(Un)Masked Doubts
Thanks to @maskgreenface94 for the masked pic.
Neither the flashing spotlights nor the shouts of the crowd could tear Jonah's gaze away from the spectacle before him. The passion with which the man sang and his synchronized movements were a visual delight, and everyone who saw him agreed. It was a true delight to see Roman Kross live.
And the size of the crowd was expected. Roman was an influencer and amateur musician who gained fame by posting his songs online and making opinion videos. That, combined with his authentic personality and undeniable good looks, resulted in a massive following of people who admired him, just like the audience that shouted and cheered him on.
A resigned sigh escaped Jonah's lips just as his view was blocked by more people, so, somewhat dejected, he moved away from the area, hiding among the nearby trees, and waited for the concert to end.
“What does he think of me?” he wondered.
Even hours after the concert ended, as dusk fell, there were still people vying for the attention of their idol, Roman. Jonah saw him smiling, seemingly enjoying the attention, so, despite being physically close, he decided to stay hidden, waiting for them to leave, and didn't approach Roman until he was certain no other fans would come.
“Oh! There you are, babe!” said Roman, carrying his guitar case, before closing the distance with Jonah and planting a kiss on his lips. Jonah immediately returned the kiss, though careful to avoid being seen.
Because Roman and Jonah had been a romantic couple for years. They had met at university, where they were placed as roommates in the campus dormitories. Jonah studied photography and cinematography, while Roman studied music and acoustics.
At first, they didn't talk much. However, when Roman learned about Jonah's career, he asked him to record him so he could upload his covers and original compositions online, quickly gaining notoriety. A stroke of luck, Jonah thought.
With his photography background, Jonah became his personal cameraman and editor, filming his videos, both music videos and influencer videos, and, given their trajectory, everything seemed to be going well.
More so for Roman than for Jonah, since he was the public face, the recognizable one. Not that Jonah wanted fame, not at all, but the people his partner frequented, whether for collaborations, promotions, or even parties, were far more famous, influential, and even good-looking than Jonah…
'So… why me?' Jonah thought, looking at Roman, unsure of himself.
One afternoon, the two were out for a stroll. They were traveling in another country and had decided to explore the nearby city on foot, admiring everything they saw. The sunlight was high in the sky and shone down on them, though Jonah felt it shone even brighter on his partner.
Then, as they turned a corner, someone shouted Roman's name.
"It's Roman Kross himself! I can't believe it!" a fan exclaimed, approaching them. In a matter of seconds, more and more people arrived, pulling Jonah away from Roman, who was now surrounded by fans overjoyed to see him.
Jonah wanted to yell at them to leave and take Roman with him, but the happiness of all those people, as well as Roman's genuine smiles as he signed autographs and posed for photos, made him reconsider.
"He seems to be okay..." Jonah murmured, and without saying anything, he walked away from the commotion.
Strolling slowly, he stumbled upon a stall displaying a wide variety of objects: books, amulets, jewelry, goblets… but among all the things, the one that caught his eye the most was a green wooden mask with a vertical metal rod and an expressionless face that was unsettling.
“Greetings, young man…” said a woman’s voice.
Jonah jumped and bit his tongue to avoid swearing.
“Geez… I didn’t see you, ma’am…” Jonah said as respectfully as he could.
“Your sight has fallen upon that mask, and it’s no wonder…” she said in an ethereal tone, almost as if she were trying to imitate a ghost, “for it is said to grant whoever wears it the power to make their wishes come true in exchange for revealing the secrets of their heart.”
“What?” Jonah said, confused.
“The mask, young man, the mask,” she said, taking it. “The power it grants in exchange for unleashing the individual’s hidden pleasures.”
“Really?” Jonah asked, holding it. From his perspective, it didn’t seem so special. “If that’s the case, why don’t you keep it instead of putting it up for sale?”
“I’m afraid there’s no secret of my heart the mask can grant that I can’t already obtain with my own powers,” the woman replied, her tone still somber. “If you don’t believe me, take it for free, and you’ll see what I mean…”
“Really?” Jonah looked at the mask again. “Thanks? I guess…” he said, turning back to the woman, but neither she nor the stand were there, leaving only grass and sidewalk.
A chill ran down Jonah’s spine, and with nothing else to do, he decided to return to the hotel on his own.
Upon arriving, he noticed the room was exactly as they had left it, a sign that Roman hadn't returned. Jonah took out his cell phone and called him several times, but no one answered. He sighed wearily and, with that feeling of despair, set the mask aside and threw himself onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
When he woke up, the sun had already set, but it didn't seem like Roman had returned, given the silence. Jonah got up to order dinner, but before picking up the hotel phone, his gaze returned to the mask. He remembered the woman's words, so he took it. He approached a nearby mirror, the mask in his hands, and after a sigh, slowly brought it closer to his face.
As soon as he felt the mask against his skin, it felt as if it tried to suck his face in.
"What the heck?!" he shouted in surprise, immediately pulling the mask away.
His breathing began to quicken, and beads of cold sweat trickled down his neck. He felt as if the pores of his skin had been drawn irresistibly to the wood. It couldn't be possible that a simple mask could do that… Could it be…? Could it be true?
Then, as if in answer to his inner question, he saw a faint, greenish glow flicker across the mask's surface, moving from one side to the other in a blink.
"So it's true…" Jonah murmured, aware of the weight of what he was about to do. If he were to let himself be swayed by the magic of such an object, who knew what would happen? Not even he knew what his "deepest desires" were, but he was certain they had something to do with Roman… Was it to be on his level? To prove he was better than him? Or perhaps…
To prove that Roman's feelings for him were genuine?
At that thought, for a brief moment, his eyes flickered a greenish hue and a slight smile curved his lips. His arms felt stronger, and he even felt a pulse where his bulge was.
Then, he brought the mask to his face…
“Babe, there you are!”
Jonah stopped at the sound of Roman’s voice. Turning around, he noticed a look of relief spread across his face, and he was carrying several things.
“I’ve been looking for you this whole time! Why did you leave without telling me?!” Roman demanded, approaching.
“I didn’t want to interrupt the impromptu meet-and-greet with your fans,” Jonah replied, without looking at him. “Then I got distracted, and when I saw you weren’t coming anytime soon, I came over. I was calling you…”
“My phone died…” Roman replied, though he didn’t seem reassured.
“What are those things?” Jonah asked.
“Gifts they gave me… look, babe…”
“Don’t worry, it’s great that they gave them to you… it shows how much they appreciate you…” Jonah replied, perhaps with more malice than he intended.
“I’m so sorry I’ve left you out: I really wish we could spend time together.”
“I understand… Don’t worry,” he said, with no desire to talk anymore.
“Yes, I should be worried, Jonah,” Roman said. It had been a while since he’d called him by his first name. “I’ve noticed that when it comes to my fans or my public life, you distance yourself from me. What’s going on?”
Jonah didn’t feel like answering, but his partner’s gaze was encouraging, as if it held a genuine desire to hear him out.
“Being so famous and admired by so many, with equally successful friends and luxurious lives… Why me then?”
Roman was speechless and didn’t know what to say.
“I’m going to bed…” Jonah said, misinterpreting his silence, and left.
However, he had left the mask on the shelf under the mirror. Roman, taking a few steps, noticed it.
“What’s that?” Roman asked, still feeling uneasy, and picked it up. “Interesting design…” he murmured, remembering that when he came in, Jonah had been about to put it on. He shrugged for a moment and placed it on his face.
“Huh? It feels weird…” Roman said.
For a moment, the mask had stuck to his face. But then, the mask seemed to come to life and began to stretch around his head. Roman felt extremely strange: the oddness of the stretching, the caress of the tendrils, the relaxing vibrations, and the roughness of the mask rubbing against his skin left him in a rush of sensations that he could only respond to by moaning, moaning loudly, as he tried to pull it off.
“The mask!” Jonah said, remembering it, but when he returned, his partner already had it on.
Jonah froze, watching him. He was afraid of what would happen: the uncertainty of what he would get out of Roman terrified him as much as it fascinated him, but above all, the sight was exciting. Roman’s moans, his body movements, and the way the mask adapted to his features as it continued to cover his head were incredibly erotic, so much so that he couldn’t help but pinch his own nipples.
The mask covered Roman’s head, and he continued moaning, realizing the effect the mask had on both himself and Jonah, who was still enjoying the view. Then, Roman’s body spun in a greenish mini-tornado that swept across the room, passing around Jonah several times.
“Oh, boy…” Jonah thought, unsure what to expect.
And just as quickly as it began, it ended. Jonah was astonished: before him stood a muscular man, slightly bulkier than Roman, leaving him exposed. The most striking change was his face: green, as if covered by a second layer of magical skin that enhanced the beauty of Roman's already attractive features, even retaining his hairstyle and some of his facial hair. His reddish irises and radiant smile revealed the ecstasy he felt, as if simply existing was pure pleasure. He took a picture of himself, to capture his unique essence.
“And I thought I was irresistible before, huh?” he exclaimed, his voice sounding deeper yet playful than before. He tossed his phone aside and then looked at Jonah. His eyes widened in surprise.
“Well, what do we have here? A total hottie with a big, tight heart… looks like I’ll have to pull out all the stops to heal him, what do you think?” he said.
“Huh?” Jonah said, confused. “What do you mean?”
But suddenly the room had transformed into a stage, with Jonah lying on the bed scantily clad, and facing him on a platform was the masked man, wearing tight, satin shorts. He held a microphone, his gaze fixed on Jonah as if he were a work of art.
“Why you, you ask…” he said in a sensual tone. A soft tune began to play, sounding like ambient music until it resembled a karaoke track. “Here’s your answer, babe… 😘” he added, blowing a kiss, which manifested as a heart that reached Jonah.
Then, the green-haired man began to sing. Soft, slow lyrics, in which they revisited their history together since their college years.
🎶Behind the lens, you catch a hidden glow,
A quiet grace I never thought I’d have or know.
You film the magic, but the truth is clear:
I’m only my best self when you are near.🎶
Jonah's body moved in time with the rhythm, captivated by his partner's voice and movements.
🎶They ask if I’d trade you for fortune and fame,
But every success is a debt to your name.
I’d rather be grounded with you by my side,
Than stand on a peak with my arms open wide—alone.🎶
Jonah was moved and touched by his words. Roman, masked or not, definitely had talent. The sincerity in his voice as he spoke to him was so moving that Jonah couldn't help but cry when Masked Roman finished singing.
“Aww, babe, I know I'm known to be incredible, but you don't have to get wet for me,” Roman said, and in an instant, he was by his side. Then he wiped his cheeks.
“I'm just glad you could answer me,” Jonah replied, hugging him.
“Well, now that we're clear and this close, what do you think about ending the night on a high note?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. “I could let you top this time.”
“Really? But you never have…”
“I've wanted to try it a while ago, and since we're going to get closer, I find it appropriate to get to know each other deeper, am I right?”
Jonah giggled, and they made love all night.
“So, would you like me to announce our relationship publicly?” Roman asked.
They were both in bed the next day after a passionate night. Roman smiled at his partner, though the latter's gaze shifted between him and the mask, which lay on Roman's lap, concealing his penis.
“Except for the fact that you're in one, I don't really like being in public,” Jonah replied. “I guess you don't mind losing followers when you announce you're gay and, even worse, unavailable, right?”
Roman giggled.
“How dare you ask that?” he laughed before planting a kiss on his face. “Never mind, I'm going to order breakfast, okay?”
“Okay.”
Roman got out of bed and left the room. Jonah stayed there, his gaze fixed on the mask, which he picked up and examined. It still had drops of whitish fluid from the night before, especially on the back.
“I guess there won’t be a problem if…” Jonah thought, blushing slightly, and decided to lick it.
However, the mask activated and his head was covered in an instant.
By the time Roman returned, a cloud of green smoke filled the room. Roman gasped at the figure perched on the bed.
“Well, it seems like the fun still continues… 😉”
