From a different perspective (Patreon)

Part three of the introduction of Mariko and Aubrey's friendships. Co-Written with Adaras.

You can download the story in PDF in the attachments for easier reading.

---

The clattering of metal on metal, the murmur and shouts of encouragement. The smell of sweat and the scent of rubber from the machines. Coming out of the changing room Tom felt that blast of sensory input roll over him like a wave. He almost staggered in the opening as he made sure his shorts were tied right around his thin waist, he looked out of shape. He was by no means fat, just a skinny guy with a short haircut. He looked rather lost at that moment.

“Hey Tom! over here!” he heard a familiar voice call out and he looked over and saw Mason sitting on a bench up against some wall-sized mirrors. Compared to Tom, Mason was in far better shape, not overly bulky, but certainly fit big and muscular.

“I can't believe you roped me into this!” Tom grumbled as he looked down at Mason sitting there with a smile. Tom caught his own reflection in the mirror and grimaced at how out of place he looked and turned his back towards the wall and looked out over the gym space.

It was large, and the part they were in was the old part before they expanded into a warehouse next door. The sounds coming from the large hall were louder and more rambunctious as the more serious bodybuilders hung out there. In the far distance, a loud metal bang was heard, almost like a bell.

“Come on Tom! Don't you think she will love seeing you here? Not trying to say you should work out like they do” he said with a knowing smile and Tom felt a tremor of delight at the thought of their impressive bulk.

“But think about the surprise! When they finish, they will come by and see us working out, see you working out! I'm telling you Mariko will be over the moon!” he said, and while Tom felt a flutter in his heart he also sighed and shook his head.

“You mean they will come by seeing you working out and me practically dying on some machine three times my size?” he said and rolled his eyes,

Mason merely laughed and patted Tom on the shoulder as he got up.

“Dude chill, Mariko has never ever been ashamed of you, she is super open-minded! Aubrey will most likely just try to help you out, you know she is like that!” he said with a warm smile and Tom had to nod and smile.

“Granted, I have been dreaming of a day when I don't look like a complete stick next to Mariko…” he said and Mason laughed and shook his head. “Dude no matter what we do we will always be sticks next to them, we can only hope to be slightly less thin sticks!” he said and walked over to a leg press machine.

Tom looked at it like it was going to eat him raw. He smiled and chuckled.

“It's so weird, like how many times have I not done photoshoots for bodybuilders, for Mariko? Heck even got that green-eyed amazon of yours in front of my camera a couple of times!” he said and walked over to the machine placing his hands on it.

“But the idea of myself in one of these, working out? Maybe making a fool of myself? it is kinda terrifying!” he said and groaned as he saw Mason putting the weights on.

“Don't worry so much man! We all gotta start out somewhere, heck even Mariko and Aubrey were small once… I think!” he laughed and sat down. “Why don't you set up on the machine next to me?” he said as he began to push his legs forward.

Again that loud metal bang came, as a bell. Both of them paused and looked out into the big hall, there was no way they could see them from here but they both knew what was going on.

“Think they are having a good workout?” Mason asked as he paused his reps. Tom was putting on a few weights.

“I don't think I have ever heard of a day where they work out together where they were not having a blast!” he said and sat down and looked over at Mason and blushed.

“Is… Aubrey also.. like very much in the mood when she comes home?” he asked and Mason almost choked on his own spit and looked at him surprised.

“If she is, I ain't telling! No, but for real she would probably scold me if I talked about private stuff like that. You and Mariko are so carefree, but I think Aubrey will always be more private!”

“Hey sorry didn't mean to pry like that… “ Tom said and tried to focus on his legs and pushed.

“Naah don't worry about it, I am just glad we get to be friends and see our ladies hang out!” Mason said with a laugh.

“Yeah, what.. is better,” Tom said struggling a bit with his legs “Than one huge lady? Two huge ladies,” he said with a small laugh.

“You know it!” Mason said as they got into the rhythm of the workouts.

The exercises were hard for Tom, but Mason supported him the best he could. They kept fighting the urge to walk over to check up on their herculean girlfriends but they didn't want to spoil the surprise. Sometimes they could hear the sounds of the titanic workout coming from the other hall.

To Tom's shame, he felt himself straining more and more with each set, his breaks becoming longer. While Mason tried to slow down his own pace he could feel himself falling behind.

Finding himself beneath the barbell on the bench, they had gone as far down as possible and was almost down to just the bar as Toms muscle felt like they were about to fall apart.

“Come on Tom you can do it! Imagine what Mariko will say if she sees you working out like this?” Mason said encouragingly. Tom groaned.

“Would be nice if I didn't know that just the bar she uses weighs more than all the weights here and myself combined!” he said with a strained chuckle.

“Just one more you got it, we can relax afterwards!”

Tom could feel his veins popping and his blood pumping in his ears as he finally pushed it off his chest, his arms shaking as he pushed his arms out and almost screamed as Mason caught the bar and set it down on the rack.

“Fucking hell!” Tom moaned in exhaustion and tried to sit up. His body felt heavy and non-responsive.  “Easy Tom!” Mason said helping him up “you did good! Like I said we gotta start somewhere right?”

“Holy fuck guys what a shit show!” a gruff voice called out and both Tom and Mason looked over at a group of meaty bodybuilders who had occupied a set across from them. They were big, like really big, they probably trained out in the warehouse part, but why were they here?

“Man I tell you we were ready to call it a day but then we see green beans over here doing their most pathetic!” He laughed and his gang laughed with him.

Tom felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment and he wanted to get up but his body betrayed him. Mason was clearly bothered.

“Hey please stop that, you can't just go around harassing people man!” he said with a grimace. The big bodybuilder looked offended as he walked over to Mason. God, he was big, why didn't Mason back down.

“I'm just calling it as I see it! Two wimps trying to be big shots!” the bodybuilder snorted and looked back at his people. “What do you think guys, these scrawny shits think they are something huh?” the gang laughed and he looked at Mason with a mean look “Why don't I show you what real power is?” he said and Tom felt a sharp stab of fear in his heart. Still, Mason seemed to stand his ground firm. Was it a bluff?

“Hey? Can you hold this for me?” A familiar chirpy voice rang out and the man turned as someone put a colossal dumbbell into his hands which made him fall over. Mariko merely stepped to the side as he stumbled and went down on his knee.

Compared to her, he was tiny. Mariko's pretty face was looking at him with a coy smile. “Oh sorry I thought you talked about real power?” she asked and effortlessly picked up the massive dumbbell.

“Ain't that right Aubrey? Didn't he say that?” Mariko called out and all eyes turned from one massive beautiful woman to another. Aubrey stood just a few feet away and was clearly not pleased with the bullies.

Aubrey looked like she wasn't really in on Mariko's joking. She only nodded.

Mariko leaned down and picked up the bodybuilder like he was a toddler and brushed him off.

“Sorry I totally miscalculated your strength! won't happen again” the final words were laced with a dangerous tone, even though she smiled sweetly.  The gang quickly packed up and moved to the showers.

Aubrey walked over to Mason and gave him a little hug and smile “you okay?” she asked and Mason nodded “I can handle a couple of meatheads, but much better now you are here!”

“Oh, Tom poor thing!” Mariko said with a smile as she knelt down next to the bench and helped him to his feet. “you did so well!” she said with a smile and hugged her slim boyfriend into her massive arms.

“Yeah, you both did great!” Aubrey spoke energetic and smiled at Tom.

“Wait? How much did you see?” Mason asked looking at both girls. Mariko couldn't help but laugh.

“I was coming over to talk to the manager as we broke a machine today! then I saw you two working out and brought Aubrey over, so we kinda spied on you from behind some machines!” she said with a laugh and Aubrey looked embarrassed as she nodded her head.

“So many people looked at us like we were crazy!” she said and looked away. “We are not exactly built for stealth missions!” Mariko said with a laugh and flexed a bicep for emphasis.

“Damn, we were hoping to surprise you!” Tom said dejected and tired.

“We were surprised Tom,” Aubrey said and walked over and gave him a small hug “You really did well and Mariko was practically beaming when she said you were working out!”

Mariko hugged Tom even harder and squealed with delight “My bodybuilder boyfriend, oh I can't wait for the day when you are so big you carry me around the house.”

Mason laughed before getting a little side bump from Aubrey. "Sshht! Don't be rude!" Aubrey said.

“Yeah, I think I need a new body or at least new muscles before I try to work out again! Mason worked me to the bone!” Tom said and laughed.

“Don't worry Tom, I will make sure you can rest when we get home!” Mariko said and picked him up in her arms “Thanks, Mason! I am glad you were able to bring him along!”

“Anytime!” Mason said as the pair walked off to the changing rooms.

“You think she will be gentle with him?” Aubrey asked Mason with a quiet voice.

“I…. maybe… but probably not!” Mason said and laughed.