Orctober #1. 'Ring' - male orc x female reader (light nsfw) (Patreon)

Starting off with a plus size female reader who has very low self-esteem and some serious body image issues due to her size, and a sweetheart orc who helps her realise that she can do anything she sets her mind to, and that it’s ok to ask for help.

Prompt: 'Ring'

Wordcount: 4330

Don't forget to let me know if you enjoyed it! The next story probably won't be as long as this one was, but I wanted to treat you folks to a lengthy one to start with!

Edit: this has fan art by Ilustrariane (see end to avoid spoilers)

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Never again, you thought as you typed ‘self-defence classes’ into your search engine at four am, still wearing your sweaty pyjamas, the nightmare still fresh in your mind. Never a-fucking-gain.

The nicest looking gym you found was in town, and only a short walk from your apartment. You’d have been lying if you said you weren’t practically shitting bricks about joining up and starting a martial arts class, but enough was enough. You weren’t about to become a vigilante or anything, hunting the streets at night for men who preyed on and mugged people who were short and ‘somewhat chunky’ to put it mildly. You just weren’t about to be taken by surprise again.

Ever.

With your heart in your mouth, you walked up the street, super aware of how your body felt, of every curve and wobble, but you bit that back and focused on why you were there.

Behind the reception desk in the simple foyer of the old warehouse gym sat a creature that looked possibly like a half-gargoyle, half-orc, but they smiled warmly enough up at you. You squinted, having left your glasses at home, and thought that the name tag read ‘Sibylla’. She had smoky grey skin, beautiful purple eyes, and a short muzzle. With features as intimidating as hers, she was the last person you’d expect to be on the front desk, but she asked in a husky, rich voice how she could help you, and you found yourself warming to her almost immediately.

“Hi,” you said, feeling utterly stupid as your face flushed a violent crimson. “Um… I saw on your website that you do self-defence classes…?” You trailed off rather pathetically before rallying again and adding, “And I’m kind of thinking about maybe doing some personal trainer stuff to get fitter and shift some weight...?”

“Sure,” she smiled, her massive canines clicking down in front of the long tusks in her lower jaw as she spoke. She had two short, black horns that curved up out of her forehead and over the top of her head. “Are you a member of the gym already?”

You shook your head. If I were, do you think I’d look like this? you thought.

“Well,” she said. “We have a number of options then – oh, hi Liam!” she chirped as someone entered the foyer behind you from the street outside.

You glanced nervously over your shoulder, trying not to twitch like a frightened doe in an open pasture, and when you saw the person she waved at, your heart stopped beating and then galloped wildly in your chest. The orc who had stepped into the reception area through the glass doors from the street was, in a word, gorgeous.

He had shoulder-length black hair, which was unusually short for an orc, half tied back off his face, and he was relatively slim too, for an orc. Beside anyone else, he would have looked like a demigod. His sculpted arms and chest were shown off by the skin-tight, black compression t-shirt he wore, and he stood at just over six feet, again remarkably short, but only short for an orc. His skin was a pale, sage green, and his eyes a warm brown. His small-ish tusks bore no metal cuffs, and there were no beads in his hair, though his ears were studded with silver and his black top was so tight that you could plainly see he had both nipples pierced.

You felt the absolute and instant desire for the ground to swallow you whole, no matter of it had to open up a hole the size of Manhattan to achieve that. He was beautiful, and there you were with your big tummy and your fat ass, standing in front of the reception desk like an absolute fucking chump. You did not belong here.

“Sorry,” Sibylla smiled, turning back to you. “So yeah, the options…”

“No, you know what? That’s ok. I…” you stammered.

“You signing up?” the orc named Liam asked, coming up behind you. “Anything you’re looking forward to doing in particular?”

“Barely managing to lumber fifty yards and then spending the next two days aching and not even able to move even that far?” you muttered in disgust.

The orc laughed, but not unkindly. “Everyone’s gotta start somewhere,” he said sweetly. “We’ll have you doing the things you really want in good time, I promise. We’ll take care of you here.”

Something about the way he said it made tears spring to your eyes, and you felt your face crumple, turning away from him to hide your embarrassment.

“Hey now,” he said, gently bringing his hand to your shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not you,” you sniffled. “Look, thank you for your time,” you said to Sibylla. “I’m sorry I wasted it.” And you turned and fled the gym, not stopping to catch the looks Sibylla and the orc exchanged.

Anger and disappointment at yourself flooded through you and tears still stung your eyes. Every time it was like this. Every time you set your mind to some new challenge, you backed out.

You’d not made it ten paces down the road before you heard jogging feet, and a large figure loomed into your field of vision. It was the orc, Liam.

“You that desperate for new customers?” you shot sarcastically at him as he drew to a halt slightly in front of you and just off to one side.

He deflated a little, holding up his hands. God, they were nice hands too. “No, I just… I’m sorry if I upset you. Whether or not you join the gym, I just didn’t want to part like that…”

“Oh,” you said, rather lamely.

“Listen,” he said, running his palms nervously down his thighs, “Would you at least let me give you a tour of the place…? See what it’s like before you make a decision?”

You took a deep breath, teetering on the edge of a choice. You knew you should. What was it you’d said to yourself at four o’clock that very morning? Never again.

“O-Ok...” you nodded. “Thank you.”

He beamed at you, tusks gleaming in the bright sunlight, and his dark eyes glittering.

You stared up at him, your hands hanging awkwardly by your sides and suddenly became painfully aware as you looked him over, standing there barely winded from his run, of how fat you were now. You could feel your chin, you could feel your arms, the rolls of your stomach, the weight of your thighs… and there he was, all lean and powerful and beautiful. You’d never felt further from that in your whole life, not even standing next to some waif of a fae in the supermarket checkout queue.

You didn’t hate yourself, it wasn’t that, but there was no denying that you were fat, and you were unfit, and you really had let yourself go, but you’d stopped caring, and that was what made you feel so awful.

“I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself properly,” he said, turning his face slightly to look at you more directly. His eyes were so kind, crinkled slightly in the corners. “I’m Liam.”

You sighed and told him your name.

“So,” he said, “C’mon in and I’ll show you around.”

You trailed in after him, not daring to catch Sibylla’s purple eyes as you crossed the reception area after him.

The gym was really nice. It wasn’t a luxury gym, but it was clean, the equipment was neat and well-cared-for, and it had a great atmosphere somehow. For a gym anyway...

The main area, where the big, popular exercise classes were held, was in the centre of the old warehouse. Bare, golden brickwork was interrupted by a horrifying expanse of wall mirrors, and a row of six heavy-bags hanging from steel girders down one side. The rest of the room was empty, with a stereo in one corner and a water fountain in the other.

“Now let’s head on to the other areas,” he said, showing you to the cardio room, the weights section, and a couple of other spaces for stretching and private sessions.

A truly massive minotaur was spotting for a smaller friend on the bench press, his thick pelt damp with sweat from his own workout, while the goblin lying on the bench looked almost absurdly small beside him, but the two were deep in concentration, so Liam ignored them and spoke quietly to you as he showed you the rest of the facilities.

He never made any kind of comment about what you might or might not be willing or able to do, he just showed you the gym and told you about the various activities available, and for that you were immensely grateful.

A fit-looking elf in running leggings with thighs to die for came out of one of the rooms, a towel wrapped around her neck, and she smiled up at Liam when she saw him, and then nodded politely to you. “Hey boss,” she grinned.

“Natalia,” he smiled back. “You done for the day?”

She nodded. “Yup. Just did my usual reps after finishing with my last client. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You watched the exchange and realised she worked at the gym, and then looked up at Liam. “Boss?” you asked when she’d disappeared down the corridor.

He shrugged and made a little side-to-side gesture of his head that made his dinky ponytail bob and sway. “I set this place up a few years ago after working at a boxing gym and MMA centre. I’ve always wanted to have my own place, you know?”

“Right,” you said.

A moment later a faun exited one of the side rooms and you were reassured to see someone who didn’t have the body of an Olympian athlete. In fact, she was probably bigger than you, relative to her height, and she was red in the face and shiny with sweat.

When she saw Liam, she grinned unselfconsciously and laughed. “Hey Liam,” she said.

“Lillian,” he smiled back. “Good to see you.”

“Ha!” she barked. “Oh man, I’m so tired.”

“Good workout though?”

“Amazing.” She caught sight of you and her eyes lit up a little bit. “New client?” she asked you. “Getting the grand tour?”

“Uh,” you said awkwardly.

Liam shrugged and diplomatically said, “I’m just showing her round for now.”

“Oh my god, if you do decide to join up, you honestly won’t regret it,” she said, pulling her sweaty hair back from her face and tying it up in a scruffy bun. “Trust me. Well, I'd better go and have a shower. Nice to see you again Liam.”

“You too. Make sure you get something to drink, ok?”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she grinned as she trotted a little stiffly off down the corridor.

"I swear she’s not on commission,” Liam said the moment Lillian had disappeared. He looked almost comically guilty as he spoke and you found yourself smiling.

“I believe you,” you said. “It’s a really nice place.”

“Thank you,” he said, that gorgeous smile back on his handsome face. “I like to focus on health here, so we’ve got personal trainers and physiotherapists too, as well as someone who does sports massages. I wanted it to be a gym for everyone too, so we’ve got space for centaurs and minotaurs as well as goblins and we’ve even got a pixie on the books.”

“Sounds idyllic,” you murmured. Somehow you couldn’t see yourself here, no matter how much you wanted it.

“Listen, let’s go back to the reception and I can give you a timetable of all the classes, and you can have a think, ok? I don’t want to pressure you.”

“You’re very kind.”

Liam’s face showed a flash of something akin to pain when he heard the tone of your voice, but he hid it quickly.

Back at the reception, he gave you the leaflet and he also slid a business card on top of it and said, “That’s my number. Text or call if you have any questions.”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded and managed a smile. “Thanks for... you know...” you said, waving the paper vaguely. “I’m sorry I had a wobble.”

His face softened again as he smiled and he said, “Hey, you want to see real wobble?”

You frowned in confusion.

“C’mon,” and he gestured you over to the wall opposite the reception desk where there were a number of photographs in frames. One of them was of a hugely overweight orc with hair down to his hips.

“Is... Is that...?” you asked, leaning in and squinting.

“That’s me, ten years ago. I was big at university. And I was miserable too. I’m only showing you this so you can see that I do know how tough it is when you’re not fit and healthy when you want to be...” He tapped the frame with his knuckle and said, “That’s why I keep it up there on the wall.”

You thought about his words, and three days later, you texted him to say you’d like to join up.

‘Yay!’ came his reply by text about three minutes later. ‘Did you decide on some classes you wanted to do?’

In the end you settled for one self-defence class per week, and a couple of the others to balance it out with some cardio and strength work. As a new client, you also got a free consultation, which Liam himself did. You couldn’t fathom why he was so keen to work with you, but at that point you were beyond embarrassed. He gave you a booklet to help you keep track of your classes, and how you felt about each one, as well as the option to track your weight and measurements.

A month later, and you had to admit that you were really enjoying most of it. Yes, most people could do more than you, but you’d come to realise that you were only ‘competing’ with yourself. Your favourite instructor was a fit but still rather plump-looking werewolf who chose the best music for her bootcamp classes.

Self-defence was actually a real hoot. It was taken by two instructors usually, the first being Liam, and the second Natalia, the waif-like elven trainer you’d met on your tour.

With your confidence soaring after one such class, you went to the reception desk and Sibylla grinned at you as you approached. “Hey,” she smiled. “How are you?"

“Hot,” you moaned, “Sweaty, gross...”

She laughed. “That’s a good thing around here. What can I do for you?”

“I was actually hoping to book a session with a personal trainer... I thought it might be good to have one every month or so just to give me a top up...”

“Great idea,” she said, turning her attention to the computer and opening up the schedule. “Do you have any preferences?”

Ideally you’d have liked a woman, but part of you hoped that Liam might be available. He’d been so patient and encouraging with you, and often in self-defence he’d partnered with you when there had been an odd number in the class. The nature of the sessions meant that you’d sometimes got very close to him, physically, and you’d definitely started to notice the way his eyes lit up when he saw you. Perhaps it was just adrenaline-fuelled fantasy, but you couldn’t miss the way he always picked you to partner up with if he could.

As luck would have it, there were no female trainers available for the foreseeable future, and, even luckier, Liam was the only one with a slot or two free in his schedule.

“Speak of the devil,” Sibylla growled playfully, her gaze sailing over your shoulder. “And he doth appear.”

You turned to find Liam entering the foyer and he offered you his usual lopsided smile. “Hey,” he said. “That was a really great session you did today,” he added. “You’re totally getting the hang of those locks and releases...”

Your cheeks flushed hot, though they were already warm from the exertion of the last hour. “I’m just booking a PT session,” you said proudly.

“Alright!” he chimed, holding his hand up for a fistbump. “That’s great news.”

“It’s with you, apparently, so don’t get too excited,” you shot and watched as, to your surprise, his expression slipped a little.

“Oh?”

Sibylla interjected with a quick, “Yeah, you’re the only one who’s got space at the moment, Liam. Is it ok to add her to your list?”

“Uh... sure,” he said, smiling awkwardly. “Yeah, of course. Sweet. Ok, well, I’ll see you then. Just put it in the calendar and I’ll... yeah.” And with that, he waved, and backed out of the main doors to the gym and strode away into the afternoon sunlight.

You frowned and turned back to Sibylla, who looked equally perplexed.

“Something I said?” you asked.

“No,” she replied immediately. “No, I'm sure it’s all fine. He’s been here since 4.30am, so he’s probably just super tired. He lectures us all about healthy eating, but he runs mostly on coffee and protein bars during the day...”

By the time you’d walked home on shaky legs, you found you had a text from him, but delayed reading it til after you’d showered.

‘Hey, I'm sorry if I came across weird earlier. It's been a long day. I'm really looking forward to our session. Is there anything in particular you want to work on? Any areas you’d like to focus on especially? Let me know. Liam.’

One session with him became one every month, and over the next six months, you saw your body begin to change. You had more energy, you were fitter, and your clothes no longer fitted you around the middle, hanging loose and baggy. You had a little more confidence too, which was nice.

However, there was one more change as time went by that left a sour doubt in your mind. In the past two months or so, Liam had begun to act strangely around you. He no longer partnered with you in self-defence, and as soon as your private sessions were over and you’d finished stretching, he would excuse himself politely and vanish, leaving you alone in the room.

You had come close to asking him about it on a number of occasions, but you’d always chickened out. In the end, he saved you the trouble.

After one particularly hard session, focusing a lot on strength and toning, you came to a halt at the end feeling proud of yourself and smiling, but when you caught the look on his face, all the endorphin-fuelled joy left you.

“Liam?” you asked. This time, instead of bolting, he’d stayed, but he didn’t look comfortable.

“So...” He mumbled your name and then ground his teeth briefly. “Uh... I... I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while but I kind of didn’t know how to put it.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” you said, lowering your water bottle from your lips. Your heart rate had only just come down from the session, and it rocketed straight back up again.

“I... I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?”

“I can’t be your personal trainer anymore,” he said in a rush.

“Oh. Ok...?” you said, trying not to show how crushed you were. “Can I ask why?”

His face screwed up in frustration and he turned away. “It’s not professional...” he hissed. “Dammit.”

“Liam?” you asked, genuinely concerned now. Taking a step towards him, you looked up at him and saw that his dark eyes were glassy with emotion. “What’s going on?”

He turned and regarded you with a pained expression. “I...” he ran the tip of his tongue nervously around the base of one of his rounded tusks and faltered, “You’re amazing, you know that?”

That blindsided you somewhat, and you blinked at him. “What’s that got to do with not being able to train me?”

And then the penny dropped.

He watched it happen, and then turned away.

“Over the past six months or so I’ve watched you grow and change and come into your own... You’re this...” he actually bit down a choked sob and ran his fingers through his hair which was tied up in his trademark half-ponytail. “...This amazing person and... I’ve... I've really fallen for you. That's why I can’t keep training you. It's unprofessional of me.”

You had to let out the little laugh. You couldn’t help it. You clapped your hand over your mouth and began to giggle. “Liam...”

“It’s not funny,” he growled, fists clenched tight by his side as if he wanted to punch through a concrete wall. “I’m... sorry. It’s...”

“It is funny,” you countered gently. “I also think it’s for the best that you aren't my personal trainer anymore.”

As if you’d rubbed salt into an open wound, he winced and grimaced.

“But not for the reason you’re thinking,” you went on, drawing on that very shallow, fragile well of new-found self-confidence inside you. You laid your hand on his bare forearm and squeezed his solid muscle.

Reaching up for his face, you placed a finger on his jawline and encouraged him to turn and face you. His eyes were still glittering, but they were wide with wonder now. He murmured your name and you smiled.

“I’ve been crushing on you so hard since about my first week here, Liam. No, you know what, I think I fell for you when you jogged after me on the street on my first visit here and told me to give this place a chance.”

“I’m so glad I did,” he breathed. “Wait, are you serious?”

With a nod, you went up on tiptoes and grabbed the collar of his shirt, hoping he’d get the message and lean down to kiss you. No way you could reach him without a bit of help from him.

Mercifully, he did, and he cupped your face in his hands, leaning down and kissing you so softly you almost cried. Hesitant and careful, he brushed his lips against yours, his short, thick tusks nudging against your cheeks on either side, and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

“Not here,” he rasped, drawing back and smiling at you, looking dazed and stunned.

You nodded. “Ok.”

“Let me take you to dinner?” His hands were still on your face, his thumbs tracing soft arcs over and over on your cheeks.

In the same vein as your training sessions, one dinner turned into regular dates, holding hands, stolen kisses on the way home, and long, slow love-making when you got there. Liam was an attentive and adoring lover, leaving you gasping and shaking; kissing you, filling you, worshipping you in a way that you’d never even dreamed of.

A year later, you moved in together, and a year after that, he asked to meet you for lunch at a little café near the gym. He seemed extra bubbly that day, but you chalked it up to too much caffeine that morning at work.

Afterwards, he took you by the hand and grinned, “I wanna take you somewhere. Will you come with me?”

“Of course,” you smiled, curious.

It wasn’t far, and he walked you almost to the gym, surreptitiously texting someone with one hand before turning all his attention back to you, when he suddenly stopped. There weren’t too many people around, but you still tried to move to one side on the pavement so as not to block everyone’s way.

“Liam, what’s going on?” you asked.

He took a huge breath, and sloughed off his rucksack, retrieving something from the depths. “I don’t suppose you remember the significance of this spot,” he said without looking up at you.

You looked around you. “No?”

With a chuckle he said, “This is where I caught up with you when you first walked out of the gym, and convinced you to come back.”

“That’s right,” you realised. “Liam, what...?”

With another shaky inhale, he laughed and adjusted his position so that he was formally down on one knee.

Your heart leapt and your eyes went wide.

“I know it’s probably not the most romantic of settings,” he said, his deep, orcish voice rough and his eyes gleaming. “But... it means a lot to me. I’m so proud of all you’ve achieved, and I’m so proud to be your boyfriend. I...” he cleared his throat as he started to choke up, but forced himself to go on. “I’d like to ask you to marry me.”

“Liam...” you gasped, hand covering your mouth. “Oh my god. Yes... of course I’ll marry you!”

He slid the ring onto your finger, the band fitting perfectly, so you knew he’d planned this well, and he stood up again and hoisted you into the air by your waist. You weren’t exactly light, but it was easy enough for the orc.

As he lowered you down and kissed you so hard you saw stars, you became aware of applause and cheering in the background and you looked around to see all your friends from the gym standing on the pavement outside, snapping photos and clapping their hands. Sibylla was in tears.

Liam hugged you so tight you nearly couldn’t breathe, but the two of you turned, laughing, to face them.

As you did, Liam leaned down and spoke softly right in your ear, the very tips of his tusks touching you. “If I barely made it through that without crying, I’m gonna be such a mess on our wedding day...”

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Hope you enjoyed this one! Don't forget to check out the Patreon Masterlist, in case you missed anything from before. I'll group all the Orctober stories together in my masterlist too.

Art by Ilustrariane