The Green Elixir 2.5 (Patreon)

Peter was absorbed in the documents scattered across his desk, but his concentration kept slipping. Despite his best efforts, his thoughts kept drifting back to what had happened with his best friend Steve over the last few weekends—it was distracting, and more than a little unsettling.

"Hey Pete! How's it going, buddy?" Steve's voice made Peter jump as he stepped into the cubicle.

"You scared me! I was really in the zone here," Peter said, still avoiding Steve's gaze.

"The shipping manifests? Wow, you've got quite a pile," Steve said, moving closer to the desk. Peter instinctively leaned back, acutely aware of his friend’s proximity.

"You're coming to lunch," Steve announced.

"I'll pass. Too much work," Peter replied, hurriedly shuffling some papers.

"Everything okay, Pete?" Steve asked, his tone shifting.

"Yeah, of course. Why?"

"Because it feels like you're avoiding me, man. You upset or something?"

"No, it's not that. It's just… you have to admit what happened was weird."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Last night." Peter’s voice dropped, low but tense. "You came over, we pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and then we… ended up at a hotel."

"Oh, that," Steve said casually. "That was Steph—you know, that sexy mutant girl. I’m Steve, your best friend. Oh, and by the way… 'Steph' sent you this." He showed Peter a photo—a nude selfie of Steph flaunting her breasts, while blowing a double kiss to the camera.

“Oh, damn…” Peter gasped, nearly dropping the picture. “Dude, don’t just show me something like that.”

“Just think of it as a gift from your mutant girlfriend,” Steve said, cracking up. “Man, you should’ve seen your face.”

“Hilarious,” Peter replied dryly, slipping the photo discreetly into his pocket. “I didn’t expect you to take pictures while… mutated.”

“I regretted not getting any shots during the first change, so I made sure to take a bunch while it lasted this time,” Steve said, as though it were the most normal thing in the world. “I’ll send you the zipped folder with the rest later.”

“Okay, but… I’m still kind of uncomfortable with all this,” Peter admitted.

“Uncomfortable? We were just playing roles. It’s in the past.”

“Hey, roleplay or not, we still… you know.”

“But you weren’t with me. You were with my alter ego—with a girl. When I take the mutagen, it’s a full transformation, seriously. And last night, I swear you were with a woman. Hell, almost two women.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to tell myself. And that whole ‘two minds connected’ thing was… strange,” Peter said, trying to steady his nerves.

“It was even stranger merging back into one person in the early hours. I’m still a little fuzzy on it, though being a hive mind definitely had its perks.”

“Anyway, I don’t think you should take any more of the Elixir,” Peter said firmly. “I found an online forum where people talk about their experiences with it—the side effects, what happens if you drink too much. Some never fully come back. And for people who get dependent… it’s worse. There were stories about people literally melting into purple puddles.”

“Well, I’ve had two doses, and look at me—I’m still the same old Steve. No weird skin tones, normal eyes, no extra fingers. I think I’m immune to the side effects.”

“Maybe, but it also says the elixir lasts a maximum of six hours,” Peter pointed out, crossing his arms. “And you just told me you didn’t change back until early morning.”

Steve swallowed, realizing his slip. “Okay, fine, it lasts longer in me. Probably because my body processes it more stably.”

“Even if you’re not showing symptoms, you should still be careful.”

“Thanks for worrying, man, but I’m fine. If I seem excited about turning into a girl, it’s because it helps me understand women better—what they want, what they like,” Steve said. “Actually, I’m taking Amanda from accounting out today.”

“Amanda? That’s great! She’s really sweet,” Peter said, brightening a little.

“Exactly. We’re getting coffee after work. See? Nothing weird going on. In fact, I think I’ll take a break from the elixir this weekend. No withdrawal issues at all.”

“Glad to hear it, man,” Peter said, finally relaxing. “Alright, let’s grab lunch before break is over.”

When the workday ended, Steve made his way quickly to the accounting office, where Amanda was already packing up.

“Hi Steve!” she greeted him warmly. “I’m all set. So what was that favor you wanted to ask me about?”

“It’s for my sister. She wants to update her style, look more polished, but she’s too shy to try on her own. I’d like to help her—buy some new clothes, maybe some makeup. You’ve got great taste. Think you could help me out?”

“Of course! What did you have in mind?”

“She’s really attractive and likes things that show off her figure,” Steve said smoothly.

“Okay, no problem. Pretty and sexy it is. I’m pretty good at that kind of thing.”

Steve smiled. It was time to take his little experiment to the next level.