Childish

A Shopping Trip with Septics

Jameson was all too excited to help clean out the storage room. In fact, everyone else managed to get roped into it as well.

Not willingly of course but they didn't want to just sit by while Jackie, James and Anti did it all by themselves. The other's things were in there, too, after all.

But of course it wasn't that simple, either. Chase had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like something wasn't right. It had to do with why Anti was so fearful now. Why did he flinch away from him? He knew WHY but he wasn't threatening, was he?

He knew why he was stuck to Jackie now but it was dramatic attachment even for those two. They went from enemies to brothers in an instant and . . . well . . Chase didn't like it.

While Chase moved boxes out of the room, his thoughts were plagued 'What will Jackie do once Anti turns back to normal? What if Anti's attitude changes back to the way it was before, too? He's gone considerably childlike during the last couple of weeks but what if the spell changes that when it wears off? And how will Jackie react? Will he automatically go back to hating him or try and befriend him again?'

Chase couldn't stop thinking about it and it was driving him nuts, 'I don't want either of them getting hurt but IF Anti DOES go back to his asshole adult self, then we'll have no choice but to be enemies again.'

He looked over to see Jameson handing Anti a small Capri Sun juice pouch and the little child-Anti bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet, getting his hair playfully ruffled by Jackie.

'I hope that's not the case, though'

Marvin COULD have just spelled the boxes out of the room and elsewhere . . . and it seemed like the others had forgotten that as well.

But Marvin didn't mind NOT using his magic. He just made things lighter to carry for himself. It gave him time for a break with the family.

Contrary to everyone else's belief, Marvin had been working tirelessly on trying to find a reverse spell to help Anti change back to normal.

You see. . . there was a little white lie all this time.

One that he'd stretch out until they indefinitely caught on.

But he was so guilty. He just wanted to help Anti, especially after what happened to him just last night.

'If I hadn't studied that stupid curse, none of this would have ever happened and Anti wouldn't have the trauma he does now'

The utter fear in his eyes he had seen. He wished he were in front of those men now to curse them with unimaginable pain.

And to think just a couple of weeks ago, he yeeted the child into the bushes like a rag doll.

Not to say he wasn't concerned about the reverse effects as well just as Chase was. There was a lot about the curse even HE didn't understand. He was a fool to have practiced anything in the Black Magic book at all!

And yet even through all of Marvin's worries and doubts and even the strange happy family moments, he could feel something else. A danger.

He didn't know what it was but . . .

Well this was his only day off that he'd take. It was back to the grind tomorrow and he would keep researching.

He saw Jackie pat Anti's head as well, 'Hopefully whatever comes next doesn't tear us all apart again'

"Alright!" Jackie clapped his hands, "Looks like this room is shaping up pretty well! What you think, Anti?"