Can you heal old scars?

Chapter 51

The awkwardness lessened as the three men headed to the hotel gym, Xander having managed to move most of the equipment aside giving plenty of room for Quin to shift comfortably.

However once Quin was inside the gym, the worry over shifting hit him painfully in the chest. His breathing and heart rate began to race and the telltale signs of a panic attack started to make themselves known.

Almost in unison, both Ryan and Xander were at his side, Ryan holding him from behind whilst Xander talked him through his breathing. Being able to concentrate on Xander's voice, and feel Ryan's chest rise and fall slowly and purposefully helped Quin to ride out the panic relatively quickly.

It was such a relief for Quin to know he had the two best people to keep him calm with him, especially during this situation. Ignoring the shifting practice, knowing he could count on Ryan and Xander during the trial and dealing with the press was a blessing.

Ryan gently encouraged Quin to walk to the middle of the room, it was a large open space with a wall of mirrors on one wall, the other walls were covered in various fitness posters and adverts, water coolers and gym equipment. The floor was a plain grey carpet, the walls a stark white, it all looked very clean and commercial.

Ryan rubbed Quin's arms before standing back a little, a gentle and encouraging smile on his face. Xander looked away to give Quin some modesty as he undressed, Ryan laying his robe over his shoulders once he was done.

Quin sat on the floor holding his knees, looking at himself in the mirror. He wasn't sure if he could do this, the worry over what state he would be in afterwards was very much at the front of his mind as he sat trying to focus on his essence, on the separate essence that was the Bear...

He just couldn't settle his mind into the shape, his anxiety still fresh and threatening to rear its head again.

Ryan crouched down at Quin's side, Xander watching quietly from the wall of mirrors ahead.

"It's ok baby, you can do this. Your safe here, and both me and Xander are here to help you." Ryan said, smiling and rubbing his thumb across Quin's knee.

"I just.... W..would one of you change too? If I can see you do it, I can watch and learn exactly what I'm supposed to do..." Quin said nervously.

Ryan and Xander both looked at eachother, a sort of unspoken agreement passing between them. Xander pushed off from the mirror, shrugging off his jacket and kicking off his boots. Ryan turned back to Quin with a calming gaze, stroking a finger against Quin's neck.

Xander walked over in just his boxers looking a little embarrassed, but he ignored the nerves of being around Ryan and looked at Quin instead.

"You ready, little brother?" He asked, watching as Quin gave a nervous nod.

Quin watched as Xander's form shifted before his eyes, the air around Xander seeming to blur and expand as his essence warped into the shape of Zeke.

Quin studied carefully the way Xander seemed to manipulate his essence into the shape he needed for Zeke, how Zeke's being flowed into the new form to replace Xander.

It was quite the sight to behold, and Quin wasn't sure he would ever be able to explain it to someone and do it justice. But he knew now how essence was manipulated, he saw it as Xander changed back and forth a few times, finally settling into Zeke's form a final time.

Zeke shook out his shaggy brown fur, his bulky size only made bigger by how fluffy he was.

Ryan and Snow were initially surprised by the size of Zeke, he was probably a little bigger than Snow... However he was still no match whatsoever for the size of Quin's Bear.