Stand Offish

Inside the house, Stan carefully closed the door, the click of the latch sounding thunderous in his ears. Pausing, he craned his head to the side, listening for any indication he might have been detected. Nothing. Moving forward slowly, as stealthily as he could in his shoes, when he passed by the opening leading into the sitting room, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and bristle.

Frowning, he leaned in to get a look at the room. What the hell was prickling him? A soft light glowing from behind a cushion on the couch caught his attention and seemed to be the only thing out of place. Moving quietly to the couch, he pulled the cushion away and looked at the irregularly shaped stone. Reaching his hand over it, the rock did not throw any heat. For some reason he felt almost compelled to take it, to grab it. So weird. Picking it up, generated several different odd sensations all at the same time. First, it felt paradoxically cold and hot, second, there was hum in his ears, annoying and third, a queasy sensation erupted in the pit of his stomach. Instantly he thought of when the gray haired broad who touched him at the Omega house. Stuffing the stone into his pocket, he shook his head and frowned as he stifled the urge to cough. Stupid rock. That tickle did not want to go away as he surveilled the rest of the first floor of the house, collecting a nice big knife from the kitchen in the process.

Moving to the stairs, he slowly crept up, listening. From a room down the hall and on the right, a girl’s voice. Sersei. Grinning wolfishly, he moved quickly to the door, testing the handle to see if was locked. Nope. Opening the door, he shifted the faux bomb into his free hand from under his jacket and stepped into the room.

Unperturbed by the beautiful quasi-naked girl reclining on the bed, “Hey there sweetheart!” he announced, recognizing from the picture Oliver had sent.

Stan’s sudden appearance startled Sersei, making her scream and twist in place, bringing her thighs together and pinning Deacon, “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, eyes big and blue.

Stan sneered. Fuck, she was gorgeous. Levelling the knife at her, he showed her the ‘bomb’, his eyes catching sight of the tiny figure on the bed near her feet. Jesus! It was Oliver, like Sam said, so impossibly little. “Oliver,” he said, surprised unmasked.

The figure moved closer to the edge of the bed.

Stan moved lightning quick, the blade poised to inflict massive trauma if Sersei so much as flinched, “Don’t you move darling, don’t you fucking move!” he warned.

Placing her hands flat on the bed top, she relaxed her legs, freeing Deacon from his fleshy confinement.

“I swear to god if you’ve hurt either of those boys I will fucking end you in the most brutal way you could possibly imagine,” he growled, shoulders swelling as his adrenalin surged through his system.

Oliver glanced up at Sersei and then his stepdad, heart surging, “STAN!”

Face radiating innocence, “You misunderstand, I’m your side,” she offered.

Stan snorted, “Why does that sound like a crock of shit?” he asked, setting the bomb down on the bed. “It’s okay son, I’m here,” he assured, bringing his arm up and coughing into the crook of his elbow.

“Is that a bomb?” she asked, blue eyes big and round.

Blinking a couple of times, Stan felt the edges of his vision begin to blur, “You’re goddamned right it’s a bomb,” he snarled. “Where’s Deacon?” Why could he not stop coughing?

“Please, he’s here, safe” she offered, reaching between her thighs to collect the boy.

Coughing again, Stan blinked, sweat stinging his eyes, “No,” he warned.

Halting her hand, “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Deacon?” called Stan, amazed to see the tiny youth emerge into sight.

“See, safe,” Sersei remarked.

Putting his free hand down on the bed, “Come on boys, let’s get you out of here,” he prompted. Why did his sleeve seem longer?

Both Oliver and Deacon scurried over to Stan’s hand.

A slow smile spread across Sersei’s stunning face, “You don’t look so good,” she commented.

Taking the boys carefully into his hand, there was no denying something was happening. He was getting shorter, smaller. His pants looser, he put Oliver and Deacon in his jacket pocket and grabbed his belt before backing away from the bed.

Glancing at the device on her bed, Sersei swung her legs over the edge, “In fact, you look like you might be a little under the weather,” she said, pushing herself up to her feet, the robe falling open.

The girl was a full foot taller than he was, “You just stay put princess because I don’t want to hurt you,” he growled, brandishing the blade.

“This is something new,” she said, circling to her left, his right.

“Sit the fuck back down!” he ordered.

“No,” she replied.

Whatever was happening to him, it seemed to be picking up speed. Turning, he bolt for the stairs, the legs of his pants giving him some struggle even as he tried to keep belt hiked up.

“I told you, it’s okay, I’m on your side, I can help,” Sersei offered, moving cat quick after him.

Dropping the knife, Stan cradled the precious cargo in his pocket and vaulted down the stairs to the landing. Glancing up, the girl was at the top of the stairs, blue eyes sparkling. God she was fast! Undeterred, Stan leapt down the remaining stairs, hitting the ground running. The effect happening to him and the distortion of distance nearly catapulted him forward but he was able just keep his feet as he raced toward the front door.

He did not bother to look back at the thudding sound as the girl hit the floor behind. The fact the doorknob was now eyeball height told all he needed to know; get out! The motion was fluid, a flick of the wrist, he opened the door and out. He could see Cady’s car.

Whether it was tiny Stan himself, or the mostly naked girl twice his height close on his heels, Cady started the car, shifting it into gear and stepping on the accelerator.

Stan immediately understood what Cady was doing and changed his path, allowing her to drive between them. With the car still rolling, he reached up and opened the passenger door, diving into the foot space in front of the seat.

“Oh my god! What the heck is going on?” Cady hollered.

“Drive!” Stan bellowed.

Hand on hips, Sersei watched as the vehicle sped away, before unleashing a shriek of frustration and rage. Stomping back to the house, at least she got the license plate.