𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 31
3𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐯

     — WHEN JASPER WOKE
from the strange dream — vision? Nightmare? He didn't even know what to call it — the room was still dark, though he could see through the window the sun was starting to peek out. Earlier than he liked getting up, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep.

His eyes searched the darkness for Colby, and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding when he found the man sound asleep beside him.

He wanted to stay, enjoy being in Colby's presence, enjoy this simple moment, but another part of him wanted — needed to get up and do something, to occupy his mind with something other than the dream. So, he carefully untangled himself from the bedding, doing it slowly so he wouldn't wake Colby, before he crept out of the room and downstairs.

He found himself in the living room, a strange sense of calm in the room that he'd never felt in this house alone. As his eyes adjusted to the light, they found the photos on the bookshelves, specifically the one of Julian Jett.

He walked over, carefully picking it up, he studied Julian's face despite it being just like his. He searched for the little differences, the wrinkles and frown lines that weren't quite the same as on his own face, the look in his eyes full of determination, but also a weariness Jasper hadn't noticed before, like Julian knew he'd come to regret searching for answers here.

He set the picture frame down and moved to study the other photos that had been otherwise forgotten during their stay, he wondered how many were of the spirits who lived here, or merely those from the house's past.

For the first time, he found himself content with not knowing.

✧˖*°࿐

       COLBY woke with a slight hum, his hand stretching out across the bed in search of Jasper but he came up empty handed, the spot beside him cold.

He frowned as he blinked his eyes open and glanced around the room, the sun peered in from the windows but there were no lights on in the room or the bathroom to indicate Jasper was still close by.

"Baby blue?" He called out sleepily but received no answer.

It took a moment for this fact to settle in his sleepy mind but when it did he sat up with a jolt, "Jay?" He called as he climbed out of bed, nearly falling his legs tangled in the sheets.

He kicked aside the sheets and stumbled out of the room, "Jasper?" He called out in the empty hallway — the house was silent, Sam likely still sleeping. They were both usually early birds but this house seemed to drain them in more ways than one.

"Jasper?!" He called again desperation filtering through into his words as he took the stairs two steps at a time, the old floorboards creaking beneath the weight. The living room was empty, as was the small office, dining room and kitchen.

The more he looked and found nothing the more panic filled him. The last time he woke and found Jasper gone, he found him at the graveyard out back, which had scared him half to death.

God, he couldn't go through that again.

He was just about to bound back up the stairs and drag Sam up to go looking when the front door was pushed open, Jasper using his leg to push it closed because his arms were full of... coffee and breakfast. Colby breathed a sigh of relief and rushed over, taking the drink container from his hands, "Jasper."

"Morning Colbs," Jasper greeted, and he seemed... good, lighter in a way Colby couldn't quite grasp, "figured I'd grab breakfast."

"I woke up and you weren't there," Colby said, setting down the coffees and then taking the bag of breakfast food from Jasper's hands just to pull the blonde into his arms, "don't fucking do that to me, not again."

Jasper paused and then settled, burying his face in Colby's neck, "Sorry, Bee." He apologized softly, content, "Didn't want to wake you."

"I don't care," Colby responded immediately, "wake me up next time, no matter the time or — or reason just— wake me up." He said, the end sounding more desperate than he intended. Fuck, he knew Jasper could handle himself but he'd been terrified regardless. Constantly terrified here, not even for himself, always for Jasper.

Jasper kissed him then, soft and gentle, less rushed than their frantic and awkward kisses as teens but just as passionate if not more. "I'm sorry," he whispered again against Colby's lips.

"I was scared," Colby admitted, "I don't want to lose you to this house."

"You won't," Jasper told him, "You won't I— I'm done here, I... I want to go home, Colbs."

Suddenly, Colby felt breathless, he'd been hoping — praying — for this moment, he'll his bags had been sitting packed in the room he didn't even sleep in anymore just waiting for them to leave, "You— you want to leave?"

"Yeah," He admitted sounding just as breathless as Colby felt, his eyes met Colby and they both drowned in each other's eyes, "yeah I do." He said, "But—" Colby braced himself, waiting, expecting but I need answers or but just a bit longer here, and instead heard, "what about us?"

Colby's eyes flicked back to Jasper's with a hint of surprise as the blonde continued, beginning to ramble, "I don't want this to just... go back to before because we're back in LA. I've missed you, a lot and I don't want to have to miss you like that again, Colbs."

For a second, Colby wanted to be crazy, to tell Jasper to move in or — fuck, to propose right then and there, because he knew Jasper's it for him. But the rational part of him knew, they needed time. He didn't want to rush this and ruin it all. He wanted to give Jasper everything he deserved.

"You won't." Colby said decisively, "You won't miss me. I'll call you every damn hour and go to your place every day I can, you can— can go with me and Sam when we travel for filming." The thought of that had him grinning, he'd love that. Love traveling with Jasper, having someone waiting after the filming would be.... A dream.

He continued, as Jasper stared seemingly in awe, "I'll take you on dates and we can do everything we ever dreamed of, I can show you off to everyone. This isn't going back to before in any way, Jay. I won't let it." I won't lose you again, he added silently.

And Jasper laughed, a grin on his face that matched Colby's, full of love and happiness, "I'd really like that." He said, and then paused a hint of mischief in his eyes, "does that make you my boyfriend?" He joked but the words sounded perfect to Colby.

"I'm yours, in every way you'll have me, Jay."

✧˖*°࿐

       WHEN Sam climbed down the stairs, rubbing his eyes sleepily, he found Jasper and Colby already awake and dressed, sitting at the table their hands clasped together as they drank coffee. Coffee.

"Whoever got coffee I love you." Sam groaned tiredly as he grabbed the third coffee left on the counter, and sat down in the chair opposite Colby.

"You're welcome," Jasper said with a chuckle, while Colby sent his friend a lighthearted glare. 

"Quit trying to steal my man, Samuel." Colby retorted.

At this, Sam raised his brows curiously, but he stayed quiet. It was only when he found himself alone with Colby in the kitchen he asked, "So, your man huh?"

"He's my boyfriend." Colby admitted proudly.

Sam nodded and clapped his friend on the back with a smile, "I'm happy for you, man. You seem happier." He had always thought his friend was pretty damn happy, but now, seeing him with Jasper — it was different. It's like the whole time Colby had been missing something and now, he was whole.

"I am." Colby agreed, "I love him."

Sam nodded, that much was obvious. He had once thought he was the only that realized the clear feelings between the pair but now it was clear, Colby always loved Jasper and he'd always known it too.

"What about this manor?" Sam asked after a moment, "I mean, what's the plan?"

Jasper chimed in as he walked into the kitchen to toss his empty coffee cup away, "I think we should finish the video, you know say goodbye to the spirits and leave."

Somehow, Colby's smile got bigger, and he nodded eagerly. They were all ready to leave.

"Sounds good," Sam agreed, "We can do one final investigation today and head out tonight or tomorrow morning."

Jasper nodded in agreement, "Did you guys have any plans for the final investigation?" He asked knowing they typically at least vaguely planned their videos, down to what investigations theyd do.

"Honestly the plan we had coming to this place has just... completely gone off the rails." Colby admitted, "It's totally different than what we expected."

Sam nodded, "that's one way to say it." He said in a lighthearted tone though it was the full truth, "Or you know, off the rails and into Jupiter."

"So we're open to ideas." Colby continued, "We've kinda been just going with the flow since we got here."

Jasper nodded and glanced around, "I think maybe we finish it by investigating the basement."

The basement, the area they'd been told had the most activity and also the darkest. It's said to be where the dark entity residing in the house first appeared. Jasper wasn't sure how true that was, with how little they actually knew about the building and its hauntings, however it seemed as good a place as any to finish their investigation.

Right where it started.

✧˖*°࿐

       THE camera clicked on, Colby sighed as he sat down, "Okay," he glanced at Sam and Jasper who sat on the sofa next to him, "we're going to be doing the ESTES method again. Third times the charm I guess? I don't even remember how many times we've done it here." He looks to Sam and Jasper but the two only shrug, not remembering either.

"This week has felt like forever," Sam joked.

"Like a whole year at least." Jasper agreed.

"Alright." Sam said as he grabbed the radio and headphones from the bag, as well as a blindfold and spirit box, "Shall we do this?"

He handed the items over to Colby who then glanced at Jasper, "Would you do the honors?" Colby asked holding the blindfold. Jasper laughed remembering how Colby had done the same for him, he nodded and moved to sit beside Colby, taking the blindfold as the man turned to make it easier.

Jasper reached up and carefully tied the silk red blindfold over Colby's eyes, his hands staying perhaps too long. He pulled away as Colby slipped the headphones over his ears.

Jasper should move back to the loveseat with Sam, he should. But his legs against Colby's and their hands are so close and he can't bring it in himself to move, so he stays, and they start asking questions.

"Is anyone there?"

"Always."

Okay starting off creepy, great. Jasper shuddered. Sure he'd felt the shadows creeping around them almost all the time here but he did not need confirmation from the ghosts, okay?

"Who are we talking to?"

"Lady of the Manor." Colby gave a strange look, confused since he couldn't hear what question he was answering.

"The lady of the Manor?" Sam asked curiously, glancing at Jasper, "Amora?"

Amora Quinzel, one of the old owners of the house, had been brutally murdered inside the home protecting her children and was said to become a sort of protector for the Manor and its spirits after that, she was also one of the manor's most active spirits.

Jasper bounced his leg anxiously before he forced the words out, "We want to help free the spirits of the Manor. Do you know how we could do that?"

Ever since they'd arrived, whenever they asked questions, to spirits or themselves, they'd only end up with more questions, so he wasn't exactly expecting a straight forward answer, but apparently the spirits decided to take pity on the group, as they gave possibly the most forward answer since they'd arrived.

"Seek answers in..." Colby furrowed his brow, trying to decipher the sounds, "something,"

BASEMENT, the spirit box droned not even a moment later.

"What do we look for in the basement?" Sam asked curiously, glancing at Jasper with a shrug as if saying 'who knows, maybe the spirits will give us answers.'

"Items from the past will free us." Jasper furrowed his brows, that could mean anything. Almost everything in the house was ancient or had some history to it.

Maybe he jinxed it thinking that the spirits were finally giving straight answers. Damn it. If he couldn't free these spirits he was blaming them and their cryptic ways.

"Items from the past..." Sam furrowed his brows, he glanced at Jasper, "what do we even do when we find them just, take the items from the house? Bury them?"

Jasper cringed at the very idea of taking haunted items from a place like this. No fucking thanks. He was not getting an attachment.

Luckily, the spirits gave a much better answer as BURN came through the spirit box.

For a second, Jasper wondered if they should just burn the whole house, but he was fairly sure that was illegal. And hauntings aside, it would be a shame to ruin such an old property like this, its history dating back so far. Though he was pushed down the historical stairs...

He focused back on Colby before the urge to burn the house got too tempting, however apparently the spirits decided they were done talking, "Goodbye?" Colby said with a confused look.

Usually the ESTES method lasted longer as they tried to string things together, or waited for answers, sometimes spirits would refuse to communicate sure but to get answers and then the spirits decide it's over... well that was new.

Jasper glanced at Sam before he tapped Colby's hand, signaling they were done. "That didn't take long." Colby stated as he pulled the headphones down from his ears and the blindfold from his eyes, letting both rest on his neck.

Jasper nodded in agreement, "but we did get some answers." He shared, "Apparently there's some items in the basement and burning them will free the spirits."

"That's something straight outta supernatural." Colby joked.

Jasper knocked his shoulders with Colby's the blond's hand wandering to his and resting there, "At least we got some answers." He said, "Once we do this final investigation, we can leave."

Colby grinned at that, intertwining his hands with Jasper's, "What are we waiting for then? Let's go burn some shit!"

✧˖*°࿐

        THE floorboards creaked beneath their weight as the three made their way down the stairs to the basement, Colby had taken up the lead and had already turned the light on, however the basement was still far too dark and just generally creepy for Jasper's liking. It was like the shadows clung to the walls and fought the light.

Walking behind Colby, Jasper eyed the basement warily, as Sam followed behind, camera held in hand as well as a backpack over his shoulder with more supplies.

The basement was fairly normal all things considered and was akin to a storage room, with concrete walls and floors giving it an old and slightly unfinished look, the room had a few windows up high, letting in minuscule light with how close to the ground they were, it let in more plants than it did sun as the ivy spread throughout the basement.

There were boxes stacked high in the corners of the room, ranging in age, some looking new while others had tape peeling off, and various furniture items were scattered around the large room, covered in sheets to prevent damage and dust. Jasper noted a large pile of ancient looking portraits in the back, but they were behind too much to try and get a better look.

The walls had scribbles in various places, mainly lower to the ground and likely from children that used to live here, though if you looked too close the scribbles were creepy, depicting large figures looming over stick figures, a stick figure with what appeared to be broken bones, and — fuck — a stick figure shown falling down stairs with a large figure looming over it.

Jasper averted his gaze after that, scanning the rest of the basement but there truthfully wasn't much else. Beneath the stairs was a small storage cupboard, its walls built with the same wood as the staircase and falling apart just as much too. He didn't dare peek inside it. There was either going to be a crazy amount of spiders or spirits, and he didn't want to deal with either.

As Jasper studied the area, wandering the room as if the mysterious items they were looking for would jump out at him, Sam and Colby set up a few CAT balls around the room that would light up if someone or something touched it, a few small flashlights in various areas that could be turned on via a twist or a push of the button, a spirit box, and one of their cameras, set up on a tripod in the corner of the room for another angle while Sam holds the other camera.

They'd decided, since the spirit they'd spoken to before hadn't told them where exactly the items were, they'd bring these supplies and see if any other spirits would lead them in the right direction.

They all sat down in the middle of the room, the spirit box in front of them, as they asked where the items were, and for a while, nothing happened. None of their lights went off, no words came through the spirit box and then, suddenly, the spirit box went haywire, words coming in too fast for any of them to understand or see.

"What the—" Sam mumbled, grabbing it, "I've never seen this happen, look at this, what is going on?" He question, confusion and disbelief painting his face as Colby showed the camera the spirit box that was still blasting a word every second or less. "This has to be some sort of malfunction." He decides, "I'm gonna reset it."

Fumbling with the buttons for a moment, Sam managed to turn the spirit box off, the room cloaked in silence immediately. They studied the spirit box for a moment, looking for anything that was visibly wrong, before Sam turned it back on. Once again, it was silent for a moment before it all started again, words spitting out too fast to understand or even read on the screen it had.

And then, a single word came out clear as day, RUN

"Run?" Sam and Colby repeated in alarm. Jasper glanced to the stairs as if tempted to do just that.

LEAVE came through the spirit box next, as if the spirits were demanding or perhaps begging them to leave now. While they could.

"Where are the items hidden?" Jasper asked again, "Tell us and we'll leave."

The spirit box had gone silent after it spat out run, but at Jasper's question it began going off again, still too fast for them to understand but Jasper managed to catch a few words on the screen, "hidden, bricks"

Jasper stood up without a word and went to the brick wall in the basement, the one that had called to him from the start, if only because of the creepy drawings etched onto the stone, he ran his hand along each of them searching for something, anything.

Crouched down, he ran his hand over the drawing of a stick figure being pushed down the stairs and there, just below the drawing of stairs, was a loose brick. His eyes widened, not even noticing Sam and Colby had followed him over and now stood beside him as he pulled at the brick, but despite it being looser than the others in a way that wouldn't make sense unless something was hidden there, he couldn't get it out.

He glanced around, noticing a bunch of tools on a shelf, probably covered in rust and dust if not cobwebs, but still.

"Hand me a screwdriver or something please," he requested, and a moment later Colby handed him a Philips screwdriver.

At some point, Colby had passed the camera off to Sam and appeared ready to drag Jasper out of the basement himself, but he was holding back for now. Jasper carefully wedged the screwdriver alongside the crease of the loose brick, and after a moment the brick came out, he grabbed it and set it on the floor.

With a wince, Jasper shoved his hand into the hole exposed by the brick and searched, his hand landing on a bag of sorts. He pulled it out, the bag dusty and dirty from being in the wall for so long, the fabric was that of an old fashioned flour bag, and a thin twine tied the bag together.

"This is straight out of a horror movie," he heard Colby say but he was too distracted by the bag he'd found. Standing up, Jasper tugged on the twine causing the tie to come loose. He opened the bag then, dumping its contents onto a nearby wooden workbench.

Inside were various little trinkets, a coin, some jewelry, even a ribbon, they all seemed odd and random especially since they were supposedly what trapped the spirits here. But then Jasper saw the glasses. They were cracked and the frame bent, but he still recognized them.

"Those are Julian's glasses." He said, with a stark realization, "all these items must belong to the spirits." Or rather, the people who died in this home or its lands, whether by natural causes, murder, or... not so natural causes.

"Jesus Christ," Sam exclaimed quietly, "Is that blood?"

Jasper tore his gaze away from the glasses, and found Sam staring at an antique style cross necklace that had dried old blood splattered on it.

Behind them, the spirit box they'd forgotten about entirely, went off again, its earlier message repeated, this time even louder.

LEAVE

✧˖*°࿐

       THE fire crackled, sparks flying into the night sky as the three men stood around the makeshift bonfire they'd created outside of the manor. They'd already tossed all of the other items into the fire, hoping that it brought some sort of freedom to the spirits and would let them move on, but Jasper was hesitating now, holding a pair of glasses in his hands.

It wasn't hard to picture the owner of the glasses, not when the man looked nearly identical to himself, perhaps that's why he hesitated now, tempted to simply keep the glasses, a reminder of not only this place but also of his great uncle, the man who he'd never met, but had saved him nonetheless.

Beside him, Colby grabbed one of his hands, unbothered by the camera Sam was holding. It seemed to be the courage Jasper needed as he carefully tossed the glasses into the burning flames, "Goodbye, Julian. Thank you."

Nearby, he saw a hummingbird, watching from the trees despite it already being plenty dark out, the bird met his gaze for a moment before flying off. For some reason, seeing the hummingbird brought him peace.

Sam and Colby both stepped away from the flames, and he was about to do the same when he hesitated. Finally, he tugged the wallet from his back pocket and rifled through it before finding what he was searching for.

He glanced at the photo of himself and Ethan that he'd yet to get rid of for only a moment, it was from a Photo Booth they'd gone to at the pier on one of their dates, they'd been so happy in the photos yet now Jasper could see the strain in his own eyes, the way he didn't quite lean into Ethan, as if some part of him always knew they weren't meant to be.

Unlike with Julian's glasses, Jasper didn't hesitate to throw the picture into the flames, watching the sparks fly.

Stepping back from the flames, the three of them sat down in the nearby grass, watching the sparks of ember and stars dance in the sky until the flames died, and then they made their way inside the manor for the last time.

✧˖*°࿐

       THAT night, Colby stayed in Jasper's room again, though it was no longer necessary for safety reasons. With their bags packed by the door and the windows locked shut, Colby and Jasper lay in the bed, they'd been silent for awhile, enjoying each others presence but Jasper could tell there was something Colby wanted to say.

He'd almost dreaded it when he realized, thinking the worst, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Colby to say "I don't think this will work" but the way Colby clutched his hand and held on tight told him it was anything but.

"I love you," Colby finally said, "and I don't want to hide that ever again."

He continued as Jasper's eyes met his, "We don't have to outright tell everyone, but I want to do this right this time, Jay. I want to... take you on dates, hold hands in public and kiss you in the street, I don't want anyone to ever doubt that I love you."

He paused, searching his gaze for something before he continued, "I... I don't want you to doubt that I love you more than I'm scared of what everyone else might think."

Colby chuckles a bit then, "Fuck I don't even care what anyone thinks as long as I have you. I just... you're... you're it for me, Jay, I've known that since we were kids and I don't ever want to lose you. Not again."

"This is starting to sound like a proposal here, Bee." Jasper joked, not knowing what else to say when Colby's words had turned his brain to mush.

Colby laughed, shaking his head, "Someday." He promised quietly and fuck Jasper didn't know what to say to that. Well, other than yes.

"I love you," Jasper said after a moment, "And I don't want to hide this either. I want everyone to know that you're mine and that I'm yours, fuck that's all I've ever wanted, Colbs."

Colby grinned, a stupid love struck grin that Jasper was sure he wore too, "You're mine," he repeated in wonder.

"You're mine." Jasper repeated in agreement with a smile and pulled the man in for a kiss that spoke more than words ever could.

That night, Jasper and Colby slept soundly, wrapped in each other's arms, their heartbeats lulling them to sleep like a song meant only for them.

In the morning, they'd leave Briar Manor behind for good and start anew, and though they didn't know exactly what that would look like, they knew they'd be doing it together.

✧˖*°࿐
4,554 words

only took me about two months but
I'm finally back with the second to last chapter of this book!
(and new glasses after months without)
I truly hope you all enjoyed,
this chapter turned out to be a BEAST ending up way longer than expected but this is the ending of Briar Manor, not the ending of Jasper and Colby's story,
so stick around for the final chapter!