Chapter Text
“Okay, this…may have gotten out of hand.” Steven tried not to panic.
‘May?!’ Jake wasn’t trying at all.
“Alright, HAS gotten out of hand! But--”
‘But NOTHING! Fix it!’
Steven took a deep breath, gripping his baton tight. “Um, yeah. Khonshu, you…um…”
He faltered as large brown eyes narrowed, obviously unimpressed with him. “You, er…”
‘Does he even know English? Or who we are?!’ Jake was still on the edge of hysteria.
“Let me find out!” Steven snapped at the Alter.
Slowly, he lowered himself to the eyeline of the toddler draped in Khonshu’s wraps. The boy was glaring at him.
“Khonshu?” Steven swallowed, seeking any flicker of recognition in the dark eyes. “Um…not really sure what went wrong with that spell. You, ah…you still in there? Or…have any idea what I’m saying?”
There was a small puff of breath from the child. “Idiot.”
Steven nearly collapsed with relief. “Oh, thank God.”
The boy, somewhere in the range of three or four if Steven was pressed to guess, didn’t share his Avatar’s relief. “You, in your unspeakable buffoonery, have performed transmutation instead of a simple disguise spell.”
“Look, you can call me whatever you want as long as it means you’re still in there.” Steven reached out and tapped the child’s head, gently.
Khonshu batted at his gloved hand, growling. “Stop that!”
“I’m sorry!” Steven sat, heart still thudding. “I didn’t mean to, obviously. Just tell me how to fix it, alright?”
The glare was obviously meant to intimidate, but it lost something with the chubby cheeks and ruddy complexion. “I have no idea how you have achieved this. I do not know how to undo it!”
“WHAT?!” Jake shoved Steven aside. “Jefe, You--You said it was a--trans something?”
“Transmutation. Steven was attempting to change the color of your hair for the purposes of a simple disguise.” The boy tried to get up, but stepped on the wrappings. Jake reached out to steady him. Khonshu let him hold his arm. “How that has resulted in not only REMOVING MY GODHOOD but reducing my age to THIS--”
Jake tried not to look horrified as he spotted a glimmer of tears in the gods eyes. “Oh, shit. Um, okay, shit, um, look, we’ll figure it out. Taweret knows about kids, right? We’ll get Layla to call her in, maybe she can help.”
The boy turned his head away, but after a few moments nodded.
‘I can’t have mucked up this badly!’ Steven wailed. ‘We were just practicing! I’ve done color swaps before, they’re not even…well, not THAT hard, but--’
“Patojo I can’t deal with two of us freaking out.” Jake grit his teeth as the Alter unleashed a stream of stress. Jesus, Marc didn’t even know what had happened yet.
Khonshu shook free of his Avatar’s grip. He was trying to make something salvageable from his wraps, but the task was hopeless; his god body dwarfed adult humans, let alone a child.
“Jefe, let me help. We’ll get you into…something, then call Layla. Okay?” Jake tried to ignore Steven’s panic and self flagellation. "Steven's sorry."
“He will be sorrier when I have been restored to my proper self.” Khonshu muttered, shoulders slumping. His head was bowed slightly. “Jake; as my Avatar, I will entrust you with my care and protection until this…issue is resolved.”
“Of course.” Jake nodded.
‘I suppose since I caused it he won’t want me anywhere near him.’ Steven sounded a little less panicked.
“If I need Marc and Steven’s help don’t get huffy about it, okay?” Jake rolled his eyes; the last thing he needed was the idiots in his head and the idiot he served at further odds.
Khonshu finally turned to look at him. His expression was something less angry. “I…did not presume they would wish to assist. I would not reject them.”
‘Oh.’ Steven murmured, surprised. ‘Just because we’re not serving him doesn’t mean we’d leave him in the lurch. Especially not when I caused it. Oh, shit, I better go warn Marc. Um…you gonna be alright getting him into some clothes?’
“Yeah.” Jake scooped the boy up. Khonshu blinked, eyes going wide, but didn’t resist his Avatar’s actions. “Okay. I know we don’t have any kid stuff, but one of Layla’s shirts will be pretty small. We’ll have her buy something and head over.”
Khonshu nodded, pushing himself into Jake’s chest. “That is an acceptable plan.”
“Figured you’d like it.” Jake swallowed his panic and tried not to hold Khonshu too tight.