It’s the middle of the night as a tiny, humanoid figure darts across the bedroom floor. The minuit creature stands no taller than a can of soda, so it makes little noise as it moves through the shadows, making its way towards a massive, metal structure- it’s the bed belonging to the house’s current tenant, standing impossibly tall like some kind of monument in the eyes of the tiny borrower. He adjusts his round rimmed glasses which catch the moonlight pouring through the window as he peers up at the bed. There's suddenly a lump in his throat that he struggles to swallow. Goodness, how did he get himself into this situation? 

You see, Arthur was born into a colony of borrowers residing in the house, and his whole life the being who lived amongst them was the same old lady. She was relatively harmless despite being of gigantic proportions compared to the colonists. She was practically blind, nearly entirely deaf and incredibly gentle- literally wouldn’t harm a fly. This made the survival of the tiny people in the walls much easier. Their expeditions out into the house were always low risk, and the rewards were often bountiful. Even Arthur who was clumsier and less skilled than most of the other scouts would safely venture into the kitchen on occasion to collect goods, but this all changed drastically after the old woman passed away. 

Things became much more complicated when the new tenant moved in. He was young, unpredictable, much more aware of his surroundings. Arthur was taken out of the scouting rotation entirely- only the most skilled scouts were allowed to venture out at first while everyone adjusted to this new being. In fact, Arthur had never even seen the young tenant. He’d only ever heard about him. The borrowers who’d seen him had a lot to say- apparently he was very handsome and pretty, and he had an interesting lineage. Taika was a fire genasi which meant he had some distinct features- warm toned, reddish skin, irises that swirled with multicolored flame and flesh that ran unnaturally hot. 

Many of the colonists would gush about him, going on and on about his roguish good looks and his muscular body. On ocassion, Arthur would hear his voice through the walls and it would make him blush- everyone just painted such an attractive picture of the man and the sound of his voice was distinct and alluring. He had what larger beings would call an accent- an indication that they’d traveled from another land. From someone who had never left the house he was born in, that really stood out. 

Over the weeks, Arthur started getting restless. Still not cleared to venture out into the house, he was stuck on organizational duties, scheduling and the like. But the new tenant really slowed everything down, even the desk work. His sleep schedule was erratic, he would constantly invite over guests. It made it difficult for the borrowers to strategize their borrowing trips. Food and other supplies were starting to run low and Arthur found himself growing frustrated. How could their entire colony be helpless to one clueless person? 

“He can’t be that difficult to steal from,” he huffed at some of the other borrowers one day. Arthur was a smart, kind boy, but sometimes his naivety could make him come across a little bratty. Some of the other colonists his age would tease him for having his nose in books or how his big glasses fit his face. So, when he started complaining about their progress out in the field, they rolled their eyes at him. 

“Do you think you could do better, Arthur?” 

Arthur should have just shut up right there, but something about the state of everything was making him feel argumentative, and the next thing he knew, his peers were daring him to steal the necklace off of Taika’s neck while he slept and he was agreeing to do just that. 

That’s why we find him scaling the side of Taika’s bed, using a piece of the blanket draping off the mattress like a rope. Arthur’s hands are shaky and clammy as he climbs. Why on Earth would he agree to something so stupid? Expeditions would make him nervous back when it was just the old lady, now he’s going to crawl into the bed of a handsome fire genasi? He feels like he could throw up as he reaches the top, taking a moment to catch his breath and assess what’s in front of him. 

It’s so dark that he can barely make anything out. It just looks like a mountain of shadows and fabric, but he can clearly hear something very large steadily breathing. Arthur gulps and nearly turns around to head back, but he can sense the eyes of his friends on him. He wants to prove them wrong and just get this over with… he takes a deep breath and holds it as he marches forward, praying that the sleeping giant stays asleep while he robs him. The bed beneath his feet is so soft and warm and gets exponentially warmer the further he moves forward. He knows genasi are supposed to run warmer than other beings but gosh, the heat is almost overwhelming. It makes his eyelids heavy, like he could curl up for a nap, but the warm, pleasant feeling quickly disappears when he finally sees him. 

He's asleep, thankfully. He’s lying on his back, his head propped up on a pillow. He’s huge. The pretty face of the genasi man takes up nearly all of Arthur’s view. Gosh, he knew the creatures they lived amongst were gigantic but nothing could have prepared him for just how big that really was. He feels frozen, like he’s just walked into the lair of a dangerous monster and his every move from here on is life or death. His peers were right, though- if the man in front of him weren’t so monstrously large, he’d probably just be standing in awe of his beauty. He has a sharp jawline, high cheekbones, sleek, shoulder length black hair. The reddish hue of his skin, along with the perfectly groomed black mustache resting beneath his nose makes him almost reminiscent of the devil himself. 

Arthur ponders the words “devilishly handsome” as he takes a moment to center himself. Okay… what was it he needed to steal again? His necklace… the borrower’s eyes land on something shiny. The pretty giant wears a collection of gold earrings on his long, pointed ears. Arthur’s gaze drifts down to the giant’s long neck and sure enough, a shiny gold chain gleams in the moonlight. His friends are in shock as they watch Arthur clamber onto Taika’s bare chest. Apparently, he’s just going for it. What an idiot! 

The borrower can’t believe the sensation of standing on top of the giant. His flesh is so incredibly warm. It’s like a warmth he’s never felt before- and his scent! He knows big folk have the luxury of wearing cologne and soaps made with perfumes, but no one has ever smelled so good before. There’s also an alluring smoky scent- must be the natural smell of a fire genasi, like burning charcoals or the lingering smell of a campfire. Arthur ponders just curling up here to die. That wouldn’t be so bad, right? At least he’d die intoxicated by this creature’s warmth, with the dull thud of a heart beating beneath him. 

He’s as pale as a ghost as he reaches for the delicate gold chain on Taika’s neck, realizing that the clasp is crooked. Thankfully, that means he won’t have to climb much further. If he can just unclasp the necklace, he can make a run for it. He gently tugs at the chain, pulling the clasp towards him a bit- that’s when he feels the giant’s chest rise dramatically. Oh god- he probably felt the chain dragging across his skin. Arthur freezes as he feels a deep rumble which can only be the sound of a gentle moan escaping Taika’s lips as he wakes. Arthur’s eyes daringly dart up to the genasi’s face, stomach dropping as he’s met with two, glowing eyes peering directly at him. 

Shoot. Shoot! SHOOT! Of course, that was something else that differentiated Taika from the old lady- he could see in the dark! Arthur grips the chain with all of his strength and tries to tear out of there, the image of those giant, glowing eyes shaking him to his core. He feels something big and powerful swoop past him as the giant groggily grabs for the intruder with his hand. Arthur could just die. 

He feels the weight of the chain slowing him down as he runs and he knows he should just ditch it, but he’s come so far… he slings the chain off of the bed and it falls to the floor with a clunk. He can feel the victim of the robbery rise from his reclined position, causing everything around Arthur to shift. He lets out an undignified squeak as he leaps for the blanket he used to scale the bed. The friction burns his hands as he clings to the fabric and plummets down to the floor, definitely rolling his ankle as he lands. 

Despite his injuries, he picks up the chain once more and drags it behind him as he sprints back to the crack in the wall. His little heart has never pounded so hard in his entire life. This is undoubtedly the scariest and most exciting thing that’s ever happened to him. He has to at least survive it. He hears heavy footsteps following after him as he dives head first through the hole in the wall, desperately pulling the chain in behind him. Those massive footsteps get closer and closer, but Arthur is blessed that the giant he just burgled is too sleepy and disoriented to pursue him. 

His chest heaves as he stares at the wall, terrified that a giant hand is gonna come crashing through to grab him. After a few panicked moments, he hears the footsteps dissipate, and his whole body just collapses against the ground. What on Earth did he just do? 

He’s still clinging to the chain when his friends come rushing towards him in concern and excitement. They help him sit up and he’s met with pats on the back and hugs. 

“Arthur, you’re insane, man!! He didn’t see you, did he?” 

Arthur pales, recalling how it felt to be caught in the sights of those glowing, fiery eyes. 

“N-no, he didn’t see me…” 

Arthur retires to his room that night with newfound respect from his peers, and a gorgeous gold chain spooled up on his makeshift dresser (a box of matches). He stares up at the ceiling from his bed, haunted by the lie he told- he was definitely spotted tonight which means he was about to find himself in a whole mess of trouble

Taika doesn’t sleep a wink. How could he? There was some kind of CREATURE in his bed with him!! He paces back and forth on his porch, the cold night air giving him a bit of a chill. He keeps an arm wrapped around his narrow torso for warmth. Despite his naturally high body temperature, he’s very sensitive to the cold, always quick to shiver and complain during winter weather. 

“No, I swear to god, it wasn’t a mouse!” He hisses on the phone. “It had a little face! Like a HUMAN face, and he was wearing little glasses!” 

He’s been in a panic over the incident for the last few hours. After turning every light on in the house, and spending an extensive amount of time googling “tiny people who live in your house”, he decided that he felt more comfortable outside than inside. He wasn’t sure what he saw. A part of him even thought the burglar might have been a tiny ghost which circled him back to googling “can ghosts be tiny?”. Of course, he found little to nothing there, sustaining the mystery of what happened here tonight. 

“I haven’t taken any weird drugs, no,” he huffs. Of course his friend doesn’t believe his story. It sounds insane! A cute, miniature blonde man with glasses stealing the necklace off his neck while he slept? He knows he sounds like a basket case, but how can he deny what he saw? His friend slowly talks him off of the ledge and eventually, his nerves start to wear down. After hanging up the phone, his tiredness takes precedence over his nervousness and he heads back inside. 

He tiptoes back to his room and takes a peek inside. No tiny little nightmare men scurrying across the floor? His eyes land on his full length mirror, catching sight of his reflection. He’s half naked- wearing pink boxer briefs and a cut off hoodie. His raven hair is pulled back in a messy bun. Even frazzled and sleep deprived, he’s still stunning at least. How much of him has this little intruder seen? He’d guess probably everything… Taika’s never been the type to turn down an audience, but he doesn’t love the idea of something crawling in bed with him without permission… 

Taika closes his bedroom door and bunches up a towel in front of it, hoping to block off anything that might want to slip through the crack. Just for good measure. He’s going to sleep on the couch tonight, not that he’ll be any safer there… his bed is just tainted by the experience. He curls up with a fly swatter in his hands, ready to defend himself at a moment's notice. 

The next day, he’s nothing less than exhausted at work, but that’s no different than a regular day if he’s being honest. He's a bartender, and while he’s a natural at serving drinks and charming customers, his job can still be really dehumanizing at times. He usually deals with that by slipping a few drinks to himself throughout the shift (maybe one too many on occasion), and flirting with cute customers always lifts his spirits too. Today he’s a little distracted, though. His mind keeps drifting back to the events of the night before, trying to devise a plan of action for when he gets home. 

It’s a little disheartening. Taika grew up an orphan, then spent a few years as a young man on the streets. Even with all his talent and charisma, it never changed the fact that he was born into nothing. Lots of other people his age were going to fancy colleges, getting married or working their dream jobs while he was just grateful to have a roof over his head. Which is exactly why when he found a house for rent that he could actually afford, he jumped on the opportunity. 

It was a cute place, relatively small. He could tell it must have been owned by someone elderly by the style of the wallpaper, and well, it had that old lady smell. He spent the first few weeks making it feel like home, filling it with all of his belongings, his smell, his music. The bedroom closet had more color and texture than ever once he filled it with his pretty clothes- the one thing he’d always allow himself to spend money on. The place was really starting to feel like it belonged to him. It was maybe the first time in his life he’d ever felt that way. Which is why he was not going to let some spectacled little man scare him off. 

As soon as he’s home, he’s pulling his hair off his neck into a ponytail and throwing on the sweats he usually wears while he does house work. He grabs for a roll of purple painter’s tape and gets down on his hands and knees in search of any holes or cracks in the walls. He’s not sure if this is going to work at all, but maybe it will at least give him some peace of mind. The little guy must have come from behind the walls, right? Maybe this will keep him out. He starts covering every hole he can find with a piece of tape, then smooshes something against it like a book or box, anything he thinks might be too heavy for someone of that stature to move. The house is filled with the sound of his singing as he gets to work, turning up his speaker and listening to music. 

Meanwhile, all the borrowers are turning in for the evening. The scouts spent the day out in the house, searching for food while the giant was away. They managed to score a decent haul, though they wish Taika did a better job of keeping his kitchen stocked. There wasn’t a ton in the way of groceries. One of the most significant things they stole was a can of beer, which they spent the last few hours getting drunk on. Many of the colonists listen to the sound of Taika’s singing as they fall asleep, grateful that he has a good voice. The only borrower not partaking in the festivities is Arthur who is far too nervous about the repercussions of his actions to enjoy alcohol. 

Once everyone is tucked away in their rooms, he decides to go spy on Taika. He’s afraid that the man might do something dramatic like call an exterminator or put out traps or something. That would mean awful things for him and his friends. He scurries down his usual path through the house’s walls, following the sound of Taika’s handsome voice. He has trouble finding the exit for some reason… had he somehow forgotten where it was? It seems darker than usual… oh no! 

He rushes over to the wall touching the area where the exit used to be, realizing that it’s all sticky. Oh gosh, oh gosh- is that tape?? He pulls a sewing needle off of his hip and stabs at the tape, hoping to tear it away, but there’s something solid on the other side. 

“SHOOT!” He swears. Does Taika mean to cover all the holes? If the other borrowers see this, they’ll freak! In a panic, he rushes to the next nearest exit. That one is dark too! He quickly realizes that the tenant has covered a lot of ground. It takes him half an hour to find an open hole. Gosh, what is he going to do?! 

Taika is feeling pretty good about himself by this point, standing in his kitchen and enjoying a cold drink. He pulls his shirt up to wipe some sweat from his brow. Maybe he’ll sleep better tonight with a little whisky in his belly. He sighs and sets the drink down, stretching his arms over his head as he turns to leave the kitchen. He’s about to turn off the light when his eye catches something. 

He’s standing on the kitchen island, clutching a sewing needle like it’s a sword. Taika recognizes his messy blonde curls, his round rimmed glasses and of course, his tiny stature. The genasi man’s jaw drops a bit, stomach sinking the way it does when you know a rats been living in your house, but this is the first time you’ve really seen it. Arthur swallows as he’s caught in the giant’s sights again. 

“Hi… we need to talk,” he says.

Arthur isn’t sure what makes him more nervous- the fact that Taika could squash him under his hand or that he’s so attractive. His mouth goes totally dry, feeling pathetic and silly clutching his little sword as if it could do any damage to the giant. Taika blinks at him with those big, strange eyes. His irises, composed of multi-colored flames, swirl with surprise and curiosity. Arthur flushes, not sure how to handle the way he’s being devoured by the genasi man’s gaze. He nervously grips the sewing needle, slowly averting his eyes. The eye contact is too much. 

“And who might you be?” Asks Taika, slowly crossing his arms.

“A-Arthur..,” The borrower’s voice cracks a bit, so he clears his throat. Gosh, this is already going poorly. “I know you saw me last night, but please- let me explain.” 

Taika raises his eyebrow. “You mean, explain why you snuck into my bed last night without an invitation? Yes, why don’t you?” 

Arthur flushes again. It makes him sound so dirty when he puts it that way. He remembers Taika all curled up on the couch after the incident. It made him feel awful realizing that he’d made the genasi man too uncomfortable to sleep in his own bed. He anxiously drags his fingers through his blonde curls. 

“I’m a borrower. We live in the walls, and take things that big people like you won’t miss…” 

Taika scoffs a bit. “Stuff we won’t miss, huh? You mean like my necklace? The most expensive thing I own?” 

Arthur starts to sweat. “I’m really sorry about that! I promise there was a good reason. Well- maybe not a GOOD reason, but there was a reason!” He takes a deep breath. He needs to collect himself before he does something really embarrassing like start to cry. “Please, just… let me explain?” 

Taika huffs a bit before leaning back against the counter and gesturing for Arthur to go on. He’s still not happy about what happened, but the little man is a lot less scary now that he’s out in the open, and he seems genuinely nervous and apologetic. Taika doesn’t see the harm in letting him speak. 

Arthur takes another deep breath and does his best to explain it all- that he’s a borrower, that there is a colony of borrowers in Taika’s home, that remaining secret to big folk is something taken very seriously in their society. He explains that their chief would have the whole colony move out if he realized that Taika knew about their presence. His people don’t even know where the next nearest borrower colony is and if they were to move now, they likely wouldn’t survive outside of the walls of this house. Taika listens carefully and asks questions here and there. Arthur is surprised that he manages to get so far in the explanation process without getting smashed or shoved in a jar- the typical horror stories of big folk discovering bowerers. 

Taika eventually sits down at the kitchen island where Arthur stands, resting his chin against his hand as the little thief continues to speak. It makes Arthur extra nervous at first- having someone so big looming so close. He glances over at Taika’s other hand which rests close by, swallowing as he imagines how much power it must have over him. He watches as the giant fingers tap against the table top- his nails are painted black, but they’re a little chipped. 

The genasi man doesn’t really notice the effect this simple act has on the borrower. How could he possibly understand how intimidating his size is? 

Arthur gets to the point in the story where his friends were picking on him, and he explains that he stole Taika’s necklace on a dare. He starts to ramble a bit- explaining the nuances of their relationships, how he sometimes feels like he doesn’t belong. Gosh, is he venting to this man about his personal problems right now? 

Taika furrows his brow. “You shouldn’t let them talk to you like that, you know? Just because you’re not as good at borrowing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be treated with respect..” 

Arthur flushes, dragging his fingers through his hair. “Y-yeah, I know.. you’re right.” He glances up at the giant man. Is he actually expressing concern for him? “Funnily enough, they’ve been a lot nicer to me since I stole the necklace.” 

Taika smiles softly at him, sighing. “I suppose that’s one good thing to come from this, ay?” 

Arthur’s eyes widen. Out of all the possible outcomes of revealing himself to Taika, he hadn’t considered exchanging smiles with him. He's been so receptive to his story. He’s actually pretty friendly and kind? Arthur nods up at him. 

“I- I should give it back. Your necklace. It was really stupid of me to take it from you, and I’m so sorry…” He nervously rubs his arm, feeling like a jerk for causing such a mess. 

Taika eyes him, watching the way he blushes and shrinks away. He drags his fingertips along one side of his mustache- something he does when he’s pondering. Arthur is actually quite cute up close with his blonde curls and his little glasses. It makes it awfully difficult to be mad at the guy even though all this stuff about borrowers is a lot to take in. 

“No… you should hold on to it if we’re to keep up the charade that I don’t know about you,” he says, sighing. 

Arthur’s eyes get big. “Really? You’re.. you’re gonna help me with this?” 

Taika stretches his arms above his head. “Yeah… I think so.” He flashes a smile down at Arthur and it makes the poor borrower melt. He’s dazzled by Taika’s handsomeness. 

“As long as you don’t do any more creepy stuff like hop into my bed? No drinking my bath water or anything?” 

Arthur stammers, balling up his fists, “O-of course I’m not going to drink the bath water!!” How could Taika joke about something so crude? 

Taika giggles, then extends his pinky finger out towards the little borrower. “Deal then. Shall we shake?” 

Arthur stares at the extended phalange tentatively. The genasi man has been so reasonable, but the little voice in the back of his mind is screaming that he should never trust big folk. It’s what they’ve been conditioned to believe their whole lives. Despite this, he reaches out and grips Taika’s pinky with both hands, flushing at the contact. 

“D-deal..” He looks up at Taika bashfully. “So… Will you take down the tape?” 

Taika lets out a long sigh. All of that hard work down on his hands and knees- for nothing. He nods. “Yeah, yeah… I’ll get on it.” 

Arthur nods quickly, grateful and relieved that the giant is being so kind. “And- um,” he squeaks. “Could you… maybe buy groceries soon?” 

The genasi man raises an eyebrow. “Awfully ballsy to demand something like that in your position, isn’t it, little man?” He smirks down at him, watching Arthur immediately devolve into a nervous puddle. Taika laughs. 

“Sure, yeah. It would probably be good for me to go shopping soon. Your people must be living off beer and cheese?” 

The little guy nods. “Yeah, actually everyone went to bed drunk tonight,” he chuckles. 

Taika shrugs. “Sounds like fun.” 

The dark haired man stands up and stretches, causing his shirt to ride up a little. Arthur gets a peek of some sharp hipbones, a well defined abdomen and an exquisitely groomed trail of black hair leading from his belly button to the band of his sweatpants. Arthur swallows hard, clueless how he’s supposed to hide the way that he’s ogling his new acquaintance. Luckily for him, Taika is distracted, starting to think about his next project- removing all the tape. He glances around, recalling all the areas that he covered up. 

“Guess I’ll get to it.” He starts to walk off, but glances back at Arthur one more time. “Oh, how do I get in contact with you?” 

Arthur flushes for the millionth time. “Into contact… with me?” 

Taika chuckles. “Yes… considering the two of us are sharing a secret, I thought it might be smart if we had a way to reach out to each other?” 

The borrower nods slowly. That does make sense… he glances around, looking for something they might be able to use to signal each other. He points to Taika’s refrigerator. “You could arrange those magnets into a shape? Maybe a smiley face? And I’ll know to come find you.” 

Taika considers the idea, and seems to agree. 

“But,” Adds Arthur, “We probably shouldn’t talk much…” Saying this makes Arthur feel strangely sad. He knows it’s what’s best for the colony, but.. he’s kind of liked getting to have a conversation with Taika. 

The genasi man just nods. “Right… so, emergencies only.” 

“Emergencies only.” 

The two boys nod at each other and exchange smiles before Taika starts for his bedroom. “Goodnight, Arthur,” he says with a smirk. 

“Night, Taika,” he replies quietly. He watches as Taika disappears into the bedroom and hears him start getting to work. Gosh… did that really just happen? He dumbly climbs down from the kitchen counter, still covered from head to toe in blush. He never imagined having the bravery to speak face to face with one of the big folk, but somehow he did it, and it actually went so well. He pinches himself a few times on the journey back to his room, passing by Taika as he’s hunched over on the floor, undoing the mess he made with the tape. He pauses to look at him one more time before scurrying up into the walls. 

Back safe in his bed, he can still hear the token noises of a human sized man moving about. This probably goes on for the next hour before the house turns still and quiet. Arthur is still wide awake, going over every word of the conversation again and again in his head. His little body is buzzing with excitement and residual anxiety. Taika asked him how to keep in contact… Does that mean he liked talking to him too? The borrower blushes, clutching one of his pillows close to his chest, imagining what it might be like to spend more time together.

Goodness… does he have a crush on Taika? 

Arthur peers through a hole in the living room wall. It's late morning. The sun is pleasantly pouring through the house's large windows, keeping the man who is currently stretched out on the floor nice and warm. The genasi man is in the middle of his yoga routine, effortlessly stretching his body into a myriad of different forms, all of which are pleasant to the eyes of the tiny borrower. His little heart flutters, hearing the sounds of Taika’s deep breathing, watching the way his soft shorts ride up his muscular thighs as he bends over. Spectacled, watchful eyes follow a bead of sweat dripping from the pretty man’s jawline down his long neck. It disappears beneath his cutoff, and Arthur recalls what it was like being in contact with Taika’s warm bare chest. He hears a sound escape the genasi’s lips and his gaze circles back to his handsome face. Oh, he’s giggling. Whatever he’s listening to on his phone brings a smile to his face. Arthur’s eyes shine. He looks so striking when his full lips are curled into a smile, so sweet. His dark mustache which already naturally curls at the ends, turns upwards, extenuating his smile. The little borrower’s heart could burst. 

He quickly turns around and presses his back to the wall, prying his eyes off the handsome man. Woof. He’s GOT to stop spying on Taika. He knows it's weird and probably so creepy, but he hasn’t been able to help himself since their interaction. It’s been a few days since Taika agreed to help him, and in that time the magnets on the refrigerator have not been arranged into a smiley face once. Arthur has checked everyday, (sometimes multiple times a day), for the subtle cue that they’re to meet up, but nothing. Gosh, why did he have to be noble and tell Taika that they could only speak if it was an emergency? He drags his fingers through his messy curls, trying to get a grip. What would the two of you even have to talk about, Arthur? You couldn’t be any more different… A relationship with him of any kind would just be trouble. Just let it go. 

Before he has a chance to give in and take another peek, he’s forcing himself back to the colony. The results of asking for Taika’s help have been remarkably positive, despite Arthur’s frustrations. It was only a day after their conversation that one of the scouts rushed in and excitedly reported that the tenant had brought in armfuls of groceries. The colony was abuzz that night as the scouts made plans for a big borrowing. While they feasted on their spoils the next few nights in the dining hall, Arthur’s chest filled with pride. He played a key role in providing this success after all, and everyone seemed so pleased. 

He struggles to push down the terrible guilt inside of him when he’s near the Chief and Chieftess, though. They are the oldest and wisest people in the community, and they kept things afloat since before Arthur was born. They were like grandparents to all of the borrowers, providing for and loving every single one of them. It feels like such blasphemy to conspire with one of the big folk behind their backs. It is one of their most serious rules, but Arthur is so confident that Taika would never harm them. It can’t be that wrong, can it? Plus, their Chieftess, Adelaide came from another colony in another house long ago, and she’s mentioned tales of borrowers and humans having friendships. Arthur can’t help but feel curious about that. 

A few more days pass and Arthur tries his best not to spy on Taika. He gets a peek here and there, hears his voice through the walls, but he pushes down the part of himself that wants to obsess. Some of the scouts even invite him along on a borrowing, still impressed with the way he borrowed the necklace right off the giant’s neck while he slept. They want to take advantage of some snacks Taika left out on his desk- he suddenly got a lot worse at picking up after himself after their chat, suspiciously only when it came to snacks… Arthur can’t help but smile at the little presents Taika leaves them. With his friends blissfully unaware, they take a few chips, a grape, a small cleaning cloth, and some eraser bits off his desk. The genasi man is only a few feet away, sleeping in his bed while it goes down. There’s a small part of Arthur that wishes he would just wake up and catch them. 

About a week has passed since their chat when Arthur finally stops checking on the fridge, resigning to the fact that there aren’t any emergencies right now. Taika is clearly in no hurry for them to talk again, and Arthur shouldn’t be either! It’s better this way… Or atleast, that’s the lie he tells himself so he can sleep at night. Truthfully, he’s always found big folk kind of fascinating. They don’t just survive- they create and dream and flourish. There’s so much more to their lives than stealing food and staying hidden. The world belongs to them, and it has so much to offer. Arthur has heard Taika on the phone with friends countless times and watched him engage in numerous hobbies- hobbies that he excels at! Sometimes the borrowers will listen as he fiddles on his guitar, and it sounds so lovely… Arthur wants to know what it's like to have all that life. 

That night, he wakes from a nightmare that he can’t seem to recall, covered in a cold sweat. It’s late. Everyone in the colony is still. Arthur takes a moment to slow his breathing, but something is nagging him. He hasn’t even checked the fridge in a few days. What if Taika has been wanting to reach out? He huffs. There won’t be any message there, Arthur. 

But what if there is? 

The tiny blonde man rolls his eyes as he drags himself out of bed. He doesn’t even bother to get fully dressed. He just throws his little boots on and rolls out in his PJs. He’s sure this will be quick, because those magnets will not be arranged into a smiley face. He groggily makes the trek through the walls and squints when he reaches the borrower entrance to the kitchen. It’s so dark that he can barely see the fridge at first, but after his eyes adjust for a moment, his jaw drops. There it is, plain as day- the fridge is smiling at him! Arthur’s heart nearly leaps out of his chest. Shoot! How long has that been there? He stands there in a panic for a moment, not sure what to do with all of his anxiety. 

He can hear the sound of a television droning on, and he’s pretty sure it’s coming from the living room. This is good- it means Taika is probably still awake. He rushes in there as quickly as he can, scrambling up the coffee table so he can get a good view of the couch. He stops in his tracks when he sees Taika laying there. He’s all curled up, fast asleep. He must have drifted off while watching tv. Arthur just stares for a moment before using all of his strength to shove over an empty can on the table. 

The gentle clatter causes the man on the couch to stir, his eyelids fluttering softly before opening. “Mmm..” Those fiery, swirling eyes quickly fix on the man standing on his coffee table. “Oh,” he says. “Wasn’t sure if you were ever gonna show..” 

Arthur immediately flushes, squeaking, “Gosh- I’m so sorry to wake you! I just- I saw your message? On the fridge?” 

Taika yawns as he stretches and sits up. “Oh, yeah.. I put that up yesterday morning.” He rubs his eye. 

Arthur feels so silly and flustered all of a sudden and Taika is pretty cute when he’s all sleepy like that. He fidgets nervously. “Ah! I’m sorry. I- I’ve been busy I guess.” He scratches his head. “Um, what did you need, Taika?” 

The genasi man leans forward a bit, getting a better look at the borrower. He smiles down at him. “Oh- I was making my next shopping list.” He reaches over and sets a notepad down in front of Arthur’s feet. He’s already listed out some groceries. There’s even a recipe for curry there. 

Arthur’s eyes go wide. “O-oh?” 

“Yeah,” Taika continues. “I thought there may be some things you might like to add to it?” 

Arthur blinks a few times. “Oh! Really? How thoughtful!” He steps around so he can take a better look at the list, smiling as he imagines Taika in the kitchen actually cooking a decent meal. The opportunity to make a decision like this is so strange. It’s not like he’s ever gotten to pick what’s brought back from the grocery store before… He drags his fingers through his hair nervously. 

“Um,” Arthur frowns down at the list. “Dottie, the old lady who used to live here? She always had candy. Like, LOTS of candy,” He chuckles. “I think a lot of us have been missing that..” 

Taika raises his eyebrows, smirking at the borrower. “Oh, I see.. Arthur has a sweet tooth, huh?” He shrugs, “Yeah, I’m not really big on sweets, so it's probably good you mentioned it. What’s your favorite?” 

Arthur blushes. “I think it would be really nice to have some chocolates, personally..” 

Taika’s lips curl into a smile as he starts writing that down. He writes “chocolates for Arthur”, causing the little guy to blush and get flustered. 

“Hey! Don’t write my name on it!!” He squeaks, prying the pencil out of Taika’s strong fingers. The genasi man just stares at him as he maneuvers the comparatively giant pencil around and erases his name. He taps his lips. It’s kind of fascinating to see what someone so small is capable of. Arthur is flushed as he hands the pencil back, a little embarrassed by his behavior. 

“Uh, we just need to be discreet, you know??” 

Taika just chuckles in amusement, “Sure, yeah. What else?” 

Arthur crosses his arms, staring at the list seriously. The cogs are obviously turning in his head now. “Well,” He begins. “Do you know how to cook brussel sprouts? I think we could all use more vegetables in our diets!” 

Arthur starts rambling off a list of different foods he thinks would be good for the colony. Taika has to bite back a smile as he goes on. The borrower sure does have big opinions for someone so small. He patiently listens to Arthur’s requests, writing things down here and there after they’re agreed upon. The genasi man eventually grows bored of talking about food, his chin resting in his hand as he stares down at the chatty blonde boy curiously. 

“Hey..,” He interrupts while Arthur is debating the most optimal shape of lettuce leaf. “How tall are you? You’re so tiny..” 

Arthur flushes, realizing that he’s been rambling and that he’s being ogled by giant eyes. “Oh- uh,” He scratches his head. “Like 4 inches? Give or take..” 

Taika beams, gold blush blooming on his cheeks as he starts to giggle. “Oh my gods! That's teensy.. you’re so cute.” 

The borrower doesn’t know how to handle this, immediately flustered and blushing bright red. He feels both flattered and a little patronized. He crosses his arms and huffs, but he can’t contain his smile. “Well- How- How tall are YOU?” 

Taika shrugs. “6 foot.” 

Arthur’s eyes widen. “That’s HUGE!!” 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Taika giggles. “For someone who is only 4 inches..” He smirks as he watches Arthur blush and stutter. What an adorable little creature. He starts reaching his finger out, considering poking him. “Oh,” He says. “Sorry.. I’m so tempted to touch you to make sure you’re real.” 

The borrower blushes more if that’s possible, looking Taika up and down as if to gauge whether he feels comfortable with that. His eyes fall to the soft smile on Taika’s lips, then up to his eyes which swirl with what Arthur might consider adoration. 

“Okay,” He says quietly. “Go ahead.” 

Taika flashes him a reassuring smile before pressing his finger into Arthur’s chest. It causes him to stumble back the slightest, mostly because he’s so nervous, but also because it’s just so big. The pad of the genasi’s finger takes up most of his chest. He can’t help but notice how warm Taika’s skin is. He can smell the lotion on his hands- cocoa butter he thinks.. 

“Boop,” says Taika before pulling his finger away. “So, you are real.” 

Arthur foolishly feels a little breathless. The contact felt nice however brief it was. Now that he thinks about it, he can’t remember the last time someone gave him a hug or any kind of affection really. Gosh, is he realizing that he’s touch starved? He just nods at Taika awkwardly before turning around and pretending to be interested in the tv, doing anything to get Taika’s eyes off of him. 

“So, what are you watching?” He squeaks. 

Taika smirks, glancing back up at the tv, “Oh, it’s a hospital drama.” 

Arthur stares up at a screen that would be the size of an imax for a human, watching as a bunch of pretty people dressed as doctors dramatically argue over hospital affairs. They seem so silly with their perfect hair and their over the top sex lives. 

“Do people really act like that?” Arthur asks. 

Taika snorts. “Absolutely not,” He replies, having spent hours of his life watching this kind of television. “That’s why you can’t help but look away. It’s like a train wreck, but everyone in the wreck ends up in each other’s pants.” He sighs, glancing down at the tiny blonde man on the coffee table. “You know, you don’t have to go right away. Stay and watch a few.” 

Arthur’s eyes go wide before he turns around to look at Taika. The pretty giant pats the soft arm rest next to him, tempting Arthur to come sit with him. His smile is sweet, but also a bit devilish- he knows they’re not supposed to be spending time together, but he’s never really been one to follow the rules anyway. 

“I’ll make popcorn,” he adds. 

Ugh, Arthur knows all about popcorn- salty, buttery, easy to bring back to the colony. His stomach growls as he stares up at the genasi man. 

“Maybe a few episodes.” 

Taika smiles and holds out his hand to Arthur. It takes the borrower a second to realize what he wants. He stares at the open palm, Taika’s long fingers, his black nail polish. After a deep breath, he steps into the extended hand, immediately enveloped in its warmth. He can’t believe how easily Taika moves him from the coffee table to the couch. It’s like he weighs nothing at all, and the giant is so gentle with him as he sets him down on the arm rest. Arthur forgets to breathe for a moment, then smiles up at the now much closer genasi man. 

From there, the boys do exactly as they talked about- Taika makes popcorn and gives Arthur a piece bigger than his head. It’s honestly enough to feed him for a few days. The borrower catches glimpses of Taika while he snacks on his popcorn, watching him throw several pieces in his mouth at a time. He tries not to think about the possibility of getting eaten. He knows those powerful teeth could crunch right through him, break all of his bones, but the idea that Taika would lure him here just to snack on him is ridiculous. 

Despite both of them feeling a little strange about the size difference, they quickly discover that they enjoy each other’s company. It’s not long before they’re chatting over the show, making fun of the ridiculous circumstances the characters end up in. Eventually, they diverge to other topics entirely- Taika talks about working at the bar, his friends, even a little about his unconventional upbringing. In return, Arthur talks about some of the other colony members and what it’s like being a borrower. After they get started, it feels like they might just talk endlessly, both boys having chatty personalities in different ways. 

They both find themselves smiling and giggling- Arthur in particular can't remember the last time he giggled so much. He finds Taika so easy to talk to, so devilishly charming. It’s like he’s cast a spell over the little borrower. And Taika is enchanted in turn. He’s used to being showered in attention by men and women and alike, but sometimes he wonders why he bothers with men- not because he doesn’t find them attractive (he certainly does), but because so many of them are abrasive and/or inconsiderate. Arthur is an exception to this. He’s sweet, and actually listens. Taika looks forward to every time the tiny blonde looks up to smile at him. 

Taika is a very touchy person. He’s always been that way- quick to throw his arm around someone and give out hugs. Plus, he’s a total flirt, and between his physical and spiritual warmth and his attractiveness, people are very receptive to his touch. In most situations, he’d be taking advantage of this with Arthur. He’d start by flirting in small ways, innocent touches here and there to see how much he could get away with and then through the course of the night he’d turn up the charm until maybe he scored a kiss. Maybe this kiss would evolve into something more. Maybe Arthur would end up in his bed. 

But Arthur is no regular man. Taika assumes that the gap in their size makes those boundaries much larger, so he settles for simply being in close proximity to each other. He does, however, drape the corner of the blanket he’s using over Arthur while they watch their silly show and after blushing about it, the borrower makes himself cozy beneath it. In fact, he finds himself so cozy that he starts to go quiet. Taika notices after a while that Arthur’s fast asleep. 

The genasi man takes this opportunity to stare a little. It’s so strange seeing someone who is so damn small. He watches Arthur’s little chest rise and fall, leaning in a bit to see his features up close. He's pretty. Soft and kind of boyish. Taika is almost jealous of his curly, blonde hair. He smiles softly before turning off the tv. Should Arthur be back at the colony by now? He doesn’t really have the heart to wake him… 

He very gently scoops the borrower’s unconscious body into his hand and turns off the living room lamp. Arthur remains completely conked out even as he’s carried into Taika’s room and laid out on his nightstand. Taika makes a little bed for him out of a folded up sweatshirt, and drapes a t-shirt over top of him to keep him warm. Finally, he delicately pinches the borrower’s tiny glasses between his fingers and very carefully removes them. 

“Night,” he whispers before curling up in his own bed. 

Hours later, Arthur stirs, enveloped by the pleasant smell of Taika’s clothes. He smiles softly, snuggling in a little further, then he realizes- this isn’t his bed! He sits straight up and starts feeling around for his glasses. Shoot! Where are they? He nearly knocks them off the nightstand before finding them, and throwing them on. Where is he? His eyes quickly fall to the sleeping face of Taika and he flushes. He looks down at the makeshift bed that surrounds him. 

“Gosh,” he says under his breath. Taika must have tucked him in… that’s so sweet. He just sits there for a moment, his heart fluttering wildly before he pulls himself out of bed. He has to get back before the others wake or they’re going to have questions! He peers at the snoozing genasi man one more time before running off. 

His clothes reek of all of Taika’s pleasant smells- his natural smokiness, his cologne, his detergent. He’s quick to strip once he’s back to his room. No one can catch him smelling like that, but he folds up his clothes and stashes them for later. He’s relieved that he made it back in time as he lies down in bed. Yeah… there’s no way that the emergencies only rule still stands.