Simon watched his father from the den, staying quiet as John O'Sullivan (formerly Sanders) gulped down the hoagie. It wasn't a simple hoagie - he'd watched his dad construct the triple decker submarine sandwich. Or...he remembered watching it happen.
He blinked a couple of times, thinking quickly. He'd watched his dad come down the old way, his body smooth and a bit tubby and fix a midnight snack of a pb&j sandwich. And now, he remembered his dad thumping down the stairs, his gut heaving side to side as one big solid ball. His red beard trailed down between this thick pecs. He could see it, just as he could see his dad's old body.
Simon wondered if the ARF was truly powerful enough to insert new memories...or if there was more to it. Before he had a chance to think further, his dad snuck up and powerhugged him.
"How's my little boy?" John O'Sullivan said, keeping his deep baritone voice down to not wake the other two.
"Uh....fine dad..." Simon replied, shocked, as his dad had lifted him up with barely a grunt. He sniffed, and watched his dad's pale face grow red.
"Yeah..sorry - i did a workout before getting to bed - before this beast got hungry" he growled, slapping the firm gut. "And...well, a man sweats when he works out..." He continued, looking a bit more uncomfortable. "Well...it happens during, you know... puberty" John's face blushed further.
Simon felt an odd embarrasment build within him, his own cheeks reddening. "Dad..." He said, but it came out weird, almost like a croak.
"Yeah...I know, your friends are bigger than you - for now. You'll catch up in no time." John said, oblivious as his son's frame began changing.
"You'll notice your hands and feet hurt - your legs too" John continued, as Simon felt the twings of pain shoot through his limbs. His hands expanded, knuckles cracking as Simon watched his grip grow by two or three solid inches.
"You'll begin sprouting hair in odd places...though, if you've seen me, you know it'll probably come everywhere." John joked, as Simon began itchin, his arms and underarms especially. He lifted up his right arm, and a smell hit him - pungent, just like what he'd sniffed when his dad had hugged him. 'Yeah...and you'll find you start smelling and sweating from areas you never did before. Likely, Jay there could tell you all about it" John nodded over to the sleeping, lanky form of Jay.
Jay snorted, and he rubbed his scruffy chin before turning slightly and nodding back off. There was a new scent to the den - a slight muskiness that hadn't been there before. Simon looked about the room, seeing more wrappers, coke cans, popcorn tubs and other stuff litter the floor. He felt a bit funny, as his dad continued talking. "Heck...you'll put on more weight - take after your old man, though...I hope you take after your dear mom - only girl I ever had to wear boots to look in the eyes."
Simon grunted, as his belly inflated, growing thicker - his arms expanding, filling his shirt. His eyes rose higher, creeping up above his dad's chest - the thick beard growing into his view - until he was eye to eye with his dad's adam's apple (or what he could see behind the dense red hair). "Um...but..." Simon started to say, his voice caught in his throat.
"I know...I know - it's a family trait" John grinned, proudly rubbing his bald head. There was a thin strip of red hair across the top - connecting the two inch wide band that ran around his big head. 'Balding is a big man's thing - and only the manliest of men can pull it off." John said, giving his son a chest bump.
Instead of knocking him on his butt, Simon was able to stand firm - his body having thickened significantly to match his genetics. 'Now...get some rest - you guys have a long weekend ahead. I'm leaving at 7 - so don't worry if I'm not here when you wake up. Phone numbers and contacts are on the counter, there's money on the fridge - don't spend it all on pizza" John grinned, giving his boy a gut slap. "If you need to go anywhere, Jay can drive you."
Simon's eyes flew open, realizing that Jay was 16 - and Bryan and he were just 13. Being 16 meant Jay could drive them around now. "Stay in the city" John warned, noticing Simon's attention shifting. "And tell Jay not to park his big SUV behind my big truck - driveway can't fit both of us." He chuckled.
Simon glanced down at the Chronivac screen - where his profile had updated. It read: Simon Sean O'Sullivan/13/5'8"/284lbs. His eyes blinked, as he noticed the faint red nimbus of hair that sprouted from his thicker forearm, before a bigger hand clamped over the device.
"Now...put your games down and get to bed, Simon" John ordered, taking the Chronivac and setting it on the mantle. "Light's out" He added, as he turned, watching Simon get lay down on the floor near Bryan, before switching off the lights.
Thumps followed John's travels upstairs, along with a loud, low creak as the big man got into bed. Simon's eyes felt immediately heavy, and he drifted off, only slightly aware of the green blinking light from the mantle.