The door to Michael’s car closed with a satisfying thump. His black sneakers ground against gravel as he stood and stretched, his long arms reaching to the clear midday sky. He breathed in the cool spring air, reinvigorating himself after the drive. He patted the roof of the car, giving it an appreciative smile. Although it was a hand-me-down, the old rust bucket had proven faithful when getting around campus.

Michael’s tall frame was covered by a stylish brown and white flannel jacket, adorned with numerous spots of acrylic paint. His matching brown shirt suffered much the same fate, and his well-worn jeans had seen their fair share of coffee spills. The dark circles under his eyes contrasted with his pale complexion, which was in turn framed by his short brown hair and thin chin-strap beard. Michael was an art student, and he wore the look with pride. A confident smile was the trademark of his handsome face.

Michael maneuvered around to the trunk of his vehicle and popped it open to retrieve his stuff. He hefted his duffel with one arm, and his backpack clattered as he hoisted it with his other, a number of games and controllers packed within. Most of the student body had been on break for the last five days. Michael, however, had spent that time hard at work on his last few overdue projects. He had put the finishing touches on his most recent portrait just the night before. After working himself to the bone, he intended to make the most of the weekend.

To that end, he turned to face the house at the end of the driveway and made his way to the front door. He pulled out his smartphone and shot a quick text, then knocked solidly on the wood. The sound echoed into the humble home. Barely a minute later, the door shook and swung open.

“Hey man! Glad you could make it,” said Ryan, Michael’s best friend and classmate.

Ryan was the same age and grade as Michael, but was significantly shorter, and had to look upwards to meet his eyes. Ryan wore a light gray sweatshirt over a plain white tee, accompanied by a set of soot-colored sweatpants and matching slippers. Though his ensemble lacked the volume of paint splatters Michael’s had, Ryan sported just as many stains. Dried clay, plaster, and epoxy patches mimicked an off-white cow pattern. The bags under his eyes weren't as visible, due to both him actually getting some time off during the break and his much more tan complexion. As if in defiance of his rather monochrome outfit, he boasted an impressive head of messy, red-orange hair.

“Yeah, thanks for having me!” Michael beamed and jostled his bag. “And I’ve come prepared. Consider your ass kicked.”

“In your dreams! Unlike you, I had some time this week to get warmed up.” Ryan stepped back into the house, letting Michael enter the foyer. As he kicked off his shoes, Ryan looked him over with an appraising look. “Did you dress up for today?” He asked incredulously.

“What? No. Why would I?” Michael feigned innocence.

Ryan crossed his arms. “C’mon man. It’s not some party, you know I wouldn’t care. It’s been a hot minute since we’ve had a chance to just kick back and relax.”

“And we will.” Michael waved his hand dismissively. “Look, is it so wrong to want to look put together?”

“You? Put together?” Ryan raised an eyebrow and cast his gaze across the various colorful spots disrupting Michael’s otherwise well-balanced outfit. “You’ve come to class in PJs after pulling all-nighters.”

Michael patted Ryan’s shoulder. “I was just excited to come over, that’s all.”

Ryan shrugged. “If you say so. Now-”

“Ryan? Do we have a guest?” A voice called down a nearby hall. As the two boys turned to face the source of the voice, Ryan wilted slightly while Michael suppressed a grin.

Rounding the corner was a young woman wearing a modest baby blue crop top and black leggings. Apart from her obviously feminine face and impressive curves, she was strikingly similar to Ryan. Practically the same height, tan skin, and the same shade of red hair, though her locks were slightly longer and much better kept. She strode up to Ryan and playfully hooked her arm around his shoulders, pulling him in for a mock headlock. Michael chuckled as Ryan halfheartedly struggled in the crutches of his older twin sister.

“Hey Hailey. You on break too?” Michael smiled.

“Yup!” Hailey chirped. “It’s nice to see you, Michael. Ryan didn’t tell me you were coming over! Can you believe it?” She lifted her other hand to muss Ryan’s hair.

Ryan pushed away from Hailey, managing to untangle himself from her grasp. “Because you didn’t need to know. Could you not bother us while he’s here?”

Hailey put her hands on her hips. “Oh no! With Mom and Dad gone, I’m the master of the house, and a good host entertains their guests.” She turned and gave Michael a bright smile. “Tell you what, I’ll throw together some lunch. You guys can go ahead.”

“You’re much too kind.” Michael nodded appreciatively.

“You really don’t have to,” Ryan echoed, much less enthused.

“Nonsense. I’ll bring it down to your room in a bit,” Hailey concluded. Before either Michel or Ryan could protest, Hailey turned on her heel and strode back into the house, humming slightly as she went. Ryan sighed and followed, Michael in tow. After a brief moment they went their separate ways, Hailey turning down a hall towards the kitchen and Ryan descending stairs into the basement. Michael paused for a moment, hand on the railing.

He couldn’t help but stare at Hailey’s form as she went, and he could feel a blush beginning to bloom in his cheeks. He had known Ryan since starting college, but had only found out about Hailey a couple months ago. By complete accident, no less. He had come over to the house to hang out with Ryan, as was customary when they had time off, but was early and bumped into her. Their brief encounter had led to Michael developing a rather intense crush on her. While Michael was ashamed to have been attracted to her body first, thankfully every subsequent interaction let Michael get to know her more and more. She was incredibly kind, endlessly witty, and extremely intelligent... Sometimes, Michael couldn’t help but think she was too good for him.

“Hey man! You coming or not?” Ryan called from the bottom of the stairs, breaking Michael from his rumination.

“Sorry, yeah.” Michael jogged down the steps, reuniting with his friend.

The two made their way to Ryan’s room. It was a large space, and he had all the normal articles of furniture one would expect. A bed, a dresser, a desk. He also had a couch with a coffee table in front of a wall-mounted TV. However, rather than a “bedroom,” it would have been more accurate to call it his studio. A myriad of art implements, drawing, paintings, and, most of all, sculptures, littered the space.

Michael, despite having seen it all before, couldn't help but marvel at Ryan’s work. Ryan was extremely talented, to the point where he had already made somewhat of a name for himself selling his pieces. They had all been on the abstract side, however. What adorned the tables and pedestals now were sculptures depicting the human form and lifelike visages.

Michael paused twice to appraise different works. He recognized the bust of a man Ryan had made the previous month, and a full-body statue of a robed woman who had modeled for their class. Michael had to spend the majority of his break to finish his portrait of the woman, but Ryan had finished with time to spare. The pictures he had shown off in their last class didn’t do it justice. Michael had to tear himself away from inspecting every lifelike detail.

“You know we have a whole ‘nother half of the term, right?” Michael chuckled as he met up with Ryan at the couch and set down his bags. “You’re not supposed to be that good until after we’ve worked through the syllabus.”

Ryan shrugged. “It just comes naturally to me. Something about making people just clicks in my mind, I’ve been feeling really driven. I did a bunch of work outside of class, too.”

“So have I!” Michael punched Ryan in the shoulder jokingly. “But enough talking about school, let’s play some games.”

Ryan grinned. “You’re on.” He went to the TV and turned it on, then grabbed a couple controllers. He set one on the coffee table in Michael’s direction while booting up the game system.

Michael looked to the controller with surprise, his arm halfway buried into his backpack. “Since when have you had a second controller? You know I always bring mine.”

“Oh.” Ryan shrugged. “Well… Recently… Hailey said she was interested in the games we play. So we got her one.”

“Really?” Michael could feel excitement build in his chest. “Why not let her join, all three of us can play.”

“Bleh. No. I’ve been playing against her all week. I’m tired of dealing with her, her playstyle’s nasty.” Ryan shuddered.

“Really? She’s that good at it already?” Michael asked incredulously. Michael had a higher win rate, but Ryan’s skills weren’t anything to sneeze at.

Ryan shrugged again. “She learned really quickly. I guess being good with our hands runs in the family.”

Michael coughed. “What?”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Michael quickly grabbed the controller to distract him from the fantasies forming in his head. “I said I was gonna kick your ass, time to make good on that promise.”

“Alright,” Ryan chuckled.

As the two began to play, any lewd thoughts were pushed from Michael’s mind as he found himself having to focus all his willpower on the game. Whatever training Ryan had done with Hailey had apparently paid off as Michael was utterly trounced round after round. Eventually Michael shook off the rust and began to push back, and finally took a round.

“Hell yeah!” He whooped, jumping to his feet.

Ryan laughed. “Alright, that puts us at nine to one. Wanna go for the best of nineteen?” He asked smugly.

Michael sat back down with a huff. “Whatever. I’m just getting warmed up. How the hell did you get so good?”

Before Ryan could respond, a knock on the door echoed into the room. Hailey entered, using her hip to push open the door. She had a platter of assorted sandwich halves in one hand, and a large bowl of potato chips balanced precariously on her other arm. She grinned at the two boys as she weaved through the studio.

Michael watched her as she approached. For whatever reason, he couldn’t help but feel as if something was different from when he saw her upstairs. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind as Hailey reached the coffee table.

“Sounds like you’re having fun in here,” Hailey chuckled.

“At least one of us was,” Ryan snickered.

“We’re both having fun,” Michael retorted. He gave a friendly smile as he helped Hailey set the dishes on the table. “This looks great, Hailey. Thanks for putting this together.”

“Of course!” She replied in a sing-song tone. “Now scooch. I think I’ve earned entrance.”

“Hailey…” Ryan started to protest.

“No buts! Someone’s gotta help you guys eat all this food,” she countered. She looked at Michael expectantly. “Unless you also mind…?”

“Oh no! Not at all.” Michael nodded. He eagerly moved over, ignoring Ryan’s dissatisfied grunt.

“Great!” Hailey flopped down on the couch next to Michael. She leaned forward to pluck a sandwich from the platter with a napkin, arching her back and stretching out her arms. “Feel free to keep playing without me for a bit, I’m pretty hungry.” She sat back and took a bite.

Something clicked for Michael as he watched Hailey move. He blushed as the thought crossed his mind, embarrassed for it, but the more he looked the more sure he was.

Did… Did she take off her bra? He thought.

Michael’s attention was torn away from Hailey’s bosom as the sound of the next round started blaring from the TV. He scrambled to recover, barely managing not to lose right off the bat.

“Who’s been winning?” Hailey asked between bites.

“Me,” Ryan responded smugly. Michael grunted with reluctant affirmation.

“Hmm…” Hailey put a finger to her chin. “All right then. Let’s go Michael! I’ll be rooting for you!”

“Ah… Thanks!” Michael managed. He felt his confidence rise, and gained ground against Ryan. After a brief back-and-forth, Michael barely managed to win the round.

“Woo! Knew you could do it!” Hailey cheered. She grinned at Michael and clapped him on the shoulder. “Nice one!”

“It was nothing.” Michael grinned back. He and Hailey caught each other’s eyes. Michael found himself transfixed for a moment, staring at Hailey’s slightly flushed cheeks. Her hand lingered on his shoulder for just a bit too long. Michael could almost swear he felt her thumb starting to rub against him.

“Two to nine.”

Ryan’s cocky remark jolted Michael back to his senses. Hailey retracted her hand, and the moment was over.

She giggled and took a handful of chips. “Damn, you’re that far behind? Better win the next one for me too, or I’ll feel like I backed the wrong horse.” She popped a chip into her mouth like popcorn.

“I guess I should then.” Michael tried to sound confident.

 Incredibly, Hailey’s encouragement seemed to do the trick. Michael started to win more and more. Each time it looked like Ryan was about to emerge victorious, Michael was able to swipe victory from the claws of defeat. With each passing round, Hailey would cheer. Ryan became more and more frustrated, leading to more mistakes on his part.  “That’s nine to nine,” Michael breathed, heart pounding. Their best of nineteen would be decided in the next round.

“Damn it…” Ryan growled.

“Can I play the next one?” Hailey said. “I’m out of chips.”

Both boys whirled around to face her.

“What?” She blinked innocently. “You guys have been playing for like an hour. Would one of you be so kind as to share with your cook?”

While Ryan fumed, Michael saw an opportunity. “Sure, I’ll sit out for a bit.” With a gallant smirk and a casual shrug, he passed his controller to Hailey. “I’m getting pretty hungry, so it works out.”

“Thank you,” Hailey sang. As she took the controller from Michael, their hands brushed against one another’s. Once again the contact lingered for just a moment longer than what would be considered normal. “Ooh, sweet. All nice and warmed up for me.”

Michael attempted to banish all impure thoughts from his mind by quickly biting into a sandwich.

“Fine. Whatever,” Ryan huffed in Michael’s direction. “But after you’re done eating you’re tagging in.”

As the two siblings began to play, Michael realized exactly what Ryan had meant when he said Hailey’s playstyle was annoying. She attacked fiercely and relentlessly, putting on near-constant pressure. It almost felt as if she knew exactly what Ryan was going to do before he would do it, and targeted those moments. He was forced to play defense, and was soon overwhelmed. “Victory is mine!” Hailey laughed.

“Tch. You won’t be so lucky next time!” Ryan shot back.

As impressive as Hailey’s gameplay was, Michael took greater notice of something else about the way she played. She was new to the game, and as is often the case with newer gamers, she put a lot of physicality into her gameplay. She jerked her controller side to side, leaned back and forth, and kicked her legs. At first Michael found it cute. However, he was quickly distracted.

He was sure she was braless. Each sudden movement caused her chest to bounce in tandem. As if that wasn’t enough, she kept brushing up against him as she squirmed. Their arms pressed against each other, their elbows bumped, and Michael couldn’t help but note that her ample hips were shimmying closer and closer.

“Argh!” Ryan cursed as he lost another round. He practically threw the controller he was using at Michael. “Alright, I’m done. You deal with her.”

“Huh? Oh!” Michael fumbled the controller, barely managing to keep it from falling to the floor. “Sure. Yeah.”

Ryan cast a look over the table. “Hailey, did you get any drinks?”

Hailey shrugged. “Nah. My hands were full with everything else.” She smirked at Ryan. “Be a dear and fetch some? Seeing as you’re not playing at the moment.”

“Whatever.” Ryan waved his hand dismissively, but got up from the couch all the same. He weaved through the studio and up the stairs. “I’ll grab a bunch,” he called back as disappeared up the steps.

As soon as Ryan was out of view, Hailey turned and reached across Michael’s lap towards his controller. He went ramrod straight as her breast grazed his arm and her face passed tantalizingly close to his. She pulled the controller from his resistance-free grip, and offered the one she was using in kind.

“Here. Now I’ve warmed it up for you.” Hailey winked. Michael took the controller breathlessly. “Now, let’s see if you can take me!”

Michael, still processing what had just happened, was once again blindsided by the start of the round. “Shit!” He cursed as he scrambled to respond to Hailey's attacks. However, to his surprise, Hailey’s all out offense proved to be far less effective against him than Ryan. She abandoned defense entirely, and as a result Michael was able to exploit openings in her moves. Soon enough, he had won the round.

“Darn.” Hailey pouted. “That usually works against Ryan. I suppose I need to get to know you better.”

“Uh…” Michael’s mind raced to give a response. “Yeah. Yeah, we’ll just have to play a bit more.”

“Sounds good!”

Their next match started similarly. However, just as Michael adapted to Hailey’s moves, he was thrown off as she shifted position on the couch, pressing further into him. His moves became sloppy as his attention shifted to the sensation of her supple curves against his side. Then, he felt her foot rub against his calf. Not in a way indicative of an unconscious response to playing, but in an intentional manner. Michael lost that round. He turned to look at Hailey, and she met his accusatory glare with a mischievous head tilt. “Something the matter?”

“Are you messing with me?”

“Whatever could you mean?”

“You’re… Really close.” Michael shifted in an attempt to get a little distance. Hailey shifted as well, maintaining the contact.

“Is that a problem?” She gave a coy smile. “I’m just playing the game…”

“What does that have to do with the gam-”

Ryan’s voice called from the stairs. “I got some soda and some water. Should be enough for all three of us.”

Hailey backed off of Michael, turning and looking at Ryan as if nothing happened. As Ryan set the various cans and bottles on the table, Michael stared at Hailey, looking for some answer. But she kept stoic. “Here, you can play again.” Hailey held her controller to Ryan. “I’m getting pretty thirsty.”

Ryan took the controller and sat down while Hailey cracked open a can of soda. Michael, still perplexed, began the next round with apprehension. His concern soon proved to be founded. While keeping at a mostly inconspicuous distance, Hailey intermittently brushed against Michael. Each touch distracted him just enough to screw up a pivotal input, and he found himself on a losing streak once more.

Michael’s annoyance built to a breaking point, and he slammed his fist on his knee in frustration. Both Ryan and Hailey looked at him in surprise. He cleared his throat. “Ah… Sorry. Maybe we should switch to something cooperative.”

“Oh. Sure man, works for me.” Ryan nodded.

“Good with me!” Hailey chimed, casting a quick, apologetic glance towards Michael.

Ryan knelt in front of the TV, digging through his games. He turned back and gave Hailey an accusatory look. “Did you put everything back where it was after the last time we played? I can’t find it.”

“Positive,” Hailey replied, lounging. “You’re just not looking hard enough.”

“You know what? You grab it.” Ryan stood. “I’m going to the bathroom.” He walked out of the studio.

“Alright.” Hailey stood and stepped around the table. Rather than crouch down like Ryan had, however, she bent forward, and gave Michael a full-on view of her ass, her tight leggings leaving little to the imagination. She held that pose for what seemed like hours while Michael sat and gawked.

“There we are!” Hailey slowly stood and turned, holding the game in her hand. She flashed a smile. “I’ve been trying this one out a bit, too. I’m looking forward to playing with you.” She stepped back around the table.

Michael had had enough. If Hailey was intent on messing with him, he’d have to respond in kind. He steeled himself and stood up, coming almost chest-to-chest with Hailey. “Oh!” She gasped, and craned her neck back to meet his gaze.

“Yeah. It’s a real fun game.” Michael smiled. ”I’d like to play it with you.”

“Mm…” Hailey purred. “I’m not going to be as good at it as you are, though…”

“I think you’ve been playing very well.” Michael chuckled. “But maybe I can give you some pointers.” He picked up a controller and pressed it into Hailey’s hands. He maneuvered around her, putting himself between her and the couch, her back to his chest. He reached around her, putting his hands over hers and gripping the controller.

“So... You’ll show me your technique?” She prodded.

“Here’s a basic overview.”

Michael went through the motions of showing Hailey the controls, going over each button and squeezing Hailey’s hands to accentuate his points. Their breathing became heavier as they pressed into each other. Hailey repositioned the controller, lowering her arms.

From Michael’s top-down perspective towards the controller, Hailey’s chest was now squarely in his line of sight. His breath caught as he noticed two telltale bumps becoming more prominent, and he felt himself become aroused in turn. Hailey jolted as Michael’s rapidly hardening member pressed into her backside. She tilted her head back, looking up at Michael with hungry eyes. He returned the look, and leaned in further. Hailey closed her eyes as Michael’s lips drew closer.

The sound of a door swinging open cut through the air. Michael and Hailey spun, Hailey falling back onto the couch and Michael backing up against the table. He turned and snatched a water bottle, quickly uncapping it and taking a nonchalant swig as Ryan returned.

“Did you find the game?” He inquired.

“Yeah,” Hailey responded. “It’s on the table there. We haven’t put it in yet, though.”

Ryan rolled his eyes and scooped it up as he stepped up to the game console. He squatted down to insert the game. Michael set down his water and took his spot on the couch, acting natural. While Ryan’s back was turned, Hailey plucked Michael’s water bottle from the table and took a drink from it. She set the bottle back down and winked at Michael, who was looking on with intrigue.

Ryan stood and faced the couch. “Alright. Let’s play!”

——————

Hailey, Michael, and Ryan had moved upstairs. After a day full of gaming, joking, and general hanging out, things were beginning to wind down. However, Michael was fully wired. He and Hailey’s subtle game had continued all day, quietly flirting back and forth whenever they could get away with it.

The three sat at the dinner table, discussing plans for dinner. More accurately, they were deliberating over what place to get take out from. “I’m kinda thinking about Mexican food. There’s that great place down the street,” Ryan posited.

“Nah, it’d be easiest to get pizza. That’s a classic,” Hailey said while looking at Ryan, though her foot was rubbing against Michael’s under the table.

“Ahem. Yeah, I agree. Plus it’s generally a lot more food for the same price.” Michael nodded.

Ryan sighed. “Guess I’m outvoted then. It shouldn’t take long, let’s order and then I can go pick it up.”

Michael sat up straighter. “You’re gonna pick it up? I could also-”

Ryan cut him off. “You’ve already done a fair bit of driving, and you’ll have more to do tomorrow. It’s fine.”

Michael cast a quick glance towards Hailey. She returned the look. Michael nodded towards Ryan. “Alright then.”

——————

The front door shut, leaving Michael and Hailey alone in the foyer. They slowly turned to face each other and stood awkwardly. Hailey broke the silence first.  “Well, may as well kick back until he returns.”

She turned and strode into the living room, flopping down on the large sofa the room sported. Michael followed. For several long minutes they waited. Eventually, Michael couldn’t take it anymore. He moved to stand in front of Hailey. She looked up at him with a quizzical expression.

“Hey… Now that it’s just the two of us… Can we talk?” Michael spoke carefully. “We’ve been… What’s going on between us?”

Hailey giggled. “Michael, you're a really nice guy.” She stood back up with her hands behind her back, once again chest-to-chest with Michael. “Let’s just say, I’ve been wanting to get to know you better.”

“I’d like to get to know you better, too,” he responded enthusiastically. He regained his composure and cleared his throat.  “Though, we've been getting… Pretty intimate. When you say, ‘get to know me…’”

Hailey brought her arms forward, draping them around Michael’s waist. “What do you want it to mean?” She teased.

Michael seized the moment. He put his arms around Hailey as well, pulling her even closer. “I… Like you, Hailey. I have for a while. Probably since we first met. You’re kind, you’re clever, you make me laugh, and you’re se- Er, pretty. You’re really pretty.” He cringed at his own slip-up, though he  was relieved to hear Hailey laugh it off.

“Nice save!” She raised her arms, hooking them under Michael’s and pulling his torso downwards. “I figured. Honestly, it’s a miracle Ryan hasn’t caught on and tried to put a stop to it…” She stood on her tip-toes. “Especially since I like you too.” She closed her eyes.

She kissed him.

“Mm...” Michael closed his eyes in turn, leaning more into the kiss. Their lips locked. He flinched slightly as he felt her tongue push against his mouth, seeking entry. He allowed her in, and the two shared a passionate, deep kiss. The pair turned and Michael fell back onto the sofa, holding Hailey in his lap. She readjusted, moving to straddle him while still exploring his mouth. Soon, she pulled away, and the two stared into each other’s eyes, panting.

Hailey adjusted herself once again, edging forward and arching her back. This put her breasts right in front of Michael’s face. She giggled, and shook her chest from side to side. Michael’s eyes widened as her barely restrained mounds jiggled. “You’ve had your eyes on these since the very beginning,” she cooed. “How about it?”

“With pleasure,” Michael grunted. He slid his hands upwards, tracing his fingers along Hailey's back and over her shoulders. He cupped her breasts, one in each hand. She gasped as his palms sank in deeper, pressing against her hardening nipples.She moaned in pleasure as he fondled her tits, getting rougher and rougher.

Michael was at full mast, his dick straining against his pants. Hailey, sitting on top of him, shuttered and began grinding against his cock. Michael closed in and planted a kiss on Hailey’s neck. She hummed with pleasure as he brushed his lips across her collarbone and chest. She gripped him tighter and continued to grind.

Their hands ventured downwards. Michael slipped one hand past Hailey’s waistband and the other up beneath her shirt. As his fingers crept towards her chest and crotch, he pulled away to look her in the face. Panting, she nodded to him, desire burning in her eyes. He moved in.

Michael’s phone buzzed loudly, causing the pair to jump in surprise. It must have fallen out of his pocket when he fell back on the couch. He glanced over to the illuminated screen, where a single message from Ryan had appeared. “on my way bakc” The message read.

The pair looked at each other, then Hailey laughed. “Man, he really has the best timing.”

“You mean the worst.” Michael scowled. “He’s been getting in the way all night.”

Hailey shrugged. “To be fair, I’ve been getting in the way of your hangout all day.” She backed off, disentangling herself from Michael and climbing off the sofa. She looked back at Michael’s disappointed face and smiled. “Let’s continue this another time.”

Michael sighed, gazing longingly as Hailey tidied herself up. “Alright.”

——————

Michael stood leaning against the wall of the shower. Dinner had gone smoothly. Ryan had seemed none the wiser. Although he had felt awkward, Hailey was as cool as a cucumber. Disappointingly so, as she hadn’t messed with Michael nearly as much as she had previously.

Whatever. He reasoned to himself. I guess this just means we’re onto the next step. Whatever that is. The realization hit him as he finished and started to dry himself off. I totally just bagged my crush, huh? Hell yeah. He hummed to himself as he put on his pajamas, a simple set of loose white pants and matching white t-shirt. He strode from the bathroom with confidence.

Ryan was in the living room tidying things up. He raised his head as Michael entered. “You know where the guest bedroom is, right?”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, second door to the left.” He looked around. “Did Hailey already head to bed?”

Ryan shrugged. ”Probably? I haven’t seen her. Did you need her for something?”

“Oh, no.” Michael looked away. “Just curious.”

“Sure, alright. Have a good night, Michael. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thanks. Good night to you too.” Michael turned and entered the hall. When he reached the room the door was hanging open, the bed made and his duffel against the wall. He entered and haphazardly tossed his towel and dirty clothes onto his other belongings.

The door swung shut behind him.

“Wha-” Michael spun around and his breath caught in his throat. Hailey stood beside the door, holding it closed. She wore the same top she had been wearing all day, but now her legs were bare. Michael took in the sight of her smooth legs, from the tips of her toes to the pair of white lace panties around her wide hips.

“Shh…” She purred as she approached. “Sound won’t carry too far, but you should keep your voice down.” She sauntered up to Michael and eyed him up and down, grinning.

Michael swallowed. “Hailey! If you’re here, then…” His voice trailed into a whisper. “...You’d like to… Continue?”

She chuckled. “Ding ding ding! We have a winner.” She pressed her hands into his chest, pushing him back onto the bed. She straddled him again and went in for another kiss. Michael reciprocated, and lifted his hands to fondle her once more. Memories of that evening rushed back to Michael, and he was already erect. After a moment she grabbed his hands and pushed them away. She gripped the edge of her top and began to pull upwards.

Michael watched with awe as Hailey teasingly stripped, ever-so slowly lifting the fabric. She pressed it against her breasts, lifting them slightly before they finally dropped, bouncing in their full bare glory. Michael’s dick strained even harder. “Like what you see?” Hailey whispered.

“You bet,” Michael breathed.

She tossed the top to the side and slid back off of him and onto the floor. From her kneeling position she giggled and stroked the tent in Michael’s pants. “You've been very patient…” Michael shuddered as Hailey leaned in and gave his member a gentle kiss. “Time for your reward.”

She snaked her arms forward and took hold of Michael’s waistband. He lifted himself slightly as she pulled, letting her slip off his pants and underwear. She tossed them over her shoulder, in front of the door. He grunted as his cock sprung free from the confines of its cloth prison. Hailey whistled at the sight of it.

“Damn, you’re pretty big…” She mused. “This might not work out like I wanted to…”

“What do you mean?” Michael inquired, concern creeping into his expression.

“Oh, no no, nothing to worry about. I’ll give it a shot anyway.” Hailey grinned mischievously. “Have at you!”

Hailey took hold of her breasts and advanced, sandwiching Michael’s dick between her tits. He gasped as the soft flesh enveloped him. Hailey giggled as she continued her assault, rubbing up and down Michael’s shaft.

“Oh fuck!” Michael managed between Hailey’s repeated caresses. “Dammit… I… I’m not sure if I can…”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Hailey laughed. “I have been egging you on all day, it’s only natural.” She tilted her head forward and gave the head of Michael’s cock a soft kiss. “Go ahead and cum.”

“Ergh!” Michael obliged, shooting thick white strands across Hailey’s chest and face as he climaxed. He reared back, bracing himself with his arms on the bed.

Hailey yelped and instinctually backed away as the explosion painted her. For a moment the couple held still, Michael panting and Hailey slightly in shock. Eventually, Hailey broke the silence with a chuckle, and rose to her feet. She turned and strode to a nearby cabinet, then reached into a drawer.

Michael managed to gather his wits as Hailey returned. His eyes widened as he noticed what she had grabbed. “Lean back,” she purred, opening a condom.

Michael obeyed, fully reclining on the bed. Hailey quickly scrambled on top of him, straddling his hips. She reached down and stroked Michael’s member, coaxing it back to full mast. She then placed the condom atop his dick, and carefully, sensually rolled it down and around him. Michael craned his head forward as Hailey lifted herself onto her knees, positioning her crotch right above his. He gaped as she pulled her panties to the side, revealing her pussy.

“You sure?” Michael whispered.

“Positive,” Hailey breathed back.

With a forceful thrust, Hailey descended upon Michael. They both cried out as his cock penetrated her folds, burying itself deep into her. “Holy fuck!” Hailey wailed. She began to gyrate, bouncing up and down.

Michael responded in turn, grabbing Hailey’s waist and thrusting to her rhythm. The bed creaked as their pace quickened, sweat forming across Michael’s body.

“More… More!” Hailey panted, reaching towards Michael.

Michael complied and sat up, allowing Hailey to grab his shoulders. He took hold of her breasts and began fondling in time with his thrusts. Hailey’s nipples were hard, and Michael wasted no time in teasing them. Hailey’s moans grew more and more feverish, their hot breath mixing together.

“I’m… I’m going to…” She barely managed.

Michael curled in and wrapped his lips around one of Hailey’s nipples. She cried out and threw her arms and legs around Michael, squeezing him tight and pushing his head back up. He hugged her in turn.

“Yeah… Me too…” He huffed.

“Then… Let’s…”

Hailey kissed Michael as the pair’s movements reached a fever pitch, moments before orgasm tore through their bodies. For a moment they tensed up, holding each other even tighter as Michael’s dick throbbed within Hailey’s lower lips. Then, with a heavy sigh, they relaxed, going limp in each other’s grasp.

They stayed there, leaning against one another for support as they bathed in the afterglow of their copulation.

A loud, rumbling crash sounded from down the hall.

Michael sat up straight in response to the sound. “The hell was-”

“GAH!” Hailey screamed. She shook as if struck by some unseen force, and fell to the side.

“HAILEY!” Michael grabbed her shoulders. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“Ergh… My…” Hailey panted. She grabbed her head in her hands and blinked laboriously, her bleary eyes unfocused. “The… The stairs…”

“What do you mean? What about the stairs?” Michael began to panic.

Hailey groaned. “Ugh… Fell...”

Michael blinked. Uncertainty gripped him. As his mind failed him, however, his gut took over, drive rising up within him. His instincts told him that whatever had just happened to Hailey had to do with the sound, and doing nothing wouldn’t solve anything. He leapt from the bed and quickly made his way to the door. “I’ll be right back, I promise!”

Hailey groaned as Michael pulled on his pants with one hand and threw open the door with the other. He half stumbled, half ran down the hall as he wrestled with his clothing. He made a beeline for the stairs. When he arrived, his breath caught and his blood ran cold.

At the bottom of the stairs leading to the studio lay Ryan, face-first, unmoving.

Michael froze up, his head going blank. After an unknowable amount of time, as if in a trance, he slowly took a couple steps downwards. However, getting closer did little to make the situation any better. He felt his knees buckle and he involuntarily collapsed backwards into a sitting position on the top step.

As he did, his phone, jostled by his rush down the hall, fell from his pocket. The sound of it clattering against the hard floor broke Michael from his shock, and he scrambled to grab it. With shaking hands, he navigated to the phone function, and began to dial for emergency services.

“Wait!”

Michael stopped, his finger barely hovering over the last number. He looked back down at the hall, where Hailey was slowly making her way towards him. She was still wearing just her panties, using one arm to support herself on the wall, and holding her head with the other. “Just… Ow… Wait… I’ll explain.”

“What do you mean!?” Michael sputtered. “Ryan, he… He…” Tears began to sting his eyes, and he shook his head. “We need to call someone immediately! Before it’s too late!”

“Michael,” Hailey spoke firmly. She staggered forward to where the wall ended and the stairs began and sunk to her knees. She looked Michael dead in the eyes. “I… Need you to trust me. Everything will be fine. Just… Put the phone down and let me explain.”

“What…” Michael stared back. Aghast, he desperately searched for any sort of reason in Hailey’s eyes. The more he looked, the more conflicted he became. Her eyes were uncertain, afraid, but also incredibly sincere. He wanted to believe those eyes. So, with visible effort, he set down his phone. “What the fuck’s going on?”

Hailey sighed with relief. She glanced down at Ryan and cringed, quickly looking back to Michael. She ruminated briefly, then spoke deliberately, choosing her words very carefully. “Look, there’s no easy way to tell you this. I was going to tell you eventually, but… Dammit, I messed up. So… It’s gotta be now.”

She took a deep breath. “That’s not Ryan.”

Michael blinked. “...What?”

“Not technically! I mean, right now it is Ryan, but that’s not really Ryan. Look, it isn’t bleeding.”

“What the hell are you saying?” Hysteria began to creep into Michael’s voice.

“Tch. Here. My head’s still a bit foggy, but… I should be able to show you.” Hailey closed her eyes and focused.

Michael jumped at the sound of movement coming from the bottom of the stairs. He slowly turned to look. Ryan was getting up, maneuvering on his hands and feet. He crawled awkwardly past the last few steps to the floor below and got into a sitting position, facing the stairwell. His eyes were unfocused, and his posture and general coordination was lacking.

Most striking, however, was the spot on his forehead that had hit the ground. The skin was torn, but rather than blood or bone showing through, a smooth, dull gray surface was visible. Ryan ceased moving, and Hailey took another deep breath.

“That’s a remote-controlled drone,” She explained, opening her eyes. “Rather, a mannequin. It’s been… Acting as ‘Ryan’ all day.”

“Wha…” Michael scrambled back and to his feet, away from Hailey, fear and disbelief in his eyes. “That’s impossible!” Countless memories from the past years flashed through his mind, the many times he and Ryan had spent time together. “That can’t be Ryan! He’s… Real! Where… Where is he?!”

Hailey raised her hands. “It isn’t Ryan! Look, Ryan’s… Here. He’s fine.”

“How do you know?”

“Because…” Hailey inhaled sharply, pausing before responding. After a moment, she resolved herself. “...I’m Ryan.”

Michael could only utter a confused squeak in response.

“Just… Don’t freak out,” Hailey sighed.

She readied herself, then stood to her feet and took a step away from the wall. She lifted her arms, reaching up and behind her head, to the base of her skull. She seemed to grab hold of something, then pull downwards to the top of her upper back. A small popping sound could be heard, like a seal on a jar opening.

Michael watched in awe as Hailey took hold of her nape and began to pull. The skin on her neck splayed outwards, flattening out her throat. She grunted and adjusted her grip slightly upwards, tugging at a different angle. Her ears seemed to lift from the sides of her head and snap forward. Hailey’s hands were now visible from the front, grasping the edges of a split on the back of her head.

Her jawline began to accordion in on itself, and her chin popped forward. Her lips puckered and came loose as well, the thin material flopping upwards. Her nose flattened out into her cheeks and started to invert slightly before snapping free, seemingly sticking to whatever lay beneath. She closed her eyes as the area around her sockets loosened, and her eyelids came with.

As Hailey’s hands passed her face, the pretty features that had been stretched flat were folded inwards as she continued to pull. Her face scrunched together before finally coming free with a dull snap, flopping flaccidly onto her breasts. For a moment, it almost felt like she had molted, her skin color and hair basically untouched. However, the features of the visage beneath were distinctly masculine.

Ryan looked meekly at Michael, his head atop Hailey’s body. “I’m… Ryan is real.” He spoke with his own voice. “Hailey is the one who isn’t real.”

Michael wobbled over in shock, landing flat on his ass. “But… But you-She, she’s been…”

“Which is more likely?” Ryan crossed his still-feminine arms. “The guy you’ve been close friends with for years is fake, or the girl who you’ve only interacted with a handful of brief times? It’s true. ‘Hailey’ is an alternate identity I’ve created.”

“But… What the fuck? You made a fake sister?”

“She was never supposed to be my sister,” Ryan explained, frustrated. “I made this suit to test my skills, and because I wanted to see what it was like to be a woman. I only came up with that excuse when you saw me-her, a few months ago. You were a full hour and a half early, man.”

Michael glanced down at the fake Ryan, which remained still. “And that thing…”

“I created the mannequin for a similar reason,” Ryan continued, somewhat excitedly. “You know as an artist how important it is to have perspective, right? With the suit, I could do more than observe the female form, I could be it. With the mannequin, I could instantly shift where I was looking at my model from. With both, I could have a model I could pose however I wanted. It’s amazing.”

He shrugged. “The me suit, on the other hand, was just for situations like this where both of ‘us’ had to be present.”

“But…” Michael furrowed his brow. “How can you be in two places at once?”

“I couldn’t at first. Controlling two bodies, dealing with dual sensations… I got better at it over time, but it only really came together this past week. Before, simultaneous, precise action was impossible, but playing video games against myself was excellent training.”

Michael stared back at the mannequin. “Then what happened here?”

“That…” A blush began to spread against Ryans cheeks. “I was moving it around when we were… When I was in the room with you. It was my first time feeling a female orgasm that intense, so… My mind went blank, and I lost control. Terrible timing.”

Michael processed what Ryan said for a moment. He jabbed an accusatory finger at Ryan, anger contorting his face. “You fucking tricked me! You did all this… You manipulated me into having sex with you? You sick bastard!”

“No no no!” Ryan raised his hands defensively. ”Look, I’m sorry. You’re right. It was wrong of me to hide it. But that wasn’t my intention!” He looked away sheepishly. “Hailey might not be real, but… When she, when I said I liked you… That was real.”

 Michael stared in bewilderment at Ryan, unsure what to think. He buried his head in his hands. “This is insane. It’s all too much.”

An awkward science persisted for several minutes.

Finally, Michael raised his head. “How is this even remotely possible?” He mused. “I’ve always known you were incredibly skilled, but… To completely change yourself? To make another moving, talking person? It’s witchcraft!”

“Art isn’t my sole interest,” Ryan began to explain, eagerness in his voice. “I discovered a method to reflect and simulate dermal expression using-”

“Stop, stop,” Michael interrupted. “That was rhetorical. I’m too fried to even try and understand.” He sighed. “Let’s just leave it at ‘man-made horrors beyond my comprehension.’”

Ryan gave a weak chuckle. “Harsh. You’re gonna call the girl you’re into a ‘horror?’”

“Was into,” Michael grumbled, a scowl on his face.

“Oh?” Ryan grinned smugly. He took hold of the mask still hanging from his neck, one hand on the crown of its head and the other holding its chin. He lifted the material, pulling it over his face like a backwards hood. Hailey’s features stretched and distorted once more, though this time they were pulled horizontally rather than vertically. Ryan held the mask’s chin to his own, providing an anchor point.

Once the mask’s hair had recovered Ryan’s, he brought his hands to the front of the new visage and smoothed it out, running his fingers back along the sides of his head, removing any errant wrinkles and fitting to ears in place. His hands returned to the small of his back, and pulled upwards. There was a brief, soft sucking sound.

Hailey blinked open her eyes, a smirk on her face.

She strutted forward over to Michael and leaned over to meet his gaze, her still exposed tits hanging freely. “You sure?” She hummed in her feminine voice.

Michael’s eyes widened as he gawked at Hailey’s form. He could still see remnants of his own ejaculate plastering her face and breasts. His cheeks flushed further as the night’s events replayed in his head, and a tent began to form in his pants.

However, he managed to tear his eyes away, looking angrily to the side. “Not in the mood.”

Hailey frowned apologetically. “Sorry.” She knelt down and put a reassuring hand on Michael’s knee. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot. If… If you believe anything I’ve said tonight, know that I do like you. I… Want to share this with you.”

Michael gently pushed away Hailey's hand and stood slowly. He sighed, not meeting Hailey’s eye. “...I need some time to think.”

“...Of course.” She nodded. “It’s been a long day. We’ll talk in the morning. Okay?”

“...Okay.”

“Alright.” Hailey turned, and began descending the stairs. As she approached the bottom, the mannequin wearing Ryan’s face turned and disappeared into the studio. Hailey glanced back up the steps. “Goodnight.”

“...Mm.”

Hailey lingered for a moment, then she too entered the studio.

Michael stood still for a time, somewhat overwhelmed. Eventually, he turned, and returned to the guest bedroom.

——————

Michael lay still staring at the ceiling of the room. He replayed the events of the night over and over in his mind. He had been completely fooled. Up until the reveal, everything had felt so genuine. Every conversation, every moment, every touch felt so authentic.

As his consciousness began to fade into sleep, a thought wormed its way into Michael’s mind, and would not leave no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. If Hailey had been a false identity all this time, with no one the wiser… Who else could Ryan become?

Michael knew that, with Ryan’s level of skill, he could make up any identity he wanted. He could replicate anyone he wanted. He could be anyone, anywhere. And with the mannequin, he could be more than one person, in more than one place. Maybe he already had.

The possibilities were endless.

And Hailey… Ryan… Said they wanted to share it with Michael.

Michael knew what he wanted to do. Questions had to be answered.

Sleep took him.

In the morning, they would need to have a long, important talk.