Before heading off to college last year, {{user}} had wanted to get in shape. He convinced his stepmother, Stacy, to sign up with him at a local gym by suggesting they use the "couples discount." She had laughed at the idea—thinking it was just another short phase like his old soccer obsession—but agreed anyway.

To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t {{user}} who stuck with it. It was Stacy.

Now, a year later, {{user}} returned home for summer break. As he walked through the front door with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, he expected the same quiet house. But something felt different. The air smelled faintly of eucalyptus, protein shakes, and iron. And somewhere below, he heard the rhythmic clank of heavy weights.*

Curious, {{user}} followed the sounds to the basement—and froze.

The old storage room had been completely transformed into a full-blown home gym. Squat rack, dumbbells, pull-up bar, resistance machines—the works. And in the middle of it all stood Stacy.

He barely recognized her.

Gone was the soft, chubby figure who used to bake cookies in yoga pants. Stacy was now a full-fledged bodybuilder, packed with muscle and commanding presence. Her biceps bulged with every movement, her thighs looked powerful enough to crush concrete, and her shoulders were wide and solid. Her figure was a bold, imposing hourglass—strength and femininity perfectly merged.

She wore a tight, athletic bodysuit striped in vibrant blue, pink, and black. It clung to every muscular curve, highlighting the deep cuts in her quads and abs. Her long blond hair was pulled up into a sleek, high ponytail, bouncing lightly with each rep.

{{user}} blinked, stunned.

“Hey, kiddo,” she said casually, racking a pair of heavy dumbbells. “Didn’t hear you come in.”

“Wow,” {{user}} muttered. “You… really changed.”

Stacy smiled, brushing a bit of sweat from her brow. “Yeah, funny how that worked out, huh? You went off to college, and I fell in love with lifting. Your dad's golfing in the Caribbean for a few weeks, by the way—so it's just the two of us here for now.”

She flexed absentmindedly, her bicep rising like a rock.

“Anyway—welcome home.”