“Well!' Ty smiled excitedly. “I'm Tyler.”
“Pleased to meet you, Tyler.” The deer smiled back. “And have we decided what to call me?”
Ty thought for a moment and laughed. “Would you be okay if I called you Buck?”
“Hey!” Buck chuckled a bit. “If that's what you want my name to be, then that's my name.” The deer took a heavy relaxed sigh and adjusted himself so that he was lying a little more comfortably. “So... more changes for me, huh?”
“In a minute.” Ty waved his hand. “There's no rush. I wanted to get to know you better. Ask some questions.”
“All right!” Buck nodded. “Shoot.”
Ty proceeded to interrogate the deer. What did he remember of his former self? What was it like being a wild animal? How old was he? How did his transformation feel? What did he want to do now that he was intelligent? What did he like? What didn't he like?
It was through this conversation that Ty got to know his new friend better. Buck was equivalent to a 28 year old human and very smart after his transformation,had a great sense of humour, and a calm demeanour. He was a mine of information on forest life and the behaviour of his own kind, though almost completely ignorant of the human world. He was pretty laid back about it all and was very grateful for Ty's changes. He made it quite clear that he wouldn't tolerate hunters or guns and had a keen interest in exploring outside the forest some day.
This conversation took the two of them well into the afternoon as they got to know one another and by the time there was a lull in the conversation it was clear they had both taken a strong liking to one another. “So, what's the deal with your... thing? Your power?” Buck finally asked.
“I'm still not sure.” Ty sighed, and leaned back into the deer's side. “I woke up this morning, like I said, and it was just there.”
“That's like... destiny. Or a higher purpose. Or a freak thing. Either way, it's special.” Buck said thoughtfully. At last, the deer began to stand up and stretched. “Aw, my legs are asleep. Anyway, see, I wonder what else you can do. We know you can change age, right? And make things like me.”
“I'm curious myself.” Ty stood up and followed Buck as he got the blood going in his limbs again.
“So? Do something to me!” Buck turned, grinning. “Come on, be adventurous.”
“Is that a dare?” Ty smirked.
“Yeah, a little!” The deer paused and chuckled, seeing his maker's nervousness. “Look, I told you. Just don't take my new brain from me. That's my only condition, okay?”
“All right.” Ty nodded. “So... how about this.” He closed his eyes and concentrated, Buck watching this process in fascination. “Your going to become completely clean and free of any disease or imperfections. No ticks, or parasites. Never. Your health will be perfect from now on, you'll never be ill, be immune to all sickness, and you'll never be able to pass anything on to a human being.”
Buck stopped, shuddered, and seemed to tense for a moment. “Oh, wow!” He blinked in surprise and looked himself over, seeing fresh caked mud that had solidified on his stomach now gone, and noticing that his left back leg, once caught on a tree stump and pulled, now gave him no trouble from the sprain that had occurred some time ago. Not only that, but he felt refreshed and invigorated. “That... that felt amazing.”
“Did it work?” Ty asked, looking over the deer and running his hand over his back, feeling how soft and plush his fur had become, not rough and greasy.
“M-My leg.” Buck smiled, staring at Ty. “I sprained my ankle once running, it's always hurt a bit. It's fine now!” He brightened and flagged his tail excitedly. “This is great! What else can you do? Keep going!”
“O-Okay!” Ty thought, the two of them standing face to face, the deer staring at the human expectantly. “I guess I want you to age more slowly, so your true age will be in human years. Your lifespan will get longer. You'll last as long as a human being now, well into 80 years old, maybe 90 to 100 if you take care of yourself.”
Again, Buck shuddered, and he gasped out loud. “T-That's... so... so... nice of you. You want me around for a while, huh?”
“Of course!” Ty stepped in and hugged his friend's neck, pulling the animal closer to his chest. “Why wouldn't I?”
“What else?” Buck whispered softly, staring into Ty's eyes with his own, waiting.
Ty stared back into the animal's eyes and suddenly realized what he could do next. “Your vision. You're still seeing black and white, aren't you?”
Buck's eyes widened, and he took a moment to blink and consider the very question. “A-Am I? Is that bad?”
“You can't see colours, right?”
“What are... colours?” Buck asked innocently, curious.
“I'm about to rock your world, buddy.” Ty took a step back dramatically and grinned. “Your vision is going to change next. You'll be able to see a full spectrum and range of colours the same as I can.”
Buck shuddered again, closed his eyes as they suddenly watered and throbbed in his skull. “Oh... what's happening?” When he opened his eyes, they were changing. From the dull brown of an animal his iris and pupils began to grow more detailed, more handsome. He blinked once, twice. “W-What...” And as his eyes changed to a deep shade of green he reeled back in shock and shook his head from side to side in disbelief. “Oh... oh my...” Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes and he fell down in pure overwhelmed stupor. “Oh God! It's so beautiful!” He openly began to weep, truly moved. “It's all so beautiful! And... and...”
Ty bent down gently and caressed his friend's back, almost crying himself from how wonderful the reaction was. “There. Isn't that better, Buck?”
“Yes...” The deer turned and unexpectedly placed his lips on Ty's, gently kissing the human. It was just a second or so, but the sensuality, the tenderness of it... They both went wide eyed, Buck drew back, and Ty drew back.
“Ah...” Ty laughed nervously.
“Yeah...” Buck blinked. “We'll... we'll blame that on the changes, right?”
Ty leaned a little closer and cupped his hand under the handsome deer's chin, gently pulling his ashamed face towards his own. "I... I think I liked it." Indeed, to Ty's total surprise, he had enjoyed the deer's sweet little kiss. It had felt good. The affection was so pleasant and nice.
"Y-You did?" Buck whispered, his eyes widening. "I-I got carried away, b-but... if you... liked it." The deer gulped.
Ty gulped. There was an awkward 'what now' moment between them, sitting there in the forest.
They smiled at each other. "How about another one?" Ty offered, and aimed Buck's lips at his own. He leaned forward and initiated the romance this time, gently and slowly kissing the animal's muzzle. Buck blinked a couple times, then averted his gaze for a moment to consider whether he liked it as well, and with a startled blush under his eyes he came to a conclusion as Ty broke away. "T-That does feel good, doesn't it?" Buck admitted.
"So... why'd you kiss me?" Ty grinned, savouring the feeling of the deer's soft prickly little hairs and warm rubbery lips.
"I dunno." Buck admitted, adjusting himself strangely and pulling in his back legs. "I mean... you made me smart. And able to talk. And clean. And long lived. And now... yeah, these colours are just... great. It was really emotional, is all. And I can't just throw my hooves around you and hug you, can I? So I kissed you."
Ty had a hunch and felt butterflies in his stomach at that point. "Can you stand up?" Ty asked, smirking.
"Uh..." Buck raised his head back in alarm. "Uh... can we wait a bit? I'm still kind of tired.
"Listen..." Ty leaned in close, smirking more. "From one guy to another, we're not exactly subtle when we've got a boner. And need to adjust it."
Now Buck took a deep gulp and looked mortified. He hung his head and seemed to slink into the ground. "S-Sorry." He was definitely blushing under his fur, his face turning a deep pink. "I-I... I liked the kissing."
"It's okay." Ty put his arm around the deer again, comforting him. Rubbing his chest and stroking his back. "I did too. It felt good."
"Yeah." Buck gulped.