Shane and I were awake before Jason eventually rolled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He coughed a couple times before the sound of vomit sloshed into the bowl of the toilet. He groaned as he stood and I stared at him as he came out, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Hey guys. Sorry about last night." Jason massaged his temple. A hangover was well deserved. Shane rolled his eyes, scoffed, and then left the cabin to wait for me outside for today's training. Jason reached out for me as I walked away.
"What?" I said, turning coldly.
"I'm sorry about everything. I was so drunk and I don't - "
"I don't want to talk about it. I really need to focus on me and Shane being able to protect ourselves." I interrupted him and turned again.
"Can we try it?" I froze, standing in front of the closed door of the cabin. Shane would be furious he even asked. When I looked back at him, his puppy dog eyes were desperate.
"Try what?"
"There is a possiblity I could be a third Possession in a connection. So when you're in Shane you could then possess me. A third layer. Everyone talks about you two like you both are some powerful prodigies and I thought maybe - "
"No." I interrupted again, lauging slightly but catching myself as his eyes looked down. It was in this moment that I realized how hurt he actually was. I could not imagine what my life would be like without Shane, the connection we have. I would feel broken.
"Please." Jason quietly begged and it broke my heart.
"I'll talk to Shane." I sighed, heading out the door, stopping one last time, "Just to be clear, this doesn't mean I like you. I haven't been here for that long you have already put a wedge between me and Shane and it needs to stop." Before he could respond I let the door close to join Shane, but he must have walked ahead of me.
The island was a magnificent creation, an eden of safety for people like us and I marveled at the lush plant life along the dirt path. The purple flowers speckled along the edge in addition to other beautifully colored blooms. Ahead of me, I saw Shane jump behind a tree. He was definitely avoiding me.
"Shane?" I turned towards the tree trunk and put my hands in my pockets. A chill crept up my spine when there was no response from the foliage. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shane dodge my view and hid behind another tree. I turned to a snapping sound to my left, another glimpse of Shane. I was spinning at this point, dizzy and starting to become afraid until Shane finally emerged sans shirt.
"Grayson." His voice was garbled, but his body glistened in the slices of sun that made it through the leaves. He was slowly walking towards me, looking as though he had already been through an intense workout. His body was covered in sweat, but it looked thick. When he was in front of me his hands slid along my arms and pulled them out of my pockets. When his fingers got to my wrist he started to squeeze, holding me there as his skin started to boil and bubble. Musculature bulged out as the color of skin turned pink with black specks flicked throughout.
"Jerry." I wideend my eyes as I tried to pull away, tugging just hard enough that his gum like wrists detached and I had to scraped off the putrid pieces of bubblegum. I tripped over a thick branch and grunted as the glob of gum, no longer looking like Shane, wrapped itself around my foot. Jerry tore off my shoe and threw it against the tree with a terrible thud. The gum spread up my calf and then my thigh, tightening around it like a snake. I went to scream, a second of my voice escaping my lips before a strand of him plopped against my mouth so no one could hear my cries of pain. The gum smelled horrible and I tried not to throw up as the pressure around my leg increased. Everything started to get hazy as I lost air, my head almost completely covered in the pink and black goo.
"Shane." Came out muffled when I finally felt Jerry vibrate and the gum loosen its grip. I couldn't move and I laid there as my vision slowly came back. When it finally did, the real Shane was above me with a shovel. He grabbed me with those strong arms and pulled me to my feet, rushing us both back to our cabin.
"What happened?" Jason was sitting on the steps outside and the conversation was muffled.
"Why do you care?" Shane huffed, lifting me up the steps and through the front door. He gently placed me on his bed, sliding his fingers against my cheek.
"We need to tell Dean Kelley." Jason ran out the door and sprinted towards the mansion in the trees. I could barely hear what he was saying as I looked up at his gorgoues eyes. For a moment I became content knowing that if I died I would be looking at something beautiful. My vision suddenly became blurry again and then I blacked out.
"No place is safe. He's not ready."
"Shane will make it. This one, probably not."
"I'll make sure to increase the blooms around the perimeter. Mr. Black cannot win."
"Are they the three?"
"You think they could be the ones?"
"I hope so. Jason needs this."
I woke up looking at a different ceiling, but the same vines undulating in my view. The walls were white and a bright light lit up the whole room, hanging down from the center. My leg felt like it was about to fall off as I sat up, finding Shane sitting in a chair at the end of a bed.
"I really need to work on not getting attacked." I joked, swinging my legs off the bed. A searing pain shot up my leg and I felt it clawing its way up my back.
"I'm sorry about everything." Shane said.
"Sorry for what?" I asked. He did nothing wrong.
"For the jealousy. I just want you to be happy and if that means I lose you then I will deal with it." He must have been talking about Jason.
"Slow down! Nothing is happening." I reached up and touched his face, "You're too good looking for me to let go." We both were able to chuckle, interrupted by him kissing me as I brought his hand to my heart. "I love you too." I smiled, our foreheads resting against each other. The door opened up behind him and Dean Kelley walked in with a posse of instructors behind her.
"Mr. Black is not going to stop, as you know," Dean Kelley began, "So, I'm taking your training into my own hands. You will begin immediately, and Jason will be part of this process." Shane flinched, but I held his hand tightly.
"You must stop him or none of us will stand a chance." The coach stood with his arms crossed and I scanned their faces. All of them were full of fear. I nodded at all of them and Dean Kelley left to prepare. As everyone filed out, Jason remained and walked in shyly.
"Hey." He waved at us and stood awkwardly in the door way. It was quiet in the room and I found myself situated yet again between Shane and Jason.
"Jason." Shane acknowledge him. That was progress.
"Okay, that's enough. If this is going to work, we all have to be on the same page. There is nothing between us, okay?" I pointed to Jason and I, looking at Shane. I turned towards Jason and touched Shane's knee before continuing, "Shane is my boyfriend ans there is nothing you can do about it and if what they are saying is true then we should at least try it." Jason's eyes grew brighter.
"I won't let you guys down." He said, bouncing on his toes before his giddiness made him leave.
"Don't worry." I slid my fingers along Shane's arm.
"We should get you healed up." He moved his leg next to mine and I smiled as I pushed inside of him. I slid completely into his body and felt the soreness dissipate. I hopped out of him as we stood up, bouncing on my legs as though it were brand new.
"This isn't even the hard part Grayson!" Dean Kelley yelled at the three of us as we traversed the obstacle course. I was lagging behind, the one most out of shape of our trio. This was the first time this week we did this course, constructed by Dean Kelley herself. She stood at the private arena behind the mansion and held out her hands to string vines together. Leaves combined and became walls of foliage while others popped out of the ground to create platforms. Shane and Jason both crossed the line and I closed my eyes to think about what Shane might do. He was cheering me on at the end and I dodged the swinging logs and slid under taught vines until I rejoined Shane and Jason.
"That's it, Grayson!" Dean Kelley joined us as Shane helped me up. All I wanted to do was kiss him, but it didn't feel right with all of the eyes on us. Jason's hands were firmly placed on his sides as he watched the two of us.
"Alright take a break, take a shower, meet me back here after you get some dinner." She kicked some dirt and started waving the obstacle course away. Petals exploded as stems sucked back into vines, billowing down like firework ash.
"I'll get us some food. See you in a bit!" Jason was over eager and completely switched his personlity to get on our good side. He would say, "It works better if we like each other." To be honest, I was eager too. What exactly would that mean for us if we were able to merge as three?
Shane and I showered together, careful not get too aroused as we washed the stink of a hard days work off of us. I couldn't help it, thinking of him as I lathered up my body in soap.
"You can hop back in if you'd like." Shane smirked, rinsing off the bubbles.
"I shouldn't. As much as I want to. Plus, we're about to in training." I said, switching places.
"Yeah I know, it's just not the same when it's just us." His hands slid along my back. I turned to him, gave him a kiss and then turned off the water. Jason was sitting by his bed with a tray of sandwiches from the cafeteria all wrapped in cellophane.
"It's important we all stay fed and hydrated." Jason smiled. It was probably the most genuine smile I had ever seen from him. The three of us at the provided food as we walked back to the mansion until I heard Shane and Jason stop behind me.
"Listen, if this ends up being a thing between the three of us then I have to get used to you being around. I'm going to need some time to adjust, okay?" Shane said, his hands on his waist. His eyes darted back and forth between me and Jason. Finally, Jason nodded, gulping a bite of sandwich. We continue to walk into the mansion, joining Dean Kelley in her ballroom.
"Let us get right to it." She sat down and waved us forward. Jason looked so hopeful as the three of us exchange glances and I knew he needed this. Shane took his shirt off and Jason followed, two incredible looking men wanting to be filled by me. Neither of them needed to remove their shirts, I think they just wanted a show of bravado. Shane had stopped turning around for me to enter him, it didn't matter if it was his muscular back I pushed my form into. He took a liking to watching me take over. He puffed his chest out as I approached and smiled before sliding inside of him, putting him on like a coat. A sexy coat.
"Piece of cake." I looked down at myself and then over to Jason. My eyes darted along his body, taking in his chest and then travelling down his body. Was he flexing for me? He spun around and I reached out. His skin was soft to the touch and I recalled the first time I had ever done this to Shane. His warmth enveloped my hand and pulled me forward. Jason's head fell back as I pressed my chest against him, tensing Shane's muscles just before Jason's form accepted me. We aligned perfectly inside of his body and when I opened my eyes I was looking directly at Dean Kelley who had accumulated an audience behind her. Each of them had their mouths gaping as I stretched out inside Jason, twisting his hand around and then balling his fingers into a fist. I was in control of both of them.
"Holy shit." Dean Kelley said. This must have been some achievement because I had never heard her curse. She whispered something to her secretary and she walked away with her notebook in hand.
"It worked." I said, Jason's voice taking me by surprise.
"It seems you were right, Jason. I assume he can hear me?" Dean Kelley raised an eyebrow.
I can hear everything. This is awsome! He said in my head. I nodded. His excitement bubbled to the surface and Shane's jealousy was starting to simmer along with it. The emotions were making my brain fuzzy and I started to wobble, but Dean Kelley helped me stay on my feet.
"He can hear you." I chuckled, finding my balance again.
"Taking him over does confirm that you are one very powerful young man but here comes the tricky part." She sat back down in the chair and crossed her legs before saying, "Get out of him."
I nodded, stretching a bit before trying to peel myself away from Jason's skin, but when I though I was going it all I could do was move Jason's body. Jason was distracted by the euphoric feeling of being controlled, especially with how long it has been. I could see the memory where his connection had been killed, he was halfway inside of him when Mr. Black murdered him with the hidden blade from his cane.
"So that's why you couldn't be possessed." I said aloud.
I didn't want to say anything. I was embarrassed. Jason echoed. His body had been blocked due to his connection having been inside of him when he died. Shane was starting to panic as I tried pulling away from Jason again and unsuccessfully fell down to the ground as I tripped over myself.
"I can't" I said, trying again. I was grunting as I was trying to force my way out, beads of sweat running down the side of my face. My breath was picking up and I was struggling, turning red. It didn't help that I was feeling two people's worth of panic and I clutched my head before screaming, "Just stop! I can't to this!" I was on my knees, finally getting some silence in my head.
"Calm down, Grayson." Dean Kelley pressed her hand on my shoulder.
"I can't get out. I can't get us out." I was hyperventilating.
It's okay. Just relax, Grayson. Shane said. He realized his panic was hurting me and I felt it melt away.
"Now you want to be calm?" I didn't mean to be sarcastic, biting him with my words while he was trapped. Even though the body I was stuck inside was amazing, I still wanted to be out of it.
"You need to rest. You've had a long day." Dean Kelley helped me to my feet. "Take some time. You may be powerful, but you still have work to do and that's okay." She let go of us, letting us walk on our own. It did not feel okay.
This feels so strange. Shane whispered.
This feels fucking awesome! Jason responded as I laid down in bed. The sun had already set and I was tossing restlessly. Out of all of us I felt the worst for Shane who was trying to hide how much he disliked this situation, but he couldn't hide those feelings from me or Jason now that we all shared the same space.
I'm sorry. I'm a little overwhelmed. In a good way. Jason said.
I'm sorry I've been such an asshole. Shane said to the both of us.
"You haven't been an asshole." I said aloud.
Maybe just to me. Jason poked.
"Stop. Right now I need both of you to shut up so I can get some sleep." From the outside it looked like I was talking to myself and as the thought crossed my mind the three of us laughed. Our chuckles died down and I made myself comfortable, staring into space until I finally fell asleep.
The hot water slid off of me as I stared at the shower wall, concentrating on the mist as the two voices discussed our dilemma inside of our head. The droplets on the tile raced towards the drain, keeping me distracted. Throughout the night Jason had been dreaming of the three of us together in a state of bliss, rolling around in blankets that made me wake up startled and an erection that I would ignore.
I just wanted to thank you both again for letting me try this. I know I keep saying it, but this feels awesome. Jason's excitement was kind of endearing and his need to let us know made me feel better about entering him while inside of Shane. To be honest, I was excited too but since Shane was in here with us I could feel his worry mixed in with those emotions.
We need to solve this. Shane, the solid voice of reason. If we're going to be able to keep doing this then we need to get better at it. I tilted my head.
"So you want to do this again?" I asked.
I'm more worried about being stuck like this. I looked down and felt Jason's excitement grow at the thought of him sticking around with us. I felt hot and suddenly realized I had a raging hard on.
Oh man, I didn't mean to do that. You can take care of it if you want. Jason had given me an erection.
"I'm not jerking you off." I said, turning off the water and feeling it bounce as I pulled back the curtain and stepped out. I grabbed my towel, drying off Jason's muscles which definitely didn't help with the horniness. Being in control of them was making the adrenaline rush through me and it was hard to hide how I felt, but I pushed on, shivering as the towel wrapped around my cock.
I understand. Jason said. Shane was beginning to get annoyed which was actually helping the boner situation.
"Thanks" I said to Shane, wherever he was up there. I finished drying off and wrapped the towel around my waist. As I positioned myself in front of the mirror I noticed all of the sensations that felt heightened: the cold tile against the soles of my feet, the stray droplets of water that traversed down my skin, even the cool air on the back of my neck. I looked at my reflection, Jason staring back at me. I reached for something to clean my ears to distract myself from enjoying the view. My erection was still there, poking the towel and creating a bump.
In the main part of the cabin I got us dressed, picking out something from the selection of clothes Jason had available. My skin felt sensitive as I slipped on the shirt, the fibers reaching for every inch as it found its position on my torso. I put the finishing touches on my look, winked in the mirror and we were on our way.
"It's not an obstacle course?" I asked Dean Kelley as she cleared the field. It was nice being away from the shared arenas, but this one was much more difficult than those. Even so, some of the students would gather around the perimeter to watch. Jason's popularity was the enticing factor and they never had the opportunity to see him in action until now.
"We're going to be testing you today. Think back to your first test, the elements at your fingertips. They are your power so use them." She gestured to the space around her, the island a tool of power. She made sure to give us enough room, pushing some of the students even further away just in case I became volatile.
Let's do this. Shane and Jason said in unison which made me smile. This was the first thing they didn't fight over. Dean Kelley nodded in my direaction and then suddenly two of the students from the perimeter started sprinting towards us. I dodged the first attack, her knuckles pounding the air behind me as I extended my leg and sent her into the dirt. The other trailed behind her, full speed, but right before he got to me he slipt himself into two identical copies of himself. I successfully managed to roll away from one of the hits, but the copy kicked my side while the other turned around and managed to slam his fist into my back. Shane and Jason were loud in my head as I writhed on the ground and the clones merged back together, getting ready for another attack. They were on either side of me, about to strike.
"There is no holding back, Grayson. You can do this. Good job splitting, Kevin." Dean Kelley stood sternly at the edge, waiting.
We can do this. Shane whispered. Jason was quiet, giving Shane the space to speak. All of us. I can feel it. You were right Jason, this does feel incredible.
"Go." Dean Kelley said, initiatng the second attack. I felt a rush from Jason and Shane's pep talk honed in my senses. Kevin split in two out of the corner of my eye and they both reached out. I felt the rush inside of me as I dug my fingers into the ground, the island beginning to termor as I started at the twins. There was a flash of Max's fist against my face and suddenly the earth exploded with muddy spikes. Kevin and Kevin dodged them as they sprung up, one of them getting caught and tripping while the other landed a punch against my shoulder. I landed with a thud in the grass and saw the other student zipping through the mud spiked before climbing one of them and landing on me. Her agility was frigthening, but Shane's reflexes kicked in and I dodged the incoming punches, her balled up hands hitting the ground below me. When she took a moment to recalculate I pulled her off of me, slamming my head into hers and regaining my footing. I waved a hand and the grass swallowed her, growing over her body until she was writhing to get free underneath the layer of plant life.
Remind me not to piss you off. Jason said as I wiped away some sweat. I looking at Kevin who had now split into four and the darted through the spikes.
How are we supposed to do this? Shane asked.
"We got this." I shook my arms and held out my hands, palms facing the sky. Clouds started to form, dark swirling balls that drenched the arena with water. The mud started sliding back into the ground and the four Kevin's took a moment to realize what was happening. Once they started running again I used Jason's muscular legs to take off towards the four of them. I raised my hands as one jumped towards me and he was swallowed by a pillar of mud. Two of them went in for an attack, but I slid underneth them. My whole body disappeared into the earth and reappeared behind them. I was beginning to feel light headed and wobbled as the storm started to clear. I was reaching out, falling to my knees as I tried to make the mud prevent the three Kevin's from attacking, but I couldn't.
"That's enough." Dean Kelley stopped them before their blows landed and I rolled over. I took a couple of deep breaths before sowly being helped to my feet by the copies of Kevin. The arena looked like a battleground, the two fighters being assisted by nurses and Kevin was finally whole again.
"How was that?" I asked, slightly out of breath. I looked down at my arms, bruises disappeared just as I felt a pulling sensation. Jason moaned as I detached from him, sliding out of his back and landing on the ground below him. His eyes rolled as he fell to his knees and then fell forward into the mud.
"Nurse." Dean Kelley kelley pointed to Jason and two rushed over to help him up. He was covered in mud, his whole front half brown and sticky. I pulled out of Shane while Jason found balance.
"Finally." Shane stretched, his arm extending across his body and then repeating with the other.
"That was good," Dean Kelley started, "but you will need to get better. The three of you did something no one has ever done before, but you need need to control it. Those mud spikes were all over the place and the nature control was too subtle. They were holding back and could have broken free if they needed to.
"Did you not see the weather change?" Shane came to my defense and I forgot he was shirtless the last time I entered him.
"It's alright Shane, she's right. I'm ready to keep practicing. I know we don't have a lot of time, I can see it all over your faces." I looked around at the onlookers, some of them other trainers. As much as Shane and I were in danger so was everyone else. A being travelling through time in different bodies was trying to take mine only to destroy Possessions so that he could feed of their fear and their heartache. I wondered if everyone knew or if Dean Kelley had an inner circle where this information was gate-kept from the other students.
"Good. Again. All three of you." Three more individuals stepped forward ready to fight as Dean Kelley raised an eyebrow. "You managed to get out of Jason once, I'm sure you can do it again." Dean Kelley nodded towards the three of them and they attached each of us separately. Jason stumbled backwards and tripped over himself as Shane ran towards me. There was a brief smile as he flung himself at me and I caught his body with my own, sliding along the rubble as I slipped into Shane with ease. I dodged the two now coming at me and went to Jason who was holding the wrists of the third as it tried to land blows. I jumped and extended my legs out into a kick, knocking the person off of him.
"You alright?" I said inside Shane. I felt a rush of energy as I helped Jason up.
"Ready." He said, looking at me as I eased my way inside of him. Halfway in I felt an arm grab me, flinging me back into a patch of grass.
"No!" I felt the memory of Jason's first connection pang behind my eyes and he looked defeated. I ran towards him, dodging again until I was back at Jason. I lifted him back up, reassured him with a smile and then forced my way inside before any hands could reach us. With a shiver, I was inside Jason once more and the three of us stood our ground.
"You want to play. Let's play." I said, extending our arms out above the ground. A stone staff appeared and I broke if off the ground, using it to fight off the incoming offensive. They all reeled behind me and when I spun I snapped the stone staff in half, throwing it like a spear in their direction. Mid-air it turned into mud and landed on the targets, swallowing their faces as they tried to wipe it away, unable to to as the bubbles of their breath appeared. The third watched it happen before turning towards us with a look of anger. They fell to their knees passing out just as the third one extended an arm.
Behind you. Shane said and I spun around as a wall of vines crashed up and over me. I slid to the side, trying to dodge the attack, but I got caught. The snake-like vine wrapped around my leg and brought us up with it, leaving us hanging upside down. The third guy smirked as we swung. I extended our arm and forced the earth below him to crackle. He started running towards us, dodging the rocky spikes like Kevin had done before. I was concentrating, but my point of view was making the three of us nauseous and suddenly I felt the same wooziness I had felt before.
No! It's okay! Jason yelled in my head, somehow snapping me away from the blurry edges of my vision. I swung away from the vines and then a light bulb went off. I pulled a stone spear up from below me, slicing away the vine and then using it to catch me on the way down. The vines wrapped around my arms and held me there as the trainer attacked. I smirked, extended my fingers and he was caught in mid air by the same vines he was using against me.
"That's it!" Dean Kelley was cheering.
"Fight fire with fire." I said, releasing my holds as I tightened the vines around him. "Or in this case with leaves." The memory of Max flashed before my eyes again and then the orb of fire from my first day in the arena at Coalesce. I was getting woozy again, but not before the vines wrapping up the trainer suddenly burst into flames.
Grayson that's enough! Shane was the last voice I heard before my head hit the ground.
Grayson wake up. It was only a few moments after I watched the ball of fire hit the ground and he was being helped by a series of nurses. Burns had marked his skin, charring him with leafy imprints.
"What happened?" I asked, getting to my feet.
"That was not holding back." Dean Kelley said.
"I'm so sorry." I said to the trainer who was wailing as the nurses spread burn cream along the injuries.
He knew what he was getting into. Jason said.
"Doesn't mean I can't feel guilty." I said to the men in my head.
"He will be fine." Dean Kelley said, a hand on my shoulder. I pulled out of the two of them, Jason gasping and then Shane placing his hands on his hips as we stood there. Jason lifted up his shirt and there a bruise along his side from where a successful punch had landed. A nurse with an ice pack handed one off to him and he winced as he pressed it against his side.
"I'm all good." He said with a smile.
"That's it for today. From now on it will only get harder." Dean Kelley said before walking away. The crowd disappeared and so did the individuals I was defending us from. The sun had begun sinking past the tree line and the three of us walked back to our cabin together.
"Thanks for everything. I feel like a new person despite the damage." Jason shrugged, holding the ice pack against his injury.
"I'm glad you could find another connection." Shane's arms were crossed and I looked at him when he said this. It was strange having him come around to the idea of Jason.
"I'm glad too." I didn't look away from Shane and grabbed his hand.
"So, about the boner." Jason said with a smirk.
"Nice pivot." Shane said, rolling his eyes.
"I can't with you. We need to be careful about those thoughts. They're distracting and it could be a flash of a memory that kills all three of us. I don't want to lose either of you." I said with a passion that startled both of them.
"I knew you liked me." Jason flexed his pecs under his shirt and I blushed a little bit combined with an eye roll. We arrived at the cabin with weak bodies, but a new type of invigoration that would definitely make it difficult to sleep.
"I should go to bed." Jason walked ahead of us.
"I love you." Shane said, pulling my waist into him.
"I love you too. More than anything or anyone." I leaned in and kissed him. "Jason is just a flirt."
"I know. I felt it when I was inside him with you. It was so strange. When you were fighting I felt like we were unstoppable. I'm not sure how to explain it." Shane was walking backwards into the cabin and when the door was open wide enough I saw Jason on the ground, ice scattered everywhere. I charged in and was met with a figure I had seen before. Not Mr. Black with his cane and gum body guard, but Marie.
Her voice made my blood curdle as she said, "Hello, Grayson. Nice to see you again."
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