shark opened the fridge, scanning its contents. their uncle really stocked up. it shouldn't have been a surprise, really, he always did this when they stayed over as a kid, too - but it was a world of difference from the food at their parents' house. he even got the beer they liked.

of course, looking closely, they saw all the cottage cheese, the greek yogurt, the eggs, the meats in the freezer, the coffee protein shakes - they weren't just here to laze around and snack and play games.

"those protein shakes are quite good, you know."

they jumped a little at their uncle's voice. how long had he been standing behind them?

"oh, did i startle you?"

"you're always just... whatever. are they good? i've only had the chocolate ones."

"they're much better than that. you can try one right now, if you'd like."

"shouldn't i be saving it for a workout day?"

"there's plenty. i can buy more whenever we run out, anyway."

right. he wasn't too busy to go to the grocery store more than once or twice a month.

they grabbed one, shaking it and twisting the lid off, before gulping down about half of it in seconds.

"you do seem to like it."

"it is pretty good. it's easy to drink."

"isn't it? it's especially refreshing after a good workout."

they finished it off while he was speaking. "yeah, that's not bad. i'll probably reach a point while i'm working out where i just want it to be over with so i can have my shake, though."

"that attitude is exactly what you came here to work on."

"yeah, i know. i mean, i wanna get better at pushing myself, or whatever. but all i really need is for you to make me do it until it's a habit, right? i don't have to like it, i just have to get used to it."

"but it's much easier if you do like it. it can feel good, you know. many people enjoy it."

"i've literally done it before. i know how it feels."

"you know how it feels when you force yourself to do it and think of it as a chore."

"how else am i supposed to think of it?"

"an indulgence, a ritual, a chance to just think to yourself, or something you can just do mindlessly. it can be pleasant."

"the only people who actually like working out are like... masochists or something."

he smiled at them. "then why not become a masochist?"

the fact that he seemed to be completely serious about it was kind of concerning. "i'm not just gonna turn into someone who loves working out. it's not just gonna like, magically start feeling good for me. not good enough to make me actually look forward to doing it, anyway. or to make me wanna keep going when i'm tired."

"but it's interesting, isn't it? that all of those things that people say they don't enjoy while exercising are things they might find exciting in another context. to feel your heart race, to feel your blood pumping, and even to be pushed beyond what you thought was your limit. i think you can enjoy that, too. you can imagine how it would feel if it felt good, can't you?"

"i can imagine whatever. it doesn't mean it'll actually-"

"if you can imagine feeling something, then you can feel it. let yourself consider it. haven't you ever enjoyed some of the feelings that you associate with working out? haven't you ever enjoyed something that makes you sweat? that makes your heart pound? that overwhelms your body?"

was he talking about sex? that was not something they wanted to vividly imagine while talking to him. "well, working out is different."

"does it have to be? you could feel many of those exact same feelings just by comparing it to something you like. you can make it more exciting just by focusing on those feelings. until the association becomes so strong that you don't even have to think about it. that you just feel it. that your body just reacts the way it's been conditioned to."

their heart was beating a little faster just having this conversation. he was probably talking about watching horror movies or eating spicy food or something. he was not seriously telling them to develop some kind of sexual fetish for exercising. the thing he said about becoming a masochist was probably a joke, or maybe it was just about enjoying pain in general, not specifically in a sexual way.

"just consider the idea. consider how it would feel if you did like it."

"i'll, uh, i'll think about that later, i guess."

"it helps if you relax, so you can focus on it completely. i recommend doing so in bed, before you sleep."

he wasn't talking about jacking off. they needed to get their mind out of the gutter. they threw away the protein shake container. "sure, whatever. anyway, i was just in here to get a snack, so..."

"of course. i'll let you go."

they did think about it that night. sometimes they did like horror, or things that made them kind of nervous or embarrassed, but it was hard to imagine feeling that while working out. and comparing it to sex, or masturbation... well, it was easy enough, but it was hard to believe it could really feel that good, and they also didn't want it to feel that way while they were around their uncle. maybe when they did it alone, maybe if they were already turned on before they started, they could try and convince themself it was sexy. maybe that would make it easier to keep going with it.

the next day wasn't a workout day yet, either. it was still the weekend. they sat on the couch, trying to decide what to put on the tv, when their uncle walked over, standing behind them and leaning over the couch.

"getting comfortable?" he asked.

they noticed they were lounging around pretty sloppily. it's not like they cared about their posture, but it was kind of embarrassing being this casual in front of him. "i guess," they said, straightening up slightly.

"oh, it's alright. i want you to be comfortable. knowing how to relax is important, too. it would be much more difficult for me to help you with anything if you couldn't relax around me."

"you're not gonna tell me i'm killing my spine sitting like that all the time?"

"well, there might be better positions to relax in." he stepped around the couch, sitting right next to them. "you were twisting a bit before. it's better not to twist or be hunched over. exercises and stretches can make it easier to keep your back straight. but that doesn't have to mean sitting up at a perfect 90 degree angle all of the time, either. and it doesn't have to look or feel polite and proper. you like being casual, don't you? so you can learn to be casual while still sitting in ways that are good for your body."

"so what would that be like?"

"it's considered rude to take up a lot of space, so even if you're sitting up straight, you can spread your legs, or have an arm on the back of your seat. or you can keep your spine straight while leaning back a bit."

"i like how you're telling me how to be rude."

"if i tried, i'm sure i could get you to be perfectly polite and well-behaved around me. but if it wasn't natural for you in general, i couldn't guarantee that you would keep up the habit when i wasn't around. and besides, i like to see you relax. to be yourself. i'd rather help you become a better version of yourself than turn you into something else entirely."

he said it like he really could turn them into something else. the weird thing was, they almost believed him. even though so many other people wanted to make them more responsible and hard working, and did anything they could to force them to change, and completely failed. their uncle was always so gentle and subtle, it didn't seem like he was doing anything. but he always seemed like the one in control, in basically any situation.

he looked closely at them. "your back is straighter now, isn't it?"

"well, like. you were talking about it."

"you're a bit tense, though. unclench your jaw and relax your shoulders."

"why do i- why does it matter?"

"just relax. can you just relax for me right now? lean back a bit..."

for whatever reason, they listened.

"good... it's important to relax sometimes. to really relax. i'll have to help you with that, too."

"it's really weird to just... do this."

"don't worry about it being weird. you don't have to be shy about it. you have to let go of that tension sometimes... take deep breaths. nice and slow. very good."

his voice was soft and quiet. it was easy to listen to. even when he started petting their hair, they didn't move. it was a little too intimate, but they guessed it wasn't really enough to say anything about it.

"good. relax your face... your eyebrows."

it didn't feel natural to change their facial expression, to just stop showing any sign of confusion or discomfort, but he rubbed between their eyebrows with his thumb, and it was like he brushed the tension away.

"that's perfect. this is what it feels like to just relax and completely let go. you need to do this sometimes. you're doing so good."

they must've looked so weirdly blank. it was like their thoughts and feelings were getting more blank, too. a chill crawled down their spine, but even that dissipated into a soft, tingly feeling.

"you see?" he murmured. "you can listen just fine. you can learn. you're not nearly as disobedient or difficult as you think."

he leaned in closer, a little too close to their ear. "you want to be good, don't you?"

they shuddered, and he chuckled slightly, pulling away from them and sitting up straight, moving his hand to their shoulder. "you can sit up, now," he said, his voice returning to normal.

they adjusted without thinking.

"how does that feel?"

they felt more alert, maybe kind of refreshed, although a part of them almost felt violated, in some strange way that was hard to articulate. "i feel fine, i guess."

"that's good."

his hand was still on their shoulder, and his gaze was intense, like it saw right through them.

"we can practice that some more another time," he finally said, before standing up and walking off, as if nothing had happened.

they realized their back was still straight.

the gym in his basement wasn't anything fancy, which was a harsh contrast with the rest of his house. they also didn't expect him to work out shirtless and wearing sweatpants. they weren't sure they'd ever seen him in anything other than turtlenecks, dress shirts, and robes. he was a little more muscular than they'd realized, but not to the point where he came off especially masculine or tough.

they didn't want to look at him too much, though, even though he was doing this to demonstrate the form for them. he was... he had good aesthetic tastes, and he cared about his appearance. they didn't want to linger too much on that, or accidentally see something through his sweatpants.

even when he was done demonstrating, his breaths were calm and controlled. he stepped closer to them, putting down the weights. "is that shirt a bit tight? it might not be comfortable or let you move freely."

"it's just a tank top."

"but it can ride up with certain exercises."

"i can't just take my shirt off, i'm not... i haven't had top surgery or anything."

"we're men, aren't we? and it doesn't seem very different from other men's chests, anyway."

it was true that it was small to begin with, and the shape had gotten more masculine after being on T. and sometimes their shirt did get in the way or annoy them while working out. but it still felt inappropriate to take it off, and even weirder around him.

"it will make it feel better. no wonder it feels like an unpleasant chore to you, if you leave that on. you'll have to shower and change later anyway, won't you?"

"i don't know, it's still kinda..."

"there's no need to be shy. you should be comfortable with your body. you'll get more used to it if you try it."

maybe they could. it wasn't like the tank top they were wearing left much to the imagination, anyway. they never wore bras anymore. they gingerly lifted it up, looking away from him as they pulled it off, throwing it to the side.

"you see? it doesn't look that big. i've seen men who look exactly like that."

there was still this feeling of wrongness at the idea of him looking at their chest, but they tried to ignore it. they'd probably get used to it, anyway. to being shirtless sometimes.

he handed them the weights, and they got started with their workout. it was hard to even think much about the workout itself - all they could think about was being watched. they didn't want to look weak, or anything.

and maybe they were imagining it, or misinterpreting his tone when he was encouraging them and saying they were doing well and pushing them to keep going, but it seemed like he enjoyed watching them. it was probably just... he was helping them. he just wanted to help them.

after 15 reps they felt like they were done, but he pushed them to do 5 more, and then when they felt like they had run out of energy, he pushed for another 5. the last few were almost agonizing, but they still did it, for some reason. they nearly dropped the weights in his hands when they were done, trying to control their panting.

"i cannot do two more sets of that."

"well, if you can't make it to 25, you can just stop when your arms give out."

it was almost sadistic. the worst thing was that they felt something when he said it. the burning that shot through their arm at the thought of it, combined with the gentle control coming from him, and that awkward tension that they'd been trying to ignore, being shirtless and panting and sweating and feeling helpless in front of him...

"isn't there something satisfying about it? how does it feel to be pushed like that?"

"man, i don't know, it's..." what could they say? they didn't want to say anything about this looming threat they felt hanging over them. they were hoping it would disappear, or maybe that they'd find that it was never there at all. "it's alright, i guess."

"it might start to feel good in the second set."

they already felt the burn after only a few reps this time, and the cooing coming from their uncle in response was getting more embarrassing. it felt weird to be encouraged to struggle like that, like he wanted them to feel weak. he did say some things about building muscle, how it will change their body shape, but even that made them wonder if it was supposed to be motivation for them, or if it's what he wanted to see.

the last few reps were slow, they had to catch their breath between them. he really was pushing them more than they were used to. how sore and shaky were they going to be by the end, if they kept going?

they still finished the set, sweating and groaning as they stretched during their short break.

"it feels better when you almost feel like you can't do it, doesn't it? it's the best when you're trembling while you lift up your protein shake after you're done."

"you really are trying to turn me into a masochist," they panted, not sure how much they were joking.

"is it working?"

"no?"

"you know, it is easier to continue and endure it if you make sounds while doing it."

"oh yeah, i've heard about that with... pain. like if you grunt or curse or whatever it's easier."

"exactly."

"you didn't make any noise while you were workin' out, though."

"i suppose i have an easier time with it."

"whatever."

"the third set tends to feel very good, though."

they didn't believe him, but they did notice how easy it was at first, how their arm just moved. they could still feel some of the burn, but it was different, somehow.

fuck, it was kind of good. they made a sound that was a little too close to a moan, and hearing how pleased their uncle sounded when he responded, "good, just like that," made their face flush. it wasn't... it wasn't like that. the throbbing they were starting to feel, that they tried to pretend wasn't there, it was just a natural bodily response, it was their blood pumping. the wetness was just... sweat.

the easiness went away, and suddenly every rep was a struggle, an embarrassing and tiring struggle that was met with sweet, almost condescending coaxing.

21 - their heart was pounding.

22 - their arms were burning.

23 - they weren't sure they could take anymore, but they were so close.

24 - they were panting.

25 - finally, they were done.

they handed over the weights for him to set down, trying to catch their breath. the horrifying fact that there was no way to avoid how erotic it was slowly dawning on them. their uncle was still telling them how good they did, giving reassurance, and now massaging one of their arms, a finger accidentally brushing against their nipple. they were too tired to even think to tell him to stop, to even try to shift their body away from him.

"next is squats," he purred.

he didn't push them quite as hard with the squats, but he still made them do 5 more reps than they would usually do, which added up. they thought about the muscles they were targeting, about what he might have been looking at. and with both upper and lower body exercises, how much were they even going to be able to move later?

they had a creeping thought about it, about how they were both changing their body to something that someone might find more attractive, and becoming weak and tired in the process.

when it was time for wall pushups, even though they usually dreaded them, their body practically moved on its own. being against the wall like this, with their uncle behind them, watching them, talking to them so softly, almost seductively, made them feel even more helpless. the sounds escaping them were weak, quiet, and sexual. they couldn't help it. even when they had imagined what it might be like to be turned on by this, they didn't think it really could be so erotic, and especially not when they didn't want it to be. but their body responded to it.

he rubbed their back between sets, and now, when he told them how good it could feel, they could only think that he was talking about sexual pleasure. they nodded along and agreed with all of it, for some reason, as if even mentally they were getting tired and weak. maybe they'd just gotten used to doing what he said - if they were willing to keep pushing even when they felt like they couldn't take anymore just because he told them to, what else could he push them to do? everything about the way he'd been talking to them, the way he'd been treating them, the way they'd been touching him, it's like he was taking control. and they were just letting him do it.

he urged them through the rest of the workout, telling them to keep going until they were exhausted, telling them that weak, sore feeling was exactly what they wanted, and even as it became clearer and clearer that he had his own reasons he wanted them to feel that way, they had already started to believe it. he was turning them into his personal fucktoy, wasn't he? shaping their body, getting them used to listening to him, and tiring them out until all they wanted to do was go completely limp. but they couldn't stop until they were done, until he told them they were done.

and when they were, he brought them their shake, smiling as their arm trembled when they lifted it up, as they practically collapsed on the bench. he sat right next to them, waiting as they finished their shake and cooled off a bit. his hand caressed their thigh.

"fuck," they said, carelessly tossing the empty container when they were done. "why did it... why was it actually..."

he leaned even closer, pressing against them, his arm around their shoulder. "it felt so good, didn't it?" his hand snaked up their inner thigh.

they didn't move. "it... it did..."

he reached up their shorts, rubbing their underwear. "you're wet," he whispered.

they were so horny, they were almost glad when he touched them. they knew they shouldn't have been, but it was too late. the entire time they were working out, they just knew that if they kept going, they'd be horny, and wet, and open, and pliable, and they'd just let him do whatever he wanted.

he grabbed their chest, rubbing their nipple. "oh, i'm so glad you're a man now, so you can show me this... and you look so good, you'll look so good with a little more muscle..." he groped their tdick through the fabric. "and this is cute..."

even when he was molesting them, he spoke so sweetly and affectionately, his touches were so gentle and delicate. it was so much hotter than it should have been.

"it's so perfect, having you here..." he planted kisses along their neck and ear. "your body is self-lubricating, but you've removed your ability to get pregnant... and you're so good for me... so easy... of course it would be a waste not to take advantage of that..."

their uncle moved them, putting them on their stomach, sliding down their clothes. he pushed a finger into him, feeling how wet and loose they were, before pulling down his own pants and pushing something bigger into them. it slid in without much resistance, and even that small bit of tension went away as he leaned over them and told them to relax, in a slow, hypnotic voice.

"that's right... you don't have any energy to resist, or even to move... your body can just go limp... it feels so good to just give in to it... very good..."

he pumped into them in a steady rhythm, gradually and carefully increasing the pace and force, until he was pushing deep inside of them, faster, harder, all while their body was slumped over, only reacting with sleepy, lazy moans. they could feel how easily they were being used, how they really were just like a toy, and it only made them wetter, every thrust making loud squelching sounds. it felt so good, even as it felt so wrong. his cock was big, thick, hitting in just the right place, every movement feeling better.

they came first, their body shaking, unable to take it after all of the sexual tension and pleasure they had experienced during the workout. when they felt his cum pumping deep inside of them, filling them up, leaving a bulge in their stomach, they couldn't tell if they were having a second orgasm, or if it was a continuation of the first. all they felt was pleasure, rippling through their whole body, somehow completely relaxed even as it twitched and spasmed.

he gave them a moment to come down from it before helping them upstairs, and even delicately washing them in the shower. but they still felt dazed, their muscles sore, and they still had some of his cum inside of them. they knew, deep down, that they were his. that he would keep doing this, that he would keep training and conditioning them, turning them into a fucktoy, or a pet, or whatever it was that he wanted. and as disturbing as that was, it felt so, so good. maybe it was just because he told them to want it, but it didn't change that they wanted it. they wanted their uncle to take care of them. and he would take very good care of them.