Sitting in a pile of sawdust in the back yard, Cephas watched Roger carve up a log. It was just one to sell, so Roger was willing to chat with the Cranidos while he worked. Cephas, always delighted to talk with Uncle Roger and help out, was content for the moment to sit and play with the shavings thrown at him.
“So, buddy. What’re gonna do when you grow up?”
A pair of bright red eyes blinked with confusion. “...What?”
Roger snorted. “You heard me. What do you want for yourself when you’re older? Like, I sell this wood, and Josie works in town. Hate to break it to you, but everyone grows up.”
Cephas was floored. He had to grow up? “Mama says I need to stay cute forever.”
Roger laughed again. “Don’t worry about that. You’ll stay cute enough for Josie. You’re going to have to earn your keep though. Don’t think I’m about to let you run around here without contributing.”
Cephas frowned. “So.. you mean, get a job like mama did?”
Roger nodded. “Exactly.”
Tilting his head, Cephas ran his fingers through the sawdust he was sitting in. Get a job? Grow up? Mama told him to not grow up more, but Uncle Roger was right. After all, he hadn’t meant to become like he was now, and everyone around him was getting bigger. Why not him, too?
Lips pursing, he thought of his friend, Kyllian. Kyllian had grown. Kyllian was gigantic! Kyllian seemed to not like how he’d grown... What if he grew like Kyllian had? What if he became super huge? What if he was suddenly too big for his bed? Too big for the house? Too big for mama to love?! He narrowed his eyes and looked at the man. “Uncle Roger, you aren’t gonna give me a potion to grow me, are you?
Roger cocked his head this time. “A potion? ..I wasn’t planning on it. Neither was Josie, I don’t think. Why? Do you want one?”
”No!” Cephas gasped, shaking his head roughly. While Roger smirked, Cephas chewed on a nail. Kyllian hadn’t liked growing, but Kyllian also sounded like the potion had been forced rather than chosen. Kyllian didn’t have someone like mama or Uncle Roger taking care of him. Poor Kyllian...
When Roger looked up from the wood again, he was surprised to see Cephas crying a little. “Whoa! Hold on, kid! If you start that up, Josie will have a fit and blame me for it.”
Cephas smiled and wiped his eyes. “I won’t tell, Uncle Roger.” Climbing out of the sawdust, he walked over and hugged his uncle firmly. “I’m just lucky, is all. I’m gonna grow up good with you and mama helping me. And then I can help you and mama!”
Patting Cephas’ head, Roger winced slightly from the tight squeeze he was trapped in. At least Cephas was controlling his strength a little better. “Well, of course you’ll grow well with us! Did you think you would grow bad or something?”
Cephas shook his head. “No. Not bad. Just...” He paused a moment, and then grinned. “I wanna grow how I wanna. I wanna be able to stay with you and mama forever!”
Roger shook his head and chuckled. “Ah, you’re a sweet kid. Just don’t turn into an a*****e, and we’ll be good.”
Right then, the back door opened up, and a very irritated teenager stormed out. “ROGER!!”
“So, buddy. What’re gonna do when you grow up?”
A pair of bright red eyes blinked with confusion. “...What?”
Roger snorted. “You heard me. What do you want for yourself when you’re older? Like, I sell this wood, and Josie works in town. Hate to break it to you, but everyone grows up.”
Cephas was floored. He had to grow up? “Mama says I need to stay cute forever.”
Roger laughed again. “Don’t worry about that. You’ll stay cute enough for Josie. You’re going to have to earn your keep though. Don’t think I’m about to let you run around here without contributing.”
Cephas frowned. “So.. you mean, get a job like mama did?”
Roger nodded. “Exactly.”
Tilting his head, Cephas ran his fingers through the sawdust he was sitting in. Get a job? Grow up? Mama told him to not grow up more, but Uncle Roger was right. After all, he hadn’t meant to become like he was now, and everyone around him was getting bigger. Why not him, too?
Lips pursing, he thought of his friend, Kyllian. Kyllian had grown. Kyllian was gigantic! Kyllian seemed to not like how he’d grown... What if he grew like Kyllian had? What if he became super huge? What if he was suddenly too big for his bed? Too big for the house? Too big for mama to love?! He narrowed his eyes and looked at the man. “Uncle Roger, you aren’t gonna give me a potion to grow me, are you?
Roger cocked his head this time. “A potion? ..I wasn’t planning on it. Neither was Josie, I don’t think. Why? Do you want one?”
”No!” Cephas gasped, shaking his head roughly. While Roger smirked, Cephas chewed on a nail. Kyllian hadn’t liked growing, but Kyllian also sounded like the potion had been forced rather than chosen. Kyllian didn’t have someone like mama or Uncle Roger taking care of him. Poor Kyllian...
When Roger looked up from the wood again, he was surprised to see Cephas crying a little. “Whoa! Hold on, kid! If you start that up, Josie will have a fit and blame me for it.”
Cephas smiled and wiped his eyes. “I won’t tell, Uncle Roger.” Climbing out of the sawdust, he walked over and hugged his uncle firmly. “I’m just lucky, is all. I’m gonna grow up good with you and mama helping me. And then I can help you and mama!”
Patting Cephas’ head, Roger winced slightly from the tight squeeze he was trapped in. At least Cephas was controlling his strength a little better. “Well, of course you’ll grow well with us! Did you think you would grow bad or something?”
Cephas shook his head. “No. Not bad. Just...” He paused a moment, and then grinned. “I wanna grow how I wanna. I wanna be able to stay with you and mama forever!”
Roger shook his head and chuckled. “Ah, you’re a sweet kid. Just don’t turn into an a*****e, and we’ll be good.”
Right then, the back door opened up, and a very irritated teenager stormed out. “ROGER!!”
