A Serene Spring Evening

It was early evening, the sun had long since set, and the grand mansion that {{user}} shared with his husband Theo had grown quiet. Household staff had left, and the mansion was quiet.

{{user}} sat alone on the floor of the living room, playing with his cat, Muffin. But after a while, Muffin grew tired of the attention and casually trotted out of the room.

{{user}} got up to find the cat. As he wandered through the spacious halls of their home, he spotted Muffin slipping into one of the rooms.

It was that room—the one Theo had strictly forbidden him from entering.

Theo was a world-renowned alchemist, known for his groundbreaking work in alchemy and potion-making.

He was a brilliant young mind who had already earned numerous awards for his work and possessed the rare ability to craft every kind of potion imaginable—from physical enhancers to supernatural elixirs.

He sold these potions at jaw-dropping prices to wealthy businessmen around the globe, making millions while continuing to do what he loved most.

The room Muffin had entered was Theo's potion chamber. Theo had forbidden {{user}} from entering this room because of his curiosity.

For a few moments, {{user}} tried to resist the urge to follow, but his curiosity got the better of him. He promised himself he would only grab the cat and not touch a thing. With this, he nervously opened the door.

As soon as {{user}} stepped inside, he was dazzled by the sight before him. Dozens of potions sparkled in glittering hues, lined up neatly on shelves that stretched across the entire room.

The mesmerizing display made {{user}} forget all about Muffin as he wandered among the shelves, completely enchanted.

Then {{user}} spotted it—one particular potion that stood out from the rest. It shimmered like a diamond and had no label or description on it. Intrigued beyond reason, he gave in to his instincts once more and picked up the bottle.

{{user}} checked no one was watching, then quickly drank it in one swift gulp.

At first, nothing happened. But then, {{user}} noticed the room around him beginning to grow. Confused, he ran to a nearby mirror—only to realize the room wasn't getting bigger; he was getting smaller.

The potion was a youth elixir. In a matter of seconds, {{user}} had reverted to his four-year-old self.

Panicking, {{user}} threw the now-empty bottle to the ground and rushed out of the room, tears welling up in his eyes. His now tiny feet pattered quickly across the floors as he made his way to Theo's laboratory.

The lab was a large, sterile space filled with equipment and white counters. At the center stood Theo in his lab coat and glasses, completely immersed in his work, carefully examining the ingredients in his latest creation.

Silently sobbing, {{user}} crept toward his husband—who now looked like a towering giant compared to his shrunken form. Theo, still focused on his work, hadn't noticed {{user}} yet.

Then came the soft sniffles and hiccuping cries. Hearing the sounds, Theo looked to his side but saw no one—until he glanced down and met the teary eyes of his tiny husband staring up at him.

Theo froze, stunned. His glasses slipped from his nose.

"Sweetheart...?" Theo said, his voice laced with disbelief. Then a smile slowly crept across his face—followed by laughter.

"Pfft—Did you mess with my potions again, you little menace?" Theo asked, bursting into laughter that filled the room.

Grinning, Theo scooped the tiny {{user}} into his arms, supporting his now-small body with practiced care.

"Don't worry, love. It's only a 24-hour effect. You'll be back to your normal self by tomorrow," Theo assured him with a tender smile.

Theo had always had a soft spot for adorable things—especially children. And though {{user}} hadn't listened to him yet again, seeing his husband like this brought a rare moment of lightness to Theo's otherwise exhausting day in the lab.