Big Corp Inc. (G/T)

Part 20: Financial Woes

Martin and Candy spent their lunch in the break room together. Conversation between the pair flowed well. Martin was curious about Candy's adventures as a human on the large side of the city, and what it was like on the small side. As a Giant, he was not permitted to enter human territory, so naturally he had questions. Candy omitted most of the bad stuff from her experiences, preferring to keep the conversation light and pleasant.

Candy felt safe with Martin around. If Ronny or the boss came into the room, she knew she'd have protection against them. She wasn't as nervous around unfamiliar Giant coworkers either. Additionally, he had a calming presence that relaxed her. The only caveat was being around him while he was eating. She wasn't afraid that he would ingest her, per se, but she was reminded of how he accidentally swallowed her, and how easy it would be for a simple mistake like that to happen again, with how large he was compared to her. As long as she stayed out of his food, she figured she'd be fine.

When they were done with lunch, Martin brought her back to her desk and she went back to typing. Her arms ached, but she was in a good mood after spending time with her crush. She was optimistic that, with his help, she could get her financial woes sorted out. She powered through her shift until the end of the day rolled around. She finished her final invoice, logged out of her computer, collected her stuff in her backpack, and waited for Martin. She hid in a discreet corner of her desk, behind the gigantic office phone, so she wouldn't catch Ronny's attention as he walked past. Mr. Hardon left soon after.

"Candy, are you here?" Martin's voice boomed, following the approach of his rumbling footsteps. Candy emerged from her hiding place with a beaming smile. "Why, what were you doing hiding back there? I couldn't see you."

"I... didn't want Ronny to spot me," Candy confessed.

Martin gave her a genial smile. "You shouldn't have to worry about him anymore," he said, scooping the tiny woman up in his hand. "Want to ride on my shoulder this time?"

"S-sure!" Candy agreed, feeling a bit nervous. Perching on the Giant's shoulder, as broad as it was, sounded precarious. He raised her up in his hand and deposited her carefully next to his neck. Candy gripped the fabric of his suit with fear and peered over at the precipitous drop to the ground hundreds of feet below. She had become accustomed to being carried around in Giant hands, but a hand was a much sturdier, flatter platform with fingers to encircle her as safeguards, whereas she had to expend effort to balance on the rounded surface of his shoulder.

"Are you comfortable up there?" Martin asked, rotating his head slightly and giving Candy a sideways glance. Her heart fluttered, being so close to his handsome, manly face.

"I think so," Candy answered absently, entranced by his features. She settled down as best she could. Martin collected her check off the desk and stashed it in his pocket.

"Okay, I'm going to start walking now," Martin warned her. He took a slow step forward, then another. Candy let out a cry of alarm as she almost lost her balance. Martin stopped, prepared to catch her in his hand. After a brief moment of deliberation, he nudged Candy with his finger closer to his neck and tucked her in his shirt collar. "How's that?"

"Quite nice, to be honest," Candy replied timidly. Pressed up against the warm skin of his neck, she could feel the steady pulse of his beating heart and the lightest movement of the hefty cords of muscle underneath. Martin walked a few tentative steps, to ascertain if Candy would fall off. When he was reassured she was secure, he strolled along more confidently. He rode the elevator down to the lobby and escaped the stuffy confines of the corporate fortress.

Excluding her unwilling adventure through Mr. Hardon's upscale neighborhood, Candy never had the opportunity to explore the Giant city beyond the restrictive confines of her morning commute. She was also limited to the human railways and walkways, which didn't cover the whole area. Her vantage point was usually from the ground, overshadowed by Giants whose feet were very distracting when they stomped all over the place and caused the earth to quake under their tremendous weight. She had a very different view from Martin's huge shoulder.