Jeff went downstairs still feeling a little weighty from his snack at four but it wasn't as pronounced since some of the weight was now in his clothes instead of inside his body.
Mom called to Jeff as he hit the main floor, "Jeff honey, grab yourself something to drink."
"OK Mom." Jeff stopped dead in his tracks, he had an idea to verify that his parents were more... complacent, but if he made a mistake with programming he will get yelled at. Still, getting chastised is better than being handed over to scientists.
"Hey Dad!"
"Yeah son?"
"I'm gonna grab myself a couple beers for dinner, did you want one?" Jeff's heart was racing. Being 16, he isn't allowed to drink legally. His parents tend to accept and enforce the judgments of "authority" figures, ESRB Ratings for games, MPAA for movies, of course Federal government for drinking, and local government for curfew.
"No thank you Jeff, I'm gonna have coffee."
Not hearing the incoherent screaming that his mother normally would have blasted him with, Jeff ran to the basement fridge and grabbed himself two cans of beer. Returning upstairs he joined the table and set the alcohol in front of him in full view of his parents, they didn't seem to notice.
They began eating and eventually Jeff felt thirsty, cautiously he reached over and opened the beer. He took two or three chugs and set it down. It didnt taste like he expected, though he didn't quite know what to expect. He didn't like the taste but he loved the reaction his parents gave him, which was none.
That secures it, the Chronivac worked yet again. 'Great, can you help me like the taste of the beer? My parents now think that me drinking beer is normal, I don't know what would happen if I let on that it isn't.'
'I can dull your tastebuds, only the strongest flavors will be noticed and those wont be strong enough to offend you.'
'Do it!'
Great wiggled his way into Jeff's sinuses nearly making him sneeze. Jeff suddenly noticed an absence of smells and upon taking a sip of beer, barely noticed the taste. Jeff grabbed seconds on the pot roast and mashed potatoes and didn't enjoy them as much as the first time around.
Waiting for a lull in his parents' conversation Jeff grabbed their attention and started to explain everything.
"Mom, Dad? Today at school I confronted a bully who had been picking on me since elementary school. Don't worry, we didn't fight or anything. I was talking to him and made him turn into a different creature, one that lives in my body an helps me be more healthy. I was wondering, do I look like I've gained weight?"
Dad chimed in first, "Well, when you were born you were 7lbs 3oz so yeah, I'd say you put on a noticeable amount of weight."
"No honey, if anything I would have thought you had lost some weight, your shirt seems to be fitting a little different." Mom always was less sarcastic and more observant.
Jeff continued, "After my body absorbed Ryan's, he was able to modify my appearance immediately but also is capable of helping my body change in a number of ways by modifying my hormone balance in certain areas and doing things on the inside of my body. I plan on using the symbiote to help me become more athletic looking, stronger and more mature looking. This should help me be picked on less, have more friends, and have a better time at school all around."
Mom chimed in, "Why would you want to look more mature? You look adorable just the way you are, and if the other kids pick on you about it then it's because they're jealous."
Jeff looked at his mom trying to find a way to explain, "Dad, if we were walking in public, and you didn't know me, what is the youngest you would consider me to be? Heck give me oldest too."
Dad leaned forward, then leaned back, "I don't think I would put you at any younger than 12 or older than 17."
"Could you explain to Mom why looking adorable isn't a compliment to a 16 year old who looks 12?" Jeff grabbed another helping of food, eating absentmindedly while Dad explained the value young men place on physical capability and the respect given to peers purely because of the prevalence of secondary sexual characteristics.
It started off well enough but Mom kept interrupting and talking over Dad while escalating emotionally. This reminded Jeff that the open minded acceptance applied to new concepts he alone introduced. He had to stop this before a fight broke out.
"On that note, I wanted to let you know that I should be starting to grow a beard soon. Dad, would you be able to buy me some razors?"
"Sure son, I didn't start till I was almost 18, how do you know its coming? I didn't notice any starting."
"Oh, that is one of the changes I asked Great, that's what I call the creature Ryan turned into, to make for me. He's starting my natural beard growth so he wouldn't have to mimic a beard if I wanted to look older. That reminds me, I brought this all up to get your opinions, what appearance do you think looks best? I'm going to physically change and so will my clothes, but its still me, OK?"
Jeff used telepathy with Great to run through a gambit of outfits, muscular builds, and ages ending on his business look preset. The initial shock on his parents' face instantly faded away as they accepted that their child could appear wildly different from one minute to the next. Jeff explained and showed them as he went through the appearances that his skin could mimic the wrinkles of his chosen age and his voice would not give away his deception either. Jeff sat down continuing his meal and waiting for one of them to say something.
Mom broke the silence first, "I suppose this means I won't need to buy you any more clothes?"
Jeff laughed out loud in surprise, "I guess that's true." still sounding like a 25 year old.
"I'd have to say that young jock look you managed was probably the best looking one I saw though your current look isn't bad either, I guess it just depends on what you're trying to accomplish. I'm sure I could walk you in and get you a job right now at my company if you had the paperwork to back up your persona." Dad was the first to answer the standing question.
"Oh, honey. I couldn't possibly choose which looks best, I like your normal look, how you were ten minutes ago." Mom chimed in, apparently feeling pressured to say something but refusing to say anything of value. Ugh, mothers...
With all the food gone, dinner was done. Jeff had finished his second beer and had four servings without realizing until he noticed no leftovers and still felt mildly hungry. 'Great, I thought you weren't going to try to make me buff up all in one night?'
'That was just the leftover hormones from snack time, I thought you wouldn't want them to go to waste.'
Jeff decided he wanted to continue talking to Dad and followed him out to the back porch after dinner. His parent's complacency was really nice but Jeff knew it will just get harder and harder for him to not abuse it. He decided to use it for all its worth tonight and fix it tomorrow so he couldn't literally get away with murder in front of them.
Jeff's dad pulled out a cigarette and lit up setting his pack on the railing. Jeff was very careful with his wording. "Hey Dad, I've run out of smokes." Jeff deliberately paused to allow his dad to accept the thought of Jeff being a smoker as normal. Jeff's dad literally froze in place for a few seconds. "Mind if I bum a few till you can grab me a pack?" Jeff held out his hand hoping the action of expecting the cigarettes to be handed over will reinforce his father's sense of normalcy with the situation.
Dad motioned to the pack and said, "Go ahead, though I do wish you'd quit."
Jeff stared, "The feeling's mutual."
Jeff pretended to look for his lighter then said, "Mine ran out can I borrow yours?"
Without hesitation, Dad handed his lighter over. Jeff lit up for the first time and inhaled deep, it tickled his throat and lungs but he managed to keep from coughing. He didn't see much in the experience but it was something he was sharing with his dad so he matched his dad puff for puff while making conversation.
After talking for 8 minutes or so Dad lit another and Jeff did the same. "Dad, what is your favorite alcoholic drink that you can make here?"
Jeff really didn't care what the answer was, he immediately followed up with, "Lets have it tonight when we go in, you can teach me how to make it. We can make a guys night of it."
"Sure, geez, I can't even remember the last guys night you came out to."
Jeff quickly steered the conversation away from the topic; messing with Dad's concept of normal can easily get out of hand but it was really nice to think that Dad wanted him around.
'Great, go back to how I looked at the start of dinner no size or age effect, blue jeans and a tee shirt.'
"So Dad, do you think you could maybe walk me through my first shave when I'm ready?"
"Sure thing son, looks like your almost ready now."
"Oh?"
'Great, I said drop the business look, let my face look natural.'
'I am not directly effecting your facial appearance, though I have been stimulating your facial hair follicles to make you grow a stubble beard like the one I was just mimicking for you per your request.'
'You mean, whatever is on my face currently, is really mine?'
'Correct.'
Jeff finished his cigarette and he and his father went inside heading downstairs. Dad went behind the small bar grabbing a number of bottles, a couple of glasses and a coke. Jeff touched his face for the first time feeling the stubble that was there and he wanted nothing more than to see it. While his dad was making the drinks he excused himself and went to the bathroom. Across his face but stopping just under his chin he had a thick 5'o clock shadow looking like he shaved maybe the night before.
Needless to say he examined himself for a number of minutes marveling that he needed a shave moreso than his dad currently. He was interrupted by his dad bringing him a glass saying, "This is a Long Island. Try it, tell me what you think."
Jeff took a sip and tasted sweet, tangy, and something else. This was Jeff's second taste of alcohol and it was good, like kool aid or juice. He downed it and went for another from the pitcher his dad made. Before Jeff knew what was happening he was drunk off his keester, canceling guys night, and stumbling to his room to go to sleep.
The next morning, Jeff awoke with blurry thoughts and an ache in his head, slowly and cautiously he felt his way to the bathroom making the mistake of turning on the lights. He quickly turned them back off. He made it to the toilet and had diarrhea. "Ugh, why do adults drink if it makes them feel this way? I musta done it wrong or it wouldn't be so popular."
'Great, do you sleep? Can you help me feel better?'
'No, I don't sleep and yes, I can help you feel better. I can tell your body is dehydrated, get some water or other fluids and I will direct it throughout your body with haste.'
Jeff went to the sink in the dark and took glass after glass of water and great kept asking for another. With each gulp that reached his stomach he felt a little better. Great finally stopped requesting water, asked for a moment, and Jeff suddenly felt the urge to pee. Heeding natures call Jeff went back to the toilet, sat down because the lights were still off, and peed out what seemed like everything he just took in.
No longer feeling a slight, constant, sense of nausea, Jeff got up and hit the lights. He had sweat last night and felt dirty, he would need a shower before school. He let his eyes slowly adjust to the light and looked at his watch. 4:30am. He had plenty of time and was now starting to feel hungry. He decided he would eat, then shower, but first wipe the grime off his face, he didn't need to break out. Looking at his face he saw what would be several days worth of beard growth which made a heavy stubble, he was also noticeably more muscular.
"Ahh!" 'What happened to me?'
'I followed through on your commands from last night, though I am not done.'
'What commands?'
'You requested I stimulate your natural beard growth so it would be at its present length and before you fell asleep I inquired what you wanted me to do with the excess nourishment from your dinner. You replied, "I want to be so fucking sexy." and fell asleep, not answering when I asked for clarification.'
Jeff could barely remember large pieces from last night, so many emotional things happened and he apparently blacked out from a drinking party with his dad. The scale now told him he was pushing 190 lbs but much of that was Great. He himself was probably only 140 and had very little alcohol tolerance. He was probably really 130 last night when he started drinking, Great admitted he spent the night forcing food into his muscles.
'Please stop stimulating my facial hair, I need to figure out how to get rid of it before I go to school, I did talk to dad yesterday about teaching me to shave, right? That wasn't a dream?'
'Correct, he expressed a willingness to teach you how to shave.'
'He's going to get a chance this morning but I'm hungry.' Jeff ran downstairs and noticed the back porch light was on. Going to the door he saw his dad was under the light reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.
"Oh Dad you're up?" Jeff said as he opened the door. "I was hoping you would be able to show me how to shave this morning."
"You went to bed early last night, so I thought I'd prepare better and we could try again tonight, maybe knock a couple back, watch one of the movies I rented; while I was at the store I grabbed you a few things, check your chair."
Jeff went to "his" chair, the place he normally sits at dinner, and found a bag. He grabbed it and took it outside to look at the contents with his father there.
Rifling through the bag he pulled out shampoo, conditioner, a lighter, razors, shaving cream, a pack of gum, and a pack of cigarettes. Jeff started to hand the cigarettes and lighter over when he noticed his dad's new, full pack sitting in front of him.
Dad questioned, "For the life of me, I couldn't remember what brand you smoked, If you want me to, I can take those and get you something else."
Jeff recalled the new reality he gave his dad, "Oh no, these are fine." and he opened the pack trying to not shatter his dads sense of reality. Jeff lit up and like last night, paced himself with his father, thanking him for the supplies and making small talk. Jeff told his dad he was planning on taking a shower and asked questions about shaving like if he should shave before, after, or in the shower and other things.
Jeff went in for breakfast and his dad followed. Jeff yawned while dad was refilling his coffee cup and, surprisingly, he asked if Jeff wanted any. Jeff hadn't really considered drinking coffee before but its main use is to wake people up in the morning, so why not?
Jeff tasted it and it was slightly bitter but okay, Dad offered to make some eggs and Jeff waited for it to be ready. In the last 12 hours, Jeff's relationship with his father had grown significantly, unfortunately the relationship was a weird son/drinking buddy hybrid, which would be fine if Jeff were 21, but he's not.
After eating Jeff went upstairs and took a shower, he felt his bigger muscles under his skin and experimented with Great expanding his muscles and feeling them. Once done, he hopped out of the shower and Great displayed a neat trick by absorbing all the remaining water immediately drying him. Then he shaved his freshly cleaned face and silky new hair. he got a really close shave so nobody would be able to tell that he could or had grown a beard.
Jeff finished getting ready for school and was trying to figure out how specifically to use the Chronivac to make his parents okay with Great but still have opinions of their own that they would share with him; the answer didn't come by the time he needed to go. Jeff ran downstairs and stopped by the porch to have dad give a final examination. He passed.
"My little boy is all grown up!"
"Yeah Dad." Jeff smiled, and went to drive his, formerly Ryan's, car to school.
After arriving at school, while grabbing his bag, Jeff was struck with a nagging question, did agreeing with Dad further change Dad's perception of him? If so, how would that manifest itself?
No time to worry about that, class will start any minute!