Out of their Element

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 61
Aiden

I’m standing in the Hispanic section of the grocery aisle, staring down a variety of mole sauces. I reach a hand out to point my forefinger at one of them.

“No no, next row up.”

My hand drifts higher. Why are there so many varieties?

“Two to the left… Yes! That one, perfect. This stuff is so good.”

I smile at the little voice near my ear as I pick the jar off the shelf and put it in the shopping cart. Evie and I have never gone grocery shopping together, but we felt like giving it a shot today. And we’re attempting something different so that we don’t have to try and communicate with each other while she’s in my pocket. Instead, I’m wearing a slouchy black beanie and she’s held snugly against the side of my head, half perched on my left ear. Not only is she completely hidden from sight, just barely peeking her face out, but this should also keep her protected from the absurd amount of AC they pump in here.

“What should we make with this, though?” I mutter, acting as if I’m pondering to myself.

“I was thinking enchiladas! We have that leftover chicken to use up.”

“Mmkay, sounds great. Tortillas are in the bread aisle–”

“Aiden!”

I flinch and my stomach does a flip, though I’m careful not to jerk my head too sharply towards the voice. At first I’m frustrated that the second we try something new like this I just had to run into someone I know, until I process whose voice that is.

“Hey, man!” Star exclaims as she hurries down the aisle towards me. “Fancy seeing you here. Are you uh… alone?” She glances towards my pocket before looking around as if searching for another full-sized person.

I give her a secretive smile and reach up to pretend I’m tugging the edge of my hat. In reality I’m just pointing out my little passenger. I can feel her stick her head out a bit further as she peers over my ear and gives our friend a tiny wave. Star’s eyes widen and she suppresses what would otherwise be a very enthusiastic greeting. She’s having to press a fist against her mouth to keep from squeeing, clearly finding the setup adorable.

“Yeah, just picking up a couple of things,” is what I say out loud. “Are you here alone?”

“No, Diego’s around here somewhere…” she says, glancing over her shoulder. “He really wants to make tamales so he’s probably meticulously picking out peppers right now.”

There’s a family coming down the aisle at this point so we just make small talk for a bit. I ask about some of her colleagues from work, old coworkers of mine from when I worked at the vet clinic’s front desk. She asks about the classes I’m planning to take in the fall and what my schedule will look like. A couple of minutes later we wrap it up.

“Oh hey, when you get home, can you tell Evie…” Star’s clearly directing her eyeline just a tad to my left. “Moira and I were wanting to start getting brunch on a regular basis, just some girl time every other week or so. She’s totally invited if she’d like.”

“Okay, I’ll let her know,” I respond, trying not to laugh as I feel an excited wriggle against my head.

“Eyyy, party in aisle three!”

A few strangers startle at the imposing figure that suddenly swerves around the corner. Diego’s not one to really worry about what people around him think, and he’s really exemplifying that now with the volume of his voice.

“Hey bro! What’s on the menu for you guys?” he asks, drawing his cart up just behind mine.

“Enchiladas.”

“Ohhhh shit that sounds so good right now…”

“But you wanted to do tamales for dinner!” Star protests, “Now I’m craving them.”

“Mmmm, I know what I really want for dinner,” Diego retorts, cocking an eyebrow at her suggestively. He gently takes his wife’s hand to ease her towards him, and then suddenly scoops her up in his arms to dump her into the grocery cart. She’s laughing hard as he whisks her away.

“See ya later, dude!” my shameless friend calls over his shoulder.

“Bye,” I laugh with an eye roll.

“I love them,” Evie giggles.

The rest of the grocery trip is uneventful and we successfully get through it with tonight’s dinner ingredients in tow. I’m glad to take the beanie off once we get back to the car since summer’s in full swing and I can tell I’m about to start sweating. But still, my girlfriend assures me she was comfortable in there, and it’s good to know we have another hiding option in our toolkit.

Later we’re both in the kitchen as Evie helps direct me through the cooking steps. We get about halfway through, and then she seems very eager to help fill the tortillas once I’ve laid them out, so I go ahead and take a shower while I leave her on the counter to work at that.

It’s as I dry myself off in the bathroom that I check my phone and notice I have a few new texts from Diego. I read them with a frown, feeling a little conflicted about the proposition that I’ve just received. He’s given me an invite to something and I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or not… I’ll need to talk to Evie about it.

I’m surprised at how much she’s gotten done when I come back from the kitchen. I’d already laid out the shredded chicken on the open tortillas, but she’s gone through and covered each one with cheese. She’s also cobbled together a platform from an old pasta box that I’d left lying around, so now she’s standing at the edge of the baking pan with a miniature spoon the size of a tennis racket in her hands. She’s been scooping out mole sauce from its jar and turns to me excitedly once I step back into the kitchen.

“I just talked to Moira!” she chirps, nodding towards her phone that’s nearby. “First brunch session is next Saturday - we’ll do it picnic style as long as the weather’s nice. I should be back by two or three.”

I smile at her enthusiasm. “Take your time, spend all day with them if you want.” I then pause as I notice that her eyes are shining. I crouch down by the counter, leaning in closer to get a better look at her face. “Everything okay?” I ask.

“Uh huh.” She props the spoon onto the edge of the jar so that her hands are free to wipe away the gathered tears. “It’s just that it means so much to me that I was invited to something like this… I’m so happy I have a friend group again.”

It’s so strange how used to her I’ve gotten. It’s not like I ever actually forget about Evie’s size, but I do sometimes forget the extreme level to which it impacts her life. Seeing this amount of gratitude over just having a couple of friends is enough to get me choked up for a second. I clear my throat to keep my voice from wavering.

“I’m glad you do too… Um, I think I’ve noticed something, actually. Just from hanging out in a couple of group settings now. Are you an extrovert, Evie?”

She abandons her oversized spoon to come sit on the edge of the pasta box so we can be face to face. “That’s actually a very good question. I think I might be. I’m comfortable being alone, or rather I’m used to it, but when I was younger I would always surround myself with people at school. Over the years I ended up isolating myself a lot more… But I’d still be happiest and most energized when I was working and interacting with my coworkers.”

Damn. It’s taken me way too long to realize how much of a people person she is. We both spend so much time shut away at home that I just kind of assumed that she’s more of an introvert like I am. But that’s not right. She’s just having to suppress her natural tendencies.

“If there’s anything I could do to help you have a fuller social life…” I say tentatively.

“No, it’s okay babe, you’ve done enough. I already so appreciate what I have, I don’t need any more - even if it felt safe to do so. In fact… I don’t know if this makes any sense, but I think the fact that I’m extroverted might be what makes me able to handle having even just a couple of friends who are so much bigger than me. I know I don’t have a lot of them but they’re still… a lot. Know what I mean?”

“I can only imagine. I guess it would be rough trying to hang out with, like, a dozen people."

“Exactly. Secrecy aside, it’d be so overwhelming.”

“Well… this actually kinda segues into something I need to talk to you about… Here, do you mind if I keep working at that?” I motion to the pan with the thin puddle of sauce.

“Go for it, I’ve had my fun. I was getting to the point where I couldn’t reach deep enough in the jar.”

It feels considerate, somehow, to continue the task by reaching in with my own spoon instead of dumping the sauce straight from the jar. This gives me the time to explain the texts that I’ve gotten.

“So… Every year, the Ignacios’ extended family all get together for Thanksgiving. They’re spread out across the country, so it’s become tradition for the family to rent a big cabin in the woods and everyone travels there. Well, for various reasons this year, it’s not happening with the family. Diego just texted me – they decided they still wanted to rent a cabin, but do it more locally and invite a couple of friends instead. Aka us.”

“Ohhhhhh my god! Aiden, that sounds fantastic! We can finally go camping, or glamping or whatever.”

“Hold on, there’s a catch. You and I are invited, and Moira. But Camila was the one who came up with the idea. Meaning she’ll be there too.”

“Oh…” Her energy level drops notably. “Well… that makes sense. She’s an Ignacio too.”

At this point I’m done with the sauce and I shift my attention to Evie standing near my waist, trying to get a read on her. But her face is downcast.

“Thoughts?” I ask as I start to transfer the filled tortillas to the pan. “How are you feeling about that whole… thing?”

She sighs. “I don’t know. I’m still a little uncomfortable around her, I guess. But the second meeting went infinitely better than the first one… How do you feel?”

“Hrrmmm, I still think she was being kinda rude to you last time. But it was definitely better. Also, on the plus side, I’m starting to wonder if I might be wrong about her still being interested in me.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I was relieved that she seemed to back off. And I mean, it’s still only been two meetings, and it’s not like she’s been downright horrible to me or anything…”

Evie continues to mull it over in silence, and I give her the space to think as I pack the tortillas into the pan and pour the rest of the sauce on top. I’m crouched down and opening up the oven when I hear her pipe up again.

“I think, ultimately… I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity. I’d still like to go.”

I close the oven and pop my head up over the counter to smile at her. “Awesome. We’ll make it really fun, babe. And I’ll have your back.”

“I know you will. We’ll be sticking together even more anyway, right? For safety, since we’ll be spending a lot of time outside.”

I stand back up so that I can set a timer on the microwave. “Right. Plus it’s not like we’ll be in one giant tent or anything, this’ll be a cabin with multiple rooms.” I start putting a couple of things away with one hand while laying the other one on the counter to offer my girlfriend a ride. “If things ever get too awkward we can always excuse ourselves from the group."

She doesn’t miss a beat and has already hopped right onto my palm. Since I’m still tidying, I wasn’t even looking her way when I felt her little feet against my skin, but I’m instinctively closing my hand around her body. I hold her up to my heart as I finish up.

“I can’t wait to finally spend that weekend in the woods with you,” Evie croons before burying her face in my shirt.

Now that the prospects of this trip actually seem like a potential reality, I’m starting to feel really hyped about it. Camping is like a meditation retreat for me, and it’s been almost two years since I last spent a night under the stars. I’m all the more looking forward to spending it with my little love.

I turn around towards the kitchen island, still operating with just one hand, to put a few dishes in the sink, all the while rubbing Evie’s back with my thumb and dreaming aloud about what’s to come. “You’ll get to try out the classics! We’ll sit around a campfire and eat s’mores and go on hikes. And because it’s a cabin instead of a tent, we can bring board games and other stuff too!”

“Do we know exactly where we’re going yet?”

“Nope. I’m sure they’ll appreciate help researching that, actually. Want to join me while the enchiladas bake?”

She agrees emphatically, and I head to the other side of the living room, grabbing my laptop from the couch along the way. I carefully set my tiny companion down on the desk before taking a seat myself. Now that there’s miniature scaffolding in the way, I have to move a couple of office supplies aside to make room for the computer. Evie watches me thoughtfully, waiting until I’ve turned on the laptop before revealing her thoughts.

“So, umm… the desk is getting a little crowded,” she says as she glances around, “It’s not that bad yet, but a lot of the pieces I’ll be ordering in the future are going to be bigger.”

The laptop’s still booting up so I turn my full attention to her by my arm. “Well that’s exciting, your business is growing! Hmmm. Maybe we get a second table? A smaller one alongside the desk?”

“Yeah, that works. I can look into table options and order one. But I did have another idea…”

She’s looking way off to the side, and I notice she’s taken a couple of steps closer to me so that she can gaze over the edge of the desk. I bite my lip as I realize where her mind is going.

“Ladders?” I ask.

“Yeah. I mean, there’s plenty of room on the floor, you know? I’ve already looked up some wooden ladders meant for parakeets that I think might work. I’d set up a safety rope system and we can put a cushion for me to land on at the bottom just in case I fall.”

I can see that she’s thought about it and that this is the option she’d prefer. The image of her miniscule figure scaling a comparative cliff makes me nervous as hell. But she just went through all the precautions she plans to take, I don’t think this is unreasonable. I decide not to make a fuss about it.

I smile and place my hand just behind her on the desk, fingers cupping in an arc around her body. “Then let’s do that,” I say, “I think it’s about time you had better access to the rest of the apartment anyway.”

I think she was expecting for me to put up more of a fight. Her tiny brown eyes are intense with affection as she steps away from my fingers, instead walking towards my face with clear intention. I still get butterflies in my stomach around this girl, and I move automatically, my hand quickly catching back up to assist her forward movement, scooping her towards me. Not needing any more words, we fall into a passionate kiss.

In the back of my mind I’m reflecting on our journey. I feel so comfortable around her. I partly mean physically comfortable - the casual way we’ve been interacting all evening exemplifies that. But we’re at the point now where I feel like we can talk about anything, where we know we won’t judge each other or assume the worst or be anything other than patient and supportive. I feel like I can be myself around her, more than anyone else in my life. And we’ve finally reached a point where I deeply trust that she feels the same.

~~~

There’s still a good chunk of Part 3 left, but I’m going to take a little break! Which is perfect because we’re about to enter a time skip~ See you in about a week or so. Thank you so much for reading. I don’t know if I say it enough, but the comments and messages mean a whole lot to me, I really appreciate you guys.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily said:

Though at this point I don’t think Evie (or Aiden for that matter) would feel comfortable with Camila picking her up.

Oh, it was a desperate suggestion. I’ve given up trying to forecast.

[Olo]

@littlest-lily said:

I start putting a couple of things away with one hand while laying the other one on the counter to offer my girlfriend a ride.
She doesn’t miss a beat and has already hopped right onto my palm. Since I’m still tidying, I wasn’t even looking her way when I felt her little feet against my skin, but I’m instinctively closing my hand around her body.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo ahhh I know, I love the idea of being so seamlessly comfortable with each other 🥰

[Olo]

@littlest-lily It’s like dancing. It’s what dancing celebrates.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo Whoa. Poetry!

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 62

D : HEY FOLKS I’m starting this text thread so we can talk camping trip!!
D : I sent an email out to everyone with cabin options, just reply to me directly and let me know your top pick by next Friday so I can make a reservation
D : Also also also don’t forget, we’re going early October now! Weekend of the 13th if that works for errbody
E : Isn’t that Friday the 13th?
D : SPooOOoOOkyyy
S : We should watch Cabin in the Woods at the cabin in the woods, just really lean into the horror vibes
A : I’ll bring the popcorn
C : I’ll bring the booze
M : We’re all gonna die : )
C : Everyone better vote for options 2 or 3. We have to have a hot tub
E : Oooo option 3 has that gorgeous screened porch area!
M : omg yeah I love that one!
A : Plus it has that fancy fire pit
D : STOP STOP it’s supposed to be a secret vote!!
S : Diego doesn’t like fire lol
A : There’s no way we’re not making a campfire on at least one of the nights dude
D : SHUT UP ITS FINE

~~

We’re reaching the peak of summer and it’s a hot July day. My friend Tyler and I stick to the shade as best we can as we make our way across campus. We had discovered pretty quickly that the psychology class he’s taking this summer lines up with the lab days that I run for my TA job. We occasionally get lunch, and since he lives a few blocks past my apartment building, we usually walk home in tandem.

“I’m in trouble, dude,” he sighs, “She’s so cool. And so fucking hot. And her dream is to own five golden retrievers. She’s perfect.”

I smile widely and clap a hand to his shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man. You’ll have to introduce me sometime!”

“Yeah, maybe I could get her to come with us to lunch or something…” He pauses and smirks sidelong at me. “What about you, huh? I can see if she has any cute single friends?”

I wave him off easily. “I’m good. Thanks for the offer.”

“Suit yourself.”

I don’t even think twice about this kind of suggestion anymore, it’s become so easy to pretend I have no romantic aspirations. I honestly don’t care if the bulk of my friends think I just prefer being single indefinitely.

We linger on the subject of his new sweetheart for a little longer before he starts complaining about his psych class. I catch sight of my apartment down the street as we turn a corner, and I haven’t realized that I’ve picked up the pace until I notice Tyler is struggling to keep up.

“You in a hurry, Aiden?” he pants.

I glance up to the apartment building - second floor, three to the right… I smile towards the window, not able to see anything but knowing full well what’s just on the other side. Every day I look forward to coming home and seeing her smile.

Absently I respond, “Something like that.”

~~

Hey, you! I hope you’re fine with pot roast for lunch tomorrow, we really need to finish those leftovers. We’ll make breakfast for dinner this weekend though, promise! And maybe we can try out that new strategy game?

Also, no I’m not writing this note from across the room because I ran out of time to write it at work. I have no idea what you’re talking about.

PS ok fine I’m being a creep and watching you right now… You’re really cute whenever you’re balancing up on that stapler. Just so you know.

~~

Yikes, I need to do more cardio. I’m huffing and puffing as I finally reach the top of the sixty foot ladder. I’ve only used it a couple of times now, but if this is going to become my daily commute, I really need to get used to it. I’m pretty proud of its construction - we utilized some bird ladders from a pet store, but I upgraded them with a couple of flat platforms along the way in case I need to sit and take a rest for any reason. Between that, the pillow at the bottom, and my safety rope, I think it’s a decent setup.

I hoist myself up onto the desk, and that’s about when I notice Aiden in the distance, standing just past the couch. His eyes are fixed on me and he’s as still as a statue. Once I reach the table’s surface, he seems to be able to breathe again and starts walking towards me.

I beam at him and lift my hands up above my head in triumph. “Made it!”

“Impressive!” Aiden smiles back and takes a seat in front of me. “It looks so intense, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.”

“You’re allowed to walk around when I’m climbing,” I assure him, hurrying over so that I can latch onto his hand in a hug.

“I know… I was just so afraid of distracting you and making you fall.”

“Diego was right. You really are such a mom.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment?”

At this point I’m tugging on his finger insistently and he gets the message, finally bending down to kiss me. I actually struggle kissing him back, still very out of breath from my climb. I wish I could have an elevator instead. Actually… That gets me thinking… Since I’ve been figuring out all those pulley systems…

Never mind, my brain’s not working right now. Engineering thoughts later, giant kisses first.

~~

E : Hey girls! I wanted to organize a little relaxing afternoon where we have tea and do artsy stuff
E : Camila, Star mentioned that you’re a fan of watercolors so I thought you might want to join : )
C : Yeah, I’m down. I haven’t painted anything in a while.
M : Can we make it a spa day too?? I have a bunch of sheet masks that I need to use up. I can try cutting pieces off for you Evie!
E : Hell yeah! Tea + spa + painting day
S : We can do it at my place! Any weekend this month is fine. When were you thinking?
E : If you guys are free next Sunday, I think the guys had their own plans and Aiden would be able to give me a ride
S : Perfect
C : Works for me
M : Let’s do it!

~~

I smile at the two girls giggling over at the couch. Moira’s come by a little early, so there’s an overlap before I have to head out for work, and I have just enough time to make everyone some lunch. My back was turned for a while as I worked at the stove, but now I’m cleaning up the dishes at the kitchen island, and so I can see into the living room.

It’s actually really cool to watch them from afar. Moira’s brought over some kind of art book that they’re looking at, and it sounds like they’re chatting away about interior design. Evie’s trying to get a better view by climbing up her friend’s arm to her shoulder, and without missing a beat Mo is reflexively assisting by raising her elbow higher to create less of an incline.

It’s officially been six months since Evie shrunk. Half a year of this insane new life. It’s amazing how much we’ve evolved in that amount of time. I remember how terrified she was of everything at first, how hesitant Moira was, how insecure I was. And now the three of us don’t even think twice about how we need to interact. It’s a strangely beautiful thing.

~~

I don’t see the big deal! I don’t judge your kink and I want to know more about it, what’s wrong with that?? If you don’t send me links I can always use Google you know : P (jkjk I won’t)

For real, let’s talk about it sometime? I won’t pressure you into showing me anything, and I can totally wait until you’re ready. But if it can help me understand you better then I’d really like to check it out sometime. I promise I won’t make fun of you. And who knows, it might spark some… ideas ; )

Love you!! Hope you’re having a good day at work

~~

I can’t breathe. I’m so dizzy and can hardly make sense of what’s what. I don’t even remember how I got here.

It had been a string of seemingly innocuous things today. I almost fell off my packing station when I was fixing one of the pulleys, saved by my safety rope but leaving my heart racing. I had looked forward to Aiden being home for lunch only to get an apology text from him getting pulled into a last minute meeting. Worst of all, there was a confused stranger who tried to get into the apartment while I was home alone, succeeding in scaring me shitless before they realized they were on the wrong floor and stopped trying to break in.

Between those and a hundred other little annoyances, by the end of the day I was overstimulated and anxious. All it took was the sound of a police siren outside to shoot me right back into six years ago, to a clear image of Brock coming home, stressed out about work and ready to take it out on me by pinning me to the wall by the throat.

“You’re safe.” Aiden’s kissing the top of my head, holding me softly in his hands. He’s been nothing but attentive when he saw this panic attack coming on. Like he is every time.

I’m crying so hard, desperately wondering when the pain will just go away forever. I’m so full of self hate for still falling into these pits of despair, full of fear that my partner will get sick of me for it. Everything just feels so hopeless. I’m always going to feel like the world is out to get me.

“I don’t know how you deal with me,” I choke out, vision blurry from the tears.

I hear some of my pain reflected back, but with much more calm and strength. “I love you. Maybe you can’t see it right now, but my life’s better with you in it.”

He holds me close by putting his face in his hands. The lights dim and I’m engulfed by his caring presence. He somehow knows exactly what I need to hear right now.

“I’m not going anywhere, Evie.”

~~

Hey sweet girl!

I know I keep saying it, but I had such a good time yesterday. I feel like I’m about to fall into a board game obsession myself if I’m not careful, especially with that co-op one, it was so fun! I think I’ll be looking forward to Evie’s favorite things days just as much as my own favorite things days.

Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, my parents decided to go on that cruise for Thanksgiving, so there’s no expectation of them seeing me. Buys us a little more time to figure all that out.

~~

I finish stuffing wet laundry into the dryer, and a few button presses later I turn to swing by the desk. I don’t immediately spot Evie, but nowadays there’s a second location that I need to check. My gaze trails to the floor, and although I don’t see her working away near the miniature scaffolding, tiny movements catch my eye not too far off.

I tread lightly and slowly to take a closer look, still from a distance. My bookshelf is up against the wall near the desk, and my miniature girlfriend has climbed up onto the bottom shelf. She’s on her hands and knees with her back to me, and she has her hair tied back as she runs some tissue paper along the wooden surface. She looks very concentrated, diligently working at the slight indents between the books.

“You can’t sneak up on me, babe,” Evie suddenly calls out, making me flinch. She sits up to smile at me over her shoulder. “I can feel your footsteps even more from down here.”

I give up on tiptoeing and take the last couple of steps to the shelf so that I can crouch down and not make her strain her voice.

“Whatcha doing there?" I ask, “That doesn’t look like work. Er, not Bitty Forge work, at least.”

“Just a little bit of dusting." She stands up and faces me, her ponytail whipping adorably. She must catch the “you don’t have to do that” look on my face because she crosses her arms defiantly. “What? I just want to be your tiny housewife!”

I can’t even think about her using the word “wife” right now and opt for a playful teasing. “Maybe I can get you a little maid outfit,” I suggest with a smirk.

She giggles. “Over my dead body. Now go away, I’ve gotta clean.”

But her words have no bite when her eyes are telling me a different story. She takes a step while flashing me a suggestive smile, arching her lower back and lifting her hip much more sensually than necessary. Then she folds forward, keeping legs straight with her fingers barely touching the ground to continue her “cleaning,” so that her little butt juts up into the air.

Despite her being silly, it immediately gets my heart racing. I get down on my stomach to bring my face closer to her, grinning as I extend a finger her way.

“Hmmm, but who’s going to clean you up, dirty girl?” I murmur, fingertip trailing from her feet up the length of her legs and then softly tapping the presented rear.

She actually loses her balance from this, laughing as she catches herself on her hands before crumbling dramatically to the floor, twisting around so that she’s laying on her back. I join in on the laughter from our antics, loving how relaxed I feel around her, but also getting very excited about the knowledge that her clothes probably won’t be staying on for much longer.

~~

Hey big guy~

I’m so excited that you’re almost done with work! Hang in there, your two weeks of freedom are almost here!! Man, I can’t believe the fall semester is so close though. Can I still be your study buddy even if I’m not in your class?

Also also, I keep forgetting to mention this so I’ll write it now - I had a rush order come in that I really need to ship out tomorrow. I should finish painting it tonight if you don’t mind dropping it off at the post office in the morning. Thank you as always! I’m working on getting more organized so you don’t have to go so often, bear with me.

~~

I’m not used to seeing both Moira and Diego at the apartment. The four of us have hung out at the Ignacios’ house quite a few times now, but it’s a bit of a different experience with everyone sitting on the floor, crowded around our ottoman instead of sitting around a dining table. It’s slightly more intimidating, having three titans so close, but kinda cozy too.

We’ve been playing Magic and are currently doing the Two-Headed Giant format - naturally - which means we’re playing in teams of two. Diego’s sitting on the floor right next to me as I’m up on the couch, while our opponents are on the opposite side of the ottoman.

“Alright, Shrimp, whaddya think? I just drew this one,” Diego mutters, showing me his hand as he fans out his cards. He points out one of them, Fiery Confluence. “I know that last mode might be useless right now, but the other two could still help.”

I frown and point to the text on the card. “You don’t have to use that last mode. It says you can choose the same mode more than once. We can just target all of our damage to them directly.”

“…Oh. Shit, you’re right.”

“Pays to read the fine print,” I say with a wink.

“Ehh, shaddup. You’re better suited for that job,” he responds with a grin.

I absolutely rub it in his face when my attention to detail wins us the match.

~~

A : Ok new thread, I’m leaving Evie off. Please make sure you’re responding to the right thread!
A : Her birthday’s in September but the idea I have will be a bit of an undertaking. I’d love some help keeping her distracted the morning of
S : Consider it done! We can lure her with board games all day long
M : I actually had a gift idea that could involve anyone who wants to draw or paint something really really small : )
S : We should all do that, just tell us what you need Moira!
D : Can I make cake?
A : That’d be great! Like that black forest cake you made around Christmas last year?
D : It’s the only fancy cake I can make lol

~~

It’s a quiet, mundane Thursday evening. I’ve been slacking on the dishes so we’re taking some time now to go through them all. I’m the one using soap and water while Evie’s next to the sink with some hand towels to dry things off as we go. Currently she’s working on a plate, and she’s making sure not to touch the ceramic with her feet by sitting on the towel like it’s a magic carpet, stretching one end out with her arms and then bringing the other end in with her legs. She’s essentially inch worming her way across the plate, and it’s too freaking cute.

I naturally make my way through the dish pile faster than she does. I dry my hands off so that I can at least help her out with the pots and pans, but when I watch her finish up polishing off a fork, I’m struck with a mischievous impulse.

Evie wipes at her brow as she gets to her feet and hurries over to the next utensil. But she hardly makes it a couple of steps before I snatch her up around the torso. I always make sure she can at least see me coming when I pick her up without permission like this, but even then I catch her off guard and make her gasp.

“Mine,” I chirp, and I lift her up to dangle her right in front of my smirking face.

She giggles and reaches her hands out to me so that she can latch on and give me a tiny kiss on the nose. “Yours,” she says tenderly.

With renewed vigor she readjusts herself in my hand, wrestling my thumb into a tight hug. “Mine,” she asserts.

I sigh happily and lean in to kiss the top of her head. “Yours.”

[Olo]

@littlest-lily Ngl, got scared during that last passage. I’m such a mom too.

[littlest-lily]

@Olo You mean while they were doing dishes?

[Olo]

@littlest-lily “Fork” is a trigger word.

[nephilim]

I wanted her on the fork you’kno’wh’mean

[nephilim]

@nephilim sorry. I’m a hopeless vorarephile.

[littlest-lily]

@nephilim Haha, no worries! I’m afraid I am not one though.

Having said that, you guys are coming a little too close to predicting what the next chapter’s about (but she doesn’t get eaten lol)

[littlest-lily]

Chapter 63
Evie

“Okay… how many?”

“Ummm. Three?”

“Damn!” I sit back on the couch cushion in shock. “How are you so good at this?”

Aiden grins with pride. “I have a lot of experience touching you, you know.”

“Still,” I say, a little befuddled. “Alright, try again?”

“Sure! As many times as you want, this is fun.”

I reach my hand out again and put it against his outstretched fingertip. Even fully splayed, my hand doesn’t even come close to covering the pad of his finger. We’ve been playing a game where I put up a certain number of fingers against his skin and he guesses how many by sense of touch alone. I can’t process how my ridiculously small digits must feel to him, but he’s been guessing right every time.

“Can you close your eyes this time?” I suggest.

“I can’t see through my finger…”

“Close 'em!”

He obliges, shutting his eyelids. I form a peace sign on his fingerprint.

“Two,” he says confidently.

“Wow. Okay, one more…”

He keeps his eyes closed and I attempt to throw him off. I lean forward and peck my lips against his skin instead.

Aiden laughs. “You didn’t think I could tell the difference between your hand and your mouth?”

He opens his eyes and I lean deeper into the kiss on his finger. At this point I’m foregoing the game and just getting a little frisky. Which I probably shouldn’t be - it’s nearing final exams for the class he’s working for, and he’s got a lot on his plate. But it’s been well over a week since we’ve done anything sensual and I’ve been finding myself missing his touch. I can see the longing in his eyes too, and I start feeling guilty for tempting him. I sit upright with a sheepish smile.

“Should you get back to work?” I ask.

“I probably should…” he mumbles.

“Will I be too much of a distraction on your shoulder?”

“Umm… I think I’m willing to take that chance.”

Jumping at the opportunity before he can change his mind, I scurry over the top of his hand and across his forearm. He chuckles at my enthusiasm, and he gently lifts and straightens out his arm to help me climb up to his neck. We settle into silence, with him on his laptop and me attempting to massage the muscles in his shoulders.

But even though we’re not talking or even looking at each other, I swear the sexual tension is arcing between us like static electricity. I take the occasional pause just laying against his neck and watching him answering emails. He seems pretty restless, his fingers tapping and fidgeting idly whenever they’re not actively typing. I glare every time I see a new message come in. How dare these students bother him with so many questions right before their final. Who do they think they are??

My arm muscles are getting sore after half an hour or so. I gravitate back towards his head, thinking I’ll shimmy down to sit on his collarbone and relax for a bit. But as I approach, Aiden takes a second to stretch. He’s very careful not to dislodge me from my perch, but I immediately notice an opening. Normally his ears are too high up for me to reach them, so even though I know they’re a sensitive spot for him, I don’t usually get the chance to touch them. But as he tilts his head to stretch out his neck, the side of his face comes really close to where I’m standing, and I just can’t resist - I reach up and brush my fingers against his earlobe.

“Ahhhh,” he quietly exclaims, shivering so hard from the tickle that I fall to my knees. His fingers are suddenly around me, not to pick me up but to make sure I don’t topple off of him.

“Sorry,” I giggle.

“Nope. Don’t apologize,” he sighs longingly.

I notice his head is still tilted my way, and if anything he seems to be bending it a little further in hopeful request. I reach up from my sitting position and with one finger I start caressing the side of his ear. His grip on me tightens slightly and goosebumps form on his shoulder right below me. After a few moments of me fondling and tickling, he lets out a sound that’s between a groan and a whine.

“Well, I did just get caught up on emails…” he grumbles.

“Sorry,” I say again with a wince.

“Stop,” he responds with a smile in his voice. “I can afford a little break.”

“Okay… Well in that case…”

I stand back up so that I can reach him with my mouth and begin gently pecking and nibbling at the edge of his earlobe. I can’t see his expression, but I can feel the subtle change in his pulse where his hand is touching me, I get jostled by the occasional shuddering, and his breathing is getting choppy. He’d be able to hear me whispering from this proximity, so as I start getting riled up myself from the effect I have on him, my quiet moans do not pass unnoticed. His fingers begin favoring me in turn, running lightly across my limbs and up my back.

“I want to see you,” Aiden murmurs as a head’s up before I’m encircled in his grasp. A part of me was enjoying how much pleasure I was able to give him from my spot on his shoulder, but mostly I’m brimming with anticipation for what comes next, so I don’t protest.

I look over the edge of his hand for a second so that I can take in his mammoth body, and I do notice that far below there’s a lump forming inside the loose fabric of his basketball shorts. I’ve still never seen him completely naked. There’s already so much to adjust to with sex at this size that we’ve been content to discover it very gradually, so he’s only ever used his hands and lips - the thought of getting his junk involved intimidates us both. But my glance down is still a longing one… someday we’ll get there.

My giant partner holds me out in front of him and casually but carefully uses a finger to force me onto my back in his palm. We take each other in for a moment and then he starts kissing me, starting at the side of my head and slowly making his way down my body. I’m making all sorts of sounds as I squirm and happily give in to him.

When he gets to the bottom, I’m surprised by a nipping at my ankle. I glance down just in time to see him delicately close his teeth around my foot as he sports a wide, playful smile. I push myself up on my elbows, so close to his face that I just stare at his eye and give him a quizzical look. Suddenly I feel something warm and wet against the sole of my foot and I jerk my leg back with a squeal, yanking it out of the giant mouth. I realize he just pushed his tongue up against me.

“What the hell?!” I laugh, wiping my foot off on his palm.

“Just being silly,” he chuckles. His free hand appears at my side and starts caressing my leg. “Although… I kinda wanted to try something new, if you’re open to it? It just might get a little… messy.” He takes my still-damp foot to gently rub between finger and thumb, accentuating his point.

I stare at him for a couple of beats, trying to decipher what’s going on in his mind. Suddenly, I recall a term that I’ve seen around the Internet before and wonder. “Wait a sec. Is it one of your fantasies to eat me?"

This sobers him right up. His eyes widen as he looks horrified. “No… no no no, not at all.”

I try to temper what I’m now realizing sounds like an accusation with, “It’s okay! Sorry, I totally jumped to conclusions, and I don’t mean to sound like I’m judging you. I mean, it’s all just fantasy, right?”

“No, well… yes, that is a thing that some people are into, but no, I just, um… I just like the idea of using my tongue a little bit.” He pauses, turning things over in his mind now that he’s gone more serious and adds, “But I can see how that might be… scary. We don’t have to. Forget I said anything.”

I feel guilty for how embarrassed he looks right now. I try to give him my most reassuring smile and then I shoot up to my feet, standing in the middle of his palm. Without a word I proceed to strip completely naked by pulling my shirt up and my shorts down. Aiden watches in stunned silence as I kick my pile of clothing off the side of his hand for us to find on the couch later.

I beam up at him enthusiastically. “It’s just like kissing, yeah? Except a little more wet. I’m down to try.”

He just stares for a few seconds before nodding weakly. Then, as if overcome with a sudden passion, he cups a hand around my back and leans in to start kissing me, harder than before. Instead of just passively taking it in this time, I kiss him back avidly, relaxing into him. I take in the warmth of his skin, the pressure of his lips, the smell of citrus on his breath from the orange he was snacking on earlier. We make out like we normally might for a little bit, and my bare skin is feeling more and more sensitive as the muscles between my legs get tighter.

Eventually we slow down while I’m somehow still standing upright, and Aiden softly breathes warm air on my lower body. He lightly runs his nose along the side of my frame, making me shiver with pleasure. With unhurried, deliberate movements, he puts slight pressure against my back with his fingertips as he starts kissing my legs. I hug myself against his cheek, closing my eyes as I breathe deeply, feeling ready to discover whatever it is he wants to explore.

Soon I feel something different against my thighs. His jaw has opened just a tad, and he’s carefully prodding with the tip of his tongue. It leaves a thin film of saliva where it touches my skin, and at first I worry it’s just going to make me cold. But the pressure begins to grow as the bumpy muscle covers more of my legs at once, its heat pleasant despite the moisture. It’s such an odd thing compared to what I’m used to. His tongue is so lithe and can form itself into flexible shapes against my body.

I gasp as the warm mass pushes my thighs apart, and he slowly licks the spot between them. My second ex only went down on me once, and it was pretty great, but I remember feeling so self conscious about it. And yet, even though I’m dripping wet at this point, I’m very aware that the space between my legs is so small, and that somehow helps ease my embarrassment. When the giant’s wetness finally meets mine in earnest, I moan without holding back.

I want to lay down now, so I lean into the folds of his hand that’s just behind me, and Aiden follows hungrily, becoming more confident in the way his mouth is moving. He’s definitely focused on my womanhood now, but his tongue is so big that it’s covering my legs in the process. The hot, wet pressure is so new and… exciting. The texture of his taste buds is most surprising of all, very distinct from the ridges of his fingers but feeling just as amazing against my sex. I writhe and wince uncontrollably.

There’s a brief pause as my boyfriend checks in, his tongue pulling away for a moment. “Doing okay?” he whispers.

“Yeah,” I gasp, “Don’t stop, I’m gonna get cold.”

He grins, more than happy to continue. He uses his free hand to briefly reach down to me and roll me over in his palm, so that I’m on my stomach instead of my back.

“C-Can I bring you in… inside?” he stutters.

I turn to look at him over my shoulder. “Inside your mouth?!”

He’s blushing fervently but nods. “Not completely, just to… surround your lower half a little more.”

I’m not sure how to feel about this, but I can’t say I’m not intrigued. “Okay… Just be careful not to swallow me or anything.”

Aiden kisses my back, helping me to relax back into his palm. “For the record,” he murmurs, “You’re not so small that that could happen by accident. I’ll go slow and you can stop me the second you’re uncomfortable. My goal here is to make you feel good, okay?”

His face is currently floating just above, so I turn my head again to make eye contact. I soak in the beautiful hazel of his irises, reminding myself of how deeply I love and have faith in my gigantic partner. I smile. And incline my head in agreement.

His tongue swoops back in. My nerves are mollified by the feeling of its weight sliding against my thighs again, snaking in between them so that he can maneuver the muscle underneath my legs. It prods and nudges and rubs against my entire crotch area, and I’m going right back into the throes of pleasure. Finally the tip of his tongue reaches my stomach, and he gets enough purchase against my body that I can feel myself starting to get dragged as he slowly pulls me into his mouth.

It’s probably a good thing that I’m on my stomach and looking in the opposite direction. I can only imagine how intimidating it would be to see the entrance of the cave I’m about to enter. Especially when some of his teeth are as big as my head. It’s… quite the trust exercise.

Once I’m halfway in and my ribs are resting just over his lower lip, the giant closes his mouth around me. He’s careful not to touch me with his teeth, but my legs are completely encased in the hot, humid space as I stare just past Aiden’s chin, at the fingers that are now encircling my torso, and also down and down and down the cliff that is the rest of his body. I watch his faraway hand disappear under the waistband of his shorts, just as I feel his tongue form its way over and around my body, completely enveloping my lower half.

This is absolutely wild.

His tongue slides against me effortlessly, and the entire package feels surprisingly fantastic. It’s reminiscent of a warm bath with water jets, like a very wet massage. At this point my own lubrication gets lost in the cave, but he has plenty to share. And I can feel the vibrations of his voice more than ever before, each small moan making me shiver. Aiden curls his tongue around my frame and I feel a sudden lift, a rolling motion, a pressure against my skin… as he starts sucking on me like a lollipop.

“Ohh,” I gasp with sudden realization of what’s happening. “Ohhhh…”

I grip the thumb that’s supporting me, my legs writhing feebly under the force of the suction. It feels like I’m getting swept up into some kind of piece of machinery, like a terrible accident waiting to happen, except the cogs aren’t actually crushing me, just coming dangerously close. It’s so intense that it’s almost painful, but the adrenaline heightens the pleasure beyond what I thought was possible. It’s so incredibly intimate to know that this insane sensation is being caused by something as mundane as my lover’s mouth.

God, I want… more.

To the surprise of us both, I start shoving against his hand, pushing myself deeper inside. Aiden flinches, as if slightly panicked that I was slipping in unintentionally, until he realizes what I’m doing and his fingers let go. I grab hold of his lower lip and press my face into it, my entire body fitting into the hot space as if I was one end of a spoon.

His tongue undulates and thankfully he’s using his lips to protect me from his teeth as my lower half is pushed into the roof of his mouth. He sucks and licks and massages every bit of me, until he finds a sweet spot with the edge of his tongue between my legs. I yelp as I feel individual taste buds against my clit, and he reacts to my sounds by thrusting, again, again, finding a rhythm that makes me breathless.

I grip his lip so tightly that I’m probably leaving a mark, and the orgasm hits me hard, making my body spasm as I cry out. I think Aiden’s right there with me, his voice echoing in the cavern at my back as his breath whooshes past me in a sigh. His tongue relaxes, and in the aftermath I’m suddenly rather anxious to get out of here, abruptly noticing the proximity of his enormous teeth. I wrench myself forward and his hand is ready to catch me, his tongue nudging me out as I collapse clumsily into his palm.

It feels good to see his face again. I vaguely catch on to the fact that he took off his shirt at some point, but I’m too busy looking him in the eyes as I lay there in his hand, covered in saliva and dizzy from the afterglow.

“You alright?” Aiden whispers with a hesitant smile, trying to catch his breath.

I’m struggling even more to catch mine. “That… was… intense…” I gasp, and with an overwhelmed laugh I add, “In a good way!”

My partner’s wasting no time in making sure I don’t start shivering now that I’m soaked. He brings up a tent-like blue cloth - oh, that’s where his shirt went - so that he can start wrapping me in it.

"You sure? It wasn’t too–” He stops himself short, freezing in place, just as he’s rolled me to the side to start maneuvering the fabric underneath my body. I glance up and he looks very alarmed as he stares at my torso. “Oh my god. Evie, I’m so sorry.”

I frown, confused, and look down at myself as I ask, “What? What’s wrong?”

“There’s… there’s bite marks… I didn’t think I bit down but I guess…” I twist a little further on myself and now I see it too - big red blotches right around my lower back.

“You didn’t,” I say quickly, “Don’t worry, Aiden, you didn’t hurt me. I think that was just from the sucking.” I giggle. “Like a giant hickey… Wow, that’s crazy. I don’t think it’s bad though, I’m sure it’ll fade quickly.”

He still looks very concerned, trying to both cover the rest of me up with the makeshift towel while gingerly running a thumb over the mark that he’d accidentally left. I gaze at him with a deep sigh, so endeared by the way he’s fretting over my wellbeing. I roll onto my back so that the mark is out of sight and take his thumb, hugging it against me as I snuggle into the loose fabric of his shirt.

“Relax, it doesn’t hurt. Don’t ruin my buzz, 'kay?” I murmur, “Because that seriously felt incredible. I want to do it again in the future.”

Aiden’s forlorn expression softens. “Really?”

“Yes! I completely get it now, I actually thought that was really hot. Maybe it’s not for every time, I love you touching me with your hands just as much. Less cleanup that way too.”

“Yeah, and I honestly kinda missed looking at you. But…” He lets out his own wistful sigh, leaning back against the couch as his shoulders relax. “I still really, really enjoyed that. You felt amazing in there, babe.”

I grin. “Variety is good! We’ve got more options now.”

It’s getting harder to hold my head up and I let it slump to the side, forehead resting against the pad of the thumb that I’m currently using as a teddy bear. The palm of his hand feels like a heated mattress, the heavy fabric of his shirt like a cozy blanket. I could lay here for hours, although I know this was meant to be a relatively short break.

“Mmkay, you can go back to work…” I say, slurring my words. “Could I just, like, chill in your pocket for a while? I want to stay close.”

My eyes have shut but I feel gentle air displacement on my face before huge, soft lips touch my cheek. “Cuddles first,” Aiden murmurs.

He readjusts himself to lay sideways on the couch, resting his hand with me in it on a cushion so that he can hold me within kissing distance as we relax for a bit. His nose nudges the back of my head, breathing me in and ruffling my hair on the exhale. When he speaks his voice is full of emotion.

“Thank you for being so open. You’re just making all my tiny dreams come true, one after another."

“Thank you for being my guide.” I open one eye to glance towards something far away and out of sight, my mind visiting the forbidden location between his legs. I don’t specifically call out what I’m thinking about as it feels like a conversation for a different time. But my response is genuine when I say, “I can’t wait to discover what all of those tiny dreams are.”

[Olo]

@littlest-lily