Storm (G/T)

Mile a Minute

"This is tedious," Austin sighs, standing still and taking one step whenever I advance him. It's honestly intimidating and gives me stress, but then again, doesn't everything do that right now?

"I'm moving pretty quickly," I reply, visually kicking up the pace. I don't want to run because it'll look weird, but I imagine getting stared down while I'm just taking a stroll is already weird. "Faster than usual."

I look up and see pity in his eyes. I don't even need that right now. I don't need to be felt sorry for because I'm smaller and trapped, kidnapped by a mythical being. It's his own fault for bringing me here. "You really don't want me to hold you?"

"I really don't." I speedwalk on, not letting him pick me up. He's nice enough to not grab me without my consent anyway.

"Would you be open to it in the future? You know, to save time? I won't rush you, of course." He steps lightly, and it's easy to see the effort he's putting in to not be loudly stomping.

"We'll see." There won't be a future anyway, I'm out once we're done here.

"You're opening up fast," he lies. "I can see you being okay with it in the coming days."

"Days?" I watch as he takes another step.

"Well sure, this is a basic snowfall as any. It's anyone's guess as to how it went to where you live, or how it didn't translate to accompany your size. Snow-'storms'," he motions quotation marks with his hands, which scares me for no reason at all. "...usually last a few days here, and this one really is a bit harsher than others, so I can see your stay here spanning multiple days."

"That... doesn't really sit well with me," I admit. We finally reach the main area where we were before. "Well, there. That was fun, this was a great time, thanks for everything," I say, putting on my coat and backpack.

"What?"

"Gotta go get that new forever home, you know. Have a good one, my colossal acquaintance. I had a ball." I begin making my way over to the door, when a shadow looms over me, then in front of me.

"Where do you think you're going? The storm is no where near over." He had the nerve to step over me to stop me. "If you go back it there, you could die." 

"Unfortunate. However, I could also die here." I walk around his sock, which he slides wherever I try to go. It's scaring the hell out of me, but I remain collected. "After all, it's in my best interest to leave here and look for somewhere to live for now."

"This is somewhere to live for now." I crane my head up to look him in the eyes, his form towering over me as if I'm nothing. This perspective is terrifying. All he'd have to do is step on me and I'd be dead right then. But I stay calm. "You won't get hurt here. I promise."

"Either way, I'd prefer a place that's more... m-my size." Seriously? I was having such a good streak without visible fear, but that stutter messed it all up. Hopefully he doesn't noti-

"Is me standing at my full height scaring you?" He begins to squat down. Of course. "I can get closer to your level if you'd prefer-"

"No, no. I'm not scared." I'm terrified, and him getting closer probably made things worse. I try to stablize my vocals, which are usually hard to control anyway.

"Really, it's no problem. I don't want you to be scared of me or think I'm holding you here against your will-"

"You absolutely are."

He inhales noticeably, then exhales in the same fashion. "...but I promise that if the cold could've bitten you like that before, then it still will now. You have just about no chance of living out there by yourself."

"Then a human can find my body next time," I smile. "Since there's a lower chance the human will kill me. Now, if you'll excuse me-"

"Robin." He doesn't even move, just his voice makes me freeze, but I can hide it. "You aren't leaving, and I am not going to kill you. Okay?"

I pause. He's losing his patience, but keeping calm. He can't just boss me around like that! I mean, he's absolutely able to, but that doesn't make it right. "No, not okay! You can't just kidnap me and force me to live with you. I'm not some pet or anything, I can handle myself just fine. Being smaller than you doesn't make me helpless."

He huffs through his nose like a dragon, coating me with invisible flames right then and there."I am not letting you out there with a risk of death. I promise I do not wish to hurt you, and I didn't kidnap you to have you as some... souvenir. Now I'm telling you this in the most straightforward way I can: You aren't able to leave this house until that weather," he points to the window. "...is clear enough for you to get home easily. I don't even want you to try."

It's funny how anger overrides fear for me. This is a new fun way to get confidence up. The more I'm angry, the less I'm scared, and I find myself being scared on default. "Well," I decide to test my limits. "What if I do?"

"Then I'm going to stop you, simple as that. I won't hurt you, but it's easy to just put you on a counter or somewhere else high up. I'll even put you in my pocket if needed so I don't lose track of you," he tells me, staying collected, though his voice is laced with venom. He's full aware of my claustrophobia now. Is he trying to scare me? Going against everything he's been trying to do since we met?

"Do you think intimidating me is going to get me to like you?" I try to walk around him, but a denim clad wall slams down in front of me, causing me to shuffle back a few paces. His pale skin shows from the end, kissed with freckles. My eyes follow up his arm to his eyes.

"I don't really care if you like me or not, I care that you're safe. Sure, I don't want to scare you, but there is a clear difference here that I don't have control over, so I might as well use it to keep you from killing yourself." Once he finishes, there's a silent airiness to the room. I'm the first to break it.

"Fuck that. I'm going right back out into that storm, and there's nothing you can do about it. I'd rather die out there than waste away here. You don't scare me, and you are not going to pick me up without my permission." My eyes narrow at the same time as his. We're both fired up now.

Ending my speech, I walk right around him to go to the door. Just then, a massive fist locks around my torso and shifts my body upward to his face. His eyes glare with pure anger.

"Says who?"