Missionary Positions

Jason stared through the tempered glass window next to him as the city bus rattled over the uneven street.  In the aisle seat to his right, his companion, Greg, lay with his head back against the headrest and his eyes closed to help against the car sickness he felt from the fumes and rough terrain.  

 

Although it wasn’t their first time in the area, the transition to the rough neighborhood was as shocking the second time as it was the first.  Jason watched for it on this ride and as soon as they crossed Center street, yards went from well trimmed and even to ragged lawns covered with old toys, machinery he couldn’t identify, and other random pieces of trash.  The sight of it saddened him, knowing that the people were living in poverty.  He imagined them stressed and despondent and it filled him with a virtuous resolve, to help them spirituality in order to lift them up.

 

Muffled music played from headphones behind him.  Rap he thought, with a frown and a slight shake of his head.  He hadn’t heard much of the music and only then it was accidental but it was distasteful stuff.  Full of bad words about violence and the mistreatment of women and sex.  The music itself was discordant, blaring and repetitive while the lyrics were spoken rather than sung.  He closed his mind to it, pushing it away until it was an annoying buzz at the edge of his hearing.

 

It was a difficult time for him.  Not because of the temptations offered in the modern world – lewd music and movies and video games and television shows, no.  He knew others around his age or even younger who fell prey to those sinful traps.  No, the time itself was difficult.  The world was too loud for him, and too modern.  He yearned for decades ago, as his superiors described it.  People were more chaste and willing to wait for everything rather than the constant need for now that his generation had.  Not for the first time, he wished he’d been born earlier to a life that made more sense to him.  Boys his age and even younger were mocked for their virginity and Jason couldn’t understand why.  Worse, the girls around him wore such revealing clothing and makeup, as if they were eager for adulthood.

 

Adulthood and sexuality.  The thought of them turned his stomach.  Bright, painted colors with clothing barely larger than underwear beneath them.  Of course, he’d felt the stirring when he accidentally spied one of the poorly dressed women but he always looked away and the feelings passed.  And, anyway, he wasn’t the one that drew their interest.

 

The bus shuddered when it ran over a pothole.  Jason’s belly jiggled from the impact.  He sighed and looked over at his companion.  Greg was the one the girls would watch and talk about.  The young man often woke early in the morning to work out before their studies.  He was tall and lean with a bright smile, perfect teeth and hair that positively glowed in the sun, golden and pure while his blue eyes lent his face an open, honest look.

 

Jason tried to be happy for his friend but it was sometimes difficult when the difference was so great between them.  He stared at his faint reflection in the window while touching his puffy cheeks with his finger.  Greg offered to work out with him from time to time but it was difficult to wake up early.  Jason lowered his hand to his belly.

 

I just enjoy food a little too much, that’s all, he told himself.  There’s not much to do until mission work is done so it’s not entirely my fault that I let myself go a little.  Once it’s over, I’ll get back into shape.

 

“We’re almost there,” Jason said while elbowing his companion gently.  He pushed against a plastic strip over the window to request a stop and then leaned back to wait while the bus slowed and merged into the right lane.  The brakes squealed until it slowed and parked next to an empty green bench.  “Come on, let’s get some fresh air.”

 

“I was just praying, that’s all,” Greg groaned before turning and standing with his hand firmly clenched against the handle on the back of the seat.

 

“Sure, I know,” Jason said, standing and shuffling past the seats.  He slung his backpack from his lap up over his right side, sliding his arms in place before settling it comfortably in place.

 

The two young men walked down the aisle of the bus with Greg leading the way.  They both thanked the bus driver before telling him to have a good day.  Greg breathed deeply once he was outside.  He gripped the single strap crossing his chest and exhaled before smiling.

 

“Okay,” Greg said, looking around to orient himself.  “Let’s go.”

 

The summer sun shined brightly overhead, despite how late it was in the evening.  A quick glance at the simple digital watch on his left wrist showed Jason that it was just past 6 p.m.  

 

“More light for us to see when walking,” Greg said cheerfully when he noticed Jason checking the time.  He clapped the other boy’s shoulder and set off, leaving Jason to scurry after in order to catch up.

 

They walked easily together as they went from house to house, proselytizing and offering to do any chores needing to be finished.  An older woman, living alone, took their offer at heart, asking them to pick up trash that had blown into her yard.  The pair sweated beneath the sun as they worked with gloves they’d brought along, gathering food wrappers, discarded cans and other litter hidden within random clumps of grass.  She offered them cold water and thanks when they were done but wasn’t interested in hearing more, firmly but politely closing the door in their face when she took their empty glasses back.

 

The houses grew older as they continued to walk, dilapidated “new” construction leading to tightly packed brownstone rowhouses.  Despite the elegance of the older buildings, most were in poor condition with boards over windows or large eviction notices from the city that covered entire doors. They knocked on the homes still occupied but, with the exception of a few curtains pulled aside for the owners to peek through, they stood silent.

 

Jason sighed while straightening his plain black tie and sliding fingers into the waistband of his slacks to force the ends of his white button-down shirt back down where the bulge of his chubby belly had pulled them out slightly.

 

“We should be heading back soon,” Jason said while flicking sweat from his forehead with his fingers.  He looked down the street, shading his eyes against the red sun partially hidden behind buildings on the horizon.

 

“One more?” Greg asked while they stood in the middle of the empty sidewalk together.  His hand rested on the rounded cap of a stone column attached to the railing leading up to the last house on the block.  He followed Jason’s gaze before tilting his wrist to look at his watch, a heavy analog timepiece given as a gift from his affluent parents.

 

Jason pulled on his backpack’s straps.  His skin crawled while a cramp lanced through his side, twisting through his guts until it tied itself into a tiny knot of stress low in his stomach that left him with a hint of nausea.

 

“Maybe we should just go,” Jason said, looking back towards their bus stop.  He swallowed several times and the knot finally loosened in response.  

 

“Last one on the block,” Greg said, turning and starting up the stairs.  “We can’t just stop right before the end, come on.  Maybe this will be the one.”

 

“Okay but you do the talking,” Jason told him.  “I’m feeling a little off.”

 

The design of the house matched the others on the block.  However, where the others showed wear and tear to varying degrees, this one, house number 2482, was in perfect condition.  Jason stared at the intricately carved front door and the dark stain covering it.  He saw a shape in the corner of the door but, when he focused on it, the image slipped away, only for him to see more shapes at the opposite corner.  It unsettled him enough that he paused a step behind his companion.  

 

Sounds seemed to fade the closer they came.  Only, it wasn’t the absence of sounds but more so as if the entire house was breathing in.  As if it were consuming everything – noises, smells, light, everything with a deep rumbling of monstrous lungs that lay just beyond the edge of his hearing.

 

“M- maybe w- we-” Jason stuttered, reaching out for his friend just as Greg lifted the ancient iron knocker to pound on the door.  It was hideous, an oblong handle in the mouth of a miniature grotesque, fanged jaw open with a long, curling tongue hanging below the handle itself.  “This isn’t right, let’s just go.”

 

“Give them a few seconds,” Greg said, watching the door and the curtains covering the window to his right.

 

“No,” Jason whispered when he heard the latch clink on the door.  His stomach dropped while color drained from his face.  “Please.”

 

A young woman opened the door wide without first bothering to see who stood on her doorstep.  Jason stared at her, looking for signs to justify the dread filling him but she was just a woman.  Her long, curly black hair was held back by a scarf tipped in beads with rings of different shapes and sizes and stones covering every finger.  Bracelets and bangles clattered quietly over her wrist when she tipped her hand back to rest her fingers against her bare collarbone.  Lines of a tattoo peeked out from the long sleeves of the blouse she wore.

 

“Can I help you?” she asked, looking from Greg, over to Jason nearly hiding behind his larger friend and back to Greg.

 

“Good evening, ma’am, we’re mi-” Greg started to say with a smile.

 

“Oh, no, I thought so but, no,” she said firmly.  Just as she began to close her door, the skin around her eyes tightened minutely and she decided to continue.  “You’re wasting your time.  Not just here, with me, but in your own lives.  This- this- belief you hold is foolish.”

 

Anger burned within Jason’s chest at the woman’s words.  He stepped clear of Greg while his jaw muscles worked.  He forced himself to remain calm but was surprised at how incredibly indignant he felt.  They’d faced worse from other people but, for whatever reason, her words riled him enough to speak up.

 

“Well, with respect, ma’am, I don’t think spreading the Word is ever wasteful,” Jason told her with his hands curled into fists, hidden just behind him.

 

“Your faith is based on greed,” the woman said.  An angry note rose in her words.  “And, like many religions, the suppression of others, including those within your own faith.  Your women are made into subservient breeders without a voice for governing.  And all of it, all of it, are based on the ravings of a madman.  Only yours doesn’t have the obscurity of history to age the words into a palatable wine for the masses to drink, no.  No.  Just less than-“

 

“We’re sorry to bother-” Greg tried to say while backing away from the woman.  Fury built in her expression with every word until she wore a mask of rage.

 

“Don’t interrupt me when I’m speaking!” she screamed.

 

Jason could feel himself grow faint from her outburst.  The red spots in his cheeks, from his earlier courage, fled, coursing down his spine while a chill entered his body.  He desperately wanted to argue against her but the words wouldn’t come.  The words he’d studied so carefully over the years.  All he could do was wilt in her presence and pray she would leave them be.

 

“How dare you come to me,” she ranted, slamming her fist against her thigh.  She focused on Jason and the boy shrunk in on himself, his shoulders flexing forward while he bent forward.  “A woman!  You come to me to try to push your twisted faith on me?!  In hopes of adding more chattel to breed mindlessly?  No.  No!”

 

“The- the- the women enjoy the s- same status,” Jason tried to say, digging for anything that would help ease the pressure building over him.  His temples throbbed.

 

Greg took Jason’s arm, pulling him away without another word but the woman reached out to grab his other arm.  Her bracelets chimed with a strangely jarring note as she leaned in.  Jason stared into her eyes, amazed to see they were mauve.  He tried to look away but couldn’t, even when he felt her nails bite into his flesh.  She laughed but there was no mirth in it.  Greg’s pleading voice was faint.

 

“I see you, Jason Smith,” she cooed.  “I see your true desires.  The subservience in your soul.”

 

“N- no,” Jason gasped, unable to move.

 

“You don’t want to rule over women like your religion dictates,” she said, a true smile finally touching her lips.  “You want to be ruled.  Ohhhh yes you do, yes you do.  Oh, little pet, don’t you worry.  The one I follow – the one with true power – will guide you.  He will sculpt you into what you truly desire.”

 

Blood boiled in a flash.  The acrid, stomach-churning scent filled his nose while hot needles of pain lanced into his arm where she held him.  Jason cried out and jerked away but she released him and the two boys staggered down the steps.  The woman watched them go, tracking them until they were a block away and breaking into a run.

 

Their terror-filled run ended with Jason kneeling on the warm pavement by the bus stop with his hands beneath him for support.  His chest heaved as if he would throw up but nothing came and, instead, he panted for air.  Greg crouched beside him, patting his shoulder awkwardly while the pudgy boy caught his breath.

 

“Are you okay?” Greg asked.  “What’d she tell you at the end?  I couldn’t hear it.”

 

Instead of answering, Jason shook his head, not trusting himself to speak yet.  Her words blazed in his brain, echoing throughout as clearly as if she were speaking to him right now.  He knew they were just the words of an angry, crazed woman but he couldn’t make them stop.  Worse, he could feel his penis stirring and that frightened him as the implications of the words themselves washed over his body.  His manhood slid against his body, held tight by his pants and underwear until he could feel it brushing his stomach beneath his belly button.  

 

“I’m not,” he whispered, shaking his head while on all fours.  “That’s not- it’s not-“

 

“Come on,” Greg said, reaching beneath Jason to help him up.

 

Jason gasped at the other man’s touch, surprised at the strength and the strange warmth of his fingers against him.  Even through the shirt he wore, he could feel a strange energy that pulsed outward, up to his shoulders and down to his hands.  Hairs stirred along the path, raising while his skin tightened in a pleasurable way.  He let himself be lifted, relying on his friend’s strength more than his own, partially because he felt weak but more so because the idea of his companion tending to him was suddenly exciting.  

 

“Th- thank you,” Jason said, leaning into Greg briefly before standing on his own.  He dared not look down to see what he assumed would be an obvious, shameful bulge in his pants.  

 

“Of course.  You okay?” Greg asked from his side.

 

“Yeah,” Jason answered.  He turned his arm to see where the woman had held onto him, just above his wrist.  Four irregular spots of blood had soaked into the sleeve of his shirt.  He unbuttoned the cuff and pushed it back to check if he was bleeding but there were no wounds.  There were no scabs, either, as he ran his fingers over the smooth skin.  Instead, four black spots with jagged edges marked where she’d cut into him, as if from electrical burns.

 

“Some people need more salvation than others,” Greg mumbled, staring back the way they came.

 

The words warbled in Jason’s ears.  He groaned while leaning against the frame of the bus stop’s enclosure.  A cold sweat formed between his shoulder blades, echoed by a freezing ball of nausea that grew in the pit of his stomach, mirroring the sensation from earlier when he’d approached the woman’s house.  Jason shuddered and jerked, shoving his chest forward while wrapping his arms around his body.  He raised a trembling hand to his forehead to wipe drops of sweat away and the burning flesh of his hand touched cold, clammy skin.

 

“…sure…okay?” Greg’s voice wavered through the loud thrumming in Jason’s ears.

 

“I think- think I’m going to be sick,” Jason groaned.

 

Strong hands supported him, holding him upright while Jason swallowed hard several times.  Heat warred with the chill permeating his body.

 

“The bus is almost here,” Greg told him while holding him upright.  “We’ll be home soon so try to hold out until then, okay.  Here it is, come on, I’ll help you up.”

 

“No,” Jason told him, pushing him away.  “I’ve- I’ve got it.  You go first.  Somewhere in the back.  Please.”

 

Jason followed his companion.  He grabbed onto every handle he could as he shuffled to the back, supporting his weight with his weakened arms as best as he could.  Greg sat in the window seat this time with his bag pulled around to his front while watching his friend anxiously.  Jason slumped into the aisle seat beside him, wincing when his backpack shoved into him but he leaned forward to press his forehead into the headrest in front of him.  A single drop of sweat slid from his scalp, curving down between his eyes until it reached the tip of his nose.  It hung there as he breathed as shallowly as possible, finally falling when the bus hit a pothole in the road.

 

Greg reached an awkward hand over to his friend, hesitating a moment before patting Jason’s back.  The warmth was still there, radiating in little overlapping waves wherever he touched.  Jason sighed, exhaling a lungful of air while steadying his breathing.  Whether psychosomatic or not, the physical contact seemed to lessen the nausea slightly and he closed his eyes to try to focus on it as the bus made its way back downtown.

 

“We’re here,” Greg said softly.  

 

Jason stood and groaned, swaying slightly while his stomach rolled and tumbled.  Once more he gripped the handles on the backs of the seats until he reached the railing at the front of the bus.  His knees dipped slightly when he reached the sidewalk but he forced himself to stand as steadily as possible while fast walking towards the apartment complex.  Greg caught up to him quickly, asking if he was okay but Jason simply focused on walking.  Sensing the mood, Greg went ahead to unlock and open the door.

 

Bile burned the back of Jason’s throat, while excess spit filled his mouth.  He swallowed, grimaced and swallowed again before rushing as quickly as he could, dropping his backpack just inside the apartment.  Greg closed the door behind him, watching as his companion fled into the bathroom.

 

The toilet, blessedly clean, was cool against his palms when Jason flipped the lid.  Sweat soaked into his clothes while tears leaked from his eyes as he vomited, gagging while his stomach clenched painfully tight.  The force of each heave strained his body, as if wearing away at his insides with microscopic bites of his flesh.

 

Acidic drool fell from Jason’s lips until he spat it out.  The nausea was focused in his temples now with his stomach finally somewhat settled.  He sat back with his knees bent and his arms wrapped around his shins.

 

“Uh, I think- I think we should go see a doctor,” Greg said after staring into the toilet.  While he could only remember one time that he’d thrown up, he’d remembered it was mostly just the remains of the food he’d eaten.  What was left in the toilet was different.  The boy pressed his forearm against his mouth and nose.  Little chunks of white mixed with blood and other red bits in the frothy remains of the toilet. “Like, now, I think.”

 

“No,” Jason said weakly before reaching up to flush.  The water drained but it struggled to empty the bowl until a piece of something shifted and the entire mess was pulled away.  “I’m- I’m feeling better already.  Really.”

 

“Jason, seriously,” Greg said carefully.  “I don’t think that was normal.”

 

“I’m better.  My faith-” Jason swallowed hard.  “My faith will heal me.  And some rest.  I’m better.  I’m really feeling better.”

 

“Are you really?” Greg asked critically, staring as the other man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

 

“Yes,” Jason answered.  He pushed himself up, right hand on the edge of their bathtub but his knees buckled until Greg reached for him to support his weight.  “I- I can walk.”

 

“I’ve got you, come on,” Greg told him, wrapping his arm around Jason’s side to help him walk.  

 

Jason found himself leaning into the other man while trying to match his longer stride as they walked into their shared bedroom.  He knew his companion was strong but he seemed to be bearing his entire weight without effort.  Greg helped Jason sit before kneeling to undo his shoelaces.  

 

“I can do that,” Jason told him.

 

“Yeah, probably,” Greg said.  “I’ll get your shoes and socks.  You get everything else and just rest.  Your face is pale.  And if you don’t want to go to the hospital, you need to rest.”

 

When his feet were bare, Greg tossed the socks into a nearby hamper while laying the shoes by the front door.  Jason’s fingers shook slightly when he pulled the loose knot for his tie but they steadied gradually as he undid his shirt buttons.  He folded the shirt to place it with the tie on the table by his narrow bed.  When he finished, Greg walked in with a small cup and a bowl.

 

“Mouth wash,” Greg announced.  “To help get the taste out of your mouth.”

 

Jason felt a pang of something when he took the cup to gargle.  It wasn’t just gratitude but something else – something deeper.  He prodded at the feeling, wondering at exactly what it was but he faltered, settling for a fondness for the other man and his attention but it was different than that. He spat into the bowl carefully with a quiet ‘thank you’.  Greg walked away leaving Jason to undo his zipper, working the pants over his hips until he sat in his underwear, folding the slacks slowly in order to keep his stomach settled.  He could feel himself shivering just before more sweat formed on his bare skin.

 

Greg reappeared in the bedroom carrying one of their dining room chairs in one hand and a large, sloshing basin in the other with a towel draped over his forearm.  An empty bucket dangled from a handle held in the same hand supporting the basin.  He set the large bowl down on the floor next to Jason’s bed with the chair beside it and the bucket near the head of the bed.

 

“You d- d- don’t have t- to,” Jason stuttered while shaking.  

 

“It’s okay,” Greg told him quietly, wetting the towel before wiping Jason’s face.  “Just rest.”

 

“Th- th- th-” Jason tried to say before jackknifing with a gasp.

 

The cold water soothed Jason’s aching, hot face as a fever dragged him under.  He was aware of his surroundings only in small slices of time.  Greg was nearly always at his side as Jason trashed and moaned in bed but mostly he slept fitfully. 

 

Red dreams filled Jason’s mind, in between the periods when he was awake.  Black chains held him down, twining over his chest and arms and legs.  He tried to pull out of them, to throw them away but they were heavy and growing heavier, holding him in place.  Wearing him down.  Steel against his bare flesh.

 

Binding him.

 

Brands joined the imagery.  He gasped and muttered and twisted, tensing when he was sure they would press into him, blistering his skin while he was restrained.  Yellow hot metal with the persistent red haze surrounding him and obsidian chains  stretching him out, pulling his legs apart and his arms out to his side.

 

Jason’s fever broke in the middle of the night.  He settled with a sigh while his eyelids fluttered to show his sclera before his muscles relaxed.  Greg watched him for a while, his jaw cracking from a wide yawn.  When he was sure his companion had finally settled, he stood and stretched and put everything away.  He checked on Jason a few times while getting ready for bed.  Sleep came quickly for him, peaceful and deep.

 

Blood coursed through Jason’s body while he slept, rushing to his scalp and the roots of his hair.  They fed off of the excess to create more cells.  His short, well trimmed dark brown hair lengthened gradually.  Gravity pulled the strands down until they touched his pillow.

 

The soft glow of morning light through the apartment window shades bathed the room in an unearthly radiance.  Jason moaned while his eyes fluttered and he woke.  His blanket dragged against his shirt and he gasped at its touch.  Goosebumps rose over his body before a thrilling invisible finger traced down his nape and spine.  The tips of his hair hung barely an inch away from his shoulder, luxurious thick and mocha colored.  His hair continued to grow at a glacial pace.

 

He lifted his head as if to sit up until she looked down his body to see the bulge of his erection, a half second before he felt the echo of his heart beat in the shaft and tip.  Instead of getting up, he stared at the ceiling above, searching for familiar patterns in the cheap popcorn texture in order to distract himself.

 

The shower ran from the bathroom.  He listened to it for a while, imagining Greg and how disappointed his companion would be if he knew he’d become sexually excited.  The anger and sharpness of his handsome face would be more than he could handle and the shame would be too great.  Wrapped in his towel, fresh from the shower, hard muscles dotted with drops of water.  No.  He would already be dressed, as they always did when they finished their showers.

 

Jason’s eyes twitched to the side.  The erection wasn’t calming down.  If anything, it was harder and beginning to ache painfully.  With a sigh and his eyes locked to the ceiling, he reached down beneath the covers to his underwear, and beneath in order to try to settle it in place.  When his fingernails brushed against the head of his cock, he moaned, turning his head to hide the noise.  His hips lifted briefly but he pulled his hand back while his chest rose and fell quickly.  

 

What in the world was that? he asked himself.

 

He reached down again, careful to keep his hand away from the head of his penis.  Instead, he gripped the shaft gently to try again to push it to the side and make it less evident.  The motion pulled the skin down until he shifted it, pulling back up briefly.  He moaned again, twisting his feet against the mattress beneath him.  It wasn’t nearly as intense as when he touched the head of his penis but it still felt better than any other time he’d touched himself when peeing or privately adjusting to be more comfortable.

 

And he was still hard.  Aching now.  Throbbing.

 

His hand pulled down on his penis and then up, pressing his circled fingers against the head.  He gasped and when he exhaled, it was a breathy moan.  Jason’ cheeks burned as he stroked himself slowly, awkwardly, pulling down and up again.

 

He let go, instead running his fingers over the hard flesh while tilting his head back.  It’d felt good in his hand but now he wanted to touch it, enjoying the thrill of his nails and fingers over the shaft and then up to the head once more.  He hid his face, turning into the pillow and his longer hair slid against his strangely sensitive skin, making him moan louder.

 

It was such a wondrous alien feel, warm and hard but also soft.  His mouth opened and his tongue rubbed against the back of his bottom lip while he breathed quickly.  The wet, bulging skin gliding against his tongue mirrored the sensation of his fingertips against his penis, linking the responses together in his brain while he whimpered quietly.  

 

Once more he closed his hand over his shaft, squeezing and moaning while lifting his chest.  While he stroked himself slowly, he imagined his mental image before him, stroking him instead and the effect was jarring but strange erotic.  

 

Jason’s hand pumped his penis beneath his underwear while he licked his top lip.  His eyes were closed, seeing at once a point-of-view of himself while at the same time, a dissociated view of himself kneeling and stroking a cock.  He groaned as he felt pressure building along with the gradually increasing sensitivity.  Pre cum welled from the tip before being absorbed by his underwear.  He grunted, brushing the tip of his penis with his thumb on every upstroke until he paused to rub it and then continue the downstroke.  Soon he found himself holding his shaft just beneath the head, stroking the tip between his fingers while barely tugging on the skin at all.

 

It was so close.  He could feel a slight tightness in his guts as well as the pressure building to a crescendo and he desperately wanted to know what-

 

“Jason!”

 

Greg’s shout startled Jason.  He yanked his hand away, pulling it from his underwear and the covers.

 

“No!” Jason shouted in return, suddenly aware of the enormity of what he’d been doing.  And still he felt the throbbing and the ache and his hand twitched to return.

 

“You know you’re- How could you?” Greg snapped.  The skin beneath his eyes was dark, a reminder of the vigilance he’d kept the night before.

 

Jason felt his stomach drop further.  Tears formed at the corners of his eyes while a sudden headache strobed at his temples.  He pulled his covers over his head while the tears streaked over his face.

 

“I’ll have to tell the group leaders,” Greg said firmly.

 

“You- you don’t have to!” Jason said from beneath his blanket.  He curled into a fetal position as if to physically protect himself.  “I was just confused for- for a second.  I slipped up but I know- I know- No.  I-  I know you have to.  I know it’s right.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for letting myself lapse.”

 

He could smell himself.  The scent of his sex, trapped beneath the blanket.  The smell of his pre and the sweat from his exertion, gathered in the folds of his thighs.  It was heady and he inhaled deeply despite the situation.

 

“It’s good that you’re sorry,” Greg told him.  “Just- I’ll finish getting ready and then I’ll call them.”

 

Jason listened to his companion move around their apartment to finish getting dressed.  Despite the shame, he was still hard.  His hand clutched at his bare thigh. It was wrong but he’d been so close, so close to a release.

 

“If I hurry,” he whispered, sliding fingers beneath his underwear once more.  He held the head, swirling and rubbing with his thumb while moaning.  His other hand slid against his chest, caressing and massaging his body.  He could hear Greg quietly talking on the phone in the living room.  “What- what am I doing?”

 

He closed his eyes and exhaled, pulling his hand free. Even then, he couldn’t help but smell himself and wonder if all men smelled the same.  If they felt-

 

Jason dragged himself out of bed and his hair trailed behind him until he sat up.  The fat rolls that normally lined his belly were diminished, thinner than the day before.  He brushed hair away from his eyes without thought before standing to dress himself, hurrying in order to make himself presentable for the group leaders.  It would be just a phone call but being dressed in his daily clothes would help him focus and feel more comfortable.

 

His belt pulled two notches tighter than before.  He was surprised at the change while wondering if his episode in front of the toilet could’ve made that much of a difference in that short a period of time.  All the while, his longer hair swished back and forth against the collar of his button down shirt.  He’d made sure to change into a different shirt until he could wash the blood from the sleeve.

 

With a quick glance at his cheap watch, Jason walked towards the bathroom.  He reached down to squeeze his penis a few times without realizing what he was doing and he breathed out heavily when he rubbed the head briefly.

 

A knock on the apartment’s front door interrupted Jason’s thoughts.  He frowned while staring at the front door before looking towards Greg.

 

Should I get that for him?  He wondered, feeling an urge to repay his companion for the help in the night.  But also because it felt right to do help.  We aren’t expecting anyone, though.

 

He breathed into his hand to smell his breath, wrinkling his nose at his morning breath while mentally thanking Greg once more for the mouthwash the night before.

 

Greg walked by just as Jason stepped out of the bedroom.  He glanced at his companion, took two steps and then turned sharply with his brow furrowed.  

 

“What-” Greg started to ask.  His lips pressed together and he shook his head.  The knocking sounded again, louder this time.  “I’ll see who it is.”

 

Greg opened the door.  Two group leaders stood at the threshold.  They glanced at Greg before turning to look at Jason.

 

“Thomas?  Chad?” Greg said, surprised to see the two group leaders in person.  Jason wilted behind him while dread filled his stomach.  “I thought- I left a message and thought you would call back.”

 

“We thought it warranted coming in person,” Thomas said.  Of the pair, he stood slightly forward.  He was bigger than Greg, taller with broader shoulders . His voice was grave, deep and serious to match his expression.  Jason’s stomach fluttered.  It wasn’t just anxiety but something else that felt vaguely uncomfortable but also warm and hungry.

 

“Sorry, please come in,” Greg stood back to let the pair into the apartment before closing the door behind them.

 

“Thank you,” Thomas said.

 

The group leaders walked in while staring at Jason.  He swallowed and tried to smile but settled on looking sick to his stomach.  The young man clenched his fingers together at his stomach before dropping them to his sides where they fidgeted.  It was his first visit with the group leaders where his behavior was being called into question.

 

“Have a seat,” Chad, a thinner brown haired young man said, gesturing at the lone wingback chair facing the couch.  The group leaders sat together on the couch.

 

Their stare was intense and unsettling, leaving Jason feeling naked beneath their gaze. His heart pounded while his hands grew clammy.  Worse, and more shameful, he could feel tears threatening to form while his head began to pound.  Hormones mixed within his body, their levels varying by small, yet increasing increments that left his emotions raw.

 

“Why are we here, Jason?” Thomas asked.

 

“B- because I- I t- touched myself this morning,” he answered, doing his best to keep his eyes level.

 

“No,” Thomas told him sharply.  “We’re here because you were caught masturbating.  Would we be here if you weren’t caught?”

 

“I-” Jason started to say.  He wiped at his eyes, disgusted at how upset he felt.  “I would’ve said something.  I know it’s wrong.”

 

“Before that,” Chad said, glancing at Greg.  “Why is your hair so long, Jason?  We have rules covering grooming.  Rules about appearance.  You’re flaunting them and I want to know how long you’ve been ignoring the rules, and why?”

 

“I don’t understand,” Jason said.  He reached up to touch his hair.  His eyes opened wide while his mouth dropped.  Twisting in his seat, he ran his hands over his bangs and down the thick, luxurious locks of hair that touched his shoulders.  His voice rose in panic.  “This- this- this- this isn’t possible!”

 

“It wasn’t like this yesterday,” Greg told the group leaders.  “It was short, shorter than mine.  Just last night.”

 

“You’re telling us to believe that his hair grew, what, a foot overnight?” Thomas asked.  His face showed obvious disbelief.

 

“I swear it,” Greg said.  Where Jason trembled in the onslaught, Greg was resolute.

 

“Are you-” Chad said until the first group leader put his hand out slightly.

 

“We know who your family is, Greg,”  the man said.  He adjusted his black tie, a slight sign of his own nervousness.   “But, sin and temptation doesn’t care about lineage.  Anyone can be corrupted.”

 

Thomas took a slow, deep breath while checking the knot on his tie once more.  An internal struggle played over his face as he wrestled with a decision, weighing one path with another.

 

“Putting that aside, for now,” Thomas said, returning his attention to Jason.  “Are you willing to repent for your sin, Jason?”

 

“Yes!” Jason gasped, wiping his eyes again.  He felt flushed as the hormones continued to course through his body and a strange prickling, scratching, tickling sensation dug into his guts.  It teetered on the edge of uncomfortableness as he stilled himself to prevent himself from squirming.

 

“You know the consequences,” Chad added in.  “You must maintain your purity and morals throughout your life but even more so when you’re proselytizing.  We have to be a beacon of light for others, especially non-believers seeking His truth.  If we fail, we’re cast out of God’s graces, eternally damned for betraying His trust.  Being sent home in shame would be the least of your worries.  Do you understand that?”

 

“I- I do!” Jason replied eagerly.

 

“Do you really, Jason?” Thomas asked, leaning forward.

 

Jason felt his heart race.  The man was striking.  His cold sternness only heightened the effect.  Blue eyes that seemed to fade to pure white ice in the right light and angle with a sharp jaw and chin.  The prickling sensation low in his body melted, seeping into his hips to warm him with a light tingling.

 

“I do, I really do.  It was a momentary lapse,” Jason pleaded.  “But I’ve resisted it since then.  Greg pulled me back.  If- If anything, I’m stronger because of it.  I know what the temptation is and how strong it can be.  I know I can resist it.”

 

“You’re his companion, Greg,” Thomas said.  “If he fails, you both fall from grace.  You’ll both be reassigned to others or potentially sent home for disobedience if the situation warrants it.  Do you understand?”

 

“Yes,” Greg said.  “I understand.  I’ll be stronger for his sake.”

 

“Good,” Thomas told them.  You’ll cut your hair immediately, Jason.  We will check up on you every week during our weekly training meetings for next four months and then once a month for a year.  Neither of you will get another warning.”

 

“I understand, thank you,” Jason answered as the two group leaders stood.  “So you’re allowing us to-“

 

“Yes, you have our permission to break sabbath to get a haircut,” Thomas told him.  “Not allowing you to do it; we’re telling you to do it.  And that’s all.”

 

Greg walked them out while Jason touched his hair.  He held the strands in his hand while staring at the tips.  The weight of all of it surprised him.

 

“How did that happen?” Greg asked when the group leaders were gone.

 

“I don’t know!”  Jason told him, dropping his hair.

 

Now that he was aware of it, he was aware of it as it touched his ears and cheek and neck.  It was silky and soft and he would never admit to Greg that he liked the way it felt against him.  He told himself it was because he knew now what it felt like to touch a woman’s hair but it was more than that, even if he refused to recognize the fact.  A small, nearly silent part of him was sad at the idea of cutting it all.

 

“Is it drugs?  Tell me it’s not drugs,” Greg demanded.  He reached out without asking to touch Jason’s hair as if not believing it was real.  His fingers slipped through until he pressed them together, pulling the other man’s head back.

 

“Ah!” Jason gasped.  The pain was not altogether unpleasant.  “No!  No drugs.  You can search me and the room all you want.  What kind of drug would even do that?  Grow hair overnight?”

 

“I don’t know,” Greg said quietly.  He let the hair fall from his fingers before stepping back with a frown and his arms crossed.

 

They stared at each other in silence.  Seconds passed.  Jason felt himself grow uncomfortable but also self-conscious.  When he could no longer withstand the look in Greg’s eyes, he blushed and looked down.  His hair slid forward, brushing against his cheeks and eyes until he brushed it back.

 

“I’m not going to fail because of you,” Greg said.  “Don’t do this to me.  If we’re sent home, my parents will just pay for me to go back out but the mark will be there against me.  For my family and the community.  Look me in the eye and tell me you won’t do that again.”

 

Jason opened his mouth to agree immediately as he looked up but Greg’s expression froze him in place.  His expression and the heat of anger.  A fiery hand clawed down Jason’s spine.  He gripped the arms of his chair to keep from bowing his back and pushing his chest forward.  His penis stirred once more, rousing like a curious beast as it twisted in its sleep.

 

“I- I won’t,” Jason whispered, praying the other man wouldn’t notice.

 

“Go shower and brush your teeth,” Greg told him.  “We’ll go right after to get your haircut.”

 

“Y- yes,” Jason answered.   

 

The command in Greg’s voice and words sent another thrill down his back, smaller than the first but noticeable enough that he was left confused as he made his way to the bathroom.  He brushed his teeth first with his eyes fixed on the faucet below.  His hair fell forward once more but he ignored it until he was finished.

 

Jason’s hair shined in the light, a rich, glossy brown.  He stared at his reflection with his toothbrush beneath the running water.  He watched his hair sway as he shook his head slowly, mesmerized by the effect.  

 

“Wow,” he gasped, reaching for it until he remembered that Greg would be waiting for him and probably watching the time to make sure didn’t stray.

 

Setting the toothbrush aside, Jason undressed quickly, folding his clothes to lay them on top of the toilet before starting the shower.  His erection had faded, leaving him flaccid and he was relieved as he stepped beneath the steaming water with a groan.  The aches from the evening before were still there but the hot water massaged his body, hammering away at his skin until-

 

“Oh!” Jason moaned, covering his penis with his hands while backing away from the torrent.

 

As soon as the water had drilled into the head of his penis, electric shocks shot through his stomach.  He touched himself briefly, telling himself he was simply making sure he was alright as he gently caressed the head with his fingertips.  It was as sensitive as it had been when he woke, perhaps even more than that.  His lips parted while his breathing quickened, excited little puffs of air as he touched the tip.  The little slit at the top opened briefly when he pulled at the side of the head and clear liquid seeped from the opening. 

 

Jason’s eyebrows dipped when he saw the pre cum.  He wiped it and brought it to his nose to smell, worried that something was wrong.  It was clear, though, and it smelled sharply sweet.  His head swam as he inhaled.  He licked his lips.  The finger trembled.  A warm wave flowed through his brain and he sighed.  His tongue darted out again.

 

“Oh!  Ohhhh,” Jason moaned while leaning back against the shower wall.

 

The gentle waves rocking through his brain due to the scent of his pre cum rocked sharply, crashing against the inside of his skull as the complex, tangy taste permeated him.  

 

He woke, barely a second later, to find himself sitting in the tub with his arms against the sides without remembering how he’d got there or what had happened.  He pushed himself up on shaking arms, covering his fully hard penis with his hands while trying to recall the last few minutes.  When nothing came to him, he shook his head and washed himself as carefully as possible while using extra shampoo for his longer hair.  His penis bumped against his stomach, reminding him of its presence but he ignored it as well as he could while protecting the tip against the stream of water.

 

His soapy hands roamed his body, slipping between the small rolls on his belly and up to his chest where he swirled his palms over his tiny nipples several times before tracing his fingers down to his sides.  There too, he found his body more sensitive than normal when his shortened fingernails raked down his body.  His legs twisted while his toes curled until he forced his hands away to carefully clean between his thighs.

 

The urge to stroke himself was strong but he recalled Greg’s face and his lip trembled.  Greg who was always easy going and lighthearted.  Who cared for him in the night while he was sick.  Who showered just before him, here in the same tub.  Naked.

 

Jason’s hand squeezed his cock, pulling the skin down slightly as he thought of his companion, standing where he stood.

 

“I want- I want-” Jason whispered with a soft moan.  “I-  I-“

 

He pulled his hand away to press his palms against his temples and the dull ache forming deep within. 

 

“Too hot,” he gasped, shutting off the water while leaning forward with his hands against the shower wall and his head hanging.  The drip-drip-dripping of the shower appeared to match his heart beat and he suddenly feared his own heart would stop when the water stopped falling.  A high pitched whining noise buzzed in his ears as his vision grew blurry and his thoughts drifted.

 

“You okay in there?” Greg’s muffled voice asked from outside.

 

“Yes!” Jason answered back.  He pushed away from the wall but gripped onto the bathroom sink when the world swayed around him.  “Just drying off!”

 

Despite his words, he stood still on the bath mat while clinging to the counter.  Background noises gradually returned to his ears as the static faded and his eyesight returned to normal.  He snatched his towel to dry himself, rubbing his longer hair the best he could before patting his body dry and getting dressed.

 

Maybe I could make eggs for us, he thought to himself while buttoning his shirt.  I bet Greg would like that.  And I owe him a lot.  For last night and this morning.  The least I could do is take care of all the cooking for a while.

 

With his mind made up, Jason stepped out of the bathroom, eagerly walking towards the kitchen with plans of making an omelet for his companion.

 

“O- oh,” Jason said when he saw Greg eating a bowl of cereal.

 

“What’s wrong?” Greg asked.

 

“No, I- I was just thinking I could make you breakfast,” Jason told him.

 

“We have to hurry,” Greg reminded him.  “We have to get you in for your haircut and be back for study and weekly service.”

 

“I know, I just- nevermind,” Jason said, feeling disappointed that he wasn’t able to take care of Greg’s food.  It felt like yet another failing, if not a small one.  “I’m not really hungry so I’m ready when you are.”

 

Greg nodded and worked to finish his food while Jason picked up around the kitchen, wiping down the counters and putting away clean dishes.  Just as he finished emptying the dishwasher, Greg went to add his own bowl to the rack.  Jason took it from him instead.

 

“I’ll do it!” Jason told him, turning to rinse it before setting the spoon and bowl in their places.

 

“Hey, look,” Greg said.  “Just because you messed up really bad this morning doesn’t make you my servant or anything, okay?  You don’t need to make up for it by doing every little thing for me.  Just don’t give in to sin.  Don’t get us kicked out.  That’s all I’m asking.”

 

“I know.  I know that,” Jason replied.  “I just wanted to help.  I like helping.”

 

“Okay,” Greg said.  “Just don’t be weird is all.  Let’s go so we can hurry back.  It’s the Sabbath so we’re already running out of time.”

 

Jason followed Greg through the house, stepping into his shoes before heading outside and locking the front door behind them.  The heat waiting outside their apartment was oppressive but they ignored it as they walked down the sidewalk on their way to the barbershop.  A kernel of nausea dug itself into the center of Jason’s brain, reminding him of the evening before.  But, it was light enough to ignore and he told himself he should probably eat something small or drink more water to help.  He was still surprised that he wasn’t hungry but he put it down to feeling sick and stressed.

 

Once seated in the barber’s chair, he stared at himself while telling the barber that he’d just like everything cut short. An odd sadness filled him when he watched the scissors cut long strands of his hair.  He stifled the emotion while telling himself that as the barber trimmed away his hair, he was cutting away the temptation from his life, letting it all fall around him into nothingness until he was once again pure.

 

Still, when he stood to brush the loose hairs from his scalp, he sniffled and wiped a stray tear before rejoining his companion.  With just the short amount of time that he’d had the longer hair, he was surprised when he noticed the lack of weight and movement against his head.

 

They headed back after paying, with Jason walking just behind and to Greg’s side.  Jason found himself touching the back of his neck occasionally as they made their way back to the apartment.  

 

Greg sighed when they were both back inside their air conditioned apartment.  Jason yawned wide enough to make his jaw creak.  He tried to apologize but he yawned again so he turned away while covering his mouth.  Now that the stress of the morning was lessened, a weariness settled over his shoulders.

 

“We have time for independent study before service,” Greg said while checking his watch.  “Just a little bit less than an hour.”

 

Jason nodded but yawned once more.  He shuffled over to the chair he’d used earlier.  His Bible lay on a small table nearby.  He picked it up and opened to Genesis, flipping to the second chapter.  The temptation of Eve felt relevant to him for the moment, despite other, stronger passages.  He had a wonderful life with everything he needed – his faith, his family back home, a handsome, caring companion – and yet, that terrible temptation he’d felt in the morning threatened to take all of it away.

 

He read, slowly, stifling yawns while using his finger to mark each sentence and speaking the words in his mind.  As always, he did his best to absorb the meaning of the words as well as the text itself.  At the same time, he visualized each passage to make it more real in his mind.

 

‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.’ Jason read.

 

In his imagination, he saw it: the husband taking his wife.  Taking her hand and lifting her.  Carrying her away.  The man, of course, would be tall and strong.  A chiseled body forged by manual labor.  Like-

 

He looked up to see Greg studying his own Bible.  The man’s eyes were focused, intense and thoughtful at the same time.  Jason could still vividly remember the way he’d looked earlier in the day when he’d been angry.  Not just angry but so fierce and determined and all it did was somehow make him even more handsome.

 

No, Jason told himself when his penis stirred.  He pushed at it as subtly as he could, playing it off as simply adjusting himself but it dragged against his thigh while growing and the feeling of the head against his bare skin made him whimper quietly.  No, I won’t.  I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately but, whatever this is, I can work through it.

 

‘And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.’ he continued to read, forcing himself to face the words without shying away from the temptation presented.

 

As he progressed through the chapters, his eyelids drooped and his head swayed until he caught himself with a jerk.  With every paragraph, he felt his body grow heavier until his head lay against his hand and his eyes closed.

 

“Jason, wake up,” Greg said softly while tapping the other man on the shoulder.

 

“I’m- I’m up, sorry, I’m up,” Jason groaned, sitting back while rubbing his eyes.  His body felt stiff.  Not just his arm and neck from the way he’d fallen asleep but every joint and muscle down to his toes.  

 

“It’s almost time for service,” Greg told him.  

 

“Oh, I slept too long.  It’s lunch time already,” Jason realized when he checked his watch.  The thought of food made him hungry but he wondered first if Greg might want something to eat.  “Let me make you something.  A sandwich?  You like sandwiches, right?  Umm.  Turkey and cheese, right?”

 

“Yeah but remember what I said about doing everything for me?” Greg asked.

 

“No, it’s not that, really,” Jason said while standing.  He felt pleased that he remembered the kind of sandwich Greg liked and it made him smile with happiness.  “I just want to help out.  It’s my fault for falling asleep so let me do it.  Please?”

 

“Alright,” Greg sighed.  “And no-“

 

“No mayonnaise, right?” Jason chirped as he walked into the kitchen.

 

He busied himself by setting everything out first.  He took the first and third pieces of bread for himself when he saw they had broken crusts.  The man hummed as he put everything together.  Extra care and attention was given to Greg’s sandwich when he lay the slices of turkey and cheese just so in order to look more appealing.  He filled two glasses of water before bringing one to his companion, along with the sandwich.

 

“Thanks,” Greg said, taking the plate.

 

“Of course!” Jason said with a closed-mouth smile.  He stole glances at Greg to see if he was enjoying his food while he ate his, tearing at the crust to leave the smaller, softer piece of bread within.  Normally he’d eat the whole thing and a second, maybe third sandwich as well but he felt himself growing full quickly as he nibbled on the food.

 

When they were both finished, Jason put away the plates and glasses.  

 

“After service, we’ll plan our afternoon,” Greg told him while tying his shoes.

 

“That sounds great,” Jason replied.  His smile wavered as he reached a hand up to massage his temples.  

 

“Are you okay?” Greg asked when he noticed the gesture.

 

“I think so,” Jason said.  Uneasiness tainted his stomach, reminding him of how he felt yesterday evening.  “Just a little touch of dizziness is all.  I’ll be fine.”

 

During service, Jason found himself dozing during the volunteer talks.  The few times he lapsed and caught himself losing focus, he forced himself to pay attention.  Still, his thoughts wandered more often than not.  He felt self conscious with Greg next to him and he sometimes turned slightly to look at him, wondering if he was still mad at him.  Or if he was tired from staying up all night with him.  He wanted to do something to pay him back but there wasn’t much he could do and that bothered him.

 

Through it all, the seed of nausea behind his eyes and within his stomach sprouted sluggishly.  Towards the end of service, he found himself swallowing often while grimacing and trying to breathe steadily.  The noise of everyone around him combined with their warmth that exacerbated his condition until he began to worry if he’d make it.

 

Hours later, when service was finally finished, Jason sat straight-backed with a pale face.  He followed Greg as the other man greeted those around him.

 

Please hurry, Jason told him mentally.  He swallowed and groaned but hid himself behind his companion’s broad back.  Cold sweat rolled down his back.

 

Jason gasped when they were finally outside.  He sucked in lungfuls of fresh air and was relieved when his nausea faded somewhat.  Still, he pressed a hand against his stomach when a cramp seized him.

 

“Can- can we go back to the apartment?” Jason asked weakly.  “I’m- I’m- I’m still not feeling great.  I need to sit.”

 

“Yeah, of course,” Greg told him.  He walked faster while occasionally looking back to make sure Jason was following easily enough.  They reached their apartment together and Jason groaned when Greg fumbled with the keys.

 

Jason slipped past to make his way into the bathroom, sitting as quickly as he could when another cramp, sharper than the last few, sliced through his stomach.  He trembled on the toilet seat with his eyes closed while sweat poured from his body.  The pain lessened.  He groaned and breathed until he trusted himself to stand once more on numb legs.  

 

Greg waited for him outside the bathroom.

 

“We should see the doctor,” he said, searching Jason’s face with concern evident in his features.

 

“No, no,” Jason told him while flashing a smile.  “I feel better already.  It was just being around all those people after what happened last night.  And this morning.  Just- it’s just a mix of stuff.  I’m already feeling better.”

 

“We’re going if you get worse,” Greg said.  “No more excuses.  It could be something serious.”

 

“Okay,” Jason agreed.  “If it gets worse, I’ll tell you.  I promise.  Do- do you want something to eat?  I could make you something.”

 

“No, I’m good until dinner and we need to plan out our evening before we leave.  I’ll get everything ready so you just sit down for a while.”

 

The pair sat together with notebooks and a street atlas, plotting out which neighborhood to visit next while comparing their older notes and the bus schedules.  

 

“That should do it,” Greg said after looking over everything.  “Back by 5 for dinner with the Nelsons tonight.”

 

“Perfect,” Jason said, reaching out briefly to touch his companion’s arm.  Greg looked at him, confused by the gesture and Jason pulled his hand away.  “Sorry.  Um, I’m ready.  I’m feeling good!”

 

It was a lie but he did his best to hide it.  A general unease filled his body.  His head finally felt fine but now the discomfort centered beneath his belly button, a tight, hardened knot of pressure that occasionally shot out hot spikes of pain.  It was infrequent enough that he wasn’t worried and he excused himself to the bathroom once more before leaving in hopes that it would pass.

 

Less than half an hour later, they were seated on a bus, traveling in a slightly different direction than yesterday on a different route.

 

Jason winced and shifted in his seat.  In addition to the strange pressure, he felt a sharp ache beneath his penis.  He moved in his seat while apologizing to his companion.

 

His testicles began to shrink.  Jason picked at the legs of his pants to try to pull them away from the crease of his thighs in hopes it would help with the pain but it did nothing to dull the ache.  

 

When a cramp clawed into his stomach, he grit his teeth and lay his forehead against the bus window with his eyes closed, breathing through his nose to work through the pain.  One of his shrunken testicles pulled tight against him, vibrating until it slipped inside his body.  The second followed shortly after and Jason exhaled when the discomfort passed.  He pushed himself back, grateful that he no longer felt the pressure from earlier.

 

The two testicles burrowed into him, passing through a narrow canal before separating left and right.  Fleshy tubes connected to each of them, surrounding them as they began to change.  A pleasant, pulsing heat warmed Jason’s stomach and now he moaned quietly with his hand against his lower stomach as his new ovaries formed in place, latched in place by the fallopian tubes attached to his still growing uterus.

 

Hormones switched, estrogen finally overcoming testosterone.  New cells in his ovaries began to produce Estradiol that flowed within and throughout his body.  The pulsing waves made his nerves stir, waking them until he felt every touch of his shirt against his body when he moved.  It was almost too much for him so he forced himself to sit still with his hands on his knees and his eyes focused forward.  His queasiness, hidden just beneath the pleasant waves rocking through his body, reached tendrils up from his belly.  He frowned and swallowed while placing a hand against his stomach.

 

The bus slammed into a massive pothole, rattling the entire frame of the vehicle.  Jason gasped and reached out to clench a hand against Greg’s leg before snatching it back.

 

“S- sorry, that startled me,” he said, his voice cracking slightly, while blushing furiously and cursing himself internally.

 

When the bus stopped, they walked off, following a group of other passengers onto the sidewalk.  Jason frowned and pressed a hand against himself but forced himself on.  Goosebumps lifted the hairs covering his body as they rose in a rush of heat that made him gasp.  Red filled the curled edges of his ears, his cheeks and his chest as he exhaled with a ragged breath.  Greg looked back with an eyebrow cocked but Jason forced a reassuring smile.

 

It was difficult to keep up with his companion while dealing with the changes taking place within his body but Jason did his best, deferring to Greg at every opportunity when they spoke with people at their doorstep.  

 

After less than an hour of walking around, Jason knew he was getting worse.  He found himself swallowing every few minutes while wiping sweat from his forehead and temples.  Bile burned in the back of his throat and a cold phantom hand occasionally clenched fingers around his guts.

 

“Uh, Greg, I think I need to go back to the apartment,” Jason said.  “I think- I-“

 

Greg reached out as Jason faltered, leaning into his companion’s side while arms wrapped around him.  He felt the firmness of the grip and stance and it comforted him while he stood there.  Greg looked around, squinting as he tried to read a bus stop’s sign from three blocks away.  

 

“Come on, there’s a stop up ahead and that’ll transfer over to the bus we need,” Greg told him.

 

“I’m sorry,” Jason whispered but he pressed harder into Greg’s side.  The comfort he received from the simple touch of his companion soothed his nausea slightly while the strength and nearness filled him with a sense of calm that helped dull the unpleasantness. 

 

Jason leaned against Greg’s shoulder once they sat on the bus.  Greg adjusted himself as if he would push the other man away gently but settled instead, allowing the contact.  They rode in silence, switching buses after several stops until they were walking back to their apartment.

 

“I can… walk,” Jason said, breaking away from Greg when they were nearly home.  “I think- I think, I’m sorry, I think I just need to throw up and I’ll be- be better.”

 

Greg let them in and, again, Jason walked immediately to the bathroom, shut the door and knelt in front of the toilet with his hands against the side.  Bile burned his throat until he heaved emptying his stomach of the little food he’d eaten earlier.  And still he continued retching.

 

Keratin formed beneath his cuticles, sliding over the smooth surface of his nails in layers that gradually pushed past the trimmed ends, dragging them out into smooth, long, translucent nails that clicked against the porcelain bowl.  

 

Every time the young man threw up, the small fat rolls covering his stomach pulled back slightly.

 

Jason sat back on his heels while wiping drool from his lips.  His brain buzzed, foggy and slow as he reached a trembling hand to flush the toilet without looking at the contents.  He burped and groaned and wiped his mouth again before pushing himself up on weak legs.  His nails clinked against the sink when he turned the faucet handles to fill his cupped hands with water that he used to gargle with.  After the third time, he opened his hands to let the water fall.  He immediately noticed his longer nails.

 

When- when was the last time I trimmed them?  I thought- I thought- he swayed slightly and shook his head gently.  I’ll cut them in the morning.

 

Greg waited just outside the door when Jason came out.

 

“And?” he asked.

 

“Um,” Jason said, wiping his mouth once more.  “I feel better.  But, I think I shouldn’t have dinner tonight, I’m- I’m sorry.  I think I need to rest.”

 

“I’ll call Joseph and let him know we aren’t coming,” Greg sighed.  “Look, I’m worried about you, Jason.  Are you telling the truth?  Are you actually feeling better?”

 

“Better than on the bus, yeah,” Jason told him while placing his hand on the wall for support.  “I really think I just need to sleep it off.  I promise.  It’s- I’m already feeling better than last night. Just need rest.  Some more rest.”

 

“Alright, I’ll take care of everything out here, go lay down,” Greg said.

 

“Could- could you- could you help me again?” Jason asked while staring at the floor and blushing fiercely.  

 

Greg slid his left arm over Jason’s back with his hand under the other man’s armpit.  Jason sighed silently while enjoying a thrill of excitement at the touch.  Together, they walked to the bedroom where Greg helped him get ready.  Jason stared down at Greg when he knelt and the position made him shiver and spread his legs slightly.  He watched his friend untie his shoes, following the motions of his deft fingers while reveling in every little brief touch until his feet were bare.

 

As he had yesterday, Greg left Jason to undress in order to get them ready to settle in for the night.  Jason groaned when he pulled his undershirt free.  He could feel it dragging against every inch of his body and it left him panting and unable to move for several seconds.  

 

Jason’s nails fumbled with his buckle, interfering with his fingers when he tried to unlatch his belt and then again when he unbuttoned his trousers.  He reminded himself again to cut them in the morning as he pulled his pants off, folding them roughly to set them with his other clothes.  He took a shirt from a small stack beside his bed, slipping it on before settling under his covers.

 

He lay with his eyes closed, breathing as evenly as possible in order to ward off the nausea that still twisted through his body.  Exhaustion won out eventually.  He slept, dreamless this time but his sleep was troubled.  Greg checked on him occasionally but otherwise sat in bed with his Bible for self study, breaking away for a simple dinner late in the evening.  

 

Jason’s thin lips pushed forward slightly, the edges curling as they filled out.  Extra nerves formed, branching and spreading through the soft flesh to increase the sensitivity of the swelling skin.

 

He moaned and twisted, dragging his nails against the sheet beneath him when liquid heat filled his skull.  Microfractures appeared throughout his jaw.  His cheekbones lifted minutely while his chin narrowed just a fraction.  Cartilage melted beneath his nasal bone and the skin pulled tight, curling to shrink his nose to fit the other subtle changes.

 

Beneath his eyelids, his eyes streaked back and forth and he moaned again, smacking his full, thick lips.  The young man’s ears reddened as blood rushed to his scalp once more.  His brown hair lengthened again, flowing down over his pillow.  The strands lightened as they grew, sliding against his sheets and bare skin along his shoulders.  New eyelashes joined his existing ones, curling as they elongated.

 

Gray early morning light cast zebra-like patterns on the floor between the two beds.  Jason woke to a needy ache between his thighs.  He groaned, turning his head to his pillow while reaching a hand below to stroke his erection as his mind tried to claw out of the sleepy, lust-filled fog surrounding it.  His hand slipped beneath his underwear.  Further.  Further until he brushed his limp penis.

 

Wha- he wondered briefly, touching his flaccid manhood.

 

He could feel the throbbing, hungry pulse just like he had yesterday morning.  Stronger even.  And yet, he was completely limp.  He whined in frustration, his breath huffing out until his long nails scratched against the head of his penis.  Now he moaned, sliding his bare legs back and forth beneath his blankets.  He reached his arms up and back to grab his pillow, raising the blanket to push it inside and down until it was between his legs.

 

Jason turned carefully until he lay on his stomach.  He listened to the steady breathing from the other bed before squeezing the pillow with his thighs and shoving down against it.

 

“Mmmm,” he moaned, reaching underneath his body to tuck his penis between his legs with the head bent downward.  He flexed again and the pillow grinded against the head of his cock to send electric jolts cascading through his stomach.

 

The boy found a rhythm, flexing and pushing, rocking his hips while gasping and moaning as quietly as possible.  Something was building within him.  Pressure.  A balloon filling a void edged with spikes, trembling as it swelled, closer and closer and closer to popping.  To releasing the tension with the promise of ecstasy.  

 

He propped himself up on his forearms with his stomach dipped low and his ass raised.  His hands curled into fists with the sheet between them.  His nails wore tiny holes into the material as he rocked back and forth.  Whimpering.  Gasping.  Shivering when his shirt brushed against his sides and belly.

 

Fatty tissue formed over the muscles on his chest, pushing against the skin until slight curves formed to outline faint breasts.  Milk ducts slipped through the gaps in the lobules while sending out tendrils through the new tissue.  The soft, loose skin shook as he jerked in bed.

 

“Oh! Oh!” Jason gasped before shoving his face into the bed.  His hair surrounded his face, hiding him from view.

 

Sharp thrilling spikes shot down from his chest to his core.  His nipples dragged back and forth against his shirt.  Jason raised his head with his mouth open and his tongue licking against his full upper lip.  

 

Skin gathered around his tiny nipples, pink flesh growing dark as they merged with the tiny bumps before they grew wider and wider while pushing out until they bent beneath the motion of his shirt.

 

“Oh!” Jason gasped, shaking in place briefly before finding his rhythm once more.  His areola was spreading around his thick nipples, stretching outward while tiny bumps grew from the surface.  A few blonde hairs pierced his areola when they finished expanding.

 

It was almost there.  The release he needed.  He trembled and shoved, desperately needing it.  Bowing his head once more, he bit at his finger to keep quiet.  It was so close.  And yet- and yet-

 

There was no release.  Jason faltered, opening his thighs while lowering himself to the bed.  He panted while bringing his hand up to pull his hair away from his eyes.  And, he froze with his finger curled in a hook against the soft strands touching his face.

 

“No way,” he whispered while looking towards Greg.  He ran a finger through his hair, gathering it in his hands to stare at it.  His dark brown hair was caramel colored with the exception of the darker tips that matched his old color.  “Oh no.”

 

Jason slid from his bed as quietly as possible, eyeing his companion as he crept through the bedroom and into the bathroom where he eased the door closed while turning the handle to keep it from clicking.

 

His voluminous hair reached lower than before, down to the middle of his back.  He half turned, watching it wave behind before turning back.  Something was wrong with his face.  Stepping closer he-

 

The fog in his brain whispered and he shook himself.  He felt light on his feet and he noticed his shirt hanging strangely from his body, as well as the two small bumps just on his chest, just-

 

“Nggh,” Jason groaned, gripping his head. The whispers crooned to him, just beneath the level of his conscious understanding and eventually he reached down.

 

His fingers pressed into his skin to feel muscle and bone beneath.  There was still a stomach pouch and a single smaller fat roll but he was thinner than before.  

 

Jason hurried to the small scale set beside the bathroom vanity, tapping it with his foot and waiting until it zeroed out.  The digital numbers counted up after he stepped onto it but they stopped at 177.  A chill ran down the back of his neck and along his spine.  He’d been 253 pounds just two days ago when he’d last weighed himself.  Nearly 75 pounds lost in two days.

 

“I don’t understand what’s happening,” he whispered, cradling his stomach while stepping back from the scale.  His voice cracked and he reached up to touch his throat.  “I know I threw up a lot but, there’s no way I lost that much weight.”

 

Greg would be waking soon, he knew and the thought filled him with a strange excitement.  The image of his companion’s smiling face flashed in his mind.  Greg smiled in return while running his hands through his hair.  

 

I should make us breakfast! Jason thought to himself while going to the door.  He opened it and walked through the doorway.

 

Greg stood in the bedroom in his shirt and underwear.  Jason blushed to see him.  His smile narrowed, turning shy but when he saw the other man’s mouth drop.  Jason fidgeted.  His blush deepend and he cast his eyes to the floor.

 

“Wha- what’s wrong?” Jason asked softly.  His voice cracked again, pitching higher for a moment before droppin low again.  

 

Did I do something wrong? he asked himself while briefly looking up at his companion.  His earlier excitement twisted into anxiety as he worried that he’d displeased the other man.

 

Rather than speak, Greg stalked forward with a furious expression.  He grabbed Jason’s arm, who gasped in return, and pulled him back towards the bathroom.

 

“That hurts!  What are you doing?” Jason asked as he was pulled along.

 

Greg shoved Jason in front of the mirror.

 

“I don’t understand,” Jason whined, rubbing his sore arm.

 

“You don’t-?” Greg asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and outrage.  He grabbed the bottom of Jason’s shirt, pulling and lifting while the other man squawked and twisted.  Greg yanked the shirt up, forcing Jason’s arms up.  “Look at yourself!”

 

Jason stared at himself, topless in front of the mirror.  He felt light.  The stress from the weight on his joints was gone, leaving him light on his feet.  His body felt right and good and proper.  The sickness from the past two days was completely gone.

 

“I’m fine,” Jason told him.  “Great, in fact!  I really feel sooo much better.”

 

“You’re- you’re crazy,” Greg whispered.  “We’re going to see the doctor.”

 

“No, really, I’m fine,” Jason said, reaching out to rest his hand on Greg’s arm while giggling.  The other man jerked away from him, leaving Jason feeling once more like he did something wrong.

 

“How can you not see this?” Greg gasped.  “You- you look like a girl!”

 

“I- I-” Jason started to say.  He turned to the mirror while the voices whispered but the rage pouring from Greg fractured the illusion and he saw himself as he truly was.

 

A stranger’s face stared back at him.  He reached up to touch himself only to pull his hand away to stare at the long nails tipping his fingers.  But, finally, he touched his face while watching the other person moving.  He felt a strange dissonance, as if disconnected from himself.  Pulling the strings of a puppet that looked eerily like him but wasn’t him.

 

While his changed face was fascinating in a horrifying way, the twin dark bumps on his chest drew his attention.  

 

Tiny breasts lay against his chest, dominated by their large areola and nipples.  He shuddered as he stared at them.

 

“No,” he whispered.  “No, I- This isn’t-“

 

Despite their size, they were undeniably breasts, even without the large nipples making it clear.  In a panic, without caring that Greg stood behind him with crossed arms, he shoved his hand down into his pants but sighed in relief when he felt his penis.  

 

It all came together with a sudden clarity that should’ve been immediately apparent to him.

 

“But, but-,” he told his reflection as she repeated it back to him with panic and disbelief in her eyes.  The voices swirling in his mind increased, howling and singing.  His pupils narrowed and he giggled, stroking his hair.  “I like how I look.”

 

“Get out,” Greg demanded.  “I’m going to shower and then we’re going to the doctor.  You can explain yourself then.  Be dressed and ready when I’m done.”

 

“Do you want me to-” Jason asked before blushing and ducking his head.

 

-join you, he finished mentally, furrowing his brow as he tried to understand why he would ask that.  The implication of it was- was-

 

“Get.  Out,” Greg said through clenched teeth, shoving Jason through the door before closing it and locking it.

 

Jason stepped back.  Cold air swirled through the room from a vent set in the floor.  He moaned when he felt it against his chest.  There was a tightening sensation as his nipples slowly hardened, pushing outward into dark little nubs.  He lay back against the wall with his eyelids half closed. His thick, long lashes curved over his eyes as he touched himself, sliding his soft hands over the gentle, nearly non-existent curves of his breasts.

 

Another moan was forced from his full lips when his thumbs brushed his nipples.  Electricity coursed down his core to his crotch.  He reached down, whimpering when his nails dragged against his sensitive skin.  He ached to be caressed.  His penis hung limply but, beneath the shaft as a void.  A hungry void begging to be filled.  Nails brushed against his empty ballsack when he pressed into them and the flesh beneath.  He dragged his nails back and forth while his other hand pressed into his chest to massage his breast.

 

“Yesss,” he hissed, fluttering his eyelashes while rolling his head back.  His finger pressed into his body slightly.  A high, shuddering moan issued from between his slack lips while he slowly slid against the wall until he sat on the ground with his legs spread.  “Yesssssss.”

 

The squeal of the shower water turning off snapped Jason back to reality.  He gasped and jumped, pushing himself up to run into his bedroom to get dressed, hopping as he pulled his underwear back up.  They fit snugly against his hips and crotch, digging in uncomfortably when they stretched over his waist but he ignored them as he quickly found fresh slacks and shirts to wear.

 

His undershirt dragged over his still erect nipples, making his legs waver.  He hissed out, exhaling while biting the inside of his lip to hold back a moan.  A button-down shirt followed while he listened for Greg to be done in the bathroom.  His nails fought him when he tried to hold the delicate buttons in his fingers.

 

I’ll need to cut them, he told himself, turning his hand slightly.  I had no idea they’d gotten so long.  And so plain.  I wonder what they’d look like if I colored them?  Painted them.  I wonder what Greg’s favorite color is.  Maybe he’d like it if I colored them.  No.  No, I have to cut them back.  He’ll be mad if I don’t.  And- and it’s not right that they’re long.  I’m not- I’m not-

 

“Gah,” he groaned, grabbing his head in his hands when a sharp pain bloomed behind his eyes.  He rubbed his eyes with his palms without remembering what he’d been thinking about.

 

Greg strode into the room with a frown that grew harder when he noticed Jason.  His eyes dipped down to faint imprints of the other man’s hardened nipples pressing against his shirt.  Muscles flared in his jaw while he grinded his teeth together.

 

“We’ll go to a different barber shop,” he announced.  “I know another one that isn’t too far away.  We can stop for breakfast on the way.  After the haircut, we’re going to have a talk and then we’re going to the doctor.”

 

“Okay,” Jason said submissively, shrinking in on himself in an effort to protect himself from the obvious anger.  He hated that Greg was so upset.

 

They left the apartment with Greg in the lead.  Jason found himself needing to take extra steps to keep up.  His feet felt loose in his shoes while his underwear pinched the inside of his thighs.  It took effort not to pull at his clothes to try to make them more comfortable but he was out in public and it would be incredibly indecent.  They made a few turns before Greg stopped in front of a glass door to pull it open.  Jason smiled happily when the other man held the door open for him.

 

Greg walked past Jason with his longer legs to find a booth far away from everyone else.  Jason joined him and, after a moment’s thought, sat next to Greg rather than across from him.  Greg slid further away while Jason took a menu from a stand near the window.

 

“Good morning,” an older waitress said, appearing suddenly while the pair studied their menus.  She nodded at Greg when he looked up at her.  “What can I get started for you?”

 

“I’ll have scrambled eggs and toast with bacon on the side,” he told her.

 

“And you, hun?” the waitress asked Jason.

 

“Oh, m- me?” Jason nibbled on his lip while tapping the back of his menu with his nails.  “I don’t know.  What should I get, Greg?”

 

“You- just get the same thing you always get.  Pancakes and eggs,” Greg told him.

 

“That does sound good, thank you!  Can I get that please?”  Jason asked, beaming as he held out his menu.

 

As the minutes passed in silence, Jason tried to think of things to talk about but he could feel how unhappy his companion was and every conversation starter that came to mind seemed like they would just upset him further.  Even if they talked about the Bible or their plans for the day. 

 

“What if I just tied my hair up?” Jason asked after their food was placed in front of them.  “That way-“

 

“We’re not talking about it.  You’re getting a haircut,” he said with finality.

 

“Oh, okay,” Jason nodded.  He frowned and picked at his food, suddenly not hungry but forcing himself to take small bites of his egg.  He truly felt amazing and full of energy and now, having lost so much weight suddenly, he wondered what it would feel like to lose more.  

 

How slim could I get?  What would I look like and feel like?  He wondered.  I’ve caught Greg looking at pretty girls.  Thin pretty girls.  I bet I– I- no, that’s not- that’s not why.  I just feel good and I should keep working at it.

 

Greg finished his food while Jason ate half of his eggs and three bites of pancakes.  His stomach grumbled but he ignored it as he scooted out from under the table to stand and wait for Greg who followed after leaving money on the table.

 

“Thank you for the food,” Jason told him.  

 

“Let’s go,” Greg said coldly, walking through the restaurant without checking to see if Jason followed.  

 

Sweat formed on the back of Jason’s neck after several blocks.  His long hair felt heavy and hot on his scalp as it soaked up the sun.  He found himself playing with it while walking behind his companion, pulling it around to his front to stroke it and then flipping his head to throw it over his shoulder.  He giggled and then skipped before blushing and gripping his fingers together to walk properly.

 

Nearly half a mile later, with sweat trickling between Jason’s shoulder blades, they finally reached their destination.  Once more Greg held the door for Jason and Jason dipped a little with a quiet ‘thank you’ before walking inside and sighing happily as cold air surrounded him. He could feel his nipples stirring slightly on his chest and he stuck his tongue between his teeth when they pushed against his shirt.

 

“I’ll be here waiting,” Greg told him before sitting in one of the empty seats in the lobby.

 

Jason nodded and walked to the counter.  A hair stylus called out for him to come back as she finished sweeping her station.  Jason waited and then sat in the offered chair.

 

“What are we doing today?” the woman asked while lifting Jason’s hair.  She let it drop through her fingers and Jason shivered.  It was the first time someone else had touched him like that.  He wanted more.  But not from her.  “Some coloring?  Styling?”

 

“Umm, no, I need a haircut.  A buzz cut,” Jason said shyly while staring at his fingers in his lap.

 

“Oh, honey, no,” the woman gasped while actually placing her hand against her mouth.  “Your hair is so beautiful.  Why would you do that to yourself?  It frames your face so well.”

 

“No, it-” his voice squeaked and he swallowed while staring at himself – at the feminine features looking back at him and once again he felt himself fall out of his own body.  It did look amazing on the woman in the mirror.  The hair positively glowed, soft chestnut brown, almost blonde and full.  Jason blinked rapidly, fluttering his eyelashes.

 

“If you really want it short, let me try a pixie cut.  Please, you’d be breaking my heart if you made me cut all of your hair off.”

 

“I- I- I think- I think that’s okay,” he said quietly while biting at his lip.

 

His voice was noticeably lighter and he massaged his throat to ease the faint soreness within as his Adam’s apple crunched faintly.  The larynx pulled back, thinning and leaving him with a high, sweet voice.  His arm raised up to his lips and he coughed into the crook of his elbow.

 

He didn’t know what a pixie cut was but it sounded shorter and the woman seemed really upset at the idea of a buzz cut so he relented.

 

And, he wanted to see what it looked like on him.  On her.  In the mirror.

 

Jason relaxed back in the seat while the stylist worked around him.  She let him rest while clipping and spraying and combing.  He found it soothing to sit there while being doted on, pampered by the woman carefully cutting his hair in order to bring out a new look for him.  

 

“What do you think?” the woman asked while turning the chair.

 

Jason opened his eyes.  An entirely different woman looked back at him from the mirror.  No, it was the same face but the shorter cut changed the shape of his head in a way that made it look different.  His hair was longer in the sides and back than he’d kept it previously and the top jutted out just over his forehead.  He smiled at himself and the mirror image flashed a brilliant, warm smile in return.

 

“I love it,” Jason whispered.  He’d loved the long hair, too, but both made him feel unique.

 

Streaks of light brown invaded his left eye.  Wrinkles formed in his brow as he watched the streaks expand.  They took on a lighter color, shifting slowly to dull green before growing brighter and brighter to leave his left eye a brilliant emerald color.  It was mesmerizing to watch but he felt a pang of alarm.  His right eye remained the same muddy brown color as before.

 

Who was she?

 

“I’d rather you kept your hair but I’m glad you like this, too,” the woman said.

 

She turned to stand by Jason’s side while leaning in. Her hand reached up to touch Jason’s earlobe and he jerked from the contact.  The old barber they used in the past was all business – he cut their hair, they paid and left.  It was strange now to have someone flitting about, touching and examining him without asking permission or simply not bothering to think more about him than necessary.

 

“Oh, I just realized you aren’t pierced,” the woman said.  “Have you thought about it?  I have some clients with shorter hair like this and they’re all pierced in fun ways.”

 

She ran her finger along the inside of Jason’s ear.  He pressed his lips together but huffed out through his nose while trembling slightly.  

 

Why did every little touch feel so good? he asked himself.

 

“Five, six, sometimes even more studs just running around their ears,” she told him.  “Me, I just like one in each ear, thank you, but I know you young girls love to experiment and, to be honest, I think I’m jealous a little bit.  It’s a little punk rock or grunge and I think it works well with shorter hair like this.  Unless you want to listen to old Jeannie and grow your hair out again.  Because, girl, you looked amazing.  I would kill to have hair that thick and healthy.”

 

The words washed over Jason.  He reached up to touch where she’d touched.  Eyes wide, he imagined himself with earrings or the little studs some girls wore.  His heart beat even faster and he squirmed in his seat when he felt it echo down below.  The same way it’d felt earlier in the morning.

“M- maybe,” he said.  “I’ll think about it.”

 

“Well, you know where to find us,” the woman said as unsnapped the little cape covering Jason.  “We have two girls that do the piercings and they’re so sweet.  We’d love to have you back.  Now, come on, I’ll ring you up.”

 

Jason followed her while stealing looks at himself from different angles in all the mirrors along the wall.  He smiled at Greg when the other man looked up but shrunk back when he saw how displeased he was.

 

“It’s still too long,” Greg said while pushing out of his seat.

 

“I- I like it,” Jason told home.  He lifted his chin defiantly but felt his heart race in response.

 

“That’s not what we-” Greg started to say.

 

“Is there a problem here?” The stylist asked.  Her previously cheerful voice had hardened.  She looked from Greg to Jason, back to Greg and then to Jason.  “You okay, honey?  I can call someone.”

 

“N- no,” Jason told her.  “I’m fine.  It’s fine.”

 

“Sometimes all it takes is someone helping when you need it,” the woman said.  Her eyes softened as she stared at Jason but Jason shook his head.

 

“It really is okay,” he told her.

 

Greg paid for the haircut, grumbling at the far more expensive price he had to pay.  All the while the stylist watched his every movement, reading into the way he angrily slashed his card through the reader and tore the paper with his signature.  He left and Jason followed.

 

“Even your voice sounds different,” Greg snarled once they were outside.

 

The door opened behind them.  Jason turned to see Jeannie watching them leave.  He gave her a small smile and a wave and she nodded a few times in return before closing the door.

 

With no one else in sight, Greg turned on Jason, forcing his companion to come to a rough stop and lean back.

 

“Is it drugs?” Greg asked him.  “I know there are drugs that can make men into women.  I’ve heard about it.  Is that what you’re doing?  Are you one of them?  Taking- taking the Lord knows what so you can be a girl?  So you could seduce people?  Seduce me?  Is that what you’re doing?”

 

“Yuh- yuh- You’re scaring-” Jason tried to say.  Tears welled in his eyes while he stepped back.  He’d never seen Greg so angry before.  Had never seen him be angry at all until yesterday.  “I- Ah!”

 

“What?  What is it now?” Greg growled

 

Jason dropped to his knees while bending forward with his arms around his stomach.  

 

“Cr- cramps,” Jason gasped as sharp knives tore through his stomach.  He dry heaved as the sound of bones cracking filled the air.  His body jerked with every little snap until he was forced onto his forearms on the burning sidewalk with his stomach against his bent knees.

 

The tiny breasts covering his chest quivered as he jerked and cried out from the pain wracking his body.  His femurs popped free of their sockets before reattaching and he once more heaved with nothing coming out.  The pain was tremendous.  Sweat poured from his forehead while his shirt absorbed more along his back.  

 

Greg swallowed his anger as he saw Jason crying out in pain.  The sickening sounds of cracking and low groaning of bones grinding against bones made him clench in sympathy.  He knelt beside his companion, resting a hand on Jason’s shoulder while praying over him.

 

“Dear God, please hear my prayers,” Greg whispered.  Flesh moved beneath his hand but he held fast while Jason’s pained, feminine voice begged him to help.  Begged him to stop the pain.  “Please hear the cries of Your son, Jason Smith and come to his aid.  He’s lost his way, Oh Lord, but he is a good man and deserving of your care.  Please, whatever has possessed him to- to-“

 

Greg thought back suddenly to the first night Jason was sick.  The woman at the last house.  She’d grabbed Jason.  Whispered something to him before letting him go.  She’d cursed him somehow.  It was only after that that Jason had started acting strangely.  He’d been sick right after meeting with her and it’d only gotten worse.

 

“Come on,” Greg said, lifting Jason.  He felt even lighter now.  “I know what we have to do.”

 

They walked together, with Jason hunched over and whimpering, until Greg spotted a lone cab parked on the side of the street.

 

“Just a little further, come on,” Greg told his companion.

 

“Huh- hurts,” Jason whined, shuddering and gasping.

 

Greg opened the cab door.  He stepped in first before helping Jason inside.  Jason leaned heavily into.  He was still bent over but now he slowly lowered himself until his head was on Greg’s lap with his arm over the other man’s legs.  Greg could feel heat radiating away from his friend.  Worse, he could feel the softness of Jason’s small breasts against his thigh.

 

Jason whimpered, nuzzling against Greg’s crotch while clenching his hands against Greg’s side.  To his ultimate shame, Greg could feel himself growing aroused at the touch.  Jason’s voice was completely feminine and the whimpering edged close to a sexual sound.  He reached out, touching his friend’s shoulder for comfort before licking his lips and raising his hand to Jason’s hair where he stroked him slowly.  

 

“Hey, she’s not going to be sick in my cab, yeah?” the cab driver asked.

 

“No, I promise,” Greg lied.  “Can we go- uhhh, we need to get to 56th and… 56th and Martin St.”

 

“Yeah but you’re paying extra if she throws up,” the driver grumbled, pulling away from the curb while flipping the switch on his meter.

 

Flesh moved against Greg’s leg and he swore he felt Jason’s ribcage constricting.  The prone man whined while trying to burrow deeper into Greg’s stomach but seemed to calm slightly when Greg stroked his hair.

 

I- I shouldn’t be doing this, Greg thought to himself.  His penis throbbed against the side of his leg, trapped by his boxers and slacks.  The hair was soft and thick and he found himself staring down at the face rubbing into his stomach.  High cheekbones, full lips and thick lashes completed the image of a young woman resting against him.  He’d be ostracized if anyone knew.  Yet he couldn’t stop running his fingers through Jason’s hair, over his ear and down to his nape.

 

“We’re here,” the cab driver said, surprising Greg with how little time had passed.

 

“Here,” Greg told him, passing over a twenty dollar bill.  “Keep it.”

 

Reaching over his companion, Greg unlocked the door and gently pushed until Jason slid from his seat to lean against the side of the cab.  Greg followed, wrapping an arm beneath Jason’s shoulder.  His hand lay against the other man’s breast but he moved it immediately when he’d realized what he’d done.  The memory of it lay in his mind.  Soft with the hard nipple pressed into the center of his palm.  He licked his lips and cursed the way it turned him on.

 

“Come on, up the steps,” Greg said.

 

The door opened when they were halfway up the stairs.  The woman they’d met two days ago grinned down at them.  She stared appraisingly at Jason when the pair stopped and her grin widened into a wicked smile.

 

“Oh, he’s coming along quite nicely, isn’t he?” she gloated.  Her bracelets clinked when she held her right elbow against her left hand with her finger against her lips.

 

“It was you!” Greg yelled.  “You have to undo this, witch!  Your Godless ways-“

 

Jason screamed, spasming against Greg until he pulled away and fell, landing on his ass on the concrete steps.

 

Greg stared in horror at the other man.  Jason’s nipples pressed against his shirt and, soon, the curve of his breasts outlined themselves in the fabric.  He clawed at his tie, pulling and tearing to throw it aside before gripping the neck of his shirt.  It stretched against his growing breasts until it began to pull out of his pants, lifting to show bare skin while he yanked, forcing the buttons free of their holes.  Two wet spots formed over both of his nipples when drops of milk leaked from the holes in his nipples.  Fat grew at an alarming rate while blue veins stood out on his breasts.  The skin strained, stretch marks appearing and healing instantly as the shirt lifted further.

 

Jason moaned, shoving his hands against his chest as if to push his breasts back into his shirt.  His hands sunk into the soft flesh.  He squeezed them involuntarily, moaning louder while shoving his chest forward.  The pouch of his lower belly was growing smooth as his body redistributed his weight.  

 

“Feels- feels so-” Jason groaned.  He was squeezing and massaging himself now while rolling his hips.

 

Greg grabbed the boy’s arm and pulled, staring angrily at the witch in her doorway as he forced Jason up the stairs.  He was lighter now, and even thinner than before.  Greg’s fingers completely encircled his companion’s forearm.  The witch threw her head back to roar with laughter but she stood aside when they entered her home.

 

“Ohhh, what’s wrong, little pets?” she cooed while closing the door.  “Are you ashamed to show off your bodies?  The bodies your God gave you?  The lust he filled you both with?  The lust a man has for a woman and vice versa?”

 

“This- this is an abomination!” Greg yelled. “Our God would never do something like this!  He created us from-“

 

“You’re right about that,” the witch interrupted.  She was laughing no more.  Her eyes burned.  “This isn’t of your God.”

 

Jason raised his head from where he lay to see a bathroom nearby.  He crawled while the other two argued, raising himself up to his hands and knees with his heavy breasts dangling beneath him.  They pulled at his back and brushed together, bumping against his arms as he moved.

 

He crossed the threshold and burped as acid gnawed at the back of his throat.  Hair slid slowly over his scalp, the light brown fading completely to blonde almost immediately.  He grabbed the toilet and then reached back to hold his hair when the ends touched the rim of the toilet.

 

Cold sweat covered his body while spit filled his mouth.  His stomach clenched as cramps wracked his body.  The boy gagged and then vomited, retching with his eyes closed out of fear of what he’d see.  His nose burned while he heaved, over and over until the urge passed.

 

The smell was horrid but he ignored it and reached a trembling hand to flush everything away.  His body felt tight around him.  He spat into the toilet again before wiping his mouth and standing once more.

 

Ragged pain bit into Jason’s sides.  His belt whined beyond his hearing when the boy’s hip bones broke and reformed in a cycle that pushed against his skin.  His waist began to curve as his slacks tightened over his ass and thighs.

 

His still growing uterus expanded within his widening hips, readying him for child birth.  

 

Jason’s legs gave out when his legs popped free briefly in their sockets to adjust to his new hips.  He started to fall until he cried out and grabbed the edge of the sink.

 

His reflection stared back at him and he watched himself change.  Fire burned through his face and the bridge of his nose when the bones compressed, pulling his wide cheeks in to give him a more defined, slender look.  Dimples appeared when his cheekbones rose higher and his already smaller chin receded further.

 

The loose skin covering his face tightened, smoothing every little wrinkle and imperfection.  He could find no trace of who he’d been before except-

 

Leaning forward, he stared at his right eye.  Slivers of green sliced through the brown coloring.  He groaned and whimpered when the coloring rippled through his iris, replacing everything in their path until his right eye matched his left, brilliant green that shined in the bright light cast by the bulbs lining the mirror.

 

There was nothing left of him.  He stared with wonder and fear, touching his face and lips and nose.  His long nails pressed into his soft skin, scraping gently as he moved his fingers around.

 

“I- AH!” he screamed, clutching his stomach and turning to push back against the sink.  

Hot knives tore through his crotch.  He grabbed at his belt, shaking and crying as he unbuckled it.  His slacks strained against his body.  The seams stretched and then broke over his hips and thighs to show smooth skin bulging through the gaps in his torn slacks.  His long nails slowed him as he undid the button but he got it free and unzipped himself before shoving at his pants and underwear.  Brown leg hair flaked away when the pants rubbed against his skin.

 

Beneath his deflated ball sack, his vaginal canal began to expand while muscles tore and regrew, attaching themselves in place and dense nerve endings bloomed around them.  He watched his penis flex and sway and shrink.

 

Hot tears ran down his face as he grabbed at it, pulling the worm-like appendage to try to keep it in place but he cried out when he touched the head.  Pleasure answered his touch, too intense to withstand. He let go and watched the shaft grew thinner and thinner.

 

Bones snapped low on his belly.  His knees dropped but he held himself up.  He watched his mons take shape as skin gathered at the base of his penis.  The slit on the head, smaller than the eraser on a pencil, sealed itself.  It pulled back further and further until it slipped beneath the hood to create his clit.

 

“No no no no,” Jason moaned, biting at his lips while tears streamed down his cheek.  

 

He wrinkled ball sack slowly tightened against his crotch.  He bent his wide hips to watch, staring as the skin folded.  A line appeared in the center of the skin.  

 

“Wha-” he started to say until it opened, a small hole appearing at the top of the line and then spreading, slicing downward to show pink, slick muscles within.

 

Jason shrieked when he saw his new pussy.  Clear liquid seeped from it, racing down to his asshole and thighs while lips formed.  His ball sack grew puffy when they lay against his body and the wrinkled texture smoothed over until his outer labia were finished.  Slick, thin flesh separated from his outer lips.  He clenched and his pussy squeezed together, expelling more of the clear liquid.

 

“Oh no,” he groaned, looking away from between his thighs.  

 

A full length mirror stood before him, set against the wall.  He stared at himself, at his curvy hips and hairless mound.  At his thighs, slick from his pussy and the dark nub of his hood.  His clit, engorged with blood, lay slightly exposed.  His legs were completely smooth and hairless.  Just above his mons, his stomach was taut with his belly button sitting higher than he could remember.  

 

Jason’s undershirt outlined his breasts perfectly.  With shaking fingers, he pulled his shirt, lifting his breasts in the process.  His wide areola were dimpled and the nipples themselves were swollen and erect.  Now freed, his breasts curved out to the side of his newly narrow chest.

 

“Oh, God,” Greg gasped, drawing Jason’s attention.

 

Jason yelled and covered his naked body when he saw Greg staring at him from the living room.

 

“God, why?” Jason prayed, staring at the floor.  “Why did you allow this to happen?”

 

The witch laughed and Jason looked up while wiping tears away and scowling, ready to yell at the horrible woman.  Instead he watched the witch place her hand on the back of Greg’s head.  Greg convulsed, whites showing in his eyes as he slowly lowered himself under the pressure of the witch’s hand until he knelt before her.

 

“Your God abandoned you, boy,” the witch sneered.  “You came to me, stepping within my circle uninvited.  Here, my God exerts his power.  I simply reshaped you to fit your innermost desires.”

 

A bulge appeared in the front of Greg’s slacks.  Jason swallowed and watched as Greg’s cock slipped past the waistband of his pants.  Greg jerked and his hands moved – awkwardly, as if drawn by puppets.  He unzipped himself and his cock flopped free.  It was massive and heavily veined.

 

“Your church dictates women are subservient to men,” The woman purred with a sly smile.  “And so, now, I’ll grant that to you.  Or rather, he will.  Won’t you, pet?”

 

Greg’s eyes opened, blue irises ringed with red, and he smiled, slowly, showing his teeth.  He reached for his cock and pumped himself while leering at Jason’s nude body.

 

“Yes,” he said, his voice supernaturally deep.  A second voice, growling and demonic, echoed the words.  “Yes, I will.”

 

Jason pushed back, turning and falling to the edge of the bathtub with his legs spread.  He tried to look away as Greg stood and walked to him but he couldn’t stop staring at the purple-headed cock in Greg’s hands.

 

“N- no, you- you don’t- you don’t have to-” he started to say but he could feel the ache within his core and he whimpered while his traitorous knees spread further to show himself off.  He couldn’t stop swirling his tongue against the roof of his mouth as if he had wrapped his lips around Greg’s cock with his tongue against the shaft.  He could see it in his mind’s eye and he wanted it badly.

 

Greg stripped himself as he walked, stepping out of his shoes and throwing his shirt aside until he was completely naked.  Jason moaned while clenching the side of the tub.  His face burned and he still couldn’t look away.  Through force of will alone, he made himself stand, ready to slip past the other man until Greg took him in his arms.

 

Jason squirmed when Greg’s lips touched his own.  A tongue pressed into him and his mouth opened.  Greg growled and clenched his fingers into Jason’s back and ass while grinding his cock against Jason’s stomach.  Pre cum smeared over Jason’s smooth belly while their tongues twisted.

 

“Mnnn!” Jason moaned, pulling back to gasp and breathe.  Greg took the opportunity to lean in and bite at the curve of Jason’s neck.  There was pain but, beyond that was pleasure that sent sparks shooting down his spine.  “Greg, I- I-  OH!”

 

Greg grabbed the back of Jason’s neck to hold him while leaning down to take a fat nipple in his mouth.  His tongue lashed against it, swirling and twisting and flexing it and Jason moaned loudly while his knees dropped.  Only Greg’s grip held him in place.  Cum dribbled from his pussy and he felt pressure building, reminding him of when he’d grinded against the pillow.  Now it was worse, and stronger.  Teeth bit at his nipples and he shrieked but reached out to hold Greg tight.

 

They lowered to the ground on the bathroom floor.  Jason’s knees spread automatically while he lifted his chest and moaned louder.  Greg’s cock rubbed against his clit and the boy screamed while lifting his hips to push himself harder into his lover.  Greg pulled back, dragging his cock over the hood and clit until the head pressed against Jason’s virgin pussy lips.

 

“You- you- you don’t- don’t have to-” Jason panted, gripping tightly against Greg.  As he spoke, he raised his hips and moaned.  He wanted to feel the cock inside of him.  He wanted to be complete for his lover.  The urge was overwhelming.  He’d been teasing himself over the past few days, unable to find release and now, here it was, in the arms of his companion.  He trembled as blood rushed to his face and ears and his breasts shook.

 

Greg split Jason open with a growl, shoving into him.  Jason screamed when his new muscles refused to relax and blood mixed with the clear lubrication dripping from his pussy.  He gulped air and spasmed but Greg continued to push, only pulling back when the tight muscles refused him entry.  He bit at Jason’s shoulder and growled and pushed, forcing himself deeper and deeper.

 

Intense, sharp pain filled Jason but he moaned and pushed back, eager to please Greg.  Pleasure tinged the pain, growing with every thrust until he was moaning like a bitch in heat.  

 

“OH! OH GOD!” Jason screamed when he felt the head of Greg’s enormous cock brush something within him. It hurt but he was completely filled and the veiny cock touched every part of him within.  

 

Now Greg began to pound into him with full, deep thrusts that melted Jason’s mind.  He heard himself gasping and moaning and crying out, encouraging Greg to push deeper until he was completely full.  The words and sounds flowed endlessly while he wrapped his legs around his lover and held him close.

 

He felt complete with his companion’s cock shoved deep inside.

 

His first orgasm as a woman made him buck wildly beneath Greg.  Black stars burst in his eyes and he passed out for several seconds, only to jerk away and find Greg slamming into him.  Jason’s ass and breasts quaked from the impact.  He could feel Greg’s ball sack slapping against his pussy lips and it only drove him even more crazy.  

 

The witch watched the pair, sitting on her chair with her leg raised and her long dress pulled back, rubbing herself and sucking on her finger while her pupils compressed into catlike slits.  She gasped and jerked and smiled and kept rubbing.

 

Tears streamed from the corner of Jason’s bright green eyes, coursing down his face as he stared up at Greg.  At the demon riding his body.  He knew he was broken now.  The pleasure was too much.  It was all he wanted and when a second orgasm exploded within, he screamed and clawed Greg’s back, begging for more.  He lay there, on his back with his legs up, panting and moaning like a whore and all he wanted was more.  In his mouth.  In his ass.  In his pussy.  He would do whatever Greg wanted, to pleasure and please him in every way he could.

 

“More! More, yes more yes God yes yes yes I’m your whore yes I’m yours oh God right there right there right there, yessssss!”

 

Jason squirted when the third orgasm tore through his body, spraying both of them while his legs kicked and drummed on the floor.  

 

Finally, as he squeezed his pussy muscles around Greg’s cock and begged for the man to fill him with his cum, he finally realized he’d found his calling.  And he wanted for nothing more in life.