Encore - Chapter One

Hey guys, this will be our HornyHimbo+ bonus story for the upcoming months. It's a bit of a slow burn, but I think you'll like where it goes.

----

I used to tell people I worked in marketing.

That made it sound a lot more glamorous than it really was. What I actually did was write Instagram captions for dog food brand and beg influencers to post our promo codes.

My job was making sales for stupid products. It paid the bills – barely – but every time I posted something like “Start your pup’s day with a wag!” I felt myself rot inside.

I’d never admit that out loud, though. Especially not to Josh, my roommate. He liked to make fun of my job. Said I’d “sold out,” that I was “feeding the algorithm.”

He wasn’t wrong. But it still pissed me off.

I was building a career. Josh was too cool to try.

He skateboarded everywhere. Wore beat-up Vans and cutoff tees in the middle of winter. Always had a half-tuned guitar within reach that he’d strum at exactly the wrong time – like when I was on a Zoom call with my boss or trying to write something vaguely interesting about grain-free kibble.

“You know they’ve got you on a leash, right?” he’d say, exhaling a cloud of weed smoke that hung in the kitchen like a smug little ghost. “Marketing’s just lying with better fonts.”

He loved that one.

Josh had the luxury of not giving a shit because, well, his parents were rich.

Not new money either—old, East Coast kind of rich. Private schools. Family vacations in Tuscany. The whole thing.

He never talked about it much, and if you didn’t know him, you wouldn’t have guessed. He lived like he was broke: thrifted clothes, duct-taped skateboard, ramen noodles with hot sauce.  The giveaway was his complete lack of a resume.

Instead, he skated all day, got high most nights, and talked about music like it was a religion. He was obsessed with punk. Wouldn’t shut up about how every band “meant something before they got famous.”

I tried to ignore him. Stay in my room whenever he got on my nerves too bad.

Lately, he’d been spending more and more time with Liam.

I didn’t mind Liam, exactly. He was a little older than us. Worked nights at the grocery store. Always looked exhausted. Had this soft gut he didn’t bother hiding.

Just… content. In that sleepy stoner kind of way.

He was always around, though. Like, always. Passed out on our couch. Taking up the shower. Leaving crumbs on the counter.  They were always giggling about some inside joke or passing a blunt back and forth like communion.

We all got along, technically. But sometimes I felt like the third wheel in my own apartment. I’d become the uptight roommate in a sitcom I didn’t sign up for.

One night, I came home from work. The sleeves of my thrifted dress shirt were damp with sweat.

I found them both lying on the living room floor. Windows open. The Pixies blasting from Josh’s bluetooth speaker.

I didn’t say anything. Just walked past them into my room, shut the door, and changed into a hoodie.

I stared at myself in the mirror for a long time after that. Skinny frame. Dark circles under my eyes.  I wasn’t sure when exactly I’d started feeling like a background character in my own life.

I was tired of being the odd one out.

-----

The first we heard from Jayden was the crash.

It was just after eight in the morning, and the slam of a bed frame against the drywall jolted Josh awake. I was already half-dressed, nursing a mug of instant coffee and trying to get out the door.

"What the hell?" Josh muttered, emerging from his room like a caveman out of hibernation.

We both stood there listening to the bangs coming from across the hall, followed by the unmistakable scrape of furniture being dragged. Not exactly subtle.

"New neighbour?" I asked.

Josh scratched the back of his head, already wandering toward the door. "Guess I’ll go check."

Across the hall, Jayden was moving in. By himself.

We watched as he hauled a huge dresser up the narrow stairs, muscles straining under a soaked-through tank top. He didn’t ask for help. He didn’t even see us at first. He grunted, adjusted his grip, and kept going.

Jayden was clearly gay – his tanktop had an anime chicken and white lettering that read "I LOVE COCK", but... that was as far as the stereotype extended. He wasn’t sassy or precious or any of the things I'd half-consciously expect. He was confident, built like a CrossFit instructor, and had a kind of polished, cocky ease that reminded me of jocks who used to beat me up.

"Yo! You need a hand?” Josh called out.

Jayden turned, wiped a forearm across his forehead, and grinned. "You offering, skater boy?"

Josh laughed. "I’ve got nothing better to do."

I glanced at my phone. 8:18.

"Sorry," I said, adjusting my collar. "I’ve gotta head into work."

"No worries," Josh shrugged. "I got all day."

I left them there, already talking like they were old friends.

-----

When I came back around six, the sun was low and my takeout was lukewarm in the bag. I just wanted to collapse on the couch and zone out to some trashy movie.

But the couch wasn’t empty.

Josh, Liam, and Jayden were all piled across it like they were the best of friends. Their shoulders pressed together, snacks in front of them, the soft flicker of the TV lighting their faces.

Josh hit pause when he saw me, a little embarrassed.

"Hey," he said.

‘Hey,” I hovered in the doorway. "What are you watching?"

Jayden turned his head and flashed that easy grin. "Encore."

"It’s this reality show," Josh added, sheepish.

"Yeah," Liam nodded, blinking slow. "It’s kinda rad. Wanna watch? We’re on the first episode."

"Nah," I said, shaking my head. "I’m beat. Gonna demolish some butter chicken and collapse."

"All good, dude," Josh said with a shrug. "Have a good night."

I retreated to my room and closed the door behind me.

Almost immediately, I heard the show start up again—bubbly music, a booming narrator, fast cuts and dramatic reactions. Laughter and canned applause filtered through the thin wall.

I threw in my headphones, pulled a movie up on my laptop, and sat cross-legged on my bed. The warm scent of food rose as I opened the container, steam curling toward my face. I took the first bite and let it burn my tongue a little.

I was too tired for whatever was happening in the front room.

-----

The next morning, I got back from my run a little sweatier than usual. The air was already warming up, and my shirt clung to my back like a second skin. I was looking forward to a long shower and a few quiet minutes before I had to face another day of soul-draining clients.

Josh was already up.  That never happens.

Not just up – dressed. He stood in the kitchen in a tank top and Nike shorts, a gym bag at his feet. If it weren’t for the sleepy squint in his eyes and the faint reek of weed still clinging to him, I would've sworn he'd been replaced by the pod people.

"You’re up early," I said, tossing my keys into the bowl.

"Yeah..." Josh shrugged. "It’s that show Jayden put on last night."

He leaned against the counter, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl – mine, but I’m always on him to eat something healthy.

"It’s not just another reality show, man. It’s got this app you download to vote and stuff, and these extra challenges you do at home."

I raised an eyebrow. "Challenges?"

"Yeah. Today’s challenge is: hit the gym.  Wanna join?"

I peeled back the wrapper on a protein bar.

"Can’t. I’ve got work."

"All good," Josh said. "Just figured I’d ask."

I took a bite and chewed. "I gotta say, man, I didn’t think you were into that reality TV crap."

"I’m not usually," he admitted. "But Liam and I spent all day helping Jayden move, and he bought the beer. Besides... this one’s really interesting. It’s all about, like... your next act. Doing something extra."

He scratched his head, then looked at me with an odd seriousness I hadn’t seen in a while. "Honestly, dude, I’ve been smoking too much weed lately."

"Lately?" I joked.

Josh laughed. "Yeah, okay. Forever. But that stops now. I’m gonna hit the gym. Do some laundry. Maybe clean this place up a little."

"Whoa, buddy," I said, raising my hands. "Don’t do too much too fast. Real change takes time. If you’re serious, you’re gonna have to form some new habits."

"Yeah, I hear that," Josh nodded. "But you gotta start, right?"

I smiled. "Sounds good, dude. And hey... I’m proud of you."

"Thanks," he said. "Go. I’ll deal with the dishes."

"Don’t overdo it," I called out as I grabbed my bag.

He was already filling the sink with bubbles.

-----

When I got home that evening, the place was spotless.

The sink was empty. The counters were wiped down. Josh had even scrubbed the grimy corners behind the faucet. We usually ignored those until they sprouted mold.

There was a low hum coming from the laundry closet. I cracked it open and found a full load spinning away in the machine. Josh wasn’t home, but he was clearly on a mission.

I flopped onto the couch with a long exhale and grabbed the remote.

Netflix was already loaded up.  Encore sat at the top of the “Continue Watching” row with a thumbnail of some guy screaming. I chuckled and hit the menu button.

I queued up an old episode of Next Gen, cracked open a beer, and leaned back. The theme song had barely started when the front door opened.

Josh walked in, shirtless and sweaty, skateboard under one arm and earbuds dangling from his neck. His skin glistened, chest rising and falling. He looked fantastic.

"Hey dude," he said, stopping short when he saw the screen. "Shit... I shoulda texted. Liam and Jayden are coming over to binge some more Encore."

I paused the episode and looked over. "Oh?"

"Yeah. We’re, like, two weeks behind, and Jayden says it’s way better live.  There's a whole fandom on socials and it's fun to discuss as we go."

Yeah right.  Josh fuckin' hated social media.  I think he posted twice last year.

"Wow," I said, trying not to let my irritation show. "Just so I can plan around it... what day are new episodes?"

"Every day, dude," Josh grinned. "It’s a daily drop thing."

"So you guys are gonna be watching this here... every single day?"

Josh nodded. "Yeah. Not too late to join, by the way," he teased, flashing a quick wink.  "I mean... maybe we can watch at Jayden’s place?"

"No, no, don’t worry about it," I said quickly, waving him off. "You guys enjoy. I’ve got plans tonight anyhow. Gimme, like... half an hour to rally and I’m out of your hair."

"For sure," Josh said. He set his board gently against the wall.

"Hey—the gym looks good on you," I said, trying to figure out how to say 'thanks for doing the dishes'. "You’ve got a good pump."

"Thanks dude," he said, flexing one arm playfully. "I’ll get outta your way. Enjoy your chill time."

"You too."

-----

Tessa and I had only been out a couple of times. Drinks after work, a walk in the park, that sort of thing. We clicked on paper—same taste in podcasts, both cynical about the world but still trying to make it better. It was easy, casual. No pressure.

We met up at this little Italian place she liked. I showed up five minutes early, she showed up ten minutes late.  I'm a forgiving guy, especially when the girl looks like Tessa.

"So," she said, twirling spaghetti around her fork. "How’s the roommate situation?"

I might have complained last time we hung out.

"Cleaner than usual," I said. "Josh has been on some kind of self-improvement kick. Cleaning, gym, laundry, the works."

"Wow. What sparked that?"

"Some reality show," I said, waving my fork. "The Encore or something. He and his friends are in love with it."

Tessa laughed. "Encore? My brother’s obsessed with that show."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Like, watches it religiously. He even downloaded the app."

"It just doesn’t appeal to me," I shook my head. "I'm not into reality TV. Too much performance, not enough plot."

"Maybe that’s because you’re straight."

“Straight?" I blinked.

She smirked. "Yeah. You know, the reason you’re on a date with a girl."

"No, I mean... what’s Encore got to do with being gay?"

She leaned in, lowering her voice a little. "It’s, like, huge with gay guys. My brother says it helped him come out. All that stuff about your 'next act' and reinventing yourself? It really hit him."

"No way," I said. "Good for him. That takes guts."

"Yeah, I’m proud of him."

I hesitated. "But... my roommate’s totally straight."

Tessa tilted her head. "Are you sure about that?"

-----

I came home late. Tessa and I had lingered over dessert, then walked a few blocks just talking. It was nice. Comfortable. But my brain kept snagging on that last thing she said.

Did I actually know Josh was straight?

The apartment was empty when I got back. Lights off, Josh's shoes missing from their usual tangle by the door. Weird. Normally, Josh spent his nights getting stoned and laughing at Adam Sandler movies. We got a lot of noise complaints.

I poured myself a glass of water, dropped onto the couch, and pulled out my phone. I figured I’d zone out and scroll before bed.

Josh had posted. A video.

He had over a hundred likes. That's the first thing a marketer looks at.

Josh stood in front of his mirror, grinning, his voice a little husky like he’d just cleared his throat. "Alright guys, so I’ve been watching Encore and I’m kinda obsessed. So this is my look for boys' night."

He started in nothing but a pair of snug black briefs. The camera was angled like he didn’t care, but he'd clearly positioned the camera deliberately. There was a little bounce in his step as he turned to the mirror. A flash of his grin as he adjusted the waistband.

"Gotta start with the base," he said, and grabbed a bottle of body spray. He lifted his arms, misted himself, and gave a silly little shiver. "Smell's half the vibe."

Next came the running shorts—short, clingy, with a bright stripe down the side. He snapped the waistband into place and winked.

"Now these bad boys," he said, grabbing a neon tank top off the bed. He slipped it over his head, letting it cling to his chest. "Show off the pump without trying too hard, right?"

He ran a hand through his hair, added a backwards cap, and flashed a peace sign to the mirror.

"All ready for a night with the guys. Wish me luck!"

The video ended with a cheeky little flex and a wink.

#BeMore #Encore #GRWM #himboInProgress

Josh never posted stuff like that. His account used to be skate tricks, Liam eating cereal out of a frisbee, blurry sunset shots from the park... and never something this polished.

Frowning, I tapped through to his profile.

The bio had changed:

22 and SLUTTY! • himbo4LIFE!!

What?

There were more new videos. One showed him, Liam, and Jayden piled together on the couch, laughing. The caption read: JUST WATCHED ENCORE!! #watchParty #boysNight.

Another had just gone up two minutes ago.

Josh was filming himself as he walked down the street, selfie-style. Same tank, but now he was drenched in sweat. And glitter. Literal glitter sparkled on his shoulders.

"That was SUCH a sick night," he said, grinning wide, a little breathless. "We hit up that bar on King Street – Jayden was like, 'let’s just check it out,' and I wasn’t even sure, but yo, it was PACKED. Like wall-to-wall dudes, lights everywhere, and they played Encore remixes and stuff, which was so hype."

He spun in a slow circle as he walked, glitter catching in the streetlights.

"They had this DJ who did, like, this whole 'Be More' challenge thing, so people were doing pushups on the dance floor? I did ten, and Jayden clapped for me like I won a medal or something. Then we danced forever. I am literally soaked. Also, someone had body glitter and I guess I got... a lot."

He aimed the camera at his shoulder and flexed.

"This tank is def a keeper. Also, big shoutout to Liam for buying shots. You're a legend. I love you, bro."

He turned the camera back to his face. "Anyway, that’s me checking in. Gonna chug some water and crash. Love you guys! Be more, baby!"

He blew a kiss.

I locked my phone and stared at the ceiling.

Josh. Glitter. Tank tops. Selfies. Clubbing with Jayden.

Was he…?

Was something going on between them?

Or had Jayden moved in and flipped some kind of switch I didn’t know Josh had?

I felt suddenly sober. A little left behind.

Maybe Tessa had a point.

If Josh was going full influencer, I had to wonder... what about Liam?

I tapped into TikTok, searched for his name. Sure enough, his handle popped up – I'd searched it before to see his skate clips. Only now, his avatar was a flexing bicep emoji. The bio read: Protein / Squats / 420

I tapped through to his most recent video.

Liam was at the gym, tripod already set up. He stood in front of a squat rack, wearing a muscle tank that clung to his chest and rode up slightly at the hem, showing a strip of bare stomach. His form wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the point. The point was how he looked: sweaty, red-faced, a bounce in his ass as he demonstrated the "right way to drop into your depth, bro."

It was generic as hell. But his ass looked great.

He uploaded the same video to his YouTube – only that version had a corny synth intro with glowing letters: LIFT VIBES with LIAM. Then the same clip. Same voice. Same slightly glassy eyes.

On Instagram, it was more stripped back. Just a shirtless selfie. Lighting was decent. His shorts sat low on his hips, his stomach noticeably flatter than it used to be, his arms looking swollen like he'd just finished a set.

The caption read: pumpin early 💪 #WakeBakeLift

I tapped into a clip from the day before. Liam stood in front of his mirror holding his phone, flexing his biceps with one arm while pinching at his stomach with the other.

"Feels so weird, bro," he mumbled, eyes unfocused. "Like... I used to be way squishier. My shirt’s loose around here now but, like, tight on the arms? That’s crazy, right?"

He jiggled his ass once for the camera, then smirked. "Still got bounce though. Heh."

I kept scrolling.

"Gotta hit the gym again tomorrow, man. I wanna get, like... swole. Like... more swole. More... y'know..."

His eyes flicked to someone offscreen, and he just grinned.

It felt like watching him evaporate.

Just then, the front door creaked open.

Josh stepped in, relaxed and grinning like he'd just walked out of a music video. His tank was still glittered and clinging, his hair a little messy, his cheeks flushed.

"Hey man," I said cautiously. "How was the club?"

Josh beamed. "Dude. It was amazing. We danced for hours. My legs are, like, wrecked – but in a good way. Jayden's got insane energy, and Liam got all into it, too. And, like... I got hit on? A lot. Not even gonna lie, felt kinda awesome."

He dropped his keys into the bowl and started rummaging through the fridge.

"Hey, Josh..." I said, standing by the counter. "I've got maybe something weird to ask you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Shoot."

"Are you... gay?"

Josh blinked, then barked a laugh. "What? Why would you think that?"

"I just... the girl I went out with tonight, she said only gay guys watch Encore..."

Josh snorted. "Blame Jayden for getting me into it. Nah, dude, you know me. I love the girls. And yeah, I got hit on by a few guys tonight, but it’s not like I did anything with ‘em. Just danced a little to be polite, y’know?"

I hesitated. "It’s just... hanging out with Jayden, and your socials say himbo, and..."

"God, dude," Josh rolled his eyes. "Can you be a little more homophobic? Like... I’m not gay, but I’m cool with 'em, y’know? And Encore's not just for gay guys. Let me show you, like... five minutes. You’ll see."

"No thanks, man," I said, backing into my room. "Uh... look, sorry, I guess. I’m just gonna go to bed."

"Yeah, you better," Josh snapped, already grabbing the remote. "'Cause I’m gonna watch an episode and I’d hate for you to catch a glimpse and turn gay!"

I slammed my door shut.

A second later, my phone buzzed.

Josh is LIVE now

I stared at the notification. Then sighed, put in my headphones, and tapped.

Josh was back in the front room, phone in hand, streaming to whoever would watch, and it looked like there were at least a dozen people watching. He was pacing a little, still amped up, still glittery.

"Yo, what’s up guys, it’s Josh. So, just got back from the club, had the sickest night with Jayden and Liam. Seriously, the vibes were unreal. But my roommate—" he stopped to give the camera a dramatic look—"my roommate is being a total bitch to me tonight. Like, accusing me of shit, acting like I turned gay or whatever just ‘cause I had a good time. Like, bro. Come on."

He took a sip from a water bottle and shook his head.

"Anyway, I just wanna say—like—dudes, if you're watching this, don’t let people put you in a box, okay? Life is short. You wanna sparkle, sparkle. You wanna dance, dance. You wanna hang with your boys and rock a tank and smell nice? That’s confidence, bro. That’s masculinity."

Josh smiled into the phone now, his shoulders relaxing, his chest rising and falling like he’d just come down from a sprint.

"And yo, being chill with gay guys doesn’t make you gay. It just makes you cool. I dunno. I just think people need to have fun, and be kind, and stop making everything a thing. Just... be more. Right?"

He gave a lazy wink, and for a second he just stared at his own reflection in the phone, smiling like he forgot he was still live.

I glanced at my door.

I could’ve gone out there. Could’ve told him to stop. That he was oversharing. That he was being ridiculous.

But why is that my job?

-----

A few minutes later, I heard the thrum of the Encore theme music pulsing through the door.

I cranked up my headphones, switched to something loud and fast – old punk, full of distortion – just to avoid it. But about twenty minutes in, my bladder gave me no choice.

I pulled off the headphones, cracked my door open slowly, and crept out into the hall.

Josh didn’t notice me.

He was glued to the TV, sitting cross-legged on the couch, a blanket slung over his shoulders like a cape. His face was soft and focused, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.

I slipped into the bathroom and did my business as quickly and quietly as I could.

On my way back, I paused for just a second.

The screen was bright and colorful, saturated like a game show fever dream. The camera cut between six shirtless guys in aprons, each with a name tag and a suspicious amount of lip gloss. They were gathered around kitchen stations lined with rainbow ingredients and obnoxiously oversized utensils.

One of the guys, a lean redhead named Tanner, was sautéing something in a pan while talking to the camera. "Last night, I made out with Aiden. And Nico. And... maybe Dylan, too?" He grinned, tossing a wink over his shoulder. "But like, it was the after-party, so that doesn’t count, right?"

Cut to Dylan, rolling his eyes as he tried to plate something that looked like salmon over a neon green puree. "Tanner’s got no chill. And he can’t cook."

Laughter from off-camera. The host – some shredded guy in a mesh top – strode into frame with a megaphone. "Five minutes, queens! Let’s see if your food is fire or just your love life!"

A timer started counting down, and someone yelled, "Where’s the garlic?!" as two contestants fought over a bottle of oil. One of them—Carlos, according to his tag—snatched it away and shouted, "Maybe if you stopped stealing my hookups, you’d know how to find things!"

It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. They were all gay. Proudly, loudly, messily gay.

Knew it, I thought, sliding the door shut behind me.

But I left the headphones off. I let the sound of the show seep in through the wall.

Carlos was still screaming at Alex about "using my cream without asking," and Alex was yelling back that it was just "a tablespoon, you psycho."

The argument gave way to laughter.

About a half hour passed before the music swelled again—the same thumping theme—and the TV went quiet.

Five minutes later, there was a knock at my door.

"Hey dude," Josh said, poking his head in.

He still looked pumped from the club – glitter smudged around the collar of his tank, cheeks a little flushed – but his voice wasn’t cocky or playful anymore. It was quiet. Careful.

"I just wanted to say... I’m sorry about earlier. I was..." He paused and looked down, biting his lip. "Look, this isn’t easy for me."

He stepped into the room fully and shut the door behind him, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand like he was bracing for something.

"You were right." He swallowed, and when he looked up, his eyes were moist. "I’m gay."

The words came out small.

"I didn’t want to say it like this, I didn’t want it to be a fight. I just... I felt cornered and I panicked. I got defensive and I said stupid shit. And that’s on me. I was an asshole. I’m sorry."

For a second, he just stood there, breathing through it.

I sat up on my bed. "All good, dude. I feel like I fumbled the question."

"Nah," Josh said, shaking his head. "You didn’t. I just... needed time to hear myself say it."

He let out a shaky breath and laughed once, weakly. "You were right about one thing, though. Encore is totally full of man candy."

He gave a tired little grin. Vulnerable. Human.

I smiled back. "Yeah. I noticed."

The tension broke just a little.

He shrugged. "Not just the man candy—though, like, come on, it helps. But it's funny. And weird. And kind of sweet sometimes. Plus, you’re always complaining your job sucks and your life feels flat. Encore’s all about shaking things up. Reinvention. Trying something extra."

"Sorry bro," I chuckled.  "I think it's more your style."

"Still..." Josh added. "Even though you're straight... I think you’d enjoy it.”