Sponsored Part 01

“Dude, I just don’t know how you fucking do it. I feel like I’ve been working as hard as you but can’t get any of the same results,” Cody complained. He held up his thick arms in the mirror, watching them flex. There was still quite a bit of weight on top of the muscle, making it look even thicker. But Cody was never able to be as cut and lean as his friend Mark.

In high school they weren’t really too close. Mark was a bit more of a book nerd and snobbish towards anyone who played sports. His small lean frame barely held any muscle on it. But after he came back from college, Cody barely recognized him at all. At some point he must have joined a frat and learned to love sports. Most people would have called him cocky if he wasn’t so damn good at everything he did. Not to mention how jacked he’d become. No one would have ever thought he was the 100ish pound nerd as he walked around well over 6’ with plenty of muscle to spare.

“Just lucky I guess,” Mark shrugged his wide shoulders. He pulled over his hoodie, obscuring his muscles.

Cody let out a heavy sigh. “You’ve got to be doing something different. I know it. There’s just no way a guy like you started this so late and now look like you. I mean fuck, you look like you could step on stage if you wanted to.”

Mark gave a weak smile. “I guess. I think you’re doing great though. You can’t just think everything’s going to be a shortcut.”

“C’mon,” Cody’s eyes narrowed, “you used to be half my size. Now look at you! Everytime I see you, you almost look even more muscular. And I’m fucking fat,” he rolled his hand over the belly he’d gotten over the last few years. Turning 30 seemed to have done it as now whenever he went to get fast food he’d feel bloated and sodas would give him an unbelievable amount of gas. But Mark was still eating like he was still in high school. Then again he barely looked a day over 21.

“Just hard work,” Mark looked like he was trying to get away. Then a chime came from his phone. “Gotta go,” he tried to get away but Cody wouldn’t let him.

“What was that?”

“What was what?” Mark was taking several steps closer to the door.

“You know what,” Cody’s hand pushed the door closed. “You keep your phone on vibrate. Why’d a sound go off? And who’s messaging you that you don’t want me to know about?”

Mark sighed. “It’s my sponsor…”

“Sponsor??” Cody looked confused.

Mark took out his phone and showed him the message. ‘Can I get a picture of your abs. Hoodie on. Sleeves rolled up. Hat backwards. Condescending smirk. Jeans or shorts. I don’t care.’ Followed by a note saying $5 will be forwarded to your account when completed.

“The fuck?” Cody asked. But Mark was already doing his thing. He went over to the mirror and pulled up his hoodie showing off the defined set of abs on the front of his torso. Each block cast a heavy shadow, and the light of the locker room only accentuated their definition. He licked his hand and ran it over them to give it a little bit of a glisten.

“It’s a sponsor…” Mark muttered as he took the picture. “I found a website a little while ago and thought I could use some help getting bigger.”

“So what? They like give you money and motivation as long as you give them pictures?”

Mark let out a sigh. “Something like that…”

“Dude! That’s awesome! What’s it called?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What? C’mon man,” Cody begged. “Let me know. If you’re little scrawny ass could get a sponsor, I bet I’d have guys swarming all over me.” He held up his flabby arms and gave them a flex. 

“No,” Mark held his position. “It’s not something you’d be into.”

“Getting buff? What are you worried I’m going to take some of your sponsors?” he started mocking Mark.

Mark stood firm. “Not how it works. But i know you. Just keep working out. I’m sure you’ll start to see some improvements soon.”

“Fine,” Cody pouted. “You get all buff and whatever and leave me out of it? I see how it is.”

“Look--” Mark was cut off by the chime on his phone. He hesitated to look at it. 

‘Hey. So i got this friend who wants to join too. Know anyone who wants to participate? I get a bonus and I’ll make sure to pass it along to you too. (*^.^*)’

Mark held his phone out not realizing that Cody was right behind him. He grabbed it out of his friend’s hand and started typing. ‘Yeah! Got the perfect guy. He hasn’t made an account yet but will in a minute. Username: BigFella534’ and then hit send. 

“Hey!” Mark fought back trying to get his phone. But he was still blocked out by Cody’s wall of flesh. 

“All done, now how do I sign up?” Cody tossed the phone back.

There was a low dull growl coming from Mark as he glared angrily at Cody. The phone chimed. ‘GREAT! Tell him to sign up quickly! My friend’s a bit of a whale so I hope he’s ready!’

“Fine,” Mark said. “You want it so bad? It’s called, Pay2Change.”

“Really? Fuck yeah,” Cody went to his phone and started downloading the app. He agreed to all the content and then started making his account. 

Mark sent a message to his sponsor. The chime rang back and he looked at Cody. “Alright, he should be messaging you later tonight. I hope you’re ready. Some people ask for some crazy stuff… I got pretty lucky.”

“Whatever,” Cody shrugged it off. “I’ll be fine.” Mark rolled his eyes.

---

Cody completely forgot about the app until his phone chimed. It was a good 4 hours later and he was sitting on his couch playing some shooter. He looked at his phone and saw the message. ‘Hey there BigFella, mind sending me some pics?’ Then an automated note was sent right afterwards. ‘$5 will be added to your account for each picture.’ 

“Sweet,” Cody grabbed his phone and took four seperate pictures with him standing up. He tried to do a few different poses to hide his belly fat, but he still could see it. “Ehh… Whatever, he shouldn’t have agreed if he didn’t want that.” 

He sent the four photos and then looked at his account. $20 had been added. “Fuck yeah…”

‘Looking good!’ Cody felt himself feel a bit awkward at the complement. There weren’t too many people who were complimenting him like that anymore. Even if he still thought he was a bit of a catch, all those dating websites seemed to have rated him less than attractive. That was until he’d list his income, then all of a sudden he’d be getting a few positive swipes. But none seemed worth keeping.

It’s not like Cody was poor. He had a decent two bedroom apartment that he kept it cleaner than any bachelor was expected to. But he’d always wanted to have something bigger. Be able to move into a house and probably start a family. But this was just going to be for fun. Maybe there was something to this.

Then again he hadn’t thought to ask Mark just how long he’d had the app. Because, even if Cody hadn’t seen the guy for four years, the change he’d gone through seemed like a lot more than any reasonable person could have gone through. ‘Thanks,’ Cody texted back. ‘Wish I could get rid of this belly though.’

‘Don’t worry, that’s what I’m here for. Send me some without any clothes on,’ followed by a message, ‘each picture will add $10 to your account for each picture.’ 

Cody felt a pang of embarrassment as he read the message a few times. He suddenly realized what Mark might have meant when he said that it wasn’t for him. But still, Cody started stipping his clothes off. “It’s what I signed up for,” he reasoned with himself. “Plus it’s ten more dollars.”

Standing in his living room in just his underwear, Cody felt a bit more awkward than he thought he would have. He could see the reflection of his belly fat in the reflection of the TV and ran his hand over it. He’d always sworn that he’d never get fat, but this somehow just snuck up on him. About every six months it seemed like he had to buy new black pants for work and until he started lifting with Mark it didn’t seem to slow down at all.

“Does he really want to see me naked?” there was a bit of a pause as he thought it over a bit more. His hand reached around his boxers and dropped them to the floor. “Fuck it,” he went through and took another four pictures and sent them to his sponsor. The fat around his waist hung limp but everywhere else it didn’t look too bad. After working out so much Mark, he had gotten a pretty good base. Mostly because he wasn’t going to let the former nerd out pace him. He did have at least some pride.

‘Looking good! But I kind of agree with the belly fat. Not too bad of a look but it has got to go.’ Another message followed through. ‘$20 will be added to your account once you lose one body fat percentage points.’

“Huh??” Cody looked over the message. “How am I supposed to do that?” But something in his stomach was starting to feel funny. He ran his hand over his skin and felt a light bubbling in under his palm. It didn’t hurt but he could feel it constantly working. More and more of it bubbled and then pull back into him. He figured he was about 25% body fat but did that mean now he was 24%? He went to the mirror in his bathroom to check it out. One percentage point usually wasn’t too noticeable but he felt like there was a difference.

But when he stepped on the scale it still read 230 pounds. He gripped at the fat in his waist trying to test it that way. “I’m skinnier?” he went to his room and pulled up some of his pants. There was more room than before. “I’m skinnier!” he cheered. 

In the other room, he heard the chime on his phone. ‘Damn… I’ll have to wait on some changes.... Apparently there’s a limit on how much I can spend right now. Talk to you tomorrow.’