#tiny prey

Living in a giant's house, you only ever took what you needed to survive. Okay, you allowed yourself some luxuries. After all, you needed some way to entertain yourself. You would take paper and pencils to draw and write, read books whenever the giant wasn't looking, sew clothes or plush toys out of old socks or shirts that had holes, but you never took things that would be easily noticed or risked being seen for any luxury good...

Except for those damn chips.

You swear, those things are coated in some sort of drug because of how addicting they are. You're sure they're probably not healthy, and you have no idea why the giant keeps buying them, but as long as he does, you'll keep sneaking some whenever you got the chance.

And today, you got the perfect chance. The chips were left on the coffee table while the giant left to get something. What's better, he had left the television on, so you could easily go unheard if you rustled the bag too much. The circumstances were perfect, but you only had until the comercial break was over, because you knew once whatever the giant was watching came back, so would he. You had to act fast.

You quickly made your way across the floor and climbed up the legs of the coffee table. The table itself was wooden, but it had textered metal legs that thankfully made it fairly easy to grip onto while you climbed. You checked one last time to make sure the coast was clear before climbing into the bag to claim your prize.

Sure, you could've just taken the first chip in the bag you could reach, but you had put so much energy into getting these chips that you were not going to settle for one of those half seasoned chips. You had to find something worth the risk you were taking. You venture deeper into the bag, looking for a chip that was packed with flavor, breaking off little pieces of ones you think might be good until you find one that'll do.

You finally got a good grasp on the chip- which was about half as tall as you were- and were about to drag it to the front of the bag when you heard, and felt, the signature THUD. THUD. of the giant's footsteps.

You took too long. You had to get out of here, you had to hide, you had to-

Your thoughts were thrown aside as you felt yourself slipping backwards. Your heart dropped to your stomach as you felt yourself moving quickly upwards. You felt sick as graviy passed through your body, like all of your organs were being pulled to the bottom of your body while the rest of you kept going up. You stumbled and fell into the chips as the bag continued to move, your skin grazed by the jagged edges of broken pieces. You barely noticed the pain of the small scrapes, however, as all your mind could think of was one thing,

If the giant is picking up the bag.... that means he's planning to eat from it.

You quickly felt the bag around you settle and you took the opportunity to push the bigger chips around you in front so you hopefully had enough of a buffer that the giant wouldn't find you before the next commercial break.

The bag shook slightly as the giant shoved his hand in to continue eating, but you held your breath even as the fear ran through your veins, because so far, you hadn't been discovered. Your plan was working; you had buried yourself far enough down that the giant couldn't get to you as he was eating. All you had to do was keep still and keep quiet until the next break, and then you could make a run for it.

It wasn't easy keeping quiet, though. Every rustle of the bag sent shivers down your spine and every crunch made you nauseous as you imagined the giant snapping a chip half your size clean in half without even giving it a second thought.

It's okay. All you have to do is make it a few more minutes.

You were caught in your thoughts until you realized that the giant's hand had paused its activities for a bit. You peeked out from the chip you were holding in front of you, curious if the giant was done eating, only to feel your whole body freeze in fear as you saw a huge pair of eyes staring back from outside of the bag.

What was he doing? Did he know you were in there?

You could've screamed in that moment, but your body was completely paralyzed. You noticed the piercing eyes looking around the bag, but they never looked in your direction. He hadn't seen you. You were able to get your body to move just enough that you were once again hidden from sight, but soon after, you felt the giant's hand pushing around the chips in the bag.

Was he looking for you? He had to be...

You carefully peeked out again, but to your surprise, the giant was picking out chips and inspecting them before deciding whether to eat them or not. Despite your immense fear, you found it a little endearing that this huge man was just as picky as you were when it came to chips. The irony wasn't lost on you , though, that being so picky is what got you into this mess to begin with.

The relief only lasted so long, though, as soon you saw a huge hand reaching towards you. Apparently, the perfect snack you had so carefully chosen- and unintentionally hid behind- was also good enough for the giant man to pluck out of the bag.

You were quickly scooped out of the bag as the large hand grabbed your shield, with you still attatched. The sudden light nearly blinded you as the air rushed around your body, leaving your senses overwhelmed and unable to focus on anything before you were suddenly enveloped in darkness.

You gasped as you felt the flesh around you twitch. He had realized that there was something other than food in his mouth.

Just maybe, he would let you go...

As soon as the thought crossed your mind, it was shattered as a strong muscle pushed against you, pinning you to the roof of the mouth as the giant hummed contently, vibrating your very body to the core. The giant let the chip that was in there with you soften before swallowing it down, his tongue still keeping you firmly in place. You felt your heart drop as you watched the food dissapear down his gullet, hoping you wouldn't be next, but something about the constant din of satisfied humming made you think your chances of coming out of this alive were slim.

After a few seconds of being squished and prodded by the muscular tongue, it relaxed. You shuddered at the knowledge that you were being tasted, but your disgust was quickly replaced with terror as you felt yourself slipping down towards the back of the throat as the ground around you tilted. He was putting his head back, ready to swallow you.

You scrambled to get some sort of footing, but it was too late. With a loud GLK- you were pulled down into the tight esophagus. It squeezed and pushed you downward until you felt yourself landing in the slimy cavern that was this giant's stomach.

You heard the air whoosh through the giant's lungs somewhere above your position in his body as he let out a sigh. Emotions swarmed through you: fear, grief, and most presently, disgust at the satisfaction that you could hear resonating around you. You slumped against the stomach walls, tears starting to well up in your eyes.

This couldn't be how it ended, it couldn't, it-

"W... what just happened? Where did you- shit."

A voice came from above. It wasn't nearly as loud as you would have expected, but it still caused you to flinch. Apparently, the giant felt your tiny movement, because the whole stomach tensed at your fearful twitch.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I- I didn't mean to eat you, I don't know what came over me. Are... are you okay?"

You could feel pressure from the outside as the giant's hand rested where you stayed. He sounded... sorry. Genuinely worried about your wellbeing. But how could that be? He ate you! You were stuck here, how could he ask you if you were okay?

He seemed to know what you were thinking, because he followed up his question with,

"I promise you're safe! I- my stomach can't hurt any humans, I promise."

You couldn't believe what was happening, but for the first time, you decided to speak to the giant.

"It... It's... safe?" you managed to croak out in a tiny voice. Somehow, he was able to hear you.

"Yes, it is," he quickly added, "B-but I'm sure you don't want to stay in there regardless, so I'm going to let you out."

Let you out? How was he going to-

You felt the organ around you squeeze as it pushed you upward, back into the tightness of the giant's throat. At this point, your head was starting to hurt from the constant change in velocity you were experiencing, but you finally got a chance to rest as you were carefully let out of the giant's mouth and onto his hand, where you were gently lowered onto the plush couch beside him.

"Again, I'm so sorry,"

The man frowned, and you could now see his concerned face, complete with those piercing eyes from before. Now, though, they weren't looking with hunger, but with guilt.

"Is there anything I can get you? You were probably hungry, right? I could get you some food. Or a glass of water? You're free to clean up in the bathroom if you need to," He said, fidgeting with his hands as he tried to make up for what happened.

Wait, he was letting you use his things? This whole time you've spent hiding and the giant is asking if you want his food?

"You... don't mind if I eat your food?" You hesitantly ask.

The giant looked puzzled. "Of course not! You don't have to sneak around to get enough food to eat, I have plenty to go around," he started. "Besides, if you just ask, I won't end up accidentally eating you when you're trying to get food."

You could've sworn you noticed him blush as he said that. This was all so strange to you. The giant that you had hid from for so long was a genuinely nice person and more than happy to share his space with you. Also, he could apparently safely keep you in his stomach and let you back out, which was something you never would have thought was physically possible. You had a lot to learn.

Eventually, you took him up on his offer of letting you clean up, and later on his offer to get you some food and water. You started to ask questions and get to know him as you ate. He was a bit shy when it came to the questions about how he could eat people, but he assured you that being eaten by any giant is safe, and that he would only ever eat someone if they were okay with it... excluding today's accident.

And now, here you are, dangling between his fingers from the rope you’d thought had been such a clever tool to get around the maze of his apartment. You can’t bring yourself to speak as you stare up at him meekly, the light reflecting off his glasses making his eyes seem cold and far away- near impossible to read. 

He hasn’t spoken since his initial greeting, if you can even call it that. All he’s done is stare at you with that coldness in his eyes, almost as if he’s calculating something- blinking every now and again, though it does nothing to set your mind at ease. If anything, it makes you feel worse, and when he opens his lips and finally speaks to you properly-

“Well. You should fit. This should be interesting.”

-it does nothing to calm your nerves. 

Before you can ask him what he means, the air is forced out of your lungs by him tugging on your little rope, effortlessly and haphazardly lifting you into the air above his face and leaving you to stare down at him in terrified disbelief. You’ve never met this human before, but from what you’ve gathered, there’s nothing too horrible about him. 

With your lower lip trembling, you look down into his deep brown eyes, searching for any trace of a joke or flickers of sympathy. 

What you receive in return is a toothy smirk. One that plays out almost in slow motion, leaving you helpless to watch as his lips curl away from his teeth, showing the gleaming, drool-slicked and sharp points lining his gums. Your heart starts racing at the sight of them, and again, you try to find your words- but you’re once again interrupted by something terrifying. 

Those teeth were bad enough on their own, but as you stare down at Christopher’s freckled face… they begin to part. 

A warm blast of air rises from the chasm opening beneath you and you find yourself unable to look away as the huge muscle of his tongue shifts- easily the size of a small mattress and just as cushioned- moving from one side of the pink and dripping cavern to the other. The surface of it flexes in waves, and you follow the muscle back toward the darkest pit in the back of his jaws- marked by a swinging uvula and a streamlined tunnel designed to cram anything it can fit inside down.

His throat flexes, and his whole mouth shifts at once- a mess of moving pieces and parts and flesh and teeth rearranging to allow him a soft swallow- and when it opens again, strings of drool connect the bottom of his jaws to the top like the bars of a prison cell. 

Unable to speak, your own mouth opens and closes as you watch his throat shift with his every breath, the idle motions of his tongue twitching and swaying as more and more saliva floods the cavern. 

You’re transfixed, though the spell breaks when his grip on your rope abruptly falters- sending you falling a few inches closer to the gaping maw with a scream. 

A laugh rolls over you in response, and you gasp, clutching the rope in your fingers despite the knot keeping you secure. You’re spinning now, watching the gullet beneath you pulse as you rotate, unable to keep yourself from noticing that it seems to be pulsing in anticipation, the tongue stretching out from between those lips as if to echo the sentiment. 

He’s going to eat you.

No. No, he won’t. 

Surely he won’t. 

Despite not being human, you think for a moment that you’ll be able to appeal to his sympathy, though when you manage to tear your gaze away from his maw to try looking into his eyes--

The rope slides easily through his fingers, and with a rush of air, you plummet- your scream being cut off and muffled by his tongue greeting you. It all but wraps around your sides, and you feel it constrict, pinning your arms to your torso as its owner tips his head back and allows you to fall backward into the cage of his mouth. 

You scream as the tongue folds over you greedily, drinking in your flavour and slathering you in thick saliva. The surface won’t stop moving beneath your hands- cushy and soft and speckled with taste buds that leave a faint bumpy texture pressing against your palms and fingers- though when he abruptly licks you again, you’re flipped onto your side, helpless to do anything but let his tongue squish tightly against your back. The muscle is hot and explorative, wasting no time in dragging its tip along your flailing limbs. 

Everything around you is hot and slick, but the more you fight against it, the more of his saliva seeps through your clothes, soaking your skin and causing you to slip around easily in the chasm of his mouth. A zigzag of light filtering between his teeth is the only way for you to see the warm pink of his tongue as it continues to effortlessly bat you and part of your flimsy rope around. 

It’s… so easy for him. 

So easy to treat you as nothing more than a sweet treat. You find yourself pushed against his fangs more than once, and each time, you suck in a sharp breath and wait for him to chew you to pieces- all the while trying to peer out past his lips for one more glance at the world you’re leaving behind.

You don’t get one. 

All your squirms earn you is more buffeting from the tongue, more hums of delight from the throat that you know is yawning wide behind you, but you don’t allow yourself to look at it, trying instead to drag yourself forward in the dripping mouth of the beast. You’re close. Your fingers reach the very edge of his gums and you strain to pull yourself up from his gullet even as you feel your legs brush the very edge of his throat.

A throat that twitches eagerly, the muscles there relaxing with a soft slrrrk of noise- and you yelp as you find yourself falling deeper into the squishy tube. 

“NO-”

The tongue that had been idly sloshing you around arches, filling his mouth and squeezing the air from your lungs in a strangled cry- though you don’t have time to be worried about that as you realize what the predator’s doing.

Swallowing. He’s swallowing. The gullet behind you lurches, a tiny hlrk and a bob of the muscles behind you causing you to throw your arms forward as gravity changes- but you’re too covered in saliva to get a grip on anything. Instead, you’re forced to feel his uvula drag across the back of your shoulders as he hums- the noise loud enough to make your chest feel like it’s buzzing. 

You’re squashed under his uvula entirely with another firm swallow, leaving you scrambling against the plush back of his tongue as you try to reach the swinging tab of flesh. Your fingers are tangled tightly in your rope, clutching it in utter desperation. It’s still holding fast. Still tied to something. 

You try to remember if you saw it caught between his molars or canines as you try to hoist yourself further up his gullet- barely able to even paw the backmost part of his tongue in your attempts to reach freedom. It’s still somewhat taut, taut enough that there’s hope…

…as light falls over you, you look up from the depths of his throat, for one fleeting moment allowing yourself to think that he’s about to cough you up. It must be a mistake. He seems like a kind enough man, and you shift your position slightly to see better, wiping a string of drool out of your face as a shadow falls over his jaws. 

His hand. 

And in his fingers…

No…

In his fingers, he’s lazily clutching the end of your rope. He holds it there with a soft chuckle, one that makes the throat around you ripple, before you watch his mouth start to relax as it closes for what you realize in terror is the final time.

“Wait- wait wait wait-!"

When he swallows, the walls of his throat clutch tight around you, rippling with a soft ulp that folds around you and tries to squeeze you down along with it. Your whole body jerks in place, being squashed tighter into the living tunnel before the rope pulls taut and forces you back up- which causes the muscles around you to quiver and the predator they belong to to hum. 

It’s absolutely deafening this close to his voicebox. 

You gasp as the slimy walls finally ease up, trembling at the sensation of something pressing at you from outside of your new prison. At first, you almost think you’re imagining it, but when the throat around you twitches in response to a firmer press, you realize those are fingers pressing against you from the outside. 

You can’t help but imagine yourself as a lump in Christopher’s throat. 

As you struggle harder, forcing your elbows out against the taunting squishes, in you mind’s eye, you see the small flutter of your movements settled just above his collarbone- the way you stretch the freckled skin and wriggle just beneath it- and as you tug on the rope in a desperate attempt to shimmy back up the way you came-

GLURK.

-the throat constricts tighter, and this time you can’t keep yourself from giving a yelp as you’re sucked further into Christopher’s esophagus- settled just beside his thudding heart. The walls of his gullet have grown tighter, as has the knot of the rope around your waist thanks to said walls hungrily rippling around you in an attempt to squeeze you deeper inside. Again, you struggle to haul yourself further up the rope that’s keeping you suspended in his chest. Your saliva slicked hands fumble to get a grip, and you curse yourself for not having tied too many knots in it before trying to use it out borrowing. In the pitch darkness of his throat, you can’t see much aside a very faint red- the light from outside only penetrating deep enough for you to see the faint outlines of the esophagus squeezing around you. 

Your rope is still being held snugly by the gullet’s walls, the red lifeline almost vanishing into the pulsing darkness, but you squint through the saliva running down your face just long enough to realize how far down you’ve been squeezed. Seeming miles of throat stretch above you, and a flicker of light from the top of the tunnel causes your heart to sink. On either side of you, you hear a rush of air filling your devourer’s lungs, and everything tightens as they fill with oxygen, preparing for another-

Gulp.

-for him, it must be nothing. Just soft and lazy bobs of his adam’s apple that allow your rope to fall deeper into the folds of his throat. You can almost imagine how faint the sound of him swallowing must be outside of the sweltering confines you’re in now- but you can’t quite cling to the illusion long enough to mute the disgusting squelch and ULLLLK that draw you deep enough to feel a distinct change in heat.

Heat from below you.

Heat coupled by the sound of an organic growl, and your heart grows cold despite the warmth of the predator surrounding you as you realize how close to the belly of the beast you’ve gotten.

You scramble against the soft walls, tugging on your slack rope more and more as the sound of gurgling grows louder beneath you. You can’t end up in his stomach. You won’t. You’re a borrower, you’re not-

Glmpk.

He swallows once more. 

Firmly. 

Firmly enough that you manage to look above you in terror, watching the tunnel of his throat constrict in a wave that rushes toward you in the dark, too fast for you to do anything but take a breath in before you’re squished firmly into the upper stomach sphincter. 

Then through it.

Your tiny form lands in his stomach with a wet plop.

The walls around you shudder with a gurgle of greeting, and above you, you hear a long and contented sigh breeze up from the throat you fought for your life not to get squeezed down- unable to keep yourself from envying the air for being able to get past his lips.

You’re not as lucky as the air. The stomach containing you groans in emphasis, the organ steadily starting to rock this way and that, the walls rippling inwards eagerly in what you realize are the beginnings of digestion. Your hands find the rope and you pull on it sharply, earning the sound of a muffled glp from above and the sensation of more and more of it pulling into his belly, coiling around you on the fleshy floor, gulp after gulp ushering it down, down…

The piece of yarn bobs momentarily at the back of Christopher’s throat, and it brushes the folds of flesh there as its pulled down his gullet. It isn’t fully soaked through with his saliva, not yet, and as he sits with his jaws open, he gulps, feeling it stick dryly in his throat- though he persists in his task anyway. 

With a few more short swallows, there’s no trace left of you at all. No rope dangles from between his lips. No shape wriggles in his throat, and as he trails a hand down to his comfortably full stomach… he grins at the realization that you fit so perfectly inside that you’ve completely vanished from the outside world. Not even a lump against his middle surfaces to show anyone where you’ve vanished to, and he purrs in delight, trailing his fingers over his middle and hiccuping suddenly when you squirm. 

“Oh, don’t worry.”

His voice rumbles around you, echoing over the sounds of digestion. One of the fleshy walls folds inward with a prod against you and you feel the tip of one of his claws massaging you into the lining.