The Witch’s Ichor

Ryker and Theo are sitting on Theo's bed, albeit with a three foot gap between them. Theo's Mother is sitting across from them on a desk chair. She's giving her son a hard look. The mature woman clears her throat before speaking.

"Theo, what have I told you about treating women with respect?" Theo's mother says.

"M-Mom! Ryker isn't a girl!" Theo stammers incredulously.

Theo's mother shuts him up with a stern glare. She turns her gaze to Ryker and her expression softens. Ryker has his arms wrapped around his midsection. His face is tomato red.

"Ryker, whether you identify as a girl or not, you need to be careful. Even around the boys you know, like Theo." She explains.

Replying with a silent nod of the head is all Ryker can bring himself to do. Theo looks both frustrated and embarrassed as his mother treats Ryker so differently. Theo's mother turns her sharp gaze back onto Theo.

"Now Theo, I don't care if Ryker is a boy or girl, you need to apologize." She says sternly.

Theo looks like he wants to refute his mother's words, but she has a point. Ryker's blush deepens as Theo turns to him with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry for... pressuring you, and for grabbing you, Ryker." Theo apologizes.

"I-It's ok... I forgive you." Ryker replies softly.

Theo's mother smiles at the two teens. She stands, giving them an amused look. She steps toward the door to the bedroom, opening it.

"Okay, you two need to finish your project." Theo's mother says.

Ryker and Theo both sigh in relief.

"...But keep the door open. You're supposed to be working, not flirting." She adds.

That sets Ryker's cheeks ablaze and Theo is stunned into silence. Theo's mother's quiet footsteps recede downstairs as the two boys awkwardly avoid eye contact.

Theo gets off the bed, and starts to finish the project. Ryker lets out a deep breath as he joins Theo.

"So u-um... Sorry." Ryker mumbles.

Theo gives Ryker a look, and raises his brow as if posing an unsaid question. Ryker avoids his eyes with flushed cheeks.

"...I haven't been honest lately." Ryker finishes.

"You haven't, but it is understandable." Theo says sympathetically.

Ryker does a double take at his friend's words.

"...It is?" Ryker says blankly.

"You're being feminized, so of course you'd be too embarrassed to explain it to your buddies. I won't prod you further." Theo explains solemnly.

This brings a slight blush to Ryker's cheeks, but it fades as he turns to give Theo a big smile. Theo is caught off guard as he inspects Ryker's features. What used to be decidedly masculine is now soft, rounded, or smooth. Theo catches himself staring at Ryker before looking away.

"I'm glad we're friends, Theo." Ryker says sincerely.

Hearing those words in this situation makes Theo's face redden.

"Y-Yeah. Me too." Theo stutters.

Their eventful evening comes to a close as Theo's mother knocks on the open door. This startles both Ryker and Theo into sitting up straight.

"It's almost eight o clock. I think it's time you walk Ryker home, Theo." Theo's mother says.

"Huh? Um, but it's still pretty early..." Theo mumbles.

"Theo." His mother scolds.

Ryker quietly packs up his things without complaining. Theo sees this and tidies up his own study materials before standing by the door. Ryker slips his backpack over his shoulders, and follows Theo downstairs. Theo's mom opens the front door for them.

"Say hello to your mother for me, Ryker." Says Theo's mother.

"Of course!" Ryker replies.

Theo steps outside with Ryker in tow. The chirping of crickets greets them as chilly night air nips at their skin. Theo's Mother watches the pair depart from the doorway. She shuts the door.

~

Theo and Ryker have been walking in silence for several minutes. The soft glow of yellow streetlights illuminates their path. The quiet chirping of crickets serves as ambiance for their walk. They're walking side by side while stealing furtive glances at one another. Theo is the first to break the silence.

"So are you gonna tell the guys?" Theo asks.

Ryker swallows nervously. The thought of telling Jamison isn't too scary, but telling Derek sounds downright nightmarish. Derek would totally call him a sissy or something. Jamison might understand. Maybe.

"N-Not yet. Can you promise not to tell anyone about this?" Ryker replies quietly.

Theo frowns at his friend's words, but doesn't argue.

"You have my word." Theo promises.

The two of them walk for another minute in awkward silence. The scraping of their sneakers on the pavement meshes with the chorus of chirping crickets. This time Ryker breaks the silence between them.

"Do you think Jamison bought Tech Titans 2?" Ryker asks.

Theo looks at his shoes thoughtfully. Tech Titans was the friend group's go to game when they were in middle school. Things got a little stale as they entered high school, but now there is a sequel. Memories of playing the game all night at sleepovers brings a smile to Theo's face.

"Yeah. You know how he always prepares for our hangouts." Theo replies.

"I really hope so. Playing with you guys was always a lot of fun." Ryker admits.

"Even if Derek teased you a little for picking Valarie every time?" Theo laughs.

Ryker pouts a bit at the memories of Derek's judgmental jokes. Valarie is the only girl mech pilot in the game, and Derek called Ryker girl names just to mess with him. Ryker is just a normal boy, so getting called otherwise always set him off.

"Hah. I'll still pick her every time." Ryker says bitterly.

"Really? Why do you like Valerie so much?" Theo asks.

The conversation halts as Ryker contemplates his question. It's something Ryker asks himself sometimes. Why does he like playing as girls in video games so consistently?

"I dunno. It's just more fun that way." Ryker shrugs.

Theo nods slightly while looking at Ryker's slightly feminine features. He turns away to realize they're arriving at Ryker's house. The cozy looking home's front window is illuminated with homely orange light. The splashes of color from the television can barely be made out through the curtains.

"We're here." Theo states.

Ryker starts walking up the steps without further prompting. He grabs the door handle, but stops to turn toward Theo. He lets go of the handle, walking over to the edge of the porch.

"Thanks for walking me home, Theo." Ryker thanks him softly.

"Oh. Y-Yeah no problem, uh, dude." Theo replies awkwardly.

~

Miranda's fingers feel like raisins as she finishes rinsing off the last of the plates in the sink. She sets it aside to dry. The murky water in the sink feels cold on her hand when she reaches in to pull the plug. The soapy water drains with a loud gurgling.

"Mom, I'm home!" Ryker shouts.

Ryker's voice sounds a little strange.
Is he feeling ill?

Her son's quiet footsteps bring a slight smile to her face. She grabs a tinfoil wrapped bowl of macaroni and cheese from the fridge. The tinfoil goes into the trash while the bowl goes into the microwave. Miranda turns around to give her son a hug.

"Welcome home." Miranda says with a smile.

Ryker goes up to her with a big grin on his face, and embraces her. Miranda's arms wrap around her son as well, but something feels off about the situation. It almost feels as if Ryker has gotten shorter. The mother and son separate.

"Theo's mom says hi, by the way!" Ryker exclaims.

Miranda's eyebrows raise slightly at the pitch of her son's voice. Normally a hoarse throat makes your voice a bit deeper or scratchier, but Ryker's sounds higher than usual. The poor boy's hair is getting in his eyes too.

"Well then, I'll have to go say hi back." Miranda chuckles.

"Yup. What're you making..?" Ryker asks curiously.

The microwave beeps right on cue, signaling the macaroni and cheese has been reheated. Miranda takes the bowl out of the microwave with an oven mitt, and places it down on the table. Ryker's eyes light up. He quickly grabs a fork and sits down.

"Thanks Mom!" Ryker says.

"You're very welcome." Miranda replies.

Miranda's gaze lingers on her son as he eats. He's a little shaggier than usual, and sounds a bit strange, but he's still her son. Heavy footsteps signal her husband's approach.

"How'd the assignment go, bud?" Mason asks.

Ryker starts to talk with his face stuffed full of macaroni before swallowing the mouthful. He clears his throat, and Miranda quirks an eyebrow at the fake deepness Ryker adds to his voice.

"It went great! Theo and I... uh... Knocked it out of the park." Ryker fibs.

Mason grunts in acknowledgment. Ryker smiles a bit when he feels his father's hand ruffle his somewhat shaggy dark hair. Mason shares a knowing look with Miranda as he leaves the dining room.

"Is there anything you need to tell me, Ryker?" Miranda asks softly.

The fearful look on Ryker's face quickly changes to one of ignorance. He avoids eye contact as Miranda takes a seat beside him.

"N-No. Why do you ask?" Ryker replies.

The oddly soft and feminine lilt in his voice makes his words sound unconvincing. Miranda shakes her head, and stands up.

"Just checking in with my son." Miranda replies.

~

The cold white bathroom lights illuminate Ryker's bare body as he looks into the mirror. The faint scent of his own sweat is bothering him. He needs to shower.

Why do I keep getting irritated for no reason?

The shower's warm water splashes against the bathtub. Warmth radiates from behind the curtain. Ryker pouts slightly as he inspects his rather small bust.

Something just feels so strange.
That potion must be messing with my head!

Ryker steps into the shower, letting the water cascade down his androgynous body. His hair feels greasy as he slips his fingers into it. The sweet scent of strawberries fills the shower as he opens his shampoo.

Maybe I should just tell mom and dad.
They could help me find a way to cure it!

An unfamiliar trickling of water gives Ryker pause. He frowns a bit as he looks down between his legs. His friend is still intact, albeit at a significantly smaller scale. Ryker's face reddens.

This is so stupid!
Is the potion really making me a girl?!

Ryker huffs and puffs as he lathers his hair in shampoo. The soapy stuff foams up into a slew of bubbles as he rubs it in. The warm water cascades down his scalp when he leans back to rinse away the shampoo.

Something silly pops into Ryker's head as he plays with his slightly longer hair.

Would being a girl be so bad..?

A stubborn frown and a few shakes of the head push that silly thought out of Ryker's head. He is a boy after all. No two ways about it. Completely boyish and manly.

Ryker steps out of the shower. He glances in the mirror, and frowns at the dark hairs growing along his forearms. They've never bothered Ryker much. Now they look disgusting to him.

Shaving cream puffs into pillowy looking blobs along Ryker's arm as he sprays. The stuff tingles a bit as he rubs it all over the area he intends to shave.

It can't be that different from how I shave my face, right?

Ryker is mostly right, and easily cleans up his forearms. The dark hair is washed away into the sink, and a new enemy catches Ryker's dark eyes. His legs.

Not you too! Ugh!

That night Ryker stays up quite late in an effort to rid himself of unseemly dark body hair. He crawls into bed around two in the morning, and promptly falls into a deep sleep.