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The Game v2.0 - Round 7

Aiden Walker was many things; football jock, aspiring musician, gym junkie, clerk at the Four Seasons Hotel down town. But one thing he never thought he would add to the list was 'terrible friend'. After his encounter with Shaun the previous night, he thought that would be the last thing he would be flagged as.

He was far from blind. For a straight guy, he had a surprisingly acute gaydar and he knew Shaun was into guys probably earlier than Shaun knew himself. However, knowing how conservative Shaun's parents were, he held his tongue. Then when Shaun struck out on his own, Aiden had hoped that if they moved in together, his best friend would finally accept the truth about himself. Their friendship was more valuable than anything as stupid as sexual orientation.

Ashley's constant interference didn't help either.

Speaking of Ashley...

Aiden turned his head to his left...

... where the bitch lay texting of all things.

She was the evidence of his poor friendship. He really had no idea what had happened. One moment, he was coming home from his gig at the local coffee house feeling rather proud of himself and then there was Ashley, sitting on his lap and lathering him with so much attention that he had a moment of sensory overload. Well... not so much a 'moment' but about half an hour.

Then he fell asleep and had fitful nightmares of his best friend berating him over sleeping with his girlfriend. Not just any girlfriend either. It was the girlfriend from hell.

Ashley Vi...

She crinkled her perfect nose and let out an exasperated sigh. Her harsh, light brown eyes rolled away from him. "You mind taking a shower? You stink. It's like sleeping with some barnyard animal."

Aiden held his tongue. He was far from dumb and knew that he was now effectively in Ashley's power. Shaun may have broken free but now he was under her thumb. He valued Shaun's friendship too much and to have her break them up...

"Did you want something to eat?" he asked, trying to sound nicely as he got out of bed.

"I've heard enough about your cooking from Shaun to know you can't even scramble any eggs. Just get out of here."

Just like the queen bitch. Claiming the room that Shaun paid for as her own. Her phone suddenly buzzed and it gave him some degree of satisfaction to see the look of fear and worry on her face. She gave him a glance telling him he wasn't wanted in the room as she put the phone to her ear.

Like a dog that had just been whipped, Aiden slinked out of his room, tail between his legs and head down. He headed into the main bathroom of their apartment and started the shower. He hated himself for the moment of weakness that effectively damned him. Even the rushing water did little to ease his worries. After seeing Shaun suffer for so long under Ashley's thumb, he had no idea how he could manage.

He didn't even have a car! Was she going to force him to buy one so he could act as her personal chauffeur? Shaun was the expert at juggling a job and schoolwork. Aiden barely got through his classes. His passion was his music but where could that get him in the future? Was she going to smash his guitar and tell him to get a real hobby?

Aiden slammed his head against the glass frame of the shower, cursing himself over and over again for his foolishness.

His one weakness... attention.

As the middle child of five children, he got the least attention. His older siblings set the benchmark. His younger siblings got all the pampering. As the guy stuck in the middle, he got all the hand-me-downs and comparisons. Made it on the team in high school? His other brother was captain at his age. Got an A+ in math? His younger siblings were already doing algebra! Learned to drive? He was two years behind.

He craved attention and when he got up on that stage and people applauded him for being him... It was like a drug and he wanted more.

Music. None of his siblings had that. His oldest brother was a football star and was now serving in the army. His older sister was a biochemist. His younger brother was on the swim team, tennis team and soccer teams while his youngest sister was just an angel.

Music was his thing.

And to think it would be the bitch that'd take it away from him.

He grunted loudly as he turned the shower off and dried himself. The man in the mirror looked more like Shaun did under Ashley's power than Aiden. His eyes were hollow, empty and without hope. Shoulders were slumped and there when he tried to smile, it just looked sad.

Aiden ran the towel over his thick pecs and over his abdominals hidden under a light belly. He wasn't ripped like Shaun but he was certainly much stronger. Speaking of strength, he remembered today would be one of the days he would be heading out to the gym with Shaun. Just thinking about trying to hide such a big secret from his best friend made him physically ill.

If only he could blare his heavy metal music in Shaun's ears as they worked out, he'd be perfectly fine.

"Although..." he began. Then he shook his head at the thought. "God... I must be crazy..."

Once he was dried and dressed, he paused at the door, bracing himself for what would be waiting on the other side. He almost wished Shaun had come back and seen Ashley so they could get the breakdown of their friendship over and done with. With a heavy sigh, he stepped back into the world outside the bathroom.

He froze when he saw Shaun just emerging from his room with Ben in tow.

"Hey man," Shaun exclaimed, waving excitedly.

Aiden didn't trust himself to say anything so he just grunted.

"Today's the day we go to the gym, right?" his friend asked. "Mind if we take a raincheck? Ben and I are going to hit the town for most of the day."

A wave of relief eased some of the fear gripping Aiden's heart. "Yeah. Sounds good. You two enjoy."

The moment of tension opened his eyes somewhat and he took in just how tightly Shaun's shirt fit across his broad chest. His abs were actually showing through the fabric. Ben was even bigger. Hell, he was pretty sure Shaun's boyfriend could actually place in a bodybuilding competition if he wanted.

"Doesn't look like either of you need to head to the gym anyway," Aiden said with a laugh. "What are you two taking?"

"Milk," came Shaun's reply. For some reason, that made Ben blush.

"I guess I'll have to buy more to catch up." Aiden coughed faintly. "Say... You haven't heard from Ashley, have you?"

His friend let out a laugh. "After the way I dumped her? Hell no. I'm done with her."

That was a surprise strong enough to knock Aiden off his feet mentally. Shaun had dumped Ashley? Of course he had! Just yesterday, he had seen Shaun and Ben together at Chateau Potpourri! How could he be with Ashley and Ben at the same time!?

That meant Aiden hadn't slept with his best friend's girlfriend. She was officially an ex now. Okay, so sleeping with an ex so soon after the breakup was still pretty bad but he could probably just tell Shaun that Ashley was trying to get back at him by coming in between them.

But he couldn't just blurt that out... Not yet.

He wanted to get back at Ashley first.

"Well, enjoy you two. Maybe we can all go out tonight?"

It took him a moment to realise he had just uttered something extremely out of character. He was Aiden Walker. He never invited anyone out. He went out when invited. Shaun immediately picked up on this, his eyes flashing with that look he got when he was appraising someone closely. Thankfully, he didn't make any mention of it in front of Ben.

"Sure. We'll be dropping in and out today so what time?"

"How about five?" Aiden asked, picking a random time.

"Sure. See you at five."

With that, Shaun left with Ben. The moment the door shut, Aiden let out a relieved sigh and turned straight towards his room. He stormed through his bedroom door expecting to see Ashley still texting on the bed. However, his room was devoid of all life. The only sign Ashley had been there was a single note sitting on his bedside table.

It simply read, 'Last night sucked. Hope you fuck Shaun better than you fucked me.'

A bolt of horror shot through Aiden's entire body, boiling his blood and filling his heart with horror.

Is that why Ashley pounced on him? She thought that he and Shaun were a couple!? Did he seem that gay?

Aiden wasn't sure if he should laugh hysterically or bury himself into his bed and break out into tears. If Ashley thought she had ammunition against Shaun or him now, she would find she was shooting blanks. It would still hurt if and when that bitch told Shaun but Aiden knew his best bud better than anyone. Shaun would just laugh it off and show her what for. Aiden would still have to apologise but that was still not as bad as having slept with a girlfriend.

He took a deep breath and decided he needed a walk. Some fresh air would help relieve the last traces of stress that continued to constricting his breathing. As he grabbed his wallet and a hoodie, he heard some faint giggling from the main room. It was no surprise that Shaun and Ben were back, probably going to try and sneak in a 'quickie' before heading off. The tents in their tight-fitting shorts was evidence to that.

It wasn't just sex and lust that drove them however. The way Ben looked at Shaun... he adored him. They shared a bond that friendship could never reach. When their lips met, it was like watching the moment in movies where star-crossed lovers finally came together and shared their first kiss. The way they held each other, it was like no one else in the world mattered and even as Aiden stood there, with the door wide open, watching them both, neither of them took notice of him. Like many of the movies and romance novels that Aiden kept secreted in a locked box underneath his bed, these two seemed like the lovers who had triumphed over adversity.

He decided that was what he wanted. Not necessarily with a guy but with anyone who would lavish him with attention, who would devote themselves to him and never let go. Someone who would applaud him for just being himself, who would not just tolerate his quirks but accept them and who would hold him when he felt cold at night. At the same time, he wanted to give the same. After singing of so many loves lost and hopes for that fairy tale ending, he became painfully aware of the lack of love in his life.

Quietly, he shut his door with a faint click and headed towards his window. The fire escape was probably Ashley's route of exit. Thinking of her again put him in a strange crossroads. Behind him was his best friend experiencing that beautiful union of two hearts against impossible circumstances. In front of him was the escape of a cold, heartless bitch that had just had sex with him for no other reason than spite.

Fists clenched, Aiden turned around and stepped out of his room through the main segment of the apartment. Shaun's door just shut at that moment and he was filled with a moment of relief of not having to stutter some sort of half-assed apology. He glanced down at his pants and rolled his eyes at the still flaccid cock that rested within his underwear.

"Still straight." His eyes went to Shaun's door when a faint bang filled his ears. "Still alone..."

He left the apartment as quietly as possible, unable to brush the smile on his features. There was no denying he was jealous of Shaun for finding that level of love but he was also very happy for his friend. After suffering for so long, he deserved happiness.

As he headed for the stairs, the door next to their opened. That tall cop that served as their neighbour stepped out, looking a little surprised to see him. It was surprising that this athletic man was Ben's father. He could definitely see the resemblance in the strong, masculine jaw but the father was much taller. There was a certain dignified look to him with the light dusting of grey in the dark spikes of his hair.

"Oh hey," the man said, "You must be Shaun's roommate." He held out his hand. "I guess I'm your neighbour. Name's David."

"Shaun mentioned you," Aiden answered with a soft grunt, shaking David's hand. The cop's grip was very firm but Aiden wasn't about to let his hand get crushed. "Aiden. Aiden Walker."

"Please. Where you off to, Aiden?"

"Just a walk," he answered, releasing David's hand. He was half-tempted to wipe his hand furiously against his pants. It was a weird contradiction with him. He didn't mind that Shaun was gay or that his best friend was having sex with another man back in their apartment. But shaking the hand of this man that set off the red alerts in his gaydar just made his skin crawl.

David shook the empty milk carton in his hands. "Off to get some milk."

Aiden chuckled. "Yeah. Shaun mentioned that he and Ben had a lot of that. I probably should take some of what they have. What brand do you get for them?"

There was a strange glint in David's eye as he said, "All natural. I'm just heading over to the corner store. Why don't you come along on your walk?"

With nothing else better to do, Aiden shrugged and said, "Sure. Why not?"

Despite his agreement, he kept a good distance between himself and David. He hated himself for treating the cheery cop in such a way. David seemed like a caring father and a good guy but Aiden was just... wary. There was this ingrained idea in the back of his head that being gay was contagious and if he hung around homosexuals, he'd end up being one too by contact or worse - sex. He couldn't understand why he could be repulsed by David yet be accepting of Shaun.

As they headed out of the apartment complex, Aiden was blasted with a sudden cold wind. It seemed that the momentary showing of the sun was just the universe taunting them. Another storm was brewing. Thunder was already booming softly in the distance and dark storm clouds were quickly rushing towards the city.

"So you and Shaun have been best buds since you were in middle school, huh?" David asked.

"Since we joined the football team together, yeah."

"I used to play ball myself. Had to quit in my senior year though."

Curious, Aiden asked, "Why?"

"Well... It's not so much as 'quit'," David answered with a faint wince. "More like I was booted out. I got my girlfriend pregnant." He sighed heavily and swung the empty milk carton into the dumpster between their building and the next. "I lost out on a lot of experiences growing up. Everything suddenly became about my wife and my son. The funny thing is, we both went into it knowing what we were in for but when the consequences came rushing towards us, all the blame fell on me."

An experience Aiden knew all too well especially at how close he had come to such a situation. Word would get out that Ashley had slept with him but it wouldn't be interpreted that way. The act would be pinned solely on him. He'd be made as the predatory and her the victim.

Wait...

His heart suddenly seized up and he froze mid-step.

Was that her plan? Would she tell everyone that she had come running to Shaun in an attempt reconcile maybe even get back together? And then came Aiden, seeing a vulnerable pussy to fuck and did here there and then?

"Aiden?" David asked. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't want to spill his guts to David not when his son was dating Aiden's roommate. "How'd you deal with it? With all the blame?"

David shrugged absently. "As best as I could. I endured. Tried to get an education, find a job to support my son and my wife. Didn't get far but it was enough to support for them all." He smiled faintly. "I'm still trying to catch up on all the experiences that I missed out on but the last few days of freedom has really made me realise just how much I could have had if not for that one mistake."

Only more nails in Aiden's coffin. He was pretty sure he used protection last night so he wasn't about to get Ashley pregnant but she would still use their 'affair' against him. Suddenly, all the ammunition he had against her went down the drain and he was once again in her power.

"What's it like?" Aiden choked. "I mean, being stuck like that?"

"Terrible. It's like seeing each day like it's been greyed out. Everything seemed dull, lifeless. Everything I did, it just didn't seem enough and whenever I looked at my hands, I'd see all the accusing faces of everyone who didn't see the true story. Eventually, I just stopped fighting and I lost hope. But whenever I looked at my son... he was one of the only bits of colour in my life; the only person who seemed real. And now that I have the chance, I'm taking it."

"Not even your wife?"

David laughed softly as they reached the corner store. "Son, I loved my wife then but she made the same mistake as me yet I took the blame for both our sins. That kind of makes you a little bitter. I think she thought the same or at least along the same lines. I've divorced her."

Lucky for him. Aiden couldn't divorce Ashley and it seemed that the only solution David had was to start again fresh in a new city. Was that the only option for him? To move to some other place, leave all his friends and family and start again? What if Ashley came knocking at his door ten years down the line with a kid in her arms?

"You look sick, son," David said, grasping Aiden's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Aiden instinctively pulled away and rammed into the guy leaving the store. "Sorry!" he exclaimed both to David and the stranger.

"No problem," the man answered, reaching down and picking up his sunglasses from the ground. "Excuse me a moment." He pulled his phone back to his ear. "I'm still here and I am still royally pissed."

Aiden took a step back away from David. "You seem like a nice guy and all but... Sorry, I just got to go." He felt terrible for leaving it at that and he was pretty darn sure David knew exactly why he was rushing off in such a hurried pace.

He was glad David didn't try and stop him. He wasn't sure what he'd say or do if he asked to explain.

The storm immediately started the moment he was a block away from the corner store. It came down hard and he thought about doubling back and heading back home but he just could not stand to be in that building with David and the looming threat of Ashley's call over his head.

Glad he had left his phone back at the apartment, Aiden trudged through the pouring rain and sought some form of shelter. Ducking between the alleys of the buildings was not a good idea as he had no idea who was lurking in the shadows. The park nearby had a gazebo and he thought he could definitely get out of the rain there.

As he bolted across the street, he couldn't help but laugh. Maybe he could use the fact that he was drenched to avoid that dinner with Shaun and Ben. He just couldn't bear to be around those two. He had effectively run away from Ben's dad for being gay and he was pretty sure Shaun would get a call from Ashley any moment now about how Aiden had taken advantage of her weakened state.

Maybe he needed to grab a steel wool sponge and just scrub himself raw. That would work, right? If he didn't scrub the unclean feeling from crawling underneath his skin, he would at least be dead.

Or maybe he could catch some spontaneous deadly disease in the rain?

Aiden ducked and weaved through the pathways of the park, desperately making for the gazebo at its centre. He was a little disappointed to see someone already sitting there and considered turning tail and just finding a ditch to crawl under and hopefully die. Then there was a flash of lightning and the rain intensified, tiny bullets of water peppering him hard enough to almost force him to his feet.

"Fuck it," he grumbled and stormed for the gazebo.

He was a little surprised to find that the guy he had knocked over was standing with his back to him, gazing out into the storm. At his feet lay a rather expensive phone that looked like it had been crushed by a brick.

Hoping to avoid conversation, Aiden quietly snuck underneath the cover, grateful for the respite from the rain. His left foot pressed against a noisy, creaky plank. The guy glanced over his shoulder.

"Hell of a storm, huh?"

Aiden just grunted and stood near the centre of the gazebo, avoiding the pellets of water that seemed to come from every direction.

"Someone must be angry," the guy laughed softly.

"Weren't you angry at someone an hour or so ago?" Aiden asked, not really knowing why he broke his characteristic silence.

Again the man laughed, his voice youthful and bright. "I guess that's true. But being angry doesn't help anyone. Go ahead and smash something but after that, move on." He pointed at his phone. "Case in point."

"That was a pretty expensive phone."

The guy said something but it was a soft whisper. Aiden thought it sounded like, "Not as expensive as the lives of many." Before he could ask what was said, the guy turned towards him and held out a hand. "By the way, my name is Jacob. Yours?"

Aiden shook Jacob's hand and got that twinge of repulsion but it was somehow... repressed and confused. Maybe he was bi? "Aiden. Aiden Walker."

"Nice to meet you, Aiden Walker." Jacob, still with silver sunglasses over his eyes, strode towards the edge of the gazebo, avoiding the direction of the rain. Aiden followed him. "So what misfortune sent you skittering under this rickety piece of architecture in this terrible storm?"

Aiden held up his hands. "I'm going to stop you right there, Jake." Jacob winced. "What?"

"Just 'Jacob', please. That nickname is reserved."

Weird guy. "Fine. Just don't go getting to know me, alright, Jacob? Chances are, I'm probably not going to meet you again and you don't know me. I don't want some stranger's input on the intricacies of my life."

Jacob shrugged absently. "Then maybe what you need isn't someone to offer advice but someone to listen." He leaned forward and pointed an accusing finger at Aiden. "My guess is that you're the silent type. So silent, in fact, that you can't even listen to yourself." He then broke into a grin and leaned back. "Whoops, there I go, offering unsolicited advice. Tell you what? I'm just going to sit there, passing the time talking to myself. If anything I say happens to coincide with your problems, feel free to chime in. Hell, if you want to chime in on any one, feel free."

Aiden rolled his eyes and gave a faint grunt. "Suit yourself."

Leaning back, Jacob crossed his arms behind his head and said, "Ever had the feeling of being accepted into a clique but the entire purpose of said clique is to alienate everyone and everything around you? I can't count the number of times I've served this 'Goth' or that 'cool loner'. And I don't serve in that way. I'm a waiter.

"Anyway, Their entire lives are built around being 'special' but their brand of special is 'especially alone'. It's like making your entire life built entirely around arguing for the sake of arguing. The majority will not like you and even those you relate to you will argue with you. Relationships will be tenuous at best; a shaky platform where one will never truly be comfortable because you'll constantly wonder which argument will be that one that will break your world apart."

That was a miserable existence to be sure. Aiden couldn't imagine what it would be like to build his world around being alone. He enjoyed Shaun's company. Yes they argued occasionally and yes they disagreed on some things but those things that they did agree on were what made their relationship so strong.

"The way I figure it," Jacob said, lifting two fingers into the air. "There are two ways to solve that: clone yourself or open yourself up and learn to stop looking at the world like it's a giant puzzle. Pieces fit together. The 'Why' doesn't matter. You can figure that out later."

Shrugging, Jacob said, "Anyway, that's getting way too philosophical. Let's go for something nice and easy." He made a slicing motion through the air. "Direction. That's what this world needs. Too often, people are given so many choices that they just can't decide what to do and which path to take. Sometimes, they are torn because something is holding them back or someone has them trapped. Other times, they're too busy mulling over what could have been that they fail to see what is right in front of them and refuse to seize the moment. Carpe diem, right?"

"... right..." Aiden murmured softly.

"I met this cute couple at work the other day. They were asking me whether or not change is good or bad. I told them that it doesn't matter. It's what you make of the change. The world is ever-changing, people are constantly changing. We can't do anything about that. More than once, I'm willing to bet people want to stop time." Jacob chuckled, bearing a bright grin. "I remember reading so many books where a couple meets and they hold each other, wishing that time will stop and that moment will never end. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"Why not?" Aiden asked. "Isn't that the dream? To live happily ever after?"

"Even happiness gets boring at one time or another," answered the stranger. "Look at it this way: you raise a child with one simple directive, do not press this button. He'll spend the first few years of his life obeying because of your authority over him but eventually, what is he going to do? "

"Press the button?"

"Exactly! Same thing with happily ever after. The prince and princess live happily for... Maybe two or three years. All they know is happiness. Then they get bored. What do they do? They have a kid. They're even happier and they never want the moment to end. Some magic fairy comes in and grants their wish. Their child is perpetually a toddler and nothing will ever change for them.

"Except a couple of years down the track, still happy... they end up getting bored. So, for shits and giggles they kill their baby. Still happy. What happens next? They eat the baby. Eventually, out of sheer boredom and curiosity for the unknown, they commit suicide and return as insane ghosts driving any who happen upon their perpetually blissful castle into a state of euphoria that leads to the same boredom they experienced before killing themselves."

Aiden reeled away from the stranger. "That's... That's some psychotic fairy tale."

He wasn't sure why, but the way that smile sat on Jacob's face just told him it was far from a fairy tale.

"Point is, change happens all the time. You just have to roll with the punches. Whether it's good, bad or something in between, resisting the changes will only lead to difficulties. The change isn't painful. Resistance is. You just have to choose whether or not the change is worth resisting or not."

Aiden had a flash of insight but he couldn't quite grasp it just yet. Shakily, he said, "I have this friend... He... He has another friend that just recently came out of the closet."

Jacob inclined his head to the side. "How long has he been living in said closet? Or was this some deranged form of hide-and-seek."

"It's a metaphorical closet."

"Oh!" The grin on Jacob's face indicated he was just toying with Aiden. "Go on."

"If... Say... the first friend is kind of... disgusted at gays but... then having his best friend show that much courage... It changed something in him. Opened his mind... But he just can't let go of what he knew... It's safe, comforting. What would your advice be for that change?"

Jacob raised his hands in a helpless shrug. "Well, I would say to this friend of yours that keeps a stash of cheesy romance novels and movies underneath his bed -"

"I never said he had a stash like that."

The enigmatic smile on the stranger remained. "Well, does he?"

Aiden felt a blush on his cheek as he gave a shaky nod.

"My advice," Jacob continued, "is to make the change your own. Go with the change or stay with your old ways, it doesn't matter. Something has changed and it's already happened. Minds have been opened but now he's obviously at a crossroads. I don't think anyone will fault him from sticking with what he knows but you can be sure people will applaud him for supporting his friend."

"I - I mean, he should go gay?"

The stranger looked surprised. "I never said that. I'm saying that if he wanted to be the straight friend of the gay guy, people will be fine with that. To each their own, after all. One person doesn't have the right to force change upon another unless they ask or are willing. Which is incidentally why I was mad earlier." Jacob chuckled and waved his hand absently away. "But you don't have to worry about that."

Jacob took off his sunglasses. Aiden's breath got caught in his throat at the sight of those startling sapphire-blue eyes. "Tell me, Aiden Walker, your friend... what does he want?"

"A motorbike."

Jacob's laugh was brightening that seemed to dull the rage of the storm. "Clever. I like that. But seriously speaking, what does he want out of his life. What's the endgame? The finish?"

Aiden lowered his gaze and found himself admitting his deepest desires to this stranger. "Love... I guess. He wants someone to hold him just like the way his friend found someone. Someone who will love him for who he is and not the mask he puts on every day just to fit in."

Tapping his chin, Jacob said, "As I've said before, I think your friend has already undergone a great change. He's just a little to hung up on what caused the change to realise it. The question you should ask him is: are you willing to take the chance to reach that finish line or stay at the same square you are now knowing it won't lead you anywhere?"

Aiden realised he wasn't breathing and took a gasp of air. He was unable to keep hold of Jacob's intense stare and looked away.

All too well he realised he was stuck on the same square. He had played the impassive observer for far too long while everyone around him moved on and evolved. Shaun had become stronger, struck out on his own and managed to break up with Ashley. Even David had taken the step to better himself and seek out the opportunities he had missed when he had been stuck in limbo for so long.

Now... Now it was his turn.

"Good advice?" Jacob asked.

"Very good advice," Aiden answered, giving him a grin. "Thanks. I'm sure he appreciates it."

Jacob leaned back, and nodded. "I'm sure he does."

Taking a deep breath, Aiden said, "Say... Are you free later?"

The strange laughed and stood up, Aiden's heart sinking as he did so. "Sorry. You're cute but sadly, I'm waiting for someone. And just as with the advice I've given your friend, I'm not sitting around until they order. I'm doing something." He turned his back and waved at Aiden as he headed off into the rain. "See you later, Aiden."

"Wait!" Aiden exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

Jacob stopped just at the edge of the gazebo.

He wasn't sure what he wanted to ask... but it came out as... "Who are you...?"

Jacob swiped the phone off the ground and slipped his glasses back on. "Take a guess."

His guess...?

"Are you God?"

Again, Jacob laughed and stepped out into the rain, turning around to face Aiden with his arms spread out wide. "If I was God, don't you think I'd just snap my fingers and make it stop raining?" He was absolutely soaked to the bone but he was grinning all the way. "I'm just a stranger passing by, kid, lending a hand where I can."

Suddenly, his phone lit up and buzzed.

"Ah! Would you look at that! The big guy seems to have a sense of humour!" He jabbed a finger up into the air and turned around, placing the phone to his ear. "Yes, I've cooled off quiet well, thank you. Now let's talk."

Aiden felt his heart leap to his chest and before he knew what he was doing, he was bolting out of the gazebo and back towards the apartment. Heart pounding hard against his chest the entire way, he was barely even away of the rain stinging his eyes or the lightning crashing somewhere in the distance. Once he reached home, he fumbled for his keys and - dripping wet - hurried up the steps.

He burst through his door...

"Shaun! Ben!"

He wasn't really sure what he would say... Or what he'd start off with.

'I slept with Ashley.'

'I love you guys. Like brothers. Not in that way.'

'Ashley seduced me last night. I'm sorry.'

'I fucking love you guys'

He didn't know and care. All he knew was that there was a reason he chose to walk through the apartment instead of leaping out of the fire escape. He wasn't going to run anymore. No more hiding underneath a mask, no more shoving his sappy romance novels underneath his bed or blaring hard rock music so that no one would hear him practicing.

He was Aiden Walker. No one else.

He reached Shaun's bedroom door and knocked loudly. "Shaun! Shaun, are you in there?"

He gave it another hard knock and tried the door.

What hit him was the awful smell of wild sex and the musky odour of man on man action. He was almost knocked back on his ass from the stench. However, he could not help but laugh at the scene in front of him. Cum was simply everywhere. How many times those two had done it while he was away he couldn't guess but the floorboards had large, sticky, white puddles and the ceiling was dripping with semen too.

"Shit..." he laughed and dared to venture into the room. The beddings looked like someone was slumbering beneath the sheets and with the presence of Shaun and possibly Ben's shoes at the foot, he guessed they were passed out from all the sex. Waiting for them to wake up was the polite thing to do but he had to get this off his chest now.

"Shaun," he whispered softly. "Shaun, we need to talk."

He stepped towards the bed, taking delicate steps as to avoid the puddles of cum. "Shaun... Wake up, man."

Aiden seized the sheets gently and pulled them down. He frowned when he only saw a loose arrangement of pillows and sheets.

"Huh... Guess he's not here."

That didn't matter.

He had made his choice.

Aiden made to turn to leave, maybe watch some TV or better yet, practice is guitar out in the open and wait for his date with Ben and Shaun later on. He checked his watch and noticed that it was already four. He had an hour before it was time to head off but Shaun liked being early so maybe just half an hour before they arrived.

Unfortunately, with his eyes on his soaked watch, he wasn't paying attention. His left foot landed on a large pile of cum. With his sneakers dripping wet from all the rain, he lost all traction and found the world taking an otherworldly turn as he topped forward. His eyes went from his watch to another pool of man juices quickly hurtling towards his face.

"Shit!" he managed to cry before -

Splat!

Aiden got a mouthful of salty semen and recoiled. As he tried to get up, his hands landed in another pool and he just slipped further into the spunk already in his face. He gagged. A mistake as a mouthful of Shaun or Ben's cum slipped down his throat. The salty taste made him choke and he rolled onto his back coughing and spluttering.

"Gross..." he muttered.

He steadied himself and slowly propped himself up on his hands and knees. Sticking out his tongue and smacking his lips lightly, he regarded his sticky hands and shook his head. "Not bad but too much too soon," he admitted to himself. He was a romance kind of guy. It was his firm belief that there didn't need to be sex on the first date.

That said, he wiped the cum off on his soaking jacket. Unfortunately, it seemed that the sticky man juices was a little stubborn and refused to rub off in one swipe. Aiden ran his hands over his jacket a couple more times. Still no effect.

"Tell me this isn't glue. That'd just be weird."

It wasn't. But it was hardening. Aiden was a little stunned for a moment as he watched the drops of semen on his hand seem to spread across his palms and solidify. When he tried to move his fingers, he found them frozen, completely encased in the embrace of... whatever it was.

That's when the panic set in.

"Holy shit!" he cried and desperately tried to wipe the cum off with his other hand. Too late did he realise that he had just spread it more across his body. A pang of fear shot through his body, originating from his heart as the spreading fluids hardened around both his hands and rapidly spread across his forearms. A glance down at his chest revealed the cum spreading from where he had wiped it against his chest, solidifying over his jacket and quickly making every breath heavier than the last.

Aiden tried to leap to his feet but his legs were unresponsive. Like some alien, goo desperately trying to consume him, the cum on the floor seeped up his calves and feet, pinning him to the ground. An itch on his cheek made him realise that he was about ten seconds from having his head encased and possibly suffocating.

"Help!" he cried. "Someone! Fuck! Someone help! Shaun! Ben! Anyone!"

But his cried went unheard and were quickly muffled as the fluids closed in around his eyes, blocking out all light and making his head feel heavy. His arms and chest felt like someone had attached a hundred pound weights to them and he lurched forward, screaming all the way as he dropped to his hands and knees, feeling every muscle in his body freeze up as he became encased in the cocoon.

He thought it was the end when he felt the last of freedom taken away by hardening fluids. It was only a matter of time before he suffocated. With breath held, he felt his heartbeat throbbing in both his chest and ears, fear driving it at a rapid pace. He wasn't sure if he was crying or not but he was both afraid and sad that he had come to such a great realisation only to never share it with anyone.

If three minutes passed, he wasn't sure but his lungs burned for air and all he could do was gasp. His lips were frozen in a silent scream but somehow, he still managed to suck in a lungful of air. Relief washed over him. The fear did not abate but now, he became aware of another, alien sensation.

His cock was hard.

He never got to question how or why he was hard. An odd, alien sensation of his flesh bubbling beneath the cocoon filled every muscle in his body. It was like his skin was boiling and every time the muscles bulged out, he felt a wash of relief and pleasure like he was breaking free and stretching limbs that had lain stiff for too long. A deep growl rose from his throat as the sensations bubbled all over his body. Mixed with the flash of fear and confusion, he couldn't grasp any rational thought and became lost in the roiling mounds of his body.

Muffled grunts escaped his throat. Aiden found himself trying to thrust his hips. Each attempt seemed to gain more and more leeway and he heard the cocoon start to crack and break around him. That growl grew louder as he became more bestial, desiring nothing but getting off. The frame of the membrane began to tighten around his head, particularly around his lips and nose. He began desperately trying to shake his head and break free of the trap. He felt a sudden surge of strength bolt through his arms, the bubbling suddenly coming to a halt. Something in his brain told him his arms were free now and he attempted to move them.

A loud crack filled his ears and he felt the cool air of the night against his flesh... though the sensation felt weird. It was like there were tiny prickling sensations all over his arm. He reached for his head and tore the cocoon free of his face, letting out a relieved gasp that sounded more like a monstrous roar. He gasped, clutching his throat...

Then came the even weirder sensation. He glanced down at his hands... now enormous paws. Pink leathery pads dotted his palms while white fur surrounded them. Occasionally, the white was broken by long, black stripes that rolled all over his thick arms. Before he could give a cry,the immeasurable lust came crashing back and he thrust his hips again. His spine cracked loudly and he managed to pull out of the cocoon a little.

"Fuck..." he growled and became aware of the odd shape of his mouth. He didn't care about that at the moment as he became consumed by only two thoughts: freeing himself and cumming. He planted his paws on the floor, digging his claws into the floorboards to gain some traction despite the cum.

Aiden tried to pull himself out of the cocoon, letting out a roar as his spine lout out even more loud cracks. But he felt more of his torso pulling out of the cocoon and that gave him a rush of adrenaline. With another cry, he jerked himself forward, feeling one of his thighs brushing up against the shell that just barely looked like his torso and lower body. With a grin, he gave one more push and broke the upper torso. His legs broke free, landing on their knees just in front of the cocoon.

But there was something missing.

His cock was not sitting in between his legs. For a moment, a flash of fear coursed through him but that was quickly overcome by all too familiar need of his cock needing release. A quick glance over his back and he saw his body extending even further than his legs. Some part of him was still stuck in the cocoon and that was where the sensation of pleasure was originating.

A deep moan ripped through his throat as he shakily propped himself up on his feet and gave one, last, mighty tug.

Crrrack!

The cocoon shattered entirely and Aiden felt a rush of relief. He tried to stand but found it difficult to move the lower part of his body. A glance over his shoulder made him wince.

Where there were once two legs, now there were four. Where there had been smooth, pink skin, now there was white, striped fur. And where there had been no tail... now there was a tail.

"What the fuck!?" he cried.

Then came the question of what was up with his face... again.

He turned towards Aiden's bedroom mirror... and found a white tiger's horrified face staring back at him.

"Shit!"

At that moment, the door sprang open with a slam.

Wide-eyed and with mouths hanging open, Shaun and Ben stood at the doorway.

Aiden had to act quick. He didn't to be dragged off to some experimental laboratory to be dissected! "Guys! Wait! It's me! Aiden!"

Shaun stared at him for a few short moments... then turned towards Ben. "You don't think...?"

"Your cum...?" Ben answered. "It can't be... When I fucked you that night, I already had the ability to make people grow with my cum... You didn't grow! And we fucked multiple times that night!"

"Maybe the abilities don't transfer over immediately? I mean, when you lost to your dad the first time, I was attracted to you because of the way you smell... your pheromones? But you had two abilities at that point. I only have one and lost once..."

Aiden shook his head, horrified that his best friend wasn't freaking out and confused at the conversation. "For fuck's sake, guys! I'm a fuckin' tiger-taur! Help me!"

Shaun entered the room, waving his hands for Aiden to calm down. "Easy there, big guy. It wears off after twenty-four hours."

"What!? You knew about this?"

Again, the Shaun exchanged glances with Ben.

"Aiden... You might want to sit down."

*****

After spending about ten minutes trying to figure out how to sit down, Aiden had managed to calm down long enough for Shaun and Ben to explain the mechanics of this so called 'Game'. He still found it somewhat hard to believe that his best friend had been transforming into a tiger-taur and having wild animal sex with his werewolf boyfriend just next door. Admittedly, he was blaring heavy metal over his speakers and ducking out as much as he could so he had himself to blame.

"We just didn't want you getting pulled into the Game," Ben said apologetically. "We've never tried not playing the Game but we don't want to know what happens if we don't. It's pretty darn scary as is."

"Ya think?" Aiden muttered, regarding his now alien body. "You're sure that I'll turn back overnight?"

Shaun reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "In twenty-four hours, yes."

"This is all kinds of messed up," Aiden sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "God... So one of your friends cums out slaves, your" - he pointed at Ben - "dad becomes a multi-cocked horse and every time you play the Game, you change more and more?"

"That's the gist of it," Ben answered with a shrug. He wrapped an arm around Shaun's waist and pulled him closer. "But it's not all bad. The Game did bring us together. Plus, even I have to admit the changes did feel good after you stopped fighting it."

It was funny. Jacob said something that rang truthfully in Aiden's ears.

'Change isn't painful. Resistance is.'

Aiden looked at Ben and Shaun; just saw how they fit together. Two pieces of a puzzle that just fit. The 'why' didn't matter. They just did. He wanted that.

"Count me in."

The two gave him a startled look.

"Um... Bud, are you sure?"

Aiden smiled. At least he thought he smiled. He was still getting used to having a tiger's muzzle. "I'm sure. What you two have, I want that too. And I'm willing to try anything."

Shaun's eyebrows rose sceptically. "Did I mention that currently, all the players are guys and that all of the changes just involve guy-related things? There's no 'extra vagina' in there."

Taking a deep breath, Aiden braced himself for what he was about to say. "Shaun... I think I like guys too..."

There, both Ben and Shaun shared a laugh, only making Aiden blush beneath his white fur.

"You're kidding, right?" Ben asked. "In the short time I've met you and in what Shaun has told me, you're as straight as they come! How many girls have you banged?"

"How many of them have become my girlfriend?" countered Aiden softly. "It was just another mask I put up to hide who I was except... I think this time, I convinced myself so much of the lie that I ended up believing it." He gave Shaun a wry smile. "I mean, come on... I've got acute gaydar and I knew you were gay even before you split from your parents. Despite that, I still wanted to move in with you.

"Maybe it was because one day, I hoped being around you would make me more comfortable about who I was. Or maybe..." Aiden blushed even deeply. "... shit... Okay... Okay..." He took a few deep breaths.

"Are you alright?" Shaun asked, gripping Aiden's massive paw.

The contact was warming and gentle but filled with so much strength and bravery that it just seemed to travel from Shaun's arms and seep into Aiden's fur, bleeding into his heart. Old feelings that he had long buried came rising back up and his cock began to stir in its sheath.

"Promise you won't get mad when I admit this..." he begged.

"Promise."

Aiden took another deep breath. Then he glanced over at Ben. "Promise you won't kill me?"

"Just say it," Ben said, a smile crawling onto his features.

"Alright... Alright..." Aiden took several more breaths. "Maybe... maybe... after seeing you take so many steps out of the closet... I was hoping you'd take me with you... And by that... I mean maybe... you'd be willing to... I don't know... experiment...?"

And thus the source of his idea that homosexuality was contagious.

Somewhere deep in him, he had convinced himself that the only way to come out of the deep, dark closet was to have sex with a man. He was so scared of the world outside that when he saw Shaun take a step out, he felt only one person could save him too. Some part of him was so invested in that concept that he wanted to avoid contact with anything even remotely related to being gay except if it was from Shaun.

Thus... he was comfortable being around Shaun... but no one else.

But it was time to brush away that illusion.

And step out of the closet using his own two... four feet.

Shaun exchanged one more glance with Ben who gave a helpless shrug followed by confirming nod.

Aiden thought he knew what that meant but only when Shaun leaned over and pressed their lips together were his thoughts brought to reality. His cock became incredibly hard in that instant, dripping precum like a faucet all over the floorboards. His rear, left foot began tapping the floor excitedly and he couldn't help but feel a smile crawl onto his features.

When they pulled away, Shaun asked, "How was that?"

Aiden pretended to mull it over, rolling his tongue in his cheek like he was trying to discern the taste of Shaun. "Hmmm... not bad. Not exactly what I thought it would be but -"

Wham!

He was suddenly knocked to the floor by a tank. A now naked Ben grinned at him wildly, his immense 16 inch cock slapping against Aiden's flanks.

"Let's try this then," Ben suggested. He reached down between Aiden's legs and squeezed the rock-hard cock there. Aiden's eyes rolled into the back of his head, letting out a purr of pleasure, toes curling in delight.

He heard Shaun say, "I've got point. You take the rear."

Aiden had an inkling he knew exactly what that meant but just let himself get lost in the moment. His muzzle was once again filled with Shaun's tongue and tentatively brushed his coarse tongue against the invader. He instinctively tilted his head to the left while Shaun twisted to the right. His paws reached out behind his best friend, pulling Shaun's hot, muscular body against his. Washboard abs pressed up against his defined stomach. Their pecs brushed against one another, hardened nipples touching even through the fabric of Shaun's shirt, sending trickles of ecstatic electricity through their bodies.

Aiden's front legs curled around Shaun's while one of his friend's hands rubbed his back, travelling across the mountains of muscle and tracing a line down his spine. The other hand curled around Aiden's neck, pulling them deeper into a kiss. Aiden became all too aware of Shaun's cock tenting up against his pants. Acting purely on instinct, he worked to unbuckle his friend's belt but the new paws were too large and clumsy. Too eager for that cock that he had fantasised about in and out over the years, he used his claws and tore at Shaun's pants, tearing them away with a loud, feral growl.

"You're really getting the hang of this," Shaun chuckled as they pulled away.

"Shut up and give me that cock," Aiden growled, seizing Shaun's dick and making his friend gasp. The look of his friend in ecstasy spurred him on all the more. He easily tore at Shaun's shirt, revealing the huge, ripped chest that he drooled over since they had met. Watching all those muscles grow and develop over the years had made him yearn for it more and more. It now seemed so stupid that he had repressed all those thoughts and twisted them into something strange and completely alien.

He leaned towards Shaun's dick, taking a deep breath of that musky scent. A tingle ran down his spine as he drew close to that hot prick. His eyes caught sight of those washboard abs, however, and his desire for meat was replaced by a desire for pure, masculine muscle. He dove towards Shaun's stomach, running his tongue over every curve and sliding it between each perfectly cut square of muscle. Shaun shuddered underneath his grip.

Then there came a quick, sharp pang of pain from behind. He let out a faint snarl. The pain was quickly replaced by the easing warmth of hot, man meat buried inside of him. Every throb of Ben's cock was like a soothing caress, easing away the pain and replacing it with pleasure. He found himself loving that sensation and pushed himself down onto Ben's dick. Added to the pleasure was the feeling of Ben's hand squeezing his dick and stroking it, adding a double sensation that emanated from his rear.

Letting a feral grin cross his features, Aiden reached up and let his tongue travel upwards over the abdominal hills to the pectoral muscles. He explored the valley between each pec, lathering it with saliva before he traced a dancing route over to Shaun's left nipple, planting his lips gently over the hard mound and suckling tenderly, making sure to avoid using his fangs. Shaun quivered.

Aiden felt Ben start to pump deep into his ass, spurning him on and on. He was on the verge of giving completely into the lust but he wanted to taste and feel more of Shaun's body first. He hurriedly ran his tongue over to Shaun's thick shoulders and biceps, tracing the lines of veins that crisscrossed those beautiful arms as Shaun flexed them. In his wildest dreams, he could never believe this was actually happening.

"Fuck..." he gasped and knew he was going to lose himself fairly soon.

He quickly brushed his lips against Shaun's before diving straight for his friend's cock. He paused a moment, not sure what to do but then Ben gave a particularly hard thrust and Aiden was gone. All that was left was an animal of pure desire.

He shoved the cock deep into his throat, enjoying the feeling of that hot, throbbing meat brushing against the back of his throat and squirting precum all the way down into his stomach. Shaun began thrusting into him and he only wished to have everything - absolutely everything - about his friend inside of him.

Both of the men impaling him on their dicks began emitting wild, guttural growls and their thrusts became just as vicious. Aiden found his world completely shaken and he wasn't even thinking about clinging on for dear life. He was just along for the ride and it was one filled with the white waters of pleasure.

Shaun gripped the back of his head, each thrust growing more and more feverish, his grunts rising in tempo and tune. Behind him, Ben was jackhammering him, hand still on his cock. Aiden could barely hold on and he just wanted release. He was on the precipice when Shaun suddenly jammed his cock deep into his throat, letting out a loud, pleasurable cry.

Hot spunk flooded into the back of Aiden's throat, momentarily shocking him. His eyes went wide. Gagging slightly, he tried to pull away but Shaun pulled him even closer, forcing him to swallow. His body shivered at the feeling of his best friend's seed slipping down his throat and into his stomach.

Aiden's eyes fluttered as his body suddenly went into a quick spasm. His entire rear shook and seized up. His cock jerked violently in Ben's hand, spraying his cum all over the floor. Aiden instinctively shook his rear and twisted his body like a rolling wave of pleasure that rippled out from his cock and ended in the dizzying pleasure in his head.

Behind him Ben let out a thunderous roar and jammed his cock deep into him. Aiden slumped against the ground as he felt Ben's jizz seep into him, warming him from the inside even in the chilly night. As if sensing his cold, Shaun pulled his cock out of Aiden's mouth and wrapped his arms around his best friend. Ben curled his legs around Aiden's rear limbs and rested his head along Aiden's long back.

"Fuck... fuckity-fuck..." Aiden gasped, licking his lips for all traces of Shaun's cum.

"Good?" Shaun asked.

"Fucking good..."

Shaun peered over Aiden's shoulder at his mate, grinning broadly. "You can tell he enjoys it when he says 'fuck' a lot."

"Fuck yeah," Aiden muttered, nuzzling Shaun. "I -"

Suddenly, it felt like his rear legs were on fire. A gasp escaped him and when he turned his head, he watched as thick, purple veins pulsed past his white fur and rapidly spread all over his body. Every muscle in his body went stiff for one moment before suddenly exploding with an overwhelming sense of relief. His calves felt like they had lava injected into them, bloating them before the cold air cooled them and solidified them to double their size. His thighs pressed out through all the fat and became hard and ripped. Even his glutes bulged out, gaining that beautiful, bubble shape. Ben gasped as the new, tense muscle squeezed hard on his cock, squirting more of that cum that seemed to fuel the growth even more.

Aiden clutched Shaun harder as he felt the burning sensation seep over his back, broadening his shoulders and widening his lats, making that 'V' shape even more defined. His front legs grew huge, squeezing against Shaun's. His torso shook with every breath. The fire cooled and reignited every time his chest rose and fell. Each time it cooled, more and more definition was added to every muscle. His abs finally pushed out past the layer of fat, rubbing against Shaun's like two friends finally meeting each other after a long moment of parting. His chest puffed out, pushing Shaun a little more away from him as his pecs grew hard and strong. Each bicep seized up, making him let go of his best friend for a moment and his fingers twitch as every muscle inflated, hardened and pulsed with new mass.

Aiden felt light headed as all the blood went to his new muscles. He collapsed, gasping and panting.

"Guess my cum can make you grow muscle..." Ben chuckled tiredly. "You okay there, Aiden?"

Aiden could only emit a soft purr and bucked his hips.

Ben realised that his hand was still on Aiden's hard cock. "Ha... Ready for another round there, big guy?"

Aiden... Aiden just let out another purr.

*****

Aiden slipped on a shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. After spending the past twenty-four hours as a tiger-taur constantly being pumped with muscle-growing semen by Ben, it felt strange being back to a human and to his normal self. Sure he had a little more muscle but when he reverted back, most of his added muscle went with it.

He was a little disappointed but he was also looking forward to what would come next.

He smiled at his reflect.

For the first time, the Aiden that smiled back was the real Aiden. Not some shadow that was under Ashley's thumb or some stranger wearing a mask. It really was Aiden Walker this time around.

He slapped his cheeks lightly.

"Alright!" he said. "Now for the next step. Time to find my guy!"

He turned happily of his heel and marched out of his room where Ben and Shaun were waiting. They smiled at one another.

"Ready for this?" Shaun asked.

"You know it!"

Last night had been magical and Aiden wouldn't trade it for anything in the world but... It was sex with his best friend and his best friend's mate. It wasn't sex between him and the man he loved. He was sure he'd find that someone whether it was through the Game or not.

Now, he was moving forward towards that finish line instead of just waiting for the happiness to come to him.

Together with Shaun and Ben, they strode out of their apartment and next door.

When the door opened, David was the one to answer and he blinked at them in surprise. "Aiden... What...?"

"He's the new player, dad," Ben responded.

David looked worried. "Are you sure?"

Aiden smiled and said, "Let's just say that I was offered a chance. I'm taking it."

David's eyes widened in understanding and he stepped aside to let the trio through. Aiden wasn't so sure why he wasn't surprised to see one particularly hair human cuddling with two, naked anthropomorphic lions. He just wanted at them as they stared back at him in surprise.

The Game sat open on the floor and he quickly knelt down and picked up the dice.

"So... Who's turn is it?"