Shared power

The final bell for the class rang, echoing through the hallway.

Students quickly packed their bags and flooded out of the classroom. Chairs scraped across the floor and conversations filled the air again.

Jacoby stood up slowly, keeping his head down as usual.

Matthew waited beside him.

“Hey,” Matthew said quietly. “You wanna talk somewhere else?”

Jacoby nodded immediately.

“Yeah… somewhere private.”

They slipped into the hallway and walked past groups of students heading to their next classes. Carter and his friends passed by them on the way out, Carter bumping Jacoby’s shoulder on purpose.

“Watch it,” Carter muttered with a smirk.

Matthew shot him a cold glare, but Jacoby gently grabbed Matthew’s sleeve.

“Not here,” Jacoby whispered.

Matthew took a breath and nodded.

They kept walking until they reached an older section of the school rarely used during class periods. A side stairwell led down to a small storage hallway where broken desks and old lockers were stacked against the walls.

It was quiet.

Almost nobody ever came here.

Jacoby stopped and turned around.

“Okay… we should be good here.”

Matthew looked around curiously.

“So… what did you want to show me?”

Jacoby hesitated.

This was the first time he was about to tell anyone about what happened.

“I’m gonna sound crazy,” Jacoby said.

Matthew shrugged slightly.

“After what I saw earlier? I’m ready for anything.”

Jacoby slowly lifted his hand.

“Just… watch.”

He focused the way he had practiced during his suspension.

That strange warmth deep in his chest stirred again.

His fingers twitched.

Then suddenly—

A dark liquid flowed from his palm, swirling like living ink in the air before dripping to the ground.

Matthew’s eyes widened.

“What the—”

Jacoby quickly waved his hand again and the black substance splattered against the wall before dissolving into nothing.

Matthew stared at him in shock.

“Jacoby… how did you do that?”

Jacoby rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Okay… so remember when I ran away the night I got suspended?”

Matthew nodded slowly.

“There was a meteor… and this weird pink parasite thing jumped into me.”

Matthew blinked.

“…I’m sorry, WHAT?”

“I know it sounds insane,” Jacoby said quickly, “but ever since then I can do stuff like that.”

He showed his palm again.

Small drops of black energy slowly formed around his fingers.

Matthew stepped closer, fascinated.

“Does it hurt?”

Jacoby shook his head.

“No… it actually feels warm.”

Matthew stared at the strange energy for a moment.

“That’s… kind of amazing.”

Jacoby looked down.

“Honestly, I’m still scared of it.”

Then something else crossed his mind.

“I think I can do something else too.”

Matthew tilted his head.

“Like what?”

Jacoby took a nervous breath.

“I think… I can share it.”

Matthew blinked.

“Share it?”

Jacoby nodded.

“I don’t know how I know, but it feels like the power inside me can split.”

Matthew crossed his arms.

“And how exactly does that work?”

Jacoby hesitated.

Then his face turned red.

“Uh…”

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Jacoby mumbled quietly.

“…through a kiss.”

Matthew blinked again.

Then he laughed softly.

“Well… we are dating.”

Jacoby shyly stepped closer.

Matthew leaned down slightly.

Their lips touched briefly.

For a split second, a soft pulse of warm energy passed between them.

Matthew suddenly stepped back.

A strange glow flickered through his hands for a moment before fading.

His eyes widened.

“Whoa…”

He looked down at his palms.

“I felt that.”

Jacoby smiled nervously.

“See?”

Matthew flexed his fingers.

“I think… I actually have some of your power now.”

A grin spread across his face.

“That’s awesome.”

The two of them stood there for a moment, realizing they had just become something more than normal students.

Then the distant gym whistle echoed down the hallway.

Jacoby gasped.

“Oh crap! PE!”

They ran toward the gym, barely making it before the class started.

Students were already gathering on the basketball court.

Matthew jogged beside Jacoby.

“So… I still can’t believe I randomly ended up at your school.”

Jacoby looked at him.

“Yeah, seriously. When did you move here?”

“Two days ago,” Matthew said. “My parents moved us to California for work.”

Jacoby’s eyes widened.

“Two days?!”

Matthew nodded.

“I was gonna tell you… but you never answered my messages.”

Jacoby sighed.

“Yeah… about that.”

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I got suspended.”

Matthew looked surprised.

“For what?”

Jacoby shrugged.

“Snapping at everyone who was bullying me.”

Then he added quietly,

“And my parents grounded me from my phone.”

Matthew nodded slowly.

“That explains why you disappeared.”

Jacoby gave a small smile.

“Well… at least you’re here now.”

Matthew smiled back.

And as they walked onto the gym floor together, neither of them noticed the faint black energy briefly flicker around their hands.

The power of Amaterasu had just gained a second vessel.

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