𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 29
3𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐯

— SOMETHING IN THE AIR HAD CHANGED. He was sure of it.

He looked at Jasper and Colby, yes, something had definitely changed.

Sam narrowed his eyes, studying them as they moved effortlessly together through the kitchen as they prepared their coffees.

Their bodies no longer straying from each other but instead leaning into one another, hands grazing together at any chance they got, their eyes lingering a little too long whenever they looked the others way.

Even without all of this, he would know, after all, Sam knew his best friend, and something had definitely changed.

As Sam studied the two of them as if an answer would pop up at any second, he spotted Jasper's sweatshirt collar slipping, too big on his lean frame, and—

"Is that a hickey?" He blurted out staring at the purpleish red spot on the other blonde's neck. Jasper and Colby both froze entirely, Jasper's cheeks a bright shade of red so suddenly Sam almost wondered if it was from paranormal activity.

Gone was the shock replaced with utter amusement, really Sam's surprised this hadn't happened earlier, "It totally is, oh my god." He barely held in a cackle at his best friend's embarrassment, "So that's why you were so determined to bunk with Jasper."

"It was— I— we didn't—" Jasper stumbled over an explanation, his cheeks still fiery red.

"He's my boyfriend," Colby stated plainly, with no ounce of hesitation, if anything he was proud. Sam smiled; good. And then he frowned.

Wait.

Wait.

What the fuck.

"Wait, you guys haven't been dating this whole time?" Sam questioned in complete utter bewilderment. Because he knew his best friend, and how he acted when he was in love or even just dating someone and he'd been acting like he's in love with Jasper long before today.

Truthfully, Sam figured he was just waiting to tell him because well, Jasper's a he, and Colby had never really said much about his sexuality but he'd always dated girls. Sam had been waiting for them to tell him something, but he didn't think Jasper was waiting for Colby to ask him out still — or vice versa. Wait who asked who out?

Oh, he was so interrogating Colby later. Wait maybe not, Jasper was still being targeted by ghosts.

Oh shit, Colby must've responded at some point and he has no clue what he said.

"I thought you two were already dating." He blurts out rather than admitting he hadn't even heard his friend's response, "You only started dating last night?"

"I— we— he didn't even ask me to be his boyfriend yet!" Jasper exclaimed now a mix of exasperation, embarrassment, and disbelief at the whole situation.

Sam looked at Colby as if offended on Jasper's behalf, "What the fuck, Colby?"

Colby nearly whined, like actually whined, "I want it to be more romantic than just not being able to sleep and blurting it out!" He huffed, like a kid who's been told he can't have a cookie.

Sam stared at his friend for a moment, first in disbelief and then a little happy because he hadn't seen him this carefree in a while, and then he wiggled his brows, asking in a suggestive tone, "So what did you two do last night?"

Jasper's cheeks somehow got redder. Weasley red came to mind. Did he have a fever? Was this some form of paranormal activity? The blonde turned and grabbed his coffee again, holding it like a lifeline he gulped it down while Sam turned his attention back to Colby, searching for answers, "We just kissed."

Sam blinked. And then looked at Jasper. And then back to Colby.

Never mind he was never asking Colby anything again. He's a damn liar.

"There is a hickey the size of Mount Everest on his neck!" He exclaimed in disbelief, gesturing to Jasper and then wincing. Wow, he was chaotic this morning. Were the ghosts making him insane? ...nah this was just him with gossip, "sorry Jasper. But really, just kissing does not equal a hickey that big."

"Oh my god Sam! We didn't fuck!" Colby exclaimed in exasperation.

"And you're not dating?" Sam questioned to be sure.

"Yes! I mean no!" Colby responded and then glanced at Jasper, adding, "Not yet anyway."

"I really thought you were dating, man."

"I mean we did date." Sam blinked because there was no way Colby would've broken up with Jasper, and vice versa, "in high school."

"IN HIGH SCHOOL?"

"Breakfast?" Jasper chimed in, "Breakfast sounds good. I'm gonna go get breakfast." He said, clearly still flustered and maybe annoyed by the fact Colby was now more amused than even half as flustered as the blond.

"You don't have a car." Colby pointed out amused.

"Cole Robert Brock, drive me to breakfast or I will say no anytime you ask me to be yours out of spite." Jasper threatened though his cheeks were still so red that Sam couldn't take him very seriously, Colby however very much did take him seriously, rushing to put on his shoes.

Sam whistled, "Okay maybe you guys did date in high school." He said, and then glared at his friend, "which we will be talking about later."

"Later." Colby agreed, grabbing his keys.

✧˖*°࿐

        LATER does not come. At least not for gossip, because Jasper decides today is the day to get answers of the paranormal variety, rather than the gossip variety.

Sam thinks that's mainly because Colby clearly wants to drag him out of here and he isn't sure how long they'll actually stay.

They decided to take another shot at the ESTES method, Jasper putting on a blindfold before Colby can protest much about him going under for the method and the headphones are over his ears before they even start the radio.

They'd set up a camera, though admittedly none of them cared much for the video they came here for anymore.

Jasper wanted answers.

Colby wanted to leave.

And Sam...

Well, Sam's just kind of going with it all.

Colby inhaled deeply, sitting as close as he could to Jasper without touching him, while Sam sat opposite.

"Is there anyone with us?" Colby asked, his voice stern but gentle, as if he feared the answer, preferring to remain oblivious to any potential spirits.

Sam and Colby had always wanted answers, wanted to investigate as far and as deep as they could into the paranormal, but something about Briar Manor made them want to turn tail and run before asking any questions or finding any answers.

"Jett," Jasper responds after a moment.

Sam and Colby exchange confused looks, "Julian Jett?" Sam asked, "Is Julian here?"

"Jett," Jasper repeats. "Search for..." He pauses, and a moment later, continues, "answers."

"Yes, we are searching for answers. Do you have answers for us?" Colby said carefully, each word calculatingly vague and hesitant.

"Answer only to," Jasper pauses again, a moment later, "Jett."

"You'll only answer Jasper?" Sam questioned.

"Medium," Jasper responded as if confirming, "Alone."

"Jasper is not alone," Colby said firmly.

"The answers," pause, "he seeks," pause, "alone."

Colby and Sam exchanged a weary look, neither of them liked how this was going, a bad feeling deep in their guts that one look told them they both felt it.

Colby reached forward to get Jasper out, "It just keeps repeating alone." Jasper said, his brows furrowed in confusion, just before Colby tapped his hand.

Reluctantly, Jasper slides the headphones down till they rest on his neck, then the same with the blindfold while Sam shuts the radio off, "what happened?" Jasper asked, glancing between the two best friends who were clearly on edge.

"The spirits want to talk to you," Sam told him, the only thing they knew for sure.

Jasper still looked confused, "did any of my responses make sense? Cause they didn't to me."

"They did." Sam glanced at Colby, who hadn't let go of Jasper's hand after tapping it, "The spirits here... they only want to talk to you."

"They want to talk to me alone, don't they?" Jasper asked, a certain knowing look in his eyes that said he'd been expecting this, waiting for it even. Colby's grip on the blond's hand tightened.

Sam stayed silent, hesitant enough that Jasper had his answer. "Absolutely not." Colby said before he could stop himself. Jasper's eyes snapped to him, he took a breath and rephrased it before he could make a total jerk of himself, "It's not safe, the spirits here are dangerous and they've been targeting you from the start. We don't know what they're capable of and I don't want you to find out on your own."

"But it's our best bet," Jasper said knowingly.

"No, our best bet is to get the hell out of here," Colby responded without hesitation.

"It's our best bet to get answers." Jasper corrected, "I need answers, Colby."

"Why are you putting yourself in danger to get them?" He questioned, searching blue eyes for answers of his own. It seemed like, while something pulled Sam and Colby to leave, it pulled Jasper more— to stay and find answers, even if it meant his downfall.

Jasper paused staring at him like maybe he didn't know why either, a puppet on strings being led by some invisible pull, "I have to get answers, Colby." He said desperate for him to understand but Colby couldn't, not when it meant Jasper was willingly in danger. Knowing Colby was not ready to back down he continued, "You two can stand right outside the door, and if anything happens, if anything scares me at all, I'll get up and we can leave."

"You'll leave?" Colby questioned, refusing to let Jasper glance away.

"Yes." Jasper said determined, "I'll leave if anything goes wrong."

✧˖*°࿐

       JASPER was Alone.

Completely and utterly Alone.

Finally.

He sat in the middle of a dark room, lit only by the moonlight and a few candles.

This room was empty save a few furniture items pushed against the walls, bookshelves, and a couch, it must've been a library At one point or a study maybe. The guide had said this was one of the most active rooms — one they hadn't even gotten to investigating yet, but the amount of space in it made it perfect for Jasper to sit like this in the middle of the room, no cameras, and nobody else with him — except the spirits and the shadows.

Colby and Sam were outside the door, he was sure of that though he couldn't hear them now, but it didn't help him feel less alone. It did make him feel safer though.

He didn't bring any equipment, save a spirit box. There was no guarantee the spirits would or could answer through it, but he had to try.

"Is anyone here?" Jasper asked into the empty room, feeling a bit silly if it wasn't for the goosebumps on his skin that made him feel... well, not alone. "You said you wanted to talk to me, alone. Well, I'm the only one here now."

"Medium." The spirit box read, and then a second later, "savior."

Jasper frowned, his brows furrowed. All he could think was what the fuck. A moment later came another thought, what the fuck does that mean? He voices this thought because really spirits, you wanted to talk to a guy alone at least make sense when you do.

"Savior." It repeats, almost stubbornly, Jasper glares at the device now, deciding then he did not have the patience to be a paranormal investigator like Sam and Colby, "Save us."

"Save you from what?" Jasper questioned, he did this because he needed answers and now he only had more questions.

"Shadows" the spirit box answered, because yeah that totally made sense, "darkness." Even less sense, great.

"I don't understand." Jasper said, a mix of pleading and utter frustration, "Who is the savior? Who can help you?"

"You."

Jasper is stunned silent, or maybe he's just finally lost all his sanity and thus his words.

"Medium. Savior." The device repeats in rapid succession, the words almost blending with the speed of them, "Save us."

And then, the device stops. It doesn't just stop, it dies completely.

Jasper grabbed it off the ground in front of him with furrowed brows, pushing a few buttons but nothing worked, it had been fully charged when he came into the room, he'd checked even after Sam and Colby both did, and now it was dead.

The spirits were done talking.

And Jasper still didn't have answers.

✧˖*°࿐
2,100 words

things are happening!
we only have three more chapters of Medium's journey and yet there's so much more to come and I finally have my motivation back so I'm hoping more chapters will be coming fairly soon
I hope you all enjoyed!