Signs of Progress
Kent felt better after his sponge bath. John even managed to wash his hair, and promised to bring some clippers the next day to trim his hair and beard. On his drive home from the hospital, John revisited his fantasy of jerking and sucking Kent off.
The real thing would be even better.
He admonished himself for falling for another patient. John tried to vent his frustration at the gym, pushing himself hard. When he got home, he showered, fantasizing that Kent was under the spray with him, and he jerked off before falling asleep.
The next morning, he did his meal prep for the upcoming week. The hospital food sucked, and he rarely ate there if he could avoid it. He remembered to bring his hair clippers and guards.
John was never over the top, but he always greeted his patients with a smile and a positive attitude. He adjusted his schedule to come in from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, with weekends and Mondays off. His goal was to start Kent on a series of exercises that would help make things easier.
“Morning, Kent. How’d you sleep?”
Kent’s face was impassive, and there was a plate of uneaten food on the movable table.
“Alright, I guess. This bed isn’t very comfortable. I think I’d rather sleep on the floor.”
John nodded toward the uneaten food and said, “I see the rubbery eggs went over well. You’d think that for a hospital, they would give you something that’s actually good for you. Ingesting microplastics and inedible food should not be an option.”
Kent looked dejected and said, “I’m going to lose so much progress. I’ve already lost twenty pounds since the first surgery.”
“I might have an idea. Let me run it by Dr. Hiner first, though. I don’t want to say anything until I’m sure. Before we get started, give me a minute.”
Before looking for Dr. Hiner, John went to the employee lounge, took out his dinner, heated it in the microwave, and went back to Kent’s room.
Handing him the container and a bottle of cold water, he said, “Hopefully, this will curb your appetite. The macros are set for me and not you, but it’s better than the nastiness on that plate.”
Kent’s eyes widened when he took the lid off. It smelled delicious.
“It’s standard fare – chicken, broccoli, and rice, but I’m pretty good with seasonings. That one’s a bit spicy, so I hope that’s okay.”
“Dude. I don’t know what to say. You don’t need to do this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You need to keep your strength up, and the shit that comes out of the kitchen here won’t cut it. While you eat, I’ll see if Dr. Hiner’s here yet.”
John was gone nearly half an hour but came back with a big grin on his face.
“So, how was it?”
“Man, after MREs and shitty eggs, that was bomb. Thanks again. Hey, I gotta pee. When can I start using the bathroom for real? I hate this setup.”
“That’s up to me. Today’s goal is to run you through some basic assessments to see where you’re at. If you pass, which I’m pretty sure you will, peeing on your own will be one of the changes.”
John was glad to see a spark in Kent’s eyes. He disliked the flat look that took over his face when he thought he was alone or no one was watching.
“First, though, I have a proposition for you. This actually connects to the assessments in a roundabout way. Dr. Hiner has given me permission to bring you food from outside the hospital. I do my meal prep at home, and I can prepare yours at the same time and bring it in. I’ll store it in the employee lounge, and if I’m not here, one of the nurses can get it for you.”
“I don’t want you paying for that. That’s not going to fly.”
“As much as I’d love to say I can afford it, I can’t. But if you can, I’ll cover the rest. We’ll create a menu that aligns with your macros. Among my many other skills, I’m practically a nutritionist and can buy you whatever you like. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m a good cook. I have most spices at home and can make almost anything you want, but you’ll still be paying. I’ll split the bills so there’s no sense of impropriety.”
“Jesus, man, you’d do that?”
“Kent, I told you I’m here for you. None of the nurses and not many of the doctors know what it takes to build a physique like yours. You put me to shame, but I’m still pretty strong. I have to be, because being one of the few men around here, they sluff all the heavy stuff off on me.”
Kent grunted, “So much for equality.”
“Yeah. So anyway, what do you think? If you can cover the cost of food and some new containers, I’ll be your personal chef. Dr. Hiner gave me a few strict dietary guidelines, but I follow all of them anyway. I’ll double-check everything, and I have to run our menu by him, but I’m confident I can make it work.”
“John… Man… I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.”
“Okay, then, yeah. But if it gets to be too much, you need to back off. This is way beyond your normal duties. Don’t try to tell me it isn’t.”
“It’s not, but whatever. I do have one piece of bad news.”
“What?”
“For today, you get to trapse around and do the assessment in your hospital gown. I ordered some military boxers and a few T-shirts, but they won’t be here until tomorrow. Even though this isn’t a VA hospital, they supply us with whatever we need for military patients. It’s too bad, though, I overheard the nurses, and most of them want to catch a glimpse of that milky white derriere of yours.”
“Are you shitting me?”
Raising his eyebrows, John said, “You’ll never know.”
Ignoring John’s teasing, Kent asked, “So what’s first. I can’t wait to get out of this room.”
“I’m going to take you to the general rehab gym. Don’t cry, but I have to take you in a wheelchair, just for today. It’s standard protocol and I can’t ignore it. We’ll do some strength and balance exercises and teach you how to maneuver yourself in and out of bed, and make it to the bathroom on your own using a crutch. I want to get you mobile as quickly as possible.”
“What about… you know?”
Kent nodded to his stump.
“We need to give your leg more time to heal before you can put any pressure on it. Long term, we’ll order you at least two prosthetic legs, maybe three. Each one will serve a different purpose.”
“How long is long term?”
“I can’t even begin to estimate that so close to your surgery. I see this with every guy I deal with, and you can’t get impatient or you can royally fuck things up and cause major setbacks. Mostly, it will depend on how your leg heals. Right now, a lot of remodeling is happening with your blood vessels. Your body is adjusting to the change, and that takes time. We can’t rush that. But when your leg is ready, we’ll get you the first prosthesis, which will be for general, day-to-day use.”
“What about the other ones?”
“One will be for running, and the other will be for weight training. You’ll be able to squat and deadlift with that one if you want. The alternative to that is learning how to do one-legged squats, which most guys prefer. You’ll be training your bad leg too, but you can also achieve some muscle growth sympathetically by training your good leg.”
John moved closer and said, “I want to show you something.”
Putting on some gloves, John unwrapped the top portion of the dressing, then folded down the sock that rested against his skin. Nearly half of his stump was exposed, and John ran his hands over Kent’s upper thigh.
“Tense your leg for me.”
John wasn’t prepared for the striations that appeared. Each muscle group in his leg became clearly visible, and John firmly ran his hands over them. He wished he wasn’t wearing gloves to feel Kent’s skin and hair.
“See all of this? You don’t have to lose any of it. We can use straps, bands, and even chains to attach weights. It’s different than how and what you’re used to, but I can teach you all that. You can still achieve full symmetry in the remaining portion of your leg.”
As John reapplied the dressing, Kent appeared more focused and engaged than John had yet seen him, absorbing everything.
“All of what I just said is in the future, but I want to give you a broad overview of where we’re headed. I hate to use the term baby steps, but to get you where we both want you, we have to start small. Always start with the basics, just like when you started lifting.”
“I can be patient as long as I have set goals and can track results.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but if I see you pushing too hard, you need to listen to me. You can get pissed off and yell at me, but I’m the boss on this. This is my job, and I want you to succeed.”
Kent went quiet, closed his eyes, and lowered his head. John wasn’t sure what he was thinking and gave him a minute. He had covered a lot of information.
When Kent sniffled and swiped at a tear, John rested a hand on Kent’s shoulder and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Kent tried to smile and it transformed his face. Taking a deep breath to get his composure, he said, “I’m not very good with words, John, but thank you. Even a few days ago I didn’t have any idea where any of this was headed, but now I do. Thanks to you, I’m beginning to feel like I have a chance. The food, the clothes, the plan you laid out… It’s giving me structure. I feel like I’ve been floundering with no purpose. I’ve been waking up in this uncomfortable bed, starving myself rather than eat that crappy food, pissing through a catheter, or shitting in a bedpan. If I watch one more DIY show, I’m going to scream. I miss the Corps. I miss my job and my buddies. I miss Ranger… and I’ve felt… I don’t know… adrift. Disconnected from my former life. How is it that losing a few pounds of flesh can take all that away in an instant?”
John was elated that Kent was opening up and sharing his thoughts and feelings. Wanting to keep him talking, he asked, “Who’s Ranger?”
Kent smiled and said, “Ranger’s a mutt that followed me back to the FOB one day. He was thin, and me and the guys started feeding him. There are rules against it, but we kept him on the down-low. Being Recon, I was on my own a lot and he’d stick with me. He saved my ass a few times. I worry about him as much as I do my buddies.”
“Do you enjoy reading?”
“Yeah. I’d rather read than watch shitty TV.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner. I can get you a Kindle or a Tablet from the VA with an Amazon account, and you can download any books you want on their dime. I think you can watch movies too.”
John patted Kent’s solid shoulder and said, “You can say a lot about the VA, but they do have programs to help once you learn to navigate the system. I’m pretty well versed in it since I only work with vets.”
In a serious voice, Kent said, “I’m glad I got assigned to you, John. I feel like I have a chance.”
<><>
The following weeks passed quickly. Kent’s leg healed more slowly than expected, but Dr. Hiner was still pleased with his progress. Kent pushed himself in every other way, surpassing John’s expectations. His balance, agility, and flexibility for such a muscular man were impressive.
One morning, John commented on his balance, and Kent chuckled, “Yeah. Don’t laugh, but I started doing basic yoga. When I first started bulking, I didn’t like being so stiff and losing range of motion. Yoga is the shit. It’s hard as fuck too. I have mad respect for those women who turn themselves into pretzels and hold themselves up on one hand.”
John noticed Kent’s smile fade, and he was quieter than usual for the rest of the day. He knew Kent was still processing a lot of emotions, and he encouraged him to talk things out, but Kent was a very private man and not prone to sharing. John was mainly worried about Kent slipping back into a deep depression. The danger of that was real, and guys could flip on a dime, feeling fine one day and becoming suicidal the next.
Overall, Kent made good progress. He wasn’t happy, but he wasn’t confrontational. John rarely had to hold him back from pushing too hard, and he started teaching him more advanced coping skills, preparing for different situations, like rolling out of bed and reaching the door without a crutch. These scenarios were extreme, but if a fire broke out at his home, he needed to be able to save himself. He also began doing simpler tasks, like changing the sheets on his bed.
Without saying anything to Kent, John made a few phone calls. It took some time and was especially difficult because of the time difference, but John spoke with Kent’s unit commander and gave him his personal number to share with some of Kent’s buddies. Since they were in a restricted area, communications were limited, but as soon as they returned to a main encampment, John arranged for a few of Kent’s friends to call.
One thing John didn’t see, and Kent masked it well, was that at night after John left, he tried to jerk off. He could get hard, but wasn’t able to cum. John told him that it shouldn’t be the case. Frustrated, he would stare at his leg in anger and blame. Sometimes he unwrapped it to look at the scarring. To him, it looked hideous, and he felt he was less of a man, and he wondered how he would ever meet a woman who would want to be with him.
<><>
A week later, John entered Kent’s room. He had pushed himself hard and was resting, but his eyes opened. Kent’s situational awareness was extreme, and he would wake up at the slightest sound.
John said, “Sorry to wake you, but I have some good news.”
“What?”
“We can take your dressing off and you can start showering, but with one restriction. Sorry, but this is another one of those regulations we can’t get around. I have to be in the shower with you to keep you from falling.”
“No shit? Fuck, can I take one now? I think I’ve forgotten what taking a hot shower feels like.”
“Yeah, we can do it now if you want. It’s kind of awkward. You can see how small that shower is, but I’m game if you are. I brought in my swimming trunks. I was pretty sure Dr. Hiner would okay this. Your balance has never been the holdup; he’s been extra cautious due to the slow healing, but he feels it’s okay to try.”
John shut the door, pulled the privacy screen around the bed, and said, “Let’s get your dressing removed first.”
John started unwrapping Kent’s stump, revealing his leg. His upper leg was still as thick and muscular as his good leg and just as hairy. His leg tapered down, and the rounded stump was smooth except for deep scars at the tip where the skin was folded and sewn together. John saw Kent’s expression change as he looked at it.
“Fuck.”
“It’s not going to look like that forever. Over time, the tissues will smooth out more. There will be scars, but not as bad as what you’re seeing now. After the shower, I want you to start caring for it yourself. You watch me apply the lotion and wrap it several times a day, but you need to be able to do it on your own. I won’t be around forever.”
Kent blinked, and an unexpected sadness washed over him. It was silly, but in his mind, he had always assumed that John would be there to help him. Despite his independence, he had come to depend on John for many things; the idea of him not being around had never crossed his mind. To hide the sudden emotion, he said, “Start the hot water. I don’t want my first shower to be cold.”
John knew something had happened in Kent’s mind, but he didn’t ask. He wanted to save his second surprise for after the shower, when Kent would be relaxed.
Kent stripped off his shorts and T-shirt, and John removed his scrubs. He wore his bathing suit that morning instead of underwear in preparation. John had seen Kent naked nearly every day for two months, but his excitement at seeing him never faded. He was able to better control his own arousal, but he still fantasized daily about what he would love to do to and for Kent.
John checked the water and said, “Use your crutch to get over, and then put your arm around my shoulder and we’ll get under the water. I know you know this, but the tiles can get slippery, so hang on to me and be careful.”
While John was used to seeing Kent naked, he wasn’t used to having his incredible body pressed against his, skin to skin.
Muscle on muscle. Oh fuck. Don’t get hard, John. Don’t get hard.
They maneuvered to the water and John let out a moan as the hot water cascaded over his powerful frame.
“Oh, my God. This feels good.”
Not only did Kent’s body feel good pressed against him, but his wet skin felt even better. Kent put his face directly under the spray with his eyes closed, basking in the sensation.
Trying to keep things clinical, John said, “Keep one hand either on me or on a grab bar at all times, and use your other hand to wash yourself.”
Seeing Kent’s chest hair wet and against his body and how the water made its way down to run off his flaccid cock was too much, and John started to get hard. What he didn’t expect was for Kent to get hard, too.
The two men made eye contact. The only sound was the water hitting the tiles as they both stood still. John couldn’t decipher the look in Kent’s eyes… was it pleading? It wasn’t anger, or repulsion. It was more… questioning.
John got the shock of his life when Kent's hand touched his chest. His touch was firm, with no hesitation. Kent ran his down John’s abs, and he released the string of his bathing suit. He tugged the suit down enough that it fell onto the tiles, leaving John fully naked, with his own erection fully hard and pulsing.
Kent’s hand went to the small of John’s back and pulled them together, chest to chest, pinning their dicks between them. John sucked in his breath at the sensation of being so unexpectedly intimate with the man of his dreams.
God, his dick feels good. All of him feels good.
John’s hands moved up and started to caress Kent’s shoulders, neck, and chest. All the while they never broke eye contact, although Kent’s eyes seemed glassy, like he was in a fog.
John lowered himself to his knees and stared at Kent’s cock, inches from his face. With both hands he held Kent’s cock and balls while the water continued cascading over them. He looked up, and from that angle Kent’s chest and abs were even more pronounced. Kent gave an almost imperceptible nod of acceptance, or perhaps permission, and John took the head of Kent’s cock into his mouth.
A feeling of Déjà vu hit John: I’ve done this before. Was it real? Is this real?
He remembered fantasizing about something similar, but this felt different. This time, Kent initiated what was happening. Regardless, he attacked the head of Kent’s cock with his lips and tongue, and he watched Kent’s abs tighten in response. His good leg bent at the knee as his thighs widened. John put one arm around Kent’s trim waist to help him push Kent’s cock deeper down his throat, swallowing to increase his pleasure. In under a minute, Kent hardened even more, and his sweet cum filled John’s mouth.
<><>
John woke with a start as his cock unloaded on its own.
This is getting out of control. I haven’t had a wet dream in years.
The whole dream was so incredibly vivid that it was frightening. This time, Kent was the one who initiated sex, and John projected Kent’s feelings towards him. It was messed up, and it was concerning.
I’ve got to figure out a way out of this without dumping Kent as a patient.
No matter what, he would not break his promise to Kent to be there for him until he was discharged from the hospital and able to return to civilian life, healthy and capable.
Crawling out of bed, John showered and got ready for work. He remembered to wear his bathing suit under his scrubs.
Kent will be stoked at getting to take a shower. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.
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