Ness’s tiny assistant
rehearsals with Ness are usually predictable, perhaps a little chaotic, but when a simple transformation routine goes completely wrong, you find yourself trapped in a small, fluffy problem and Ness has to step up as your caretaker until morning comes
pairing: magician Ness x fem!reader / wc: 1.2k
Alexis Ness took his magic very seriously
As his assistant, you were used to the countless rehearsals and the occasional prop catching fire
Tonight was supposed to be a simple transformation routine before the big show in two days. He wanted to practice more, so everything turned out perfect. Instead, a sudden, blinding flash of smoke had completely cut you off mid-sentence
"Alexis, what did you do?"
The words didn't come out right. It was a sharp squeak that didn't sound like you at all
You tried to step forward to glare at him, but you immediately tripped, face planting into a massive wall of purple fabric. It took you a few seconds to realize you were actually tangled in your own costume
Ness was frozen on the other side of the rehearsal room. The confident smile he wore whenever he performed was completely wiped clean from his face, his eyes wide with absolute panic
“I didn’t mean to use that incantation” he stammered, his voice dropping into a frantic whisper as his wand slipped from his fingers, clattering loudly against the floor
You finally managed to scramble out from the fabric, looking down at two tiny furred paws. When you stretched, a soft, thin membrane of skin pulled tight between your front and back legs and a ridiculously fluffy tail twitched behind you
“Oh, you’re a flying squirrel!”
You let out another sharp squeak, glaring up at him with all the anger your tiny face could manage
Ness didn’t care about the glare at all. The sheer horror on his face completely melted, instantly replaced by his fascination
He didn’t wait for another squeak, moving with agonizing care, he slid his gloved fingers under your tiny body, his warm palms completely enveloping you as he scooped you up from the pile of clothes
He was holding you so gently, like you were the most fragile thing, bringing you right up to eye level. His hair was messy, a few strands of hair falling into his eyes as he stared, admiring his mistake
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” he mumbled quickly. “The book said… well, it didn’t say this would happen but it may take a few hours for the spell to wear off. You just have to wait”
He paused, his eyes tracking the way your tiny nose twitched. With a look of pure adoration in his eyes, he couldn’t help himself as his thumb instinctively reached out to smooth over the incredibly soft fur right behind your ears
“But you are so… cute” he murmured. A genuine smile finally tugging at the corner of his lips “And your tail is quite majestic”
You didn’t hesitate. You leaned forward and nipped at his thumb, not hard enough to break the skin but still, a solid warning. You literally lost your limbs because of his mistake and he looked oddly happy about it
“Ouch” he winced, pulling his hand back just an inch, though his other palm stayed securely under you
A breathless laugh escaped his throat as he looked at the tiny mark your teeth left. ”Right, sorry. No calling you cute while you’re trapped like this.”
He looked around the room, his eyes landing on his velvet top hat resting on a table. He carefully lined the inside with a silk handkerchief, making a tiny nest for you before setting you gently inside it
“Don’t move” he whispered, hovering over the hat like an anxious guard. ”I’ll bring you something to eat”
You just waited patiently, not like you could even really move as he scurried over to his bag, rummaging through it until he found some hickory nuts he brought as snacks
Kinda suspicious how he already had the nuts ready, but your tiny brain was too tired to think at the moment
Ness sat down at the desk, pulling out a small prop knife to carefully cut the nuts into small pieces, pushing them towards the edge of his hat with his fingertips
“Here” he murmured, his chin resting on his hand, gazing at you “It’s good, I promise”
You sniffed, cautiously taking a tiny bite. Ness watched you with absolute attention, his foot lightly tapping against the floor in a quiet, jittery rhythm
The intense panic was completely gone from his face, replaced by a soft smile as he watched your tiny cheeks move
“See? This was not a total disaster” he whispered, his voice dropping into a quiet hum as he reached out his finger, carefully petting the top of your head
The warmth of the stage lights and the steady rhythm of his fingers stroking your head was making your eyes heavy
“You should sleep, it’s pretty late” Ness murmured, his voice incredibly soft as he adjusted the silk handkerchief around you, tucking the edges closer to your fur “I’ll stay right here. I won’t let anything happen to you”
You let out a soft tired sigh, curling your fluffy tail around your nose. If you could speak right now, you would tell him exactly what you were thinking and how mad you were
But trapped in this tiny body and Ness looking at you like you were the only thing that mattered in this world, it was getting harder to stay mad at him
You blinked up at him one last time, watching his eyes soften completely before the darkness took over
⋆⋆⋆
The morning sun filtered through the blinds, hitting your face with warmth
You blinked, shifting your weight, but something felt entirely different. The wooden surface of the table pressed against your cheek but your body felt like your own again. The spell had finally worn off
You tried to move, only to realize you were completely bare, the pile of your discarded clothes still sitting on the floor
A sharp gasp cut through the quiet room
You snapped your eyes to see Ness sitting in the chair beside the table. His hair was pretty messy, dark circles under his eyes from staying up all night to watch over you. He was staring at you, his face instantly turning a violent shade of red
“Oh! oh my god!” He stammered, his voice cracking completely
In a total panic, he whipped his head away, slamming his hands over his eyes so tightly his knuckles turned white. His foot frantically tapping against the floor as he desperately tried to block out the view
“I’m not looking! I promise I’m not looking” he squeaked, clearly embarrassed. With his eyes still firmly covered, his long fingers blindly fumbled around the back of his chair, grabbing his magician’s cape and shoving it in your direction “Here! Put this on! I’m so sorry!”
You couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped your lips as you grabbed the soft purple velvet and wrapped it securely around you
“Okay” you pulled the fabric tight.”You can look now, Alexis”
Slowly, Ness parted his fingers, peeking through them with hesitant eyes. Seeing you covered, he let his hands drop, letting out a long exhale as a soft, relieved smile touched his lips
“Welcome back, my dear assistant” he whispered, his voice rough with sleep “No more transformation tricks. I promise”
thank you for reading ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
