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. 

Arthur lies face down on a bed of immaculate warmth. He’s surrounded on all sides by his favorite smells- The scent of burning charcoals, a campfire, cheap cologne, laundry detergent. He can hear the sound of powerful lungs inhaling and exhaling, the rhythmic thud of a calm, sturdy heart. Goosebumps flair along his back as a finger larger than his body gently presses against him, stroking and petting him. Arthur finds himself wishing that everything in life could be so simple. His head is almost entirely empty. 

Taika sighs as he strokes the borrower’s back, mindlessly scrolling through social media. He’s wearing comfy clothes- a Tshirt and some loose fitting joggers. Arthur has been lying on his chest for probably twenty minutes now, and he’s just as comfortable and content as the blonde is. Arthur can hear the mechanisms at work inside the giant’s chest as he sighs. 

“Well, sorry to say it, Arthur, but I need to start heading to the bar…” 

Arthur frowns into Taika’s chest. Why does Taika have to have a job? 

“Oh,” He sighs and stretches a bit, peering up at the genasi man’s face. “Already? How did all that time pass?” He chuckles. 

Taika smirks down at him. “Awe, someone is comfy and doesn’t want to move, huh?” He pushes his fingertip through Arthur’s blonde curls. 

The two boys have been spending a lot of time together during the past few weeks, and they’ve gotten much more comfortable with each other as a result. In fact, these cuddle sessions have become commonplace. Their friendship still remains a secret to the colony, so their meetups aren’t always easy to plan, but that doesn’t stop them. Taika is always quick to kneel down and extend a hand out for the borrower when he catches him scurrying across the floor. This typically happens at a late hour when the others are sleeping and Taika’s finished with his shift, but sometimes they find ways to hang out earlier in the day. 

Just last week, Arthur sat on Taika’s shoulder while he cooked dinner for the two of them. He watched as the genasi man chopped vegetables, seasoned chicken, stirred up sauce- all by using giant, sharp utensils that could easily be used as instruments of torture for the little borrower, but Arthur didn’t fear those things in the hands of Taika. It was nice to see things from his point of view, to hear his voice so close to him, to feel the warmth of his neck. Sharing a home cooked meal made him feel so special. There was suddenly no denying that they were a part of each other’s lives. 

The week before that, Arthur left the house for the first time. It took a fair amount of convincing on Taika’s part, but the nervous blonde found it difficult to tell Taika no, especially when he looked at him with those big, swirling eyes. He rode in Taika’s breast pocket during the short drive to a nearby coffee shop, the sound of the giant’s steady heartbeat encouraging his own to slow down. They sat down in a quiet booth together where not a soul disturbed them, and Taika let Arthur out onto the table. He giggled as the borrower took in the unfamiliar surroundings. A simple trip to the coffee shop transported him to an entirely different world and the effects of that were written all over his face, his bright eyes wide with wonder. Taika reached out and poked his middle with his index finger, beaming down at him. 

They spent some time just sitting in Taika’s car afterwards, neither of them noticing how much of the day had passed until they saw that the sun was setting. They listened to music and chatted about this and that. Arthur alternated between sitting on Taika’s thigh and situating himself on the dash where he could get a better view of the genasi man’s handsome face. Things felt infinite when they were together, like an eternity could pass and they’d never notice. Both of them anticipated the moment of their parting with trepidation. 

Neither of them were blind to this connection even though they both pretended so. Taika found himself wishing that Arthur had a phone while he was bored at work, finding funny memes and videos that made him think about the borrower. It was easy for him to make friends and as a result, he had a lot of them, but so many of those friendships stayed surface level. Perhaps this was by design, the former orphan fearing the loss of a connection after it was formed. He could never be abandoned if he kept everyone at an arm's length, but he and Arthur were far past that. He dared to say that Arthur was his closest friend and more than that- his crush. 

Arthur felt the same. He’d spent his whole life with the same group of people and while he had love for all of them, he’d never known anyone like Taika. Sometimes after they parted and he laid sleeplessly in his bed, his tiny heart would burst with feelings that were too big for him. The sound of Taika’s laughter would get stuck in his head like music. He’d recall the comfort of laying on his chest. His bed could never capture that warmth, that safety. 

Unfortunately, neither of them were sure what to do with all these big feelings. They weren’t sure how to bridge the gap between friends and lovers- a gap that was even more significant with all their differences. 

So, as they begin to part ways for the night, they try hard not to feel sad about the possibility of not seeing each other for a few days. Taika pets the top of Arthur’s head with his fingertip before scooping him up and setting him on his nightstand. 

“Ugh, I’m exhausted already,” he groans, stretching his arms over his head. 

Arthur smiles up at him sympathetically, sticking around for a while longer while Taika gets ready for work. 

“Bye, Taika,” He says with a smile. 

“Lots of stuff around for you to borrow if you’re in the market for it,” Taika responds, giving Arthur a smile and a wink. 

Arthur still feels a little drunk off of Taika’s cologne as he makes his way back to the colony. He lifts his shirt to his nose, getting a huff in. He feels dreadfully guilty at times for how he thinks about Taika. He’s almost certain there’s no way the feelings are reciprocated, and he feels so skeevy for lusting after his friend, but a few days ago he walked in on something that made these desires even more difficult to dismiss. 

It was late, and Arthur heard voices. It wasn’t unusual for Taika to bring someone home with him. They’d even talked about it a few times. Taika liked to joke about his slutty tendencies, which honestly didn't bother Arthur at all. Taika just loved to find people to flirt with, to kiss and then everything that comes after. Arthur actually found it kind of admirable how open and confident Taika was in his desires. It made him happy after all, and someone as sexy as Taika shouldn't go to waste. 

Arthur usually tried to give Taika his space when a guest was over, but from time to time curiosity got the better of him. He just wanted one small peek, one look at who the genasi man was spending his evening with. As soon as he rounded the corner and heard the breathiness of Taika’s voice he should have known. He should have realized this was not the time or place to spy. First, he saw his hand in her hair, gripping it possessively, then realized the woman was on her knees. His back was pressed to the wall, his head thrown back, his long, muscular neck exposed. Another moan escaped his lips which were curled into a pleasured smile. 

“Good girl,” He praised gruffly. 

She struggled with it in her mouth. It was too big to disappear entirely behind her lips, but she was doing the best she could and that was clearly enough for Taika. He looked so sexy with his shirt pulled up and his unbuttoned jeans. She squeezed at his sharp hip bones as she bobbed on his length. His muscular body was flushed gold as he continued to praise her. It was clear that release was fast approaching. 

Arthur just stared for what felt like an eternity, his mouth going completely dry with arousal. His rational mind was screaming that what he was doing was wrong, but his poor, deprived body longed to keep watching. He imagined himself trading places with the girl on her knees, feeling Taika’s long fingers in his hair and looking up to see him staring down at him with commanding eyes.

He swallowed dryly before finally prying his eyes away, his little body trembling by then. His pants were so tight that he could barely walk back to the colony. 

He was even more ashamed of how he handled it after getting back to his room, but he couldn’t help himself. He came quickly and vigorously, his imagination swimming with thoughts of how he could possibly please Taika the way the woman on her knees did. Did his small stature make that impossible? 

Skipping back to the present, he thinks of the incident briefly after getting back to his room. It’s taken him a few days to recover from the shame and embarrassment of it, but he’s reached a certain level of denial that at least keeps him sane. After changing out of his cologne stained clothes, he heads back out into the colony, ready to fulfill some of his bookkeeping duties. He already knows it’s going to go by painstakingly slow. He spends half the time daydreaming about the way Taika was massaging his back earlier, how nice it felt to be curled up on his chest. He wonders how his shift is going at the bar- he’s probably getting hit on, hopefully getting some nice tips as well. 

He gets caught staring off into the middle distance by his friend, Willow. Her blonde curls, tied up by a big pink bow, bounce as she steps into his vision, waving a hand at him. 

“Earth to Arthur?” 

Arthur’s eyes go wide before he straightens up his glasses. Willow leans in a bit closer, her nose twitching as she sniffs the air around him. 

“Did you fall in Taika’s laundry again?” She giggles. “You smell just like him.” 

Oh, gosh- even after changing his clothes, he still smells like Taika?! He blushes profusely, quickly racking his brain for some kind of excuse. 

“Oh- oh, yeah! You know me- so clumsy!” He laughs nervously. 

She raises her eyebrow at him, giggling. “You’re so odd sometimes.” 

Arthur finds himself wishing he could tell her about what’s been going on with Taika. It would feel so good to share this secret with someone, maybe even talk through the feelings he’s been having, but he knows he has to hold his tongue. Out of everyone in the colony, Willow is without a doubt the person he’s closest to, so it feels strange to keep something so big a secret from her, but rather than saying anything, he just lets her go on about her day while he silently agonizes. 

Hours pass and he completes all of his tasks, leaving him nothing to do but get ready for bed. He’s pretty tired, but he wonders if he might be able to catch Taika getting back from the bar before he retires for the night. Gosh, is he a loser for being so invested in someone? He nearly has a moment of self control and just goes to bed, but then he hears a heavy thud coming from inside of the house. Assuming the handsome genasi man must have just gotten home, he quickly and quietly sneaks out of the colony. He’ll just chat with Taika for a little bit. No harm there… 

He straightens himself out a bit during the journey- combing through his hair with his hands and patting some of the wrinkles out of his shirt. The promise of seeing Taika already has him in a better mood. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t notice when something is off… 

As he steps out of the hole in Taika’s bedroom wall, he doesn’t spot the towering figure of his crush. Maybe he’s just in another room? But Arthur could have sworn the sound came from the bedroom. His eyes fall to something white and disc shaped on the floor. It’s a plate- no doubt something Taika left out on purpose for his borrower friends to find. Was it the source of the loud noise? How did it end up on the floor? 

As Arthur turns, he quickly discovers the answer. It’s significantly larger than he is but much smaller than a human. Its beady eyes lock in on him immediately, leaving Arthur little time to react. It happens in a flash. Startled and territorial, the rat lashes out with its claws and they shred straight through his shirt, tearing deep into his flesh. It burns like a pain he’s never felt before. There was one time when his shirt got snagged on a rusty nail in the wall, leaving him a pretty visible scar, but the cut wasn’t nearly this deep or this gruesome.

He cries out in pain, reaching for the needle on his hip. He can see that the rat isn’t finished yet. With its gnarly teeth bared, it’s going in for another attack. Arthur’s tiny, insignificant life flashes before his eyes. There’s still so much he would like to see, to do. He immediately thinks of Taika, the way he brought Arthur to the coffee shop, the warmth of his hands, the promise of his smile. None of that matters now. He’ll never see how things work out between the two of them because it’s only a matter of time before he’s rat food. 

He aims his needle out towards the monstrous creature, praying that he can somehow survive this deadly encounter. He nearly feels its claws tear through him a second time just when his prayers are answered. He's not sure what’s happening at first, just that something tremendously heavy has planted its weight on either side of him, then POW! A massive unidentified object comes slamming down on top of the angry rat. Arthur’s eyes go wide as it’s smashed flat on the floor, his heart pounding so quickly he fears it might burst. What on Earth? Is this real? 

Frozen, he takes a moment to assess. He looks to his left, then to his right- There are two giant feet, clad in fancy shoes on either side of him, then the massive object that struck the rat. It’s a book. Finally, he tilts his head back to find the face of his savior. The genasi man looks absolutely titanic from this angle. It’s like standing at the base of a skyscraper and staring straight up. 

“Oh my god- ew!” Taika squeals. He’s so grossed out by the dead rat at his feet that it takes him a moment to meet the borrower’s gaze. “Oh, love…” he says finally, brows furrowed in concern as he kneels down. 

Arthur could cry. He’s both so relieved and a little terrified by the way his friend just smashed the rat like it was nothing. Towering over the borrower like a wrathful god, the power of Taika’s size has never been more apparent, but the show of strength is deeply contrasted by the gentle way he handles the wounded blonde. He very carefully scoops Arthur off the floor and lifts him to his face, inspecting the damage. 

“T-Taika…” Arthur says, voice trembling. 

“Are you alright? You’re bleeding…” The genasi man gently remarks. “Quite a bit actually!” 

“I’m fine!” Arthur lies through his teeth. He’s pale, covered in sweat and the blood stain on his shirt seems to swell larger with every passing second. Even so, he flushes under Taika’s gaze. The towering man raises his eyebrow at him in disbelief. “Okay,” Arthur admits. “It really hurts.” 

Taika lets out a small sigh, glancing down at the dead rat on the floor before turning his attention back to the tiny, injured man in his palm. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up and bandaged,” He says as he turns towards the bathroom. “I can’t believe a rat got in here.” 

Arthur can feel Taika’s pulse beating rapidly in his palm. The rat must have frightened him too which is comical considering what an insignificant creature it was to him by comparison. “I’m probably partially to blame for that… you've been leaving a lot of food out for me lately.” 

Taika huffs, clearly distraught by the idea of a potential infestation and concerned for Arthur’s wounds. 

“I’m going to set you down, okay?” He asks as they reach the bathroom. Arthur nods before he’s being lowered onto a clean hand towel Taika has folded for him on the bathroom counter. He watches as the pretty man opens up the medicine cabinet and rolls his sleeves up at the elbow. He’s seen him do this a few times and always finds it attractive for some reason. It’s especially attractive now- the way Taika is caring for him and showing concern for his injury. He’d probably be melting if he weren’t in so much pain. 

After gathering the supplies, Taika pulls up a stool and sits down in front of the counter, leaning in to get a better look at Arthur’s cuts. He's so close that the tiny blonde can feel his breath on him. It’s always nerve wracking to be observed so closely by giant eyes.

“You’ll have to take your shirt off,” He instructs. 

Arthur immediately flushes. It’s suddenly difficult to swallow. 

“W-what? No, that’s okay!” He laughs nervously. 

Taika’s brow furrows in displeasure, not taking no for an answer. “You’ll take it off or I’ll have to tear it off of you. That wound needs to be cleaned.” 

Arthur flushes even deeper. Tear it off? He can’t help but imagine Taika saying that under different circumstances. He tries not to picture what he looked like a few nights ago with a girl on her knees in front of them. He gulps. 

“Okay, okay!” He holds his hands up in surrender, then sighs before carefully curling his fingers under his shirt. It makes him grimace- it hurts to move that way. 

“Here… lift up your arms,” Taika instructs gently. Arthur obeys, grimacing a little again as the genasi man hooks a finger under his shirt. He removes the fabric so easily, exposing Arthur’s pale torso to the world. Taika’s eyes drift over his form- seeing the secrets that are usually hidden beneath Arthur’s clothing for the first time. He has a small frame, but he’s not particularly scrawny. There’s a softness about him for sure, like he’s done well to avoid the dangers that come with the adventures of a borrower. Still, that softness is also supported by healthy muscles born from climbing and scampering. His smooth skin is sheened with sweat, flushed with the prettiest shade of pink. Taika bites on his lower lip- he knew Arthur would look pretty without his clothes. 

 Arthur can’t meet his eyes. Being on display like this in front of Taika is too mortifying. 

“It’s a gnarly gash,” Taika says with furrowed brows, now focusing on the blood smeared all over Arthur’s chest. “This might be a bit painful..” 

He sighs. He wants to offer some kind of pain reliever, but he’s not sure how borrower’s bodies react to medication. “Umm, hang on a sec,” he says, briefly disappearing from the bathroom. When he returns, he’s holding a medicine cup between his fingers. 

“You mentioned borrower’s drink alcohol, right? This should dull your senses, take the pain away..” 

Arthur’s eyes widen as Taika hands over the cup. It’s more like a bucket to him and it smells strongly of whisky. “Um!” Squeaks Arthur. He doesn’t tend to indulge in booze- particularly the strong, human kind. 

Taika smiles at him. “Come on, just a sip…” 

As always, Arthur finds it impossible to say no. He just nods and throws back a rather generous sip of the whisky. Of course, it burns his throat, causing him to cough and clutch at the wound. “Aghhh..,” he groans. 

“God, sorry!” Taika takes the cup from his small hands. “I should have known you were probably a light weight,” He chuckles. He places his hand behind Arthur’s back to support him, giving him a moment to collect himself as he prepares to clean the wound. 

“This may sting a little,” he says, gently pressing a q-tip against the gash. It does sting, but luckily Arthur’s tiny body is already feeling the effects of the alcohol, making it much more bearable. He lets his weight fall back against Taika’s hand as the genasi man cleans the wound. 

“That’s it. I’ve got you,” Taika sooths. 

The world turns fuzzy as the booze settles in Arthur’s stomach. Gosh, he really is a light weight. He finds himself unable to focus on more than one thing at a time. The sensations that he prioritizes are that of Taika’s warm hand at his back and the view of his beautiful face looking down at him as he bandages his wound. He feels warm fingers graze the flesh on his belly, his sides and his chest as he’s wrapped up. Normally he’d be so embarrassed by this, but the booze stomps his inhibitions, and all of the touches just feel tingly and amazing. 

After a while, Taika finishes up and raises his eyebrow at the little blonde. “You seem rather mellow,” he says with a soft smile. “You’re not about to pass out, are you?” 

Arthur shakes his head which feels much heavier than usual, cheeks flushed. “No, I feel goooooood,” He responds goofily with a wide smile. 

Taika covers his lips with his hand, trying not to giggle at him. That one little sip plastered him? Must be kind of nice having such a tiny body that’s so easily intoxicated. 

“Feeling good, huh? That’s good.. no pain?” 

Arthur shakes his head back and forth dramatically. “Nope!” He stares up at the handsome face of his savior, mouth hanging open a little. His unfocused eyes drift over the shape of Taika’s lips, his strong jawline, the slight look of concern on his slanted features. He melts back against the large hand that’s still supporting him, smiling dreamily. 

“You’re so beautiful, Taika…” 

Taika’s eyes go wide. People compliment his looks all the time, but it’s so unexpected and earnest coming out of Arthur’s mouth. Arthur is blessed with the rare view of Taika’s cheeks turning gold. With his skin tone, his blush isn’t pink or red, but a gorgeous shade of gold that spreads across his cheeks and ears like wildfire. The genasi man seems at a loss for words for a moment. 

“You- That sounds like the whisky talking,” He chuckles, shyly tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. 

Arthur simply shakes his head. “No, that’s me talking. You look like the men in magazines and on T.V. But somehow even more handsome… like, I’ve never seen anyone who looks like you before… Everyone in the colony says so, but… me especially.” 

Taika’s heart flutters. He can’t believe Arthur could be so sweet. He just stares down at the very serious borrower for a moment before smiling. “Well… thank you, Arthur.” 

They both pause for a moment to smile at each other before Taika clears his throat. “Um, I think you should maybe stay here with me and let me look after you tonight?” 

Oh, gosh… a night of being held and looked after by the man he adores sounds like such a dream to the borrower, but even in this drunken state he knows that he needs to get back to the colony before someone gets suspicious. He stubbornly shakes his head. 

“No… I have to go back before someone notices…” 

Taika huffs a bit. “I thought you might say that, stubborn little thing..” He drags a fingertip through Arthur’s curls. “Then you’ll at least let me carry you to one of the borrower passages? One close to your room?” 

Arthur leans into the touch. The warmth of Taika’s skin is such bliss. He nods up at him. “Yeah, I can tell you where to go.” 

“Alright then, little man,” He says with a gentle sigh, extending out his hand and opening up his palm for him. Arthur’s legs are wobbly as he steps onto the warm skin of Taika’s palm, welcoming his fingers to curl around him. He groggily directs the giant to a poster hanging in Taika’s room. When peeling back the corner, there’s a small hole for him to get through. 

“This should get me back to the colony the fastest,” he says, looking up at Taika. “Thank you… for saving me by the way..” 

The genasi man smiles down at him. “Of course. I’m glad I came home when I did… I don’t even want to think about what might have happened.” 

Taika stares down at the small man in his palm, eyes swirling with adoration. Arthur is normally made so nervous by these gazes but right now it’s mostly just pleasant to be looked at with such affection. He watches as the ends up Taika’s lips curl into a slightly different smile- what is that expression? Maybe mischief? He doesn’t have long to figure it out as he discovers that he’s being lifted closer to Taika’s face. What is he- 

The full pair of lips that Arthur has spent so much time thinking about are suddenly closer and fuller than ever as they’re puckered up and planted against Arthur’s chest and face, softer and warmer than the pillows on his bed. Hot, sweet breath washes over his body and he melts between the flesh of Taika’s hand and his mouth. There’s a gentle vibration which he realizes to be the result of the genasi man releasing a soft hum as he kisses the surprised borrower. The giant pair of lips make the cutest, most gentle smacking sound as they’re pulled away. 

Arthur is too dumbfounded to really react other than touching on the lower lip with his hand. Taika pulls him away just to look at him and smile, his giant, beautiful eyes swirling with all different colored flames. 

“Is… is this what a heart attack feels like?” Arthur asks, flushed and giggly. 

Taika giggles in turn, gently biting on his lower lip. “Goodnight, Arthur,” he says coyly. 

Rather than remark or elaborate on what’s just happened, he decides to simply leave Arthur with something to think about- hopefully wanting more. He places him at the entrance to the colony and smirks at him before slowly covering the hole with the edge of the poster, leaving Arthur staring at a dark wall. 

“Goodnight..,” Arthur whispers to himself, now alone. 

His heart races as quickly as his thoughts as he sneaks his way back to his room, feeling the sensation of giant, soft lips on him all night as he struggles to sleep. 

Arthur paces back and forth in his room, his friend Willow watching him with concerned eyes from the end of his bed. She's been waiting patiently for the last half hour or so for an explanation- why is he acting so strange? She cocks her head at him, the large pink bow in her hair bouncing slightly to the side. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit down? You seem really stressed,” She prods. 

Arthur rings his hands and shakes his head. He doesn’t want to be impolite, but if he sat down now he’s not sure where all the nervous energy would go. He takes a breath, trying to steele himself. 

“I’m- Im going to tell you. I promise. I just- you swear you won’t tell anyone else, right?” 

The other blonde borrower tosses her hands up in exasperation. “I’ve told you several times! I won’t tell a soul.” She reaches out and grabs his hand, looking up at him earnestly. “Whatever is going on, you can trust me with it, Arthur.” 

Arthur meets her earnest gaze. She's always been an honest, true friend, and he can’t keep this all a secret any longer or he’ll burst. He gives her a nod, then slowly sits down beside her, fidgeting. 

“…You know the tennant?” 

“Taika? Yeah..?” She chuckles, a little confused. “Of course…” 

Arthur struggles to swallow. He wants to tell her so badly but for some reason he can’t seem to choke out the words. “Well,” He squeaks. “We… spend time together.” 

Willow doesn’t understand. She just stares at him rather blankly, blinking a few times. “Like… you watch him sometimes? I mean, we all do that.” She shrugs. “He’s nice to look at. There’s no shame there.” 

Arthur shakes his head, feeling kind of nauseous. “No, I mean I don’t just spend time in the same room as him. We spend time together.” He rings his hands some more, glancing at Willow. “He knows my name..” 

After half a moment to process, Willow’s jaw drops and she gawks at Arthur like he just streaked through the dining hall naked. “He what?” She grabs both of his hands tightly, eyes going a little crazy. “OH MY GOD! Did he hurt you?! Is that what happened to your shoulder?!” She gingerly touches the spot where the rat bit him a few nights ago. 

“No, no!!” Arthur protests, putting his hands up in defense. “He’s so kind and gentle and sweet… he would never! He actually saved me.” 

Willow just blinks at her friend, mouth still hanging open in utter disbelief. Arthur watches her face go through a journey- shock, terror, disbelief, then an expression he can’t read. Oh no, is she angry? She suddenly shoves him. It’s not enough to injure him or knock him down but it’s a pretty powerful gesture all the same. 

“SHUT UP! No way!! You’re friends with Taika?!” 

Arthur turns as red as a tomato, some nervous laughter spilling out of his mouth. “Well, sort of- I mean, yeah I guess so! It totally happened by accident but we do hang out quite a bit, and I’d say that does make us friends…” He scratches the back of his head. 

Willow continues to stare at him with her huge brown eyes, then slowly covers her mouth with her hands. “Oh my gosh. You’re serious…” 

Arthur nods at her. “Yes, unfortunately..” He sighs and adjusts his glasses, standing up again. “Why don’t you just take a deep breath and let me tell you the story? I’ll explain everything.” 

———

Meanwhile, just on the other side of the wall, a handsome genasi man is rudely awoken by the sound of his alarm. He’s never been a fan of mornings, but for some reason the obnoxious jingle is causing him even more pain than usual. He lets out a groan, discovering that his voice is graveled with more than sleep. His throat feels dry and sore and as his lids creak open, his eyes feel like they’re boring holes in his skull just by existing. 

“Fuuuck,” he hoarsely whines. As he reaches for his phone, he discovers even more wonderful symptoms. His whole body aches, he’s freezing and he has a cough. He pouts at his phone screen. To him, being sick feels like the end of the world. He types out a quick message to his boss (whom he’s sure will be pissed to hear that’s he’s calling out), and sets his phone back down on the table before cuddling back up and closing his eyes. His mind drifts to the cute little blonde borrower- how nicely he fits in his palm, what it felt like to kiss a creature so small and vulnerable. Even in his sickly state, the thought of that curls his lips into a smile, comforting him as he falls back to sleep. 

______ 

“Oh my gosh, Arthur. I can’t believe you had your first kiss! And with a human!” Exclaims Willow. She's now traded places with Arthur- she’s pacing back and forth while Arthur sits on the bed. 

The blonde boy scratches his head. “Technically not a human, but I get your point.” His heart flutters a bit recalling the way Taika kissed him, but right now he’s more worried about Willow. He fidgets a little before meekly asking, “Willow… are you mad at me?” 

His friend’s expression quickly softens and she rushes over to his side, taking his hands. “No, I’m not mad at you at all! I’m glad you told me.” She scratches her head. “I mean, I wish you would have told me sooner but I understand why you didn’t..” 

Arthur smiles, so relieved that Willow isn’t cross with him. He lets out the breath he was holding and squeezes her hands. “Keeping it a secret has been agonizing. Befriending him has been the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me by a long shot.” 

She giggles breathlessly, touching her fingertips to her lips. “It sounds like… he might be more than a friend? Maybe a boyfriend?” 

Arthur’s eyes go wide before he devolves into a puddle before her very eyes. Taika? His boyfriend? The thought of that makes him want to squeal. 

“OH! I don’t know about that,” he giggles nervously, rubbing his neck. “I don’t think it’s like that. I mean, with him being so big and handsome and talented… why would he want me?” He’s so flushed as he says this. Clearly the idea pleases him. It almost seems like he’s fishing for reassurance from Willow. 

The cute borrower smiles softly at him, giggling a bit. “Well, yes… he is all of those things, especially the ‘big’ part. I’m not even sure that word covers it…” She shrugs, “But it sounds like maybe you share a connection? Just because you’re small, doesn’t mean he can’t see how great you are.” 

Arthur’s eyes widen at her sincerity. If the one person he’s been close to his whole life thinks so highly of him, she must know what she’s talking about, right? He blushes before smiling and giving her a nod. “Thanks, Willow.” 

Just as she throws her arms around him in response, they hear bells ringing in the dining hall. Announcements over breakfast? It’s been a while since anything important enough for the bells came up. The two of them exchange looks of disappointment- they want to keep talking out the situation with the handsome giant, but it will have to wait until later. 

As they join the rest of their colony in the dining hall, the meeting has started without them, and everyone seems a little stressed. Arthur feels panic rise in his chest- do they somehow know about what’s been going on with him and Taika? He tries his best to act normal as he joins the crowd. 

“Do we know how bad it is?” Asks one of the colonists. 

“As far as we know, it’s just a little cold,” responds Adelaide, the chieftess of their tribe. Arthur can tell by the tone of her voice that she’s trying to keep everyone calm. “We’ve dealt with this before. We just have to be extra clean and cautious.” 

A little cold? Arthur sighs with relief. They called a meeting because Taika is sick. Illness is something they take quite seriously in the colony. Viruses carried by big folk tend to pass to borrowers quickly and aggressively, though most of the time it’s not deadly- just very unpleasant. They usually isolate themselves until the tenant has recovered and survive off of the food they’ve already borrowed.

Arthur clutches his chest, silently celebrating the safety of his secret before realizing what this means- poor Taika has a cold! He imagines him all miserable and uncomfortable with no one to take care of him. He should go check on him! He’s practically vibrating during the rest of the meeting, anxious to make sure the man who kissed him a few nights ago is doing okay. Once Adelaide tells them they’re all free to go, he sprints off rather indiscreetly, drawing the attention of his friend Willow who sneaks off after him. 

Arthur’s all geared up and pulling on his boots when Willow sits down beside him, lacing up her own boots. 

He gasps, startled by her presence. “Willow?! What are you doing?” 

She shrugs, smiling cheerfully. “You’re going to check on your boyfriend, right? I want to come!” 

Arthur looks like he might malfunction- how did she come to this moronic conclusion?! “What? No, that’s a terrible idea!” 

“Awww, don’t panic!” She coos, reaching out and squeezing one of his cheeks. “Did you really think you could share this secret with me for free? I want to meet him!” 

Arthur snatches her hand off of his cheek. “But what about getting caught?” He grumbles, rubbing the spot where she squeezed him. 

She smiles. “I’m much sneakier than you. If anything, you could use my help.” 

______ 

Meanwhile, all bundled up, the light on his phone illuminates Taika’s face in his dark room as he scrolls mindlessly through social media. He knows he should get out of bed, get some water and probably take some medicine but that sounds so hard. His body is three times heavier than usual and his muscles have been replaced with noodles. He rubs at his tired eyes. The light from the phone is making them sting. As he sets it down, his eye catches the shape of a tiny figure standing on his bed. 

“Arthur?” He says hoarsely. 

The blonde headed borrower smiles and gives him a little wave. Peering up at the billboard sized face of his admired friend, he can see that Taika is definitely a little worse for wear. He has all the telltale signs of someone with a cold, but despite that he’s still very handsome. If anything, seeing him in a weaker state makes him a little more approachable than usual- he’s cute. Still, Arthur’s heart aches for him a little. Poor thing needs someone to take care of him. 

Taika’s face lights up when he sees him. He reaches out and delicately touches the tip of his finger beneath Arthur’s chin. “I was worried I might have scared you off for good..,” he says with a slight pout. 

Arthur blushes. “No, not at all!” He says earnestly. “Our schedules just haven’t lined up is all.” Truthfully, Arthur has been dying to see him again since the kiss, but things have been busy and hectic. Anytime he had a moment to get away, he found that Taika had gone to work or left for other business. Which means he’s had days to overthink the interaction. He already feels reassured by the way Taika’s looking at him. 

“Oh, you probably shouldn’t get too close..,” Taika sighs, pulling his hand away. “I’m sick as a dog.” 

Arthur looks up at him sympathetically, adjusting his glasses. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I don’t think borrowers can catch the same viruses as you..,” He fibs, flushing deeply. He’s a terrible liar, but maybe he can get away with it while Taika’s judgment is obscured by illness. 

Luckily, they’re interrupted before Taika can respond as Willow hops up on the bed. “Wow!” She exclaims, staring up at the sickly genasi man in awe. “You really are huge! Especially up close like this.” 

Taika’s eyes widen, unsure of what’s happening. Did Arthur know he was followed? 

Arthur scratches his head sheepishly. “Oh, I sort of told my friend Willow what’s been going on. So, Taika, meet Willow. Willow- Taika.” 

Taika raises an eyebrow at the pair of them. “Oh, a friend?” He flashes her one of his dazzling smiles, extending his pinky finger to her like one would a hand shake. “Hello, beautiful. It’s a pleasure.” 

The borrower woman flushes as she accepts his greeting, clearly charmed and overjoyed. The interaction makes Arthur blush a little too, kind of in awe at how easily the handsome man wins people over. 

“I wish Arthur would have introduced us under different circumstances. I probably look like such a mess.” 

“Oh, it’s okay!” Willow reassures. “You honestly still look pretty good.” She twirls her hair around her finger, nervously. 

Arthur lets them chirp back and forth at each other like this for a while. He knew Taika was kind of a flirt but he’s never seen it in action with anyone other than himself before. Oddly, it doesn’t bother him. In fact, it’s kind of nice to see Taika in his element. 

Their conversation is eventually interrupted by a coughing fit. Taika’s sure to turn away from his little friends so that he doesn’t cough all over them, but the power of his hacking still causes the bed under their feet to shake. Arthur had nearly forgotten about the matter of Taika’s illness, distracted by how cute he was while talking to Willow. He looks up at the sickly giant sympathetically when he turns back to them and gently reaches up to touch his cheek. 

“Awe, Taika… you’re burning up! I mean, you’re always really warm but not like this.” 

Taika sighs, smiling softly. “I know… I keep meaning to get up and take some medicine but I can’t bring myself to get out of bed.” 

Arthur shakes his head. “No, no. Don’t worry about that! We’re here to take care of you. You just lay there!” 

Taika looks him over curiously. As much as he’d love to be taken care of, is that really possible for Arthur? “You are?” 

Willow quickly pipes up, placing her hands on her hips, “Yes, he is!” She says proudly. “Although he’s small- Arthur is very capable! He’s got you. No problem!” 

Taika raises his eyebrows, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Oh, is that so? You’re right… I shouldn’t have doubted him like that.” He gives Arthur a wink which of course makes the borrower blush. He seems to settle a bit further into his bed, ready to be cared for like a sick child. 

“We’ll be right back with medicine, Taika,” Arthur says in his best caretaker manner. He really does love to be helpful, but he’s a little nervous about this. What if he can’t deliver? He wants to prove to Taika and himself that he’s capable of taking care of him despite being a fraction of his size. 

He takes one last look at the pretty giant (who has already closed his eyes and snuggled up) before climbing down off the bed. Arthur can sense his friend practically vibrating as they trek across the bedroom floor. She’s doing all she can to contain herself until they’re safely out of ear shot, then she lets loose. 

“Oh my god, Arthur!! He’s so sweet and so pretty! And do you see the way he looks at you?! He’s in love! Agh!!” 

Arthur flushes in embarrassment, hiding his face from her. “Willow, please! You’re embarrassing me!” He peaks at her. “He is really sweet though, right? I thought he’d be so much scarier.” 

She nods in agreement. “Yeah! I mean, being around someone larger than my bedroom is still pretty intimidating but he’s so kind and gentle.” 

Arthur smiles from ear to ear. It’s been hard to keep his relationship with Taika a secret, so it feels wonderful to finally get to gush about him to his friend, and he’s so glad that he’s won the Willow seal of approval. They gossip about him back and forth for a while, covering everything from his alluring accent to how good he smells to how he’s able to pull off a mustache so well. Being pretty familiar with where the giant keeps his belongings, they manage to rustle up some of the things he needs while they chatter- a thermometer, a pack of tissues, some cold medicine gel caps. These are the easiest of the items they plan to procure for Taika and even then, it’s an armful’s worth for the pair of them. Arthur can’t help but think about how big the gel caps are. They’re bigger than his head and Taika can swallow them whole? 

A pile of supplies materializes next to his bed while the giant snoozes. About an hour passes before he feels a tiny hand on his cheek. His eyes ache a bit as they flutter open and focus on the tiny but very handsome form of his crush. A pair of big, brown, spectacled eyes stare back at him, a soft smile on his lips.

“Hey there,” Says Arthur. He seems a little exhausted, but still happy and pleasant. “We brought you a few things.” 

Taika looks past Arthur to find the pile of things he’s referring to. His eyes widen a bit. “Arthur, how did you..” He trails off, amazed by what his little friends were able to accomplish. 

Arthur scratches his head, “It was nothing, really! Um, but first things first- lay more on your back, please?” 

Taika obeys, shifting his body from laying on his side to laying on his back, being careful not to knock Arthur over in the process. 

“Okay, we’re coming up!” Arthur calls out. 

Taika watches as the two borrowers carry a wet washcloth up onto his pillow. Once they position themselves on either side of his head, they gently lower the rag onto his forehead. It’s cool and moist. It feels amazing on his feverish skin. He lets out a soft moan in satisfaction. 

“Is that good?” Arthur softly asks. 

Taika nods, his lips curling into a tired smile. “Very good… you’re amazing.” 

Arthur blushes, happy that his hard work won him some praise and that he was able to make Taika a little more comfortable. Next, they lift the thermometer over to him. Arthur, of course, flushes as he asks Taika to open his mouth. He hasn’t been able to get his mind off of what the giant, soft pair of lips felt like pressed against him and what other things that mouth must be capable of. He sees Taika smirk a bit as he helps the thermometer into his mouth, no doubt noticing Arthur ogling his lips. 

His temperature reads ridiculously high which Taika assures them is normal for a fire genasi when they have a fever. Arthur is so worried about the fever for a moment that he feels like he might pass out, but he calms down quickly after Taika explains it’s just part of his lineage. They also give the sickly giant his cold medicine and half a cup of tea- it’s all they could manage to carry. Liquid is so heavy. It’s warm and nice and seems to clear his inflamed sinuses as he sips on it. 

Some time passes as the borrowers lovingly tend to their giant friend. They all settle in together while Taika puts on one of his favorite rom coms, Arthur and Willow sitting together on his warm chest. The borrower woman keeps catching glances of a giant hand coming to rest near Arthur, stroking and massaging his back, gently playing with his curly hair. It makes her feel warm inside to see her friend receive this kind of affection and to look so content. She knows she’s welcome here, but maybe she should give them some privacy. 

Taika thanks her and tells her not to be a stranger before she leaves, giving Arthur her blessing to stay as long as he wants. Then, it’s just the two of them. 

Taika’s warm fingers stroke the borrower’s back and arms a few times as he sighs contentedly, “Thank you for coming to my rescue, Arthur… I know it must have been exhausting.” 

Arthur turns around to look up at his face. His slanted, chiseled features take up most of his view, and he’s looking down at him with such adoration. Arthur feels something squirm low in his stomach. Just looking at Taika exhilarates him. He shakes his head before slowly standing up to face him. “I was happy to do it, you know?” He says earnestly. “I want to keep doing it. Taking care of you, that is. You’re important to me.” 

Taika’s eyes shine. Is this confidence he’s seeing on Arthur’s face? Does this mean that he feels the same way he does? He smiles wide, reaching out and dragging his finger beneath Arthur’s chin. “As long as you let me take care of you too,” He says softly. 

Arthur blushes and nods. That seems like a fair trade off. He opens his mouth to respond but he can’t seem to come up with any more words, so he does something more uncharacteristic and starts walking forward. Once he reaches Taika’s chin, he stretches up on his tip toes and touches his finger tips to Taika’s lower lip. It’s soft and warm and inviting. The air smells faintly of tea and cough drops which Arthur finds quite pleasant. Craning his neck, he presses his lips to Taika’s. It’s a lot like resting his face on a soft pillow except it’s charged with electricity. 

The genasi man very gently kisses back before he starts to giggle. “There’s no way you’re not getting sick.” 

Arthur giggles too, letting his weight rest against Taika’s big face. “I don’t really care.” 

The elated giant just smiles and nuzzles his face against Arthur in response. The two of them talk quietly for a while, flirting and snuggling and giggling until eventually Arthur ends up cuddling against Taika’s warm neck, his pulse gently humming against his small body. It doesn’t take long before the two boys fall asleep, the television softly droning in the background. The couple in the rom com they were watching finally end up together. 

Arthur is encompassed by warmth on all sides, cradled by a gigantic but gentle hand. In front of him, taking up his entire view, is the face of his lover, though mostly all he can see are his lips as they’re pressed against him fervently. Only when Taika pulls away to look at him can he see the bigger picture- large, slanted eyes looking down at him with a mixture of expressions. There’s clear adoration in them, but he thinks it goes further than that. Possession? Wanting? That alone doesn’t bother Arthur. In fact, it excites him. He never imagined someone so attractive would look at him that way, let alone someone with all of Taika’s qualities- handsome, talented, funny, sweet, large enough to hold him in the palm of his hand. 

Every time his lips come near again, Arthur can feel himself sinking further and further into Taika’s grasp. The oversized pillows can cover so much ground with one kiss. Usually they seem to aim for the borrower’s cute face and chest, but sometimes they drift elsewhere- tummy, hands, arms. The giant uses his thumb to hike up Arthur’s shirt, exposing his midriff, eliciting a small gasp from the borrower. Their eyes meet briefly as Taika looks for confirmation that what he’s doing is okay. When he sees that Arthur is flushed and squirmy but definitely not objecting, he lifts the tiny shirt up further. 

Hot breath washes over Arthur’s skin as the giant’s lips part ever so slightly, a sliver of his tongue pressing against his abdomen. Taika seems pleased, smirking down at his little boyfriend before opening up wider to introduce more of his tongue. Arthur gasps again as the massive, wet appendage slides over his chest and abdomen, coating him in slippery saliva. He wonders what kind of magic Taika has to do to his breath to make it smell so good- it’s fruity and fresh and alluring. Is mouth cologne a thing? He doesn’t have long to consider this before his brain goes fuzzy again with pleasure. 

What’s a gentle moan for Taika is more of a deep rumble for his tiny lover. It vibrates through him, encompasses him- his handsome voice. He can feel the giant’s thumb run down his side and rest on his hip, his mouth still busy planting wet kisses all over his exposed skin, his tongue busy tasting him. Taika is so big to him. Every tiny movement has an overwhelming effect on his body. It’s amazing, and terrifying, but he likes that too- The danger of it all, the fact that he’s laying in the palm of a beast that could do what he wants with him. 

He loves everything that Taika’s doing- the way he’s holding him and touching him, kissing him, devouring him with his pretty eyes, the way his powerful tongue feels on him. He loves the sensation of his pleasured rumbles, his incomprehensible size. All of it is perfect. There’s only one issue, and it’s all in Arthur’s head. He’s never been touched like this before. A few weeks ago, he’d never even been kissed. Combining his inexperience with the unnatural amount of anxiety he holds in his little body, he sometimes feels like he may pass out during these moments. 

Then there’s the matter of the guilt he has for lying to the colony. He’s not allowed to speak to Taika, much less undress for him and let him taste his skin. His whole life has been devoted to nourishing his community, helping to ensure the survival of his fellow borrowers, but what he’s doing now is entirely self centered. He hasn’t done anything to deserve this kind of pleasure. He’s nothing but a filthy little liar and yet, he’s being treated like some sort of Prince. 

In this particular moment he’s somewhere between passing out, crying and coming prematurely and oh gosh, all of those are so embarrassing. He tries to push down the guilt, but he’s stuck in a vicious cycle of being turned on, feeling guilty for being turned on, and then being turned on more by the guilt. He squirms under Taika’s tongue, about to lose his cool. That’s when the giant’s lower lip brushes up against his crotch. The borrower is too bothered to notice if this happened by design or by accident, but he lets out a loud squeak. 

“B-bubble! Bubble,” he cries, gently pushing Taika’s lips away. 

The genasi man immediately stops, eyes going wide in attention. “Bubble” was the safe word they agreed to if Arthur started feeling overwhelmed. They’ve been having encounters like this since their first kiss which happened a few weeks ago now, and Arthur was very much up front about his inexperience. Mostly, he just asked Taika to take the sexual stuff slow, and being a gentleman, Taika happily agreed. Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t still test his limits. 

His brow furrows in concern. “You alright, baby?” He asks the flushed borrower sprawled out on his palm. 

Arthur takes a moment to catch his breath before peeling off his steamed up glasses and wiping them clean. He nods as he peers up at Taika’s face which is a comfortable distance away now. “Y-yeah! Just… I started feeling overwhelmed again. I’m sorry,” he responds nervously. 

Taika smiles at him in response, shaking his head. “What did I say about apologizing? It’s okay.” He sighs softly. “I am sorry if that was too much though?” 

Arthur shakes his head earnestly. “No, no! That was amazing. You’re lovely.” He smiles up at him sheepishly. “I just got in my head.” 

Taika’s cheeks flush slightly. He does like to be called lovely. “Alright. As long as I haven’t scarred you for life.” He leans in again and places a much tamer kiss on top of his head, causing them to both giggle a bit. They’re still very much in that honeymoon phase where every little thing they do provokes big dumb smiles and giddy laughter. It’s obvious that they can’t get enough of each other. 

After slowly coming back to his senses, Arthur sighs, “Think you could check the time for me?” 

Taika taps his phone to check. “About to turn 3.” 

Arthur deflates a bit. “Nooo. That means I have to go soon.” He huffs, pressing his glasses to his nose. “I have to take inventory.” 

The dark haired giant expresses clear disappointment, face immediately falling into a pout. He melts back onto the bed, pulling Arthur close to him possessively and purring. “Mmm, but what if you stay here and let me adore you instead? I could kidnap you, you know…” 

Arthur flushes, finding himself nestled up against Taika’s big face once more. The warmth of the genasi man’s skin is so nice, and obviously Arthur is not immune to his charms, but he can’t ignore the duties he has to the colony. He nuzzles his face against Taika’s cheek, sighing. “I have to, Taika…” He smiles. “I’d love to stay with you, though.”

Taika sighs and gives the borrower one last kiss before setting him down on the coffee table. Arthur watches as the muscular man stretches his arms above his head, yawning. He’s so stinking cute- kind of cat-like at times, especially when he’s lounging. He feels like he must be an idiot to choose work over being curled up with someone so sexy, so gentle and attentive, but off he goes… 

“Be thinking of you, handsome,” Taika coos as Arthur scurries off. 

Arthur wears a stupid smile on his face the entire trip back to the colony, thinking about all kinds of silly things because of the handsome tenant. He pulls his shirt collar to his nose, taking a big huff. His clothes always smell like him after their meetings. He never knew how powerful pheromones could be until he met Taika, but the scent alone has him swooning all over again. This is precisely why his first order of business after they meet is always to go straight to his room and change his clothes. Not only would reeking of Taika put them at risk of being caught, but he’s also just not sure he’d be able to focus on any of his tasks with such a constant reminder of the pretty giant. 

He starts slipping his clothes off as soon as he’s made it safely to his room, recalling how Taika hiked up his shirt with such ease. The giant is so gentle despite holding so much power. He easily could have had his way with Arthur by now if he really wanted to, but he’s sweet and respectful, treating the borrower like his equal and not just some play thing. Arthur almost feels foolish for not letting Taika continue earlier. If only he were as patient with himself as Taika is.. 

He sighs, getting a glance of himself in the mirror- not something he used to do very often until he and Taika met. His pale body is still flushed pink from being loved on and he can’t help but think that he’s almost glowing. Before he thought his body was just a body- nothing particularly special or attractive, but the way Taika looks at him and compliments him has changed his mind- maybe he is kind of beautiful. During this rare moment of self admiration, he drags a finger down his chest all the way down to his hips. He feels decently pleased with what he sees until his eye catches what looks to be a giant red blotch on his hip. 

He immediately pales, bending over to investigate the strange blotch. It’s pretty big and almost mouth shaped.. oh, gosh is that- 

“TAIKA, YOU SCOUNDREL!! YOU LEFT A HICKEY ON MY HIP!!” He squeals loudly to himself. 

———-

Taika smirks to himself, imagining what the look on Arthur’s face will be after finding the mark he left on him. Honestly, the giant didn’t mean to leave one, but he was caught in the heat of the moment. It wasn’t until after the mark was made that he’d realized what he’d done, and then he didn’t have the heart to say anything. He muffles a giggle with his hand, curled up in his bed now that Arthur’s gone. The little borrower was just so cute, all flushed and squirmy for him, sprawled out in his palm. 

He bites his lip, his hand sliding along the warmth of his abdomen. He wasn’t sure at first if the whole size difference thing would do it for him, at least in a sexual way, but he has a new perspective on that now. Something about being able to have his lover literally in the palm of his hand, completely at his mercy is pretty sexy. The way sometimes Arthur’s mouth falls agape as he looks up at Taika in awe- he feels like that must be how mortal’s look up at their gods. He’s always loved to be worshipped and adored by his partners, but this is on an entirely different level. 

Is that weird? Is it wrong in some way? These kind of questions rarely cross Taika’s mind when it comes to his sexual escapades, and this is hardly an exception. His tiny partner turns him on. Nothing wrong with that. 

His hand slides down to his black underwear, lazily touching himself over the fabric. His whole body sighs from the contact- it’s been waiting so patiently for attention. He respects Arthur’s decision to take things slow. He imagines being so much smaller than your partner must be pretty intimidating on its own, let alone his general inexperience. Regardless, their encounters have been leaving Taika feeling pretty pent up. Ever since they kissed for the first time, the genasi man stopped frequenting bars in search of one night stands- another sacrifice he was happy to make, but, well a man still has his needs… 

He slides down his underwear, allowing his sizable cock to come bobbing out. It comes as no shock that he’s hard as a rock from having Arthur on his tongue earlier. Wrapping his dexterous fingers around it, he can’t help but imagine how Arthur would measure up to it. It’s at least double his size if he’s being honest, probably a little more. He’s certain the little blonde would be blushing from head to toe, feeling turned on and humiliated, his round glasses fogging up. Taika’s mouth falls slightly ajar at the thought of it. The borrower has already proved he’s capable of so many things- he’s sure he could probably handle himself down there. 

Deftly stroking himself now, his mind circles back around to Arthur’s flushed, pink body sprawled out in his hand. Someday Taika is going to tear off his little clothes with his teeth and find out what’s going on under those pants. He imagines a blushing, modestly sized dick, poking straight up into the air as it awaits his mouth. He doubts Arthur would last long. He’d probably burst by the time Taika closed his lips around him. That would honestly be so flattering- Arthur being that turned on by him, unable to contain himself. But if he lasted longer, that would only mean the giant could continue sucking on him like candy. 

He throws his head back into his pillow, sweat glistening on his muscular neck. What if he could have two Arthur’s? One wrapped around his cock and the other keeping his mouth occupied? God, that would be a dream… would any of his other little friends ever want to come play? He bites down on his lower lip at the thought, imagining a world where he’s being worshipped by a group of tiny cuties. Fuck… his dick throbs in his hand as he pumps himself a few more times. It’s not long before come spills out over his hand and onto his flat stomach. 

He muffles a moan behind his hand, briefly wondering if any of his many flatmates were watching him while he jerked off. He hopes they enjoyed the show if that’s the case… After taking a moment to come down from the orgasm, his eyes flick to the wall that he often sees Arthur disappear through. 

“Oh, Arthur… you have no idea what you do to me,” he thinks to himself.