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Mortality

Prologue: The Beginning of the End

Day 25

...

The sound of machinery powering up and pure energy hit Jason's ears.

I don't have much time...

His shoes stomped hard through the metallic hallways of Devastation, his arms pumping. In one hand he held a white and gold blade, Zenith, and in the other was a black sword with a surface that looked like it contained ebbing black water, Nadir. Tears were flowing from his sapphire-blue eyes and his injuries were screaming.

Every step he took, every leap and bound, was for those he cared about.

His father, Dan...

His mate, Brett...

His best friends, Warren and Robin...

His son... Sam...

... and his long lost love... Connor...

Connor...

His next step was suddenly too much for his right leg and his limb gave way, sending him crashing against the metallic ground. The two swords in his hands clattered to the ground... and he suddenly felt hopelessness and sorrow take him.

I'm not strong enough...

"I can't do this..." he murmured. "I can't do this alone..."

Every time... Every time he had fought and won, there was always someone there to support him... Someone to lend their strength to his... But this time... he was alone.

Alone in a massive cannon aimed at his home threatening to destroy the entire reality... The existence of his reality rested on his shoulders... He was weak from his previous battles, emotionally heartbroken and there was nothing more he wanted to do than just to stay there, face pressed against the cold, metallic floor and accept destruction...

"Don't tell me you're giving up."

Jason started.

I know that voice...

He looked up.

Sam stood there, smiling as brilliantly as he always did.

But... That can't be...

Sam held out his hand. "Come on, dad. You gotta know that he's just like any mortal, right? Sure he has the power to destroy a reality but he's just like you and me. He can be stopped. He can be swayed. Part of being a mortal is changing and accepting change."

Jason just gawked...

But...

Sam's hand reached out and seized Jason's. The warm contact filled Jason with sudden strength and he found the strength to rise to his knees.

"We're all mortals," Sam said, grinning and bending down to pick up Zenith and Nadir. He handed the sword back to Jason. "There are no gods." He tapped the side of his head. "Remember that, okay dad?"

Jason ran the thought through his head...

Right... Only mortals...

"And you're never alone," Sam continued. "As mortals, we're all bound to each other whether it's because we share the same sky, follow the same rules or..." His son poked Jason's chest, just above his heart. "... because we're all connected by the bond we share. No one is behind you, dad." As if on cue, images of all the people he cared about appeared around Jason, each one reaching out and resting their hands on his shoulder or back.

"We're all standing right here beside you," Sam said with finality.

Nodding, Jason bolted through his son, the apparition vanishing in a burst of light. He shot through the metal hallway, hearing the noise of the monstrous machine gathering more and more power. A light came from the end of the path and he increased his speed, lengthening his strides.

As the blind caressed his black fur, he steeled himself for the battle he knew was to come and burst into the room beyond.

"D8!" he roared, erupting into the massive, white chamber.

Sitting on a massive, metallic throne hooked up to countless wires that twisted into the walls of the chamber was D8 the Derelict, No One of Energy and the one who had sought to destroy Enria for so long.

The tank-like No One was dressed from head to toe in thick, silver armour, his features concealed by a pointed helm with three horns, two jutting out from his cheeks and a third from his forehead. All three curled forwards and pointing where he was looking. Mounted on his shoulders were two massive cannons and normally, there would be eight wires sprouting from his back and tampering off into space before disappearing into nothingness. Those wires were hooked up to Devastation... D8's ultimate weapon... Being inside Devastation, those wires were merely hooked up to his throne.

"You are far too late, Jason," D8 said darkly, lifting a hand into the air. "Enria's fate is to be destroyed as was decreed by R3 the Writer of Reality. Accept your fate."

Jason readied the blades in his hands. "Fate is the path you carve out in the sand for yourself! Destiny is the path carved by others and free will is the power to choose one or the other! I choose to live, D8!"

D8 chuckled. "Regardless of what path you choose, it will all come to the same ending. Perish."

The No One lowered his hand.

The entire structure shook and Jason was knocked off his feet by the tremendous quaking. He heard more and more energy gathering, the force causing his fur to stand on end and his flesh to prickle. Gritting his teeth, he staggered to his feet and charged at the No One sitting on the throne.

"I won't let you destroy my world!" he roared, leaping into the air and bringing his two swords crashing down against -

CLANG!

... bright, crystal electrical barrier around D8.

Jason was thrown back and slammed hard into the ground, gasping as his head slammed against the metallic floor.

His eyes widened...

Above him was a massive screen showing Enria and Devastation... The essential beauty of the blue and green planet was marred by the massive, silvery tower that was the titanic space cannon that was D8's weapon...

He saw Devastation fire...

"NO!"

Chapter 1: A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Day 1

Jason Wolfe's eyes fluttered open. Weather in Newroads was never that 'sunny' and even the hottest temperatures only got up to about 25 and raining. The perpetual overcast made most days deprived of the sun. However, Jason was lucky enough to have more than one source of happiness and warmth in his life.

He sighed contently as he snuggled backwards and felt his mate's powerful arms around him. Brett Sykes Wolfe murmured something in his sleep that sounded a little like 'I love you'. Almost as a subconscious act, the big, muscular Rottweiler nestled his short, squarish muzzle against the crook of Jason's neck and nuzzled the wolf tenderly.

Who needs the sun when I have Brett? Jason thought.

Thinking of the previous night, he chuckled and rolled his shoulders a little. The injury he had sustained from the battle against that supervillain had healed thanks to his supernatural regeneration. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed that the gash Brett had suffered across his face was gone as well. What had started out as innocent bandaging and wound-licking turned into some pretty steamy hot sex.

At one point, their son, Sam, had come in and complained that he had practice early the next morning. Too bad he got dragged into the little love-fest.

Poor Sam... He's probably sore all over...

Sex with two supers was pretty full-on.

Speaking of Sam...

Jason inclined his head to the side as he searched big double bed.

Where is he?

BANG! CRASH!

Jason immediately sat up as Sam zoomed past the open door, bouncing along the way with one leg through a pair of track shorts and a piece of toast in his muzzle.

"Sam?"

Brett snorted awake with a 'Wuzzat?'.

Sam poked his head through the door and offered them a faint smile as he took a bite from his toast. "Sorry to wake you guys," he said. "But I'm gonna be late for the bus and I've got practice."

With that, the oddly coloured wolf-Rottweiler hybrid bolted out of view, his fluffy black tail with a golden tip the last thing to vanish.

Watching his son, Jason still couldn't believe the circumstances that had led to not only Sam's birth but also the wolf-hybrid's life. As twisted as it may sound, Sam was actually the product of Jason and Brett's love. When Brett was consumed and controlled by an evil entity known as the Envy Malefactor, the Malefactor offered Brett's life in exchange for a bit of Jason's 'light'. Jason chose to make the exchange and from the union, a spirit of 'pure colour' was born. As Envy made its escape, R3 the Writer of Reality and Chief No One - No Ones being the protectors of all existence - killed Envy and took the spirit.

R3 then placed the spirit into the womb of a mother who was told she could never conceive a child. Sam was born at that point. However, Sam's birth parents were killed in a tragic car accident and the previous couple that adopted him - another gay, male couple - died shortly afterwards. While Sam's was 'born' from another, his genes and spirit were solely Jason and Brett's.

Must've been hard for R3 to find a Rottweiler-wolf couple...

Jason had yet to tell Sam his true origins. It would just freak out the young wolf-hybrid knowing that he was part of a divine entity's plot to ensure the world was safe from darkness and evil. Or that R3 had taken Sam's spirit, put it into the past so that Sam could give Jason make-or-break advice that would ultimately save the world.

That was just trippy...

Still... Despite living with Sam and considering him his son for nearly two years, Jason couldn't truly bring himself call Sam his son... at least vocally... Nor could Sam call him or Brett 'dad'. Not even Jason's father, Dan, had the honour of being called 'grandpa' despite the two spending most of their time together.

With a sigh, Jason prised himself from beneath the sheets and groaned a little at the dry splotches of white on his well-defined chest. He would have to take a shower soon but that could wait. He didn't have work today. It was his scheduled day off.

Being a Professional Superhero meant that he could only ever work a few hours a week and get paid for the job in thousands. He easily made half a million per year and that was excluding all the book signings, public appearances and endorsements.

Being the individual who not only played a part in the Descent Incident but single-handedly saved the world from certain doom had elevated him from that little, small-town superhero wannabe to probably the biggest name in all of Alderon. His agent - his father - had him running around the entire country and sometimes even the entire world to sign books, open ceremonies and do all sorts of crazy stunts to appease the public.

Of course, two years on, things were starting to die down a little and Jason had a sizable investment in the bank as well as in the real estate. He thought that he would have a lot of time to himself now that the public wasn't scrambling for a piece of his clothing. However, with him being based entirely in Newroads and the Blue Wolf having been 'retired', he became the official superhero of the city.

Him and a certain dark, shadowy canine that went by the name of 'Hellhound'.

Only the mayor of Newroads and the heads of the police department knew who Brett was - a necessary security measure to ensure no one was hurt because of their actions as supers. He was paid a sizable salary in secret to protect his identity. As far as anyone was concerned, Brett S. Wolfe was just Jason Wolfe's - Professional Superhero - husband and a resident at the newly rebuilt Corona Hospital in the psychology department.

Jason stretched and yawned a little just in time to feel his mate's arms wrap around his chest and Brett kiss his cheek.

"So, it's the weekend. How long do you think it'll take Sam to realise there are no buses to school today?"

Jason raised an eyebrow as Sam bolted past their door again, struggling to put on his cute muscle shirt with his number - 3 - over his head with a glass of milk in one hand. It was surprising just how disorganised Sam could get. Brett suggested at one point that since Sam had become so self-reliant at one point, it was somewhat of a culture shock that he didn't have to fend entirely for himself.

Jason still remembered the first time he had done the laundry. Sam had rushed around the house, exclaiming that someone had stolen his clothes, panicking about some perverted stalker who had stolen his jockstrap to sniff.

Okay... So I only did that once...

Sam smelled good. He had the spicy, meaty flavour of Brett with a sweet, aromatic almost herbal touch to it. There was a degree of delicate beauty in the scent that Jason remembered from the first time they had come together. A strange sensation like crystals dancing in his nostrils.

Then there was the time Jason had helped Sam work out in their small pool house which had been converted into a gym. Sam had strained a muscle while pumping some iron and wouldn't let Jason patch him up. It was only when the wolf-hybrid had collapsed to the ground from pain and exhaustion that he relented and let Jason carry him up back to the house where they got Dan to fix him up.

And now, of course, Sam was stuck in his panic-mode as he tried to do everything himself.

"I'm gonna say up to the point when I offer to drive him?" Jason asked, turning towards his mate and kissing Brett's nose tenderly.

Brett grinned broadly and pulled away suddenly, leaving Jason a little cold from the lack of contact.

Sam bolted past again, hopping on one foot as he tried to pull his socks up. The oddly coloured wolf looked very handsome in his track uniform. Just a pair of tight blue and gold shorts with a matching top. Both colours accentuated his jet-black fur and the golden markings all over his body. Particularly his golden 'socks' and 'gloves', his golden eyebrows, the gold crest on his chest and his gold-blonde hair. Over the years, he had also bulked up a little, looking less of the trim athlete and appearing a little broader around the shoulders and thicker around the chest.

Starting to look a lot like his dads...

Sam was still about half a foot shorter than either Jason or Brett.

"Hey Sam," Jason called out.

Sam poked his head around the doorframe again. "Yeah, Jason?"

There was a faint pang of pain at his son calling him by his first name but Jason pushed it aside. "You haven't taken a shower, huh?"

"No. Why?"

"I don't think you wanna go to practice stinking of me and Brett."

Sam frowned and his sapphire-blue eyes filled with calculation. "You're right... Be right back. If you see the bus, would you please tell the driver I'm on my way?"

Without waiting for a reply, Sam bolted back towards the bathroom, his clothes flying off him faster than last night.

"By the way," Brett called out from behind him, "your dad asked us to help with the renovations today."

Jason turned towards Brett who had pulled a pair of blue boxers with lightning bolts drawn on it over his thick package and that cute, bubble butt. There was another pang of pain in Jason but this time, it was one of regret. Living in a house full of gay men, one would think one could just walk around naked all the time.

Stupid decency laws...

However, there was still a barrier between himself and his son... Like... While they were legally a family... it still wasn't official. Jason knew that barrier would come down if and when he told Sam the truth but...

How do you tell a guy you're their real father and that he was the product of a big, twisted plot?

Jason rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Man, dad can't wait to get the house done, huh? Still don't see why he just doesn't hire a contractor."

Brett grinned and coughed - although it sounded more like a laugh.

"What?" Jason demanded.

"Nothing," his Rottweiler replied. "Oh, by the way, did you know Sam's friend, Todd?"

"The bear on the football team that defended him when he got bullied for having two gay dads?"

At that point, Jason had wanted to storm the school and bring down the wrath of the No Ones on those bullies. Thankfully, the school did it for him and begged him on hands and knees not to withdraw his support from them. Newroads High School got a lot of enrolment applications ever since it was discovered that Jason Wolfe was a former graduate. It didn't matter that Jason was gay.

None of that mattered anymore... at least on the surface.

"That's the one," Brett replied, still grinning broadly. "When you pick him up this afternoon, he's probably going to ask if he can sleep over."

Jason frowned at his mate. "What makes you say that?"

"Just a feeling."

Two years of marriage and going through hell together had given Jason a good sense about his mate. Being soulmates gave him an even greater bonus. So he knew Brett was hinting at something... and by the way Brett was grinning it was one of those things that would open the floodgates to Jason's subconscious and have his brains dripping out from his ears.

"I don't want to know," Jason sighed, turning away and heading towards the bathroom. He heard Sam scrambling around hurrying between brushing his teeth and removing his clothing. Just remembering that long, soft fur concealing the tight, firm muscles made Jason drool a little.

He loved Sam... Loved him more than anything in the world. He always wanted to protect his son from all the harshness in the world. More than anything, he hoped that he could give his son what he couldn't have in his own young life growing up. Sure, he was only in his early to mid twenties and the world was still open to him - that and Sam was only about five years younger than him - but he still saw Sam as his responsibility.

Someone to protect and nurture.

Because while the world had to be exposed to both light and darkness to come to a harmonious existence... Sam was born in that existence. Jason didn't want his son to lose that shining personality that had been the sun alongside Brett.

Jason reached the bathroom door in their nice, big, suburban double-storey house. The home was unique to reflect Brett's easy-going, understanding nature, Jason's frequent panic-attacks and bounds of attempted amnesia and Sam's high energy. Right above the lounge was a long, bronze fire pole that Sam often used to slide down when he was in a rush. Brett also used it at times to show what his 'moves' when he was working nights at a gay strip club but that was another matter.

The lounge was nice and big with no couches but just big beanbag chairs surrounding a massive wide-screen TV hooked up to a game console that Brett had bought Sam for his birthday and the Rottweiler ended up playing more than the wolf-hybrid. Their entertainment room was practically a home cinema area. There was a library that cut through both storeys and that was where Sam spent most of his time, sitting in the small enclave with a bay view window a book in hand. That... and he would occasionally ride the rolling ladders for no reason at all but just for the fun of it. For Jason, there was a nice, big kitchen with all the accessories a cook could possibly want from a high-powered oven, a walk-in pantry and even a dirty-kitchen.

There was also a central rock garden.

Of course, that would all get bigger soon once Dan finished his renovations.

Sam's room was naturally next to the master bedroom and across the hall from him was the large bathroom. Jason knocked on the door, hearing his son scrambling inside. From the sounds of it, Sam was brushing his teeth and flossing at the same time...

How is that even possible?

"Sam? You okay?"

There were a muffled reply and then the sound of gargling. "Yeah, thanks Jason!"

Jason smirked and leaned against the door, crossing his arms. "Did you need a ride to school?"

"No thanks." There was a pause. "Wait! The bus hasn't arrived yet has it?"

His smirk broadening, Jason said, "No. No bus." It was cute just how innocent and clueless Sam could be. Though he had gotten better in bed. Less hesitant and more sure with his movements.

"Oh... Oh good."

Water struck tiles as Jason heard the shower splutter on. Smiling, Jason waited a few moments before he quietly twisted the doorknob open and peered inside the bathroom. The white, tiled room was big with a clear shower stall and a bathtub sitting opposite to the broad and long sink. Sam had his back turned to the door, running his hands through his long black and gold fur as he hurried to shampoo and condition.

Jason, still naked, crept into the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind him and slinking towards the shower stall. He briefly caught his reflection in the mirror. A massive, near-seven foot wolf of more than three hundred pounds of highly defined muscle with washboard abs and broad, muscular shoulders. He was looking more and more like his father with each passing day. With the exception of his jet-black hair and its golden forelock, he would've been a splitting image of Dan.

Grinning, Jason quickly pulled open the shower door and Sam went rigid, spinning around in shock. Jason instantly pounced, pinning the younger wolf against the wet wall and wrapping his lips around his son's lips, holding the black and gold wolf tightly. He felt his cock stirring in his sheath and Sam's monstrous foot-long erection starting to build.

Sam's cock fascinated Jason. When not aroused, the young wolf's dick was too big for his plump sheath and there was always a rather large cone of black meat poking out of the golden fur. Jason tried to get Sam to spear him with that cock but Sam always refused, still a little bashful about mounting someone else. He was clearly a bottom.

Their kiss was long, passionate and gave Jason images of the kisses he would share with his father. There was love there. Not a love between mates but a love only true family could share.

Sam suddenly pulled away. "I'm gonna be late..." he murmured, clearly regretting the protest. By his growing arousal and his wagging tail, it was obvious there was nothing more he wanted to do than to stay in this shower and let his budding, muscular body bind with Jason.

Smiling, Jason pressed his nose against his son's. "It's a weekend, Sam. Your practice isn't until after lunch."

His son's sapphire-blue eyes blinked... staring into Jason's own similarly-coloured orbs in shock.

"Aw damnit!"

Jason laughed and pressed Sam's head against his chest, letting the war waters of the shower coat them both. Sam held onto him tightly, quietly exasperated but laughing faintly.

"I really need a personal organiser or something..." Sam sighed.

Jason licked Sam, drawing his tongue from the tip of the younger wolf's nose all the way up his muzzle and to his forehead. Sam bent into the lick, their lips meeting briefly.

"Thanks for reminding me, Jason. Though I guess you and Brett were having a nice little laugh while I made a fool of myself."

"Just a little," Jason admitted, kissing Sam's cheek while picking up the shampoo from behind Sam and applying some of it to his palm. "Every weekend, like clockwork. You're always this panicky. Come on, I'll wash your back."

As soon as Sam turned his back, Jason applied the smooth, coconut-scented shampoo into Sam's thick fur. He felt strong muscle beneath the thick folds and Sam rolled his shoulders as Jason massaged the suds into the younger wolf's body.

"I'm still adjusting to my schedule..." Sam admitted, his eyes closed and a soft moan escaping his lips. "Never thought I'd be cut out for track team... Never thought I could get into any team considering how I just jumped straight into junior year..."

Sam never began high school education. Everything he knew was self-taught. Funny thing was, the kid was a brilliant. He had Brett's genius-level intelligence. Any problem or concept he was given, he'd have down in seconds without instruction. It had horrified the administrators at Newroads High when they gave Sam the aptitude test to see where he fell in and they realised he could've easily graduated there and then.

Brett had tutored him for a good few weeks to get him ready and Sam was such an avid and positive student that Brett had seriously considered going into teaching at that moment.

Dan had advised Jason to let Sam start off at junior year instead. School was more than just about the grades, after all. Sam had made few friends at first because of his orientation and his parents. While being 'gay' was no longer something to be scorned at - even by the religions who had done some major rewrites in recent years - it was still one of those things that was hard to erase and was ingrained in people's minds. What made it worse was that because Jason and Brett were his adoptive parents, everyone either had high expectations of Sam or considered him a charity case for the superhero couple.

However, Sam was such a friendly, outgoing person that the problem quickly dissolved. He made quite a few friends but the friend that truly stuck out was a guy on the football team, Todd Summers.

"People are good inside," Jason replied, moving his hands over to Sam's shoulders.

Wow... He really has gotten bigger...

Before, Jason used to be able to wrap his entire hand around Sam's entire shoulder completely. Now, there was a definite bulge there the tips of his fingers flitted at the edge of that bulk. Sam groaned softly and rolled his head slightly.

"Erf... Just a little lower please..."

"Sure thing, Sam."

Jason slowly brought his hands onto Sam's biceps and was surprised at their size and density. His son was turning into one sexy stud.

A thought occurred to him.

I wonder if he's a super...

Sam's body was constructed from a different wolf-Rottweiler couple but his essence came from Jason and Brett... Still, there was a distinct possibility that the young wolf's sudden spurt of muscle growth could be given to developing superpowers. Muscle growth was definitely a sign of such powers spawning...

Jason remembered his first emergence as a super... He had put on fifty pounds in the span of a single summer...

Hmmm... It'd be cool to have him running around the city with me and Brett...

A real superhero family.

He imagined himself, Brett and Sam fighting crime together, busting bank robberies, stopping nefarious supervillain plans and saving the world from certain doom... Only to come home at night, lick each other's wounds and retire into the sheets in each other's arms, covered in each other's seed...

"Umm... Little too low there, Jason."

Jason realised he was fondling Sam's balls and sheath and grinned sheepishly. "Heh... Sorry, got distracted."

"Not that I mind," Sam replied, glancing over his shoulder, "but come on. I gotta run around a lot later. Won't be able to do that if I have you in me."

"Aw, that's not for another six hours or so," Jason replied, nuzzling his son tenderly.

God I love him...

It made his heart flutter every time he and Sam were together. He nearly had a heart attack whenever Brett was in the same room as well. When Dan was around, his heart would explode and he would just feel warm and loved. It wasn't the sex either. They had Family Game Night every week - Brett always won for some reason - their Weekend Football Games in the big backyard and when Sam got home from school sore from practice, they'd take a dip in the pool together, just the two of them.

He just wished more than anything that both he and Sam could acknowledge they were really family...

What's stopping me...?

...

Rejection.

There it was... How would Sam feel knowing the truth? Jason didn't want to lose his son. Moreover, he didn't want to experience the same hatred he had thrown Dan when they first came together. He feared that more than anything else. There was probably some sort of karmic retribution waiting for him around the corner for how he treated Dan and its conduit would be Sam.

"Hey..." Sam began, smiling and kissing Jason. "It takes you hours to go soft. And when you're tied with me, just the slightest twitch makes you wanna go at it again." Sam sniggered, grinning. "My fault for having sex with a super. I swear, you guys keep going at it after I'm asleep!"

That only happens every third night...

"Well... You never know," Jason chuckled, running his hands down to Sam's thighs and feeling the much bigger, firmer muscles there. Being a runner, Sam's legs were heavily defined. Apart from Sam's face, the fluffy crest on his chest and that huge cock, those legs were his favourite part of the young wolf-hybrid. Hell, he loved Sam all over. "All that super seed in you might just give you superpowers."

Sam laughed and turned around, a sponge in his hand lathered with soap. He ran the sponge over Jason's hard abs, making the bigger wolf shudder slightly and his pink cock to start emerging from his stirring sheath. "Heh, giving people powers by cumming in them. Funny, even if that were true, I get this feeling no one would be willing to make that change."

Something about that statement struck Jason as odd. "Huh?"

Shrugging, Sam turned his attention towards Jason's massive, round pectorals, running that sponge in circles while his other hand roved the massive, plump muscles, occasionally dancing over Jason's nipples.

"Well, it just seems to me that a lot of people are afraid of change. As a race, we're obsessed with keeping our 'perfect' image. If a man grows an extra limb, it's amputated even if it's fully functional. If a person possesses strange abilities, they're automatically branded a 'super'. People are so eager to label people that they're finding it hard to accept that we're all the same. We're all mortals. These changes are what make us mortal, make us diverse and ever-changing.

"A static existence eventually leads to non-existence. Constantly frozen in the same state of mind, in the same ideal is dangerous. Because if we don't change... we never get to turn the page in our story."

Again, there was that brilliant insight that both brightened and frightened Jason. He stared at his son for a long moment, astounding that after all the tragedy the young wolf-hybrid had gone through, Sam was just so... stable and wise. Often times, he feared it hid a deep, injured young man... but there was little he could do to absolve that fear until such a time that he tore down that wall between them...

... A wall that would hide a Terrifying Rejection Monster that would gobble up Jason and spit him back out as a husk of his former self, only half filled since Sam had become such a big part of his life...

Crap, I'm screwed...

Suddenly he felt a big shock of pleasure run up his chest as Sam gently kissed his nipple.

He was becoming more and more like his dad every day. Thanks to both Brett and Sam, he had discovered he had inherited his father's super-sensitive nipples.

"Wh - whoa..." Jason stammered as Sam suckled on that flesh nub. Jason's cock was pressing out of his sheath, pumping with blood. Suddenly, the shower became very hot and steamy. "Wh - What happened to not running off with me in you...?"

Sam winked at Jason and ran his tongue across Jason's pecs to the cleft those massive muscles made. "There's more than one hole you can stick that in, dad."

Crap.

'Dad' was Jason's 'sweet word'. It instantly made him hard because there was nothing more that he wanted than for Sam to call him 'dad'. He hoped, one day, his son would call him that outside of sex but as of now, just hearing Sam utter those three letters made him think of the times he had lain in bed with his own father.

Every part of Jason was screaming to get Sam on his knees and have his son blow him off. Hot shower sex early in the morning... If that was any indication of what the rest of his day would be, he would vow to create a religion and make this day a holy day.

However...

Jason pushed his son slightly away and poked Sam's nose, something he knew the young wolf-hybrid took as a sign of seriously. "Not now," he said firmly. "Brett and I have got to help Dan with the renovations soon and I don't want you exhausted for practice today. Maybe later tonight."

"You mean later tonight when I'm all hot and sweaty?" Sam replied with a sly look.

Okay, that's one reason...

"Just scrub my back," Jason said, turning around.

"Would it help if I said I dropped the soap?"

"No."

The rest of their shower was pretty innocent. Sure there was a bit of cuddling, a few kisses here and there and maybe a teasing touch every now and then but it wasn't anything overly sexual. Both of them knew they couldn't be tied to each other for the next half hour or so especially with their schedule.

Once they were done, Jason dried himself and wrapped a towel around his waist as Sam dressed himself.

"Hey Jason," Sam began, "have you heard from the No Ones lately?"

Sam naturally knew about the No Ones. The divine entities that protected all existence across countless realities had been there at Brett and Jason's private wedding. It was hard not to explain to Sam and Jen - Jason's childhood friend - what the oddly dressed and shaped figures were. They deserved to know what had really occurred in their lives...

Despite that, Jason still hesitated telling Sam about his true origins.

"I hear a lot from Dan and R3 occasionally visits but none of the others. Why?"

Sam frowned slightly. "No reason. You're the only one that can see them and I've been sorta... A-heh..." The young wolf hybrid suddenly looked like he was blushing. The cheesy grin he had on his face was a dead giveaway too.

"Self-conscious that they've been watching while we've been doing it?" Jason offered, smiling back. "Sam, they see everything. Trust me, I've had them on my back and watching my every move since I was born. And trust me when I mean every move."

Sam winced and hurried to clothe himself.

"Clothes won't help, son."

Sam went rigid. "Huh?"

Jason froze up for the briefest of seconds. "Sam, I said 'Sam'!"

For a second, Sam pursed his lips but quickly turned it into a bright smile. "I thought you did." Without another word, Sam finished pulling up his pants and quickly left the bathroom. Jason noticed the young wolf didn't have the same spring in his step and his tail was drooping slightly.

It broke his heart knowing Sam wanted that bridge built between them as much as he did. But he felt he had to earn that right. Sure he was putting Sam through school, providing for him and putting a roof over his head but it just didn't seem like enough compared to the disastrous truth looming over them both. It seemed that with each passing day, the gap between them grew bigger and bigger and Jason was scrambling like a madman to build the bridge with other materials apart from the truth.

I should tell him... but...

"You really should."

"WAH!"

Jason leapt back into the shower and was about to shut the door when he remembered the door was made completely of glass... and he was wearing a towel over his private parts. Still, he was barely dry and half-naked.

Standing a few feet from him was a tall creature dressed in black armour with colour-switching circuitry running across its entire surface. A long, floor length white and gold trench coat hung around his shoulders. The creature's face was hidden by a large helm that looked suited for a bat. A 'V' shaped glass visor hid the features of the creature beneath.

T13 the Traveller of Time and one of the top three No Ones.

Technically it was 'top four'.

T13 and S-Zero the Saviour of Space were like the 'generals' of the No One hierarchy. They were in charge of deploying the troops and they governed Time and Space respectively. R3 the Writer of Reality was like the 'king' and had the ultimate say in everything. EX the Existent was an enigma. The No One that apparently governed all existence had never been seen nor had he ever made an appearance. It wasn't even assured if EX was a 'he' or not... or if he was even a living creature.

Jason theorised EX was more like a concept... an ideal. Despite all the power of the No Ones, EX would forever be their leader and the thing they always served. Since EX was all existence, the No Ones always served existence. At one point, Jason had thought Sam was EX because R3 had hinted during the Malefactor War that if Sam survived, then all existence would survive. Then it turns out that if Sam lived, he'd give Jason advice that would strengthen Jason's resolve to bring an end to the Malefactors. If he hadn't, the Malefactors would've destroyed the No Ones and EX... thus unravelling all existence.

"I swear!" Jason barked, stepping out of the shower and tightening the towel around his waist. "You guys conspire to catch me with my pants down every goddamn time you appear!"

"It is a passing thought," T13 admitted with a shrug. "It has become somewhat of a joke amongst us."

"I'm glad I can be so entertaining," Jason growled. He searched the bathroom but realised he had wandered in to talk to Sam without any clothes. A small bundle of his clothing was offered to him, held by T13. "Thanks," he muttered, taking the clothing and turning his back to the No One. "So what's this about?"

...

Jason was halfway to putting on his shirt when he realised T13 wasn't responding.

That was not a good sign.

Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder. Somehow, he just knew the No One was worried. Maybe it was the way the normally stoic No One had his head bowed slightly or that his stance was abnormally rigid.

"What?" he demanded.

"It may be nothing," T13 responded. "He often likes to disappear into realities without the rest of us knowing. It worries L4 to no end but..."

"Who likes to disappear into realities?"

"R3. He is... Missing."

That was not a good sign.

Jason felt his heart start to pound in his chest but he forced it to calm. R3 was the Writer of Reality and could thus bend, alter and write the very laws that governed space and time. It was he who worked out the mathematical formula by which gravity worked. It was he who said 'hot is hot' and 'cold is cold'. And it was he who ultimately judged whether or not a reality existed or not.

As long as he could remember, R3 had always been there for Jason, supporting him and occasionally using him. Despite being part of R3's plots, Jason was always compensated and, if anything, R3 was like the supportive uncle that he went to when he needed impartial judgments.

"We merely thought you had seen him."

"I haven't seen him..."

In fact...

Jason recalled that he had never seen R3... Being the son of a No One, Jason bent the laws of space and time very slightly and allowed a little vortex between realities to exist wherever he went. He could switch this ability on and off but since the No Ones were the only ones that could access them, he almost always had it on. At the same time, he had the unique ability to see the No Ones are their true selves even when they were inhabiting the bodies of mortals.

But R3...

R3 had appeared all over Enria in a multitude of Avatars but never once had Jason seen through the Avatar...

"I've never been able to see through his Avatars..." Jason murmured. "I'm not sure if I could even find him if I wanted..."

T13 shrugged but there was clearly worry in the gesture. "If R3 does not wish to be found, then I suppose there is little we can do to change his mind. It is nothing to worry yourself over, Jason. We were simply wondering if you had seen him."

"I haven't seen him for months."

The No One chuckled... which was a slight change since T13 hardly ever spoke outside of his mechanical, artificially created voice. "Then you will be comforted. I last saw him but a few hours ago."

Jason relaxed a little and pulled his shirt completely over his muscular torso. Turning his back to T13, he began slipping on his boxers, slipping his tail through the hole there. "Is that really long enough to be called 'missing'?"

"I am the Traveller of Time, Jason. As such, I can easily navigate the past, present and future with ease. I foresee R3's absence in the days to come which is cause for worry."

Jason began pulling up his shorts, perfect attire to help Dan with the renovations. "Then you'd have known that see me wouldn't help, right?"

"I did. However, we No Ones are mortals as well, Jason. We too can hope."

For some reason, hearing T13 say that made it seem like a warning more than an innocent statement. Jason turned around and, naturally, the No One was gone. He was left a little disturbed and a bit frightened. R3 missing was a bit worrying but again, the No One could just as easily be holidaying in some reality.

Somehow, Jason could imagine R3 in a pair of short shorts, lying on the beach with a book in hand. Oddly enough, despite the smooth, tanned human body, the No One was still wearing that helm of his that concealed all his features except his sapphire-blue eyes that had irises shaped like eight-pointed stars.

"Jase! Hurry it up!" Brett shouted from the first floor. "Looks like Dan has started!"

You'd think someone capable of altering the shape of all physical matter can finish renovating a house within a day.

Jason hurried back down the hall and jumped at the brass pole that Sam had specifically requested be in their house. He grasped it tightly and slid down the metallic bar and hurried to the kitchen where Sam was shovelling some eggs into his mouth while his eyes were planted on the TV screen mounted on the wall. Brett was cooking a second batch of eggs while his eyes were peering out the window.

At that moment, the door leading to the backyard swung open and a pair of dirty, muddy boots stomped into the kitchen.

Uh-oh...

Jason spun around -

"My floor!"

He felt the fur on his neck rise and his flight instincts took over. Diving back around the corner, he dared a peek back into the kitchen. Sam had buried his head under his eggs, placing the plate over his head and trying to make himself invisible. Brett was fuming and Dan was frozen in place, his eyes wide.

Dan Wolfe was a hulking monster of a wolf. Well-past seven feet and over three hundred pounds of pure muscle, Jason's father was not only an idol to make bodybuilders jealous but he was also a No One, F6 the Patriarch. Being shirtless, sweaty and wearing only denim overalls and heavy, muddy work boots, he had practically jumped right out of Jason's fantasies and into real life.

He was a good father too.

But sexy first and foremost.

However... right now, he was dead meat.

"Uh..." Dan began. "I can fix this..."

"You are so dead!" Brett growled, waving a spatula around. Normally, Brett wasn't a neat-freak. Hell, sometimes he was a downright slob. However, he had specifically designed the kitchen. It was his gift to Jason. The Rottweiler had even helped construct it. As such, he was very protective of it. Even when Jason left it in a bit of a mess after whipping up meals to put Three Hat restaurants to shame, Brett would whip him verbally until he cleaned it up.

"Brett, come on!" Dan laughed hesitantly, his sapphire-blue eyes filled with fear. "I - I just wanted to say good morning to my son and grandson."

Dan knew who Sam was... and also knew that Jason had yet to tell Sam the truth. Still, that didn't stop the proud, grandfather from telling everyone he had a grandson.

Brett was in destruction mode and having harnessed the power of darkness from being infected by a Malefactor, he was frightfully powerful. Shadows were already seeping from his form and his soft brown eyes were starting to turn into the bright, glowing topaz he adopted in his Hellhound form.

Okay, think Jason!

There's got to be some way to -!

His eyes fell on the fridge.

That's it!

Quietly, he began tip-toeing towards the refrigerator while Brett slowly advanced towards a frightened Dan. He pulled open the door and grinned when he found what he was looking for.

"What have I said about coming into the kitchen with your shoes on!?" Brett roared, his voice shaking the entire room.

"Um... Not to?" Dan offered meekly, raising his hands in surrender. It didn't help that as he backed away, he tracked more and more mud into the tiles.

I'm out of time!

Jason pulled out his prize and peeled the covering off. "Look, hun! Chocolate mousse!"

Like someone had suddenly flicked off the 'angry Brett switch', Brett's shadow form faded back into the muscular Rottweiler and the glow faded from his eyes.

"Chocolate?"

Wait... Was this such a good idea?

Brett's eyes turned towards the small, glass cup of the chocolate mousse Jason had prepared the previous night. Jason had stocks of chocolate hidden all over the house. Because his mate was such a chocoholic, he had to hide every bit of chocolate or else he'd never make a halfway decent dessert. The mousse was unavoidable and he was grateful he had managed to hide it from his mate before his Rottweiler realised what it was.

Then he saw the obsession in Brett's eyes.

"Uh-oh..."

"CHOCOLATE!"

WHAM!

Jason's head banged painfully against the tiles as the glass cup shattered in his hand from impact. Half-set chocolate mousse splattered all over him. Those splotches were suddenly assaulted by Brett's warm, long, flat tongue, licking up every drop and causing Jason to laugh uncontrollably. A bit of mousse dropped onto his nose and before he could wipe it off, Brett leapt onto it, suckling his nose.

A smile touched Jason's lips as he marvelled how his Rottweiler - despite having genius level intelligence - could be such a baby when in the presence of chocolate. That smile evolved into a grin as Brett's lips dropped a little lower and their lips met.

Okay... so Brett could be a baby in the presence of chocolate and his mate.

Jason twisted his head into the kiss, wrapping his arms around his mate and running his hands through Brett's coarse, brown hair.

"You're not off the hook, mister," Brett murmured, pointing at Dan while still holding Jason into that kiss. "Clean that up."

Dan sighed and mouthed 'thank you' to Jason.

As soon as Dan had kicked off his boots - putting them outside - and cleaning up the mess he made, Jason gently pushed Brett away.

"Come on, babe, we got a full day ahead of us." He winked at his mate. "And if you're good, I'll make you my special Triple Chocolate Strawberry Cake."

Brett was gone. "Chocolate?"

Sighing, Jason slipped out from underneath his mate and pulled Brett back to the kitchen counter and took over cooking. Brett wasn't much of a cook so he spiced up the eggs a little by making them into frittatas in a few easy steps. As he was cooking, Brett easily forgave Dan as he cleaned up after Sam - who had pulled himself from his makeshift hiding-spot - and was already talking about what part of the house they were renovating next.

As fate would have it - or as some No One might have interfered - a large plot of hand became available right next to Dan's house. The owners of the house had decided to move out and Jason instantly pounced on the opportunity to buy the house and land. The house they demolished and rebuilt. However, it was Dan's idea to link up the two houses. They tore down the fence between the two properties and started making headway into connecting the two homes.

The pool actually cut across the two plots of and the pool house or weights room was actually on Dan's part of the backyard. The family was eagerly anticipating the day when the two buildings would finally be one. They would add a further four rooms to the collective house, one for each of them. Jason was opting for sun room and Brett wanted a dedicated games room. Sam had pleasantly asked to extend the library while Dan wanted a communal family room.

Of course, Dan insisted on doing the work by hand instead of using his powers to just reshape the houses. Apparently, there was something about manual labour that he relished. That, and Jason knew his dad got off on seeing his family hot and half-naked working in the sun. He once caught his dad during a 'bathroom break' pawing off. Needless to say, he joined in the fun.

His attention flicked back to his cooking just as the newscaster on the television mentioned something about the latest superhero escapade. Temporarily flicking his gaze towards the television, Jason was again reminded that everyone was just mortal.

"He calls himself 'Legion'," the human female newscaster explained. "He is an unregistered super. In fact, be do not believe he is a natural super."

"Guh," Brett muttered in disgust. "Legion again... I swear, if I ever run into that kid, I'd show him how dangerous superhero-life can be."

Sam inclined his head to the side. "How do you know he's a kid?"

Jason watched his mate switch over to 'psychologist mode'.

"It's clear from his movements, build and actions. If he's not a kid in body then he's a kid in attitude. Being a superhero isn't just about getting the bad guy. It's about saving lives. Look..." Brett pointed at the TV screen. Everyone was looking at that point.

Legion was really more like a vigilante than a superhero. The canine dressed in the black, metal armour with what appeared to be a high-tech helmet on his face had no discernable superpowers apart from a pair of mechanical wings sticking out of his spine with each 'finger' of a wing being a sharp sword. Legion's signature ability, however, was the multitude of weapons he had at his disposal - hence the name 'Legion'. At the flick of his wrist, he could pull swords and knives out of hidden compartments all over his armour and go swinging throughout an entire army of thugs, slicing and dicing without mercy. He was also armed with an array of handguns that somehow combined together to make even more powerful weapons.

In the new report, Jason watched Legion combine two of his handguns to make a double-barrelled shotgun and shove it into the mouth of a charging bank robber. There was a loud bang and the news feed went back to the newscaster who looked terribly sick.

"All Legion cares about is getting rid of the bad guy," Brett said, turning away from the television screen. "He's killing those criminals."

Sam inclined his head to the other side. "You mean he shouldn't get rid of them even if there's no hope for reformation?"

"There's always hope, Sam. Remember that." Brett glanced at Jason with a wink. "Even in the deepest darkness, there's always a light."

Sam beamed and nodded. "You're sounding a little like me!"

As Brett and Sam went on about some 'like-father-like-son' jokes - Brett only half-joking - Jason kept his eyes on the TV, particularly the images of Legion. Dan moved to stand beside him, using his much larger body to block the sound from their conversation.

"What are you thinking?" Dan asked softly.

"You heard that R3 is missing, right?" Jason replied, flipping his frittata onto a plate.

"A couple of hours are hardly 'missing' but T13 is omniscient..."

"Yeah... Well... Think about Legion, dad. He's got a lot of swords... and guns... Hell... He even fights a little like R3..."

Brett had analysed R3's style as well... and come up with an inconclusive result. R3's fighting style was incredibly adaptable, constantly shifting and with no discernable pattern. Almost... random but always the most effective way of taking down an enemy. Legion was no different. Sometimes he'd snipe his way to victory, other times he'd go in guns blazing... other times still he'd catch his enemies in traps. He wouldn't always kill his foes either...

It was almost like Legion was flitting the lines between being a superhero and a vigilante...

"You really think that's R3 out there?"

"I'm not sure," Jason replied, bringing breakfast over to the table. "But something tells me I really don't want to find out."

Because if that is R3 out there...

... then either he's taken it unto himself to start cleaning up the mess on Enria...

... or he's changed his mind to preserve this world...

He didn't want to think about it but it was a concept that constantly loomed over his shoulder as he progressed through the day. As he ate breakfast with his family, he wondered if this was where R3 had disappeared to. When he started working on the renovations with Brett and Dan - Sam working out in the pool house - he imagined R3 sweeping through the entire reality, witling away at the resistances on Enria. While he drove Sam to school for track practice, Jason worried that by destroying the undesirables in the world, R3 was taking down possible troops in the final assault against Enria. Even if they were supervillains or crooks, even they'd come to the aid of the superheroes and normal civilians if their entire existence was threatened.

"Uh...Jason..."

Jason shook his head and regarded Sam as he drove the sleek, black convertible with the blue speed stripes. "Yeah, Sam?"

"We've been circling the school for the past ten minutes," Sam replied, regarding him worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

He glanced out the window of the car - he had put up the roof because it was reaching winter and the temperature had started to drop rapidly. There was Newroads High School, the place where everything had begun for him...

"Nah... Just a little distracted, that's all."

The problem with having someone like Sam living around him for two years was that Sam became very attuned to him. As such, it was pretty much like Sam could read him like a book.

"It's about Legion, isn't it?"

Damnit...

Jason drove up to the parking lot. "Yeah... Just... worries me that a self-proclaimed 'superhero' would go around killing people even if they're bad guys."

As soon as he shifted the car into park, Sam got out of the car, pulling his sports bag over his shoulder.

"I like to think that when you die, you get resurrected somewhere else," Sam replied with a shrug. "I know what religion says and stuff but I don't think any god would be so crass to assume that you only get one chance in life because you grew up the way you did. There are a lot of factors that affect how you develop and your choices in life."

To that, Jason had to agree. R3 and the No Ones basically confirmed that it was their mission to ensure that everyone got their 'happy ending'. While they couldn't get to everyone's stories - R3 always repeating the idiom 'If everyone gets what they want, no one does' - those stories they could get to and forge to the likings of that person, they transferred to the recipient's personal reality. Those that couldn't fell into the jurisdiction of the reality's gods and deities.

Naturally, most gods allowed this since all gods had just been normal people in another reality that had been touched by the No Ones and earned the right to their own realities. In essence, Enria was just the world of another person's imagining.

I wonder what will happen to me when I die...

A part of the deal that R3 made with Dan was that Dan was allowed a single lifetime with Jason on the condition Dan could not make Jason an Advocate. There was a part of Jason that dearly wished that he would earn the right to his own reality but that was dispelled when it turned out that he had already been given his reality - a black book by the name of Legacy - and he had willingly given it back to R3. Problem was, he didn't know how to get it back... and he worried that he'd end up in some fiery pit of damnation for some reason he couldn't fathom.

"Could be, Sam," he replied, slipping out of the car himself. "But that doesn't give a person the right to end the life of another."

"I agree," Sam said with a broad grin. "Legion only kills those that have killed themselves."

Jason blinked for a second.

I hadn't noticed that...

Then again, it's not something I'd normally notice anyway...

"So it's a form of 'divine retribution' or something?" he asked. "And please don't tell me you have a crush on Legion."

Sam laughed and shook his head. "No. It was on the news report this morning. Police are finally connecting the dots and they've noticed that Legion only kills when the person had committed murder. They've been wondering why he sometimes leaves people alone despite the fact they're just as bad as some others. Now they know!"

The young wolf leaned back against the car, regarding Jason over his shoulder with a grin on his face. "Anyway, what I was going to say was that we all grow up differently and the where and the how we grow up alters how we perceive the world, how we shape our worlds and how we shape the worlds of others. Sometimes, it's not fair how we're forced to live a certain way because of other people and we react accordingly. Death might not be the absolute end but maybe just another turn of the page. They people Legion has killed just starts off in another life. Maybe they get reborn as the heir to a rich business man or in a loving family instead of the streets or something."

Jason felt really stupid philosophising with Sam but he took the bait anyway as he made his way around the car and towards the track field. Sam followed shortly afterwards. "But is death really the only answer? Can't we just reform them in prison or with help or something?"

Shrugging, Sam said, "Thing is, we're all mortals. We have our perceptions of the world and it affects how we shape others. Even the people who try to help others have their preconceptions, consciously or subconsciously. But that's not their fault. It's their right as a mortal to have their view on the world. It doesn't help others, however, when they try to force their opinion on others, though.

"Sometimes... maybe all we need is a fresh start."

Jason raised an eyebrow at his son and gave Sam a faint smile as they reached the end of the track. "That's a very mature way of looking at death. It's very optimistic."

Sam's smile wavered slightly. "It's something I've had to think about a lot."

Without another word, his son bolted over to where the rest of the track team was gathered, leaving Jason a little dumbstruck... and feeling terribly gutted.

That's right...

Sam's had two sets of parents die on him...

Thinking about all that death at such a young age, Jason wondered if Sam's view was some sort of coping mechanism to deal with the fact that he'll never see his other parents again... Something to hold onto... Constantly believing that his parents - both sets of them - were somewhere else, living happily...

Jason wanted to tell him that might be the case... Probably was. Since R3 interfered, Sam's parents were probably either in their own realities making their own futures, resurrected in another reality or one of R3's Advocates... Or... they could easily be in some heavenly paradise or torturous underworld...

Oh crap... I just made myself depressed...

Suddenly, he didn't feel like going back to the house and helping out with the renovations. He couldn't deal with more philosophising since the cure for his mood would only come from telling Sam that his parents were well.

It's funny though...

Not once did Sam seem insincere...

Jason made his way to the bleachers where he watched Sam and the rest of the team run around the track in their cute shorts and shirts. As he thought about their conversation, it honestly seemed that Sam believed everything he said. It was a beautiful sight and one that lifted Jason's spirits slightly the more he thought about it.

Wow... I'm starting to self-medicate myself...

Or... maybe Sam is my medication... Just, it takes time to take effect.

"Imagine seeing you here again, Wolfe."

Jason looked up and flinched when he saw a brawny lion with a slight gut dressed in a classic coach's attire - shorts, a jumper with a hood and the word 'coach' written across the chest and a whistle hanging on a thin thread from his neck - standing right next to him.

"Coach Townes!"

"Just Rory here, Wolfe," Townes replied, waving him down before he jumped to his feet. "I'm not your coach anymore." A wry smile crossed the feline's face. "Not that you need it, of course."

"Of course," Jason chuckled as Townes sat down next to him. "Still driving these guys to death?"

"As much as is possible," Townes chuckled, eyeing the team. Townes had been Jason's coach all through high school. The then-assistant-coach had been promoted to head coach in the years since Jason left but it seemed he hadn't eased up on his emphasis on physical health. "You're looking good, Wolfe. Glad to see all those book signings and food endorsements hadn't made you flabby."

Jason grinned at the reference to his up and coming cookbook 'Food for Superheroes'. Cooking was his passion and it was starting to translate into real life. While his degree in biomechanics gave him opportunities in other fields - possibly medicine - he had opted to use his knowledge in chemicals into his cooking as well, becoming one of a self-styled chef of molecular gastronomy.

"Superhero first, cook next," Jason replied.

"Good..." Townes nodded towards the field. "Your boy is pretty good. One of the top runners in the school."

Jason watched Sam tear up the field. It didn't help that his son was all sweaty and the normally thick, black and gold fur was sticking to his frame, accentuating those muscles. Despite the cold, Sam grabbed a water bottle from the stack on the side and doused himself completely in it. Jason had to fight hard to keep his cock from poking out.

Now I remember why I don't come to these things...

"Listen, the football team needs a new quarterback..."

Jason froze. The first thing he registered were the words 'football team'... the next were the unspoken words... 'I want your son to be the new quarterback'. His eyes snapped towards Townes who already had a couple of forms in hand.

"What does Sam have to say about this?" he asked, eyes slightly narrowed.

"I've asked but he likes track."

"Then -"

"Look," Townes interrupted. "All I'm asking is that you get him to try it out for at least two weeks. If he doesn't like it, then that's fine. No hard feelings. But there's potential in your boy, Wolfe. He's got the form for it! He's sharp and he's ridiculously agile! On the field, I bet he'll be great!" Townes grinned slightly. "Besides, it'll give him more time with Todd Summers."

...

I know there's something being unsaid there but I don't know what it is...

Jason regarded the forms... then Sam who was joking around with his friends. One of the tall horses caught him in a headlock but that didn't last long as Sam quickly slipped away and leapt on the equine's back to the laughter of his teammates and the vexation of the coach overseeing them.

"Sam is practically an adult... He's been taking care of himself for a long time. I don't want to go stepping on his toes..."

"I know," Townes answered, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Everyone knows. Ever since you adopted him, his story is world news. But he's still a kid, Wolfe. I don't like seeing any of my kids lose out on an opportunity." The lion pushed the forms across the bleachers to Jason. "This isn't for the team. It's for Sam."

Jason sighed... and regarded the forms...

He shook his head and pushed the forms back across to Townes. "Let me talk to Sam first. I'll get the answer to you by the start of school."

Townes gave a resigned sigh and nodded.

Great... another thing on my mind...

Jason felt a little sick and headed over to the car, waiting inside until Sam's practice was over. Countless thoughts were flooding his mind, all concerning Sam. More than anything, he wanted Sam to be happy... to be comfortable with not only him and Brett but to be comfortable living in such a screwed up world.

There's a superhero out there murdering murderers, the head coach wants Sam to join the football team and his parents are keeping the truth from him...

Geez, it seems like all the troubles of the world switched from me to him...

... and he just grins and bears it!

A faint knocking made him jump and turn towards the passenger window.

It was Sam... and a burly, brown-furred bear who was a little shorter than Sam but much broader across the shoulders and bristling with young muscle.

This must be Todd...

"Hey Jason, is it okay if Todd stays over tonight?" Sam asked. "His parents are having a 'thing' and they don't want him anywhere near the house."

Jason smiled and nodded. "Yeah, of course." He was a little unnerved that Brett had been right... and now he was starting to wonder how his mate knew...

Sam got into the car as did Todd.

"Thanks Mr. Wolfe!" Todd exclaimed.

Jason winced. "Just 'Jason'. 'Mr. Wolfe' is my dad and it makes me feel old..."

"Alright, Jason." Todd leaned forward and offered his hand. "I'm Todd Summers. We've never really met. I've met your mate, though."

Huh... He's met Brett?

I wonder when...?

Jason shook Todd's hand and wasn't that surprised there was a firm grip there. Todd was quite well built but not as lean as himself or Brett. He looked more like a power-lifter than a bodybuilder. The bear had big, bright green eyes that were full of expression and life just like Sam's. It was easy to see why the two got along so easily. They were so much alike.

"So, how'd you two meet?" Jason asked as he brought the car out of Newroads High. He already knew the answer but he was a little distracted and couldn't come up with a proper conversation starter.

"I got bullied at school for living with two gay men and Todd came to my rescue," Sam replied with a dismissive shrug.

"Right... I remember. Thanks for being his hero, Todd."

Todd grinned and shrugged. "Anytime Mr. Wol - erm, Jason." He glanced out the window and snarled slightly. "I hate bigots. They make other people's lives a living hell just because they can't accept that people are different."

"People are entitled to their opinions, Todd," Sam said, smiling benignly while staring straight ahead. "We're all just mortals, man. I know it seems unfair that things have to change in our lives but if they didn't, we'd never grow and change. Hell, we've gotten really far in a short while. Mostly thanks to my da..." - Jason's heart stopped - "erm... Jason here."

And his heart restarted again in a slightly depressed state.

So close...

Am I just being a chicken because I can't say it first...?

"Yeah... Still doesn't change that you got beat up at school because of it..." Todd muttered. "Just wish those numbskulls could get it into their head that you're more than just gay... But if they ever try anything like that again..." Todd punched his fist to complete the sentence.

Jason sighed inwardly, grateful that there was someone looking out for Sam on school grounds. As he drove up the driveway with the sun setting behind them, Sam finished his thought.

"Change is what separates us from the gods."

Unless you're a No One in which case it's a different matter, Jason though.

They headed indoors where Brett was lounging in front of bit TV in the lounge, watching the starting game of the season.

"Aw sweet!" Todd exclaimed. "The Rockets are playing the Slammers!" He bolted right past Jason and leapt over the couch, crashing beside Brett who promptly offered him a soda.

"Make yourself at home," Jason chuckled, heading into the kitchen.

Dan was still working on the renovations. It was his obsession now. Ever since he lost the love of his life... well... He had become more focused on his family. Jason admired that but he resolved to find someone for his father as well. In this lifetime, Dan deserved to find someone.

Then, Jason became aware that there was someone trailing him as he pulled a pan out of the cupboard for the stir fry he was hoping to cook up. He turned around and saw Sam standing a few feet away from him, grinning a little sheepishly.

Okay...

Is he going to ask me permission to have sex with Todd or something?

Come to think of it...

Having the big bear trapped between the three canines would be pretty hot...

"Sam? Something the matter?"

"So... Uh... Whatcha think of Todd?" Sam asked.

"He seems nice. A good friend. A real keeper."

"Heh... I think so too. But, I was wondering if he could borrow some of your clothes? He's a little too big for mine..."

That was true... Jason guessed that Todd's parents were probably celebrating their anniversary or something and didn't want to be disturbed. So much so that they practically threw their child out on the streets to find accommodations for the night.

"Sure thing, Sam. What are Todd's parents like?" Jason asked.

"Kinda like you and Brett except straight." Sam grinned broadly. "Just mention sex and they're under the sheets or diving for each other's tonsils."

Jason grinned back and pointed a wooden spoon accusingly at his son. "Hey, it's not that bad anymore. I'll have you know that I've been making sure to limit my sex acts to at least every third day or so."

Rolling his eyes, Sam turned toward the stairs. "Only means you make a bigger mess when you do."

Damnit! I swear, he can read minds.

"Hey Todd!" Sam shouted. "I'm setting up your bed. Come on."

"Next commercial," Todd grunted before leaping up with a loud cry of joy as someone scored a touchdown. He hi-fived Brett and they bumped chests. Obviously, they went for the same team.

Jason wondered what would happen should his son end up joining the football team as well...

Oh crap... I'd be the only one in this house that's not guzzling soda, watching big men tackle each other while chasing a ball...

... and there'd be no one to break up the eventual wrestling match after a stupid dispute...

...

Hmmm... Yeah... me, Sam and Brett... angrily growling at each other over a shoddy pass... pinning each other down... our bodies pressed against one another... aroused by watching all those other muscle-hunks on screen...

...making our own little 'plays'...

...

Wait... Why am I not into football again?

Sam sighed and bolted up the stairs, his tail flicking away in frustration.

Sniggering, Jason began preparing dinner. As chaotic as domestic life was, he preferred it to the drama his life had underwent over the past few years. Things were definitely looking up and settling down now that he was happily married, had a 'son' and had enough money to see him through to old age. Sure there was the odd worry or two but it wasn't world-altering.

Overall, he was very happy.

Besides, his paternal instincts were taking care of most of his worries anyway.

As he began cooking, the next commercial came on and Todd hurried up the stairs, eager to help out Todd and then get back to the game. Jason purposefully slowed down his cooking a little so that dinner would be ready at the end of the game or at least during halftime. He wanted to see Todd and Sam together for a little while and entertained the thought that they might actually end up as a couple.

Over the years, Sam had started to break out of his shell. He was gay, everyone knew, but he wasn't sexually active... at least at first. Sam only ever had sex with his 'family' and really, that didn't count.

He needs someone.

He's eighteen and needs a stable relationship.

I don't think I could've ever made it through my life without the people I care about.

"Hey Todd! Game's back!" Brett shouted.

Todd's voice wafted down from upstairs. "Um... In a minute!"

Hmmm... Yeah, they could definitely be a couple of Todd prefers Sam's company to a game.

Jason couldn't help but imagine his son's foot-long cock buried in that tight, furry bear butt. The thought filled him with both pride, joy and a bit of lust. Seriously, screwing a high school jock... not to mention if said high school jock was his son...

Right...

He reigned himself in remembering Townes' offer...

I've got to ask Sam first...

It was clear Sam didn't have interest in football just from the little exchange at the lounge and it was his last year in high school. Was there really time to put in the years of training many of the other footballers had devoted? And the last thing Jason wanted was for his son to turn into a big, bullying bruiser who threw his weight around and ended up screwing guys in the locker rooms just for fun, using his strength to gain the advantage.

He didn't want to believe his son would transform into such a terrible beast... but still...

Halftime hit and Jason finished perfectly on time.

Brett got up from the couch and stretched. "Want me to get the kids?"

"Nah, I'll do it," Jason replied, heading up the stairs. "Just set the table."

He reached Sam's room wondering if he should have warned his mate not to touch the chocolate cake he had prepared... In retrospect, he should stop making chocolate desserts...

Oh well...

"Sam?" he asked, pushing open Sam's door. "It's time for din -"

Splat!

Something hot, wet and sticky struck his muzzle, making him blinked in shock. A bit of the substance dropped to his lips and he instinctively licked at it... tasting a distinct, familiar saltiness. Slowly, he eyes took stock of the situation...

... and he saw Sam... on all fours, a look of horror on his face... cum dripping from Sam's cock...

... and Todd... buried deep into his son... The young bear's face caught between horror and ecstasy...

There was a trail of semen that led from Sam's cock all the way to Jason...

Three thoughts entered Jason's mind.

First...

That was one powerful orgasm...

Second...

Wow, Todd looks hot naked...

Third...

...

Here comes that drama again...