.
They continued like that for a while until the bus began to slow and a familiar stop approached, the announcement echoing through the cramped interior. The bus lurched to a halt, jolting him back to reality. He could feel the man's body retreat slightly, as if reluctant to break their moment of contact.
Julian turned his head, catching a glimpse of the stranger's face--sharp features, dark eyes. It was a fleeting moment, but one that would replay throughout the day. The energy between them sparked one last time, and Julian felt a pang of regret as he stepped away.
Pushing through the crowd, Julian exited the bus, the brisk morning air hitting him like a wave. The sun had risen higher, illuminating the street with a brightness so different from the bus he had just left behind. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, the hum he had felt all morning buzzing through his veins.
"Did you see how they looked at you? You were their center of attention. You need more of that."
Julian shook his head as he walked towards his destination, the hardware store where he worked part-time. Despite the chill in the air, he felt a warmth radiating from within, a new kind of confidence that bubbled just under the surface.
The attention followed him like a shadow, shades of curiosity and desire from each person he passed. As he stepped into the hardware store, the scent of fresh paint and wood shavings greeted him, but it felt different today. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to flicker with a new intensity, illuminating the space and highlighting him.
Behind the counter, his coworker, Marcus, glanced up from his phone, eyebrows raising slightly as Julian walked in. "Damn, looking good today, man," Marcus said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. Julian felt a flush creep up his neck, but he held his head high, taking the compliment in stride.
"Thanks," he replied, trying to keep his tone casual, but the heat in his cheeks betrayed him. He wandered deeper into the store, running his fingers over the various tools and gadgets, but his mind drifted back to the bus, to the man who had pressed against him, and the growing bulge in his pants at the memory.
Throughout the morning, the store bustled with customers, and Julian became hyper-aware of the continued glances thrown his way. It made him feel both wanted and vulnerable - what was happening today?
In the aisle dedicated to gardening supplies, a customer--a middle-aged man with rough hands and a weathered face--browsed for potting soil. As Julian passed by, their eyes locked for a heartbeat. The man's gaze flicked down, taking in Julian's fitted shirt and the way his jeans hugged his form. There was something predatory in the way he looked at Julian, a flicker of desire that made Julian's stomach twist.
"Can I help you with anything?" Julian asked, forcing a smile that felt both genuine and hollow.
"Nah, just admiring the view," the man replied, a smirk spreading across his face. Julian's heart raced, caught off guard and unsure how to reply. "You should dress like that more often."
Julian nodded nervously, swallowing hard as the man turned back to the shelves, but the comment lingered in the air, heavy and charged. Who just says that? What's wrong with him?
"They all want you. Don't hide it. Let them see."
By noon, the store was quieter, allowing Julian a moment of respite. He slipped into the break room, the stale air hanging in the room as usual. He leaned against the counter, taking a moment to breathe. The thrill of the morning was still fresh, but now it felt tinged with something darker--an insatiable craving for more.
He pulled out his phone, glancing at his reflection in the screen. The screen reflected a glint in Julian's eyes, one he didn't recognize--a smirk danced on his lips that felt foreign yet intoxicating. It wasn't just him looking back; it was something else, something that thrived on the attention, the looks and the touches.
He stared at his reflection, the confidence flickering like the overhead lights. There was an allure in the way he carried himself now, yet something gnawed at him beneath the surface. The hum of attraction continued, but alongside it, an inkling of guilt whispered in his mind.
"Why hide? They want you, and you want to be wanted."
With a reluctant sigh, Julian pushed off the counter and headed back to the store floor. "I have to be imagining this right?" he thought to himself as he navigated through the aisles. his mind was already drifting away from the store and back toward the memory of the man on the bus, the thrill of their covert dance and of being desired.
As Julian reorganized a shelf of power drills, he felt someone near to his shoulder. Turning, he found Marcus leaning against the counter with an amused smile.
