Austin waited in an alley near his gym, checking his phone again and squinting into the sunlight. His wide chest rose and fell slowly as he sighed. He glanced down at his watch.
"That's not like her at all," he muttered, rolling his eyes. He was supposed to meet his fiancĂŠeâat least, that's what the text from her number had said.
But instead, two familiar silhouettes approached.
Austin's expression shifted instantly. His jaw tightened, and one brow arched in clear irritation. He leaned back against the brick wall, arms folding loosely across his bare chest, his posture relaxed but unmistakably tense beneath the surface.
"You've gotta be kidding me," he said, voice flat, sharp with annoyance. "This some kind of joke?"
Eli looked uneasy, adjusting his glasses, clearly not built for confrontation. Owen, silent, stood at his side, eyes steady, unreadable.
"She⌠had to cancel last minute," Eli stammered, eyes darting to the ground.
"Oh yeah?" Austin scoffed. "And she sent you two instead? What, you thought this'd be funny? I don't know how you guys faked those texts, but you want to screw around with my schedule like a couple of kids?"
He took a slow step forwardâhis body relaxed, but his voice sharpened. "You realize I don't exactly have time for whatever this is."
Eli opened his mouth, then closed it again. He had no good answer.
Then Owen stepped forward.
"We didn't come to waste your time," Owen said. "We came for you."
Austin's eyes narrowed, his patience cracking at the edges. "You got a death wish, or are you just that weird?"
Thenâwithout warningâOwen raised his hand. Not fast, not hostile. But with purpose. And placed it flat against Austin's chest.
Austin's mouth partedâthen curled in disgust. "The hell do you think you'reâ"
He moved to shove Owen's hand away, but when his fingers touched Owen's arm, they didn't pushâit sank into it. Austin's eyes went wide as the sensation hit him. A split-second of confusion. Then panic.
But Owen was already halfway through the process. His arm slid deeper, like mist slipping through water. Austin staggered back instinctively, but Eli rushed forward, grabbing Austin's armânot out of aggression, but to keep him in place.
"Getâget off me! Are you crazy?!"
Austin's voice cracked with rising disbelief. His breath hitched, and his body shuddered violently. He tried to fight it, but each movement only seemed to welcome Owen in further. Shoulders, chest, spineâfusing slowly, unnaturally. Owen's face briefly pressed into Austin's, then vanished.
Austin's body slumped for half a second, then stood upright againâtoo quickly. It adjusted its footing. Rolled its neck.
Still Austin's faceâbut wrong. The expression behind the eyes wasn't his. The grin that spread wasn't cockyâit was delighted.
The body rubbed a hand over its head, as if grounding itself. Then, hesitating for the briefest moment, it started to speak.
"âŚWow," Owen's voice said through Austin's lips. "I've been waiting way too long to do this."
He looked down at his hands, flexing the thick fingers. Then, slowly, he ran a palm across the broad surface of Austin's chest, tracing one pec with amused curiosity.
"He really is built like a Greek statue," Owen muttered, admiring his reflection in a window.
Eli swallowed hard. "You... you actually did it."
Owen took a breath and tried to move like Austinâshoulders back, chest outâbut there was an awkwardness. His arms felt too heavy, too unfamiliar. He flexed them, testing the strength in each movement. Austin's casual grace was missing; Owen wore the body like an expensive suit a size too big.
Eli blinked. Everything looked rightâAustin's towering figure, his tanned, sculpted torso exposed beneath the open zip hoodie, his confident postureâbut something was off. The soul that had animated that body with such swagger, with that effortless dominance, was gone.
Austin's body jerked slightly, awkward and stiff, as if it were being controlled by someone unfamiliar with its movements. Owen glanced at Eli, an eager, almost nervous excitement twitching in his expression.
"So, how do I look?" he asked, his voice too nasal, too uncertainâa stark contrast to Austin's usual confidence.
Eli winced. "You don't sound like him at all."
"I'm just fine, Eli. Give me a second," Owen muttered. His voice still didn't matchâstill carried his own nervous rhythm, lacking the smooth charisma Austin exuded. Eli crossed his arms, unimpressed.
Owen cleared his throat and tried again, adjusting his tone. "What's the problem, huh?" he said, dropping his voice and trying to inject some bite.
He tugged at the sleeves of the hoodie, then planted a hand firmly on his chest, grounding himself in the new body. He closed his eyes for a second, channeling the imageâAustin's tone, his bite, the amused arrogance he wore like cologne.
"Tch. Waste of my damn time."
The voice was perfectâlow, smooth, dangerously charming. Even Eli's eyes widened.
"That's it," Eli said, surprised despite himself. "That's exactly how he sounds."
Owen smirked with pride, but didn't quite sell Austin's signature attitude. He still moved like a stranger in borrowed skin.
"You've got the body now," Eli said cautiously, "but you're missing the confidence."
Owen's gaze cut to himâsharp, irritated. "I'm doing just fine," he said, forcing himself to walk like Austin, correcting the rhythm of each step. "The possession takes time. I'll get there."
He rolled his neck, pulled the hoodie sleeves again, adjusting the fabric so it sat just right on the massive frame.
"Anyway," he said, voice more steadyâmore Austinâ"let's go inside."
He paused, casting a brief, controlled smirk in Eli's direction.
"I want to see what this body's capable of," he said, his voice tinged with curiosity. "And what these pills will really give me."
Owen stood shirtless in front of the gym mirror, a single pill pinched between his fingers. His reflection was stunningâevery vein and muscle sharply defined under the cold LED lights, just as they had been hours earlier, when Austin had still been himself.
He smirked faintly, rolling the pill between his fingers while watching his reflection. It looked like a fitness supplement, but Owen knew better. This capsule promised full memory integrationâdown to Austin's habits, tics, speech patterns, locker combinations, even passwords.
Eli's voice echoed in his mind: "You sure you're ready?"
"Yeah," Owen murmured. "Once I take the pill, his memories should flood my mind."
He flexed one of Austin's massive biceps slowly, still holding the pill in the other hand. No wonder Austin had such a high opinion of himselfâhe was built like a walking sculpture. Owen tried out Austin's signature cocky smirk in the mirror. It came out wrong. Too forced. Too tense.
He tossed the pill into his mouth.
"This is it," he saidâhis voice now deep, unmistakably confidentâAustin's voice. "Welcome to Austin."
The metallic bitterness hit instantly, and within seconds, a slow surge ignited behind his eyes. His breath caught. His knees bent slightlyânot from weakness, but from the sheer force of the incoming neural flood. Images, names, memories came in waves. Friends. Codes. Muscle memory. How Austin lifted. How he flirted. How he thought.
That bench? First time he benched 365. The corner by the squat rack? Where he kissed Eli's sister, Iris, for the first time. Owen knew it now. Felt it. The gym wasn't just a building anymoreâit was personal.
Then came the micro-details. The way Austin held tension in his jaw when he was lying. The lazy lean of his stance when he was feeling smug. Even the exact rhythm of his laughter. It all clicked into place.
Owen opened his eyes slowly. His breathing felt easier, more automatic. His tongue rested against the roof of his mouth differently. His abs clenched instinctively between each inhale.
This body no longer felt borrowed. It felt like his.
And looking back from the mirror now⌠was Austin. Owen smiled againâthis time, perfectly natural. He flexed his arms and let his shoulders roll into that familiar swagger.
Eli immediately noticed the difference in Owen's behavior and couldn't believe his eyesâthe impact of the pill was staggering.
"Time to let these muscles work," Owen said dryly.
The rush of the pill was like warm static flooding every inch of Owen's brain, unraveling memories with crystal clarity and layering them seamlessly atop his own consciousness. His movements smoothed out as the body remembered what Austin had done a thousand timesâpose, flex, smirk. No hesitation. Just instinct.
Austin's mind was a vault of curated charm. The flirtatious glances he gave Eli's sister. The subtle way he leaned in when talking to herâjust close enough to spark tension, never close enough to commit. How he laughed at her jokes in public, then rolled his eyes the moment she turned her back. How he assessed her familyâespecially Eli.
Weak guy. Soft. Probably smart. Not worth the attention.
Owen didn't just hear the thoughtsâhe felt them, as if they were his own. He saw his real self through Austin's lens now: unimpressive, forgettable. A quiet nerd with an awkward sense of humor and too much intensity. A guy who clung too hard to things that didn't matter. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, he questioned everything he had beenâeverything he thought was important.
But then the sharp confidence of Austin's persona began to take hold again. The weight of self-doubt started to dissipate, replaced by something more familiar, more certain. Owen straightened, inhaling deeply, as the voice of Austin seemed to echo in his mind, pushing him forward with ease.
And there were new memories. Former classmates, professors, gym bros, coworkersâeach memory sharp as glass. Every interaction. What Austin said. What he really wanted to say. The things he never said aloud. Each thought tucked away with ego, precision, and cruel amusement. He could feel them now, not just as fleeting memories, but as part of the foundation of Austin's existenceâstepping stones that built the confidence Owen now wore like a second skin.
Even the gymâthe sanctuary where Austin had built this flawless frameâfelt eternal now. Every rep, every pump, every calculated protein shake. It was muscle memory now, more than knowledge.
Owen felt the subtle shift in his posture as his body adjusted, aligning with that same insufferable arrogance. He wasn't just in Austin's body nowâhe was becoming him. Owen didn't need to think. He simply moved. Walked over to the bench, adjusted the weights like he'd done a hundred times, and began a flawless set of incline presses. Slow. Perfect form. Not a hint of strain.
Eli stood nearby, arms crossed, watching in stunned silence.
"Still watching, huh?" Owen saidâvoice smooth, charismatic, unmistakably Austin. "Knew you were always his biggest fan."
Eli swallowed hard. He said nothing.
OwenâAustin, nowâfinished the set with ease. Then, without breaking eye contact, he slid into another. Slower this time. Controlled. Almost theatrical.
"You don't have to look so surprised, Eli." He smiled. "It's not just the muscles I've got nowâit's the method."
He glanced at the mirror, admiring the definition in his shoulders. "Perfect form isn't about showing offâit's about efficiency. Every movement has to be deliberate. Feel the contraction, control the negative, no ego-lifting."
He adjusted the bench angle slightly before sitting back down. "And rest days? Not lazy days. They're where the real growth happensârecovery, repair, progress. Austin timed everything. Knew when to push, when to hold back."
Owen looked back at Eli, his voice taking on that familiar smugness. "And nutrition? Not just chicken and rice. He tracked macros to the gram. Protein timing, carb cycling, even how much sodium he needed to stay pumped without looking bloated."
Owen took another set, smooth and steady.
Eli's gaze locked on Owenâon the way his muscles shifted under the skin with each perfect rep. There was no awkwardness now, no uncertainty. Like he'd lived in that body his whole life.
A drop of sweat slid down Owen's chest, and Eli's eyes followed it instinctively. His throat bobbed with a shallow swallow. His breathing had changedâslower, heavier.
Owen adjusted the weights, veins tight against his forearms, and moved into the next exercise without hesitation. The flex of his back, the way his shoulders rolled... Then Austin's eyes flicked toward himâcalculated, amused.
"I remember everything he thought about you," he said softly. "Everything he never said out loud."
The words struck harder than any insult.
And yet Eli didn't turn away. Owen could feel it. The tension. The confusion. The attraction. He watched Eli's jaw clench as if trying to keep himself in check.
Austin stretched his arms behind his head, letting the light rake across his sculpted torso. His abs caught the shine like marble. Every pose felt deliberate now. Built to intimidateâand seduce.
Owen looked over at Eli, a mocking smirk curling on his lips. "You're not all bad, Eli," he said, the words dripping with condescension. "I mean, you manage to be around without completely embarrassing yourself."
Austin's mind had always dismissed Eli as beneath him, something to tolerate rather than respect. Austin's real thoughts were more than just dismissive. They were cutting, cold, and homophobic. But Austin's intelligence, knew how to turn that into a smooth, careless insult, the kind that slid off the tongue without a second thought. Every word felt like a jab, dressed in the armor of charm and disinterest.
He glanced at Eli, his smirk widening. "You should feel honored, Eli," Owen said casually, "that you can stare like that without facing any consequences. Lucky for you, I'm in control now."
Then he turned toward the cable machine. Each movement radiated strength, precision, and unapologetic ego.
Owen stood at the cable machine, Austin's thick fingers curling around the bar like they were molded for it. His grip was firm but casual, practiced. He rolled his shoulders back, chest expanding, before starting a set of slow, concentrated cable flys. The motion was artful. Each rep pulled the sculpted muscle into sharp definitionâpecs contracting with powerful grace, abs locking into tight lines. Sweat collected along his collarbones and slid downward in perfect trails. It wasn't just physical. It was performance.
"God, he was so obsessed with this part," Owen murmured, smirking just a little. He met Eli's gaze through the mirror, voice low and biting.
Eli's eyes wouldn'tâcouldn'tâlook away. Every breath Austin's body took made Eli's chest feel tighter. The way his back arched slightly on each rep, the way the sweat gathered and shimmeredâit was too much. Too exact. Too exposed.
He remembered Eli's glances using Austin's memories. The way Eli's eyes lingered just a second too long when Austin's hand would settle on his sister's ass. The guilty little flicks of his gaze across Austin's chest at the beach. The tension in his voice whenever his sister brought up Austin's nameâlike he was swallowing something.
"Careful, Eli," Owen said mid-rep, not even looking this time. His voice was soft now, knowing. Cruel. "You're staring more now than you ever did before."
Eli flinched but didn't deny it.
Another slow rep. Then anotherâgrindingly slow. A grunt escaped from deep in his throat, rough and guttural, filled with effort and knowing theater. Sweat slid down his neck, traced a path across his chest, curved around the ridges of his abs. Deliberate. Calculated. A show for one.
"You used to fantasize about seeing him like this, didn't you? Not just seeing. Hearing him. Watching every pump of his body."
He let the bar fall back into place with a clang that echoed.
Then he turned to face Eli fully. Spread his arms slightly. Chest rising and falling. Breathing hard. Sweat clinging to every cut of muscle.
"I remember even your looks from the past, by the way," Owen said, voice smooth and laced with a biting edge. "How he thought your little stares were striking. Annoying, even." A low chuckle followed as he reached for the dumbbells, the sound almost too casual for the way Eli flinched. "And now I'm hereâgiving you a better show than either of you could've ever imagined."
He began to curl the weightsâslow, precise reps that pulled every line of muscle into focus. The gym lights caught the sheen of sweat trailing down his biceps, veins bulging and pulsing with each motion. Austin's body moved with flawless rhythm, every flex another reminder of the power Owen now wore like a second skin.
Owen glanced at Eli through the mirror and gave a lazy half-smile. Eli stood stiff, frozen in place. His eyes tried to drift elsewhereâbut kept snapping back.
"Don't worry," Owen added, breath light from the exertion. "He liked being watched. Just not by you."
Owen exhaled on the next rep, a quiet, guttural grunt that hit Eli like a slap. His movements were all performance nowâslow, controlled, drenched in tension. Every motion bled confidence.
Eli felt blessed. This wasn't a memory or a fantasy - it was real. The full Austin experience. It was perfect. To be this close to everything he could ever imagine.
The dumbbell hovered mid-rep as his free hand rose slowly to his temple. Fingers pressed inâfirm, groundingâas his eyes darkened. He winced, just slightly, and stood perfectly still. A tremor of breath escaped him. A memory surged.
The scent of Iris when she curled against him in bed, whispering nothing words into his skin. Her laughter as she danced across the tiles barefoot in the morning. The weight of her hand resting on his chest, like he was something fragile and cherished. The way she clung to him, believing she knew the man inside. The way she touched his chest when she thought he was asleep. The things she whispered when no one was around. How she clung to him like a prize she didn't want to lose.
His eyes flutteredâjust for a secondâthen sharpened. He dropped the weight with a quiet clink.
"You know what's funny?" Owen asked, stepping forward, the echo of Austin's swagger leaking into his movements. "Your sister thought she had him figured out. Sweet, loyal, tamed." He laughed under his breath, dry and cutting. "She didn't see half of it."
He paced slowly, like a lion circling something smaller.
"She thought he loved herâand he did. But not the way she believed. She never saw how often his eyes drifted to someone else, how he wondered what it'd be like to give in. Never heard the things he muttered under his breath after she left the room. She didn't even realize he betrayed her a few times. Thought he was just tired, stressed. Oblivious."
Owen paused, eyes gleaming.
"And those family dinners?" he scoffed. "She didn't notice the way he flinched every time your dad started preaching his liberal âwisdom' like it was gospel. Or how your mom practically climbed all over him, smiling too wide, talking too much. It was suffocating."
He paused, gaze piercing. "She didn't realize he couldn't stand you either. Always hanging around, trying to play little brother. It was exhausting."
Owen's hand returned to his temple, tapping it lightly. "She's still in here. So is he. I hear her when I'm not even trying. Feel her touch sometimes when I close my eyes. He loved her. As much as he could. ButâŚ"
He stepped close now. Eli could see the rise and fall of his chest, smell the cologne mixing with sweat.
"âŚthat doesn't change what I am now."
The words hit like stone.
Eli's breath faltered. His legs felt weak, but he didn't move. Couldn't. His heart beat wild against his ribs, and every glance, every flex of muscle, every word from that mouth pulled him deeper into something consuming.
Owen tilted his head and smirkedâand that's when he saw it. The tremble in Eli's breath. The dilation in his pupils. The flush at the base of his neck.
"Well," Owen drawled, wiping sweat from his jaw with a towel, "someone's enjoying this a little too much."
He paused, watching the shift in Eli's expressionâshame and desire knotted together. Then Austin's posture changed. Shoulders rolled back. Chin lifted. A spark of arrogance flared behind his eyes.
When he spoke again, the tone had changed completely.
"Eli," he said, dragging the name out, letting it drip with smug amusement. "Still staring like that? You've always been kinda awkward around me."
Owen's sudden switch to referring to himself as Austin brought Eli's dick to ooze precum.
"You really thought I didn't notice?" he said, voice velvet and venom. "The way your eyes wandered when Iris wasn't looking? How you could barely talk to me without fumbling over your words?"
The man in front of him was Austin nowâcocky, commanding, irresistible. His smile pierced just deep enough to make you question yourself. "She thought you were just shy. But I always knew better. Guess my looks are enough to forget your weird friend Owen." He winked, mischievously.
Eli looked up at him, dazed, his lips slightly parted, the weight of everything crashing down at once.
Austin leaned back against the rack, arms crossing slowly over his chest, every muscle flexing with the pose. "God," he said, almost laughing now, "you should've seen your face when I grunted through that last set. You liked hearing that, didn't you?"
Eli could only offer a soft, trembling breath in response.
Owen stepped forward again, close enough now that Eli could smell the sweat and cologne, see the slow pulse in his neck.
"You want to touch it, don't you?" Owen whispered.
With a final smirk and a wink, Owen brushed past himâhis hand grazing Eli's chest, just enough to leave him shivering.
"I might let you," Owen said over his shoulder, voice low and teasing. "Later. If you're good."
And with that, he vanished into the locker room, towel slung around his neckâleaving Eli standing there: flushed, breathless, and completely undone.
He stood alone, frozen, still replaying what Owen had just revealedâand the way Austin's muscles had tensed and rippled with each perfect motion. The way Owenâhis best friendâhad slipped so naturally into that godlike form, like the body had always been his. It was surreal. Like a fantasy finally coming to life.
The echo of that final grunt still rang in his earsâraw and intoxicating. The air was thick with the sharp, masculine tang of sweat and cologne. Eli's chest rose and fell unevenly, his thoughts spiraling. Heart hammering, he moved without thinking, following the trail of heat and tension down the corridor. He pushed open the locker room doorâ
The reborn Austin caught his reflection and smirkedâfirst at himself, then at Eli through the mirror.
"Oh," he said, voice low and velvet-smooth, "you followed."
He turned slightly, just enough to give Eli a view of his back, muscles shifting with every movement. Then he rolled his shoulders, glanced back over his shoulder, and added, "Couldn't stay away, huh?"
"Isn't that glorious?" Austin taunted, his voice like silk stretched over steel.
And thenâwithout hesitationâhe undressed completely.
Eli's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened. He couldn't look away. He didn't want to. For a single heartbeat, he saw Austin in his full, unapologetic gloryâchiseled, flawless, unreal. He hadn't wanted to look awayâand he didn't. Not untilâ
The locker room door swung open, and two guys walked in, chatting like nothing was happening, like they hadn't just stepped into the middle of something sacred. Eli stiffened, his body locking up like he'd been caught in the middle of a crime. They didn't say anythingâjust paused, glanced at him, puzzled. Confused. Maybe judging. It didn't matter. The moment had shattered.
Austin, completely unfazed, flashed Eli a smug grin before disappearing into the showers, every step confident and unrushedâlike the disruption had never touched him.
Eli stood there, flushed, caught red-handed by reality.
Why did they have to come in now...?
He bolted, nerves tangled in embarrassment, slipping out of the locker room like a ghost.
Now outside, leaning against the cool wall, Eli tried to catch his breath. But the heat didn't go away. He dragged a hand down his face, trying to clear the fog in his head, but it was useless. Owenâhis best friendâinside Austin's body, moving like him, being him, every subtle quirk and unconscious movement. Every muscle flexed with authenticity. Every word dripped with Austin's natural smugness. The way he had looked at Eli, the way he'd spoken to him⌠And then, the way he peeled off every inch of clothing with no hesitation, completely unashamed.
That's when the world sharpened againâthe slam of a door in the distance, and movement beyond the glass.
Eli looked upâAustin was striding across the parking lot, dressed in a black tank that hugged his chest like it was tailored just for him, shorts framing his powerful thighs.
Eli, pulse roaring in his ears, didn't even realize he was moving again.
He shoved open the door, adrenaline spiking, heart thudding hard. The heat of the afternoon hit his skin instantly, but it didn't slow him. He broke into a half-jog across the lot, driven by pure lust.
Standing like a sculpture carved from confidence and Greek marble, Austin's arms were folded tight across that familiar chest. His legs were spread wide, black shorts clinging to his thighs just enough to make Eli's thoughts blur. His heart pounded, and it wasn't just from walking too fast.
Austin glanced sideways. The perfect jawline dipped slightly in acknowledgment, eyes narrowing just enough to add bite to his smirk.
"Never thought I'd catch you trailing me, Eli. Gutsy. Kinda weird." Austin's voice came low, teasingâcocking an eyebrow with a slow, deliberate smirk. "Kinda desperate."
Austin's mockery was paralyzing. Eli couldn't tell for sure if Austin really felt that way about him or if it was Owen's wordsâor both. Whatever the reason, Eli was horny.
"You okay?" Austin asked, stepping forward. The tone was effortless, exactly rightâhim.
Eli's face flushed. His stomach twisted with a strange, electric heat. It wasn't just the insultâit was how flawlessly Owen had become Austin. The strut, the smug tilt of the head, the way every word curled off his tongue. It was him. God, it was him.
"You know," Austin went on, his voice dipping into a low, velvet hum, "your sister had the same face when she was drooling over me." His smirk deepened, eyes dragging over Eli with lazy confidence. "The way her eyes wandered... hilarious."
"Almost like you right now. But nothing in compare to your weird little friend Owen used to... that creep."
Eli swallowed hard, a lump catching in his throat. The words stung, but the voiceâthe cadence, the Austin-ness of itâwas devastating.
"Owen..." He laughed softly, as if amused by something private. "That boy is something else. I don't know why but I've got all his little dreams now. His quiet fantasies. His obsession withâŚ" He trailed off, gaze dragging over Eli, amused. "Me. And you."
Eli's chest tightened. His breath caught. The idea that Austin now held every piece of Owenâevery secret, every feelingâwas almost too much to bear. The way Austin looked at him, studied him, enjoyed him⌠it was overwhelming.
"I wonder," Austin whispered, "how much more fun I'm going to have than you two ever imagined."
Wide. That impossibly charming grin that could shatter defenses like glass. The world could fall apart, and that smile would still be the last thing Eli remembered before everything gave way.
Austin reached up, casually adjusting the hem of his tank top. The motion was slow, deliberate. Just enough to flash a glimpse of chiseled abs in the sun. A single drop of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. Eli followed its path with his eyes, breath shallow...
"Are you coming with me, Eli?" Austin asked, voice honeyed, mocking. "Or are you just gonna stand there and keep drooling?"
Without waiting for an answer, Austin slid into the Porsche like he owned the world.
The door shut with a soft click, and Eli sank into the passenger seat. The moment he did, the scent hit him like a punch to the gut.
The cabinâsealed tight from the afternoon heatâwas thick with the heady mix of leather, Austin's cologne (rich, clean, expensive), and the fresh, masculine musk of post-workout sweat still clinging to his skin. Eli didn't even dare to breathe too deeply, but it didn't matter. The smell curled into his lungs, into his bloodstream, stirring something raw and animal inside him.
Austin leaned back in the driver's seat, one hand draped lazily over the wheel, the other raking through his damp, perfect hair. His tank top clung to his chest, soaked just enough to leave a trace of sweat on the seat behind him. He glanced sideways, smirking.
"You gonna keep breathing like that?" he asked, voice smooth, teasing. "You're fogging up my windows, man."
Eli flushed, throat tightening. His hands curled into fists on his thighs, fighting the impulse to squirm. The closeness. The heat. The scent. It was overwhelming. His heartbeat slammed against his ribs like it wanted to escape.
Austin chuckledâlow, deep, satisfied. "God, Eli," he murmured, shifting just enough for the muscle of his thigh to brush against Eli's. "You really are into this, huh?"
Eli finally exhaled. "IâjustâŚ" He swallowed. "What's it like? For you. Being in his body."
Austin turned his head slowly, elbow resting on the wheel, his jaw tensing like he was holding in a laugh. Then he let it outâone sharp, cocky bark.
"That's what you wanna ask?" he grinned. "That's your big question?"
Eli didn't answerâhe just watched him, heart hammering, trying not to drown in the reality of who was beside him.
Austin leaned in, muscles rippling like stone beneath skin. "You are pathetic," he said, voice velvet over knives. "You've got the most perfect man you've ever seenâright hereâand you wanna talk about Owen?"
Eli looked away, shame biting hard.
But Austin wasn't done. "I never liked that creep," he continued. "Always hanging around at your family's place. Always looking at me like I was some prize he could never touch. You know how desperate that is?"
He tilted his head back against the seat, gazing at the ceiling like he was watching some old memory flicker above him. A slow smile stretched across his faceâsatisfied, cruel.
"But now?" he said, voice dropping. "Now I get these little flickers. His thoughts. His feelings. It's⌠funny, honestly. Like watching a bad romance movie playing in my own head."
He turned back to Eli, the grin sharper now. Cutting.
"You'd laugh if you saw the things Owen imagined. About me. About us." He gave a slight, amused shake of his head. "Makes you wonder who the real freak is."
Eli's breath caught. His legs pressed together instinctively. His chest trembled, trying to hold back whatever was clawing its way up from beneath the surface.
Austin saw it. Of course, he did.
And he smiled wider. That amused, predatory smirk.
"You're leaking, aren't you?"
Eli's eyes widened in horror.
Austin leaned back, cool as ever, his posture a casual display of confidence. "Don't mess up my car, but don't worry," he said with mock sympathy, "It happens. To guys like you, anyway."
He slipped on a cap and turned the ignition, the engine roaring to life. The vibrations pulsed through the seats, sending a shiver through Eli's spine.
"Buckle up," Austin threw a wink at him. "Let's see how long you last."
The garage door rolled open with a smooth hum, revealing a perfectly organized space: matte black floors, spotless racks of gym gear, and in the corner, a fridge stocked with labeled supplements like a shrine to peak performance.
Austin didn't even wait for Eli to get out. The moment the Porsche came to a stop, he jumped out, stripped off his tank top, and opened the trunk. He took a silver scoop from a tub of protein and dry-scooped it straight into his mouthâno water, no grimaceâjust a grin as he tapped the tub shut again.
Eli followed slowly, eyes adjusting to the sharp contrast between the sun outside and the meticulously curated masculine temple inside. As Austin turned, he caught his reflection in the long garage mirror.
Not to pose. Not to flex.
The veins still stood on his arms from the workout, shoulders broad and slightly glistening, the lines of his jaw cut clean in the mirror's cold light. For a moment, there was silence, the hum of the air system the only sound. Austin stood there, letting the weight of his reflection settle into him.
Eli stopped a few feet behind him, watching in awe. It felt intrusiveâlike witnessing something private. A real man, entirely at ease in his own skin.
Then Austin's voice broke the silence.
"Never thought I'd bring you here," he said with a slight shake of his head. His tone was amused. Honest. "We have nothing in common. Not the same drive. Not the same ambition. Not even the same idea of fun."
He turned, still chewing a bit of protein like it was gum.
"But hey," he continued, walking past Eli, "guess this is your little peek into the life of someone who made it."
He tossed his gym bag onto a bench, cracked his neck, and leaned against the counter.
"You know what most people don't get?" he said, grabbing a cold bottle from the fridge. "Strength isn't just about lifting weights. It's discipline. It's waking up at five when everyone else is hitting snooze. It's choosing to suffer now so you're unshakable later."
He popped the bottle open, took a sip, and then looked back at Eli. "I started lifting because I hated the idea of being average. Every rep? Every set? That was me becoming untouchable. And yeahâmaybe I got obsessed. But you don't get a body like this by scrolling through social media and whining about life being unfair."
He glanced down at his arms, then rolled a shoulder like he was brushing off gravity itself. "I built this. Hour by hour. While people like you were hoping life would hand them something."
There was no venom in his toneâjust conviction. Like this was gospel to him.
"And it's not just the gym," Austin continued, walking toward the far side of the room where a laptop waited. "When I wasn't training, I was reading. Learning. While you were... what? Writing movie reviews on Tumblr?"
âI got into crypto earlyâback when it was all theory and chaos. I didnât chase trends. I studied the tech, read the whitepapers, saw where things were headed before anyone else was paying attention. Flipped a few altcoins, made decent gains, and didnât get greedy.â
He leaned back, one hand resting on his thigh with casual confidence. âI didnât waste it on flash. Rolled it into smart playsâgrabbed undervalued property before the market shifted, picked up shares in small tech companies before they hit mainstream. Helped a start-up get off the ground last year. Not flashy, but it's already making money.â
He turned back to Eli now, the smirk returning. "You're still figuring out how to file taxes properly, aren't you?"
Eli, frozen, shifted his weight.
Austin narrowed his eyes, amused. "Of course you are."
He then reached into his pocket, pulled out the house key, and without even glancing at Eli, flicked it toward him with a casual wrist snap.
The key spun in the airâclean, deliberate.
It bounced off his palm, hit the floor with a metallic clink, and skidded to the side.
Austin didnât sigh. Didnât smirk.
âPick it up,â he saidâvoice calm, but edged with something smug. âDoorâs not gonna open itself.â
He didnât move. Just watched.
âGuess hand-eye coordinationâs not your thing either.â
Austin simply stood there, hand on his waist, the other relaxed at his side, veins running like roads across his biceps and forearms. His quads bulged like sculpted columns, calves tight, feet planted firm and confident. Austin tilted his head slightly, the way someone might if they were sizing up a challenger.
Austin reached down to adjust the waistband of his shorts slightlyâsubtle, effortless, but undeniably confident. Then he stepped aside, walking toward the door leading into the house. His back was just as carved as the front, shoulder blades like armor, traps rising thick into his neck.
"Come on," Austin said with a half-smile, stepping toward the door that led into the house. His voice was commanding, but there was a hint of amusement beneath it as he glanced back at Eli. "Let's go inside. I bet you can't wait to check out my place."
Eli followed closely, nerves buzzing with anticipation. As they crossed the threshold into Austin's home, he was immediately struck by the contrast in atmosphere. The interior was flawlessâsleek, modern, and meticulously curated. Every piece of furniture looked hand-picked, every surface gleamed with precision.
On a nearby desk, Eli spotted a few framed photos. One showed Austin surrounded by a group of evenly tanned, effortlessly attractive jock friends. Another captured him in Cuba, leaning back with a cigar in his mouth, radiating effortless cool. And thenâthere it wasâAustin with Eli's sister, both smiling in a picture-perfect moment.
This guy really did have the perfect life.
Eli couldn't tear his eyes away from the luxury that surrounded himâthe flawless aesthetic of the place, the curated decor, and every evident sign of Austin's young, unapologetic success.
While Eli took it all in, Austinâever the center of his own universeâdisappeared into another room, leaving him alone to wander. Curiosity tugged at Eli's thoughts until he found himself stepping deeper into the house. His pulse quickened. This was Austin's worldâthe world of the narcissistic guy Eli found irresistibly handsomeâand now he was walking right through it.
The first thing to catch his eye was an expensive Rolex gleaming under the soft bedroom light. It sat on a side table like a trophy. Eli picked it up carefully, turning it over in his hand. It was heavier than he expectedâsleek, precise, commanding. Just like Austin. He imagined what it would feel like to wear itânot just the watch, but the power and confidence that came with it.
Setting the watch down with care, Eli let his fingers glide across the smooth surfaces of the room. Everything felt intentional, from the cold sheen of the furniture to the placement of framed photos and the scent of expensive cologne still hanging in the air.
Then he noticed the wardrobe. The door stood slightly ajar.
Curiosity guided him closer, and when he pulled it open fully, he was immediately hit by a wave of scentâclean fabric, sharp cologne, and something else underneath. The inside was immaculate, like the rest of the home. Rows of designer sportswear hung with perfect spacing: performance shirts, tapered joggers, hoodies made from high-end materialâmore than just gym wear, they were status symbols.
Eli ran his fingers gently across the fabrics, feeling the smoothness of well-made cotton and moisture-wicking synthetics. He could almost picture Austin in each one, his athletic form filling out the sharp lines with ease. But the wardrobe held more than just activewear. On the opposite side, Eli found casual wear: crisp button-ups, tailored blazers, dark-wash denimâevery piece folded or hung with military precision. There was no doubt: Austin didn't just look good; he planned to.
Then, Eli's eyes drifted to the corner of the room.
There, slightly apart from the pristine order, sat a loose pile of laundry. It was the only chaotic detail in the otherwise controlled space. And yet, even this felt⌠telling. Ripped tanks, gym shorts, sweat-darkened teesâit was lived-in, real. These were clothes Austin had actually worn, pushed off after long workouts or busy days.
Eli's breath caught in his throat. His fingers craved the dark underwear, which smelled of sweat and deodorant. He brought them to his nose and inhaled deeply. The scent was intoxicating - Austin's deodorant mixed with the sweat of his training, pure masculinity.
He couldn't hold back. Slowly, Eli leaned closer, his face buried deeper into the fabric, taking in more of the familiar scent. His body felt hot, his mind racing, unable to keep his senses from being overwhelmed by the sheer intimacy of the moment.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Eli froze, his heart hammering in his chest. He slowly turned his head, his body stiffening as he looked up to find Austin standing in the doorway.
Austin was now wearing a simple turquoise undershirt. The fabric clung to his torso, outlining sculpted abs and broad shoulders, a picture of effortless confidence. His expression as he stood in the doorway was unreadableâdisdain laced with something darker, quieter. A raised brow, a flicker of something knowing in his eyes.
Austin stepped forward, his gaze locked on Eli. He stopped just behind him, close enough for Eli to feel the heat radiating off his skin.
Then came the breathâwarm against the back of Eli's neck. It made him tense, though he didn't move. The space between them crackled with something unspoken, something sharp and electric.
Austin leaned in closer, his voice low, almost a whisper.
"What the hell are you doing, Eli?"
There was no anger in his toneâjust a quiet, intense curiosity. It was the kind of question that didn't demand an answer immediately, because Austin already knew the truthâor thought he did. "You think you can just come into my room and... sniff my stuff?"
Eli's was ready for what ever would come.
Austin stood close enough that Eli could feel the warmth of his skin, the silent pressure of his presence pressing into the space between them. The soft fabric of his undershirt barely masked the sculpted hardness of the muscles beneath. He inhaled slowly, a deliberate, steady breath that only deepened the silence.
His eyes flicked downward, landing on Eli's handâstill gripping the shirt pulled from the pile of laundry.
"What the fuck is going on in that head of yours, Eli?" Austin said, his voice dipping lower, darkerâalmost amused.. He tilted his head slightly, eyes locked on Eli with a look that could burn through steel. "You've been following me around, sniffing my clothes, practically drooling over me⌠What's next, huh?"
Eli swallowed hard, his throat tight with something between nervousness and anticipation. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes meeting Austin's. The challenge was clear in Austin's gazeâsharp, intenseâand the slight curl of his lips wasn't just teasing. No, it was something deeper, more intimate. It was as if Austin was daring him, pushing him to do something Eli hadn't yet.
Then Austin's smirk faded just enough to make Eli's pulse spike.
Eli barely had time to react. Before he could even pull the shirt away, Austin moved with swift, determined force and ripped the fabric from his hand. His fingers curled around the underwear with a force that sent a jolt through Eli's body.
Austin held it to his nose, brought the fabric to his face and inhaled deeply. It was a deliberate, controlled action, and Eli could see the small flicker of satisfaction in Austin's eyes as he took in the scent. His nostrils flared as he took it in - his body seemed to draw strength from the scent that had once intoxicated Eli so much.
Eli felt the heat of the moment envelop him and his mind raced. His pulse quickened as Austin exhaled slowly. Austin then brought his hand to his mouth and licked it skillfully. Austin's gaze remained intense, fixing Eli with an unblinking stare.
"Good, isn't it? You can even smell my cum." Austin said in a low voice, but the confidence of his words made it impossible to misunderstand his meaning. "And the best part? The scent strong and it's mine."
Austin brought the fabric back to Eli's face with a firm but deliberate force. "You like it, don't you?" His voice was low, almost a whisper. "You like the way I smell."
Eli tried to pull back, but Austin held the fabric with a tight grip, pulling it closer to Eli's face, forcing him to inhale the scent even deeper. There was no resistance in Austin's eyesâjust the quiet certainty of a man who knew exactly the effect he had on those around him.
"It's not just the scent, Eli. Everywhere I go, heads turn. They can't help it. The women, the men... They all want a piece of this." He gestured to himself with a casual air, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Eli's breathing quickened, the tension between them hanging thick in the air. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. Everything about Austin, from the way he spoke to the way he carried himself, was a force that Eli couldn't seem to escape, even if he tried.
Austin leaned in slightly, the closeness almost overwhelming, his voice dropping a notch lower. "This is me, Eli," he murmured. "And you can't forget it. You can't forget who you're standing next to. Because there's no one like me."
As Eli and Austin stood in the wardrobe room, the air thick with tension, a momentary silence hung between them. The attractionâso palpable, so undeniableâwas thickening the space. Austin, always confident in his body and presence, hovered closer to Eli, and for a second, their faces almost met. There was a flicker of something deeper, something charged, and Eli could feel his heart race, his breath quickening as his thoughts tangled in the proximity.
Austin's gaze dropped briefly, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "I think you waited long enough," he said quietly, voice low, "for what will follow next, right, Eli?"
Austin now pushed Eli to his knees and put one hand on his shoulder while he reached into his pants with the other and grabbed his cock. This was already causing a noticeable bulge as Austin's own smell was already causing him to get hard. Austin then grabbed Eli's hair, but Eli was quicker and willingly steered towards Austin's tool. Before Eli and Austin could continue, the sudden sound of an approaching car broke the tension like a snap.
Austin froze. His eyes sharpened instantly, his entire body going still. He turned his head toward the window, listening intently, then glanced down at his phone.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath, stepping back and pushing Eli away from him. "That's Iris."
Eli's pulse jumped. Confusion hit him like a wave. "Iris? But... you'reâ" He trailed off, the moment he had been waiting for slipping through his fingers, stolen before it could fully form.
Austin turned to him, his gaze suddenly colder, and his voice dropped into a tone that cut through the room. "She's my fiancĂŠe, Eli. Don't be so stupid."
Something twisted in Eli's chestâa knot of frustration, disbelief, and something deeper he couldn't name. How had Owen, with all of Austin's memories, not seen this coming? How had he not anticipated Iris showing up?
Austin swiped through his phone quickly, his brow furrowing as he scrolled through a growing stack of unread messages. "Damn. She's relentless today." He let out a short, cocky laugh, his body language shifting effortlessly back into that familiar posture of arrogant confidence. "Looks like a surprise visit. No plans. No warning."
Eli stood frozen, the sudden shift in energy disorienting. One moment there had been fire between them, and nowâcool calculation. Then Austin looked at him again, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smirk.
"So, what should we do, huh?" His voice was laced with a biting playfulness, like a blade wrapped in velvet. "You think I should break up with her? Show her what's really going on here?" His smile widened, the arrogance in it unmistakable. "What do you think she'll say when she walks in?"
Eli's mind raced, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He could still feel the phantom warmth of Austin's bodyâof Owen, reallyâjust inches from his own. The moment had slipped, but not entirely. Then a thought crossed his mind, bold and intoxicating, hotter than anything that had just happened. Hotter than even the sight of his best friend walking around in the body of Austin, living out Eli's wildest, most secret dream.
"You'll pretend to be the real Austin," Eli said, voice steady despite the thundering in his chest. "Do what he would do. Play the part for her. And when you're backâŚ" His eyes met Austin's with quiet fire. "We'll continue where we left off."
Austin stilled. For a heartbeat, the smirk on his face frozeâthen shifted slowly into something darker, sharper. A wicked smile unfurled across his lips, the kind that said I didn't think you had it in you. He stepped closer again, just enough to make Eli feel the heat all over again.
"That is sick, Eli," he murmured, almost admiringly. "You really want this?"
The question lingered in the air like smokeâheavy, daring, electric.
"I can't think of anything hornier than watching my sister's hot fiancĂŠ fuck her who is actually my best friend. Can you do that, Austin?"
Austin's eyes lit with amusement, disbelief, desireâit was hard to name. He tilted his head slightly, his smile deepening, almost feral now.
"Damn, Eli," he said, voice low and edged with heat. "You've been sitting on that fantasy for a while, haven't you?"
He took another step forward, his body language shifting again, all casual swagger layered over something predatory. His voice dropped to a near whisper as he leaned in close enough for Eli to feel the breath on his cheek.
"I can't decide what's more messed upâthat it turns you on this much, or that I'm actually tempted to go along with it." He chuckled, quiet and slow. "You really want me to walk out there, flash her that golden boy grin, maybe even kiss her like I mean it⌠while you stand here picturing what I taste like? You want me to play prince charming in front of your whole family while you just stand here, drooling over meâŚ?"
"Yes," Eli pleaded, his voice low but urgent. "I want you to live the full life of Austin. Take on his routines, keep up his physique, run his business like it's yours. Hang out with his cocky friends, flirt with other girlsâhell, even cheat on my sister like the real Austin would. But let me be yours. Let me be your whore."
"I'm starting to think you might be the sick one." Austin smiled. "Alright," his voice settling into a commanding tone. "You stay here, Eli. Don't move. Don't say a word." His eyes glinted mischievously as he stepped away. "Let your soon-to-be brother-in-law handle the situationâlike always."
Just seconds later, Iris entered the house, her cheerful voice ringing through the space. "Hey, babe! I had such a great day with the girls," she called out, upbeat and glowing. "I figured you were probably working out, but no worriesâI'm not mad about you not responding. I want to go out tonight, though. A little date night?"
Austin leaned back into the familiar role with effortless ease, his charm slipping on like a tailored suit. He responded with smooth, practiced confidenceâhis voice light, flirty, and perfectly timed. The banter between them flowed naturally, as if nothing unusual had just taken place.
Once Iris had settled into the living room, Austin announced he was going to get changed. He headed back into the wardrobe room, where Eli was still waitingâtension etched into every line of his posture, his eyes fixed on the door like he hadn't taken a full breath since Austin left.
"Okay," Austin whispered, voice low so it wouldn't carry. "Here's the deal. She wants to go on a date. I'll handle it. You stay put."
Eli nodded, though his eyes never left Austin. He watched, completely captivated, as Austin began to change.
With fluid, self-assured movements, Austin peeled off the sporty outfit. He grabbed a pair of sleek grey pants, the fabric gliding over his toned legs as he stepped into them. Every motion was smooth, deliberateâlike muscle memory made flesh.
He reached for a crisp white dress shirt next, sliding his arms through the sleeves and pulling it down over his frame. The cotton stretched just slightly across his broad chest, molding to his shape like it belonged there.
Austin paused at the mirror, taking a moment to admire the reflection. He looked like the golden boy come to life.
Then came the cologne. Two quick spritzes, and the air filled with a clean, masculine scent that hit Eli instantly. His senses swam in itâso distinctly Austin that Eli almost felt dizzy.
Austin closed his eyes briefly, savoring the moment. When he opened them again, he ran his fingers through his blond hair in one smooth, practiced stroke, pushing it back into its usual flawless shape.
Eli's eyes followed every motion. The way the shirt pulled at Austin's back when he moved. The curve of his shoulders. The subtle flex of his muscles beneath the cotton.
Finally, Austin stepped back, inspecting the final result in the mirror.
"Do I look perfect?" he asked, his eyes meeting Eli's with a playful, mischievous glint.
Eli swallowed hard. His voice came out as a whisper. "Definitely. You⌠look handsome as fuck."
Austin chuckled, a low, smug sound of satisfaction. "Of course I do. That was a rhetorical question."
He smirked as he tucked the shirt neatly into his pants, buttoning it up with quick, precise movements. Every gesture was clean, confidentâlike he was born for this. Like he was this.
Eli felt his pulse quicken as he watched Austin adjust the sleeves. He didn't just roll them upâhe did it with a style that looked casual but was clearly calculated. The sleeves stopped just short of the elbow, revealing the defined muscles in his forearms, the fabric hugging just enough to suggest power without trying too hard. It was effortless.
Next, Austin grabbed a black belt, its polished leather a sharp contrast against the light grey of his pants. He cinched it with precision, adjusting the fit until everything sat perfectly at his waist. Eli watched with quiet admiration, noting how even the smallest touchesâthe way Austin squared his stance, the tug on the belt loopâfelt like part of a performance he had somehow mastered.
"It's so hot," Eli muttered, unable to stop the words from slipping out. "How easily you've adapted to being Austin."
Austin smirked, eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction. "What do you mean?" he said, voice smooth. "I am Austin."
He turned slightly, giving Eli a perfect side view as he tugged the shirt deeper into his waistband. The fabric settled neatly across his back and shoulders, every line of muscle outlined beneath the crisp white cotton. Eli felt his breath catch in his throat.
Austin adjusted his collar with a small, deliberate flick of his fingers, then glanced back at Eli, lips curling into a teasing smile. "You sure you're okay over there? You've got that look on your face."
Eli couldn't help himselfâhis eyes traced every line, every movement. The way the shirt framed Austin's torso, how naturally he wore the role. "Every movement, every moment ⌠I can't get enough of it."
Austin raised a brow, clearly pleased. "Me neither...." he responded, his tone low and taunting. "The best thing is that it's my body... I am Austin Hill." Austin whispered as he proudly stroked his chest with both hands. He turned back to the mirror, smiling a million dollar smile while checking himself once more. "Who would've thought you'd be the one letting your best friend strut around in my body... and charm your sister while he's at it?"
He reached for the cologne again, giving himself a final, confident spritz before smoothing the front of his shirt with practiced ease. Every crease vanished beneath his touch.
Eli's gaze didn't waver. There was something hypnotic watch every movement of Austinâfluid, composed, owning every inch of the body as if he'd always lived in it. The confidence, the posture, the way the shirt hugged his backâit all screamed Austin, and Owen wore it like a second skin.
As Austin was about to leave the bedroom, he reached for the wristwatch Eli had admired earlier. The sleek metal caught the light, gleaming like it belonged to him. He slipped it on without a second thoughtâan afterthought to the transformation, but somehow the perfect finishing touch.
Eli couldn't tear his eyes away and finally reached into his pants and stroked as fast as he could. Not even seconds and he shot into his pants.
With the final click of the watch strap, Austin looked up and locked eyes with Eli. The smirk was gone.
"You really didn't just da that, did you?" His voice was sharp, laced with contempt. "Why does Iris have to have such a pathetic little brother?"
"Dude, my sister robbed me of my moment," Eli muttered, trying to sound wounded, but the heat in his voice betrayed him. "It's just fairâŚ"
"I don't know when I'll be back or if she'll be with me, but when I come back, you'll be here. And I expect you to either hide to watch me fuck your sister or suck me off later. Do you understand that?"
There was a pause, and Eliâthirsty, breath unsteadyânodded almost instinctively in response.
Austin gave him a small, knowing smirk before adding, "Good boy."
The slight curve of his lips, paired with the gleam in his eyes, suggested he was more than ready to deliver a flawless performance as Austinâconfident, composed, and completely in control.
He turned and left the room with the same ease and certainty he had used to slip into the rest of his attire. Eli, still processing the intensity of the moment, could only watch as Austin walked awayâknowing full well that he would no longer have any trouble getting along with Austin Hill.
