Joe was anxious.
He stood alone, outside the massive Cyber-Net Inc. headquarters building, shivering. It was an intimidating sight, with its shining, glass facade, and incredible vastness. He tried telling himself that things were going to be okay, that they would be fine. Sure, they'd bought out his old place of employment. Sure, he didn't know whether or not he could do whatever job was lined up for him. Sure, his new job would be far less glamorous, and likely involve doing menial tasks for a pay cut. Sure, he'd be nothing but a cog in a machine, as opposed to one of a handful of friendly, personable folks.
Joe reconsidered. Maybe he'd just talked himself out of applying. Maybe taking up the woman's offer over the phone was a bad idea? Who knows, maybe there's a fast food place nearby looking for people? Maybe he could find a job doing manual labor and gain some much needed muscle mass.
Shaking his head, Joe ignored his thoughts. Nothing good ever came of someone lying down and giving up. He was going to be a great, powerful man, like Theodore Roosevelt, or maybe he could go down in history for his intellect, like Albert Einstein! Or maybe.... maybe...
Sighing to himself, Joe stepped forward. Standing at a paltry four foot six, he wasn't exactly built for greatness. Working with technology was very likely the only real job someone like him could ever do. That, and applying for a job was always a risk, whereas this was supposed to be a guarantee. Besides, he had a family to support, and he was always willing to swallow his pride for their sake. Especially now the holidays were fast approaching.
Stepping up to the polished glass doors, another wave of fear came over Joe, but he forced his hand up to the handle, and pulled it open. A powerful blast of hot wind hit him in the face, forcing the door open, and nearly launching him as well.
At least it's warm... Joe thought, using the door handle to stand.
Enjoying the feeling of the warm wind, Joe decided now was as good a time as any to show the confidence he would need for an interview. Puffing his chest out, he began a slow, confident strut to the security guard's desk.
Just walk up, ask which direction I need to be for an interview, and I'll be solid. He repeated to himself over and over. First impressions were rather important, and he didn't want to leave a bad one.
Even the best laid plans can fail, and Joe's didn't stand up for long when, rather than the face of a security guard, he found himself eying an extraordinarily large pair of feet. Resting on the lip of the round desk, they waved back and forth slowly, hypnotically, like a flag in the breeze, drawing his eyes in their direction.
Need something? A familiar woman's voice asked.
Y-Yes. Joe squeaked, the color from his face draining. He couldn't see the woman's face, as the wall of tanned feet blocked it, and the rest of her body from view.
Clearing his throat loudly, Joe hoped to summon some form of inner strength, something to force his mind out of the haze it was currently in. It didn't help, and the prominently displayed feet continued to sap his strength. He wanted to ask the woman to put her feet down, but were she to comply, he could no longer gaze at their radiant beauty.
I'm here f-for Joe began, gulping hard. They were just a pair of women's feet! He didn't even like feet, did he? He wasn't so sure anymore. He wasn't sure why he was reacting so violently, but he couldn't bring himself to calm down either. Maybe it was the fact that the foot looked to be twice as big as his head that he was so afraid. How big was the rest of the female attached?
You still there? The woman's voice kindly asked.
An interview! Joe finished, finding his mouth suddenly dry. We were b-bought out, and told... he began, his voice cracking.
W-We were bought out and told to come apply here to be considered for a position! Joe shouted very quickly, shutting his eyes and trying to block out the image of those huge, perfect, sumptuous...
No! Joe shouted, not realizing he'd done it out loud.
The two monumental feet finally spread, a tanned ocean of flesh parting to reveal a woman's face peeking through. Her expression hardened upon seeing the man. At least, that's what Joe thought. There was a bit of light reflecting from her thin-framed glasses, obscuring her eyes. Though he couldn't read her expression, her tone suggested she didn't seem happy with him, and he could sense her eyes boring holes into him.
Averting her gaze, Joe shifted uncomfortably.
Finally, with a sigh, her feet slid from the top of the security desk and onto the floor. Joe breathed a sigh of relief, and tried to force his body to relax. Still, his mind was already longing to gaze at those perfect soles once again.
Walking out from behind the rounded desk, she approached Joe, stopping to look over the tiny man in her shadow. The moist, slapping sounds of her feet sticking to the tiles mixed with the quaking of her powerful footsteps, creating an altogether new sound that terrified Joe.
This way. she said nonchalantly, picking up a stack of papers and pressing a small black button on the desk, before walking past the tiny, shaking man. Joe wasn't entirely sure he'd processed the woman's vast size correctly, as it looked like he stood significantly lower than her bustline. How do people even get that big? It boggled his mind.
Sir! She called.
Heart skipping a beat, Joe turned and walked after the woman. His cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment over what he was sure was a bad first impression. Why hadn't he moved quicker? He'd seen her walk past, he should have reacted faster.
A thought crossed his mind, he could just turn and walk out the front door. Then he could find a new job, and get a fresh start. It was too late to salvage this interview, and the beautiful, huge woman seemed to dislike him already.
The idea existed for a fraction of a second, as he continued to follow the woman. Her long strides outpaced his by a great margin, but he knew he wanted to continue being around this woman. Something about her had him entranced, and her dominating presence was doing strange things to his head.
Right through here. She said, holding the door to a small computer lab open. Have a seat at the table, and we can begin the interview.
Doing as he was told, Joe walked into the room, enthralled all over again as he walked past the colossus of a woman. Having been short his whole life, Joe was more than used to people standing over him. It was a rare occasion for him to not hold the title of Shortest Person in the Room. So rare in fact, that he'd never held the title when there were no children present.
This woman was something special though. While Joe wasn't exactly turning heads, falling halfway between four and five feet, he estimated the gorgeous, tanned woman to be at least two feet taller than he was.
Two feet taller... wow. Joe thought to himself. Assuming that was correct, she'd stand at near seven feet in height! On top of that, she wasn't even wearing any kind of shoes! The scale of this powerful woman made Joe's head spin, and he felt he needed to lie down.
You're not sick, are you? she asked, her tone conveying that she was less concerned about his well-being, and more annoyed at the prospect of a useless, ill, employee.
Joe was harshly snapped back into reality.
Err, uh, n-no. I'm fine, totally. He replied shakily.
Hmph. She said, unconvinced. Then why don't you go take a seat already, little boy. The towering woman continued while smiling down at him. Her teeth were a dazzling white, and even though there was clearly a hard edge to that smile, it still shone alluringly.
Joe followed her instructions, trying to ignore the fact that she'd just referred to him as a little boy. It had to have been an offhand comment, right? It didn't mean anything, really, probably just a friendly nickname! Given their sizes, it was an easy way to remember things!
Trying to convince himself to remain calm wasn't working. The line repeated over and over in his mind, while while he took a seat at one of the small, rectangular tables. It was quite large, and the, Little Boy comment repeated in his mind.
She took the oversized seat next to him, leaning back in the soft chair. Crossing her legs, she sat with her feet planted firmly on the ground, while Joe's own feet hovered inches above, in the air.
Let's get the formalities out of the way first. My name is Ann, and I'm the CEO of C-N. Due to a lack of... qualified workers, I pull double duty managing the third floor personally. Pleasure to meet you. She said, extending an arm in his direction.
Hi... Joe said timidly, reaching to shake her hand. Her huge hand wrapped around his like a soft, warm, cage. He could feel the strength in her body when she shook his hand up and down, and found it hard to believe such a woman actually existed. The entire act would have been an intimidating display of power, had her now-suddenly calming presence not been so enjoyable.
And you are? She asked, releasing his tiny hand from her palm, and leaned back. Propping her massive feet onto the desk, inches away from Joe's face, she turned her eyes down to the stack of paperwork she'd carried with her.
A pang of disappointment hit Joe's heart as she pulled her massive, warm hand away, and he hadn't even lowered his hand before missing her skin's warmth. He had little time to think on this however, as her tremendous feet were now directly before him again, and much, much closer than last time.
Your name, sir? She asked again, tapping her pen impatiently.
Joe. Joe S-
And where did you previously hold employment? She interrupted, her lips curling back into that familiar smile, while pulling a small square of caramel out of her pocket. Fanning her feet in his direction, she set about unwrapping the candy, uninterested in Joe.
It-It was at, uh. At... uh. Joe started to panic, as words failed him. Those divine feet were within arms reach, and their fanning was carrying a scent in his direction. It was an intoxicating aroma, fogging his thoughts further, and he constantly stole glances in the direction of the woman's powerful feet.
At... um... Joe repeated, struggling to answer given his new preoccupation.
The woman sighed, pulling a pen from her coat pocket, making notes.
Small's Computing! Downtown at the corner of 4th and Bryant! If you're having server issues we'll be your PC MD's! Joe blurted out all at once before covering his mouth with both hands.
A deafening silence hung in the room. Joe's heart pounded in his chest, loud enough that he was sure the woman could hear it too. Whether or not she did, she continued to scribble onto the stack of papers she held, pausing only to finally pop the small piece of caramel into her mouth.
This single break in her frantic note-taking wasn't lost on Joe, as he watched her actions wordlessly. She'd flicked it into her mouth, with one hand, the other never getting involved in the act. Before disappearing into her dark, cavernous mouth, Joe made note that her skin was very similar in tone to the caramel. Tan, but not dark, Joe's mouth watered at the thought of tasting her sweet...
Cute. She said suddenly, breaking Joe out of his stupor. Well, that's just about all the information I'll be needing. She added, sucking loudly on the candy square, and brushing some of her shoulder-length, black hair out of her face.
Dejected, Joe's shoulders sank, and he turned his head down. He'd done poorly in the interview, and not only was he going to miss the job, he was going to miss Ann, despite only knowing her for a few minutes.
His eyes darted upward, taking in what he was sure would be the final chance to see those huge, beautiful, caramel-colored feet. He made an effort to memorize every wrinkle, every fold of flesh. They were works of art, and he'd display them in the gallery of his mind forever, never to forget the divine sight he'd been graced with.
You'll be starting today.
Joe's ears perked up.
T-Today? He asked incredulously.
You either start today or you don't get the job. Ann said matter-of-factly, clicking her pen shut, and fastening it into her coat's pocket once more.
S-Sure! Anything! He said, smiling gratefully.
Good choice. Follow me, please. Ann replied, standing. Walking to the computer lab's door, she held it open, tapping her foot impatiently and sending a powerful vibration through the floor.
Taking the not-so-subtle hint, Joe jumped to his feet, and nearly ran out of the room after her.
You'll be working on the third floor, the same one my second office is on. Ann said, closing the door behind him. The pair walked back to the building's entrance, and Joe noted that a regular security guard was now sitting at the desk he'd met Ann. Had he waited too much longer, he would have spoken to a regular person, not the boss of the entire company, and never made acquaintance with perfection.
It must be my lucky day. Joe said quietly, smiling to himself.
Your only job is basic server maintenance. Ann explained, pressing a button to signal for the elevator. It should be a simple task. Even for... She began, eying the tiny man critically for a moment before sighing. ...Even for someone like you. She finished.
Yes Ma'am. Joe squeaked, beginning to wonder if something was wrong, while a flood of questions drowned his mind. Why had the interview been so short? She'd gotten almost no information from him and yet here they were. What if he couldn't handle the job? Was it too late to decline and walk out? Maybe she'd just needed to know who he was, since his employment was supposedly guaranteed?
A bell chimed overhead, and one of the elevator doors opened. A huge palm pressed into Joe's back suddenly, shoving him into the elevator. He'd been so lost in worry that he hadn't even noticed the elevator's arrival, and tripped over his own feet while attempting to regain his balance. Ann followed behind him while he recovered, and tapped the button for the third floor.
Your schedule will be prepared later. I am not your friend, or your co-worker. I am your boss. Understood? Ann asked, not even looking at Joe's trembling form.
Y-Yes ma'am. Joe repeated, the tall woman frightening him.
The awkward ride was mercifully short, and another chime signaled their arrival to the third floor. The two exited the elevator in tune, and Joe slowly took in the first view of his new work environment.
Dull, gray, and lifeless. There was no happiness to be seen on the floor. Gray walls, gray floors, and a gray ceiling, completely devoid of personality. Everything melted into a thick scene of gray, and the sounds of fingers on keyboard could be heard all over the floor. Topping this all off, the outer edges of gray cubicles were arranged oddly, leading Joe to question why they were shaped that way. It was a far cry from the cozy, wide-open workspace he'd had at his previous job.
Just think of the family... Joe said to himself. It's better than being unemployed... He thought.
Now, take a seat while I prepare your log-in information. Ann said, walking to a large office in a corner of the floor. Left to his own devices, Joe took the nearest available seat, and waited. For once, Joe's meager height was an advantage, as the tightly encased cubicle still offered enough room to stretch out. It wasn't the best job around, and the working conditions didn't exactly look amazing, but it was still a job, and for that he was thankful.
That's what he tried telling himself at least
Who knows, maybe he'd get another peek at Ann's feet again. Those smooth, caramel-colored walls of flesh, flexing and waving enticingly in the air. He thought about them again, trying to remember what they looked like using his mind's eye. How often did she go shoeless anyway? Was it a daily thing, or was this a special occasion? What if he never got to see them again, despite working under the gorgeous girl?
Beads of sweat began to form on Joe's forehead despite the chilly air. That was a thought he didn't want to entertain, and he instead shifted his focus to the sounds around him. Listening intently, he found himself unable to recognize anything that sounded like warm air being circulated across the floor. Only the clacking of keys, and the gentle whirr of the computers was prevalent. It was cold enough to snow outside, was there really no heating on this floor?
Entrenched in his thoughts, Joe was surprised when he was quite literally plucked from his seat, and lifted high over the walls of the cubicles. Turning his head in shock, he saw the figure holding him was Ann, and he was in awe of her size all over again. She didn't grunt, or looked to be training herself visibly, and still she held him that high in the air. It was intensely emasculating, and made him feel like a small child. Still, the raised perspective offered him an entirely different look at the floor, one more on par if he were tall, like she was.
From this height, Joe could see quite a bit more of the floor's layout, and the sight worried him. Before, he'd only seen a few work spaces, and he assumed the floor's layout to be largely clean, aside from frayed outer edges. Now though, he could see that the floor's cubicles were spread out like a vast, complex web. It looked as if they were trying to force as many cubicle as possible into the limited floor space, comfort be damned. Like ants busy at work in a colony, nobody interacted with anyone else, and they all seemed deeply involved in their own work.
Joe's view above the cubicle walls was disrupted all of a sudden when Ann let go of the back of his shirt. He fell the three feet of difference between himself and the chair he'd been hovering over painfully. Rubbing his lower back, he heard a quiet laugh from behind him as he gathered his bearings, and tried to become comfortable.
Here, boy. I meant, take a seat, here. Ann said, trying to harden her expression, though she clearly found his discomfort comical. And here's your log-in information. The door to my office is directly behind you, but I don't want you touching it unless you're on the verge of death. She said, smiling at the end of her statement.
With that, Ann spun his chair violently, opened the door to her office, stepped inside, and slammed it shut.
Spinning in place, Joe felt himself start to become queasy, and set about the task of stopping the chair. Reaching an arm out did little good, and he quickly realized he was too far and too small to reach anything to slow himself. Like a castaway stranded on a deserted island, he could only watch as things to slow him down, and steer him to safety passed by quickly. Steeling his nerves, he simply clutched the chair for dear life, until it had lost enough for momentum for him to calm down.
Jumping down from his chair, Joe stumbled forward, hugging the monitor of his computer for support. The world around him hadn't quite returned to its normal axis, and he forced his eyes shut while waiting for the world to stop spinning. It took him several minutes to recover, as his weak form wasn't used to being treated in such a way.
Hyper-ventilating was nothing new to Joe, but it served as a constant reminder to his condition. While he recovered from Ann's playful gesture, he made a mental note to ask her not to do such things in the future. Climbing into the chair, he wondered if he'd even have the courage to do so. She didn't seem to like him very much, and had shown herself to hold little regard for his well being. Maybe asking her to stop was like having a death wish?
The floor's spinning had ceased, and with it, Joe's breathing recovered. Inhaling deeply, Joe looked around him again, glad to see no one was around to witness his moment of embarrassment. Scooting his chair closer to his desk, he picked up the slip of paper Ann had left behind.
User Name... joeybagofdonuts...? Sounds like someone's got a sense of humor. Joe smirked, though his stomach didn't find the thought quite as funny. And password is... weakend8? Bet that's a typo. He told himself while carefully typing it in.
A quiet chime, followed by the disappearing log-in box confirmed that he was successful. His chest swelled with pride at getting it done on his first try, and he leaned back in his seat, wanting to survey his surroundings.
The cubicle he sat in was cut in half, likely because it was so close to Ann's office, and there was no way a full-sized cubicle would fit. Surprisingly, this entire side of the vast, confusing cubicle web was void of anyone other than himself.
They sure went all out squeezing every inch of space off the floor. Joe thought aloud. Gotta save money somehow, right? he muttered, glancing back at his monitor.
It continued to load.
Computers aren't exactly top of the line either, are they? Joe sighed.
Swiveling his chair to the side, he looked at the great door to Ann's office. The door seemed extraordinarily tall, and he briefly wondered if it'd been custom built. Was someone of Ann's size even able to walk through normal doors easily? Had all the doors in the building had been built to her specification? He cursed himself for not paying more attention when they'd entered and exited rooms earlier.
Quickly spinning back to his monitor, he confirmed his computer was still trying to process his log-in, before returning to his previous position.
Just behind that door... Joe said to himself longingly, wishing it wasn't there at all. Lowering his gaze, he noticed the door nearly brushing against the gray carpet's fibers.
...It's cut very low too. He said to nobody.
Joe yawned, yearning for anything interesting to take his attention for the moment, when he noticed the tall, thin, glass pane directly beside the door. It was seemingly there for Ann to keep an eye on the floor from inside her office, but, maybe, given Joe's current seat...
Heart pounding, Joe began to tilt his head in the direction of the glass pane, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ann. He only wanted to see her again, remind himself of what she looked like. It wasn't unreasonable, right? Just a glimpse! After all, he could claim he wanted to ask her not to spin him in his chair, or pick him up by his collar! It was foolproof, and she'd have to let it slide!
As he continued to lean further, Joe's breaths grew quicker, sharper. A nervous sweat started to form on his forehead, but he didn't bother wiping it off. There was still no sign of the prize, and he was nearly falling out of his chair from leaning.
Focusing closely on the thin pane of glass continued to bring forth no results, and Joe was beginning to think this was a lost cause. Besides, even if he could see her, the odds of him being noticed while gawking weren't exactly in his favor. Maybe he should just forget about it and get back to work.
Or... Joe began, justifying his actions to himself. Maybe I could just lean a tiny... bit... more... he said, straining.
In an instant, one of Ann's vast, powerful feet slammed onto the glass panel. The toes wiggled as they rest, on the glass, bringing to mind images of an angry, caged animal in Joe's mind.
Releasing a tiny squeak, Joe nearly fell out of his chair as he straightened back up, and returned to his monitor. Hyperventilating once again, he was glad to see the log-in process had just finished, and he quickly double-clicked the lone program on the desktop.
I shouldn't have done that. That was a mistake. I shouldn't have done that. Joe repeated to himself, his heart beating loudly in his chest.
The rest of the day passed all too slowly, and Joe couldn't stop himself from replaying that moment in his head all day. Her foot had just slammed into the glass panel, and then the toes... they... seemed to wave at him. Had she known he was trying to get a look? What if she had? Would he be in trouble?
One thing was certain though. He shouldn't bring up her treatment of him now, especially given the chance that she'd actually seen him. Doing so could put him into a tighter predicament than he was already in, and, torturous as ignorance was, it was better to not know than to bring it up.
Work was easy, if not tedious, and come 8 P.M., a flashing message appeared in the bottom right corner of Joe's screen. Though he was still a bit shaky, he clicked the message, expanding it to the center of the screen.
You may leave now.
Report back at noon tomorrow. A schedule will be given to you then.
-Ann
Joe sighed in relief. There was nothing out of the ordinary in that note. Nothing to be afraid of. It was all safe. He was in the clear.
Then why am I so nervous?! Joe nearly shouted, struggling to log out of his computer.
Finally, he was taken back to a blank log-in page, and, jumping out of his chair, rushed to the elevator. Not stopping to look at anyone, he sped out of the elevator doors once he reached the first floor. He stepped out the front doors, and didn't stop his brisk pace until he reached his small, blue sedan.
He had a truly quiet moment to himself, the first one since he stepped into those doors, and he reflected on it. His boss, Ann, simply wouldn't leave his mind, even after his close call. She seemed to think little of him, but really, who was to blame her? She was tall. Very, very tall. The fact that her feet were bigger than his head was only the beginning of her staggering stature. Her smooth, flawless skin was the same color as the sweet caramel she'd popped into her mouth so much earlier that day.
Who was he, in comparison to such a superior being? He was small, very small. Weak, and pasty. He was prone to hyperventilation, and had trouble remembering things. He was a literal nothing by normal standards, and in her presence, he was even less.
Clearing the images from his mind, Joe started the car, and made his way home. He had a family to take care of, and despite everything, he was sure they'd be thrilled to discover he was still employed. Still, in the far reaches of his mind, he thought of diving into an ocean of caramel, and getting to experience Ann further.
Giantess World
Story Notes:
- For complete illustrated PDF, view the version at http://emmagear.deviantart.com/art/The-Office-Crush-348129313 -