James waited for his fingers to stop trembling before he dared bring them to the keyboard. He knew all too well that he could’ve left the 9 off.
His reverence for this new power, however, wasn’t about to stop James from having some fun with it. With the stroke of two keys he shot back up to his real age, gasping and giggling at the rush that came with the sudden boost in height and strength. It wasn’t physical power that he required from his nineteen-year-old form, though – it was subterfuge.
“Thought we had an understanding about you calling me at work, Jimmy.” James’ giddy grin grew as his brother’s annoyed voice grated scratchily through the speakers of his smartphone. As much as he wished he could be there in person for this, FaceTime would have to do. “So unless there’s an emergency, I think I’ll be going now.”
“Hey Craig,” James practically sang, not bothering to hide his glee. “How old were you when you finally stopped sleeping in mom and dad’s bed?”
The younger brother could hear the older’s irritation seethe through the speakers.
“They made me stop on my sixth birthday.” Craig spat. “Why?”
Two keystrokes was all it took.
“No reason.”
James’ finger had barely left enter when a startled groan tickled his ears from over the airwaves. His eyes snapped back to the phone and nearly popped out of his head.
Oh my God it’s happening so fast and he doesn’t even know, doesn’t even know that he’s…he’s shrinking. Ohhhh jeeez that’s so fucking WEIRD to watch and he’s just getting younger and younger…man…I forgot how dorky he was in middle school…and that he was a real freckleface as a kid…and that…oh, wow…
Fifteen years gone in less than thirty seconds. Though he could just about squeal in delight, James dared not make a sound as the young IT professional turned first-grader started coming around. Craig’s clear cyan eyes fluttered open and then slowly grew to adorable widths as they took in how equally adorable the rest of him had become. His stare of precious bewilderment and horror turned to one of anger and seething suspicion when he looked up and saw a little-now-big brother unwilling to hide his amusement.
“YOU!” Craig squealed as he jabbed a stubby finger at the screen. “How did you - !”
The indignant boy had attempted to stand on the seat of his computer chair but succeeded only in getting tangled up in his grown-up clothes. James howled with laughter as Craig squeaked and cursed and twisted about, so much so that he was bent over and wiping tears from his eyes while the little boy righted himself. It was, in fact, the sound of tiny fingertips dancing over a keyboard that snapped James from his reverie.
The young man’s smile soured as he saw the scorn with which Craig stared at his computer’s screen as he typed, hardly slowed down at all by fingers now suited more for clutching crayons than crafting code.
“Uh…Craig…?” James let out one last nervous chuckle. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but it’s temporary, okay? There’s no need – ”
The words died in James’ throat when Craig suddenly stopped typing…when he leaned towards his computer’s screen in an astonished squint.
Craig glanced at James.
Craig started typing again. Carefully now, as a sniper lines up his shot.
“…Craig, NO!” James shouted. His fingers flew to his own keyboard but their tips had barely grazed the plastic when the deep, wonderful numb hit him once more. The young man groaned as he helplessly sank back into his computer chair, knowing what had been done and able only to pray that his brother had been merciful.