Out of their Element

[littlest-lily]

@Olo An excellent idea! Too bad Aiden doesn’t have you as a buddy to give him pointers. Then again, if these two had it all completely figured out already, where’s the fun in that?

[Olo]

@littlest-lily To be fair, I’ve been thinking about this for a lot longer than they have.

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 25
Evie

I wince and groan as I twist in on myself. My eyelids are sealed shut and my head is swimming. This feels familiar. Like I’m back at the bottom of the ocean… Back when powerful drugs were pumping into my system, immobilizing every muscle…

Hovering above me is a face, demonic and sinister. I can smell latex as a blue hand approaches me, a single finger pinning me down with ease and with pleasure. I can’t move. I can’t even scream. There’s nothing I can do about the titan’s touch sliding along my body… slipping between my legs… his eyes alight with flames in the darkness…

“Mmmmrrughh,” I utter miserably, and as I hear the sound break the air it’s enough to shatter the seal on my eyelids and they suddenly flutter open. There really is a massive finger on me, but the face that’s hovering above is far less threatening.

“Hey…” Aiden says softly, his hand retreating once he sees that my eyes are open. “Nightmare?”

I’m still waking up and don’t answer him right away. My breath is coming in shallow, I feel nauseous, and I’m really confused. On a typical day, even if I happen to still be sleeping when my giant friend gets up in the morning, at his size no amount of sneaking around is going to keep him from waking me up. The distant footsteps alone are usually enough to rouse me, much less any shuffling while getting ready. He’s never been able to walk right up to the desk without me noticing before. It’s very disorienting.

“Yeah,” I finally respond, and I push myself up to sitting. “Yeah, that sucked.”

My voice is a little hoarse and Aiden takes notice. “I’ll go get you water?”

I thank him and have a few moments to myself as he makes a quick trip to the kitchen. I rub at my eyes and slap at my cheeks. It’s been a minute since I’ve had to deal with some of those memories. I feel resentment towards my own brain. Why torture me with images of the past?

The fresh water helps, and thankfully the nausea begins to ebb after a few sips. I’m still very uneasy, though, feeling shadows clinging to me like haunting ghosts. Instead of sitting at the chair the way he normally does, Aiden’s on his knees next to the desk so that he can keep his head level with me, clearly worrying over the state of his little roommate. Normally I’d be reassuring him that nothing’s wrong, but I don’t quite have it in me right now.

“I was dreaming about that day,” I quietly lament, staring into the dish of water from my seated position on the desk. “Some of it’s a bit of a blur. But some of it’s still so vivid in my mind.”

“Like it just happened…” Aiden murmurs, and I look up at him. He’s got an empathetically pained look on his face. If anyone’s going to understand what I’m feeling right now it’s him.

I reach an arm out to him, and for a moment he looks hesitant at the lack of clear direction but silently takes a stab at it anyway, and as usual we’re in sync. He places his hand palm up next to me and I slide my arms around his pinkie like it’s an oversized teddy bear, leaning my chin on the tip of the finger. I hold him snug against my chest and we both stare off into space as we silently reminisce on that awful event.

"I know I don’t really talk about it,” he finally says, gaze still unfocused, “but I honestly haven’t gotten over the fact that I took someone’s life that day.”

My chest tightens. That sentence feels too close for comfort. I squeeze him harder against me. “It was an accident,” I counter.

The shake of his head would be hardly perceptible if his face wasn’t two stories tall. “That doesn’t change the reality of it.”

Aiden hadn’t told me right away, but I did eventually find out about the horrible things Dr. Little had done to those other women. The things that could very well have happened to me. I feel a surge of energy just then, fierce and protective. I’m suddenly on my feet.

“He was a monster, Aiden,” I insist, firmly. “As far as I see it, you didn’t take a life that day. You saved one.”

His face isn’t usually this close - I don’t have to tilt my head back at all to meet his gaze right now. His eyes zero in on me, pupils dilating, and for a moment I’m overtaken by the beauty of them, the sunburst of light brown over the crystalline green of his irises. And I marvel at the size of them, humbled by the way they’re entirely focused on something as small and insignificant as me.

He looks a bit taken aback by my outburst, but then the corner of his mouth pulls up into a crooked smile. I’m still holding onto his pinkie and he slips it up a little higher, carefully touching my jaw.

“Thanks, Eve,” he mutters, coining a nickname on the spot. “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to turn the spotlight onto me. Just know you’re not alone. We might have a long journey ahead to get over this shit, but I’ll be there to support you every step of the way.”

Trying not to cry, I give his finger one last squeeze before releasing it. My previous burst of energy has actually lifted my mood somewhat, and the bite of the nightmare’s teeth loosens its grip on me. At least enough to pretend I’m totally fine now, and so I manage a warm smile. “Thank you, I’m feeling way better.”

“Okay, good,” Aiden says, pulling back so that he can slowly rise to his feet. “Because I doubt you’ve seen the texts yet, but you’re scheduled for a Moira visit this morning.”

“Really?” I feel a jolt of nerves and excitement.

“Yup. I got a copy made of the key to the apartment, so that she can come over and see you when I’m not around. She’s coming to pick it up this morning and asked if she could hang out for a bit before she goes to work. I hope it’s okay that I said yes?”

“Yes! And wow, uh, I didn’t realize you had done that with the key… you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s all good. Mo’s one of my best friends, I don’t mind. Okay, I do want to have time to make breakfast before class so I’ll go get ready now.”

I aim all of my gratitude at his receding back. He’s such a kind person. He’s done so much for me from day one. And even now he’s still trying so hard to make sure I’m happy… God, I don’t deserve him.

We both wash up and get dressed in our own corners of the apartment, and then Aiden brings me to the kitchen with him so that I can help cut up some chives while he makes eggs. Actually, cutting isn’t quite the right word - I use a sharpened toothpick to stab a hole in the thick green herb and then use my hands to tear off the pieces from there. I won’t even get through a single stalk, and it’s more of a garnish than a true ingredient, but it still helps me feel like I’m earning my keep.

We’re almost done cooking when there’s a knock at the door, and I’m so unaccustomed to the sound that I jump about a foot in the air. Aiden claps a hand to his mouth to keep from openly laughing at my reaction, until I make it okay by cracking up myself, the both of us still giggling as he goes to answer the door.

“Heyyy,” Moira sings as she steps inside. Her hair isn’t braided this time but she still has an adorable green ribbon in it, the loose curls half tied back. She gives the taller giant a quick side hug as she adds, “It smells really good in here.”

“Hope you came hungry, 'cause I made way too much for the two of us,” Aiden responds as he closes the door.

“Sure, I could eat.”

She glances into the kitchen, and when I give her a little wave I manage to catch her attention. She looks surprised at seeing me there before catching herself, smiling and waving back. “Hi, Evie. I didn’t realize just how involved you were with the cooking.”

“I’m not that involved,” I say, my hands fidgeting self-consciously with my toothpick tool. It’s been a few days since she and I met, and we’ve been texting back and forth ever since, but I still feel a bit shy now that she’s here in person again.

“Nonsense,” Aiden tells me as he walks back up to the stove, “Those chives are going to make all the difference.”

He reaches for the herbs, a silent question mark hanging in the air as he touches the edge of the dish. I answer with a nod, pushing the bowl towards him to confirm that I’m done with them.

“I’m going to plate this up and then I’ve gotta run. Moira, you want to try bringing Evie over to that desk?”

“Um, okay,” she responds, and I see a hint of nerves creep into her expression. She steps up to the counter and this time she opts to bring both hands down to me, already cupping them in preparation. “If that’s okay with you.”

“Totally,” I say, hopping up onto her fingers and sitting down in the middle of her offering. “It’ll be a good exercise. You’ve got this!”

She’s a bit less hesitant than the first time she picked me up, though still very slow and stiff compared to the hands that I’m used to. She also doesn’t wrap her fingers around my body the way Aiden usually does, so I’m actually glad she’s being extra careful since I don’t have any clear handholds.

By the time Moira makes it across the room with me, the other giant is on her heels, a burrito wrapped in foil in one hand and one on a plate in the other. My miniature dish sits on the edge of the plate, the portion looking more like an open-faced quesadilla since I’m guessing it’s not quite possible to wrap such a small amount of egg in a burrito.

“You ladies enjoy,” Aiden says brightly, “I’ll see you after school, Evie.”

“Wait, don’t forget!” I shout up at him, pointing to our mailbox, where an origami panda sits expectantly. He snatches it up with a grin and then turns to head out.

“Key’s on the counter, Moira,” he calls back before disappearing out the door.

I fidget anxiously as I take in the fact that this is the first time I’m with anyone else without Aiden here as my anchor. I’m probably not the only one who’s nervous as neither one of us touches the food right away. But then Moira turns to me with a casual enough smile, one eyebrow arching with curiosity.

“What did you just give him?” she asks, nodding towards the now empty paper box.

“Oh,” I say, feeling embarrassed, “We write notes back and forth, like penpals. When I have extra time I’ve been folding them up into origami just for fun. I know, it’s silly since we already see each other every day…”

Moira giggles, “Aww, that’s a fun idea. You two are so cute.”

I feel the air leaving my lungs unexpectedly. Yeah, I guess it is kinda… cute…

I shift forward restlessly, picking up my tiny plate off of the giant one, and I bring it to my own miniature table to give my friend some room.

“So what’s your work schedule like?” I ask, tearing off a piece of tortilla.

She seems to remember her own burrito and picks it up. “Weeell, sometimes I go in during the day, like today, to do prep stuff. But evenings are when most of the classes are. Convenient, right? I actually look forward to having a friend who’s not so busy during the day!”

We chat while we eat, just a simple discussion about the details of her job, but we’re quickly falling back into an ease and a rhythm. Once we’re done with breakfast, Moira gets a kick out of the mini fridge when I go yank on the string of the door so I can put my leftovers away. She’s curious about some of the rest of the setup that I have on the desk, and I end up giving her a little tour of my living space, from the hot plate that heats up my bath to the first aid kit with bandages pre-cut for any emergencies.

“So many things I wouldn’t have even thought of…” she muses, leaning in to get a closer look at the carved splinters I use for sewing needles.

“It… took some adjusting…” I say awkwardly.

Even though we’d quickly stopped pretending there wasn’t something different about me, we still haven’t quite acknowledged just how screwed up my situation is. I think Moira’s been trying to give me space. But in this moment it’s like she’s tentatively reaching out to me.

“Aiden told me what happened,” she murmurs, “but if you ever need to talk through something, I’m happy to listen, okay?”

I almost can’t deal with just how nice everyone’s being to me today. I hate the idea of burdening Moira with my sob story. We’ve only just started bonding, I’m already worried that she’s only even hanging out with me just because Aiden asked her to or because she feels bad for me. I want to build a good impression of myself, not have a pity party.

But the nightmare from this morning nips at my heels, not letting me forget the loose grip it still has on my mind. Before I can even register what I’m doing, the words fall out of my mouth.

“It was for school,” I mutter, and seeing Moira lean in to hear me leads to my voice gaining strength. “It was just a stupid thing I’d signed up for… for class…”

I don’t know if it’s because she’s more removed from the situation, or maybe it’s the fact that she’s a girl, but there’s something about her presence that unlocks a new door in me. Words begin pouring out, and I don’t think I’d be able to contain them if I tried. I tell her everything, from the moment I entered that godforsaken lab, to the experience of my size getting ripped away from me, to the terror I felt at Dr. Little’s mercy, to the death and the fire and the running and the thinking that there was no way I would be surviving the day.

At no point am I interrupted, and I’m reciting everything as if from far away, gazing out towards the edge of the desk with unfocused eyes. It’s both cathartic to let it all out but also doesn’t feel real, as if I’d lived it through someone else’s body. I talk until I’m drained of all thought. Then I finally look up at Moira and startle at the sight of her big green eyes shining and her face covered in tears.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, fighting back sobs, “I’m just so sorry this happened to you, Evie…”

She’s got one hand up in a fist pressed against her mouth, but the other one is still lying on the desk. I walk straight to it, kneeling beside her and laying my hand on hers. I’m taken aback and so deeply touched by how this girl I hardly know is actually crying for me. And now it’s not words that are flowing out of me but tears of my own, as if summoned by Moira’s empathy.

“B-but then Aiden took me home,” I say, trying to finish the story with a smile despite my crying, “He brought me here. He’s been taking such good care of me, the both of you have been so kind. I’ll be okay.”

“Yes…” Moira says shakily, wiping tears away as she tries to smile too. She lays her thumb on my grip, gently holding my hand. “You will be okay.”

I laugh, overcome with a strange giddiness as I try to get a hold of myself. “This probably wasn’t the chill girl bonding time you were hoping for."

“It’s fine, I’m the one who started it with the waterworks,” she says, finding the tissue box on the desk to finish wiping off her face, first tearing off a corner for me. “Th-thank you for sharing that with me.”

“Thank you. That… really helped,” I answer. This emotional catharsis of telling someone about my struggles and receiving support in return is virtually unprecedented for me, at least not in a very long time. I’m shocked by its effect. I feel the dream from this morning finally releasing its grip on me after Aiden and Moira’s one-two punch, unleashing me from its jaws and slinking back into the darkness.

[Olo]

Looks like Aiden chose well.

@littlest-lily said in:

By the time Moira makes it across the room with me, the other giant is on her heels

Adorably, I initially misread that second clause as “my other giant.”

[littlest-lily]

@Olo HA, you 100% predicted the fact that she does eventually get to the point of occasionally calling him that!

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 26
Aiden

The car door slamming shut echoes in the parking garage, masking my grunt as I hoist up multiple grocery bags all up and down my arms. I always try to bring everything in one trip if I can. As I approach the door to get into the apartment building proper, though, I’m starting to regret my decision.

But then the door swings open right as I reach it, and I have a frazzled exchange with the person on the other side as we quickly pull away from each other. “Whoa–” “Sorry!” “Oh, hey!” The awkward flurry ends in us smiling in recognition.

“Need any help with that?” Moira asks as she holds the door open for me.

“Nah, I’ve got it," I respond as I step into the hallway.

We begin chatting, the conversation gradually lengthening until Mo steps inside to let the door close. I set the groceries down as well so that we’re unburdened as we catch up for the next ten or so minutes.

“Yeah, I’ll just be glad when finals are done,” I sigh, lamenting about my workload.

“I’ll bet. And I should be back from my trip around then, the three of us should do something to celebrate the start of summer! A picnic or something.”

“Sure, that sounds great.” I smile appreciatively at how quickly Moira has started including Evie into this little sub-friend-group. She’s been great at keeping things secret, too - none of our mutual friends seem any the wiser.

“How is she today?” I ask, “I was in a bit of a rush this morning.”

“She seemed good! We just lazed around and watched a bunch of funny videos on her phone.”

I smile and almost say something but then hesitate. I start fidgeting, debating whether or not this will be an inappropriate thing to ask… But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to pry just a little bit… “Has she told you anything that, uh, you think I should know about?”

“Huh?” Moira narrows her eyes. “What am I, your spy?”

“Something like that?” I say with a nervous laugh. “No, it’s just, um… It’s hard to explain. I do feel like Evie and I are close. She seems comfortable talking to me for the most part. But she’s always struggled a bit with like… asking for help, or asking for stuff. I’m usually the one asking her what kinds of things she might need from the store. She’s gotten better compared to the beginning, but she still always seems so hesitant about it, no matter how much I tell her she’s not bothering me.”

Mo listens quietly, without judgment, and then ends up nodding in agreement. “I’ve gotten a sense of that too. I brought a couple of things I hoped might help with her crafting projects today and she seemed really embarrassed about accepting them…”

“Right!” I say, relieved to feel like I’m not crazy, “Okay, cool, you get it. It just feels like she holds back a lot, on certain things.”

“Have you tried talking to her about it?”

“We did, a while ago… She said she didn’t want to burden me, I tried to convince her it’s not a burden, and I thought we came to an agreement? I don’t know, sometimes she’s hard to read, and I worry to come off too strong. I hope I’m not doing anything wrong. Sometimes I overthink things… But maybe sometimes I underthink them…”

“Well…” Moira says evenly, “From what I’ve gleaned, she seems to genuinely like you. So don’t worry too much, okay?”

But I begin to feel anxious as I know I’m probably starting to blush. Now I’m desperately wondering what they’ve been saying about me.

“The only thing I can possibly think of right now…” Mo continues, deep in thought. “I think she likes blackberries? Sounded like she has good memories associated but hasn’t had any in a long time, just based off a conversation we had today. It’s not much, but it’s something?”

I light up at this little scrap of intel. “Yeah, that’s super easy to buy. Thanks, Moira.”

“This doesn’t mean I’m spying on her for you,” she says with her arms crossed and a teasing smile.

“I know, I know!” I laugh, putting my hands up disarmingly. “I don’t want to break girl code or whatever. I just care about my friend is all.”

We say our goodbyes and part ways. Despite the heavy bags, I’m feeling lighter as I make my way to the apartment.

I call out a greeting when I step inside, and then I stop at the kitchen counter to unload the groceries. A moment later, once I’ve put the freezer items away, I look over towards the desk, eyes scanning the surface of the table, but from this distance at least I don’t see any signs of Evie. She could be in the bathroom, of course, but still, I can’t help feeling a tad nervous. I pause in my tidying up to get a bit closer.

A few steps later, I startle at her little voice calling out, “Any luck finding the curry?”

With the sound as a guide, my eyes dart over and finally see where she’s at. I wasn’t expecting to find her on top of the bathroom. She’s apparently dragged over her mini table and chair as a boost to get onto the white plastic box I made that contains her bath. My breath grows more shallow as I mentally measure the distance between her and the desk’s surface.

“What are you doing up there?” I ask, taking another step forward and completely ignoring her question.

She glances up with a bit of surprise from my tone but answers casually enough. “I’ve never cleaned here before… Some of the dust was starting to fall through the vent.” Sure enough, she’s on hands and knees with a piece of damp tissue, and it looks like she’s wiped off the bulk of the roof. The plastic strips she’s kneeling on bend slightly whenever she moves. I just glued those together to make that box, it hardly seems secure.

I take another tentative step. “I could have done that for you…,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady and not make sudden movements.

“It’s no big deal, it wasn’t that dirty. I did most of it this morning, just wanted to finish up.” She shifts as she talks and gets so close to the edge of the miniature building.

“Please be careful, Evie,” I beg, resisting the urge to pick her up right then and there.

She looks up again and finally takes in just how tense I am, her expression shifting to a concern - not for herself but for me. “What’s wrong? I’m only a few inches up, yeah?”

“B-but what is that, like, a ten foot drop for you?” It looks like it’d be enough to break her neck depending on how she landed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to fall,” she says with a smile. “And I’m just about done.”

Still nervous, I watch her finish wiping off the dust on the corner of the box, and then as soon as she sits up again to admire the finished task, I reach a hand out and line it up next to her. “Can I at least help you get down?” I ask meekly.

Her brown eyes meet mine. I think I might actually be getting on her nerves. This is the kind of thing I don’t know how to handle - am I in the wrong here? I don’t mean to be treating her like she’s incapable, but… damnit, shouldn’t safety be our number one concern? I’ve heard of people injuring their backs while putting up Christmas lights on one-story houses. How is this any different?

Evie doesn’t voice annoyance. In fact, the expressions continue dancing across her face and suddenly she’s starting to look strangely fearful instead. Is she seeing the risk now too? I have no idea. There’s a tension in the air as she finally says, “Yeah, sure. Thanks.”

She climbs onto my palm stiffly, and I slowly start to lower my hand down, when out of a desperate desire to lighten the mood I suddenly alter course, sweeping her towards me instead.

“Psych,” I say, forcing a playful attitude as I bring her up higher now and curl my fingers around her. “You fell right for my trap. Now I can force you to help me with dinner.”

To my immense relief, she just laughs and leans back theatrically. “Oh no, the horrooor!”

“Off to the kitchen with you!” I declare, turning around as I give her my best evil laugh. Whew. It was tenuous but I think I somehow managed to save that awkward situation.

Evie actually looks very eager to help out when I get back to the counter with her. I stay mindful of where she’s at as I continue putting things away, and she ventures into one of the plastic bags, creating little rustling sounds as she looks around. She finds the sprig of fresh thyme that I bought and struggles to drag it out, reminding me of an excited dog who found a stick that’s way too big for it.

Now on a mission, the tiny girl runs over to where we store her mini kitchen supplies and returns pushing a shallow dish to her work space. Then she settles into a seat and begins picking off the little leaves of thyme for tonight’s dinner, creating a growing pile in the small dish. That’s one thing that she’s really good at with her reduced size - thoroughly de-stemming herbs.

I come across a bottle as I unpack and finally remember to answer her earlier question. “Oh, right, so they didn’t have yellow curry, but I hope red curry is still okay?”

I hold it up for her approval, and she gives me a gracious nod. “Yeah, that should still work fine. Maybe a little bit more of a kick. Do you like spicy food?”

“I love spicy food,” I say, reaching up to put the curry paste away in the cupboard.

“Me too!” she chirps, her cheerful tone quickly thawing any lingering anxiety until I feel like I’m glowing with pleasure. I really love that we’re still able to discover new things about each other all the time.

We drift into a contented silence for a couple of minutes as we tend to our own tasks. That’s how we spend a decent amount of our time these days, actually. Staying near each other but doing our own thing in comfortable quiet, until one of us pipes up with a thought. Speaking of which…

“Do you think,” Evie says with a layer of hesitation over her voice, “that you could keep an eye out for blackberries next time? I don’t think they’re in season, but just in case…”

This makes me freeze in place, as stunned as if from an electric shock. Damn. Never would I have expected for her to bring that up on her own.

“Yeah!” I finally say enthusiastically, halting everything else that I’m doing so that I can put all of my attention on her. “That’s no problem at all!”

She grins, trying to repress laughter as she asks, “Are you a fan of them too? You look like I just suggested we go to Disneyland.”

I decide to be honest. “I’m just so happy that you actually asked me to buy something you like! You never do that.”

“Oh. Um, yeah…” Evie bites at her lip and starts messing with her hair, twirling a strand around her finger. “I guess that’s true… I just wish I could contribute more, financially at least. And it’s just what I’m used to… The last time I had a roommate, she was very adamant about who owned what. Even my mom would nickel and dime me on stuff, the only one who didn’t…” She suddenly stops her little monologue, as if recoiling into herself, and then shakes her head. “Anyway. I know this is different, I… I’m trying.”

Ugh, I wish I didn’t have to be so careful sometimes. I’m so relieved and proud of her that I just want to wrap her up in a full-sized hug. Instead I bend a little lower and settle my hand in a curve behind her, bending my fingers around to gently touch her arm. She smiles but it’s feeble, I can tell that she still looks uncomfortable and didn’t share quite as much as she could have. I don’t push it, instead trying to encourage her self-advocacy by making this experience a good one. I attempt to bring up those good memories Moira had mentioned.

“So do you just like the berries on their own?” I ask, “Or did you have a favorite recipe in mind?”

Evie’s smile strengthens and I have to suppress a sigh as she adorably leans her head against my nearby fingers. “I do like them as a snack. But you’re right, my favorite thing to make with them is cobbler. It’s not, like, real cobbler, just the easy cake mix version. But it was actually one of the first desserts I’d ever made myself. I was so proud when I figured it out and it turned out so delicious! I think it was particularly good since that was the day I got lost in a parking garage, if you remember that story. Have I mentioned I hate being underground? Anyway, having that kind of success afterwards just made it all the better…”

I go to crouch then as I maintain contact with my hand, just so that I can be more at her eye level as we chat. Dinner can wait a few minutes. This kind of bonding is priceless. Turns out I didn’t even need a spy after all.

[miss-lillipants]

@littlest-lily her hesitancy to ask for things, including help, resonates sooooo much on a personal level. Love it, empathy is at 1000%, but damn girl know your limits! ️

[littlest-lily]

@miss-lillipants This is one of the big things I wanted to explore with this story, because I know I’d struggle with my lack of independence sooo much

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 27
Aiden

“Can you hold this part together?”

“Like this?”

“Yeah, perfect! Okay, don’t move.”

I hold very still, bracing the heel of my hand against the surface of the table as I pinch two long pieces of balsa wood together at a perpendicular angle. Evie picks up one of her makeshift nails, the short end of a staple that she’s somehow broken off. She selects one of her tiny tools, one that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, a little hammer of some kind. The handle is clearly a piece of toothpick, like with most of her tools, but the head isn’t made of any material that I’ve given her.

“Is that the stuff Moira brought over?” I ask, wanting to lean in to get a closer look but afraid my hand will shift if I move.

“Yup! A rubber polymer clay, apparently,” she says, lining the staple up just so. “It works really well, watch.”

And sure enough, using what’s probably more akin to a rubber mallet, she easily hammers her “nail” into the soft wood within seconds. She does this a couple more times along the edge of the plank and then says, “Alright, you can let go now.”

I do so, carefully pulling my hand away from the wide L-shaped structure that now stands up on its own. “Eyy, look at that!” I can finally lean in to get a better look, so impressed with all the miniature tools Evie’s been able to cobble together out of the simplest of materials.

“It’s not much,” she sighs, though she’s crossing her arms with some satisfaction. “Got a long way to go before making furniture. I still wonder if I’d be better off using glue, but I’d definitely want some PPE before I go there. Oh, speaking of which!"

She hurries over to one of the dollhouse shelves she uses to store her clothes and picks up a new garment. It’s made of a super fine yarn, although in her hands the blue thread looks a lot chunkier. As she walks back over she pulls it onto her head with a grin - it’s some kind of beanie-looking hat. She looks like she’s ready to go on a magical winter adventure.

So. Freaking. Precious.

“Did you knit that?” I marvel, and without thinking I reach out and gently touch it, giving her head a little pet.

“Crochet,” she responds, leaning into my touch proudly. “Only needed to carve one hook that way, and I used to crochet stuff as a teenager so it was easier to re-learn.” I pull my hand away and she readjusts the hat, tucking a strand of hair to the side. “This is just a practice project. But it’s the first step to getting some work gloves!”

You’re amazing, I almost say. But I know if I said it out loud it would have come out too intense.

Evie strikes a couple of poses like a fashion model and adds, “Think I look like Mrs. Peacock?”

I beam at her. “Is that the first one you want to play tonight?”

“Yeah, I love Clue!”

“Okay then - I’ll be right back.”

I actually need the breather I get during the quick trip to my bedroom closet. Seeing her looking so adorable in her teeny tiny hat has left my heart aching. A very different body part is starting to ache too, but as usual whenever I have to sneak off like this, I’m able to take a few deep breaths and calm back down. I reach up to the high shelf to carefully slide off the entire stack of board games I own, unsure of how many we’ll get through tonight, and I bring them back to the living room.

I’m a little disappointed that Evie took the beanie off, though she’s just as much of a cutie as her normal self. She’s currently on her notepad and busy writing something in the corner.

“What’s that?” I ask, setting the pile of games down on the floor.

“I’m making my own version of the notepad from the game.” She sits upright on her knees, looking down at her list and frowning. “I’m forgetting a weapon.”

I fish Clue out of the stack and bring it up onto the desk, sitting down and looking over Evie’s shoulder. I lean in and squint at the tiny lead marks on the page.

“Yeaaah, I can’t read that,” I say with a chuckle.

“Good, I won’t need to worry about hiding it then. Oh right, the candlestick!” She hunches back over to continue writing.

Even though the little camp on the desk barely takes up half of its surface, it still doesn’t leave us a ton of space for the game box and board, so I’m very careful as I start unpacking everything. “I’ve never played with only two players, is that even possible?” I wonder aloud.

“Yes, there’s a special way to do it - I’ll show you once everything’s shuffled…”

We set the game up together, and I’m grateful for her explanation of the rules since it’s been a while and I need a refresher. Evie drags over the wooden tray we’ve just built to lean her cards against so that I won’t be able to see them. The plain colored pawns are about half her height, and she shouldn’t have too much issue with carrying the plastic weapons and throwing the dice. It might still be quite a workout for her to play, so I’m already prepared to help move things around for her if she looks tired.

“Lynne and I would play this as kids,” Evie reminisces, “She had a really cool set that had proper minis for the pawns. I don’t know if they even make them that way normally.”

“That’s always nice when a game company puts in that level of attention to detail,” I say. I deal out the cards, placing hers face down in front of her, and she begins transferring them to the tray.

I’m suddenly struck with a thought.

“Evie.” I’m trying to contain my enthusiasm, wondering if she would even go for this. “Have you ever considered painting minis? Like, to sell?”

Her eyes slowly widen. Of course she’s just as familiar with this stuff as I am, probably more so. Whether it’s for playing tabletop RPGs or just to display, there’s a whole market for finely detailed figurines. “Aiden, you’re a genius. That’s so much easier than building dollhouse miniatures. And people actually spend money on that stuff.”

“I know! The demand is there and you’d be so good at it right now. I know it’s not quite woodworking…”

“That’s okay, it can be a stretch goal! If I can start selling minis maybe that’ll help fund some better tools for the rest… Oh my god, I’m so excited. I know what I’ll be doing tomorrow, there’s so much to plan and research. Dude, thank you!”

I feel like a straight up superhero right now. She looks so hyped that I almost suggest we put our game night on hold so that she can start planning this stuff. But if anything she seems even more keen on playing in some kind of celebratory gesture, so we finally jump into it.

Watching Evie running around all over the board is just as adorable as I thought it’d be. Even her holding the fake weapons, like a pistol that looks more like a shotgun to her, is somehow the cutest thing. We get really into it, and despite the adapted 2-player rules we have a decent sense of what the other person is figuring out about the details of the fake murder.

At the end it becomes a race to make the final accusation as we both clearly have figured out the scene of the crime. I roll too low to make it to the room so Evie gets there first.

“I accuse…” she says, a little out of breath from moving the pawn so far, “Colonel Mustard… in the ballroom… with the lead pipe.”

I raise an eyebrow at her, gesturing towards the case file envelope so she can see if she’s right. She pries it open, practically crawling inside so that she can drag the cards out, and peers underneath them at the answer.

“Noooooo!” she cries out dramatically, falling to her knees and hanging her head.

I grin and pick up what I now know is the correct murder weapon, placing it right next to her. “It was the knife, wasn’t it?”

“My hubris!” she exclaims, continuing the theatrics by splaying herself onto her back, although we’re both laughing at this point. “It was a 50-50 shot.”

“It was a team effort,” I suggest, leaning forward to look straight down at her from above.

“Don’t patronize me,” she growls, crossing her arms and smirking. “You win this one. Enjoy it before I kick your butt at checkers.”

“You’re on.”

We start cleaning up, gathering the cards and pawns. I don’t even see my mistake when it happens. My eyes are looking for where the die went as I lift up the completed card deck… and I feel one of my fingers collide against something, hitting sharply against the nail. My attention is jerked back towards Evie, who is now sprawled onto her back again, this time not of her own accord. Her eyes are wide with shock.

“Crap,” I say breathlessly, my heart suddenly racing. “Are you okay?”

“I’m… um…” she says, and with some difficulty she pushes herself to sitting while raising a hand up to her ear.

“Did I just hit you in the head?” I’ve pushed my chair back now, kneeling onto the floor by the desk. Trying to keep from panicking.

She looks a little startled by my reaction and forces a smile. “I’m fine. It’s okay. That was totally my bad, I stepped towards you without paying attention.”

“I’m the one who should have been paying attention!” I say shakily, having trouble not raising my voice. “Can you see okay? Are you nauseous?”

“I don’t have a concussion, Aiden,” she laughs, but she pulls her hand away and I hate how red her ear looks. “It wasn’t nearly hard enough for that. I’m a bit… woozy? But I’ve had way worse before, it’s no worse than stubbing a toe or something.”

I can’t help it. Even though my own hands are at fault I use them now to gently gather her up between them. I sit back on my heels, bringing Evie in closer, examining every inch of her - all three of them. She lays on her back in my hand and I just pray that the sweet smile she’s giving me is truly genuine.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“You’re fine,” she insists. “I’m actually shocked this is the first time something like this has happened.”

“And the last,” I say firmly.

“Sounds good.” She rolls onto her side now, settling into the dip of my palm and letting her eyes droop to a close. “Just give me a minute and I’ll be back to normal… Or maybe I should just take a nap. You’re so comfy.”

I don’t know what to say so I sit in silence, watching her intently. It feels like my mind is splitting as too many thoughts rush in.

How could I do this to her?
Is it a bad sign if she falls asleep?
My phone’s on the couch in case this gets dire.
You piece of shit, Aiden.
What if she actually hates me?
Maybe I should get her some water.
Did she just call me comfy?

“Relax,” Evie murmurs, and despite how small her voice is it makes me flinch. Her eyes are still closed. “I promise I’m alright.”

“I… I know…” I say, unconvinced.

“Your hands are shaking.”

“R-right…”

I should probably put her down, but I can’t stand the thought of it right now. I manage to take a deep breath in and slowly turn around so that I can brace my arms against the couch as I continue sitting on the floor. I stare at the flushed color of her miniscule ear, and I’m so full of self loathing I could implode. God, and here I was just telling her to be careful when she was on her bathroom roof the other day. Turns out I’m the only menace here.

Evie’s voice pipes up again. “I accuse… Aiden Jasper… in the living room… with his pinkie nail…”

She successfully drags a feeble laugh out of me. I appreciate her showing me she’s still conscious despite keeping her eyes closed. She does sound okay…

Once I’m convinced that I’m not trembling so much, I cautiously slip my free hand over her delicate frame. I’m not exactly sure what my goal is here, but she immediately reacts to my touch, snuggling into my fingers like they’re a blanket.

“Oh yeah, that’s the stuff,” she purrs.

I don’t even know if this is wholesome or sinister. I’m trying to comfort her, but I’m also taking advantage of the situation, aren’t I? And she’s letting me take advantage. She’s… encouraging it…

Evie keeps talking softly, helping me stay in the present. “Oh, I forgot to ask - is it okay if I go shopping with Moira on Thursday? It’ll just be in the area, no car or anything. I should actually be back before you get home.”

I frown. “Yeah, of course. You don’t need to ask for permission… That’s why she has a key.”

“Sure. I still want to keep you in the loop.”

We continue talking quietly for a while, her voice gradually regaining strength. Soon her eyes are open again, and my nerves settle, and our chat becomes truly casual. Except for the fact that my hands are still all over her. I never want it to end.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily said:

“Your hands are shaking.”

One advantage tinies have is that they are so much more aware of subtle changes in biggos’ behavior and expressions. They’d probably dominate at poker.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo I’ve never thought of that before but you’re so right! There’s a story idea there, tiny poker celebrity hehe

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 28
Evie

With some effort, I get up onto my tiptoes so that I can see over the edge of a slender hand. It’s a bit of a struggle to keep my footing in here. Moira has stuffed her purse with empty water bottles and topped it off with some soft cloth, so that I can hitch a ride without getting completely lost in her bag. I don’t actually verbalize this, but I think I do prefer being in a shirt pocket than this. Maybe that’s only if it was Aiden, though… In any case, I’m plenty comfortable, just a bit unsteady in this wider space.

“Maybe something cooking related?” Mo whispers down to me, pointing at a store window. “Since you guys spend time in the kitchen together?”

“Good idea! I’m not sure he really needs anything like that, but… Still, mind if we go inside?”

“Not at all!”

We’ve been at it for a good half hour now. The outing itself is nice, but I’m also on a very important mission. We’re nearing the end of April and Aiden’s birthday is on May 5th. Even though I hardly have anything left in my bank account, I want to do something for it, and with Moira’s help I can actually get him some kind of gift.

The retail strip we’re exploring is just on the west side of campus, so most of it consists of places to eat for college students to grab between classes. But there’s a little convenience store, some apparel ones, a place for office supplies, and - randomly enough - this kitchen shop.

It’s still late morning so we’re not quite dealing with the lunch rush, but there are enough people walking around that I do feel a bit nervous. With Moira being so short and with me being in a more open space, I keep getting scared that someone will see me in her bag. My friend quickly noticed my discomfort and has zipped her purse up most of the way so that I can duck down into the darkness whenever I get too worried.

The ding of the door opening startles me, and I slip out of sight as a too-eager employee greets Moira and offers her assistance. After some heavy insistence that she’s just browsing, we’re finally left to our own devices in exploring the near-empty shop. It’s actually kind of fun to look at all of the cookware and appliances, although the vast majority of it is way out of my budget. I long for the days where I could have actually used all of these pots and pans and slow cookers and ice cream makers. I miss being able to make my own food from start to finish, and it’s nice to escape a little bit into this culinary world.

Some of it feels extra intimidating, though. There are some fancy knives on display that are as long as flag poles and give me swells of anxiety. Even the blenders and food processors have blades that look absolutely deadly to me. Thankfully we don’t linger on any of this since my larger friend seems to get that these sights might make me uneasy.

Glancing around to make sure we’re alone, I pipe up when we get to the stand mixers, pointing towards one that has a bread hook installed. I could easily fit right up in the curve of it. “How long do you think I could ride that hook before throwing up?” I stage whisper, grinning up at Moira.

She suppresses a laugh, and then she carefully lifts the bag I’m in a bit higher so I can see what’s on the next shelf up. There’s an electric citrus press, the kind where you push down with the orange on top and the entire thing spins. “How about this?” she mutters, “I bet if you sat on the edge here it might be a pleasant ride.”

“Oh yeah, that sounds nice! Until my inevitable doom approaches as the juice rises higher and higher…”

And now we’re both trying not to laugh at the visuals we’re conjuring up. Okay, this is fun and all, but I’m not seeing anything that could work well as a gift for Aiden. Maybe this store was a bust after all. There’s one last small display of non-perishable foods that we take a quick look through first.

“I’ve never taken him as a coffee guy…” Moira muses.

“No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him drink any. Alas.”

“Did you want to get some for yourself?” she suggests.

“That’s alright, it would take up too much space, plus it would take me a decade to finish a bag on my own… I don’t miss it that much."

My eyes scan the entire display, looking up at the novelty pasta shapes, all the way to the spices and seasonings. That’s when I finally get an idea. I remember something that my roommate mentioned to me once, a while back. I voice my musings to Moira and she loves the thought, offering to pick something up for me the next time she’s at the grocery store. And then we’re back outside, walking down the street as she talks excitedly.

“I don’t want to intrude at all on your gift,” she says, “but if you like I could make a container for you to put it in! I still needed to think of a present for him, so…”

“No, that would be perfect! I’ll need your help with the rest of the plans anyway, it can all be from the both of us.”

Our conversation is interrupted as she stops abruptly from a door opening and almost whacking into her. She rears back and I tumble, grabbing fistfuls of fabric as I slip along the side of the cloth-covered water bottle, only barely managing not to fall into the depths of the purse. Even as I’m furiously trying to climb back up to a more stable spot I’m also scuttling backwards, trying to make sure I’m out of sight.

Whoever was exiting the restaurant is apologizing profusely now, with Moira trying to reassure him that she’s fine. It’s through this exchange that I’m realizing how many other voices are passing by us. When did it get this crowded? I guess we’re getting closer to lunch time…

With her awkward conversation out of the way, I hear a whispered “Are you okay?” from above, but I’m too scared to answer. The zipper just over my head starts inching back and I can see shadows of the giants passing by like a towering herd on migration. Fearfully I just keep backing up, trying to stay under the part that’s zipped closed. In all of the commotion I’m beginning to feel panicked.

Thankfully, Moira stays much more level headed than I do. To my relief she doesn’t insist on trying to talk to me, instead reversing course with the zipper until the bag is mostly closed again and I can finally take a breath. Quick on her feet, she reaches into the outside pocket of her purse and pulls out her phone. It takes me a second, but I figure out her idea of having a pretend phone conversation so that she can speak to me openly.

“Hey, Evie! Yeah, I’m already here, it’s a lot more crowded than I thought it’d be.” She pauses briefly as the fake me silently responds. “I know, I was hoping we could eat outside or something, but I’m not sure it’ll work out. I live near campus, on the north side, would you be down for going back to my place?” Pause. “Alright, just think about it, and if you’re still okay with that sandwich place, text me your order and I’ll go grab it. See you soon!”

And then instead of putting the phone back in its usual spot, she slips it into the purse itself, slowly and carefully so as to not blindly knock into me. I notice she has a note-taking app open and ready for me to type in.

I smile and begin crawling over to the dim light of the phone so that I can write a message in response. I tell her that I’m happy to go back to her place instead, and that I’m fine with any kind of sandwich except for tuna salad. A minute later, Moira’s hand cautiously returns to retrieve the phone and our new plan goes into motion.

It takes another thirty minutes or so to go get the food and then make our way to my giant friend’s place. Once we exit the more crowded streets, she briefly ducks into an alley just to make sure I’m still alright with all this and to assure me that none of her roommates should be home. I’ve never been to her apartment, but I know she lives with three other girls, so I’m glad for the head’s up.

“Okay… we’re here… Sorry about all that,” Moira sighs as we get into her room. She sets the purse on her bed and reaches in for me, gently gathering me up so she can put me on her bedside table. She’s still a little hesitant and overly careful, but she’s gotten way better at handling me over the past couple of weeks.

“No worries!” I say as I climb off her fingers, “I used to go eat in that area all the time so I should have known better. Thank you for handling it so well, Mo. Sorry, I was kinda freaking out.”

I take a look around the room, marveling at the new location. Even from my perspective I can tell the area is a lot more limited than Aiden’s - there are two beds in this room and hardly enough space for a small desk that houses Mo’s computer and nothing else.

It’s cozy, though. There’s a boho vibe and so much stuff everywhere- paintings of flowers, an acoustic guitar hanging on the wall, a potted plant hanging in the corner in a macrame basket. I bet she did the macrame herself, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was yet another hobby of hers. Her roommate’s side of the room is so plain compared to this half that’s full of color.

“I love your space!” I exclaim eagerly.

“Thanks! Pardon the mess,” she laughs, and she reaches over to scoot aside a glass bottle containing a single flower that’s next to me, in order to give me some more room.

We enjoy lunch from our spots on the bed and the nightstand as we keep discussing our mutual friend’s upcoming birthday. I’ve already started prepping something for the day of, and it’s been a challenge to keep things a secret from Aiden with my life on full display. I’m really going to need Moira’s help to pull it all together.

“I just hope that gift will be enough…” I fret, picking at my sandwich like a squirrel.

“I’m sure he’ll love it! Especially since he’s probably not expecting anything from you. Even his other friends, we don’t usually do much to celebrate his birthday since the timing’s always awkward with their final exams.”

“All the more reason for me to do something nice,” I say with a sigh, hanging my head. “He’s just done so much for me… I know I can never repay him, but I wish I could better show how much I appreciate it. What gifts have you gotten him in the past?” I lift my head again hopefully.

Mo sets her sandwich down on the plate in her lap. She gazes down at the bedsheets for a second as she thinks. “Since we both read the same kinds of stuff, I’d usually get him a new book…”

It’s a little late for me to get into the fantasy novels that they both enjoy. That would probably feel a little forced anyway. After a long pause I ask, “Do you know about any past girlfriends of his?”

That came out a bit more awkwardly than I’d meant it to. Moira doesn’t answer right away but her big green eyes are fixed on me, a growing smile appearing on her face.

“What?” I ask self consciously.

“Nothing. Just wondering why you’re asking.”

“Because I’m curious what types of things they might have gotten for his birthday,” I insist, kicking myself for having gone down this path.

“Right, right. Um, I don’t think he’s dated since he was in undergrad. He hasn’t had a girlfriend since I’ve known him at least.”

“Gotcha…”

I stare at the floor of the nightstand, deep in thought. Seconds pass and when I look up again, Moira’s still watching me with a smile.

“What?” I ask with a nervous laugh.

“Nothing!”

“Clearly it’s not nothing?”

The smile grows wider. “I’m trying not to call you out on how red your face is right now.”

Crap. I hike my knees up as if to hide behind my legs, curling in on myself instinctively. My natural response is to immediately go on the defensive. “I-I… I don’t… We’re not like that.”

My friend’s voice is gentle, like she’s trying to lure a cat out of hiding. “I figured you weren’t. Not yet at least…?” She cocks her head to the side, trying to get a read on me. “Sorry, if I actually am completely off base, I’ll stop.”

“It…” I struggle to speak. But she’s been nothing but supportive and trustworthy, and it coaxes a response out of me that I wasn’t quite expecting. “It can’t be like that. You know?”

Moira frowns at my tone. “No. I don’t. Why can’t it be?”

I can feel my cheeks flushing further. I only barely manage to not bury my face into my knees. “Really? I mean… Be serious, Moira. Look at me.”

And she does. She sets her plate to the side of her cross-legged seat and leans in closer, settling her forearms into her lap as she lowers her head. “Let’s see here… I see someone who’s really sweet. Really fun to hang out with. Who’s as much of a nerd as the rest of us, which is bonus points. Super pretty. What’s not to like?”

I squirm at both the compliments and the refusal to acknowledge the obvious. “Just… I mean, logistically there’s just so much that couldn’t work…”

“I’d say you’ve figured logistics out pretty well so far.”

“That’s different. Moira, there’s no way he could see me as remotely attractive. It makes no sense.”

She frowns again. “You really don’t think he might find you cute?”

I let out an exasperated exhale. “I mean, he might think I’m cute the way he thinks a puppy’s cute. Seriously. How is anyone this small supposed to… to satisfy a man? It’s impossible.” This time I do bury my face into my knees, muffling my voice. “God, I’m embarrassed just thinking about it.”

After a moment I feel a soft pressure from Moira’s fingertips against my back. “I’m sorry, Evie. I didn’t mean to stress you out. I just don’t want you to sabotage yourself when you’re not even sure where his mind’s at…” She pulls her hand away and delicately continues. “But I guess the more important question is, how do you feel about him?”

I lift my head just enough to look at her. I trust her to keep this conversation private, but still… what a monumental question. I’m not sure I’m ready to answer it.

“I don’t know…” I finally say, “I do like him a lot, but I don’t know if it’s in that way. Maybe.” I slowly uncurl myself again, matching Moira’s cross-legged stance instead. “But none of it matters anyway. I swore off of dating a long time ago. Not to mention, can you imagine how complicated things would get if this went poorly? I’m too… dependent on him. I really can’t afford for this to go badly.”

That last bit slipped out. As much as I hate to admit it, there’s a part of me that still sees my relationship with Aiden as transactional. That if I’m on my best behavior and do my utmost in helping out where I can, maybe I can somehow earn the shelter and care that I so desperately need from him. I don’t want that to take away from the friendship that has also formed, but that’s just my reality.

I feel a little dizzy as the what-ifs flood my brain, and I continue to confide in the gigantic girl before me. “I’m aware that my relationship with him is weird and it can’t go on forever like this. It’s just so overwhelming to think too far ahead…”

Moira’s sigh is sympathetic and she straightens back up. “Then don’t. Just enjoy what you have right now, see what comes. And listen… the both of you are good people, I’m sure you’ll work things out no matter what happens. But if anything were to go south, you’ve got me now too.” She glances towards the other bed that’s just a few feet away as she adds, “It might be a bit complicated with my roommates, but if you ever need some time away, even for a little bit, just say the word and we’ll figure something out.”

I manage a smile. To willingly reveal my existence to three more people doesn’t feel like an option. But the offer means more to me than she could ever know. “Thanks, girl. And I’m sorry to put you in the middle and make you keep secrets from him…”

“Oh, it’s fine. Hell, I was the one getting nosey.”

From that point I swiftly change the subject as I remember my exciting new business prospect of painting minis. Mo shares in the enthusiasm, eagerly offering to show me the ins and outs of online shopfronts and share tips from her own small business. We spend a lovely afternoon together. And all of my confusing feelings remain firmly out of mind.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily Typical Evie, worrying about how she might be able to satisfy Aiden instead of the other way around.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo I’ve really thought about this kind of thing at length, like trying to imagine myself being a normie and ending up tiny. Or even me being the way I am but am under the impression that my giant partner is a normie, I would absolutely worry about not being “enough” for him.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily I can see that for pre-existing partners who are now relatively giant. Happens all the time when one partner becomes disabled and the relationship has to be re-negotiated. Sometimes they get divorced and marry their professional caregiver. Evie should feel no shame about acknowledging the transactional aspect.

Anyway, Moira might have some suggestions (for both Evie and Aiden)…