After the news crew packed up and left, Michael began cleaning up the mess that was made. Freddy had taken a shower soon after everyone left, hoping to get rid of the dog smell that permeated all over his body. While rinsing off, he thought to play with his penis in the shower to see if an erection would trigger the transformation. He thought against it, hoping to avoid being stuck as a dog with his son Evan around and causing more agony for his husband, Michael.
Shutting off the water, Freddy dried off and got changed into more comfortable clothes. When he went back downstairs, he saw Michael dusting, while his son Evan was doing his homework.
“Need some help?” Freddy asked Michael, as he came down the stairs.
“I’m good, thanks” Michael replied curtly.
Sensing a bit of tension. Freddy scooped Michael from behind and kissed him on the neck. Michael pushed him back and continued dusting.
“Everything ok?” Freddy asked, with concern in his voice.
“I think he’s mad about you turning into a dog again” Evan replied, not looking up from his homework.
“It’s more than that” Michael corrected “but whatever.”
“Michael” Freddy quietly cooed. “I—“
“Papa” Evan said, as he looked up at Freddy. “Come sit with me. Daddy needs some alone time.”
“Is that true?” Freddy asked Michael.
“Go spend time with Evan for a bit” Michael replied, as he continued dusting. “We’ll talk later.”
Sighing, Freddy went over to sit next to his son Evan at the table.
“Whatcha working on, Evan?” Freddy asked, as he peered down at his son’s homework.
“English” Evan replied.
“Ah.”
Michael thought to make a sarcastic comment in that moment, but decided to hold his tongue. Freddy attempted to help Evan with his homework, but struggled to make sense of the information being provided on the communication device. After a while, Freddy sighed and stood up from his chair.
“Let’s take a break, Evan” Freddy said, as he motioned him over to the couch. "Come sit next to me."
“Ok papa” Evan replied.
Freddy patted a seat on the couch next to him, as Evan went over to sit next to his papa. Freddy gave his son a hug and kissed him on the forehead.
"I love you, Evan" Freddy said affectionately.
"I love you too, papa" Evan replied quietly.
“I’m going to take a shower now” Michael called out to them from the dining room, where he was finishing up with his cleaning for the day. “You two spend some time together. I’ll be down in a bit.”
“Ok” Freddy and Evan replied back in unison.
Michael walked upstairs, as Evan looked at his papa curiously. Freddy turned to his son, confused by his facial expression.
“Why the silly face?” Freddy asked.
“Papa” Evan replied “when are you going to turn into a dog again?”
“Evan.”
“You didn’t let me get to see it. I wanted to see you turn into a dog.”
“Evan, this isn’t the time to be making light of this. This is very serious.”
“I know, but how often does it happen that a man turns into a dog? I’ve kind of wanted a pet and—“
“I’ll tell you what, Evan. If I am able to beat this curse once and for all and get elected mayor, I’ll buy you a dog.”
“But papa, I can’t wait that long and there’s no way dad is going to allow it. Why don’t you just let me watch you transform next time?”
“Because I hope that there isn’t a next time, Evan. I hope to be able to break this curse so it doesn’t happen again.”
“What triggers it, exactly?”
“Well…”
Freddy paused for a moment, as Evan stared at him curiously. Blushing, Freddy composed himself enough to come up with an appropriate answer.
“That’s for when you are a little older. I’m not ready to have that conversation with you yet.”
“Huh?” Evan asked, confused by this answer.
“Uh…”
“That’s all the answer you’re going to get for now, Evan” Michael could be heard calling out to his son from the floor above.
Evan frowned, as Freddy tried to cheer his son up. A minute later, Michael came downstairs and motioned for Evan to stand up.
“Grandma wants to see you tonight” Michael said.
“But dad” Evan replied, with an annoyed and slightly rebellious tone. “I don’t want to go out tonight. I want to stay home and finish my homework.”
“You can do your homework at grandma’s house. She loves you very much and doesn’t get to see you very often.”
“More than my parents get to see him” Freddy murmured.
Michael shot Freddy an angry glare, before turning his attention to Evan again.
“Grandma wants to see you. Come on, let me drive you over. She’ll let you do your homework there and then she’ll make you a nice, delicious dinner. You know that grandma’s cooking is good.”
Evan groaned, as he got up and got himself ready to go. Freddy looked at Michael with a confused expression on his face.
“What’s going on?” Freddy asked.
“Just trust me on this” Michael replied.
“Did you actually take a shower upstairs?”
“Shhhh.”
Michael leaned in to kiss Freddy, just as Evan came back down with a bag with a few items in it, along with his communication device.
“You’re not sleeping over tonight” Michael said. “Grandma’s just going to watch you for the evening, that’s all.”
Evan groaned again, as he went upstairs to take out the clothes and toiletries he placed in his bag. Freddy looked at Michael and kissed him on the lips.
“I hope you know what you’re doing” Freddy said nervously.
“I do” Michael responded assuringly.
Evan came back down the stairs and Michael took him out the door to drive him to his grandmother’s house. During this time, Freddy put his hands in his head and sighed. He became increasingly unsure of whether his mayoral ambitions were worth the hassle they were causing. The fact that the curse seemed to be active again now was a problem. It could not have come at a worse opportunity. Worse, he didn’t exactly know what triggered it or how he’d change back. All he knew was that Tom had the ring and that reading the inscription triggered his transformation back to humanity.
“That’s probably important” Freddy thought to himself. “If I’m to have any chance of ending this stupid curse once and for all, that clue might be crucial.”
Freddy sat in silence with his thoughts, before Michael quietly came in through the front door. After heading toward the stairs, Freddy called to him.
“You don’t have to shower now. It can wait. Come over here and let’s talk.”
“But Freddy” Michael replied “I stink really bad.”
“It doesn’t bother me. Now come over here. Let’s talk.”
Michael sighed, as he sat down next to Freddy on the couch.
“My mother will take care of Evan for a few hours, so we can have some time alone together. Freddy, we need to talk about what happened today.”
“Of course.”
“I want to know everything that happened when I wasn’t around. Start from when you were in the home office alone with Evan. What happened?”
“Well, I was reading through my prepared statement and Evan interrupted me saying I should focus on giving answers for why I was arrested and why I wanted to be mayor.”
“That’s good advice.”
“It’s not his place to do that, though. He’s a kid.”
“Still, it’s—“
“Anyways, so I warned him that if he interrupted me again, he had to leave the room. A few minutes later, he interrupted me again to say that I didn’t shave that morning, which was absurd because I shave every day for work…and for you.”
Michael smiled, as Freddy continued to recall the day’s events.
“So I went to feel my face and it felt extremely prickly. Too prickly to be just a bad shave or a five o clock shadow. Plus, Evan was looking at me funny, which I knew wasn’t a good sign. So I scrambled to find that mirror in my drawer and I pulled it up to see hair sprouting on my jaw, my chin and poking out from my shirt.”
“Freddy, I hate to ask this, but was there any chance, any chance at all, that something in that room turned you—“
“Don’t say it!”
Freddy got up from his seat and looked angrily down at Michael, who had a fearful expression on his face.
“Don’t you dare say what you were about to say just now!” Freddy yelled.
“Freddy, I—“
“Michael, you have known me now for close to twenty five years. You should know, if one thing is absolutely certain, that I am not a pe—“
“I just had to be sure.”
“You what?!”
“Freddy, this is serious. I was trying to rule out all the possibilities.”
“Michael, how could you even think something like that of me?”
“I didn’t. I was just asking—“
“The fact that you would even think to ask that is extremely offensive!”
“Freddy, I had to rule it out, because it’s the way you triggered the change the last time it happened.”
“Well I didn’t. I love my son, even if I don’t always show it the way I should as a father. Even though he isn’t my own flesh and blood, I love him very much. But I would never, ever think of him in that way, ever!”
“Freddy, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to narrow down all the possibilities.”
Michael stood up to try to hug Freddy, but was pushed back.
“Freddy” Michael quietly said to him. “We need to talk to about this now. We can’t wait until you’ve calmed down and gotten over the shock of my question. We have very limited time and need to go through ruling every possibility out. It’s not a judgement of your character. It’s just trying to go through a process of elimination, that's all. Now sit.”
“No” Freddy replied coldly. “I’m not your dog, Michael. I’d rather stand.”
“Suit yourself.”
Michael sat down, as Freddy glared down at him.
“So since Evan didn’t—“ Michael tried to say, before being interrupted.
“No Michael!” Freddy yelled in response.
Michael defensively put his hands up, as Freddy continued to stare daggers at him.
“So what else could have triggered the change then?”
“Well, Michael, if you hadn’t accused me of such horrible things, you’d have allowed me to say that Tom has the ring.”
“He what?!”
“Yes, Michael. Tom has the ring.”
“But how?!?! How did Tom manage to get his hands on that?!”
“I overheard him talking to a friend of his, who said he was a real piece of shit person, by the way, so we’re dealing with a troublesome individual here—”
“Oh great.”
“But he said to his friend that he found the ring on the ground and he suspected that someone must have dropped it.”
“Could it be the thief who broke into the museum? What if it was the wizard?”
“I don’t know, Michael. But when he read the inscription aloud, that’s when I started changing back into myself again and then had a real problem on my hands.”
Michael became lost in his thoughts, as Freddy finished recalling the day’s events. When he was done, Freddy looked at Michael and noticed him deep in thought.
“Did you hear any of what I just said?” Freddy asked, with annoyed tone in his voice.
“Huh?” Michael replied, as he snapped out of his thoughts.
Freddy groaned, as Michael placed a sympathetic hand on his knee, which Freddy pushed off.
“Sorry” Michael apologized sincerely. “I just got lost in my thoughts. I think we’re dealing with a different situation here. I just wish the old man from the magic shop would knock on our door and give us guidance again.”
“Maybe he still will” Freddy replied. “But in the meantime, we need to work on a strategy for getting the ring back from Tom.”
“Freddy, we can’t just go in there and take the ring.”
“I wasn’t suggesting that. I was thinking maybe we could talk to him and say that he needs to hand over the ring to us. Or perhaps we could offer to buy it from him. The guy doesn’t seem to have a lot of money.”
“That’s not what I meant, Freddy.”
“Huh?”
“You’re missing a very important component in all of this. Have you stopped to wonder if Tom is a magical being of some sort?”
“Hmm…..”
“Perhaps he’s the one who stole the ring from the museum.”
“But if he’s this magical being, then why did he not seem to know anything about the ring when he was on the phone with his friend?”
“Maybe he was playing dumb.”
“And if he would have stolen the ring, he’d know that reading the inscription would cause some sort of change. Why would he just read it over the phone when he would know what kind of magic power lies in it?”
“Maybe he was trying to turn his ‘friend’ into a dog after insulting him.”
“Michael, come on.”
“In all likelihood, you’re right Freddy. Tom probably just picked it up off the street, read the inscription aloud and that’s how you became his dog Buddy.”
“Presuming I turned into his dog.”
“But the big question remains of how it ended up there in the first place. Clearly someone stole it from the museum. The question is who?”
“I hope it’s not the wizard, but it’s unlikely that it would be him.”
“I wouldn’t rule it out just yet. Maybe he managed to escape and recapture the ring. My fear is if it is him, why would he have come back here?”
Freddy and Michael paused for a moment, before Michael was filled with a sense of dread.
“To kill you” Michael answered his own question quietly.
“Oh no” Freddy replied nervously. “You really think so?”
“Yes and maybe me too. Freddy, you really should reconsider running for mayor. In addition to having to take on the corrupt political establishment here in town, now we have to deal with the wizard possibly coming back to kill us. It’s too much for us to take on all at once and we may even need to go into hiding if our lives are in serious danger.”
“Michael, I can’t quit now. Not when this interview is going to air in a few days and potentially put my campaign on the map.”
“Freddy, don’t be so selfish. There’s other people to worry about besides you and the low lives you work for. What about your son’s safety? What about your parents? What about mine? What about me? Don’t I matter to you?”
Freddy looked at Michael, who had tears rolling down his cheek. Freddy sat down and went in to kiss his husband, who did not rebuff his advances this time. The two lovers hugged for a few minutes, as Michael let out a pool of tears from his eyes. When they were dried, he let out a sniffle and looked into Freddy’s eyes. Freddy, seeing the pain in his husband's face, tried his best to reassure him.
“Michael, you and I make a great team together. When we pool our strengths, we’re an unstoppable duo. I’m the brawn and you’re the brain. Remember what the old man from the magic shop said.”
“I do, but I just think we shouldn’t allow our focus to be all over the place. Plus, I’m still worried for everyones safety.”
“Being mayor can help with that.”
“Freddy, your odds of being mayor at this point are slim to none. Besides, even if you managed to pull the upset of the century and defeat the very protected incumbent mayor, our police force wouldn’t be able to protect you from a being as powerful as the wizard, presuming they’re even willing to work under your administration and don’t just quit en masse.”
“I’d rather have the chance to have them on my side and in a position of authority, than to take on the wizard alone. I nearly died trying last time. Perhaps it’s time to have a bit of strength in numbers.”
Michael sighed, as Freddy got up to pace around the room.
“If this interview goes well” Freddy continued “then I’m going to need to take advantage of it and up my fundraising numbers. That’s where I need your help. Michael, I’m thinking you should bite the bullet and call Diya.”
“Freddy” Michael replied indignantly. “No. I haven’t spoken to her in almost fourteen years and we didn’t exactly stop speaking on the best of terms.”
“I know, Michael, but a lot of time has passed and perhaps, being as successful as she is now, will put past transgressions aside as water under the bridge.”
“I don’t even think she’ll pick up my call, presuming I can even figure out how to reach her.”
“It doesn’t hurt to try. Besides, she has a ton of money. Her donating to my campaign could really help me become competitive in this race, especially with the publicity such a donation would inevitably bring.”
“Presuming she even agrees to donate to your campaign in the first place.”
“Still, Michael, it’s worth a try. Please, Michael. I know I’ve asked you to sacrifice a lot for me in the past, but if you help me out on this, I promise to take a job after this that allows me to be home more to spend more time with you and Evan. Please, Michael. Please act as my campaign manager. I’ll even pay you if we can raise enough funds.”
“I don’t need the money, Freddy. I have enough of my own.”
Michael paused for a moment, as Freddy looked at him with pleading eyes. Sighing, Michael reluctantly agreed.
“Fine. I’ll help your campaign out and call Diya.”
“Thank you Michael!”
“But I’m serious about us working on finding a permanent cure for this curse. You can’t just slack off that responsibility because you’re in the middle of a run for mayor. We need to make sure we spend enough time working on getting back the ring from Tom and finding a way to break the curse. ”
“I promise you that I will equally put the work in to make sure we do both of those things at the same time. So, it’s a deal?”
Michael sighed, before he responded.
“It’s a deal.”
Freddy beamed, as he sat down next to Michael and passionately made out with him. Freddy lifted Michael into his arms and carried him off to bed where they engaged in a passionate session of sex. When it was over, the two of them laid in bed for a while, before they heard a car pulling up into their driveway.
“Oh shit” Michael said, as he quickly grabbed some clothes from the floor. “It’s probably Evan.”
Michael quickly ran out of the bedroom, charged down the stairs and made his way to the front door. When Michael opened it, he could see his son Evan standing in the doorway, looking irritated, as a car drove down the street.
“Evan” Michael said with concern in his voice. “I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon.”
“It’s 10 o clock at night” Evan replied, as he walked into the house and put his things down on the dining room table. “Grandma was waiting over an hour for you to come pick me up. She was getting tired and wanted to go to bed. Finally, she told me after a certain point that she’d have to drive me home and she’ll be having a word with you tomorrow.”
“Oh great.”
Evan went upstairs to take a shower, before Michael settled him into bed for the evening. With his son fast asleep, Michael took a much needed shower, before he headed to bed. Michael and Freddy cuddled together as they slept peacefully that night. A feeling of euphoria would give them a salvation from their stresses, knowing that times were about to get tougher. The next several months would be challenging, to say the least; testing their relationship like never before.
A few days later….