As the two continued their search, Jon continued to warm to Ronald's presence. Sure, he was still a bit clumsy, and seemed to flush whenever Ronald looked at him for too long, but he was much more comfortable than before, and Ronald suspected he would like the reason for Jon's continued embarrassment. Twenty minutes into their search and Jon was chattering away like Ronald was an old friend.
And, perhaps most interestingly, Jon had hardly remained static throughout the search. His hair hair grown longer still, hanging down to about his chin now. The color had darkened to a deep brown, while the lengthening locks had begun to twist into curly ringlets. His frame had shifted further as well, limbs slimming to become slender, almost petite. The effect definitely added to Jon's increasingly cute appearance, and made his company all the more enjoyable.
Jon's subject of conversation, too, had been shifting. "...which is about the time I got Karyn to do a sesh of aromatherapy," he was saying. "She was skeptical of it all--I think she still is, in some ways, but I think she really enjoyed it."
Ronald cocked his head, intrigued. Jon's chatter seemed to have been increasingly drifting towards such subjects-- aromatherapy, herbal teas, kooky old cults. Jon's shift to femininity seemed to be accompanied by a growing love of the strange and alternative. Though, given where I got the stone from, Ronald figured, maybe those sorts of interests have always been his thing.
"So," Ronald asked, as casually as he could. "That's a hobby of yours? Alternative medicine, that sort of new agey stuff?"
Jon darted his head around a corner, then once he was sure it was clear ushered Ronald on. "Not really. Well, yeah," Jon admitted, blushing again. Ronald could see his softening features were also gaining a light coating of makeup. "But not just that! Old stuff, too-- all those myths and legends and ancient artifacts. You know, junk like that."
"Junk like this heirloom you have us looking for?" Ronald wondered, letting a little bit of teasing enter his tone.
Jon's blush deepened. "Well, yeah, actually. It's... well, it's supposed to be a wishing stone of sorts. Like a genie's lamp."
"Wow. That sounds pretty out there," Ronald said, trying his best to sound skeptical when he knew just what the stone was capable of. It's sitting in my pocket, after all.
Jon giggled, his voice growing higher again to suit his shrunken size. "Yeah, I guess it is. Still, it's important to me. And I appreciate you helping me."
Ronald felt something like a pang of guilt then. Jon--old and new-- seemed like a good guy, and he hated leading Jon on a wild goose chase over nothing. But then he saw the buddings of what must have been Jon's breasts beneath his shirt, and his quibbles were forgotten again. He saw now that the boy's clothes were beginning to shift as well-- his earlobes sporting small golden rings, his shirt going from ill fitting to more purposefully loose. "Always a pleasure," he replied, earning another giggle from Jon.
Jon opened his mouth to say something to that--when did he get that cute coating of lip gloss?--when something over Ronald's shoulder made Jon freeze. The shifting boy grabbed Ronald's hand, guiding Ronald into a nearby supply closet before shutting the door.
The space was tiny, barely enough for the two of them to fit, and Ronald found himself pressed up against Jon. The intimacy was not entirely unwelcome, especially when he felt Jon's swollen but or chest brush up against him.
"Sorry, there was a teacher coming," Jon explained, his voice a whisper. As if to prove his point, the sound of footsteps sounding down the hall approached and then passed the door.
Ronald shifted carefully, so close to Jon he could feel the rise and fall of the transforming boy's chest against his body. "No problem," he assured, wondering who he might leave the closet with by the time the two had the chance to get free. "No problem at all."
