Seeing Double - 20. Chapter 20

DAN

It had taken just over two weeks to get Matt back to his former self. An intensive course with Ynana had slowly helped him to find balance. However, by looking into his eyes, I knew it would never truly heal cleanly. Matt would always wake up in the night every now and again and feel disgusted at himself.

I vowed to be there for him every time that happened; if not in person then in spirit.

This morning, like the last number of mornings since what had happened on the cliff, I stayed with Matt instead of slipping out to practice my archery. It could always wait until later in the day.

One of my favourite things was to watch Matt sleep. He was peaceful now. He seemed to have no nightmares or flashbacks when he could feel me nearby, like my mere presence was a comforting blanket around his mind.

‘Something has happened to Matt during the night. Don’t worry it’s a good something.’

‘Are you going to elaborate?’ I started at Sarala, before realising she didn’t need to; Matt had woken and had turned in my embrace to face me.

“Hey sexy.” Matt said sleepily whilst trying to stifle a yawn, which made him look even cuter as he said it.

“Who are you calling sexy? Is there a mirror between us?” I joked, the bad joke making Matt grin broadly.

He leaned in to kiss me.

“You know perfectly well it was you I was referring to.”

His gaze was intense and I blushed under it.

“I know Sarala just told you that a ‘good something’ just happened to me. The thing is...during the night...everything finally clicked into place. It’s like the lock just turned on the memories I was trying to shut away, like a lock that was in the cold and difficult to turn with the key and that last push just happened.”

“I don’t quite follow.”

“The lid has finally closed on those emotions Dan, I am finally free again.” Matt replied, the grin on his face evidence of his happiness.

I allowed my reply to be to pull him on top of me and kiss him senseless.

“I don’t want to hurt you again like I did Dan; I will do everything in my control to stop anything from hurting you.”

“Shhh, water under the bridge Matt, water under the bridge.”

Matt just smiled and then contented himself by lying to the side of me and kissing my chest whilst tracing patterns on my shoulder with his fingers.

I relaxed under his touch and he smiled.

We lay there for ages until Matt suddenly took a grip of my cock and gave it a cheeky squeeze before declaring we should get up for the day and giggled before getting out of bed and walking towards the en suite letting his bum wiggle, much to my delight and frustration.

“Just you wait Matt.” I said quietly to myself before smirking.

 

“Come on Dan, you don’t want to keep Welagana waiting!” Matt called out as I stepped out the shower, trying to take care of myself quickly, not wanting to spend the day with my erection causing distractions.

“Where is he meeting us?”

“At his tower which is...oooh...”

“Is that a good oooh or a bad oooh?” I teased, stepping out in just my towel to talk to him.

Matt lost his train of thought as he looked me over.

“Err...shit you do that to me every time!”

“Do what Matt?” I asked huskily before pressing myself into him and kissing him deeply.

“Aww fuck...”

I pulled away leaving him frustrated.

“Oh that is so unfair! At least you got to take care of yourself; I can’t now there’s no time.”

Walking up behind him I wrapped my arms around his waist before nibbling his ear lobe.

“I’ll make it up to you later.” I whispered.

Matt blushed before grinning sheepishly and promptly moved towards the wardrobe.

“You need clothes that are going to be comfortable...ah...they have given you a pair of robes from Welagana’s House.”

“Anything special about that?”

“Yup, just wait until you put them on.” Matt smirked.

I caught the robes as he threw them to me and I careful put them on.

As soon as the robes were on they started to get tighter.

“What the hell!” I exclaimed, and I could hear Sarala giggle in my head as Matt did the same in front of me.

The robes had become form fitting to say the least, it had literally become a second skin, and only slightly looser part was around my groin to keep my modesty.

Matt wolf whistled as he could basically see everything.

I blushed furiously.

“Don’t worry it will be only me and Welagana at the training session. Oh, and Hquaio too.”

I put a cloak around me to cover me up until I absolutely needed to take it off.

Matt looked a little disappointed.

“You’ve seen it all before.”

“I’ve seen chocolate all before too but it doesn’t mean I don’t like to keep looking at it...or eating it...” Matt added devilishly.

“Well I’m keeping this cloak on. It’s like being naked and I don’t want to walk around practically naked.”

“Suit yourself.” Matt smirked, before giving me a hug and a kiss.

“Now let’s get down to the courtyard, Hquaio is taking us there.”

“No portal?”

“Hquaio can take us directly to the training ground...unless you want to walk through Welagana’s Tower dressed as you are?” Matt asked with a smirk, obviously loving making me squirm.

“I’m fine with Hquaio taking us.”

“Funny how you answered that.”

“Oh how I will make you pay for that Matt.”

Matt tried to look innocent before I went to swat him around the head and he ran off giggling, forcing me to chase him down to the courtyard.

Hquaio was already waiting and Matt, with one fluid motion, somersaulted onto the back of him.

I had to get Sarala’s power to levitate me up high enough to swing onto his back, just in front of Matt, so I could tuck into him.

“Keep hold of his mane Dan, I’ll keep a hold of you as well.”

“What are you going to do to stay on?” I asked.

“I have my ways.” Matt said cryptically before giving a silent command to Hquaio who growled his agreement and walked out of the gate.

Hquaio had only been going at a fast walk out of the gate until Matt dug his heels into the sides of him.

Once Matt had done that Hquaio set his legs in a certain manner and sprang forward, making me grip onto his mane for dear life.

The speed which Hquaio possessed was insane; I reckoned that his current speed must have been over seventy miles an hour.

The wind screamed in my ears and Matt helped me settle into Hquaio rhythm on his back by lifting my hips up and down slightly with the movement.

“We need to go faster now Dan to get there in time.” Matt shouted in my ear.

“You mean this isn’t as fast as he can go?” I shouted back incredulously.

‘Speaking like this might be easier’ Matt answered.

‘Agreed.’

‘And as for your question, at this speed Hquaio is going at a pace sort of between a trot and a canter for a horse.’

‘Just hold me tight Matt.’

I could sense Matt smile against me, knowing my anxiety of being so fast and on an animal too.

As he linked his arms around me and pulled me into him more, Hquaio sped up and the world around me became blurred beyond recognition.

At this speed Hquaio’s movement was different and it meant not having to move with his movement quite so much which we couldn’t have done if we wanted to at this speed.

My adrenaline was pumping and the whole experience took my breath away.

 

We had been climbing a particular incline for a while and asked Matt ‘This seems a big hill, why do we have to go so high?’

‘Seeing is believing.’ Matt said simply and I could feel him smirking behind me.

Once we crested the hill, the only word that escaped my lips was ‘Fuck’, as Hquaio slowed right down until he stopped.

There was a mountain range, which stretched as far as the eye could see, but the mountains were made out of rocks the colour of blue sapphire.

Snow dusted the peaks and the wind had swirled some into the air, letting thin streams of white dance in the air.

I realised there was no steady gradient further forward so I expected Hquaio to turn back round.

“I would hold on tight if I were you Dan.” Matt said as he pulled me into him yet again, wrapping thin threads of Energy round us.

“Oh please tell me we aren’t going...” But before I could finish Hquaio roared and leaped.

I cried out as the whole world turned and I was suddenly facing downwards towards the ground.

Hquaio was running down the almost cliff like face it was so steep.

It was like being on one of those rollercoasters at the theme park where it lets you hang on the edge of a steep drop for several seconds before letting you plummet.

I closed my eyes for part of the descent.

‘Haha, Dan, if you can’t face this height how are you going to fly?’ Matt gently teased.

‘I’ll be in control then, and this is scary, don’t tell me you weren’t scared first time you did this?’

‘True, I was terrified the first time we ran down a cliff face.’

See! Don’t tease me when you were crapping yourself the first time too.’

Matt just laughed at that and nuzzled his head into my neck as Hquaio slowed down once the gradient lessened.

“It’s just a few more miles to Welagana’s fortress Tower. We cut quite a few miles out doing that compared to the gentle route.” Matt added feigning an innocent look.

I could also sense Hquaio was amused as I said “You two are just evil.”

“I’ll make it up to you later.” Matt whispered, copying my promise to him earlier on.

“I look forward to it.” I smirked before Hquaio set off, albeit at a slightly slower pace this time, towards the training grounds of Welagana.

 

When we reached the training grounds the first thing I had to do was shield my eyes to prevent the snow and ice from blinding me.

All around me was a blanket of white, interrupted now and then by a flash of colour in the form of a marker.

Large columns of ice were spaced at varying intervals across the grounds.

Someone was standing on one of the columns of ice and I assumed it to be Welagana as he kicked off silently and glided down to greet us.

“Welcome Matt, Dan and of course, Hquaio.”

We thanked him for allowing us here and he smiled.

“What could I do? Matt practically demanded I teach you.” Welagana flashed a sly smile at Matt.

“I asked you nicely! Don’t tell lies.” Matt pouted but I could see the smile underneath.

“That’s cute Matt.” I winked.

“Oh stop, you’re here to fly not to make me blush.”

“Damn, I was just getting warmed up too.”

“Save the exercise for this Dan.” Welagana said and he led me over to an area that was covered by mounds of snow, but no ice.

I turned to expect Matt to be right behind me but I couldn’t see him. A few seconds of looking and I saw them play fighting in another large mound of snow, with Matt chucking snowballs and Hquaio chucking snow...well snow boulders from the size he was building them.

“Over here Dan.”

I walked to the edge of the snow mounds where Welagana was standing.

“First we will teach you to hover above the ground, the snow mounds are for if you lose concentration and fall.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

Welagana smirked before gesturing to the middle of the area.

“Err how do I hover?”

“Think it; allow the image of you hovering to be big in your mind. As you get to the height you want imagine just stopping. It’s all done with conscious thought...at first.”

Nodding I tried to imagine myself starting to float above the ground. As I did, a feeling of weightlessness took hold and I looked down to see I was off the ground by several feet.

Being surprised broke my concentration and I fell.

The snow was soft and cushioned my roll down the snow mound.

“It’s almost as fun to lose concentration isn’t it?” Welagana smiled.

“It’s colder than learning to hover, I don’t know about fun.”

He gave a light hearted shrug in response before I tried once more.

After a few more attempts I had managed to keep concentration to hover for a few moments before setting myself gently back on the ground again.

“Ok Dan, hover with me now, and try and stay floating for as long as you can.”

As he lifted himself effortlessly off the ground I raised myself off the ground also.

I managed a minute before falling to the ground.

Welagana studied me for a second, as if seeing right through me.

“Dan, are you still just at level one? You haven’t shifted yet?”

“No, I’ve never shifted. You mean I can shift? I thought I drew it from Sarala?”

“Yes that’s true, but Sarala has only given you level one type abilities so far, when you shift, more of her Energy flow into you to use. Meaning you can shift up and down just like any other Galwron or Matt.”

It was at that point that Matt came over.

“Sorry Dan, I was just watching you and I forgot you had never shifted before. You need to be level two from now on to learn how to fly properly.”

“Ok, so how do I shift?”

Matt and Welagana looked at each other for a moment as if having some debate over who should explain it.

Welagana stepped back smiling.

Matt gave me a brief kiss before taking my hands.

“Ok Dan, look straight at me, into my eyes.”

I looked directly at him and gazed into his eyes that were filled with warmth and love for me.

I felt a little giddy gazing at him so intensely and him back at me.

“Right Dan, I need to be with you into your mind. With your permission I’m going to slip into your mind, ok?”

I nodded and smiled, knowing that he wouldn’t hurt me, that it wouldn’t hurt anyway. He’d been in my mind before.

Matt cupped my face with his hands and closed his eyes; a second or two after that I felt Matt’s warm presence on the outskirts of my mind. I closed my eyes and allowed him in.

 

In my mind Matt created three steps; the first one was about the height of a 1^st floor of a flat. The second was about the height of the 5^th floor.

“Ok Dan, these steps represent the challenge from shifting from level one to two, and then from two to three.”

I wasn’t going to point out the obvious; it was quite clear the second shift was harder.

“In order to shift, you need to be able to mentally leap from one step to another; in doing so more Energy will be available to you.

Summon your belief around you like a cloak and then launch yourself up.”

I turned to look at him incredulously before nodding my head, learning to not doubt Matt when it came to matters such as this.

Feeling Matt take a step back in my mind, allowing me space, I turned back to face the steps Matt had created.

‘Summon my belief around me?’ I wondered and I knew Matt couldn’t hear even though he was inside my head, he had left the psychic blocks intact in my head when he entered.

Looking up at the step, I thought it would be easy to leap to the step in my head.

Taking a few steps run up I kicked up and got about halfway before hitting the wall of the step. It didn’t hurt per se but I shook my head from the impact.

Turning around to Matt I could see he was smirking.

“I’m so glad you’re finding it funny.” I called to him sarcastically, the lightness in my voice taking any edge off my words.

“Oh yes, I’m having a great time here.” Matt called back, the smile evident in his voice.

“You were cocky that time, your belief was false. Keep trying.” Matt added, his smile becoming soft as opposed to a smirk.

I nodded before facing the step once again; trying to tell myself that I could get to the step.

Again I ran and jumped, again I slid down the wall of the step.

“Sod.” My simple curse bringing giggles from Matt.

“You aren’t helping much are you?” I went over to give him a playful cuff round the ear.

“Doesn’t work in the psychic world.” Matt said before blowing a raspberry.

“There’s not much I can do either Dan, it’s something you must be able to do.”

I sighed before nodding that I understood.

Several more times I tried each time failing, each time my sighs getting more and more agitated.

Matt looked at me with empathy and I could tell he’d been through this before, he had had to learn how to shift all the way up to level four.

‘How the hell was I supposed to get there?’

‘Listen you idiot!’ Sarala nagged in my head.

And before I made a sarcastic retort back I heard it.

It sounded like a heavenly voice, a wonderful, uplifting song. Words escaped their meaning to me but I knew it was for me.

Suddenly the step seemed smaller, the voice, the song filling my up with self esteem.

Dashing towards the wall I kicked up a soared up into the air until I cleared the step and landed firmly on top.

I could see Matt grinning as he left my head and I allowed myself to come back to the real world.

 

With a shake of my head I brought myself to my senses and immediately I felt a change.

I could sense the world more acutely. Sounds were clearer, sharper, my eyes could pick out more detail and I had a fresh enthusiasm in my step.

“Wow, this feels...”

“”Good? Interesting? Weird?” Matt rattled off three of the feelings and thoughts I had and we both giggled.

“Yeah, something like that.”

 

Welagana approached smiling and I smiled back.

“Ready Dan?”

“Definitely.” I replied excitedly and he beckoned me over to the ice columns.

He asked me to hover with him again and this time I lasted the full minute he wanted.

Nodding we hovered higher and higher until we could reach the first ice column platform.

I stepped gingerly onto the ice and Welagana was soon by my side.

“Time to step it up a bit Dan, are you ready?”

“I now want you to leap from column to column, just the first ten will do. The distance varies between each one so the amount of time you will have to glide and hover will vary. Quick reactions and judgement are needed. Go when you’re ready.”

I scanned the first few columns before asking.

“Is there a time limit?”

A small smile crossed Welagana’s lips.

“No, not for you Dan.”

Deciding to take that as a good thing I set my sights on the next column.

Jumping high into the air I hovered as I crossed the distance between them. This column was only a short leap and I looked back for Welagana to give a slight nod.

From this column I could see how quickly and by how much the columns became varied in their distance.

The next one was a long distance one so I leapt once more and slowed my hovering so I could glide safely, landing a little heavier than I wanted, but clearing it nevertheless.

Again and again I traversed the columns, slowly developing a rhythm in how to go about it and before I knew it all ten columns had been conquered.

A nod from Welagana showed his praise before he launched himself in the air to land on the column I was standing on.

“Ok Dan, now you learn to slalom and weave...”

 

MATT

 

After teaching Dan how to shift, mentally slapping myself for not remembering he’d need to in order to fly, Hquaio and myself walked across the other side of the ice fields, taking the longer path. I could just about see Dan on the columns in the distance.

“How are you Matt?”

“I’m fine Hquaio, still a little shaken from what I did but not enough to let Dan see. He doesn’t need that.”

“He’s supposed to be there for you and he wants to be. Don’t shut him out.”

“I won’t Hquaio, don’t worry.”

“I was at Samasca last week again”

“You were? Did you speak to your father?”

“Yes and the answer to your next question is I had limited success.”

“If I were to guess I would say he is hesitant about sending any of his pride and wishes to meet with a Lord to discuss it?”

A wry smile appeared his lips.

“He’s asked to see me?”

“Yes, my dear father has deemed it important to speak to you. Why that is I haven’t seen yet, I feel he will pledge some support, though not his entire pride.”

“I suppose that is fair, he is worried about building the pride back up after the war.”

A low growl escaped Hquaio’s lips.

“I’ve pledge my entire pride and I know a couple of other pride fathers have done so too. Yet he will not pledge. I don’t know what he is waiting for. And as for holding back numbers, if there isn’t a planet to remain on there’s no point holding them back.” He said agitated.

I jumped up onto his back, laid a hand on the scruff of his neck and let my Energy seep through his skin. He instantly relaxed.

“Thank you Matt, I needed that.” He replied smiling once more.

“No worries, it was the least I could do.” I smiled back.

Hquaio looked at me and then gave a dirty grin.

“Does Dan know what you can use Energy for in the bedroom yet?”

A shocked expression made him burst into booming laughter.

“The answer to that question is no, he does not.” I said in a feigned upper class English accent which made us both burst into giggles.

“Is he going to find out?” Hquaio smirked.

“I don’t know, it’s supposed to be intense, I’ve only had Ipilar tickle me whilst using Energy and that nearly made me breathless within a couple of seconds so we’ll see.” I smirked back.

“Be gentle with him.” Hquaio said trying to suppress a smile.

“Who would have thought that a human and a talking lion could talk about sex eh?” I said laughing and Hquaio started chasing after me once I’d sprinted off.

As the afternoon wore on, without any rigorous exercise to do I was starting to get chilly.

“Here Matt...” Hquaio sank to the ground and lifted his paw, “...just like old times.”

I smiled and curled up into the crook of his front leg, his paw going round me.

Old memories of how we quested together made me smile once again.

“Do you think other creatures will aid us?”

“There’s a good chance Matt, many of them will see this as a fight that will seal the fate of Galwrock. They cannot afford to sit by and wait for the outcome. Galwrons are the hope of the planet.”

I nodded and mused for a bit. We needed as much support as we could muster.

And Hquaio’s father nagged at my mind. What did he want? Of all the Lords he wanted me too.

 

I must have nodded off because the next thing I knew something cold and wet slapped my forehead and I woke with a start.

Brushing the wetness off I could tell it had been a snowball and Dan was laughing as he walked over to me.

“Oh you think that’s funny do you?” I started with feigned annoyance.

“Well, yes I do.” Dan said before pulling me towards him and kissing me deeply, running his hands down my back and under my clothes. His hands were freezing, which made me jump.

“Oh you are just evil!” I said as Dan began to laugh again.

“Chase me gorgeous.” Dan chuckled before leaping into the air.

I grinned before taking flight too.

Dan had picked it up well; his weaving and darting around was good.

Around and around we flew, his laughter on the wind making me smile as I slowly gained on him.

As I caught him I grabbed him and pulled him into a dive, cushioning our impact into the snow; however, Dan had somehow pulled himself on top so he was over me when we landed.

“And yet I’m still the victor.” He grinned, kissing me hard again and I moaned into his mouth.

I summoned a small sphere of Energy around us to keep the cold out as we kissed.

Almost painfully slowly Dan let his hand, which had now warmed up, slide under my clothes onto my torso and I sighed in appreciation.

His touch felt hot and I welcomed it, his fingers making my body tingle pleasantly.

He eased back to look at me and then smirked before getting up and flying off.

I groaned in frustration as Hquaio walked over to me.

“Naughty tease isn’t he?”

I growled.

“I think it’s time Dan’s training went further.”

“Oh? And how do you intend to do that?”

I showed him what he was to learn and he smiled.

“Let’s just say he’s going to find out how intense Energy can be when used in the bedroom.”

We both grinned evilly before I leapt onto his back and he took off towards the Tower.