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.