G/T One Shots

ℙ𝕖𝕥 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕡

Words: 2030

Soft, Hurt/Comfort

Published: 14/04/2021

✼ •• ┈┈┈┈๑⋅⋯ ୨˚୧ ⋯⋅๑┈┈┈┈ •• ✼

"You have to get rid of the Tines that weren't bought, if they didn't like them these months nobody will ever like them, so they're a waste of time and resources" the metallic voice made the girl on the phone lose a heartbeat.

"Are you sure, sir? The new shipment of Tines will arrive in a week, there is still some time" she tried to change his mind and buy time. But the man was adamant and he continued arguing with Willa.

"If you don't get rid of the rest right away you won't have a job anymore," the man growled visibly irritated and the girl nodded to herself, sighing. 

"Okay, I will do it" she muttered with great pain in her heart before ending the call. Willa chewed on her lower lip as she slipped the phone into her pocket and returned to the shop that had been closed for at least half an hour. She had to feed the animals and then go home.

The pet shop she worked for was special, she sold dogs, cats, parrots and other pets. But the most peculiar ones were the tinies. After being discovered by some scientists they had almost become a fashion of that moment. They were people, small in size, so there was always a very strict policy for those who bought one and took great responsibility.

Willa has been there for a long time, and very often she was given the task of preparing the tinies to be "adopted" by gigantic people compared to them.  They could be children, adults, or even older, Willa always managed to gain their sympathy and reassure them.  Many of them were initially scared when they arrived at the pet shop. However, Willa would take care of them and all the tinies ended up trusting her.

All but one. Salome had been there for months now and despite Willa's numerous attempts, she had never opened up to the human. She had hardly heard the little girl speak. She knew she had had a difficult past, she had been bought by a rich and not very delicate man when she was still a teenager. Now that she was twenty Salome still hadn't recovered from the trauma. She ate little, she spoke neither to humans nor to other tinies. She spent time in the corner of her "room", curled up on herself and most of the time she read a book.

Willa thought about what she should do for that poor girl. If she didn't send her away, she would lose her job and someone else would do it at her place. If she sent her away, even the last person that wanted to help her would turn her back to the little girl. Willa sighed as she fed the animals and the other tinies. She left Salome's room as her last and knelt to get her face to the same level as the room.

As usual, she was as far away as possible and she turned her back to Willa visibly frightened. Willa placed the small container with the dinner in place and hesitated before speaking.

"Can we talk?" she asked hesitantly making Salome jump that she didn't expect to hear Willa speak to her.  Silence didn't answer her question and Willa sighed.

"Please, it's really important," she said begging her with her gaze, hoping for a different reaction. Salome didn't speak and she tried to curl up more on herself.  "I can't keep you here anymore unless you start trusting more," she said trying to make her understand how critical the situation was. But the girl remained motionless, trembling.

"If you can't find a family I'll have to abandon you and ... please don't make me do it," she said in a low, sorry voice, her heart aching at the thought of having to leave her to face the world alone. Salome felt her eyes burn, but still, she didn't give up, she stood still knowing that sooner or later it would happen.