Out of their Element

[littlest-lily]

@miss-lillipants Yay indeed! And I’m with you, sign me up for kaiju wrestling

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 52
Evie

We hang out with Diego for a couple of hours that morning - afternoon? - while we wait for Star to get back from out of town. Aiden makes some food, and we fill in my new acquaintance on what actually happened to me back in February and how we’ve been managing since. I come to like the guy, even though he really is “a bit much.” I’ll admit that I’m relieved when his wife finally swings by to pick him up. Thankfully there’s no insisting on me needing to make her acquaintance today - even Diego figures he should probably talk to her first. I’m open to meeting her, but the past 24 hours have been a lot and I’m bone-tired.

Once he’s gone, Aiden and I both agree that we need a nap in our own beds. After a good two hours of rest and eventually a light dinner, we finally start to feel more like ourselves again.

In a silent request to join him on his journey to the kitchen, I climb aboard the giant’s plate once we’ve finished eating. “Couch cuddles after this?” I suggest with a smile.

He perks up with a nod and delicately lifts the plate with me in tow. “Yes please.”

The dishes are tended to, and now we can finally relax together. Aiden lets out an audible exhale when he sits on the couch, and I’m already wriggling between his fingers in anticipation as he stretches his legs out and then lowers me to his stomach. I touch down just above his navel and collapse into a happy heap, sprawling out on his shirt as if I’m feeling out a luxurious bed. I’m shaken by a chuckle and look up to see a giant face gazing down at me from the sky, before it disappears as he leans all the way back onto the armrest.

That nap apparently gave me some good energy back. The hand that was carrying me settles just behind me to soon become my blanket, but I want to get closer to his face first, and I want to get there myself. I start climbing, grabbing at the thick fabric of his shirt to help me traverse the angled plain of his body. Up past his ribs, and then over the subtle hill of one of his pecs as I fight to stay stable through each rise and fall of his breath.

I think Aiden’s enjoying my little escapade. I hear the occasional whoosh of a content sigh and his muscles seem to be relaxing underneath me. I’m still being mindful of my leg, so it takes me several minutes to traverse his torso. But finally I make it to the top of his chest, and I hoist myself over the tree root-like hump of his clavicle. I park my rear right in the dip above the collarbone, and I lay back, feeling rather proud of myself for journeying all the way up here. I’m getting pretty skilled at this whole being tiny business.

“You feel good,” Aiden murmurs, and his hand finally catches up with me, an idle finger trailing against my arm.

“You are good,” I respond, reaching up to kiss the base of his neck.

For a long while we don’t need any more words. We just exist together, unburdened and at peace. The minutes pass in silence as I gaze up the length of the giant’s neck and the underside of his jaw, taking in every last detail. It’s a little strange - we’re not the same people we were a day ago. At least, I’m not. The simple act of telling my story last night has left me feeling like a new woman.

But… I’m not sure how it makes him feel. I should probably check in on that.

I eventually sit up and shimmy over to the center of his chest so that I can slide down his sternum. As if stirring from sleep, despite being dutifully awake, Aiden turns and readjusts his head to watch my progress.

“Where to?” he asks with a curious smile.

I stop right above his diaphragm and turn to sit cross-legged with my face aimed upwards. I start the conversation gently.

“I just wanted to talk. And see where, um… where we stand, with everything? How are you doing with that bombshell I dropped on you last night?”

There’s a pause as Aiden looks down at me thoughtfully. I’m more than willing to wait as he puts some order in his mind, keeping myself from getting too nervous by focusing on the ups and downs of his breathing. Then his hand slides up beside me, fingers already reaching around my frame.

“May I?” he asks, and when I nod he tenderly pinches the digits around my torso. He wants to sit up straighter for this conversation, so he readjusts himself and bends one knee up. That’s where he places me, right on the balcony-sized surface of his kneecap so that I can have a steady seat. His fingertips linger at the edges of my waistline.

“Listen, um… First I’d like to mention something that’s been on my mind…" he mutters. “I owe you an apology.”

I raise my eyebrows. I can see it now, guilt and shame plain on his face, and I wonder where exactly it’s all stemming from. I’m glad he kept his finger nearby so that I can hook my arm around it and tug it forward. He lets me, and I lay his fingertip on my lap, petting it like it’s a cat.

A whisper of a smile graces his features, and he keeps going. "No matter how I was feeling last night, I should never have lost my temper the way I did. I shouldn’t do that with anyone, but it’s particularly unfair with you, since you can’t just walk out of the room if it becomes too much. If I ever start getting really frustrated about something in the future, I promise I’ll step away first so I can keep my cool. I’m not usually quick to anger, I don’t see this being a big issue, but I’d rather address it…”

I slowly nod and look down to focus on the giant’s finger in my lap. I absently start tracing vague shapes across the surface of his fingernail as I ponder my response.

“Thank you,” I say, “I appreciate that. The more I’ve thought about it, though, the more I understand why you were so frustrated. I want to communicate more, I’ll try to get better about opening up…” I stop making invisible doodles and look back up at him hesitantly. “But I’ll say it now. I don’t think it’s quite like a switch. I’m so used to repressing everything…”

Aiden bends forward to kiss the top of my head, and then he hovers there. “That’s alright. I can be patient, especially now that I better understand why. My communication hasn’t always been the best either - I was blaming you for bottling up your feelings, but clearly I had a lot pent up too. We can work on it together.”

I tilt my head up to return the kiss before he pulls away. My spirits are lifted by how much better it feels to speak from the heart and not constantly be trying to hide something. Things are already feeling healthier. And I want to keep going with this newfound open line of communication.

“Are you, um, sure you’re not too freaked out by the fact that I have a stalker?" I ask with a tilt of the head. I can’t help worrying, since literally everyone else I told had major problems with it.

Aiden raises his shoulders in a little shrug. “I don’t want to make light of that. I’m concerned for you of course, but I’m not concerned for me, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t care who he is, I’m not abandoning you. If anything I’m honestly feeling more determined to keep you safe than ever.”

“He hasn’t stopped looking for me for almost five years,” I insist, “He’s probably still looking for me right now.”

“Well, the good news is that right now…” Aiden lifts his finger up from my lap so that he can lightly bop the top of my head, “…you’re very easy to hide.”

I chuckle and reach up to grab his fingertip again, hugging it against me with a playful possessiveness. But then with a sobering tone I explain, “See, that’s why I’ve been really wanting to hide.”

He frowns. “I hate that he’s what’s keeping us from attempting to get you your life back.”

“Well, I wasn’t lying about the rest of it,” I say, “I’m still really intimidated by the idea of going public and having who knows what kind of tests run on me. But yeah… he’s at the center of it. I have no idea how he’d react to seeing me like this, but I don’t want to find out.”

Aiden sets his jaw. “That’s assuming he’d even see you like this… Let’s talk through it? Say we go to the local police. We tell them everything. What happens next?”

I feel a rush of fear take hold. Of course I’m still going to be afraid when I think about this. But now the difference is that I have someone else to lean on as I try to work things out. I take a deep breath.

“Whether he sees it on the news or finds my name in a police record or anything else… the second he knows where I am, I’m at risk of him finding me.”

“But… he wouldn’t actually haul you away against your will, right? That’s… that’s kidnapping.”

Yeah, he doesn’t quite get it. Maybe I need to share more of the nitty gritty details. I clench his finger a little tighter, holding it like my anchor as I revisit another painful memory.

“That night after he took me to the woods… when he knew I wanted out of the relationship… he locked me in the closet until morning. So that I could ‘think things through.’ The next day he decided he still didn’t feel like I could be trusted alone at home, so he tied me up and stuffed me into the pantry so that no one would hear me scream while he was at work. I managed to break out and that’s when I ran away but… no. I don’t think he’s above kidnapping me.”

Aiden tenses up and looks heartbroken to hear what I’ve been through. “B-but he’s a cop,” he says with a tone of desperation, “Would he really double down and risk his job like that? He’s supposed to uphold the law, not break it…” I can tell by the look on his face that he’s not convincing himself whatsoever. It’s not like police officers are universally model citizens, far from it.

But I opt to hammer it in. “He would do tons of stuff he shouldn’t, all the time. Excessive speeding. Illegal gambling. Sex with a minor… He’s taken criminal evidence home before just because he thought it was cool and wanted to show me. I doubt he was allowed to wave around his state-assigned firearm when he threatened his own life in the woods. I’m sure half the shit he’s done to keep figuring out where I move away to isn’t legal either. Not to mention the stalking itself. He totally thinks he’s above the law.”

I sigh as I gaze down towards Aiden’s chest. “And honestly, he is above the law. For better or worse, he accomplished a lot out in the field. Saved lives in pretty dramatic fashion. Every precinct in our area saw him as this hero. Hence him being able to transfer so easily whenever I moved to a new county. He got along well with the other officers, did some favors to keep them in his pocket. They would always look the other way when he did something he shouldn’t.”

I shudder as I go back through our imaginary scenario of me revealing myself to the cops. “I really don’t think I’ll be safe with the local police, even if I tell them about him first. I think they would listen to him before they listen to me. Once I’m under their custody, all it takes is him pulling some strings. Or just sneaking me out.”

“I won’t let that happen!” Aiden interjects, “I’ll never let him take you away.”

There’s a squeezing in my chest from pure appreciation. “I know you’d do what you can,” I say softly, “But once shit hits the fan and other people are involved… you don’t think I might get separated from you at some point? Even just for a little bit?”

He doesn’t answer, just looks past me with concentration, trying to think of some kind of solution. I shrug as I try to take out the tension in the air.

“I might be wrong about all of it. Maybe the cops would be perfectly accommodating and listen to what I have to say. Or maybe my situation is so extreme that I’d be under enough scrutiny and he’d never get to me anyway. Hell, maybe Brock would have zero interest in me now that I’m tiny. Or we could go to a hospital and they run a few tests and fix this right away, before the police even find out. It just doesn’t feel likely that it would be easy. I’m terrified of all the risks.”

With a quiet sigh of defeat, Aiden nods. “I get it.” The massive finger I’m holding comes to life, snaking its way up to touch my cheek as he repeats, “I get it. And I’m not exactly complaining, you know. I like you here, like this.”

I smile, immediately comforted by him stroking the side of my face. “You know what?” I say, “Same. I really enjoy my life with you, as scary as it can get sometimes. I know I need to face all that stuff eventually, but I’d feel better if we waited a while, let Brock chase his tail for a bit so that he’s hopefully far away when the time comes. If you’re okay with it, let’s stick with our original deal and talk about it again at the end of the year?”

He nods in agreement, and that settles that. Now taking on a more feline role, I rub my cheek against his fingertip, practically purring with affection. His other fingers give me little back scritches, and if this keeps going I’ll surely melt into a little puddle and slide right off his knee.

But Aiden switches gears. He turns his palm to my back instead and nudges me with it. I understand that he’s wanting to pick me up, so I start raising into a kneeled position and it’s enough for him to scoop me right up into his hand.

“Speaking of liking you here. Can we address something else you said last night?” he asks, slowly lifting me higher. “About whether I like you… or the idea of you.”

I half forgot that I admitted that. Alright. So far so good with this communication thing. Let’s keep going.

“R-right…” I respond.

“I don’t want to assume anything. How much of that do you think is past trauma, versus something you’re legitimately worried about?”

“Uhhh.” I sit there in silence for several seconds, frowning as I think things through. Finally I answer, “I don’t know if I’ve ever really thought about it being because of my history… But… damn. Yeah, come to think of it, Brock totally objectified me. His compliments were always about how I looked, and he had certain expectations too - he didn’t want me above a certain weight, for example. I knew that, but I didn’t realize that I might have been projecting some of that onto you. Shit, I… I’m sorry.”

Aiden quickly shakes his head. “No, no, don’t apologize. Honestly, all that aside, I think it still makes sense that you’d worry I was just objectifying you too. I told you I’m into tiny girls, and then I turn around and tell you I like you, literally the next day. Of course you’re going to have some doubts. So… I want to make it very clear.”

He takes a deep breath and brings his other hand up so that they’re both cupped around me, gently cradling my frame. I feel a blooming heat inside my chest.

“Yes, I like you little,” he says, his hazel gaze bathing me with tender care. “I think you’re the most beautiful person in the world, and this way I can see all of you so easily, hold all of you, all at once. I like it in the same way I like the rest of your body… like the shape of your legs, or how you smile with your eyes.”

I can’t help beaming fondly at him, inadvertently proving his point, and he breaks into an adoring chuckle, for a second overcome with emotion. I feel a prickling in the back of my eyes.

Aiden regains himself. “But when I think about us, I think about our conversations. I think about how good of a listener you are, and how you always know the right thing to say when I’m feeling down. I think about how fun it is to play a game with you, or how nice it is to relax together and watch a movie. I think about how excited you get about things, how infectious that is.”

I’m starting to feel short of breath.

“I was falling for you just from our letters to each other. Where it hardly even matters how big the size difference is. You’re so much more than what I can see on the outside - you’re creative and thoughtful and hardworking… and you make me feel like I’m actually worth something.”

I rub a tear away with the heel of my hand.

“I don’t care about the rest,” he says, and he wipes another tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb, “Whether you’re Evelyn Frost, or Evie Ondine. Whether you’re big or small. Whether you’re happy or you’re scared, no matter how strong you are or how weak you feel. None of it makes a difference to how I feel about you.”

He lifts me higher to be eye level with him.

“Because I know you, Eve. And I’m in love with you.”

My tears are falling freely now and my entire body is filled with heat. Tears are welling up in his eyes too but his smile cuts through them as he adds, “I’ve been wanting to really commit to you for a while. I guess I’m stumbling into that right now.”

I catch myself before I start sobbing and shakily get to my feet in his hand.

“I don’t have such an eloquent speech prepared in exchange,” I say breathlessly, “But I love you too, Aiden. If you’ll have me… I’m yours.”

He leans in to kiss me. Our joy overflows and we meld into each other as if we were made of pure light. It doesn’t matter that to him I’m the size of a mouse, or that to me he’s the size of a building. To us it’s a perfect fit.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily Ah, this was much-needed comfort food. He has no soul who could refuse “Couch cuddles?”

Brave, good faith efforts on both their parts. Aiden’s naïveté regarding police was more than made up for by his fulsome declaration. “I like you this way” is such a loaded statement; I’m glad they both have the patience and trust to explore it fully.

Looking forward to meeting the woman who would dare marry Diego.

[miss-lillipants]

Eeeee! What a nice chapter for them both to unwind. God knows they needed a break, especially Evie.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo That’s because couch cuddles are the BEST. Regardless of size (though of course size difference is preferred)

And yeah, Aiden’s a wee bit sheltered heh. Granted, his “surely he wouldn’t do that!” protest was more of a desperately wishing it wasn’t true, rather than actually believing the police force is all great.

[littlest-lily]

@miss-lillipants Yeees! Need a couple of happy chapters after all that, for sure

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 53
Aiden

I’m slinking under the surface of the water, my eyes squinting upwards for my target. I can practically hear the Jaws’ theme in the back of my mind as I approach, slowly… closer… closer…

I aim and ascend, breaking the surface of the water. I hear a playful shrieking, and I can feel that I successfully hit my mark from all of the wriggling that’s happening on top of my head. Evie grabs onto locks of wet hair as she tugs herself forward and reaches the edge of my forehead. I hold myself steady and aim my eyes upward, just able to make out some movement as she leans out.

“That scared the shit out of me!” she yells, though she’s laughing just as hard.

I chuckle in response, “What, you thought I didn’t see you?”

“It felt like you were gonna eat me!”

I flinch, surprised to see my tiny passenger launch herself forward just then, a blur in front of my face as she plops feet-first into the water. I’m mostly submerged, my chin just above the surface, but still - to her that was probably more like cliff jumping. I back up a little bit to catch sight of her, her figure obscured as she sinks a couple of inches down. We’re not in a deep pool, this particular spot being three or four feet deep at most, but it might as well be a lake for little Evie. Without issue, she pops out a few seconds later, fighting against the slight current I’ve just created with my body when I’d backed off.

“Well, now you’ve made it very easy for me to do just that,” I tease, and this time I “dun-dun” the Jaws theme out loud as I lower my chin into the water and slowly close the distance, letting my mouth briefly open wide as a playful threat. She doesn’t attempt to swim away, she just giggles, braces herself and accepts my overenthusiastic kiss as she’s briefly pushed underwater by my lips.

I finally give her a break, bringing my hands underneath her as I straighten back up again. I don’t lift her out of the water but just prop my cupped palms right below her feet so that she can comfortably stand. She fights to find her balance, leaning back against my fingers as she tries to recover from both the adrenaline and the laughter. I just hold my girlfriend there for a minute, gazing down at her with adoration.

God… I can actually call her that now. My beautiful little girlfriend. My love. My partner.

It’s been a couple of days since we made things official. Our entire relationship has formed so gradually that our interactions haven’t changed dramatically. But still, I feel like a middle schooler who just asked his first crush out and she said yes. Both of us have been a little giddy. Honestly, that’s probably more due to our heart-to-hearts and finally feeling like we have a solid line of communication now. But it also feels a bit like a honeymoon phase, and we’re happy to ride it out.

And what better way to do that than enjoy what summer has to offer? It’s downright hot outside these days, and Evie and I began tossing around the idea of finding a place to go swimming. I reached out to both Moira and Diego for any ideas on where we might find somewhere private, and that’s when Diego offered up the code to the swimming pool in his neighborhood. He warned that it wasn’t very big, but as a result not many people go and it’s fairly secluded. It seemed like the perfect solution. And since he also confirmed that her leg injury was okay to submerge underwater, our plan to come out here formed quickly from there. I’m glad we decided to go for it - we’ve been having a great time.

“If I didn’t have a fear of sea monsters before…” Evie pants, trailing off as she smirks up at me.

“Am I overdoing it? You’re just so easy to mess with in the water.” And since I can’t help myself, I accentuate my point by still supporting her feet with one hand while I start slowly twirling a finger in a circle around her with the other. The little waves I’m creating are just enough to destabilize her stance.

“I know, I feel that much more helpless!” she laughs, batting my finger away. “Just… don’t do anything that’ll actually make me spin too much and we’re cool. Unless you want me to throw up on you.”

For a moment I’m gently batting her hands right back, and then I pet her lovingly on the top of the head. “Let’s avoid that,” I concur as I take a quick look around to make sure the coast is still clear. No one’s around, but I do realize something’s missing. “Uh oh, the inner tube ran away, let me go get it. Want to swim around here or…?”

“No, bring me with. My leg muscle’s asking for a break and I should probably listen for once.”

“Attagirl. Up you go then.”

I get up to my full standing height while lifting Evie out of the pool. Seeing her shivering once the water has rushed away, I readjust her into a careful fist to keep her warm, so that nothing but her head is sticking out. I wade towards the donut-shaped inflatable that has drifted a little too far. This is her hiding spot in case someone shows up, so we’d rather it stay close by.

Once I reach it, I glance back down and pause. The tiny woman I’m holding has since slipped her arms out from my grasp and now has them folded in front of her on my thumb, her chin resting on them. She looks a little dazed, staring in my direction but without looking towards my face.

“Deep in thought?” I question, absently pulling the inner tube towards us with my free hand.

“Hm?” Evie snaps out of it and looks up at me before smiling smugly and shaking her head. “Nope. I’m just admiring my man. In the past, anytime you’ve walked around shirtless post-shower or whatever, I’d always look away… Now I can ogle you and it’s okay!”

“Oh is that how that works?" I feel a little self conscious but still grin in delight. I tilt my hand and loosen my grip just enough to be able to take a peek at the rest of her. “Says the girl wearing a sexy bikini. Does that mean I’m allowed to ogle you too?”

She laughs. “Does this count as a bikini?" She looks down at herself critically and adds, “I definitely don’t think it counts as sexy.”

True, what she’s wearing isn’t quite what you’d see in a store. Evie owned exactly one swimsuit from before she was shrunk that was still in her suitcase. Apparently it dated back from when she lived with Brock, so she was all too eager to destroy it and utilize the material to make herself new miniature swimwear. Her top is wrapped around her chest and tied off over one shoulder, and the bottom is knotted off at each hip. The fabric has an intricate red and white pattern that keeps her nice and visible, and it’s also very lightweight, which is important. If she was wearing her regular, water-absorbent cotton clothes, she’d probably sink like a rock.

I open my hand a little further to help her readjust into my palm, and my fingers actually feel a bit stiff as they unfurl. I… I touch her a lot, don’t I? It’s only natural, since me picking her up is largely how she gets around. But even though it’s commonplace for us, that doesn’t mean the simple act of me holding her doesn’t feel intimate. Especially when there’s this much bare skin for my fingers to casually run over. Luckily we’ve spent months as just friends so I’ve had plenty of experience with trying to really respect her, and I still have a strong determination to continue doing just that. But… it does take a lot of self control sometimes. A lot of holding myself back.

After a second or two of maybe some excessive staring at the length of her legs and the curve of her waist, I finally respond to her with, “It’s a two-piece swimsuit, right? Which makes it a bikini? And if you’re wearing it, then it’s sexy. Simple as that."

Evie giggles melodically as her cheeks go bright pink. “Thanks, babe," she says with a grin, and I get tingles all down my spine from her calling me that.

My ears prick up at the loud squeak of a metal hinge, and I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, I bring my occupied hand over to the inner tube’s cupholder and slide my little secret right inside. She bounces in, gets her bearings, and quickly scrambles with the paper umbrella that’s already in there. It opens with a quiet pop and forms a light blue circle to cover the hole, effectively hiding her tiny figure from sight.

Keeping a hand on the inflatable, I let myself glance over to whoever just opened the entrance gate. Then the glance becomes eye contact and I smile widely.

“All good,” I say out loud in the direction of the paper umbrella, “You can come out, it’s Moira.”

Evie shoves the parasol aside and eagerly starts using it to help her climb up onto the edge of the cupholder. She sticks one little arm up to wave at our friend, and it’s enough for Moira to notice and wave back.

“Hey guys! Sorry I’m late. I was sitting in the parking lot for forever trying to end a phone conversation with my sister. It’s so hot out, I started roasting in the car…”

“Come over to the shade, then,” I say, taking the few steps to the edge of the pool to better greet her. Mo plops down a tote bag and steps out of her flip flops, then she sits down to dip her feet into the water with a sigh.

At this point Evie has apparently managed to climb out of the cup holder, since the next time I look over there she’s sliding off of the innertube completely. There are just a couple of feet between us and she starts swimming over like a little frog while us two larger folk chat and watch her with amusement. The shrunken girl nears Moira’s leg, who trails her foot through the water just enough to send a little wave in Evie’s direction.

“Kinda fun to mess with her in the water, huh?” I say with a chuckle.

“Weirdly fun,” she confirms.

“Thanks a lot, guys!” Evie laughs, and she gets close enough to latch onto her friend’s ankle. Moira carefully lifts her foot out of the water, tiny girl in tow, and reaches her hands out to take her in them. This way the smallest of us can join in on our conversation.

“Looking forward to dinner with the Ignacios on Friday?” Mo brings up.

“Yeah, that’ll be… interesting,” I say, crossing my arms and leaning my lower back against the wall of the pool. “I’m glad you’ll be there too. Diego’s been really excited, to no one’s surprise.”

“It’s funny,” Evie says from her spot in her friend’s hands, “I legit look forward to it. I mean, I’m nervous of course, but at this point I’ve heard so much about how great Star is and I’m excited to meet her!”

Moira beams down at her. “Look how far you’ve come! I do think you’ll like her. She’s not quiiite as high energy as Diego but she’s still super friendly.”

Soon there’s a lull in the conversation, and Evie and I share a look. We may have filled in Moira over text about what happened on Diego’s birthday. But there were certain things that we wanted to wait to talk about in person.

Finally I clear my throat and pipe up, “Hey, um, Moira? Just wanted to let you know…" I motion towards the tiniest of us with my chin, “that we’re a couple now.”

“Oh my god! Really??" If her hands weren’t occupied I think she would have clapped them to her mouth.

Evie nods and giggles. “We weren’t sure if you’d already know."

“I mean… I knew. I figured it was a matter of time, I just wasn’t sure when you two would figure it all out! Aww, congrats, guys. I’m so happy for you." She brings Evie up to her face and then gives me an affectionate shove on the shoulder. It’s really nice, not just making it official in private but with our mutual friend as well. Makes it feel all the more real.

I remember the other conversation topic that needs to be brought up and give Evie a quick nod before hoisting myself out of the water. “Actually, if you’ve got her, Mo, I’ll go grab some snacks. I left them in the car."

Leaving the two girls on their own, I’m toweling off as I step out into the parking lot. I don’t grab the food yet but just meander in the vicinity for a while, enjoying the feeling of the sun drying me off. Since I want to give them plenty of time, once I’m dry enough I go fetch my phone that I left in the car. I notice a new group text that has formed with Diego and Star.

S: Aiden, does Evie have any allergies or anything? I was thinking of making aguachile.

D : WAIT you can’t feed shrimp to the little shrimp!! That’s cannibalism : O

S: Oh right! Why didn’t I think of that : P

S: Actually, is salmon ok?

I smile at my phone. I still haven’t fully decided if I’m nervous or excited about dinner in a couple of days. I like everyone there, but after months of secrecy this is all a bit out of my comfort zone. I go ahead and reply to the text, and they must be right by their phones as the conversation continues promptly.

A: Salmon’s great. Shrimp would have been fine too lol. She’s not very picky

S: Be real with me, should I give her her own plate or is it better if she eats off of yours? I don’t want to be rude and I don’t know how to handle this

A: I’ll bring over her plates and stuff, don’t worry about that part

D : She plays Magic too right? Bring your decks, we can play after we eat!! I’ve already told Moira

S: Buncha nerds < 3

Alright… I think I’m settling on feeling excited. My friends are good people, and that includes my girlfriend. I’m sure we’ll all get along great.

I check the time, and it’s been about half an hour. Hopefully that’s enough? I gather up the snacks and go back to the pool gate, peering through the metal bars without opening the door yet.

Moira’s inside the pool now with her arms folded on the edge, and she’s put Evie down on a towel on solid ground. The larger one is looking very focused, still deep in conversation. I notice tears shining on her face. Good ol’ Mo. Such a kind soul. I know it’s not easy for Evie to recount everything from her past yet again, but she felt it was important to not just open up to me about it but to her other closest friend. And from just the glimpse that I’m seeing, Moira’s being every bit as supportive and caring as I knew she’d be.

She catches sight of me hovering near the gate and waves me over. Even though they’re still talking, I sheepishly walk in their direction and set the food down before I take a seat next to Evie.

Moira’s in the process of sighing deeply. “I just want to give younger you the biggest hug, girl. Hell, I wish I could give you a big hug right now.” She looks up at me from her spot down in the water. “Can you believe this shit?”

I nod sympathetically, slipping a supportive hand behind my tiny girlfriend’s back. “Wish I didn’t have to,” I mutter. Evie tilts her head back to give me a weak smile and touches my finger tenderly. She looks a bit drained from the recounting, but she’s handling it way better this second time around.

“No wonder you swore off dating,” Moira says with a shake to her voice, rubbing at her tear-filled eyes. “I’m sure I would have done the same thing.”

“You swore off dating?” I say with raised eyebrows, “Uh… oops.”

Evie grips my hand tighter and lets out a breath of laughter. “Don’t worry. I definitely needed a break from it, but it all feels like so long ago. I’m glad you changed my mind.”

“And no wonder you’re always so determined to do everything yourself,” Moira adds.

Both Evie and I pause and frown at this. “What do you mean?” she asks, tilting her head.

“Oh, I just figured, since you had what sounded like such a controlling ex…”

Moira trails off to a few seconds of silence. It’s one of those moments where the insight seems obvious in retrospect, but apparently even the victim in the situation hadn’t quite put it together. As it clicks in my brain, I feel a growing sense of determination.

I gaze down at my precious little partner, too small to reach anything or get anywhere without assistance. I want to make up for not just her size, but for all of the times that her mother and her ex tried to keep her under their thumb. I want to empower her, to help her find independence and self assurance in whatever way I can. The plan wouldn’t solidify in my mind for another month or so, but this is the moment that a spark of an idea lights up inside of me.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily I presume Aiden’s relationship status remains: “It’s complicated.”

If Evie likes swimming pools, she’s gonna love bathtubs.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo If we’re talking about his public relationship status, it is very complicated hahaha

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 54
Evie

I’m not sure what feels better right now… The warmth on my back from the sun, or the warmth on my front from my giant partner…

Alright, fine, that’s a complete lie. Of course it’s the warmth of the guy I’m head over heels for. It’s no contest.

Still, the sunbathing part is pretty nice. We’ve been spending a good chunk of the afternoon at the pool and I’ve enjoyed the fun of playing in the water, the catharsis of telling Moira about Brock, and now the relaxation of laying on Aiden’s back. He picked out a spot just by the pool that’s under a tree to put down a couple of towels so that we’re not in direct sunlight, but the branches above us are patchy enough that the rays still partly reach us. I think he’s reading a book - or at least he was at first, but from how low his head is to the ground he might just be resting at this point.

Moira’s doing her own relaxing in the water, laying in the inner tube with her head hanging back. I’m practically falling asleep from my spot near my boyfriend’s spine, but when I see movement coming from my other giant friend I’m roused into being slightly more alert. She’s anchored the heel of her foot onto the edge of the pool to keep from drifting away so that she can chat with me.

“Evie, while I’m thinking about it - I have that silicone clay in the car for you, the kind that doesn’t dry out. Don’t let me forget before we leave.”

I sit up so that I have an easier time projecting my voice her way. “Oh awesome! Thanks, Moira, that’s a huge help.”

“No problem. Hey, I was looking at your reviews yesterday, by the way. You really need to start charging a little more. Everyone’s in love with your stuff! And your price points are way below the standard."

“Yeah, I know, I plan on upping the prices a bit with the next wave. I got those metallic paints so it felt justifiable since the armor and stuff should look better… I don’t know, I feel weird making it more expensive for no reason. I kinda have an unfair advantage that lets me make all of those little details that people are praising me over.”

“I completely disagree. I’m sure overall you’re spending just as much if not more time and effort than the average person on these since they’re so much bigger to you. Know your worth, girl! Your work is beautiful so don’t sell yourself short.”

“She’s right,” Aiden mumbles from below.

I smile widely. “Thanks. I’m still new at this owning-my-own-business thing, but it’s been really great so far. I’ll get the hang of it.”

Moira loses her grip at that point and her heel slips off the stone. She giggles and waves helplessly as she starts drifting away again towards the other end of the pool. I return the wave then slide back down onto the warm, expansive mattress underneath me.

Several minutes pass, and then Aiden tugs at my attention when out of nowhere he chuckles a little. It’s quiet, subdued, but it still shakes me and so my eyes flutter open.

“What’s up?” I call out curiously.

“Nothing.”

I lift my head up. “Tell me!"

“I’m just picturing how you’d react if I tried to scratch the itch you’re causing. It’s funny in my head.”

“Oh shoot, I’m causing an itch?”

“Barely. I think it’s more of a mental thing. I’m just hyper aware of your little body up there…” Like a wave passing under my paddle boat, I float up and down as he sighs deeply. “Don’t worry. I love it.”

But despite that I get up into a kneeling position with a blossoming smile. I start crawling up the length of his back, passing between his shoulder blades, until I reach the side of his neck. Still on my hands and knees, I playfully arch my back and rub up against him like a cat requesting attention, and when I actually start kissing his neck he shudders and I have to actively keep my balance.

“Y’know…” Aiden mutters, words slurring with how relaxed he is, “If this whole painting minis thing doesn’t work out, you could always open your own massage place. Just walk all over peoples’ backs, easy money.”

“I’m not sure any of this counts as an actual ‘massage’ though,” I counter. I take a seat so that I can start running my fingertips along his skin instead, satisfied at the way little bumps start rising up.

“Semantics,” he sighs, “Whatever it is, I never want you to stop.”

I won’t lie, it’s pretty nice for me too. It’s just so gratifying to feel like I can give him any sort of pleasure like this. It’s actually kinda… stirring something inside of me. I lean in to kiss him again, and the simple sensation of his warmth against my lips creates a wave of my own goosebumps all up my back. My breath hitches and I close my eyes as I trail my nose along his neck.

“I don’t want to stop either,” I murmur.

But I guess the universe had different plans. Just then we hear the sound of voices in the distance, claps of laughter from an approaching family. In one smooth motion, Aiden reaches a hand up to encircle my frame between his fingers while lifting up onto his elbows. We’re not in the water so I can’t hide in the innertube, but his back is facing the gate that’s currently squeaking open, so I’m pretty easy to hide. He sets me down onto the towel, just underneath him, and he casually scoots his book a little closer to look like he’d always been reading it.

For the next half a minute, my partner’s having a silent conversation with Moira who’s at the other end of the pool, presumably exchanging looks with her to gauge if now is a good time to head out. But I’m… very distracted. Aiden’s naked chest is just above me, looming overhead like the ceiling of a gymnasium. His pecs are smooth and mostly bare, just very lightly brushed with dark hairs here and there, but leaving nothing to cover up the tone of his muscle. His shoulders are so broad, his neck long and towering as it trails up to his jaw. I let myself lay back on the towel and take it all in as if I was stargazing, my eyes darting from the faint shadow going up his middle to the lines of his collarbone to the curve of his Adam’s apple.

And then he suddenly looks down right at me, a smile softening his hazel gaze as he briefly takes me in too. “Ready?” he mouths, eyebrows lifting with the question. I’m sure I’m blushing fervently as I silently nod.

My mind’s all over the place. We’ve been at the pool for a while now, it’s an appropriate time to leave, but in reality I wish I could lay here a little longer. I briefly wonder how he’s going to sneak me out of here, which leads to me asking myself, Do his swim trunks have pockets? That would be quite the new experience - I’ve never been in his pants pockets before. The space would be tighter, the location more… awkward. Yeah okay, this line of thinking is dumb, and in any case, no, I’m pretty positive his swimsuit doesn’t have pockets.

And then to my own shock, my mind goes all the way into the gutter as I imagine myself hiding in it anyway. All it would take is him pulling back the waistband and–

Whoa, whoa, whoa! The hell am I thinking? I flip over, burying my face into the towel, mortified. Thankfully the giant above me doesn’t really seem to notice as he’s busy getting to a sitting position while also casually bunching up the sides of the towel to keep me hidden from sight. He doesn’t see how beet red I must be when he reaches over for his bag nearby to retrieve a shirt.

I more or less get a hold of myself by the time he puts the garment on. Moira has now joined too, a towel wrapped around her, and between the two of them and their bags and the fact that Aiden is turned away from the occupied strangers, it’s a pretty simple transfer for me to get into his shirt pocket unnoticed. The next few minutes are a little hazy as I’m taken along for a ride, back out to the parking lot. I pop out briefly to say goodbye to Mo, and before I know it we’ve started the drive towards home.

It’s not uncommon for me to sit in silence when in his pocket, even during car rides like this where we’re alone, and I take advantage of that now as I lay back against the wall of my partner’s chest. My head feels heavy with the buzz of the intrusive feelings I was having earlier, and as I let my eyes close all I can see in my mind’s eye is Aiden, his massive form hovering over me, unknowingly presenting himself to my lustful stare. Even now his presence is overwhelming, so expansive and all-encompassing as I sit here contained against him. I lean into the corner of the pocket so that I can turn the front of my body towards the giant’s chest. I focus deeply on the sound of his heartbeat.

Ba-bump

I sigh softly, lightly hugging my arms against the wall. I’m so attracted to this man, inside and out. I both love him so purely while also lusting after him like a depraved hormonal teenager. What I’d give to be able to be in his world again, just for one night. To have uninhibited, uncomplicated sex with the person I adore most.

I picture him in front of me, imagining what he would look like if I was my old size again. I could touch so much more of him at once - I could press my mouth against his while my hands grip at his back and my leg hooks over his waist. We could wrestle and writhe together without having to be so cautious, until that deepest of intimacies as he slides inside me. How I took it for granted, the simple ability to become one with my partner.

Ba-bump

But then again, even in my fantasies Aiden’s at least a little taller than I am. I suppose I actually enjoy a certain amount of height difference. In the picture I’ve formed in my head, the difference between us slowly starts to increase. I wonder how much shorter than him I could be before he wouldn’t fit inside me anymore. Three feet tall maybe? Shorter than Moira, shorter than any adult I’ve ever met. But perhaps just tall enough?

Ba-bump

I know that sex is far more than one person inserting themselves into the other. What else could we do together? I mentally shrink myself from that three foot height, down to the size of a Barbie doll. Surely I would be able to accomplish something then and it would still feel good to him? I could use my hands, my mouth, something.

Ba-bump

But I’m not three feet tall, or even twelve inches tall. I’m so much smaller than that. I don’t really know what he looks like down there, but his manhood is probably bigger than I am. What could I possibly do to pleasure him at this three inch height? My touch is nothing more than a tickle. Enough to give him goosebumps, sure, but never enough to fully satisfy him, right? But there’s so much he could do to me. And it’s so easy for him to touch my entire body all at once. He’s just so incredibly powerful, it’s intoxicating.

Ba-bump

My breath has grown more and more shallow as I sit there and subtly squirm in Aiden’s pocket. God, I’m so sensitive right now that I can feel the vibrations of his heartbeat, the rhythm strong and steady. It tickles my chest, my stomach, and then I tilt my pelvis ever so slightly and feel small shocks of pleasure with every resonating thump.

Ba-bump

I can’t think straight anymore. My subconscious has just enough wherewithal to keep me quiet and relatively still, but I’m completely entranced with the giant’s presence as he unconsciously dominates my mind. As if moving of its own accord, my hand slips in between my legs.

Ba-bump

I haven’t even acknowledged my own arousal that I’m clearly caught up in, even though at this point my breathing has tripled in speed. Aiden suddenly makes a quiet noise, a small “hmm” in the back of his throat in reaction to something on the road. But to me it’s an intense vibration that bursts through my body. It rattles me and pushes me over the edge as I fill with heat and adrenaline and an overwhelming affection.

I gasp in shock at my own release. It wasn’t particularly amazing, it almost felt like tripping at the finish line, but still… did that seriously just happen?

My boyfriend seems to have noticed my gasping and responds, “You alright? Sorry, that car was making me nervous so I moved over, but I didn’t mean to swerve like that."

I hadn’t even noticed any weird movements on the car’s part. I was in a whole different world for a few minutes there. I shake my head, flustered. I can’t believe I just did that right under his nose. Ugh, I’m such a creep.

“Oh, okay! No worries," I say, doing a surprisingly good job at playing it cool. Great, now I feel ashamed for hiding this from him. But I’m just too embarrassed right now to come clean.

This does make me realize something very clearly. I want to take my relationship with Aiden to the next level. I don’t know if that’s exactly what he would want or what possibilities are open to us. I’m also aware that he’s going to be busy tonight grading his students’ reports and I should probably hold off… But I need to bring this up with him soon. Very soon.

[Im Warden]

@littlest-lily as always, I love your style of writing! More more more please

[Olo]

@littlest-lily

[miss-lillipants]

@littlest-lily said:

Whoa, whoa, whoa! The hell am I thinking?

I DUNNO EVIE, YOU DIDN’T FINISH.

But you finished in other ways, so all is well.

[littlest-lily]

@miss-lillipants hehehehe this made me laugh out loud

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 55
Aiden

I’m in heaven right now.

The day didn’t start out so great. I almost got hit by a car this morning while crossing the street, and then I had a really rough day at work, so I was a bundle of nerves when I got home. But Evie has helped all of those layers of stress just melt away. She gave me a particularly sweet love note that she’d folded up into a heart-shaped origami, we’ve had a simple oven-baked meal, I’ve showered and freshened up, we talked for a good long while and… now we’re making out on the couch. Like I said, heaven.

I’m splayed out on my front, elbows propping me up and feet hanging over one side of the couch, while my girlfriend’s sitting on the armrest on the other side. I can’t imagine what it’s like for her, but the feeling of her warm, delicate little body against my mouth is like nothing else. I’ve been mostly focusing on kissing her torso as I tilt my head to the side, so that her face is still in my line of vision just past my cheek. But she’s determined to lean in, out of sight, and press her tiny lips against mine time and time again, so I frequently let my eyes close and just focus on the physical sensations. There’s the dip of her waist… that’s her entire forearm gently pushing against my upper lip… oh, yup, those are her boobs… Fuuuuuck yes.

At one point Evie lays back on the armrest to catch her breath, and we share a quiet laugh as I relent and force my mouth to give it a rest. She sighs happily and says, “If anyone had told me how much I would enjoy being kissed by a giant man, there’s no way I would’ve believed it.”

I chuckle and nudge her leg with my nose. “It’s less of a surprise to me, that I enjoy this, but still… I guess we lucked out.”

She sits up high enough to kiss the tip of my nose, and then I pull back far enough to get a good look at her. Really take her in. She had been absently braiding a few strands of her hair while we were chatting earlier, and now they’ve mostly unraveled but add a few waves to the chestnut brown locks. She’s wearing a dark blue dress that looks cozy in the way it drapes over her body, and for the first time I notice some kind of tiny gold embroidery that lines the hem. Her miniscule cheeks are flush with a soft pink. She’s biting the very edge of her smile. So many beautiful details.

I also notice the look in her eyes. I melt at the sight of my adoration reflected back at me through her own lens. But there’s also something else there… a sadness? A pain of some kind? I’m not sure.

“You okay?” I ask softly.

She blinks and perks up. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

I arch an eyebrow at her. “You know that response has become a bit of a red flag for me, yeah? It’s like… the opposite of the boy who cried wolf.”

She laughs, and it sounds genuine enough that I feel a modicum of relief. “I get that,” she says with a nod, “I know I’m still working on expressing everything… But I promise there’s no wolf. I really am fine - great, even. I just…” She pauses for several seconds, deliberating before she simply says, “I just want you.”

Aww. I give her a wide, loving smile. “Well, you’re in luck. I’m all yours.”

“Aiden…” Evie bites her lip again, and that look in her eyes returns. A yearning, I realize. Her voice comes out with a sigh, “I really. Really. Want you.”

It takes me a second to get the true implication here. I suddenly see the blush on her face in a new light. I had already started feeling a tightness in my pants a long time ago, but this is the first time that I’m seeing clear signs of a similar level of desire on her part. My pulse quickens and causes a short circuit in my brain.

My girlfriend’s vulnerability catches up with her and her skin flushes a shade pinker. “I’ve honestly been really distracted lately, I’ve been thinking about this a lot. B-but I’m not sure exactly what it would… entail,” she stutters. “I don’t… suppose… you have any ideas?”

I start pushing myself up into a sitting position, trying to stay as calm as possible. “Sorta,” I mumble, “Um. How about we just…” I make sure my hands aren’t shaking before I reach up to her. “…meander to the bedroom and…” I maneuver my fingers under her body. “…see where things lead?”

Despite both of us clearly being flustered, I still manage a gentle smile and a tender kiss on her forehead once I’ve lifted her up. This gesture is so easy for me now, I don’t even have to think at all about aiming when I kiss her. She might as well be an extension of my hand.

Okay. I need to be really careful here. I can’t let myself get too excited. I don’t want to pressure her and, depending on where things go, I especially don’t want to hurt her. Honestly, the thought of my wild fantasies coming true in any capacity is freaking me out a lot more than I thought it would. I’m still haunted by some of the trials we’ve been through - like my unconscious assault, or that night on Diego’s birthday when she was forcing herself into a sexual situation just to please me. That’s probably why I haven’t made any moves myself yet. She might look eager now, but I want to be particularly careful about not pushing her past her comfort level. I set my expectations very low as I walk over to my bed.

Holding Evie aloft, I carefully climb onto the mattress and lower my head to the pillow. Then I set her down on it too, a few inches in front of my face. She turns towards me onto her side, propping her head up with an arm and attempting a playful smile. We’re not any closer than we were a minute ago, but the fact that we’re in bed together like this is creating a whole different atmosphere.

“Obviously you can’t… um… fit,” she says nervously, fiddling with a fold in the fabric. “I’m just really worried that there’s not much I can do for you.”

I take a deep breath in. “Trust me, there’s plenty you can do for me,” I respond quietly, “But let’s take things slow. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Evie searches my face, her eyes roaming what must be a vast distance from the top of my head to the base of my neck. Her voice is a little weak but still determined. “I just want to know, even if we don’t do it now. How? How can I make you feel good? I can try and like… massage it? But it would hardly be anything to you…”

My stomach is doing somersaults at this point. “Trust me,” I repeat, “That would feel amazing to me. This is part of my kink, remember? I’m… I’m excited just thinking about it.” My mouth feels dry so I close it and swallow before I try to speak again. “But there are plenty of other sensitive spots. Plus, touching you already does so much for me.”

Latching on to one particular detail, my little partner smirks as her eyes light up. “Sensitive spots? Like what?”

“That’s… classified,” I mumble.

“You’re really nervous too, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. Just because I’ve imagined this kind of thing doesn’t mean I have all the answers. I don’t want to hurt you by accident… Honestly, the idea of you going anywhere down there kinda stresses me out right now.”

She ponders this for a moment and then reaches both arms out towards me. Knowing what she wants from the way she aims lower than my face, I slide a hand into the space between us and offer her my index finger. She takes it in her arms, kissing it a couple of times before holding it against her. She tucks her knees around each side of the digit too and I vaguely wonder if this makes me the little spoon.

“At the risk of sounding selfish…” she says, “Would you rather we just focus on me then? For this time at least?”

I immediately nod with relief. “Yes. I would. If that’s okay with you? I want to make sure you’re not forcing yourself this time, are you sure you’re ready to explore this?”

“A thousand percent. My past relationship with sex is complicated, it was super unhealthy with my first ex, but I did a whole lot of healing with my second one. I promise you, I want this. I’ll let you know if anything’s wrong.”

“Alright… Maybe we should use a safe word, just in case? Of course I’ll stop if you tell me to stop, but if for any reason that’s too hard to say, maybe we could…”

“Yeah okay, that’s a good idea. I’ve used the traffic light method before. Green light meaning all good, yellow is slow down and evaluate, red is stop everything.”

“Got it. No problem.”

“I’ll be surprised if we need it though… We both know you can touch me anywhere and it’ll feel great.” The longer we talk like this, the more we’re starting to loosen up, just a bit. Evie’s smirk is veering more towards seductive. “Noticed where any of my sensitive spots are?”

“Mmmm… right here?” I suggest. I keep my forefinger in place and use my middle finger to brush against a spot near her waist. “I’ve noticed that when I pass over your ribs you tend to…”

She shudders, and it’s the exact reaction I was looking for. I’m laying so close to her that I can actually make out the near microscopic goosebumps on her arms. Her pleasure is entrancing.

“Uh-huh. You’d guess right,” she sighs, “The entire sides of my torso are actually pretty sensitive.” The next sound she makes is a frustrated groan. “God, Aidennn… I’m so attracted to you…”

“Ditto,” I mutter with a matching sigh.

“You’re attracted to you too?” she giggles. I smile but I figure she’s just being silly and nervous and she doesn’t actually expect a response. Evie slowly unravels herself from my finger and flops onto her back, her face still in my direction. “I can’t stop thinking about when we went swimming yesterday… When I got to see a little… more of you.”

Well then, she’s just taking all of the steps forward, isn’t she? I grin at the implied request and lift my head up from the pillow, cautious about not destabilizing her. Then I sit up sharply and promptly take my shirt off.

“You mean like this?” I say, tossing the garment off the side of the bed. Evie’s blinking up at me wide-eyed, looking a little overwhelmed by how quickly I’ve moved, and then she takes me in hungrily. I go for a playful looming, propping my hands by either side of the pillow so that I can look straight down at my little one from above. This slightly dominant gesture is making me ache longingly from the inside out.

She’s laying on her back and I can’t help but notice that one of her hands is drifting over a spot just below her stomach. In fact… it looks like she might be thumbing the waistband of her shorts through her dress…

She’s trying to give me a frisky smile in return, though she’s a bit too overcome to manage it. Her voice is a little weak but I still catch it when she says, “Man… I need to remember to thank Diego for dragging you to the gym so often."

I laugh. “Please don’t. He already mocks me relentlessly for not being able to put on nearly as much muscle as he does.”

“Well, lucky for me, I prefer your tone to his bulk,” Evie chirps, and I swear she’s started pressing her legs together under that dress… subtly moving them this way and that… The fact that I’m intentionally towering over her like this is definitely enough to feed my own arousal, but apparently I’m not the only one affected. Damn, she just looks so adorable down there.

A few moments later, the tiny woman reaches an arm out to pat the space that’s next to her. “Okay, okay, I’ve done enough staring… Can you come back?”

I close back in, swooping down to lay my face alongside her again, and the weight of my head causes her body to rise as the pillow buckles. It was such a small gesture for me and yet enough to make her lose her balance… She’s just so little. So delicate and enticing. As she lays on her side, the ups and downs of the hills of her body call out to me. I just want to touch her again, so my hand sneaks in from behind and I explore the miniscule bumps of her neck and shoulders as we gaze into each other’s eyes.

“I can’t stop staring either,” I say wistfully.

Evie’s muscles stiffen a little bit and she mumbles, “I guess it’s only fair if I…” Her hands drift down and gather up the hem of her dress, which started just over her knees. It’s now slowly crawling up higher as she tugs at it.

She freezes then, hesitating. Her jaw tightens and her gaze droops lower as the seconds drag. I get it - this is a big step. I lift my head up just enough to slide my face towards her, pressing my lips against her forehead.

“No pressure, sweet girl," I say soothingly, “Only whatever you’re comfortable with.” I shift back but am still only inches away, and it suddenly strikes me just how big and prying my eyes might look to her. “Am I too close?"

“No," she says quickly. “I want you to be close… I really want to do this.”

I’ve seen her naked before. It was just for a split second, an accident, and it was immediately followed by her distress as she tried to cover up. I now experience the exact opposite end of the spectrum. Evie’s movements are slow and deliberate as she pulls her dress up higher and reveals more and more thigh. She’s wearing shorts underneath, black and form fitting, accentuating the length of her graceful, slender legs. Her hips transition into her waist as she uncovers her abdomen. And then with one smooth, lightly undulating motion she pulls the dress right over the top of her head. For a second my eyes dart straight to her breasts, spectacularly bare, modest in size and perfect in shape. Then as she slips off the garment I see her face again, flush, her hair tumbling over her shoulders, framing the dainty shape of her body with the slightest unkempt flair.

She’s so close to me. I’m suddenly seeing that much more of her skin and it’s all right in front of my face. It hardly seems fair that I can take in so much of her from such close proximity. My shrunken partner lets her dress fall to the side and for a second she just looks up at me as if awaiting judgment with bated breath. But then she sees my expression and reacts with a heart-melting little giggle. She puts her hands out in front of her like she’s warming herself by a campfire.

“I think I can feel the heat coming off your face from here,” she remarks teasingly.

I open my mouth a couple of times, trying to think with my brain for a second. Finally I manage to whisper, “You’re just so gorgeous, Eve… I just… You’re… I mean…” I pause with a slight shake of the head. “Words are hard.”

She smiles and sits up a little straighter on the pillow, pivoting her lower half so that her legs are folded beside her. Between her posture and the way her hair spills over the curves of her body, she looks like a tiny mermaid.

“I used to feel a bit more confident in how I look," she says with a waver to her voice, "I just can’t shake the feeling that I don’t have much to offer. Like, literally.”

“It is… so much. Seriously. I feel like I’m falling in love all over again.”

We’ve gone back to simply gazing at each other. My hand is still close by, hovering just behind her back. But I can’t get myself to make contact this time. It just seems too risky, somehow. She’s just so exposed, and combined with her nervous expression it makes her look oddly helpless. It’s like I’m afraid of breaking her, as if she was made of glass.

I notice a shivering in Evie’s body. In response, I open my mouth to gently breathe on her. The warm air is enough to cause a flutter in her hair and a relaxing of her muscles. She lets out a quiet, wistful moan.

“Don’t you want to touch me?" she asks, eyes widening into a slight pout.

“Absolutely," I say, “I just, um… you sure? You… have this look on your face, I want to make sure you’re still okay…”

Her expression shifts, eyebrows curving and smile widening. “Thanks… I appreciate you being so considerate with all this. Yeah, I guess I’m a little scared, it’s kind of a vulnerable moment for me. But that doesn’t make you any less desirable. I still absolutely want this.”

Evie slides out an arm so that she can gracefully lower herself back onto her side, her eyes never leaving mine. She’s started pressing her legs together again, twisting them against each other.

“Even though you’re lying down like this, you’re just… towering over me, it’s… it’s honestly…”

And now her hand is slipping right under the waistband of her shorts, almost as if she doesn’t realize it. My heart is hammering away as I recognize every last indication of lust in her expression and in her stance. And I’m surprised that she’s emphasizing the difference in scale, just enticing me all the more. My hormones and her size are calling out the primal part of my brain that wants to claim this beautiful little creature as my own. Which doesn’t seem so wrong… since she wants me too.

“S-sorry,” she suddenly says, as if now realizing where her hand has gone to, “I guess I really am just focusing on me.”

“Don’t apologize,” I respond softly, “If it makes you feel any better, I’m doing the exact same thing as you right now.”

She raises her eyebrows and looks down, along the length of my body. My own waistline is quite a distance away, but she must have seen it for herself as she looks back up at me and seems enlivened. She lets out a small gasp and her voice is tight. “That’s… actually really hot.”

“Okay, good. Because honestly, watching you do that is, um…”

I trail off as Evie closes her eyes for a few seconds, and at first I just think she’s overcome with arousal, but then I notice her little brow is furrowing with actual discomfort. Her whole body tenses, her eyes fly open and she says urgently, “Wait. Before we go any further I want to tell you something. I-I have a confession…”

This gets me halfway to sober in an instant. I lean in just a tad with worry, giving her my full attention, and she plows right on.

“Yesterday, on the way home from the pool, I couldn’t stop thinking about you and how much I wanted you and I…” Her mouth quivers and she looks down in shame as she squeaks out, “I started diddling myself in your pocket!”

I lay there for a moment, just blinking. But then I can’t help but smile. “Did you just use the word ‘diddle’?”

Evie covers her face with the back of an arm. “I’m sorry. I’m so embarrassed.”

“Why?” I ask gently, already starting to feel warm and fuzzy again, “I mean, yeah, I wish I had known I guess, but it’s all good. In fact…”

I start really processing what she just told me. This happened yesterday? While she was on me? If I had simply glanced down at my pocket instead of keeping my eyes safely on the road, I would have caught her in the act? I can’t believe I couldn’t tell, the movements and the sounds must have been too subtle. Fuck. That’s how small she is. So incredibly tiny, to the point that I didn’t even notice her touching herself when she was so close to me. My breath catches, I feel a pang of pleasure between my legs and I have to voice it to her–

“Evie, that is insanely hot,” I say breathlessly.

Now she’s the one to take a moment to blink in the silence. “Oh. Really? Wow, that’s… that’s a huge relief.”

God, and she was touching herself thinking about me? Not to mention the fact that she felt safe and relaxed enough around me to even go there. As if I wasn’t already overwhelmed with affection for this girl… If this confession isn’t proof that she wants me as much as I want her, I don’t know what is.

I now finally have the courage to move the hand that’s next to her ever closer. My fingers hover just above her body, a hair away.

“This okay?” I whisper. She perks up and nods encouragingly.

I touch her bare skin. It makes me sigh with a strange relief as my muscles unclench. She’s here, she’s with me, she’s real. And she’s so lovely. My fear over breaking her fades away. This is just like touching her normally - my hands are well practiced and already know just how gentle to be. But now I can enjoy how warm and soft and smooth she feels.

Evie shivers all over as my fingertips run along the side of her frame. I briefly remember that night just a few days ago when she was forcing herself to make things sexual, just before we had our fight. It was clear then that she was pushing herself too far, that she had some kind of underlying fear. It’s so different this time. This feels infinitely more genuine and passionate. And her arousal is so addicting. I just want to help it build and build.

I’m still hesitant on touching her naked breasts, but she solves that problem for me as she rolls onto her back, into my touch, taking my finger and pressing it against her. It’s not like she’s never hugged me before, how does it feel this much better when her chest is naked? The round, perfect little pillows make me twitch, and I almost squeeze her a bit too tight as my fingers close around her.

For a couple of minutes we’re just feeling each other, me massaging her entire body within my hand as she writhes and wriggles against me. We make frequent eye contact, silently checking in with each other as our breathing gets more and more shallow. I have to hold back so much, forcing half of my mind to stay incredibly aware of how much force I’m using as I fondle and caress and squeeze.

At one point my thumb passes over her thigh, and Evie lets out a louder moan in response. This makes me pause, like a scientist who just made an unexpected discovery. I focus in on her legs, gently touching them again, gradually teasing them open. Her eyes snap up to meet mine, and for a second I’m worried I’ve screwed up. She’s pulling away from the prying digit, and that’s all I need to completely let go of her, lifting my hand off to hover above her body on the pillow.

“No, no,” Evie tries to explain breathlessly, “Don’t stop, it’s still green light, I just need a second–”

I realize she’s pulling at her shorts, slipping them off as quickly as she can and kicking them away. And just like that, she’s fully nude. Leaving nothing to the imagination anymore, from the generous curve of her rear to that sacred spot between her legs.

Frozen in time for a moment, I’m too busy staring at the full picture, but my little partner is desperate to get back to it. My hand is still floating above her head and she sits up to reach for it. I immediately follow her lead, more than willing to bring my fingers around her again as she lays back onto her side. I use my index to give her backside a cheeky caress and my thumb slips between her legs from behind, almost as if I was about to pinch the base of her torso. Evie lifts her knee up and takes the tip of my thumb in her hands, looking at me as if she’s asking for permission. Carefully I massage the inside of her thigh, nudging tentatively higher, requesting permission right back. We meet in the middle and I feel gentle moisture, like a little dewdrop against my skin.

The tiny woman exhales heavily upon contact and closes her eyes for a second. She grips my thumb with her legs, one hand on the digit and the other clutching at her own breast. I squeeze ever so slightly, and she gasps in surprised pleasure. She starts writhing her hips, grinding against me.

“This is…" she gasps, "I thought this would be rougher, but…” I don’t even quite mean to move, I’m just having such a hard time staying still, but I twitch and it elicits a high-pitched moan. “Oh my god, babe, I… Yeah. Keep going.”

“Evie…” I breathe out her name in rapturous pleasure. I’m already so close.

Her eyes glisten with sudden tears when they meet mine again, filled to the brim with gratitude and with care. “Aiden,” she finally sighs, “Kiss me…”

Without needing to be told twice, I keep my thumb in place and cup the rest of my fingers behind her back, and I drag her to my mouth. My lips envelop her abdomen and from there I start completely covering her with kisses. She wriggles and writhes and gasps, and even the smallest of my moans seem to vibrate through her and cause euphoric sighs in return.

It doesn’t take me long at this point. About a minute later I have to brace myself, trying to disguise my groan of pure ecstasy as just a regular sound of pleasure. I’m still breathing hard as I keep kissing her, keep angling my touch in whatever way she seems to enjoy most. And it’s just a couple more minutes before she shudders and clenches her knees against my thumb as she lets out a high-pitched, quiet, shuddering wince and I feel a new level of wetness against my skin. She shivers and looks at me with a spark of concern in her lust-drunk gaze.

“Are you…?” she gasps, nodding in the general direction of my body.

“I’m good,” I assure her, smiling and still short of breath. “I’m so good.”

We devolve into breathless giggles and discover that apparently our only vocabulary in the aftermath of post-coital giddiness is just variations on the words “I love you.” I’m kicking myself for not having brought a towel or something to have at the ready for her to clean up with - I eventually opt for the nearby tissue box that I’ve thankfully left on the floor within reach. I grab a few so I have some for myself too, and then I make sure to leave my hand on her to keep her warm as she presses the giant tissue between her legs. She’s still shivering a little bit, but I think it’s just with excitement. She’s got the biggest grin on her face, and I’m sure I have the exact same expression.

"Thank you, Aiden,” Evie gushes. “That was amazing. You’re amazing.”

I chuckle and nuzzle into her with a sigh, practically laying my face on top of her as I go into full relaxed mode. "The pleasure’s all mine. Let’s do it again sometime.”

"Can I ask you something?”

"Anything.”

"What are your other sensitive spots?”

I laugh again, and groan with pretend exasperation. But I go ahead and answer. "My ears. I’ve got sensitive earlobes, apparently.”

"Ooooo. Yeah that’s dangerous information for someone like me.”

"Hence why I hesitated telling you in the first place. A bit on the sides of my neck too, but you’ve probably figured those out already.”

Evie wiggles out from under my cheek to sit up and lean her arms onto the bridge of my nose, beaming as she looks me in the eye. "I promise I won’t abuse the power,” she says with an obviously mischievous tone.

She’s so close that her figure’s a little blurry, so I close one eye to help me focus in on her face. “Uh huh,” I respond simply, clearly unconvinced. “Hey, do me a favor. The next time you want to diddle in my pocket… invite me to the party?”

She laughs. “While you’re driving?”

“Hey, it’s my pocket, it’s only fair. I can make it work.”

She leans in and gives me a long kiss in the space between my eyes. “Deal.”

We transition into the most wonderful, relaxing time just resting together, without putting our clothes back on. For the rest of the evening we cuddle on the bed, skin to skin, as we drift in and out of conversation. Sometimes she’s laying in my hand, sometimes she’s up against my throat, tucked below my chin on the pillow. At one point she’s sprawled out on my forehead as we stare at the ceiling. At another point she’s curled up on my bare chest with my palm against her back.

I’m telling you. I’m in heaven.