rendon drew away from the divider when Josuah ended up glancing away from him and mumbling about accepting his version of the story. He finished dressed quickly because there had only been a pair of dark blue jeans left to put on.

“Of course I saved your life,” He replied a moment later as he stepped out from behind the wall divider, now clad in a yellow and gray long sleeve top and blue jeans. He proudly marched his way over to where Josuah was still seated at the edge of his bed. “And I healed some of your bruises and wounds, and I made you get clean and have brand new clothes.” He pointed out boldly.

Brendon was reminded of their earlier conversation, though, and it sobered him somewhat. He didn’t understand why they had to go and speak with his grandfather. But, generally anything that involved him was never… good. It usually meant he was in trouble…

_{cut-off post:}

I know…,” Josuah revealed. “I met him after you fainted…”

Brendon’s face immediately turned a bright red when Josuah dared to mention him in such a way! “I didn’t faint!” He immediately argued. “I fell asleep!”

He tossed the formal dress shirt and vest he had been wearing onto the vanity desk in front of him and began to get into his new pair of clothes.

I… I was hugging him because he was healing me,” Josuah spoke out to explain further. “...I was thankful.” Both he and his mother looked to him, Brendon feeling embarrassed about the entire thing, and his mother still holding that somber look on her face. She seemed to notice the same thing he had about Josuah; that he actually looked a lot older than first impressions had eluded. She was somewhat surprised to see a much older, broader, and more masculine young man in the room, rather than the tattered boy she had witnessed last night. But, the revelation appeared to bother her, deepening the worry of her frown as she pulled her gaze away from him and looked to Brendon once more.

“I have… requested that the two of you speak with your grandfather,” She revealed, and Brendon immediately balked, his heart launching into his throat.

“Grandfather!” He exclaimed, and threw a fit over it. “B-But — why!”

“You have to convince him that your familiar isn’t a threat to our family,” She answered a bit evasively as she stepped forward and reached out to grasp onto his arm and draw him from the bed, ushering him over to a large dresser that held most of his clothing.

“A threat...!” Brendon repeated, clearly offended.

t first, he got a little carried away, rushing as much of his energy from his body and into Josuah’s because he had been under the impression that his familiar would immediately try to stop him. The large burst of his essence that entered Josuah left him feeling strange, as though he were personally invading his body. Warmth bloomed across his form while Josuah seemed to melt underneath the sensation, not only allowing, but accepting his healing magic. It was a strange sensation, and very personal. It was something he had never done before, and that realization came with a bit of shock. Heat pooled thickly into his cheeks, his heart beating more quickly as his gaze lulled somewhat. Wh-Why had he always adamantly refused to heal others? He couldn’t remember right now, while in the process of it all.

Josuah surprised him when he reached down and wrapped his arms around him, drawing him up and away from the bed, and… a-and into his arms. The strange sensations had become too much, too powerful, and suddenly his power fizzled out, abruptly breaking the connection and leaving Brendon red in the face, warm in the body, and with a shiver rolling down his spine. He felt funny, weird… Maybe this was why he didn’t want to heal anyone else other than himself. I-It was far too… personal...!

The door to his bedroom opened at that very opportune time, his mother standing in the doorway and looking on at them with first apprehension and then surprise. Clearly shocked, and not expecting, to see him and Josuah hugging each other. Brendon was sure his face just became a full blown tomato then. He felt the most embarrassed he had ever felt in his entire life!

rendon watched as the faint glow of the shield dispersed and then Josuah proceeded to transform into his human form. At sixteen, his familiar was much larger than him in size, with a broad chest and shoulders, that became more apparent when in the pajama outfit his mother had set aside for him. His skin was a considerably lighter complexion now that all the dirt and grime had been rubbed clean, and the golden hue of his hair stood out in much the same way his wolf’s coat did.

“You look like a man,” Brendon openly complained with a giant frown, finding this newfound information bothersome. Yesterday, with his wild and messy hair, and his ridiculous outfit, he had looked more youthful in appearance. But, cleaned and adorned within proper attire, Josuah’s masculinity stood out like a… a beacon!

hroughout the night Brendon had turned in his sleep to curl his smaller body around the much larger wolf-beast that also occupied his bed. His hands had somehow found their way into his fur, tangling within the much softer and clean coat, now that Josuah had taken his bath. Despite his movements, the boy had remained completely unconscious. Removing Josuah’s curse and bestowing him a blessing had taken all of the fourteen year old’s energy.

Dawn had bloomed over the horizon, filling the sky, at least a few hours ago. Sunlight poured in through his bedroom windows and the fireplace had long since spent its last bit of fuel. Outside, songbirds chirped and tweeted to one another, and it was ultimately the sensation of all of these things that finally roused Brendon from his slumber.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, was the large and furry head of his familiar within his animal form. He strongly smelled of shampoo, his coat almost twinkling as light pooled over them. But, Brendon immediately frowned, in a pouting sort of way, and reached out to grasp tightly onto one of his ears, his other hand gripping at the fur of his cheek.

“Josuaaah…!” He instantly whined in a loud manner, throwing a fit.