I've just re-entered the apartment, and I'm already getting asked questions.
"Of course you are," I say, shooting Gretchen a sarcastic grin.
"Janis, I'm serious."
"So am I! We're all shitty roommates. It's just how we work."
"But-" Gretchen follows me into the kitchen and helps unpack what I managed to borrow. "I don't want that to be how we work. I don't want our dynamic to be hatred and fighting."
"And it's not- sometimes."
"See what I mean?!"
I turn to Gretchen. It's my first time looking at her today and she looks worked up over this, so I dial down the sarcasm a bit.
"Gretch- this is how it's always worked. Why is it an issue now?"
"I've been talking a lot with Karen, the borrower next door who's roommates with Aaron."
I wait for her to continue, but when she doesn't, I lightly prompt her. "And-?"
"And they get along so well, damn it!"
I jump back a bit at Gretchen's sudden outburst. "They care about each other! They genuinely want to see each other safe!" She takes a deep breath, lowering her voice. "When Mr. Hubbard found you, Kevin's first instinct was to pack your room and take it for himself. He didn't care what happened to you. When Kevin got really sick our first year here, you didn't want anything to do with him! Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one trying to actively keep us from falling apart! Why is it only me? Did I do something wrong? Did I miss a memo? Am I a bad roommate?!" Gretchen repeats the last question and I feel like I've been smacked with guilt.
"I'm so sorry," I hesitate, trying to find the right words. "If you told us you felt this way sooner-"
"Nothing would have changed."
"What?"
"This isn't the first time we've had this talk, Janis. It's just the first time you're listening."
"I-"
Gretchen stands there expectantly. Waiting for me to say something- anything.
But I don't know what to say.
"Why don't we wait for Kevin to get back to have this talk."
"There it is again." Gretchen frowns, turning away.
"There what is again?"
"You, Janis! Pushing off any conversation that requires even the tiniest bit of emotion! 'Let's wait for Kevin', 'Let's wait till after this borrowing run' 'Let's wait, let's wait, let's wait'!"
I took a step back.
At the beginning of this conversation, Gretchen was worried she had done something wrong. But this had very quickly turned to accuse me of doing something wrong.
"Why are you so angry?"
"I'm not angry." Gretchen crossed her arms.
"You seem pretty an-"
"I'm tired, Janis. I'm tired of being the only one who takes out life seriously, tired of being the only one holding this group together, tired of being the only one to take precautions, I'm just tired."
"Oh."
"Yeah." Gretchen shrugged, heading for her room. "But what do you care. I guess I can wait for Kevin to get home so he can deal with me."
"Wait, Gretchen, no-" I get up quickly, crossing the room to catch up with her. "I do care. I just-"
Gretchen turned, looking at me expectantly.
"I didn't know you were this upset."
"That we've already covered."
Gretchen really wasn't going to make this easy.
"I know, I know. I didn't put effort into showing I cared. If anything, you're not a bad roommate. It's Kevin and me. And I'm sorry. I really am. I'll work on it in the future. It shouldn't be only you who cares or puts in the effort. It should be all of us. We are roommates after all, right?"
hurt/comfort(/hurt?) fic four :0
GENERALIZED TW: death (fear of it, mentioned, and/or, actual death); cursing; blood (mention, description, thought)
mg borrower (roommates) au
Rouge borrowers are a thing. When I described them to Damian, he pointed out that they're the equivalent of a homeless person.
I told him all borrowers are technically homeless.
You won't catch me paying taxes.
Rouge borrowers are more like travelers. Never stay in one place too long, never settle down. They're left to their own devices at a younger age too. They have a different culture and borrowing technique than a stationary borrower. They're more reckless, more violent.
They travel alone most of the time. Each man for himself.
My father would tell stories of rouge borrowers that kill off humans if they get caught.
They travel to houses but don't stay for long.
There's a good chance a borrower has shared their house with a rouge without even knowing.
Houses are big.
But- I never thought I'd face one.
"What are you doing here." He called out. He was holding a meticulously sharpened rock as a knife.
I was on the kitchen counter just trying to grab food. Kevin was across the kitchen getting water, frozen in place as he watched the rouge approach me. Gretchen had slipped away before he saw her. I fucking hope she had enough common sense to get Damian.
I put my hands up in defense.
"I live here."
He raises his weapon. "You two are stationary borrowers?"
"Yes." I say.
"Take me to your hideout. I want your supplies."
"What?! No!" I step back, but the rouge just steps closer again.
"Hey, dude-" Kevin steps over. "What's your name. Maybe we can work this out- without the kife?"
"Shane." The borrower says, but he doesn't lower his weapon.
"Hey, Shane. I'm Janis, this is my roommate Kevin. I agree I think we can talk civilly without-" I gasp, taking a step backward as Shane gabs his knife at me.
Kevin's arm wraps around my shoulders pulling me close to him.
"Hey! No stabbing the girl!" He says, pushing me a little behind him.
Normally I would object to needing to be protected, but Shane looks strong as fuck for a rouge borrower and has shown he has no hesitation to fucking stab us.
"There's another one of you." Shane deadpans. "Where did she go."
"I don't know," Kevin says calmly.
"Where did she go?!" Kevin steps back so he's next to me. Shane is swinging around his sharp rock-knife-weapon-murder-dagger, like a mad man.
"We don't know!" I say. "Honest truth!"
She could be hiding in her room like a baby, or getting Damian. Or maybe she fell off the counter and fucking died. Beats me I guess.
Shane steps forward again. He gets to closer for comfort. "Are you sure."
"Yes!" My hands are still up by my ears. My tool bag as fallen by my feet, our week's supply of granola tucked beneath it all. I hope he doesn't fucking take it-
"I don't believe you. Take me to your house."
"You're in it buddy." I say. Kevin kicks the back of my leg. Yeah, I should cut down on the sarcastic quips since this dude could kill me at any moment.
"Where you store your supplies. In the walls dumbass. I take it you're not wandering around after befriending the humans."
"Ah, that's where you're wrong." I grin.
Shane seems momentarily frightened by the idea that we have a giant ally but decides I must be bluffing.
He shoves me. "Your supplies. Now!"
Woah woah woah this is getting violent fast what the fuck?
I stumble backward, trying to grasp something to stop myself from falling. I yank Kevin's shoulder but just end up bringing him down with me.
"What the fuck, Janis?" He whines as we both land on our butts.
"Sorry!" I groan, standing up. "What's your damage dude?" I ask Shane.
"My damage is I need fucking food."
"Then get your own! Not in this house!"
"Not when you have easy access to food in your storage."
"Our storage is empty!" I throw my hands up in exasperation. "Why do you think we're borrowing!"
Both Shane and I are very close to each other. I may not have a knife but momma didn't raise no bitch. I can throw a punch when needed.
"Then shows me where you normally get food."
"Fucking starve." I spit.
"Janis-" Kevin tried to pull me backward but I'm livid.
Does this boy think he can come into our area and take out resources? Hell no.
Anger flashes in Shane's eyes as his arm thrusts forward.
I don't even feel the pain at first. It's only when he withdraws his arm- his stone-sword-weapon-bitch-thing covered in blood when my mind makes the connection.
Holy fucking shit.
That's my blood.
Kevin gasps as Shane steps back.
The pain hits like a wave of nausea as I double over, my hands shooting to my side.
Oh, fuck?
Fuck.
"Where's your food?" Shane's voice is calm like he thinks the answer will change now that he's made his point.
I grit my teeth, standing up. My shirt is turning red but I close my jacket to hide it.
Out of sight, out of mind. I've got ass to kick.
"We. Don't. Have. Shit. For. You."
The kitchen light flicks on and I smile, watching the color drain from Shane's face.
"Human." He whispers.
"Mhmm."
Damian stood in the doorway, Gretchen on his shoulder. On the outside, he looked pissed, but I could see by the way his shoulders tensed that he was worried as fuck.
I step forward, trying to ignore the pain in my side and the way the world spins.
"What's going on here?" Damian asks. The bubbliness in his voice is gone. Its enough to make me a little nervous. Shane's eyes widened. "Nothing I just-"
"He attacked us." I say. I feel like a child tattle tailing on their sibling.
"I'd leave if I were you." Damian says, walking over to the counter. He places Gretchen down without removing his eyes from the rouge borrower.
Shane doesn't need to be told twice.
Fucking pussy.
He turns to run and I don't care where he goes because the world is spinning slightly.
Extremely slightly.
Its actually not slightly at all.
But who cares. It's only a bit of blood loss. The rouge borrower is gone.
I turn back to Kevin, big grin on my face. He eyes where my hand is pressed to my jacket but doesn't say anything.
"You guys okay?" Damian asks.
"Yup!" I grin. Kevin just looks away.
"Kevin?" Damian tilts his head. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"
"No," Kevin says dryly. "I'm okay. It's J-"
"Our food is safe!" I cut of Kevin with a grin, scooping up my tool bag, granola still stashed away.
Damian and Gretchen smile warmly both of them visibly relaxing. I almost feel guilty. But hey, I'll be fine. It's not that deep.
"I was freaking out when Gretchen came into my room," Damian explains. "Normally only Janis stops by. I'm glad you guys are safe."
"Yeah! You're okay!" Gretchen cheers running over to Kevin and me. She pulls me into a tight hug and I grit my teeth. Ow. Fucking-
"Gretch. Stop."
Gretchen pulls back, eyes wide. "Janis-"
Her hand has blood on it.
My blood.
There's a lot of it.
Damian gasps.
Kevin is mumbling something.
Gretchen's got tears in her eyes?
Bitch I'm the one who got stabbed. Why are you crying?
The world is spinning a lot now.
"Oh- heh." I laugh but there's no humor. "That's a lot of blood."
"Janis!" Gretchen gasps. "What happened?!"
"I got fucking stabbed its not hard to tell."
Hmm, I'm starting to think sarcasm might be my way to cover up fear.
Fun.
Kevin is oddly quiet. He always has some sort of remark for my attitude.
Damian is frozen too.
Probably because I'm dying.
I'm dying.
Shit.
"Well." I laugh softly, my hand pressed to my side. "This was fun."
"Don't talk like that." Kevin mumbles. The stern tone is gone though. "You're gonna be okay. Just- sit down. I'm going to go grab medical shit."
"Don't lie to her, Kev. She dying. Shes-" Gretchen is full crying at this point.
"No, she's not!" Kevin snaps. "No- no shes not. I- I'll be right back."
I am dying, though.
I don't say it out loud. I don't want it to be true either.
I sit on the ground. My legs feel weak. My eyes feel tired. My side is burning yet ice cold at the same time.
Blood is sticky.
That’s a fact I would live without knowing.
"Jan, no." There's high panic in Damian's voice. "You need to stay awake."
Kinda forgot Damian was there. I don't want him to see me die. That's too sad.
Gretchen kneels in front of me. Her hand pushed down on my side above my hands. I cry out in pain but I know shes trying to stop the blood. "C'mon Janis. Kevin will be back. You need to stay awake."
Despite everything Gretchen is telling me I let myself fall backward, staring up at the ceiling.
I was losing blood fucking fast I guess. I went from 10/10 hiding it to laying on the ground staring at the ceiling in seconds.
Of all the ways a borrower can die, I get stabbed. I had family members drown in sinks, eaten by pets, starved from unpredictable human schedules- and I’m killed off my another borrower.
Fucking great.
"Janis." There's panic in Damian's voice. "Please. Sit up. Stay awake."
It's too hard.
I’m tired.
I can’t.
"Janis!" Gretchen is full sobbing.
I'm sorry, Gretch. Sorry for being a bitch ass roomate. My bad.
Everything sounds muffled. I think I can hear Kevin returning. There are more hands.
Everything hurts.
I don't have enough energy to push them off.
"Jan, Love. You need to stay awake."
Damian.
Thanks for telling me all about your world. They were fun stories to hear.
Love you.
"C'mon Janis. You're stronger than this. You really gonna let one rouge borrower take you down?"
It appears I am, Kevin.
Sorry guys.
If I were to quote bear, oops. Lol.
Tags! @realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @sourishlemons @smallsoysauce
prompt: KEVIN AND/OR GRETCHEN MEETING DAMIAN- bear
hell yeah, more borrower au. Gretchen POV? mhmmm. Gretchen is very aware of the reader and she just insults Janis a lot, I think you can TELL how much fun i had writing this one
I'm not stupid. A pushover? Sure. A kiss-up? You bet. A follower? Please, I invented the term. But stupid? No.
I know Janis didn't fight off a cat by herself and manage to find food. But I'm also not one to complain when a solid food supply gets handed to me.
So I didn't question it.
Until now.
We have a borrowing schedule. Kevin on Sunday, Janis goes Tuesday, I go Thursday and we all go Saturday for more of a lookout rather than for food.
The schedule isn't set in stone, if we really need food, we all go together. If somebody is sick, someone else will take their day.
Which is what was going on right now.
"Janis, you aren't actually thinking of leaving." Kevin deadpans. Its Tuesday, and I look up from where I'm sharpening my tools.
Janis was gathering her supplies, swaying on her feet. "I've got a job to do."
"And a fever. You also have a fever." I add.
Janis shrugs. "Never stopped me before."
"It was never this bad before." Kevin counters.
Janis was an unhealthy pale, to the point where she looked a little green.
"We need the food." Janis wasn't the one to budge in our roommate dynamic. Kevin thought reasonably, I was practical, and Janis was stubborn. It was not always a bad thing, but not a good thing right now as she was about to pass out.
"Janis," Kevin took the borrowing tools away from her. "No."
"I'm fine." Janis insisted. "I know my own limits."
"Then," I stood up grabbing my own bag. "I'm coming with you."
"No necessary Gretchen," Janis says, yanking her bag back from Kevin. Or she tries too. It's unuseful and she stumbles back a bit, the bag still securely in Kevin's grip. It didn't even look like he was holding that tightly.
I exchange glances with Kevin, and he reluctantly hands the bag to Janis. "Gretchen is going with you."
Janis scoffs but doesn't fight him. "Whatever, just don't slow me down."
"I get the feeling that it might be the other way around," I say, following Janis to the floor exit.
"Stay safe." Kevin warns as we leave.
It's hot in the walls, but the house has AC. Janis shivers, pulling her hand-sewn jacket closer around her.
Its night, but we still stick by the walls, carefully making our way to the kitchen.
Janis tries to muffle a cough with her jacket sleeve. Its summer, so it was odd to have such a bad cold. It was also hot out so to see Janis under so many layers was odd in itself.
"Janis, are you sure you're okay?" I ask as Janis prepares to climb. Her cheeks are red and she's breathing heavily from just walking.
"Mhmm." She says.
"I'm serious." I turn her so she's facing me. She's so out of it she doesn't even notice what bad shape she's in. Janis giggles a bit.
"Why are you so stressed, Gretchen?"
"I don't think you can climb up without falling."
"I've done it before."
"Not in this shape."
"What do you mean, I'm in great shape." Janis strikes a pose with a crooked grin.
Yeah, no. Like hell am I letting Janis borrow tonight.
She's gonna get herself killed, or even worse- caught.
I groan, placing my head in my hands. "Let's go the other way."
I gotta get Janis back to her room without her suspicion. "We can take the route up to the counter directly." I lie.
"But we just got here!" Janis whined. I grab her wrist and drag her back to the wall.
"It's for your safety."
We reach the living room and I shove Janis towards Kevin, who glances at us, confused.
"She needs to go to bed. I'll go borrowing myself."
"Hey, Gretchen! You tricked me!" Janis tried to step forward, but Kevin grabs her shoulders, holding her next to him.
"And it wasn't hard. Go to bed, Janis. You'll thank me when you feel better."
"But-" Her protest was interrupted by a yawn. "Okay. Say hi to Damian for me."
"What?!"
"Huh?"
Kevin and I stare at her wide-eyed and it takes Janis a few moments before her own brain can process what she said.
"Ohhhhh." Janis ran her fingers through her hair. "Forgot I didn't tell you that."
"Tell us what, Janis." Kevin sits her at one of the makeshift bottle cap chairs we have, pulling up two more for him and me.
Janis shrugged. "I may or may not have been caught."
"And you're calm about this, why?" I ask.
"It's only Damian."
I sigh. Janis clearly is too sick to see the issue and that a simple 'it's just Damian' won't make us understand anymore.
"When did you get caught, Janis?" Kevin asks.
The girl yawns. "Remember when the cat almost killed me?"
"Janis. That was nearly four weeks ago!" Kevin cried out.
Janis shrugged again. "So? I'm not dead."
Even in her fever-induced whacked-out state, Janis made a point. A weak one, but a point.
"Yet." Kevin countered.
And Kevin made a good point too....
I was receiving whiplash from how this conversation was going. Yeah, Janis isn't dead, but do we really know Damian? No. Every time Janis spoke, I found myself on her side. But then Kevin objects and I'm back with him again. Frankly, it's giving me a headache.
"Guys," I lift my hand in defense, trying to defuse the argument going on. "What if we all just went tonight. Kevin and I can meet Damian and come to our own conclusions."
Janis nodded, her eyelids drooping. "Let's make it fast though. I think I might be getting sick."
"No, really?"
Kevin shakes his head. "I think this is a bad idea. He knows Janis and that's risky enough."
"Damian isn't a bad person," Janis said sitting up straighter.
"That's for us to decide," Kevin says. "Get up, our main mission tonight is food and water, not Damian."
Janis mumbled an okay as we grabbed our bags. We actually did take the other route this time, because I wasn't kidding when I said Janis was in no climbing shape. I went in front of her with Kevin in the back as we made our way up.
This route was in no way easier, but it was harder to fall and we were less exposed.
Janis, against all odds, made it to the exit with minimal issue. She was still swaying with each step, but Kevin pushed her along, making sure she was far away from the edge.
I'm not saying I doubt Janis's judgment but, I definitely doubt her judgment. I mean, Janis wasn't the sweetest little angel there was. For a human to see her snarky personality and not want to kill her probably meant they were good news. But I'm not taking her word for it. I'll see it for myself.
Kevin pushes open the outlet and Janis tumbles out onto the counter. Literally.
There's a bit of a jump from the outlet to the counter, small enough that we can hoist ourselves back into the walls, but far enough that you cant simply step out.
Janis lands on the marble with a soft thump and a laugh.
She is out of it.
Kevin and I follow Janis out, more gracefully.
"You good?" I whisper.
She grins, wobbling up. "I might pass out."
"You sound way to gleeful to be serious." Kevin deadpans.
"No, I'm dead serious," Janis said, bringing her hand up to hold her head. "But isn't this fun!"
"No." I deadpan, watching Janis sway dangerously. "I'm no doctor but you may be dying."
"Don't listen to Gretchen." Kevin groans. "It's just a fever."
"Can you die from bad fevers?" I ask.
"I dunno." Kevin shrugs. "If Janis keeps this up we may find out."
"For science!" Janis yells excitedly. Kevin and I shush her immediately.
"If you don't keep quiet, I swear to god, Janis-" Kevin goes off in a ramble of threats he definitely won't follow through with.
A door opens from somewhere in the house and my hand is instantly covering Kevin's mouth. We're still pretty hidden and close enough to the outlet that we're in no real danger if somebody walks into the kitchen but we don't want to get caught, regardless.
"He's arrived!" Janis sings loudly.
Oh right.
I guess we kinda do wanna get caught.
"Janis if you don't shut the fuck up-" Kevin pushes my hand away from him.
Janis runs out from where we're in hiding- or more of ungracefully jogs, to the center of the counter.
"Janis-" Kevin calls out as I rush out after her, Kev following.
To be honest, I wasn't thinking of 'oh she's gonna go meet her giant friend, its no big deal' I was more thinking 'this fucking idiots body is gonna shut down on her at any moment and she's just chilling in plain sight'.
Which, to be fair, both were going to happen. I just wasn't ready for the first one. I freeze as a human enters the kitchen, Kevin running into me.
I knew that we were gonna meet Damian tonight, but that didn't make me mentally prepared.
"Janis, is that you?" The lights the kitchen flick on, and I cringe at the intrusion of brightness.
"Damian!" Janis grinned pushing away from me and walks to the edge of the counter.
"Are these-" Damian glances at Kevin and I. "Are these your roommates?"
"Yup!" Janis says throwing up jazz hands. "Meet Kevin and Gretchen!"
We both wave shyly under the gaze of Damian. Unlike Janis, we cared about our lives and you're not gonna catch me trusting a human right of the bat.
"Hi." Kevin says tentatively, stepping further out from the shadows, pushing me along with him.
"Hello, I'm Damian."
I'm sure Damiana already knew that we know that, but hey, at least he's polite.
"Okay, cute, you guys all know each other. I need to get home." Janis said.
"Are you okay?" Damian stepped closer to the counter.
"No, she's not." I cut off whatever Janis was going to say. "She should be home sleeping off a bad fever, but shes instant."
Damian nodded. "I could have told you that last part."
Janis hugged her jacket closer to herself, mumbling something none of us could pick up. She was looking at the counter below her- standing unnervingly close to the edge.
"Okay, seriously." Kevin stepped past me. "Hate to cut this short, nice to meet you, Damian. We're gonna get this one home."
Before he could reach Janis, she swayed slightly, knees buckling.
The idiot passed out.
To be fair, I told her she needed to stay home.
But nooo.
Oh! And remember how I said Janis was standing on the edge of the counter? Yeah well, when she passed out she fell off the counter.
Kevin rushed forward as I gasped. So helpful, I know.
Damian's hand instantly shoots out, catching Janis.
"Oh my god." Kevin says softly.
"I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner." I mumble.
Janis's head shoots up from behind Damian's fingers. "What the fuck?"
"You passed out. Told you it'd happen." I call out.
"Gretchen. Not right now." Kevin says.
Damian looks shaken up and I guess I can't blame him. Kevin and I have been betting on when Janis's body will say no more, he only just got here.
"Jesus Christ, Jan."
"I'm fine!" She protests.
"You literally just fell off the counter."
Kevin and I watch dumbfounded at the duo in front of us begin to argue over Janis's safety. Damian seemed just as worried about Janis's health as us, maybe more so.
"So," Kevin whispers. "Damian seems trustworthy?"
"We've officially known him for like three minutes, Kev."
"And in those three minutes?"
"Yeah. He's good."
We turn out attention back to an argument Janis seems to be loosing.
"Damian I'm-"
"Say you're fine I dare you."
"Tired. I'm tired." Janis said, admitting defeat.
Damian carefully lowered the girl onto the table. "Get her home safe. Maybe we can all talk later when Janis isn't burning up by the second."
Kevin and I nodded as I wrapped my arm around Janis, guiding her to the outlet.
"Bye, Damian. Nice meeting you." I called out behind me as Kevin helped Janis back into the wall.
I'll get double food when it's my turn to borrow.
tag list!!! @realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @smallsoysauce @sourishlemons
hurt/comfort(/hurt?) fic one ;)
dw guys its not to bad in the hurt/comfort range,,,i’ve written worse.
GENERALIZED TW: death (fear of it, mentioned, and/or, actual death); graphic descriptions of pain; water and fear of drowning; general sickness
mg borrower (roommates) au
There were lots of things borrowers weren't taught as a kid that my roommates and I thought were normal and Damian couldn't believe.
Like, basic math, what a hot pocket was, or swimming. And that's just naming a few.
We had all the skills we needed to know to survive. Nothing more and nothing less.
I remember sitting in Damian's room on one particularly hot day. We were talking about my childhood. Damian found it crazy that we were expected to move out and survive on our own at such a young age.
It's probably one of the only reasons Gretchen, Kevin, and I stuck together when we meet. All scared young teenagers who just needed a home. Kevin's the oldest, then Gretchen and then me. I met them on my first night in the outdoors. Kevin had just evacuated because he had been caught and Gretchen was on the verge of death from being without a home and food for months. Under any other circumstance, I don't think we would have banded together.
"So you're telling me, you're parents taught you thirteen different ways to tie a knot, but you can't swim?"
"There isn't exactly a residency borrower pool where I can get taught. Besides, I'm never around big bodies of water. Being able to use a rope is a much more necessary skill. We have to climb everywhere."
"I just can't wrap my head around it." Damian paused for a moment. "Is that why you hate the sink?"
"That and the big daunting drain at the bottom."
I smiled at the memory. Just as I found Damian's life interesting, he found mine entertaining as well. Apparently, it's not normal to be doing life or death activities like borrowing at age eleven and moving out to never see your parents again by thirteen.
Damian says humans move out typically around age eighteen.
We're seventeen now, I don't want to think about the house without him.
My hand slips, jolting me back to reality. I really need to pay attention. I'm currently climbing up the counters. Its mid-day and I'm halfway up, which is probably the most reckless thing I've done since meeting Damian. But- Kevin and Gretchen were sick and somebody needed to get them water. The thimble in my arms is making it hard to climb and I really should wait till night, but Kevin is burning up hotter then any of us have ever been and they're both so dehydrated. Kevin can barely move and each time Gretchen breathes it triggers a fit of dry heaving and coughs.
I may not like my roommates but I really don't want them to die.
But- my hand slips again- I also should focus on not dying in the process of getting them help.
I'm only holding onto the rope with one hand and with the amount it's sliding down it feels like I'm making no progress.
I can't tell if my mind is replaying the ghost coughs of my roommates or if Gretchen is heaving so loud I hear it from here.
Fuck.
I'm sick too, but not in nearly as bad of shape as those two. I just feel weaker, and scaling a kitchen island isn't a low key activity. It works the full body. And I'm not doing too hot.
When I finally reach the top of the counter I feel dizzy. I toss the thimble onto the marble and hoist myself up, cringing at the clatter the metal makes.
Nobody in the house seems to hear it. I think Damian and his parents are in the other room watching a movie together. I heard the TV go on while climbing and almost had a heart attack, but none of the Hubbards have entered the kitchen for snacks yet.
I lay half on the counter trying to catch my breath. My face feels hot and theirs a ghost tickled of a cough at the back of my throat. That scares me more than anything.
Each time I heave for air my lungs feel tighter as I press the side of my face to the cool marble.
My body wanted to shut down and fall asleep right here but I needed to get water for my roommates. Besides, I'm still out in the open.
I push myself fully onto the counter and retrieve the thimble. The world sways slightly and I try to ignore it in favor of walking over to the sink.
This was my least favorite part of borrowing. Kevin typically did it.
But Kevin is passed out with a fever right now.
The sink was slippery with dish soap residue around it. I peered over into the undrained sink. Plates and utensils were sticking out under the murky water.
It was up high enough that if I leaned over, I could scoop up some of that and call it a day.
No.
Gretchen and Kevin needed real water.
Or else they could-
I didn't finish the thought.
Yeah, Kevin and Gretchen were probably the most annoying people I've ever met, but they were practically family. We've been living together for four years. We've seen each other and lows and highs. From life-threatening sickness to Grechen's on her period be careful she might throw something at you.
The walls would be so quiet without them.
I don't notice there I'm crying until a tear lands in the water I'm leaning over, creating small ripples through it.
My stomach twists as the realization of how bad this could be dawns on me.
We aren't doctors.
We're borrowers.
The best we can do for sickness is a cold washcloth and hydration.
If it's a life or death sickness, death often wins.
I can't let it happen.
I clear my throat trying to will the urge to cough away and grab my rope out of my bad, leaving the rest of my tools abandoned on the counter. I hook the rope around the faucet handle with one arm, the other arm still holding the thimble.
I haven't gotten the water in so long, I forgot how hard it was to pull the handle. No matter how hard I tug the rope, it won't move. It's hard to get a footing with all the soap as I lean away from the sink.
Fuck!
Why was borrowing so hard?
I hear footsteps approaching the kitchen and I panic. My tools are lying everywhere, there is a rope around the faucet handle and I'm right in the open.
I drop the rope and step away from the faucet. It's not worth it, I need to hide-
Damian walks into the kitchen, looking over his shoulder as he yells something at his parents.
Oh.
I step over to grab my rope again. Since its just Damian, I can-
As I put all my weight on one foot to reach the rope, my foot slips on the soap.
I almost didn't notice I was falling at first, the world had been spinning the whole time anyway. It was only until my brain caught up with the feeling of gravity did I let out a yelp. My arms flailed, as the thimble slipped from my grasp.
I was falling into a fucking sink.
All the borrower horror stories I thought I outgrew as a kid came flooding back to me as I hit the water.
My uncle drowned in a sink. My cousin fell into an empty sink and was caught by humans. My father almost fell down the drain and died if it wasn't for my mom to save him. My mother's childhood roommate also drowned in a sink.
Nothing good happens in the sink.
This is why Kevin gets the water.
I don't know what I'm doing.
Oh god.
The water was ice cold. I felt it seep through my jacket and layers of clothing, weighing me down. The soapiness burned when I opened my eyes and I couldn't tell which way was up. It was a white fog all around.
The was no oxygen.
I knew better than to try and breathe.
I'm gonna die.
Wasn't Damian in the room?
What if he finds my body.
Kevin and Gretchen will never know what happened to me.
The white fog was being replaced with black spots dancing on my vision.
My roommates need their water.
-
I glance around the kitchen.
I wasn't going crazy, right?
I was getting popcorn for the movie my parents and I were going to watch.
I swore I heard Janis.
Maybe I was going crazy.
My eyes trail over all the places a borrower could be in the room. She wasn't on the floor, there was nobody on the counters-
My eyes land on a abandons tool bag on the counter by the sink. There's a rope on the faucet handle. A borrower was definitely here.
It wasn't like any of them to just leave their tools out in the open.
I looked to the sink.
No.
"Janis?" I ask softly, rushing across the kitchen.
I look across the counters one last time. Hoping I just missed her.
The sink was filled with dirty water. Ew.
Whoever did the dishes last really needs to learn not to leave the stopper in.
My eyes fall to a thimble floating in the water, half full with the murky liquid.
Did- did Janis fall?
I could feel my heart stop at the possibility.
"Janis," I call out once more, my hand hovering over the water. "Where are you hiding?"
There was no response.
Where were Kevin and Gretchen? Was Janis left to do such a daunting task alone?
My eye is drawn back to the sink as small bubbles surface.
Oh my god.
It's all I needed to dip my hand into the water.
Janis was in there.
I cringe at how cold it is.
My heart was pounding. As much as I wanted to find Janis, part of me wished I didn't. That I was wrong and shes okay somewhere.
Maybe she's hiding on purpose.
My hand touched something soft and warm in contrast to the cold water. For a second I froze.
What am I doing? Fucking grab her!
My hand wraps gingerly around the small form, and I can feel Janis's hand grab my finger. Her grip is lose but its a small sign of life. I let out a shaky breath and I lift my hand out of the water.
She's okay.
Well-
The second I gently place Janis on the counter shes shaking with coughs. Her entire body wreaks as she spits water onto the counter next to her and gasps for air.
I'm momentarily worried my parents might hear over the movie, but I've got bigger things to stress about.
"Are you okay?" I ask softly as the coughing dies down.
Janis looks up at me. There are tears in her eyes and she's shivering.
"I thought I was gonna die." There was so much fear in her voice as it cracks.
My heart breaks at the sight of her. Yes, she normally looked small, I mean- she's a borrower. But seeing her with her knees to her chest trembling? Janis had shrunk in on herself so much it reminded me of when we first met. When she had herself pushed up against the wall to hide from Ariel.
"Jan," I reach out my hand but hesitate. I don't know if she wants to be touched.
"I'm so cold." She whispers letting out another weak cough.
"Take off your jacket," I say.
"What? But then I'll be more co-"
"No," I cut her off softly. "You're jacket is soaking. That's probably the biggest reason why you're cold."
Janis nods and begins to strip off the layers stuck to her skin. I grab a dish towel, one of the smallest I can find. It's still huge compared to Janis.
"C'mere." I say softly. Janis shakily stands up, stepping away from the small puddle she's created on the counter, leaving her jacket behind. She's still got her arms wrapped around herself.
"I'm fine, just a little cold." She insists, but she allows me to scoop her up gently anyway.
"Yeah, well its gonna be a bigger cold if you don't dry off." I say placing her in my hand with the towel. I wrap her in it closely and hold the hand to my chest so I can clean up the water.
"What happened anyway?" I ask, fishing the thimble out of the sink before pulling the drain. Not letting that happen again.
"Kevin and Gretchen need water." Janis said, a level of panic in her voice.
"So they sent you to get it?"
"They're really sick."
I can tell Janis is trying to hide her emotions, but the fear seeps through.
"They needed water, I said I'd be quick."
I hug Janis closer. I wish I could help. I can feel her shivering though the towel snd she still lets out an occasional cough.
"The towel's wet now." She said quietly. "There was a lot of water."
I laugh softly. "You did fall in a sink." I placed her down momentarily on the counter before placing her jacket on the dry part of the towel and filling up the thimble for her. Janis watches as I turn the tap on with a look of envy.
"Stupid giant-sized taps." She mumbled.
I laugh, placing the thimble on the table and scooping her up.
Holding Janis always felt like holding one of those hand warmer packets, but right now she felt ice cold. She shivered, leaning tiredly into my touch.
"You're hands are warm." Her voice is soft as she looks up at me with half-lidded eyes.
"Don't fall asleep, love." I say wrapping my fingers gently around her in a vain attempt to stop her from shivering. "You gotta get the water back to your roommates."
My last sentence seems to snap her out of whatever adrenaline crash she hit. "Oh my god." She wiggles out of my grasp and I lower my hands to the counter before she can fall. Kevin and Gretchen must really be in bad shape because Janis is gathering her supplies with such speed and purpose you wouldn't know she just almost drowned. She scoops up her tools and the water before eyeing her jacket.
"I'll take it to my room," I offer. "You can come back for it when it's dry."
Janis visibly relaxes as she shoves rope into her bag. "Thank you so much, Damian. Not just for the jacket but for saving my life earlier and everything. That's the third time now." She stands up straight, slipping the bad on her shoulder and the thimble resting on her hip. "If I get a break from taking care of Kevin and Gretchen I may stop by."
I nod, picking up the wet tea towel and the tiny jacket. "I'll be waiting. Bye love."
"Love you."
I watched as Janis rushed over to the outlet on the counter, making sure she was safe and in the walls before leaving the kitchen, request to make popcorn long forgotten.
ive written worse hurt before,,,, this is just a warm up to fics to come. this is why i say take away my rights. I have to much power
@realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @smallsoysauce @sourishlemons
Janis made her way through the walls. There was a feeling of serenity in the air. It was early in the morning and the air felt fresh even from her path in the walls. Damian wasn't up yet and it was a lazy Sunday in the Heron household so Janis planned to grab some basics before everyone got up.
She slipped outside. You're supposed to borrow with a partner, especially outdoors, and she can already hear Damian giving out to her about it but through the years she had learned the grounds well. From the big stone where she fell and broke her leg to the base of the willow tree where Damian found her. Abandoned by her roommates, kicked out of the only place she could call home.
Janis cringes at the memories of that day. She hit her lowest. She had totally given up. She laid by the roots fully ready to never wake up ever again. Damian could have kept walking, but he didn't.
Janis brushed through the grass, morning dew soaking her sleeves as she walked. It was refreshing.
She approached the blueberry bush. The bottom braches held smaller berries that were just as sweet but never got picked by the Herons for their size. Janis wasn't complaining as she grabbed one just bigger than her hand.
Fresh breakfast.
The sun was starting to shine golden streaks into the grass as Janis made her way inside. She spent longer than intended outside. If Damian was up he was probably looking for her.
The walls were cooler than outside as Janis made her way back onto the familiar wooden beams. Janis's mental map of the house was broken into pieces. The 'apartment', the place where there are nails to walk across instead of flat wood, the vents that have been broken since she moved here, the other vents that got fixed when Cady moved here, etc. There were a lot of sections and Janis had a memory for each that stood out.
She passed the entrance into Cady's room. The hole in the wall was covered by a poster not properly taped down.
Even though the wall she could hear the hushed whispers of her and Aaron. Gross, she had the boy over. Janis and Damian didn't trust him, despite what Cady says. If she needs to dumb herself down for a boy she doesn't need said boy.
Janis continues her walk through the walls. The smell of cool wood was always favored over the musty scent of heated wood in the summer. Janis never minded the brisk cool air.
She remembers when Cady caught her and Damian. It was Janis's fault. She was as reckless as always. Oh well, it works out in the end, didn't it?
She slowly climbed into her 'house'. Over the years it had grown nicely decorated. Cady had found mini canvases while at the dollar store and bought Janis like eight (She had cried when Cady handed them to her). They were now scattered around the rooms, painted by finger with paints Cady had also bought for them. Janis and Damian shared a room. Then there was a living room area ish thing. Great descriptions. This was the only entrance/exit point from the 'apartment'. Off that were the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Janis made her way into their kitchen. It was basically just a storage area for food and tools. She placed the blueberry down and grabbed a knife aka a tooth off a fork that somehow broke off. Don't ask the logic, Janis doesn't know either. Damian took it and sharpened it and now it's theirs.
Janis began cutting the blueberry in half. More than enough for both of them.
Noises were starting to come from the main house, signaling others were up. It wouldn't be long before Damian was too. He went borrowing last night, he needed his sleep.
Janis looked around their supplies. So much of it, they wouldn't have if it wasn't for Cady. Their tools, their unwavering supply of food, their decor.
Home decor was never a borrower's priority. But Janis and Damian lived so comfortably they could afford it.
If it wasn't for Cady that wouldn't happen.
She did so much for them, and that includes putting up with them.
Well, really just Janis.
Hey, she'll admit it.
"Gmorning."
Janis looked up to see a still half asleep Damian at the kitchen entrance.
"Dude," She walked over, reaching up to brush a strand of hair out of his eyes. "If you're tired go back to bed."
Damian shook his head. "Can't sleep, I'm just not fully awake yet."
"Okay," Janis said walking back over to the fruit on the counter. "Will fresh blueberries make it better?" She held Damian a half.
"You went outside?!" Damian seemed a lot more awake now.
Janis shrugged. "You had a late night last night. Nothing like fresh fruit to help."
"What if you got hurt?"
"I didn't"
"Janis!" Damian placed the fruit down shaking his head before walking over to his roommate, pulling her into a hug. "Thank you." He whispered with a laugh. "But please don't go outside alone."
Janis wrapped her arms around his torso. "I can't make promises but I'll keep your request in mind."
They stood like that for a while. There was no rush this morning and after a long week, sometimes just a hug was nice. Damian squeezed Janis lightly before letting go, his hand falling to rest by her wrists here he still held on loosely.
"I am dead serious though, Jan. I will kill you myself if you do something stupidly risky again."
Janis chuckled at the empty threat that Damian threw every week. "Just eat your breakfast, stupid."
this is a small fic to welcome you into the art freaks au, my new favorite borrower au. Move out of the way roommates. im jk i love them all. Im gonna write hook p2 and then A SHIT TON OF THIS AU
thank you!!! @realmisspolarbear @smallsoysauce @sourishlemons @musicallygt
Prompt: no prompt in this one buddies, just check out bear's borrower!janis au. Like my g/t mg au its something i thought about a lot but never officially put down anywhere, but she did and you fucking bet im gonna write it
This is a long one boys, and there's still more i wanna write lmfao
Think about everything you know about borrowers-
-and throw it out the fucking window.
Yep, fuck your stereotypes. I'm Janis, and yeah I guess your right about the whole tiny-people-who-live-in-walls-and-steal. You're also creepily accurate with your borrower's code (so I wanna know who blabbed. Probably Gretchen, god. I always wonder where she was before this house). I'm sidetracked. Other then that, you guys got it all wrong.
We are very much aware of the concept of not all humans wanna kill or harm borrowers. Thank you very much.
We just know most of them do.
And we aren't as rare as you may think. Lots of humans know about borrowers, and you all think we're a dying species or a myth. No. We're just good at what we do, thank you. The goal is to live undetected. It's safer that way.
We also don't live totally alone, isolated in walls. Well, some of us do, and some of us wish we did. (Me, it's me, I hate my roommates.)
I live with Gretchen and Kevin. Won't call them friends, because they're not. We aren't close enough. We keep each other around because we'd go insane without the interaction from others. A borrowers life can be boring and isolated.
Its the total opposite of a human's. When the owners of the house sleep, we're awake doing food runs. When the owners of the house are awake, we're hiding away, tucked in bed.
And for a long time that worked. But then something changed. I think the owners of the house called it 'the school year ended'? Now the boy, Damian- from what we've gathered he's our age. But who knows, it's not like we can just go up and meet him. He definitely seems to be the most sympathetic one of the family.
The dad kills any fucking bug without even getting a good look, so like- don't get caught with him (not that you wanna get caught with any of them).
The mom watches a lot of gory sci-fi shows that always end up with the main character in some type of experimental facility so we don't trust her.
Damian just hides in his room, playing music and singing along. I like it, its harder for us to be heard that way.
The final member of the household is the fucking cat. Her name is Ariel which is supposedly a reference to some princess, but the only royal she is is a royal pain. Little bitch almost killed me once.
I'm so off track though.
Apparently, this 'school year' is over, and now Damian is home all the time. He doesn't have to get up early to leave so he's opted to not sleeping at night at all. Which is just great for us. He doesn't often leave his room, but Gretch, Kevin, and I have to be a lot more careful often resulting in us grabbing a lot less.
I glance around my 'bedroom'. Through the years I like to think it's grown to be decorated nicely. Unlike my two roommates, I pride myself in my living space. I spend most of my time here, so why not. Yeah, I have the necessities, but I also have other things like plants and makeshift art supplies. In the corner of my room is what you could call a bed and a bottle cap nightstand. There's a piece of a mirror hanging. We all found mirror shards and took them, and might I say life hasn't quite been the same since.
We don't really look at ourselves that often, there aren't many reflective surfaces to do so. Yeah, I'd catch my face staring back at me in my water, or on a shiny surface, but it was never as clear as the mirror. As I look right now, I just look stressed.
Pretty accurate.
I've got a weird feeling about tonight.
"We need food."
"No shit Gretchen."
Gretchen and I are sitting in our combined space, waiting for Kevin. I'm hesitant to call it a living room because it hardly looks lived in. There are four beer cap chairs (and three of us, it's fucking stupid- I know) a pizza saver as a table, and a bunch of miscellaneous items that haven't found a home yet.
"Hubbards are asleep." Kevin walks out from where he was keeping watch. "The kids light is still on and I couldn't locate the cat, are we sure we want to go out tonight."
"We need food," Gretchen repeats herself.
"We don't have much of a choice," I say, shoving makeshift grappling hooks and double-sided tape into my satchel, and grabbing another bad for food. "We gotta make a big run tonight. We can't guarantee a day by day flow anymore, Damian has to unpredictable of a sleep schedule."
Gretchen makes a noise of agreement, packing up her own things.
Kevin is still peaking out of the exit into the household, worriedly.
"Janis are you down for that trip tonight? You look stressed as fuck."
I bitterly. "Yeah, I'm just- tired. And hungry. And quite frankly I may be coming down with something."
"They stay away from me," Gretchen says, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "Ready?"
"Let's just grab food and go," Kevin says before spinning around to look at me. "Only food, Janis."
I nod. No point in trying to defend myself when he's not wrong. I have an awful habit of finding something I could use for art and going out of my way to grab it.
But we have priorities tonight.
We file out into the household, all pressing against the wall. The exit we used lead right to the floor. Its a debate on which was riskier, but I for one, preferred to be higher. Further from the cat and a better view of everything. Kevin mumbled something about keeping watch and made his way over to the island table the Hubbard had. He pulled out his climbing supplies and made his way up as Gretchen and I continued our trek across the floor, waiting to reach the kitchen to get to higher grounds.
"It hasn't been this hard since we all moved here." Gretchen says quietly, but I understand.
"Yeah." I whisper.
We all moved into this house together maybe two ago. We tell time by the day and the decor around the house. Humans often put of decorations for holidays and it's like marking points though the year. My least favorite holiday happens during the summer. I don't know the name but everything turns red white and blue and there's tons of loud booms and explosions. It kills my ears and sends me into sensory overload every time.
We've pasted two Christmases. I don't know much about the holiday, but its the most decorated, with fancy trees and cookie crumbs everywhere. A borrower's dream. But it wasn't like that now. It was hot and sticky, food got left out on the counter less. We haven't eaten anything more then the minimum to survive, if you don't count yesterday where we didn't eat at all.
I was so lost in my thought for food, I almost didn't hear it. Kevin calling out, the patter of paws on the floor-
-oh shit.
I whirl around just in time to have a paw whacked with my side.
Cat.
There was no claw, Ariel is here for a game of cat and mouse obviously. Roles already clear.
That didn't make it hurt less though.
I groan skidding across the floor, curled into myself.
Gretchen shrieks and runs away, the cat's interest on me.
She left me for fucking dead.
Wow.
Rude, but unsurprising.
I'd fucking bolt too. I wonder if Kevin ran as well.
My heart stops as the truth of the statement catches up to me.
I'm gonna die.
I'd like to say there's so much I still haven't done, or that my life had only just begun. But that wasn't true. I live to borrow another day and borrow to live another day. But I was content like that, I don't wanna die.
Ariel stalks towards me again. I sit up and push my self backward, only to find a wall.
Fuck.
I can see Gretchen duck back into the wall out of the corner of my eye, Kevin with her.
To be fair, I'd do the same. I can't bring myself to be too mad.
"Hey, kitty," I say softly, holding my hands out in defense. The cat sits down in front of me, eyes wide and pupils dilated, ready to play. "Ariel, right? Good kitty. I'm not a toy."
Ariel doesn't seem to get the message as she lifts her paw.
No!
"Hey, whatcha got there girl?" A voice comes from behind the cat.
My blood runs colder than it already was.
That was to loud to be Gretchen or Kevin, to masculine to be the mom, not deep enough to be the dad-
Hands pull Ariel away despite a mew of protest, leaving me totally exposed in the open.
Put the cat back I'd rather die that way.
My eyes connect with the boy of the household- Damian. His gaze travels up and down my small form and he lets out breathy 'what?'.
Once again, I know not all humans are bad, but you try not even being four inches call, curled up against a wall with a full ass living moving human standing there. It's a lot.
Damian kneels down so he isn't towering over me but it doesn't feel any better. I push myself closer to the wall, ignoring the pain in my side.
"Are- I uh-" Damian seems as equally at a loss as I am.
Don't worry buddy, I didn't think I'd be getting caught tonight either.
"Are you okay?"
I can't exactly say I've been caught before, so I don't exactly know the 'this is a bad guy' red flags, but asking about my well being probably isn't one of them.
"Yeah." I say, shakily. My voice is weak and seems a lot quieter in contrast to the boy's in front of me.
"I'm sorry about her." Damian said, placing the cat down. Ariel glares at me before walking away, clearly bored.
I could tell we were dancing around the important questions. What are you? Why are you so small? What are you doing here?
"My name's Damian."
I almost say 'I know' but believe it or not- I do have manners and hey, this human hasn't killed you yet, don't be rude and give him a reason to.
"Janis." I say, giving a small wave.
"Janis," Damian repeats like he's testing the name in his mouth. "It's pretty."
"Thank you." I glance around but as I suspected, my roommates did not even attempt to come back.
"You're a borrower." Damian states. It wasn't a question and his voice sounded sure, but his raised eyebrow told a different story.
"Yeah, we're real, just-" I take a breath. "Uncommon?"
Damian nods. He knew what I was right off the bat which probably means I'll have less explaining to do. It also made me feel safer in a way. It meant he's less curious. Not to mention he has yet to move any closer or invade my space, so I felt okay. I push myself off the wall a bit, trying to ignore how my head spins a bit from lack of nutrients.
"I'm sorry if I interrupted whatever you were doing. We'll leave if you don't want us here or-"
"No, it's okay. I honestly am glad I stepped in then I did- wait, we?"
Shit.
It was one thing to expose myself, but not I'm mentally hitting myself for exposing Gretchen and Kevin too.
"There are multiple of you?"
"Nonono forget I said anything." I wave my hand as if waving away nonexistent flies.
Damian looks like he wants to press more but doesn't. "What are you doing out here? It's like, four am."
"It's still early for me. We- I need food."
Damian's eyes light up. "Of course! Oh my god, I'm so sorry then. Do you-" He pauses. "Do you need help?"
My instinct is to decline but- there hasn't been much food out and Damian seems genuine. Its either die by cat or human. "Yeah, help would be nice."
Damian smiles softly. "Can I pick you up?"
What?
Oh.
Oh.
Yeah.
Riiiight.
"Yeah, you can." I smile, trying to seem brave about this, but I've never been picked up before. The only time I'm off the ground is with my climbing tools with my fate in my own hands.
Damian places his hand down next to me, it's huge. The sheer size difference doesn't sink in when somebody is crouched a couple of human feet away from you.
I step onto his hand regardless, trying not to concentrate on how weird it feels.
"You ready?" Damian's voice asked from above.
Was I ready?
Why did I think this was a good idea?
I could die right here right now.
I don't know anything about this kid other than his name and his favorite musical soundtrack.
What if he's bad news?
"Yeah, I'm good." I say, despite my inner turmoil.
The ground beneath me shifts and as much as I like to think I was mentally prepared, physically I was not as I ungracefully fall backward into Damian's palms.
"You okay?" He asks, freezing.
He was as nervous as I was.
This sudden realization gave me a bit more confidence in the situation.
"Mhmm," I say, patting the hand beneath me gently. "Thanks."
"Of course." Damian says, and we're moving again. Its a significantly shorter trip from here to the kitchen for Damian. He holds me close to his chest, his fingers curled around me slightly. Its comforting, and contrary to what I expected, I don't feel ready to drop. I can see Ariel curled up contently on the couch, and the entrance to my home from here. One of them at least. I wonder if my roommates are watching or if they're already cleaning out my room.
Damian places his hand on the table and I get off on my own.
It feels better up here, to be further up. I don't feel as small when Damian steps away.
"You've made it clear it's just you," He does air quotes. "But how many people do you take food for."
The lie of 'it is only me' is the first thing on my tongue, but I hold it. Damian has done nothing but help me so far and he already knows there's multiple of us. No harm in giving exact numbers.
"Three," I say. "One with a big appetite." I smile as Kevin comes to mind.
Damian grins. "What do you normally take?"
"Whatever is out." I shrug, glancing around at the table. Just like the past couple of times, the tables were empty.
Damian notices this and is silent for a bit. "I'll have to conveniently forget to put stuff back then." He says quietly. I can't tell if he was talking to me or himself but I smile nonetheless.
"So, you've never had options?"
"No." I say. It feels weird to admit that. Damian grins.
"Guess you're in luck. Wait here." He turns around and walks over to a cabinet. Where am I supposed to even go?
His back isn't turned long enough to let me figure that out, because he soon comes back with two things. "So I brought this because I want you to try it," Its a cookie, I know that much from Christmas, but instead of decorative frosting and sprinkles its dotted with splotches of brown. "It's a chocolate chip cookie. And I brought this for practical reasons." He lifts up a bag. "Its granola and it comes in these little chunks- well for you they'd be big, but you can just break them off as you need!"
I smile at the thoughtfulness. Maybe this kid isn't all bad news.
He opens the bag and pours a bit into his hand before placing one on the table. Sure enough, a cluster of granola is just big enough to fit maybe two into my bag. I can break off a piece and it will last days (assuming Kevin doesn't go to town).
"Woah." I say softly, picking it up. This is the most food I've ever even been near in one place.
Damian chuckles as I carefully place the granola into my bag miraculously fitting three. One for each of us. Damian watches me silently, I guess we're both still stying to wrap our heads around the situation.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" He picks up the cookie breaking off a piece and handing it to me. It's the size of my head but I can just save what's left for later. Damian takes the rest for himself, watching as I silently break a piece off to eat.
It's grainy but smooth a the same time. Sweet and salty. It's-
"Woah."
Damian laughs, its loud and sudden, but also contagious.
I giggle a bit as I feel my face flush. I know he's not laughing at me maliciously.
"They're good right?"
"Yeah."
We fall into silence, and I look around. I've been up on the counters before, but I've always been in a rush, get food, and get out. I've never been this relaxed in the open and certainly never so close to a human.
I look up at Damian and he smiles. "What are you gonna do now?"
"Huh?"
"I don't know how true the stories are but isn't this where you leave and never come back because you've been caught? I won't tell anyone if you don't want to leave."
He had a point. But- the borrower's code wasn't law. More like- recommended guidelines? I mean, not true at all, but it's not written in stone or anything. Borrower police aren't gonna break in and arrest me or anything.
I think.
Besides, I didn't want to leave. I liked my room and my roommates (not that I'd admit that to them). They don't need to know I met a human. And Damian said he wouldn't tell anyone-
"How do I know I can trust you?"
The question had a lot more of an edge then I expected, but Damian didn't seem to take offense.
"You don't. But, follow your instincts. I'm not trying to trick you or anything if that's what your thinking."
He did help me get food. Which saved my life. He also saved me from the cat, which saved my life too. Even before he knew I existed, he always seemed to be the nicest Hubbard. Something tells me his word is good.
"I think I'm gonna stay," I say after a while. "I'll just- never tell my roommates about this. One of them flips over everything. She'd pack in an instant if she knew."
Damian smiled. "I understand if you hope to never see me again and if you wanna just walk away like this never happened, but I'll be sure to leave granola out every once in a while."
I grin. "Thanks, Damian." It felt weird to be so close to a human and already trust them so much. Something deep inside told me that this wasn't the last time we'd see each other, and that's okay.
"I figure you can get down on your own? You don't want me to know where you live or anything."
I shook my head, patting my climbing tools. "I got this from here. Thank you so much for your help."
"Of course, Janis. I'll take Ariel to my room to make sure she doesn't cause any trouble. Maybe I'll see you around, hopefully not under any life or death circumstances though." Damian grins before walking away, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I can hear him call out to the cat followed by padding of paws as a door closes. I almost feel as if I've hallucinated the whole thing, but the weight of the granola in my bag proves to me otherwise.
I begin to take out a hook and rope while I think of what I'm gonna tell my roommates. Gretchen will flip either way and I don't think Kevin will believe me that I was able to fend off a cat alone, but it's what I have to do if I don't want to move. Besides, deep down I feel like I can trust the teen of the Hubbard household.
Let's just hope my gut isn't wrong.
alt title: how borrower janis got hooked on granola
tag list!!! @realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @smallsoysauce @sourishlemons
Prompt: no written prompts but me and bear yelled at each other about it for a while so its gotta be good
"I told you other people were home!" Kevin whisper yells as he, Gretchen, and I rush back to the outlet.
"Yeah, but we didn't know where they were!" I say.
"And I said hey this might be risky. You know what you said?" Kevin yelled.
"I told you to shut the fuck up." I huff.
"And look at us now."
"And look at us now." I repeat. Gretchen is already at the outlet and Kevin isn't far behind.
I'm not looking where I'm going and my foot gets caught in the gap. I ungracefully fall to the table, my tool bag spilling open.
"No!" I helplessly watch as my hook falls to the floor.
"Great going, idiot!" Kevin hisses. "Get up somebody is coming!"
"My tools!"
"Are you fucking stupid- Janis do not try and get that- oh my god."
I peered over the edge of the counter.
Fuck.
I can't get down without my hook but I need to get down to get my hook and-
"Janis!" I turn to Gretchen. Kevin is already in the outlet and she's pushed up out of sight.
"What the fuck?!"
Oh shit. I've done it now.
"Go!" I hiss to Gretchen to scared to turn around.
I watch as Kevin pulls her into the outlet before glancing back to whats probably my death.
There stood Mr. Hubbard, the man of the household, the dude who managed to tower over Damian. And he was staring right at me.
Fuck.
I could make it to the outlet if I got up and didn't look back but I was glued in my position still leaning over the edge.
Maybe I could purposely fall and put myself out of my misery before the inevitable death.
Even before we met Damian, me and my roommates observed the family members a lot.
The dad was the aggressive one. Killing bugs without two looks and yelling in frustration at the TV during football games.
"What the fuck are you?" He steps forward and I'm broken out of my frozen stance. I step up to fast and just fall backward.
Shit shit shit shit.
I can see the clock next to me. Damian should be home from school any minute. Maybe when he walks in the dad will be distracted- or- or- fuck!
There's no way out of this.
When I met Damian, there was no fear. Something deep down told me it would be alright.
But right now?
Bad fucking vibes.
"Do you talk?" Mr. Hubbard continued his ambush of questions. He seemed to be growing annoyed at my lack of responses. I didn't want to piss him off and put my self in more danger but my vocal cords wouldn't work.
He stood at the edge of the counter staring at me. "I don't believe it..." He muttered.
I don't either. I don't wanna die.
He lifts his hand towards me and I scramble back. "Don't touch me!"
His hand hesitates. "You do speak."
Nonono fuck!
"What are you?"
Dead. I'm fucking dead. Or I will be in like five minutes.
"I know you can talk. What are you."
I flinch at the tone in his voice. Damian clearly didn't get his patience from his father.
The hand comes back and doesn't stop this time, despite my protests.
You see, when Damian held me (or any of my roommates for that matter) it was always in cupped hands or flat on one hand. Sometimes he'd hold me gently with his fingers wrapped around my torso but I wouldn't call it a fist.
This was a fucking fist.
"Put me down!" I push at the fingers squeezing my torso but its no use as I'm lifted off the counter. "Stop!"
Mr. Hubbard seems unaffected by my requests. "You are a weird fucking creature. Almost human."
Then treat me like one, damn it.
Mr. Hubbard moves around the kitchen and I stop struggling. If he dropped me now I'd fall to my death.
Which, to be fair has got to be better than whatever will happen to me now.
Back to struggling then.
"Jesus stop that before I drop you." He says, his grip tightening a bit.
That's the goal, asshole.
Mr. Hubbard walks back over to the counter and I really start squirming.
I need to get out of here.
Now.
The fist holding me lets go and for a brief second, I'm free falling. It's not a long-distance, but I wasn't ready.
I land on the counter with a soft thud and-
No.
I'm not on the counter.
Oh, fuck oh fuck.
The room around me is blurry with a foggy glare.
I'm in a jar. A glass fucking jar.
No.
Fuck no- nononon.
There are two classic things you get warned about as a child. You know the stories made to terrify you into never doing something? For borrowers, that's staying away from cats and out of jars.
Cats will kill you and jars will lead to something else killing you.
And while I know the cat and know Ariel won't kill me, I don't know Mr. Hubbard and most definitely don't know if he will kill me.
I quickly stand up and, to my dismay, the lip of the cup is quite far above my head.
"Hey!" I try jumping, knowing it won't work.
"Relax." Mr. Hubbard says picking up the jar.
"No!" I bang on the side but I know it won't do anything.
I'm trapped.
Oh fuck.
For a second I think I see movement through the foggy glass. Gretchen and Kevin! I'm conflicted with hating them for being reckless or loving them for caring.
But before they could do anything, Mr. Hubbard is walking to a part of the house I've never seen before.
The garage.
Fuck. Fuck. I'm so dead.
I'm gonna be killed. Or used for science.
Don't know how accurate the latter is, but its another childhood horror story which means something along the lines of it had to happen at least once.
Fuck.
"Please-" My voice sounds small and weak and I hate it. But I feel small and weak right now so what are you to do. I rub at my eye only to feel dampness. When did I start crying?
Mr. Hubbard places me on the counter and walks over to what looks like a mini-fridge. "I gotta have my buddies over. What till they see this."
I can't tell if he's talking to me or about me. I get the sickening feeling its both.
He opens the fridge and curses. "Damn no beers. I can't have an empty fridge with the guys, you know how it is."
He turns to me with a laugh and I stare blankly back at him, fists still pressed against the glass and tears running down my face.
No, I don't fucking know how it is.
Mr. Hubbard only shrugs at my silence. "I'll get you to talk eventually."
I don't like how threatening that is. Fuck-
He takes a sheet of aluminum foil and starts poking holes in it, a method I've seen Damian do before catching fire fl- oh hell no. He isn't gonna put a lid on the jar, right?
I'm not claustrophobic. I live in the walls for fucks sake. But the thought of being totally enclosed in a jar-
My breath feels shallow.
Mr. Hubbard approaches the jar with the foil in hand.
"I gotta run to the store and I need to make sure you don't get out. You understand, right?"
No. No, I don't. Please don't-
The dark gets darker as the foil is placed over it. Mr. Hubbard moved the jar to one of the top shelves in the garages which I think is overkill.
But maybe I'm a little biased since I'm the one stuck in a fucking jar. Who knows.
"Don't go anywhere." Mr. Hubbard says, laughing at his joke a little before leaving the room.
For a while, I sit frozen still, the events of literally the past five minutes still trying to catch up to me.
My breathing is erratic and this jar feels too small, despite me being able to fully extend my arms in it. The only light filters through from the sides and little beams of light from the wholes in the top. There was a led beam right above me, reflecting harsh circles in the bottom of the jar.
I look out at the garage.
If I managed to tip the jar, I'd fall and die, for sure.
But- maybe that wasn't the worst at this point.
I slouch backward, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes.
All this because of a stupid hook.
I'm gonna die because of a hook.
What a stupid fucking hook.
-
"We aren't obligated to save her, you know." Kevin whines. "She's just being stupid."
"It's what good roommates do," I say, climbing up a nail. "Mr. Hubbard just pulled away. If Janis is with him then- shes dead oh well. But there's a chance she isn't. And I couldn't sleep at night if I knew I didn't try and save her."
"Oh, I'd sleep like a baby," Kevin whines but I can tell he's nervous too. "I call Janis's room if she's dead."
"Kevin."
"What?!"
I push aside the outlet into Damian's room. He picks up on the motion instantly.
"Hey, guys!" He says, voice cheery as normal.
"Have you seen your dad?" I ask tentatively.
"Uh yeah, I just got home from school, he was pulling away as I pulled in."
"Did he have a jar with him?" I ask, stepping into the room with Kevin close behind.
"No, I don't think so- why?" He looks at the outlet as if he's waiting for the third roommate to pop out. "And where's Janis?"
"In a jar." Kevin says with a shrug.
god fucking damn it kevin
@realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @smallsoysauce @sourishlemons
