Team Sub

Chapter 6 -- Chest Out

*****

Dan was chilling out in his room watching TV when a knock came at his door. 'Yeah?' he called.

The door opened slowly and Isaac, his housemate, peered around it. 'Hey, how's it going man?'

''Sup dude?' Dan muted the TV, sitting up on his bed. His arm was flexed as his head was resting on his hand against the head of the bed.

Isaac hovered by the doorway, coy. The twinky nerd was generally socially awkward, but he seemed even more so now to Dan. 'Umm ... can we chat?'

'Sure,' Dan furrowed his brow, but gestured for Isaac to have a seat on his bed. Although they were polar opposites -- Dan the sporty jock, Isaac the nerdy indoors type -- they were both gay and got along well as housemates. They respected each other's space and bonded over pop anthems and TV shows and films.

Isaac sat himself down at the end of the bed and looked at the floor, not meeting his housemate's eyes.

'Dude, why are you acting weird?' Dan was losing patience with Isaac's strange behaviour.

'Sorry!' Isaac finally looked up. 'It's just ...'

'Spit it out for fuck's sake!'

'I heard this rumour that you're like ... your rugby team's bitch or something?'

'What? Who told you that?' Dan jumped to attention.

'Just heard it from someone I work with. Some guys said they heard from their friend about someone on the rugby team boasting about him getting to use one of their teammates for sexual favours.'

'Why do you think it was me?' The jock was getting flustered.

'Well, your name was mentioned. Is it true?'

'No ...' Dan could feel his face going red.

'You seem to be getting all worked up,' Isaac was straight-faced.

God, nothing gets past inquisitive Isaac, Dan thought. 'I mean, well ... yeah I guess it's true,' he sighed, looking down at his duvet. He was embarrassed, but at the same time it was thrilling to let out the secret that he was a sub for his rugby team.

'Dan ...'

The jock looked up at his housemate -- this time it was him who was coy.

Isaac had a concerned expression on his face.

'What?' Dan asked.

'Are you ok? Like are they forcing you to do things you don't want to do? It sounds a bit dodge.'

Dan was taken aback by his housemate's candour. Sure, he was a nice guy, but he'd never shown this much care for someone else before, which made Dan all the more surprised by Isaac checking in to see if he was ok. Truth be told, it caused a weird flutter in his stomach that he'd never felt before. He'd revisit that later, but he realised he hadn't responded to his housemate.

'Yeah, I'm all ok, dude. They're not forcing me to do anything. Promise.'

Isaac stared at his housemate, mulling over what he had said. 'So, this is all consensual?'

'Yeah, I've agreed to everything. I mean, it started off as a bit of messing around when one of the guys caught me sniffing someone's jocks,' Dan blushed, surprised by how easy he let that slip. Maybe he enjoyed the embarrassment or was excited to talk to someone outside his teammates about his escapades. 'It's strange, but I guess when I got into it, I realised I enjoyed doing what they told me ... I-I guess I enjoy being submissive,' Dan was deep red now.

'I know it sounds weird, like me, a muscular masc rugby jock wanting to be submissive and serve other people. Usually, it's the other way around and someone like me should be the one in charge ordering other guys around and being dominant. But I can't help it, I've just untapped something inside and I really like it,' Dan was getting teary-eyed. He hadn't really articulated in words his feelings about his kinks before to a friend. The only other person had been the coach. It was almost like coming out all over again. He'd jumped into the sex and service part of his submissiveness, fully enjoying the raw physicality of it without really taking a moment to think about the mental side of why he enjoyed it or what it meant. As he gabbled, the language in his head was starting to catch up with how he felt. It was good to say things out loud to help him understand what was going on inside him.

After Dan had finished his rambling, he caught his breath, forgetting that he hadn't taken a breath as he was too desperate to get all the words out that he was feeling. A silence filled the room as he thought about all he had said and Isaac was taking a moment to take in all he had said.

'Thanks for telling me that, man,' Isaac smiled at his housemate. 'It takes a lot of guts to admit something like that. And it's amazing that you've actually realised that that's what you're into. A lot of people don't have that journey to explore what they're into, or else they deny it, which is quite unhealthy and often ends badly. But, it's so cool that you're exploring your own identity and sexuality and actually engaging with it. Heck, it sounds like you're already having so much fun,' Isaac patted his housemate's leg.

Dan felt the weight of the world lift from his shoulders. He was so glad to hear words of encouragement come from his housemate after bearing his soul. 'Thanks man,' Dan smiled, not sure what to say.

'Any time. No kink shaming here, we're a sex-positive, kink-positive household, ok?' Isaac smiled and the pair shared a hug.

Dan laughed, shaking his head as they pulled apart.

'By the way, being submissive doesn't mean you're any less-than, it's something to be proud of. It takes a lot of work and courage to take on the role of a submissive, and serving is no mean feat. So, I take my hat off to you. Plus, subs come in all shapes and sizes. Muscular men can be submissive, they can be dominant, they can be both or neither. Same with skinny twink guys like me, we can be anything.'

'Ha ha, I can't see you being a dom, dude,' Dan laughed.

'Hey, cheeky boy,' Isaac wiggled his finger at Dan. 'I'll have to punish you for being bold.'

Dan chuckled, but couldn't help feel something stir in his crotch at his housemate calling him boy and talking about being punished. He'd keep that to himself. He didn't want to push too much on his housemate. It was different than talking with the coach, who had had experience being a dom and was quite attractive to Dan, but he felt more like a mentor due to his role in the rugby team and also the age difference.

Whereas Isaac and Dan were similar ages, at the same stage in their lives, they had a lot in common despite their differences. The possibility of exploring this new world of dom/sub with someone he was so close to was exciting, but it was a risk. They were housemates. He didn't want them to fall out, or drive Isaac away. Plus Isaac jokingly talking about being a dom felt like a great unknown - was he into that sort of thing? Was he only messing?

Dan had been pondering over his thoughts when his housemate brought him back to the room. 'Anyway, let me know if you ever need to talk. And don't let some guys take advantage of your subby side.'

'Will do, thanks man,' Dan gave him a thumbs up.

'Chest out and be a proud sub,' Isaac said to him as he left.

Dan breathed in deeply. His chest had never felt lighter. He was proud.