#tiny gretchen

Damian doesn't remember falling asleep but its the only reasonable explanation for this. What was he doing before he fell asleep? 

Maybe watching a movie with the group?

Whatever it was, he defiantly passed out.

This had to be a dream.

How else could he be standing on the tiny pick up zone in Northshore then? Not at the zone. On the zone. The same platform where he typically saw Janis was the platform he now stood on.

There was simply no logical explanation other than a dream.

Right?

It felt fucking real.

The hallways were huge. While they were typically wider and longer then other schools Damian had been in, they were enormous all around. The tiny 'hallway' Damian stressed about Janis using everyday looked all the more daunting at this size. Damian peered over the edge and immediately took a couple of steps backward. 

Holy fuck. That's high.

Janis sat up higher on his shoulder, how did she do it?

He leaned against the wall, glancing down the tiny hallway. He's seen it before. Janis gave him a tour on facetime once. It's sketchy all right. It almost made him want to stay on the platform.

What time was it even? It was day, Damian could tell from the window at the end of the hall. Is it after school?

Do classes even work in dreams?

As if to answer his questions, the bell rang, screeching louder then Damian recalled it being and-

Oh fuck oh fuck. 

Nope.

Nope.

Damian preferred the empty hallways. No way- nu uh.

He pressed himself against the wall as other tinies passed by, getting picked up like seemingly normal for them. 

What the fuck-

Damian stepped away from the wall slightly, glancing around at his giant fucking classmates as they walked past. 

"Hey, dude. You ready?" A familiar voice said from above him.

Holy fuck.

Janis, who normally could fit in his hand, now stood at the hight Damian should be at.

"What-" He exhaled.

"You okay? You look like you saw a ghost?" This new giant Janis clearly was unaffected by the size swap. 

Did Damian somehow fall into an opposite dimension? Was there a normally tiny Damian now giant and dealing with a tiny Janis? He better not drop her or anything.

"I'm-" It's just Janis. Why are you so freaked out? 

MAYBE BECAUSE I'M FOUR INCHES TALL.

"Fine. I'm fine."

Despite the rollercoaster, his mind was going on, Damian gave a thumbs up and stepped closer to Janis.

Half of him wanted to book it to the tiny hallway and hide but the other half knew that Janis wouldn't hurt him.

But now the reckless fucking tiny is a gia-

No.

Janis wouldn't hurt him. 

He felt guilty for even letting his mind wander to that.

Janis looked down at him with a look Damian couldn't quite read. "I don't believe that you're okay." She said. "But we have class to go to so I'll push later."

She lowered her hand to the tiny platform, and action Damian had done so many times before, but he couldn't help but step backward as a giant hand was placed next to him.

Holy fuck.

Is this how Janis felt every day?

Damian, despite himself, hoisted himself onto Janis's hand as she had done to him so many times before.

It felt weird, being at the other end of things.

When he held Janis, he could feel her weight, every change in position, every sudden movement. But now? 

Janis's hand was warm. 

It wasn't a bad thing, just- different. The heat radiating off her hand was nice. It felt like when he held Janis cupped in his hands, but this time the heat surrounded him.

Janis had always just run hot despite her shivering under layers of jackets.

Then, Janis moved her hand and- holy fuck. 

That felt new.

Like when a car hits the gas as soon as the light turns green and you kinda slam back into the headrest because your body didn't move as fast. 

Janis raiser her hand up to her shoulder and it took Damian a second before- oh.

Shoulder.

He hesitantly stepped off Janis's hand and onto her jacket. He got close to her neck so he could hold onto the jacket collar. 

Janis thinks Damian has done this before- maybe he should tell her "hey something wrong this is new please be careful when you walk", but before he could vocalize anything along those lines, Janis was off.

It- it wasn't actually that bad.

Janis walked briskly, but without a bounce. She weaved through crowds without bumping shoulders, something Damian always struggled with. 

"Janis! Damian!" A voice called out behind them. 

Janis spun on her heels with a speed Damian didn't expect and he gripped her jacket collar tighter. 

There stood a giant Regina and a tin- wait. Giant Regina? She had a tiny Gretchen on her shoulder. Were everyone's sizes just flipped in this dream, alternate reality, fucked up scenario?

As if to answer his question, Gretchen spoke.

"Aaron took Cady and Karen to their class. Walk with us?" 

"Of course." Janis laughed, waiting for Regina to catch up. 

Damian sat on Janis's left shoulder and Gretchen was on Regina's right so they were able to sit close to beachgoer and talk as the two giants-who-should-be-tinies-but-they're-not walked. 

Damian tried not to look at the ground. 

He was no one to be afraid of heights but he was starting to see how Janis got hallway anxiety. 

"So, Damian." Gretchen turned to him, beaming. "How has your day been?"

Damian shrugged. Since his 'day' has consisted of ten minutes of fear and confusion, he can't give a proper answer. "Its been pretty par." He lied. "You?"

Damian never held small talk with Gretchen. This new alternate universe was weird. Wait-

Was he, Gretchen, Cady, and Karen some odd alternate TSS? Is that why they were friends?

Gretchen went on about how annoying English class was and about a girl she found cute and- holy shit.

They were a Walmart TSS.

This realization was short-lived in glory as Shane Omen approached Janis and Regina.

Guess not everyone switched heights.

Damian could feel Janis stiffen underneath him. That was weird. Damian didn't know Janis could feel him get tense and relax. No wonder she was so quick to pick up when he got stressed.

"Hello, Regina." Shane smiled. "Dyke." He shot to Janis, smile gone. 

"I'm not here to pick a fight, Shane. Not right now, I have a class to go to." Janis said. Her voice was low and it made Damian want to leave her alone. 

Shane obviously didn't feel the same.

His eyes landed on Damian and Shane grinned.

Damian did not like that.

No matter what, Damian could never say he knew how Janis felt as a tiny. But after being literally looked up and down like a toy by Shane Omen- Damian didn't want to be able to know how it felt.

"Shane." Janis's voice was dangerously low. A tone Damian didn't even recognize. "You try anyhing and I'll-"

Janis didn't get to finish her threat as Shane shoved past her and Regina. Damian yelped as the shoulder underneath him jerked.

He could see Gretchen in the same situation out of the corner of his eye as he free-fell backward.

Flashbacks to the time Janis fell off his shoulder ran through his mind.

She had gotten so hurt.

Before Damian could brace for impact a hand scooped underneath him. 

Janis didn't even bother to make sure he was okay before gently dumping him onto Regina's hand next to a similarly disoriented Gretchen and storming down the hall.

"Shane Omen!"

"Where-" Damian shook his head as what just happened caught up to him.

He had fallen.

But Janis caught him.

He didn't fucking die.

And now Janis is gone.

"Where's she going?"

Regina shrugged. "Probably to break Shane's nose again."

Again?

Gretchen grinned. "Oh my god remember the video that went around from last week? I don't think I've ever seen Janis as pissed as when she found out Shane fucked with Cady."

Well yeah, who wouldn't be pissed.

Regina laughed, apparently thinking about this video. "It was so funny because Shane couldn't fight back. God forbid he hit a girl. He just had to take it."

"Probably the most satisfying video I've seen in a while." Gretchen agreed.

There were cheers from down the hall and Gretchen sighed. "We're gonna be late to class."

Regina shook her head. "I'm gonna have to call my dad and get him to pull strings again. Janis is definitely gonna get herself expelled one of these days. What would she do if my parents weren't major donors to school?"

This is a normal occurrence?

Damian knew Janis threatened to beat a lot of people up, but at her size (or, her old size) it wasn't very intimidating. Guess giant Janis follows through.

"I don't understand how its always Janis getting in trouble. Shane's done worse than broken a nose. Remember what he did to Karen last year?" Gretchen asked.

Oh god, what did he do to Karen last year?

Regina made a face. "Don't remind me. I think a broken nose wasn't enough punishment. I would have killed him. At least Janis has control."

Gretchen shook her head. "Dropping poor Karen five feet in the air. It's a miracle she survived."

Oh, what the fuck?

The bell rang and Regina shook her head. "I never liked study hall anyway. Let's go find Janis."

The second Regina started walking Damian learned very quickly that not everyone walks the same way. Regina swayed more, she walked purpose rather than speed. 

It felt so weird to be able to pick up on these things and notice. 

Regina didn't have to walk far before Janis emerged from the crowd, a red mark on her cheek. Regina gasped. "He hit back?"

Janis shrugged. "I can take a slap. You should see him. Fucking ass hole I was gonna kill him I swear." 

Her eyes lower to Damian and the anger in her features disappeared. "Hey," She said softly, stepping forward and gently scooping him out of Regina's hands. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Damian asked, despite the adrenaline rush triggering his fight or flight.

"Because you've been acting off today. I was already worried about you before, I did not need you free falling to solidify it."

God, it sounds like Damian is just talking to tiny Janis.

Damian grinned. "I'm okay. Really." 

Janis nodded. "How about we don't sit on my shoulder for a while. Fuck Shane Omen, we can't trust him. It's nap time."

Damian only realizes what's happening a split second before it does as Janis lift shim to her jacket pocket. 

Damian slips in effortlessly. He's had Janis in his pocket so many times. This was all new.

He popped his head out and watched Janis pin something to the other side of her jacket. Upon closer inspection, Damian realized Janis has her own white pin. This one had a small heart painted on it. 

Damian's heart melted as he sunk back into the pocket. That's so cute.

He'd never been in a pocket before. Sure, he wondered what it felt like, but this was nothing like he expected. He could tell why Janis liked it so much. 

Despite what you may think, it's roomy. The fabric pushes down on him but not in an uncomfortable way. Like a swaddled baby. Janis's heart beat is astonishingly loud, but comforting. 

Between the adrenaline crash, the steady beating of his best friend's heart, and the sway of the jacket as she walked, Damian found it hard to stay awake. 

He didn't fight it. This was a weird dream that felt creepily real, but Damian was ready to be full-sized again. He doesn't know how Janis does it. Ten minutes and he's out like a light.

-

"Damian if you don't wake up right now I'm letting Regina push me off the coffee table again." A voice called out.

"I'm more then willing to do so! There are no pillows to break her fall though."

Damian groaned opening his eyes to see a tiny Janis standing on his chest, arms crossed.

"You sleep too long."

Damian blinked, trying to figure out what's going on. 

Tiny Regina and Aaron at on the coffee table. Giant Cady was messing with the remote and the TV, giant Karen and Gretchen were taking selfies.

So it was a weird dream.

"Damian?" Janis sounds a little concerned." You okay?"

Damian grinned, scooping her up as he sat up. "You're so small!"

"Gee, thanks."

"No! I love it!" 

"Janis, I don't think he's okay." Regina said.

"Helpful." Janis rolled her eyes. "Are you sober or not?"

Damian grinned. "Sober as fuck."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"I just missed you like this." Damian said.

"Like what? You just fell asleep. I've been here this whole time."

BONUS: "Damian wake up, the school day is over." Damian popped his head out of Janis's jacket. "Jan, I just had the weirdest fucking dream." "Shoot." The girl above him said as she made her way to her car. "I was big, and you were small. And Regina and Aaron were tiny too. Everyone who's tiny was giant and we all just watched movies and stuff." "Well, I take it since your imagination is back you feel better?" "What?" "You were acting really odd earlier. I was worried." "Oh," Damian thought for a second. "I don't remember that." Odd.

Trusting Damian was probably the best decision of my life. Not that I've had to make many life-changing decisions. 

It didn't take long for Gretchen and Kevin to find out that I've been caught. It took them even less time to want to meet Damian for themselves. 

Even though they all knew each other now, I was still the only one visiting Damian often. Gretchen was still slightly scared and Kevin just couldn't be bothered. I mean, fair.

We (It was really just me) had made a new path through the house right to Damian's room but I was the only one to use it often. It leads behind an outlet abnormally high in the wall where Damian's desk was. He used to use it to plug in lights (as you would and outlet) but now it sits there without screws. 

But that's not where I was right now. I was sitting in the combined living space next to Gretchen. "I saw it, I swear."

She was whining about a mouse which, to be fair- was scary, but it wasn't near us right now so why carry on like this. 

"Ariel will get it, I'm sure."

"Janis," I don't think I've ever seen Gretchen this stressed. "It was so close to our house! We live in a pocket of room between beams of wood! It could be on the other side right now."

"But at least it's not on this side."

"Maybe not now but it clearly was." Kevin says walking into the room holding what used to be a bag full of granola.

I curse under my breath, taking the bag from him. "All of it?"

"And the rest of our food."

"Kevin, that was our stash for the week!"

"Do I look like a mouse? Why are you yelling at me?!"

Sometimes our dysfunctional family arguments got so loud I'm surprised we didn't get caught.

I run my hand down my face. It's still early, maybe six pm. We don't even think of borrowing until past midnight. 

"What are we gonna do?" Gretchen asks. She sounds like she might cry.

"I'll go get Damian." I say. We don't ask for his help often. Ever since that night, he just leaves out granola chunks once a week and I visit just to talk and hang out with somebody other than my roommates. But he did say whenever he needed help to get him, so-

"You can't go that way!" Gretchen hissed as I went to shift the block of wood we use as a makeshift door. 

"And why not?"

"Janis, are you stupid?" Kevin deadpans. "Gretchen saw the fucking mouse over there."

Oh right. Maybe I am stupid. 

Huh.

"Well, I can't just walk through the house."

"We can go borrowing on our own," Gretchen says. "You've gone soft and dependent, Janis. Damian won't always be there. What happens when we have to move, or he moves out? You're losing your skills. Look-" Gretchen throws a thimble at me- and hard.

"Ow!" I whine as it bounces off my shoulder.

"Janis four months ago would have caught that." Gretchen shakes her head, earning a murmur of agreement from Kevin.

"Okay, I'm shitty. Sure. Whats you're point?"

"We don't need Damian to borrow. We're borrowers. It's in our name." 

"Fine," I say, shoving borrowing tools into my bag. I get Gretchen's point. I also know she and Kevin don't trust Damian. But I don't see an issue with asking for help- at least not anymore. Maybe Gretchen was right, now I'm soft and dependent, but at least I've got a friend. Other then roommates that bully each other.

"Are we going now? It's still early." I ask.

"I'll do a quick lookout," Kevin says before disappearing. 

Gretchen and I stand in silence for a bit. 

"I'm sorry for yelling." She says quietly. We never apologize. I guess I'm not the only one soft. "After that night with the cat, when you met Damian- I thought you were dead. And yeah, none of us are friends but you're still my roommates. You're the closest thing to family a borrower is gonna get. And I just want to see you safe. The bond you've formed with that human- it's not it."

I scowl. "Sweet sentiment, Gretchen, but you don't know what you're talking about. You want to see me safe, well Damian is the only reason I am here and I am safe. You don't trust him but you also never put in the effort to try."

"All I'm saying is from an outside perspective, this is a sure way to get yourself killed."

"Anything we do we can get killed!" And we're yelling again. "Fall off a table, run into the cat, get caught by a human-"

"Yeah! Get caught by a human! You said it yourself, Janis!"

I cross my arms. "That's different."

"How so?"

"He isn't gonna kill me!"

"Intentionally."

I freeze, meeting Gretchen's eyes. She shrugs, seemingly happy her point got across.

I never thought of it. Damian and I had both been so careful around each other. It's never a thought that even entered my mind.

And I won't let it now.

I shake my head, regaining my composure and glaring at Gretchen. 

"You're wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes." I'm determined to stand my ground and not let Gretchen in my head again. "Damian is careful, he isn't reckless. He sees me and another living creature, nothing less than."

Gretchen shrugs as Kevin walks back into the room. "You're funeral. I won't attend."

"Woah." Kevin holds his hands up. "What did I just witness?"

"I'm officially dead to Gretchen, I guess."

"Cmon guys." Kevin seems genuinely saddened by this normal occurrence. I'm cut out of Gretchen's life every other week. 

"No! I won't 'come on guys'! When Damian decides he bored with keeping Janis around and exposes all of us we all have to pay for her reckless behavior!"

"Damian wouldn't do that." I put my hands on my hips.

"Would he not? You're not even four inches tall. You think you have some big impact on his life? Your friendship isn't mutual! Unlike you, Damian probably has a life outside these walls! He doesn't care about you!" Gretchen's voice gets softer as her anger dies. "And I'm sorry the only way I could get that through to you was by yelling. I know its hard for you. But-"

"No."

"What?" Gretchen takes a step back at my cold attitude. Tears are burning in the corners of my eyes, but I refuse to let them spill. Kevin seems mildly annoyed at most. He looks like he could use some popcorn. 

"You don't know what you are talking about. You never put in the time to meet him and-"

"Janis do you hear yourself?! You've got the same two arguments. You don't know him, he isn't like that. How can you not see this only ends up with you hurt?! Emotionally or physically!"

Call me immature, but I don't want to hear anymore. So I walk away. I duck into my room, Gretchen calling after me. 

We still have a couple more hours until we need to borrow anyway. 

"Janis."

"Go away, Kevin."

"Gretchen is just looking out for you."

"She's doing a shit job at it." I look in my mirror past me to see Kevin hovering in my doorway.  He didn't seem to have more to say, so instead, he changed the topic.

"The Hubbards aren't home. We're thinking of doing a quick trip before they get back."

"Do we know when they get back?"

"No."

"Then that's too risky."

"You don't get to talk about risky, Janis."

I shrug. "All I'm saying is we can go four hours without food."

"Janis."

"Fine!" I throw my hands up in defeat. "I don't know what you two gain from a death mission or what point you're trying to prove, but let's just go get fucking food."

Kevin smiles, but it's forced. He isn't happy, he's just relieved he got his way without too much of a fight.

We don't take our normal route this time. We have to go the long way to avoid the mouse that attacked Gretchen. This route requires us to climb up and it leads out to the counter and its probably my least favorite course. 

I curse as I lose my footing on a nail and almost fall. 

"Jesus, Janis." Gretchen says from above me, but she seems more concerned than annoyed. 

"Yeah yeah." I mumble, regaining my composure and continuing to climb. 

We all make it to the entrance (without falling). Kevin goes out first to do a quick lookout and Gretchen and I stay back in silence. 

This entrance is also a broken outlet, but unlike Damian's, there was still power going through it, so pushing it open was always a dangerous task. 

"All clear." Kevin waves us out. "Ariel is on the sofa."

From the kitchen table, you can see the front door which leads into the living room. And sure enough, Ariel is asleep contently. 

There's a lot of things on the kitchen counter, none of it is food. A napkin holder is blocking my view of the front door, and there are a couple of cups scattered around as well as papers or any random object put down. 

There's a gap in between two counter tiles, maybe the size of my foot. It's an easy step across, but we have to be careful not to drop any of our tools down there. We'd never get them back.

"There's no food." Gretchen deadpans. 

"Really." I roll my eyes. After what my roommates said, I was feeling less and less sure that I should ask Damian for help. It made me feel guilty because deep down, I knew they were wrong. But- what if they weren't? 

Unlike you, Damian probably has a life outside these walls!

It'd be shitty luck, but pretty par to how my life generally goes. My pity party is interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. 

Shit.

We all collectively freeze as the sounds of voices fill the building.

"Guys!" Kevin the first to snap out of it as he pulls back the outlet, holding it for us. I nod and begin speed walking over when I hear a cry from behind me. 

I whirl around to see-

Gretchen's got her foot stuck in the crack.

Of course.

The voices are closer, and I'm right in the middle of the outlet or Gretchen. My mind momentarily flashes back to when Gretchen left me with the cat but we meet eyes and all bad morals disappear. 

She's crying and I can tell it's from both pain and fear.

I rush towards her, ignoring the cries of protest from Kevin.

My mind is in overdrive, picking up every noise while simultaneously blocking it all out. 

I can hear Damian and his dad, their voices clearly heading towards the kitchen, but my mind has tunnel vision, focusing on Gretchen.

Gretchen reaches out to me like a lost child. I grab her forearms and she does the same, and I lean backwards with all my weight. Gretchen cries out in pain but her foot doesn't move.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I look up momentarily and freeze upon seeing Damian enter the kitchen with his dad behind him. 

We're too late.

We're done for.

Fuck.

"Janis." Gretchen whimpers.

"I'm trying."

I bend down and grab Grechen's ankle, trying to lift her foot out from the source. I can tell she's trying to stay still and quiet, maybe they won't notice-

A shadow falls over us, and I freeze.

Fuck.

I don't even want to look up.

Fuck.

If its Damian, then that's embarrassing.

If it's his dad, then we're dead.

I glance up-

Damian is standing with his back to us, leaning against the counter talking to his dad.

He's blocking us from the view.

I could break down and cry in relief, but we've still got a problem. Upon seeing it’s sort of safe, Kevin rushes over to help. He lifts Gretchen up while I pull out her foot. Gretchen lets out a muffled cry but she’s free. She leans heavily on both Kevin and I as we make out way to the outlet again. I don't bother looking back, I'm busy carrying half of Gretchen's body weight.

That's gonna be sprained for a while.

And we still need food.

Fuck.

-

"Janis, I know it's you."

I sigh and step out from where I was hidden in the shadows. "What are you doing out here."

Damian is standing with his arms crossed the center of the kitchen, strongly resembling a disappointed mother.

"You guys were almost caught."

"Blame Gretchen." I shrug, avoiding Damian's gaze.

"Is she okay?"

"We're no doctors but she's probably not gonna be borrowing for a while."

Damian tsks. "You need food?"

"No, you don't have to worry, I can do it myself. I don't wanna be a bother you probably have other things to do-"

"Janis."

"Yes," I mumble, glancing up. Damian looks like he can't decide whether to laugh or be concerned. "What?"

"I offered. You aren't a bother."

"Okay," I said softly.

I guess I let Gretchen's words get to me more then I realized. 

Damian grabs granola before turning back to me. "What would you have done if I didn't see you?"

I shrug. "Died, probably."

Damian obviously did not like this answer. "Janis."

"What do you want me to say?! We're small and inconvenient and it's a big dangerous fucking world!"

"You can ask for help next time."

I hug myself slightly. "You'd get annoyed fast if I asked for help every time. I'm a borrower, I should be able to do this on my own."

Damian doesn't try to fight my point. "Can I pick you up?"

"Why?" I question but nod anyway.

Damian reaches out and gently scoops me up, letting me fall into the palm of his hand before holding me to his chest.

"Because I want to talk with my friend and not risk her getting caught. We're gonna go to my room"

Friend.

Take that, Gretchen.

"Okay." I laugh softly as Damian makes his way through the house.

dream, fic