A Big Problem

A Big Problem

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Hot air hit her numb, frozen skin. She heard a loud sniff before the sound of digging filled Sage's ears. She forced her tired eyes open just to see a wall of white snow. Confused, Sage slightly tilted her head up to meet the face of a fluffy wolf eagerly peering into the deep hole. Normally, the sight would give her a heart attack, but now she couldn't even bother to care. She was dead anyways. A heaviness fell onto her eyes once more, and soon the darkness took over the world again.

—————

Warmth. Warmth was all Sage could feel. The heat surrounded her aching bones, breathing life into her frail body. She happily snuggled deeper into the soft material around her. Sage wasn't interested in where she was or what happened as long as the comfort never left her.

Of course, her mind didn't let her rest for long. Questions demanding answers swirled around in her head. The first question: where was she?

Sage tried to ignore it, but the question only screamed louder in her head as the seconds ticked by. The material around her slowly began to feel familiar... rough... almost like that....

No. She couldn't be back there. They couldn't have found her again.

But the harsh roughness of the bag told her otherwise. Sage wildly thrashed her arms and legs trying to break out of the darkness, but she knew it was hopeless. A deep rumble humming a cheery tune outside of her prison drowned her screams. Her body shook uncontrollably as tears formed in her eyes. How did they find her? Why was this happening again?

Suddenly, the humming vanished. She was awake. Although her blurry vision prevented her from identifying her whereabouts, Sage knew she was safe from that suffocating bag. A deep breath escaped her lips as she waited for her heart to calm down.

Disoriented, she slowly tried to sit up to get her bearings only to collapse back down as pain erupted all through her body. She gritted her teeth in agony and scrunched her eyes shut.

"Sh-should we help her?"

Sage froze as a low rumble vibrated her battered body, her pain suddenly becoming tolerable. Was that thunder?.... Or a voice?

"There's nothing else we can do."

An even deeper rumble shook the air and the fairy shot her hands up and covered her ears before the thunderous noise ruptured her eardrums.

Wherever she was fell eerily quiet, leaving Sage alone with her boggled mind. Those were definitely voices, she shakily confirmed, but nothing could ever be that loud....nothing my size....

Sage's heart nearly collapsed at the mere thought she was discovered by humans. Dreading the confirmation, she slowly counted to three and pried her eyes open.

Her heart didn't collapse, however. It exploded into a billion pieces as she took in the site of a  humongous face hovering above her, way to close for her liking. Brown eyes scrutinized her small form, seemingly studying every single part of her as hot breath bore into her skin. Sage quickly squeezed her eyes shut and pulled a strange white material over her head to shield her from the giant brown orbs.

Thunder, or a voice, pierced the air once more,"Back up Cade! Can't you see your scaring her?"

The surface below creaked as a crushing weight seemed to be lifted off. Sage didn't dare move under the cloth as her mind attempted to wrap around her current predicament.

Unfortunately, it was pretty hard to think when the deeper voice spoke once again,"Right now, I'm more concerned about her injuries," he  replied calmly,"She has cuts all over her body, some are real deep. I need to make sure they don't get infected." The man let out a quiet sigh,"And that wing has me worried."

"Well, the poor thing is scared enough as it is without your ugly face one inch away from her," the second voice mumbled.

The giants continued to bicker about what's best for her, leaving Sage unattended on the red cloth. The booming conversation fell on deaf ears since Sage already knew what was best for her: getting back to The Hollow. To Rod.

Taking a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes and struggled to shove the white rag off of her. Her body screamed in protest with every movement while she dragged herself out of the warm, thick blanket and into the light. Sage quickly glanced back to see two towering forms focused more on each other than the escaping fairy. She thanked the gods that humans had such short attention spans.

Or so she thought...

Earth shattering footfalls shook the world and in a matter of seconds, a giant was looming over her spot on the table. Sage looked up to the sky in horror as a pair of icy blue eyes bore down on her. She slowly scooted backwards, not paying attention to her surroundings. All she could see was the giant human looming over her. She was so dead.

Sage has seen the destruction and terror humans left behind firsthand and it was something that still haunted her years later. The lifeless bodies, crushed homes, burning forestry, and the screams of loved ones were all she could think about when humans were even mentioned. The commander used to speak at the academy to warn kids to stay inside the safety of The Hollow's walls to avoid the giant monsters. She should have taken her own advice.

The giant man raised his arm and slowly reached his hand towards the fairy with his fingers spread, ready to grab her. She was no bigger than the index finger, making her realize how dire her current situation was. The hand could completely engulf her entire body and crush the life out her in an instant.

Sage instinctively reached down for her sword ready to cause some serious damage to the monstrous hand, but only grasped thin air. Orange eyes shot down to her side, no sword in sight. In fact, her blue armor was missing too, leaving the woman in nothing more than her black jumpsuit. Anguish hit her. The odds of surviving a giant were already low, but without her gear she stood absolutely no chance.

With only one option left, she opened her wings and leapt off the red cloth only to crumble to the cold wooden surface instead. Sage bit deep into her tongue to silence her screams as a horrific stabbing sensation rippled through her wings and spread to her body. Her breathing hitched and her hands clutched tightly together, digging her nails into her pale skin and turning her knuckles white.

Indistinguishable voices echoed through the air, blending together as Sage fought to stay conscience. Weak cries escaped her mouth as the air seemed to be sucked out of her. Death would be a blessing right now.

After what felt like centuries, the paralyzing torment began to subside, allowing her tense muscles to relax. Gasping for air, she shakily got onto her hands and knees, failing to stop the tears rolling down her red cheeks. Warm blood flowed out of the fresh gash in her tongue, coating her mouth with a metallic taste.

Sage immediately knew what caused her agony the moment it struck: her wings. It didn't take a genius to know that a fairy's wings were tremendously fragile and sensitive. One little tear, and the next thing you know you're paralyzed on the ground begging the gods for mercy.

Looking over her shoulder, she examined her injured wing and her heart dropped. There was a huge tear starting from the top of her wing down to the center along with a few small cracks. A strange thin, yellow rod was attached to the broken wing, seemingly holding the pieces together before it split even more. It would take months of proper care for the wing to heal.

Peeling her eyes off her shriveled wings, she glanced down at her arms and leg covered in what looked like a bandage. Spots of crimson blood stained the white material as it leaked from injuries she never knew she had. Her throbbing left leg no longer had an arrow sticking through it, but it still hurt to put weight on it. Making any hope of escape drop even lower.

"Can you hear me?"

Sage's eyes widened. How could she have forgotten about the giants! She just tried to fly away from them! If that monster wasn't going to kill her before, he definitely would now!

A dark shadow cast over her small form. Instant regret washed over Sage, she messed up and was now going to pay the price. Her head fell to the ground and her eyes closed as she was forced to accept an early death.

A deep voice rose in front of her causing the fairy to jump,"Hey little one," he spoke softly,"What happened? Are you alright?"

Something big and hot grazed her arm and she jolted back, landing on her side with a loud thud. More agony swept over her beaten body and she bit back a cry.

"Easy there, we just want to make sure you're okay."

Yeah right, she bitterly thought. There was no way a human actually cared about a tiny. He was probably just trying to get her guard down for an easier kill. Then again, there was nothing stopping him from ending her life right now. Sure she was one of the strongest soldiers of The Hollow, but the giants completely overpower her. Why was she still alive?

Confused, and a bit curious, Sage slowly lifted her head off the smooth ground. An enormous hand rested a few inches in front of her, but immediately retracted out of sight when the woman began scooting back.

Sage looked to where the hand retreated and saw a towering wall of gray cloth that filled her vision. Her heart pounded harder and harder as her eyes slowly made their way up the wall, trying to find the face of the behemoth. Sage's head cranked back to the point it might break before meeting a pair of enormous brown eyes staring down at her.

Keeping his gaze locked on her, the giant body began to shift and Sage forgot to breathe when she became face to face with the human. Even on his knees, he still loomed menacingly over her small form.

However, a comforting smile formed on his face,"How are you feeling?"

He expectantly looked at her for a moment, but Sage didn't acknowledge his words and silently stared up at him. Although she put on a brave face, her insides twisted into thousands of knots at each passing second.

After a few awkward moments of dead silence, a second voice spoke,"Do fairies even know English?"

"I know as much as you do." The giant man in front of her sighed, blowing hot air that ruffled her brown hair.

With booming footsteps, the second human walked next to the other man before kneeling at the table. His big blue eyes filled with awe and curiosity as he looked at the fairy before him like he was a kid in a candy store.

Sage has always hated being the center of attention, so she couldn't help but squirm under the crushing stares of four enormous eyes. She look down into her lap and fidgeted with her fingers. She couldn't wait for this nightmare to be over.

"So, can you—wait. I don't think we introduced ourselves yet," an overly cheery voice said,"My name is Arthur."

Sage raised her head to see the blue eyed man, Arthur, pointing at himself with a smile.

Arthur then gestured to the man with brown eyes,"This is my older brother Cade. I know he looks scary but I promise he's a nice guy. Sometimes." He joked earning an elbow from the older man.

The brothers turned their attention back on Sage. They obviously wanted her name, but she figured it was best if they thought she couldn't understand them. Who knows, maybe they'll reveal some sort of human weak spot right in front of her, giving her the ultimate advantage. That, and her body was so overwhelmed with shock she couldn't open her mouth even if she wanted to. But mostly the first reason. Totally.

When it became clear the fairy wasn't going to talk to them, the brothers exchanged a glance as if they were debating on what to do.

After a few moments of staring, Arthur rose to his full towering height and walked to what looked like a kitchen behind him. Unfortunately, It was hard to see what he was doing with his back facing the table. He slowly walked back and carefully placed a plate between Sage and the red cloth before turning around again.

Cade's deep voice interrupted the sound of running water,"I'm not sure if you can understand us, but we're going to provide you some food and water and let you rest." He paused to see if Sage would respond but continued talking when she remained silent,"I will check your injuries tomorrow."

With that, the man heaved onto his feet and began trudging out of the room. Arthur placed something small by the plate and followed his brother out, giving a small little wave to the fairy as he exited.

Even as the sound of booming footsteps faded away, Sage's body remained frozen to the wood beneath her. Her mind was blank. What... just happened? She thought to herself.

She was shocked to find she was not being kept in a cage like a pet or sold to the black market. They didn't even punish her when she tried to fly away. The brothers seemed to have cared about her, maybe even respect her. Perhaps not all giants were power hungry animals who enjoyed torturing "lesser beings."

However, that could change. That's how humans work. They are nice one moment and complete assholes the next, but Sage will not fall victim to their manipulation again. No matter how hard they try, she will not cozy up to them.

Before she could analyze the situation further, a loud growl filled the air. It was her stomach. Sage's eyes wandered to the plate Arthur put down and noticed some berries resting on top. As much as Sage hated taking food from her captors, the constant painful rumbles of her stomach told her to stop complaining and start walking.

When Sage finally limped her way to the white plate, she grabbed the rims and heaved herself on top. The site of the blueberries made her mouth water and she greedily grabbed one with her hands.

Right when her teeth pierced through the blue skin, relief found its way back to her. The berry tasted like heaven. It's juices covered her mouth and dripped down her arms as she devoured the delicious fruit. More than half of the large berry was gone before the woman's hunger was satisfied.

The small object Arthur placed was also located on the plate. It seemed to be a weird looking bowl filled with water. Sage dipped her hands in and washed the remains of the berry off before taking a long drink. Afterwards, she sat on the plate in a daze, too tired to bother thinking.

Without even realizing it, the fairy made her way up the soft red cloth before collapsing in an exhausted heap. A part of her wanted to rest somewhere hidden, but the heaviness in her eyes convinced Sage otherwise.

Her sleepy eyes closed and Sage fell into darkness, resting for the challenging day ahead of her.

art trade with @novalunosis-numinous !! ✨ more under the cut <3

Escape

Poor Sage has gone through so much in such a short amount of time (I say as if I didn’t write the story)

2K words

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Sage woke from her sleep with a harsh jolt. Her reoccurring nightmares finally kicking her back out into reality. She rubbed her blurry eyes to try and rid them of the phantoms of her dreams, something she's been having to do more often.

Sage gingerly sat up and grimaced. Her body felt unbelievably stiff and worn down, but her fuzzy mind failed to recall why. Maybe a training session gone wrong? Or did she fly straight into a tree trunk? She didn't really care what happened as long as she didn't embarrass herself in front of Rod. He was well known for holding things over people's heads. Sage would be lucky if he never mentioned her falling butt first on the ice the other day.

She pushed a thick blanket off of her to find anyone who could give her answers, but one glance around the room quickly reminded her of her.... situation.

The memories of the previous day flashed back into her mind; the celebration, the blizzard, the sprite ambush, collapsing into the snow, and then waking up with a gigantic face mere inches away her.

Sage unconsciously moved her hand and gently caressed her damaged wings. Those wings were her life. They were her pride and joy and Sage kept utmost care of them. Now, they were torn up and destroyed by some greedy sprites, unable to catch the air and fly like they were made to do. She didn't even know if they would ever heal and return to their former glory. Especially with the humans messing with them.

Sage couldn't help but cringe at the image of the two impossibly giant humans towering over her. How defenseless she felt under their intense gaze. Their hands big enough to close around her and snap the life out of her no matter how hard she fought back. She was too weak. Too fragile. It was something she never wanted to experience again.

And she won't.

Carefully sitting on the large red cloth, she surveyed the world around her. It looked like she was in some sort of kitchen area. The light gray countertops in the far distance gleamed in the strange, bright lights that hung from the impossibly high ceiling. Glancing over her shoulder, a room with huge couches and a large black box connected to the kitchen. Sage presumed it was the human's living room.

She looked around some more but failed to see any signs of the giants. Deeming it safe, Sage forced her aching muscles to climb down the cloth. A hiss of pain escaped her clenched teeth as she moved her leg. With the wrapping, Sage was unable to see how bad the injury truly was. A part of her was relieved about that.

When she reached the "ground," she saw the plate of berries and the small water container nearby. As Sage slowly inched closer, she noticed both the food and water seemed to be new. The half eaten berry was no longer on the plate and the dirtied water was now clear. Her heart skipped a beat in realization. They were replaced while she was asleep! Sage wanted to scream at herself for falling asleep and leaving herself completely vulnerable, but stayed silent. This was her chance of escape and she wasn't going to ruin it by having a tantrum.

Disappointed in herself, Sage continued to slowly limp to the edge of the table, refusing to take anymore food from the humans like some sort of pet. Once she reached her destination, she cautiously peered over the edge. Normally, heights and gravity meant absolutely nothing to the fairy. But with a pair of useless wings hanging off her back, the distance between her and the floor made her stomach do flips.

The floor seemed to stretch further and further away the longer she stared, turning her knees to jelly. Sage stepped away from the edge before she collapsed, her heart racing a mile per minute. Sage made a mental note to apologize to any nymph she had mocked for being afraid of heights. Having no wings to catch you sucked.

Sage took some time to breathe before laying on her stomach and gingerly scooting to the edge once more. Trying not to look directly down, she glanced to the side towards one of the chairs pushed underneath. The chair seat seemed to be made of a white fabric, one that could cushion a fall. A very painful fall, but it wouldn't kill her. Hopefully.

Desperate to escape the human house that kept her locked away from the forest, she eagerly, but cautiously, limped towards the chair. Sage peeked over the edge again, but didn't feel as sick now that the distance was cut in half. Although she didn't want to take her chances and quickly got to work.

Sage gripped the edge of the table and slowly lowered herself off, letting her body hang off the edge and over the seat of the chair. Her wings trembled nervously, sending slight pains up her back, but Sage's steel grip didn't loosen despite the aches in her muscles. Her fingers were glued to the edge, now terrified of letting go of the safety of solid ground.

You have to do this. This is the only way out of here. The humans will be back, Sage argued with herself. With the added encouragement, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let go of the table.

But everything is easier said than done.

Instant regret shot through her and she let out a startled cry. Her arms and legs thrashed wildly in the air, but were unable to stop the descent. Her destroyed wings fluttered rapidly out of instinct, sending stabbing pains through her body. Sage abruptly thudded on the white seat cushion, her tiny body bouncing on the impact. The air was knocked out of her lungs and all she could do was lay limply, gasping for air.

Her instincts screamed at her to get up, but Sage was unable to move. Everything hurt. Her head felt like a sack of rocks and blood roared in her ears. The sound of heavy stomping barely registered in her brain, but Sage made no attempts to get up. She already pushed her tired and beaten body too much. So far, the humans showed no ill-intent towards her and Sage was willing to take a leap of faith and trust the brothers. Despite not having a choice on the matter.

She closed her eyes and waited for the giants.

—————

Down the hallway from the kitchen was a cozy office filled with books and scattered papers. An abandoned desk sat at the back of the room, the large window behind it being the only source of light. Tukka's head drooped down from the red couch in the center of the room, his messy fur stuck out in all directions as the result of a good dream. Probably one filled with bacon.

Cade sat on the couch next to his beloved dog with his eyes closed. His medicine drained the little energy he had, and Cade found himself taking naps every chance he got. Arthur, on the other hand, restlessly paced around the small office. It had been a couple hours since they left the fairy and the sun was beginning to settle down. Arthur had been itching to go and try to talk to their strange house guest again, but Cade insisted they gave her space so she could rest peacefully.

Arthur did one more lap around the room before flopping face first onto the red couch across from his brother, letting out a loud groan.

"You good?" Cade mumbled as he forced his eyes open, but he felt he already knew the answer.

Arthur slowly sat up on the couch but kept his eyes on the wooden floor. Strands of brown hair fell out of his man bun and covered his face,"I just want to apologize to her. I was trying to keep her from falling off the edge of the sweatshirt. I didn't think she would get that scared." He covered the shame on his face with his hands,"I must have looked like a monster to her."

Cade knew this feeling all too well. Ever since tinies were granted full rights a few years ago, he has run into more and more tinies during his shifts now that people actually called their injuries in. He and his partner always tried to assure their tiny patients they were safe, but that never stopped them from scurrying away from their hands in a panic. One borrower even tried jumping out the ambulance and screamed bloody murder when Cade caught him before he became a bloody puddle on the ground.

He knew their fear of humans were valid after decades of abuse, but it still pained him to see the terror on their faces. Unfortunately, Cade has grown used to being a monster in their eyes, but Arthur was not prepared for the same treatment.

The last thing he wanted was Arthur beating himself up for something out of his control,

"Tinies are scared of humans no matter our intentions, it's what kept them alive for so long. You did the right thing keeping her from falling."

Cade watched as Arthur slowly lifted his head out of his hands,"but you saw what happened. I hurt her-"

The older man quickly interrupted the damning thoughts, trying to pull Arthur out of the downhill spiral called guilt, "She was already hurt when I found her, you had nothing to do with it," Cade rubbed his eyes in a failed attempt to get the sleep out of them. He continued," The little thing was going to aggravate her injuries sooner or later. Now she knows to take it easy."

Guilt still plagued his younger brother's face, but Arthur kept his thoughts to himself. Cade used the silence as an opportunity to clear his head. He leaned back against the soft cushions and closed his eyes, hoping to finally catch up on some sleep. However, a small noise cut through the silence. It was a quiet sound that the humans would have missed if their ears weren't tuned to pick up any small noises from down the hall.

Cade looked at Arthur who held a shocked expression on his face, confirming he heard it as well. In an instant, both men were racing down the hallway towards the small cry.

They arrived in the kitchen and found no trace of the fairy on the sweatshirt or hiding under the washcloth. The blueberries and bottle cap of water remained untouched. Millions of different scenarios raced through Cade's mind, none of which had any positive endings.

"Watch your step," he ordered Arthur before cautiously walking to the round table. Cade watched the ground intently as if the fairy would appear right under his shoes, making the short trek even slower.

At the table, he went down on his hands and knees and looked behind the various table legs. He just started checking behind the chair legs when he saw a tiny figure lying on the seat cushion.

The small fairy was sprawled out on her back.  She didn't even move when Cade leaned in to get a closer look, causing a pang of worry to shoot through him. He moved even closer until his eyes were just a few inches away from her body, and intently watched her chest until he noticed the subtle rise and fall of her breathing.

Letting out his own small breath of relief, he asked,"Ms.? Can you hear me?" Of course he didn't expect any sort of response from her.

So, when the woman rolled her head over to meet his eyes, Cade was shocked. She didn't even flinch away from the close proximity like in their first meeting, but that didn't make Cade feel any better. She could easily be concussed and he had no idea how to run the proper tests on someone so small.

He slowly started moving his hands towards her, "I'm gonna pick you up and bring you to the table to check your injuries. Okay?" Even though she showed no signs of understanding English, it felt wrong not to tell her what was going on.

Cade watched the fairy's reaction as he brought his hands closer. He heard Arthur shuffling over behind him, but his entire focus remained on his tiny patient. Fortunately, all the woman did was look away from the hands and closed her eyes, making it easier for Cade to move without startling her.

As gently as he could possibly manage, he scooped the fairy into his hands while being mindful of her injuries and slowly lifted her up. No matter how often he picked up a tiny, Cade still couldn't get over the surreality of it. He was holding a whole person in his palms yet hardly felt any weight.

As he cupped the woman closer to his chest for stability, Cade noticed how his fingers dwarfed the fairy. He could close his fingers and completely engulf her, and no one would even know she was there. Those thoughts reminded him how much responsibility he had on his shoulders and he quickly, but carefully, deposited the fairy on top of the table.

Arthur leaned over his shoulder, "is she okay?" He asked, his voice hiding none of his concern.

Cade looked over his tiny patient once more. Strands of brown hair fell out of her braid and covered part of her face. The gauze wrapped around her leg was starting to become undone, although it had to be changed anyways. His brown eyes fell over to her wings. Without his magnifying glass the numerous cracks in the wings were too small for him to notice, preventing him from seeing any new tears.

He reached under the table where he left his first-aid kit earlier that day, "she'll survive." Cade stated simply,"although, we need to call the T.A.P.A to pick her up as soon as we can."

"You're still thinking about calling them?" Arthur asked, failing to hide the disappointment in his voice.

Cade started taking out the needed supplies from the kit and placed them on the table. The fairy still hadn't moved since he held her and he was getting increasingly worried about the injuries he can't see. Cade sighed,"we've already talked about this. It's for the best."

The younger man leaned over Cade's shoulder, and was disappointed to find the fairy still unresponsive. He knew not to keep arguing with Cade about the whole TAPA situation, especially when he was working. So, he decided to test out something instead, "Can I try something?"

Cade slowly looked over at him with tired eyes, his face full of suspicion,"what are you going to do?" He asked, somewhat fearing the answer.

Arthur pulled out his phone,"I just wanna see if she understands different languages." He shrugged with a grin,"it might get her to wake up." He reasoned.

"I don't think that would-"

"Hola? Bonjour? Ciao? Ahlan?" Arthur stammered through the list of greetings, obviously having no idea how to pronounce anything. Yet he continued strong,"guten tag? Halo? Konnichiwa?" He paused and his brows furrowed at the screen,"z-zdra-vst-vuyte?"

Cade ran a hand over his face,"did it ever cross your mind that she might speak a fae language?"

Arthur looked up from the screen and his cheeks reddened,"no...."

The older brother sighed and grabbed the smallest pair of tweezers he owned and slowly reached out towards the damaged wings, failing to notice the fairy tense up.

Artfight was the perfect excuse to draw @eightyuh's Glendale sweaty in an apron

He gives 'Dad who won't let anyone else use the barbecue vibes,' and I'll die on that hill.

If you haven't read @wicksend yet, I highly recommend. Eighty has such an incredible talent when it comes to story telling, and while I've said it before I'll say it till I'm blue in the face, the way she's able to take a comedic scenario and then apply this heavy sort of realism/consequence is just so emotionally investing.

Small Talk

She’s finally trusting themmmm!!!!

3K words

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Sage listened to the thundering footsteps as they got closer and closer, sending tremors through the chair and her body. Their booming words failed to register in her daze, but Sage knew they were searching for her. However, every reasonable survival instinct was snuffed out by the haze in her mind and she remained still. A darkness casted over her and Sage could feel warm gusts of air from the human's breathing. They found her.

A deep voice rumbled around her, but the words were too distorted to make out. She knew he must be trying to get her attention, so in response, she opened her eyes and turned her head to see him.

She was greeted by humongous, tired, brown eyes the size of her head belonging to the human named Cade. He was only a couple inches away from her, but the clear concern in his eyes kept Sage from scrambling away. Or at least attempting to get away in her current state.

The huge pair of lips in front of her moved as the man continued to talk, but Sage couldn't even begin to understand what he was saying. Then two large hands came into view. Sage felt her muscles tense but made no moves to escape. The urge to get away was drowned out by her hammering headache and she closed her eyes, allowing the large fingers to wrap loosely around her.

They were surprisingly gentle as they scooped her onto a palm. It was a strange sensation. The skin was leathery and immense amounts of heat rose from the hand. For a very brief moment, Sage forgot where she was and was content to just go to sleep on the comfortably hot surface. This was nothing like the last time she was in a hand.

The hand began to move slowly but that didn't stop the vertigo from hitting the fairy. Luckily, the human wasted no time getting her to the table. As gently as she was scooped into the giant palms, she was put down onto the hard wooden surface.

Sage couldn't help a small shiver as the human's warmth was quickly replaced by the cold table. Although she wanted to see her surroundings, she decided to keep her eyes closed and allow her body to recover from being pushed too far.

After a few moments the fog clouding her brain started to clear, so Sage opened her eyes and her heart immediately stopped. The immense forms of two humans loomed above her as they stared at the tiny woman at the center of the table. Her body froze in fear under their gazes like a deer caught in headlights, and her eyes shut closed to avoid looking at her captors. But that didn't stop her from hearing the booming conversation overhead.

Her brain scrambled to remember the last couple of minutes. She knew she was on the chair but wasn't sure how she ended up on the table. The answer was obvious, especially with the humans near by, but Sage remained ignorant until she could only come up with one possible answer: A hand.

She was picked up in a hand.

Even though Sage knew she asked for the help, a shudder still ran through her body. Why did I let them find me? I showed them how weak I am. I don't want to be here! Sage was practically drowning in panic and was going to attempt darting off when the human's words grabbed her attention.

She peeked a curious eye open, her panic temporarily replaced by confusion as she listened to Arthur speak words she never heard before. Sage always thought she was quite knowledgeable when it came to human terms, but even she couldn't recognize the words. And by the way Arthur stammered and his brows furrowed, it was clear he had no idea what he was saying either.

Her gaze shifted over to Cade who seemed just as confused as she was. He ran a large hand over his face,"Did it ever cross your mind that she might speak a fae language?"

Sage's orange eyes widened at that comment. Arthur was putting in the effort to try and communicate with her even when she never made an attempt to talk back. He actually wanted to speak to her. But why? What could he possibly gain from talking her?

Unfortunately, the fairy's questions fled her mind when two hands started reaching right for her. Fingers that were longer than her body stretched out to trap her so the human could do whatever he wanted with her. One hand carried a large, silver tool that looked like it could easily rip off a limb. Every muscle within her tensed with adrenaline and her lungs struggled for air as the fingers snaked behind her back and slowly sat her up.

The tip of the tool touched her damaged wing and carefully lifted it to get a better look. Her blood ran cold with terror. A human was touching her wings....

In an instant, she lurched forward out of the hand's grasp and turned around. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Sage screamed and punched a finger holding the offending tool as hard as she can. The finger recoiled away along with the tool in a matter of seconds, leaving the fairy kneeling alone on the table. The throbbing pain in her leg intensified from the sudden movement, but that was the least of Sage's concerns as the realization struck her.

She revealed she can speak English.

She punched a giant.

Her hand clapped over her mouth as if she could take back the words that hung in the air. Two sets of wide, enormous eyes stared down at her in shock. Sage forgot to breathe as she stared at the humans towering above her and she quickly scrambled back in an attempt to get away. She didn't get very far. Her back hit something behind her, effectively forcing her to remain in the view of giants.

Arthur was the first to break through the uneasy silence, "You can talk!" He exclaimed excitedly. His blue eyes lit up with newfound curiosity, "What's your name? How did you get hurt? Why didn't you speak before?"

Sage flinched back at the bombardment of questions, completely overwhelmed by the rapid turn of events.

Noticing her panic, Cade laid a firm hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Not now." The simple yet commanding statement shut the other man up immediately.

Cade leaned slightly forward,"Hey. Everything is going to be alright. We are not going to hurt you." He gave Sage a soft smile,"You're completely safe here. I promise."

The last thing Sage wanted to do was chat with her captors, but she also despised how the human talked down to her as if she were just some frightened child (even though she was completely terrified). Seeing the pity in their eyes like they were looking at some helpless little animal made something snap within her.

All of Sage's pent up anger and frustration with humans replaced her fear. Sage was known for being the more reserved commander in The Hollow, but that didn't mean she didn't speak her mind when needed. And right now, she intended to annoy the living daylights out of the humans with her next course of action.

Gathering up every ounce of confidence within her, she craned her head back to meet the brown eyes waiting expectantly above her with her arms crossed. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she spoke up loud and clear,"Save your pity for someone who needs it," she snapped back.

The brown eyes widened above her and the human stayed silent for a moment. Eventually, Cade looked down at her again and the fairy met his eyes with a glare."Can you at least tell us your name?" He asked softly. The mistrust in her tiny eyes was very clear, but Cade needed her trust if he wanted to check her injuries.

Her orange eyes narrowed. Humans didn't care about things they deem beneath them even if it's another person. They only pretended to care about 'lesser beings' when they wanted something. Sage would be damned if she gave the giants any information,"That's none of your concern."

To her relief, the brown eyed human only nodded at her stubborn response and leaned back in his chair. For a moment, she thought he was going to reach out and squeeze the information out of her with his impossibly large hand. When Sage thought the attempts to communicate were over she noticed the other human begin to shift in his chair.

Arthur shrugged,"Well we kinda need to know what to call you, but I guess we can come up with a nickname for you in the meantime." He tapped his chin with a finger as he pretended to think. "We could call you itty-bitty, squirt, pipsqueak; pip for short." He added. Then a huge, shit-eating grin formed on his face,"How about Tinkerbell?"

Cade sent his younger brother a warning look, and Arthur held up his hands innocently,"What? I don't wanna keep calling her The Fairy." He tilted his head towards Sage,"It sounds like she's some scary monster from a horror movie. Pipsqueak is a much more fitting name for such an adorable little fairy." He teased with a smirk.

Sage's hands formed into tight fists. Even though she had no idea what a 'horror movie' was, she did recognize the jabs at her size. She thrusted a finger up at the giant, only to wince when the sudden movement sent sharp pains through her body. Both humans slightly leaned forward and Sage grimaced knowing they saw her pained movements.

She, however, ignored it in favor of getting back at the irritating human,"We'll see how adorable you think I am after I introduce you to my sword."

"Whatever you say, Pip." The younger man snarked back with clear amusement.

Cade held up both hands,"Knock it off you two." Despite his stern tone, he was glad the little thing was talking to them, even with such ferocity. After seeing the pure fear on her tiny face, Cade was worried she would just curl up and keep quiet like the tinies he had met before. In those situations, it was extremely difficult to get the tiny to open up to him.

But like so many people before her, she couldn't resist insulting Arthur right back. A part of Cade felt that Arthur knew exactly what he was doing when teasing the small woman.

Sage couldn't stop a small flinch at the human's irritated tone. He was obviously the one in charge and she bit back the retort she had for Arthur. Instead, she watched from her seat on the table as Cade looked down at her once again.

"I really just want to help you," he said switching back to a gentle tone. "At least let me look at your leg and wings. Then we will leave you alone." He reasoned.

The clear concern in his tired eyes was hard to miss, but Sage wasn't going to accept a human's help so easily. At least when she's not in a confused daze. "If you want to help me then give me back my armor and sword and let me go." She demanded stubbornly.

Cade shook his head,"I'm afraid I can't do that." He gestured his hand over to a nearby window and Sage's eyes followed. Even with the sun setting, she could clearly see the snow falling violently to the ground, covering the world in a white blanket. A blanket that could kill Sage in a matter of minutes.

She frowned. There was no way she could make it back to The Hollow alive in that weather. Tears threatened to escape her eyes at the realization that her fate was officially sealed. Sage was trapped in the human house. The last place she ever wanted to be.

The three sat in silence watching the snow outside for a moment before Arthur quietly spoke up, "Are you okay?" He asked. Although it was hard to see the details of her tiny face, he could see the slight slump in her shoulders. Anyone would be upset about being stranded away from home, and the defiant fairy was no exception.

Sage forced the tears back and squared her shoulders. Her back rippled in pain from her torn wings but the woman didn't let that show in her expression. The last thing she wanted to do was show any weakness in front of humans. They would just use it against her to get whatever they wanted out of her. She sent her best glare up at the giants looking down on her,"Why do you care?" She snapped back.

"We care because it's the right thing to do," Cade answered for his brother. "You're a person just like us, you don't deserve to be in any pain or fear." He said with a kind smile.

I'm a person just like them.... Sage could hardly believe those words. They just seemed so ridiculous. Their fingers alone outsized her, how in the world could they be equals?

And yet, she found herself thinking over the day's events. Sure the last few hours were absolutely terrible, but the humans never harmed her. They never trapped her like a pet or grab her in a fist. Instead, they gave her plenty of food and a comfortable place to rest. All they ever did was show her patience and respect and Sage lashed out at them in return.

She felt the shame burn on her cheeks. The humans- Cade and Arthur- truly wanted to help, but she didn't let them due to the actions of someone completely different. Sage judged them based solely on their species becoming no better than the nymphs that judged her for being a fairy.

At that, Sage made up her mind. She looked up to meet the brown eyes looming above her,"I'll let you help, but no touching or grabbing without my permission." She ordered. Her eyes looked between both men anxiously waiting for their response.

Arthur beamed,"Sounds good."

The other brother nodded in agreement, "That's fair." He leaned down slightly to catch Sage's eyes,"Now, how are you feeling after that fall? Any new injuries?" Cade asked switching right back to business.

The woman took a moment to finally assess her injuries. Her leg felt hotter and throbbed painfully. A slight stabbing sensation went from her wings all throughout her back. The numerous aches in her sore muscles were nothing new.

She tilted her head back to see Cade's face,"I'm fine." She answered simply. Hopefully the human would be satisfied with her answer because the longer Sage had to keep talking to giants, the faster her heart beat against her chest.

Cade's tired eyes narrowed as he examined every little detail he could see on her tiny figure from a comfortable distance. Sage couldn't help but shift uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny.

An eternity seemed to pass before his deep voice rumbled the air. "Alright. Since no bones are broken and there's nothing life threatening, I'll just let you rest." He lifted up a finger, "But I'll do a more thorough checkup first thing tomorrow." Cade stated, leaving no room for argument.

Although it was discouraging to think she will be examined tomorrow, Sage begrudgingly voiced her agreement.

Arthur stretched his arms high over his head and yawned. "Well I think that's enough excitement for one day. How 'bout we all turn in for the night?"

Sage nodded in agreement. So much had happened in such little amount of time and it was starting to take its toll. Her injuries and previous surge of panic only drained her even more, making her more exhausted than usual.

She tiredly glanced over to the folded red cloth she slept on earlier and frowned. It was comfortable but right in the open, leaving her completely exposed. As a prey species in the forest, one of the first lessons Sage ever learned was to never let her guard down in the open. Especially in front of beings who could kill her without breaking a sweat.

"Do you want a different place to sleep?" Cade asked, seemingly reading her mind.

At the woman's shocked and confused expression, he elaborated,"Well I know that borrowers don't like being out in the open, so I figured you would be the same."

Sage chose to ignore her shock of the human asking her preference in favor of the new term 'borrowers.' She assumed they were another species of tinies based on what the giant man said, but she never heard of them before. Did they live in the forest? How did they get such a strange name? Before her curiosity overtook her, Sage answered the human,"That would be better." She replied shyly.

"Oh! I know just the thing!" Arthur shot up from his chair and ran out the room with a newfound energy.

Sage flinched back and covered her pointy ears from the sudden volume. A shudder ran up her spine as she watched the young man rise to his full towering height. With the humans sitting for so long it was easy to forget just how huge they were. Sage ended up having to brace herself on the table to keep steady from Arthur's earthquake-like steps as he darted away.

Cade gave the small fairy an apologetic look before turning his attention back to his brother. He could hear things being knocked over in another room and scowled, he better pick everything up.

After a few short minutes of silence between the fairy and older human, Arthur came rushing back with a box tucked under his arm. He quickly placed the box on the table, and with occasional glances towards Sage, cut a hole in the side for a doorway.

With the hole cut, he placed a blue crumbled t-shirt on the table to serve as a bed. Arthur figured the thinner material would be easier for the injured fairy to climb onto instead of the sweatshirt. He reached over and picked up the plate of blueberries and bottle cap of water and sat them down on the edge of the shirt.

When everything was arranged to his liking, Arthur flipped over the box and carefully placed it upside down over the items. He leaned down to peek into the doorway than abruptly started poking holes in the top of the box for light and a bit more air.

Sage watched as he stepped away from the table and proudly put his hands on his hips admiring his quick work. One would think he had the idea for the little house for a while. "Well?" He said,"Aren't you gonna check out your new room?" He asked with a smile.

It took a moment for the words to register in her head. "This is for me?" Sage questioned in complete disbelief. After everything she had heard and been through with humans, this was the last thing she expected. These brothers were just full of surprises.

"Who else would it be for? Cade's head is far to big to fit in there." Arthur joked, earning him a glare from Cade. He only smiled wider,"Go check it out and let me know if you need anything else." Arthur urged.

Sage looked over the box once more before carefully getting up. She tried to put pressure on her injured leg for balance but ended up stumbling over instead. Before she could even brace herself for a hard landing, something swooped in and caught her.

Sage didn't even have to look to know she had just fallen onto a hand. The heat and leathery skin was a dead giveaway. Her eyes trailed up the arm and met Cade's face, who gave her a reassuring smile upon meeting her wide eyes.

"I know you just said no touching or grabbing without your permission, but I also can't let you injure yourself further." Cade informed her.

The woman huffed and pushed herself off of the fingers. "I got around just fine earlier today," she grumbled stubbornly. Sage teetered slightly but managed to keep her balance and reached the box with no further issues. She knew she just  accepted their help a couple minutes ago, but it was easier said than done.

Sage poked her head through the doorway to check out the inside. The blue t-shirt took up the entire floor and the food and water were placed by the wall. The room was dark aside from the strands of light that filtered through the holes in the roof and doorway. 

Sage smiled to herself. She definitely preferred her room in the tree at The Hollow but this arrangement wasn't that bad, especially considering it was hastily put together in a few minutes. As tempting as it was to walk into the welcoming darkness and out of sight, Sage turned around to face the brothers.

Both Cade and Arthur were watching her reaction to the little box home intently, Sage could practically feel their eyes burning holes into her. "Ummm, thanks for this," she gestured awkwardly to the box. With a deep breath she continued,"My name is Sage Burton by the way."

Huge smiles grew on their faces. "Well, it's nice to properly meet you Sage." Arthur replied happily.

"Yeah, now go inside and get some sleep Sage. You need it." Cade ordered, though his tone was friendly. He probably wanted her gone so he could go to bed himself, the poor guy looked like he was going to fall asleep in his chair.

Sage nodded and eagerly went inside. She wasted no time laying down on the cloth and pulling some of the folds over herself as a blanket. She curled up further into the soft cloth, the warmth and comfort quickly drifted her off into a much needed sleep.

✰ Stanford & Borrower/Anomaly Reader ✰

fears not enough they have to tear him apart.

Chapter 1/?

Wordcount: 2,057

➤ Summary Based on the borrowers of many universes! I hope you enjoy it, and if you don't know about borrowers, let me be your guide into a world I've loved since I was young. ✰Written because I saw the severe lack of borrower content in Gravity Falls fanfic, i hope you enjoy <3 ✰ - ★Updates irregularly! I write when I want ★

★ - Also on AO3! - ★

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58879087/chapters/150070549

The cottage you moved into was poorly constructed and had many openings to various rooms because of the peeling wallpaper. It was partially why you chose to reside there after many weeks of venturing the forest once your parents kicked you out. 

You lived with your parents in a tree until they decided it was time for you to make your way in this world. Oh, how you could imagine the looks on their faces if you told them the mess you got yourself into this time. 

Your family chose the safety of trees and burrows rather than living in the walls of creatures that could kill you without so much as a flick of a wrist. 

You wouldn't call yourself one for adventure, quite the opposite. Humans terrified you to your very core. You’ve been a first-hand witness to what they are capable of. When the cottage was in the process of being built you watched many trees torn and splintered by their impossibly large machines. 

You rather despised humans. What you didn't despise however was routine and having access to food much easier than foraging. 

Life in the cottage was relatively peaceful, it was about as peaceful as you could get for being only a few inches tall. You swore your species was doomed to fail if it wasnt for humans influence. 

The scientist who lived in the cottage was paranoid, that much was obvious. Even when you first moved in after being kicked out he stayed up much too late and consumed too much coffee to be considered sane. You brushed it off because, after a few days of scoping out the walls of the cottage, you realized he had a very precise schedule that made borrowing easy. 

He would wake up early, and go to bed late. Usually uttering to himself before going down into his basement to do who knew what. It gave you a lot of time to yourself, and a human with a predictable schedule was hard to come by. Most had kids or animals, both very dangerous to someone like yourself. Fortunately, this human only seemed to have one friend who came around periodically, but they stayed downstairs. 

You had noticed that night you were running low on thread and crackers, and the human was in his basement. Of course, night turned into day much quicker than you predicted. 

The shock and horror of hearing the vending machine door open while you were in the middle of climbing up into his shelf literally by a thread still shuddered through your body even now. 

…So what if you screamed and ran off despite him shouting for you? So what if you have to move homes? It didn't even matter much to you that when you let go of the thread you landed on your foot and wrist wrong. 

The faint memory of his hand reaching for you did rattle you to your core, despite how much you insisted you could escape him even if he did grab you. 

The way his eyes bared into your very soul, the way even his shadow in the early dawn lighting engulfed your entire body. Your shaking hands as you pried the loose wood plank off the wall just as you could feel his body heat emitting from his hand radiating on your back. 

… 

 …You push the memories away lest you give yourself another panic attack. You tried to not let it bother you much, though you would miss the plentiful amounts of jellybeans and other snacks he kept on the shelves. 

No. What bothered you the MOST was the fact every little detail, every little move you made before you ran off into the wall, was now being documented. 

You looked down from the crack in the wall with a grimace. There was a foul taste in your mouth as you saw the human below taking vivid and rigorous notes while sitting at the kitchen table. His pen scratched the page so hard you believed it would rip. 

The red journal he carried with him was the bane of your existence. If any information about you or your species was going to become mainstream, it would doom your life as you knew it. Not to mention shatter any dreams you had of a normal life. 

You weren't in any position to do anything about it yet. The effects of the adrenaline pumping through your veins were slowly ebbing away. Leaving a dull ache in your head and a nasty sprain on your wrist and ankle. 

With a sigh, you pushed off the wall and made the long trek back to your room. Deciding that before leaving, you had to get rid of the page in his journal. He had to leave it unguarded at some point. 

Your room in the walls wasnt much, but you spent a lot of time working on it. You hollowed out a space inbetween a few support beams and insulation and put a few pieces of cloth on the walls. 

The pin cushion you called a bed practically screamed your name as you pushed your makeshift cloth ‘door’ open. You broke off a piece of a cracker you swiped a few days prior and shoveled it into your mouth before collapsing on the bed. 

Getting that journal was your only hope. Ignoring the chalky residue left in your mouth by the dry cracker sleep soon found you. 

… 

That man did not leave his journal for one moment. 

It's been two days since your last encounter with the human. You tried so hard to stay patient in the walls and bide your time until you could get ahold of the cursed page, but your rations were running short. 

So you threw on your satchel and stabbed a needle in your pants just in case he was out. You used to not carry it, but you weren't taking any chances. 

Pressing your hands to your eyes you tried to gather courage as you walked in the dark pathways of the walls. You tried not to think about what would happen if you were caught by the scientist. 

You’ve seen him take creatures like yourself down in his basement, and they never come back up. 

Despite this, you still for whatever reason chose to stay. You wished you never stayed. More than anything you wished you had just found a nice, abandoned burrow like your cousin had, and stayed in the woods. 

In your frustration you kicked a piece of rock, it hit a nearby pipe with a satisfying twang. 

There were more predators in the woods but atleast they would just kill you. There was no telling what the human would do if he caught you. 

Taking a deep breath you consoled yourself, if you played your cards right and stayed out of sight this would turn out like it usually did. 

You would take a few crackers and leave, that's all you had to do. 

As you pressed your hands against the wall and shakily pushed, you felt the loose wood disconnect with a satisfying crack while you poked your head out.

You squinted as the bright light from the kitchen flooded into the wall and onto your face.  

Everything seemed completely normal, which should have relaxed you, but it merely put you more on edge. 

This human wasnt normal. There was no reason everything on the countertop was tidied away. He usually left dishes in the sink, and from where you stood you saw none. 

You where about to slink back into the wall and go out a different time before you heard his voice. 

“...It was bipedal!- have you ever-” 

You were quick to pull yourself back into the wall, your hand slipping on the wood and giving yourself a splinter. You sucked in a breath and held your yelp as you heard footsteps coming closer. 

“I know, you haven't stopped talking about it for three hours..” 

The other human's voice sounded southern, you recognized it as the main resident's friend, or ‘associate’ he sometimes said. 

You could hear them picking up various glasses and cups, if you had to guess the humans were probably making more coffee. Your hypothesis was only confirmed as you heard the cursed machine whirr to a start. 

You finally let out the breath you were holding as you felt the splinter that now lodged itself in your palm. Wincing as you continued to listen. 

“I know, I just wish I was able to capture it! I could put a more accurate sketch, what if its the only one of its kind?” 

Predictable as always. 

“Ford, I'm sure you already went scarin’ the thing half to death. I wouldn't be shocked if it left,” 

Ford. The scientist was named Ford. As you picked at the splinter you internally berated the name, yours wasnt much better but atleast your parents loved you enough to not name you Ford. 

…Maybe you where being a bit mean. 

“I doubt it, more than likely I can catch it again early morning. It seemed shocked I was there, it more than likely has a schedule it keeps to.” 

Or maybe you weren't mean enough. Seriously who did this guy think he was? You had half a mind to march out of the wall and stab his stupid hand.

You didn't bother listening to the rest of their conversation, too preoccupied with picking at the splinter. Trying to pull it out with little to no light proved itself to be difficult. 

You could head back to your room, but the string lights in there had limited battery, and you tried to save it for only special occasions. 

To your relief, the pair left a few minutes later. Only when you heard the vending machine door clunk shut did you press against the wood plank. 

Using the small sliver of light provided you pulled the splinter out with your nails, flicking it away before turning and looking at the counter. 

…He left a dish. 

A dish in front of where he last saw you. A dish full of various snacks, ranging from two jellybeans to crackers and cheese. 

You weren't some domesticated house pet. You scowled at the dish as if it had personally scalded you before walking past it. 

You walked quietly despite there being no reason to. Wishing you had your fish hook and thread to get up on the higher shelf. 

You could manage without it though. You only made it a few months prior so you were skilled enough to find some scraps on the counter usually. 

To your dismay, though he seemed to have done a thorough cleaning, and without your hook you had no way to reach the shelves above to gather your food. 

You pressed on and walked over to the sink, careful to balance on the edge. You looked at the faucet and walked over to the handle. Gently and carefully push it just a smidge before taking out a small thimble you used for water. 

After drinking your fill and putting the thimble away, you turned the water off. 

…Not fully though, he could deal with a leaky faucet for a few hours. 

You where going to go back empty-handed until your stomach growled looking at the crackers he left out. 

Surely taking one wouldn't hurt, if you left a message. 

You picked up one and stuffed it into your bag, contemplating taking a jellybean but deciding against it. Right before you went into the wall you kicked the dish off of the counter. Shattering on the floor with a satisfying clatter. 

Snickering to yourself you slinked off into the walls. You’d check back on the human that night to see if he left his journal on his desk this time. 

… 

A few hours later Ford had finally gotten to a stopping point with his research. Thoughts of the little creature in his walls beckoned at his mind as he rode the elevator up. 

He sent Fiddleford home with a goodnight before practically sprinting into the kitchen, seeing the mess left by the mischievous thing. 

One thing on the counter caught his eye in particular. 

As he picked it up he examined it thoroughly. 

A small splinter of wood, ever so slightly tinged at the edge with red. 

“...Fascinating..” 

---

Thank you for reading!! Ill more than likely be updating this when i can, but be assured Chapter 2 is already being written with plans for three others!

Hope you Enjoyed!! My Askbox is always open if you want to hear me ramble more about borrowers! V●ᴥ●V