#cynicism chapter

[wildroseofarran]

"A spell to replicate!" he laughed. "To make with my hands would require cutting yours to pieces to understand it." And they couldn't do that! At least not today.

As horrifying as that prospect was, Brett was weirdly not surprised to learn that such a spell existed.

“Let’s go with replication instead. I wouldn’t be a very good goalie without any hands.”

[wildroseofarran]

"So, what you're saying is, I get to kick things at you?" the familiar grinned.

Brett nodded and grinned back. "That's exactly what I'm saying. We just need to find a couple of trees that are roughly the correct distance apart to serve as our goal." The lack of a net to catch the ball worked nicely with this little exercise, too. It would serve as a motivator.

[wildroseofarran]

Olek was about to ask how many he did know, other than the names he'd heard in casual conversation between husbands when Brett distracted him. Not an arduous feat.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, a pep in his step as he followed out the door.

“You know how I go play soccer the weekends? Well ever since I started improving my ghoul skills, I’ve had to play at…let’s call it half-power. I’m a goalie and it’s not like I was a brick wall or anything before I became a ghoul, mind you, but now that I am I could probably be one. But I haven’t tried yet.”

[wildroseofarran]

Absolutely fascinating. "Olek doesn't know many ghouls. I think - mm, Bo is the only one. Before you." Olek came up beside his second master, squatting for a cursory lift. Without magic, it was nigh impossible. Truly impressive.

"Show me something else you can do."

“I don’t know that many either.” Which was to say, he didn’t know many personally. He had no doubt there were more than he expected just in this county alone.

“Um…” Brett looked around the garage and spotted his soccer bag on the shelf. He smiled and went to grab it. “Come with me to the woods. We need trees.”

[wildroseofarran]

Back on two feet and he was already giddy. Bright eyes widened at the casual display of power.

"You're doing it!" Olek cheered. There was no one at that moment a bigger fan of the ghoul. Not even the ghoul. One could make the assumption the familiar's loyalties lay with Brett Parker, and they would be partially correct.

"Does it feel heavy?"

Brett just smiled. He wouldn't argue that Olek was his biggest fan at the moment, on the contrary; the familiar was the only one. God knew just tolerating himself was a victory for Brett most days, being a fan of himself would be entering pipe dream territory.

He set the car down carefully and nodded. "Yes but in a manageable way, just like lifting regular weights. It felt heavier when I first started than it does now."

[wildroseofarran]

A rumble started up in Olek's throat. A purr in this form, deep and relentless as it always had been. He yawned, feeling right at home in those arms now as ever before. This was nice! Being on the receiving end in this form was new, and welcome.

The Beetle, his mother's car. What he used to drive exclusively until moving to America. Olek didn't have an opinion; either he didn't drive it because he treasured it, or hated it. Either way, it was getting lifted as soon as he fell out of Brett's arms.

Although it sounded a bit different in this form, a purr was a purr, and hearing it made Brett happy. Just one of those tiny little things in life that let him know that what he was doing was welcome and wanted.

It certainly was, just as soon as Brett stretched for a bit. Being able to lift the car didn’t mean doing so improperly wouldn’t have any consequences.

Brett would do a short set of squats with it for Olek’s entertainment.

[wildroseofarran]

"I knew you would!" His arms were around Brett's shoulders, looking quite proud of the ghoul, and much pleased with himself. He'd been held like this before. Many, many times by this man. The trust was absolutely there.

He had, hadn’t he? Olek had been in his arms countless times while Brett carried him from place to place around the house.

And this time, like every other time, he kissed Olek’s head, squeezed him, and kept walking. Carrying this giant man was no different than carrying the cat he truly was. “Come on, fluffy baby.”

[wildroseofarran]

The familiar gasped. He was always the one to pick people up! His arms were out, which was the only warning Brett was getting before his cat leapt into his arms.

It was a good thing Brett had quick reflexes to go with his strength, otherwise Olek would’ve likely toppled them both over.

Luckily, that didn’t happen. Brett caught the familiar quickly and easily, laughing as he shook his head. “Give a guy a head’s up! What if I hadn’t caught you, huh?”