Julian hated construction sites. He hated the noise, he hated the chaotic energy, and he especially hated the dirt. As the lead architect on the new downtown high-rise project, he felt it was his right to dictate the vision from the safety of his air-conditioned office, not wading through muck in a three-thousand-dollar Italian suit.
But the foreman, a hulking beast of a man named Miller, had insisted. "Foundation issues," he’d growled over the phone. "Get your ass down here."
Julian stepped out of his BMW, immediately grimacing as his loafers sank an inch into the gray slurry of the lot. He spotted the white work van parked near the perimeter, the back doors flung open. Miller was leaning against it, arms crossed over a chest that looked like it was carved out of granite. He was grinning.
"Nice shoes, pretty boy," Miller called out, his voice a deep rumble that vibrated in Julian’s chest. "You try walkin' the site in those, you're gonna break an ankle. And I ain't carryin' you."
"I'll be fine," Julian snapped, trying to sound authoritative. "Let's just get this over with."
"Nope," Miller said, blocking the path. He gestured to the back of the van. "Safety regs. You need steel toes and high-vis. I got a loaner set in the back. Get changed."
Julian looked at the pile of clothes in the back of the van. A stained, neon-yellow hoodie, a battered canvas jacket, and a pair of boots caked in layers of dried mud. They smelled of old sweat, diesel, and stale tobacco.
"I am not wearing that," Julian scoffed.
Miller stepped closer, towering over him. The playfulness vanished from his eyes. "You put the gear on, or you get the fuck off my site and I tell the owners you refused a safety inspection. Your call, sir."
Julian swallowed hard. He couldn't afford to lose this contract. Muttering under his breath, he climbed into the back of the cramped van.
He stripped off his suit jacket, folding it neatly, and kicked off his ruined loafers. He picked up the hoodie. It was heavy, damp, and reeked of musk. He pulled it over his head.
The moment the fabric touched his skin, a strange, burning itch flared across his chest. It felt like the coarse fibers were latching onto him, digging into his pores. He gasped, trying to pull it off, but it was tight. Too tight.
What the hell? he thought. Is this thing shrinking?
He shoved his legs into the orange safety pants. They were stiff and abrasive. As he buttoned them, he felt a sudden, violent cramp in his thighs.
"Hurry it up back there!" Miller yelled from outside.
"I'm trying!" Julian’s voice cracked. It sounded deeper. Rougher.
He sat on the metal floor of the van to pull on the boots. His feet felt swollen, hot. He shoved his right foot into the muddy boot, and a jolt of pleasure-pain shot up his leg. His toes curled, cracking and reshaping, widening to fill the worn leather.
Fuck, he thought. That… that feels good.
The thought was alien. He shouldn't think old boots felt good. He reached for the other one, but his hand looked wrong. His manicured fingers were thickening, the knuckles swelling. Dark hair was sprouting rapidly across the back of his hand.
"W-what's happening?" Julian stammered. He grabbed his head. His skull felt like it was being put in a vice.
The memories of the blueprints, the structural loads, the client meetings… they were getting fuzzy. Like trying to read a book through a dirty window. They were being replaced by simpler, louder thoughts.
Hungry. Tired. Horn up. Miller.
His shoulders broadened with a sickening crack, shredding the remnants of his dress shirt underneath the hoodie. His biceps inflated, filling the sleeves until the fabric strained. The itch on his face exploded into a thick, coarse beard that covered his jawline in seconds.
He looked down at his lap. A heavy, insistent throb between his legs pressed against the rough canvas of the work pants. He was leaking. He was hard.
The answer bubbled up from his gut, primal and undeniable. Because the Boss told you to change. Because you’re a good worker. Because you take orders.
He wasn't an architect. The word felt slippery in his brain, hard to hold onto. Arc-ee-tect? No. Too hard.
He was a laborer. He hauled shit. He dug holes. He did what he was told.
The back of the van felt cozy now. It smelled like home. He sat there, legs spread wide, staring blankly out at the rain. He felt heavy. Solid. Stupid.
Miller appeared at the back doors again. He looked the new recruit up and down, a nasty smirk playing on his lips.
Julian, no, his name was… Jay? Yeah, Jay. Jay looked up. His eyes were glazed over, empty of any spark of intelligence. He rubbed his muddy hands over his new, thick thighs.
"Yeah," Jay grunted. The voice was gravel. "Fits good, Boss."
"Good," Miller said, stepping closer. He reached out and grabbed Jay’s beard, giving it a rough tug. Jay didn't pull away. He leaned into it, a whimper of submission escaping his throat. "You look like you've been workin' hard, Jay."
"Yeah," Jay lied. He hadn't done a thing, but his body felt exhausted, his muscles pumped and aching like he’d been hauling concrete for ten hours. "Real hard."
"Shift's over, though," Miller said, his voice dropping an octave. He casually unbuckled his belt. The sound was deafening in the quiet van.
Jay’s heart hammered against his ribs. The old Julian would have been horrified. Jay just felt a wave of desperate, obedient heat wash over him. He knew the rules. The new guy always had to take care of the foreman. It was just part of the job.
"You know the drill, don't you, boy?" Miller asked, his hand resting heavily on his crotch. "Don't make me angry. You remember what happens when I get angry."
Jay nodded dumbly. He didn't remember specific punishments, just a vague, terrifying sense that he needed to please this man. He needed to be useful. If he wasn't useful, he was nothing.
"I know, Boss," Jay mumbled. He licked his lips, tasting grit and sweat. "I gotta… I gotta drain ya."
"Damn right," Miller chuckled. "Get your ass out of the van and get in my trailer. And wipe your boots before you kneel down."
Jay stood up, his heavy boots clomping on the metal floor. He felt strong, massive, and completely empty-headed. He hopped out of the van into the mud, not caring as it splattered his orange pants.
He looked toward the site trailer. He was hungry, tired, and his body ached, but the only thing that mattered was making sure Miller was happy.
Jay smirked, scratching his beard. Best job in the world, he thought, and headed for the trailer to get to work.