This story takes place in book five, Magic and Other Misdemeanors, the night after Puck discovers he and Sabrina marry in the future and Sabrina screams, "You wouldn't grow a day older if you didn't want to!"
Everyone was sound asleep in the Hall of Wonders - everyone except Puck that is. He flew silently down the hall until he was at the door that would lead him back into Granny Relda's house. Puck slipped in and out of the mirror soundlessly, padded down the hallway as quietly as possible, and then shut his bedroom door behind him with a soft click. Once inside, the fairy boy sank down to the floor, completely drained of energy from the day's events.
You wouldn't grow a day older if you didn't want to!" Sabrina had screamed that at him earlier that day, right after he had discovered his horrible fate: To marry Sabrina Grimm. Puck shuddered.
"Ugh. Why would I ever marry? I'm going to stay a kid forever!" He said, gaining in confidence, which soon crumbled. When changing into his footy pajamas, one of Puck's monkey soldiers pointed at him with excitement and began hooting as they jumped around in a celebration of some sort.
Puck scowled. "What's wrong with you guys?" One of the smaller monkeys came up and murmured something in his ear. The boy drew back quickly and gasped in horror. His eyes moved to his currently exposed chest on which a handful of golden hairs had grown. He lifted his armpit, causing the monkeys to gag on the powerful odor. Hairs had sprouted there as well. His brow furrowed with confusion.
Turning to his monkeys, he asked, "What is this? Are you guys trying to prank me? Make me believe that I'm turning into a monkey or something? Well, it's not going to work!" He grabbed the handful of hairs on his chest and pulled as hard as he could. A few came off, but the others remained stubbornly stuck to his skin. Puck growled a threat to the chimps who then scattered quickly.
Alone once more, his mind drifted back to a conversation he and the old man had had a couple months ago. The old man – Canis – had talked about this horrible disease he was stricken with – puberty – and its dreadful side effects. Even though his mind had been devilishly planning to dye Sabrina's hair purple later that evening, he had picked up on a few lines.
Canis had said, "You will start growing hair on your chest, face, and armpits. You'll get taller, and your voice will change." There had been other stuff, about girls and "feelings" and crud like that, and Puck had dismissed all of it as drivel. But now…it was real. It was happening. For once, Puck's bravado faded and he just looked like another confused face in the crowd.
Quietly, he asked himself, "What's happening? I'm…changing…because of this puberty thing. I don't want to get taller, I don't want to grow hair on my chest, and I definitely don't want to start getting all mushy and getting mood swings!" He kicked a nearby tree trunk in frustration, then stopped abruptly, hid mind drifting onto a new and foreign path. "But on the other hand, it could be nice to not be ignored for being a 'child' like they take me for. I could probably get more respect…and more attention." Puck got up and started pacing madly, thinking fast. "But then there's the side effects. The whole feelings deal. I don't want to go soft…and I don't want to get married! And then there's Sabrina, who really is the root of the problem here."
His monkey army was now sitting by his feet, watching him as though he were a college professor lecturing on an interesting topic. "None of this would have happened if she and her sister hadn't been running through the forest that night. Then I never would have gotten involved in this stupid family, and I never would have met Sabrina. And that would be great! Fantastic!" He stopped short. A thought struck him like a right hook to the jaw. "No…no, it wouldn't be great…or fantastic. It would be bad…really bad.
"If I had never met her…things wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't be the same. Although I loathe admitting it, Sabrina Grimm has made me a better person. She gave me direction, a purpose. Even if it was just putting up with my pranks, she's still stayed with me through tough times. She – she and her family – they took me in. They gave me a home, something I haven't had for too long." Puck walked away from his army until he was at the "window" of his room. It was magicked to show the old sky – the starry night sky from 4000 years ago.
Puck sat and gazed at the dark blue expanse in front of him. He whispered, "Do I want to grow up?" It was all so confusing. He wasn't supposed to grow up. He was the poster boy for immaturity and mischief. He wouldn't – couldn't throw that away so that Sabrina would like him better. Puck's eyes widened. Where the heck did that come from? Why should he care what some stupid, smelly girl thought? Especially Sabrina!
He muttered, "She's ugly, annoying, whiny and a real pain in the butt. But she's also smart. And brave to the point of stupid. She cares more than she'll admit and I've never seen her back down from a fight. She's cunning and quick. She's loyal, like a dog. But most of all, she's…she's…" He sighed in frustration. "I don't know what she is, but I may as well admit it. I am going to grow up and get married and have a million babies. There's no avoiding it. Might as well accept it…" Puck got to his feet and made his way to the door. Pulling his hoodie on as he walked. Turning, Puck saw that his monkeys had been watching him the whole time.
He looked at them. "This conversation never happened, understand?" The monkeys nodded, pretending to zipper their mouths shut. Puck nodded curtly. He clicked the door shut as quietly as he could. Standing there in the darkness, the boy let a smile spread across his face for the first time that day. He relaxed for a second, leaning against the door, and suddenly felt himself grow an inch.
He frowned, muttered to his growing body, "Oh no you don't! Rome wasn't built in a day you know." He flew back into the Hall of Wonders then lay back in his sleeping bag, smiling with his eyes closed. Trust me, we have plenty of time – we're already ahead of Stinky!"
I got the idea for this story when I read that line of Sabrina's (as mentioned before). Puck was furious, but then a day later had accepted it. It made me wonder what happened that changed his mind so quickly. I didn't think that another character such as Granny Relda or Daphne would have changed his mind – Puck is more individual than that. I could see him going off to his man cave to relax but not being able to stop thinking about what Sabrina said.
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