Summary: Grian is feeling the effects of prolonged loneliness.
Word Count: 900
Warnings: Feeling lonely and general angst
AO3 Link
I was hoping AO3 would be back up by now so I could cross-post as usual but it looks like it's going to be a while longer. I'll post to AO3 hopefully tomorrow though!
This one is a bit of a shorter one but I hope you guys enjoy it still!
Ā He tried his best to ignore it, going through his daily chores and borrowing trips with as little thought towards how he was feeling as he could manage. But the loneliness was starting to weigh on him, no matter how hard he tried to push it down.
Ā The thing was, he hadnāt even been alone for that long! It had only been a year since he and his siblings, Pearl and Jimmy, had gone their separate ways from their parentsā place. But maybe that was the problem. Grian had never been alone this long before. Heād always had his parents, or Pearl and Jimmy by his side. Heād always had someone to talk to, someone to pull pranks onā¦
Ā Now, he lived in silence. There was no chattering coming from the next room or someone sleeping in the bed next to his. He was all by himself and it was slowly killing him.
Ā In fact, he probably would have gone completely crazy if it hadnāt been for Scar.
Ā Scar was the human who owned the apartment Grian lived in the walls of. Of course, Scar didnāt know about Grian, but though Scar lived alone, Grian found him more than once talking to himself or his cat out loud. It was nice to listen to sometimes and gave Grian a sense of companionship, like he wasnāt actually alone. It helped, however sad that was.
Ā But then Scar had up and left. He had taken his cat with him too and he was justā¦gone. Grian panicked a bit when he noticed but soon calmed himself down enough to realize that since all of Scarās things were still in the apartment it was more than likely he hadnāt moved out. He was probably just going on a trip or something. Which was still weird since he hadnāt heard Scar mention anything like that but it could have just been one of the things Scar didnāt bother to mention out loud to himself.Ā
Ā All that being said, he had to be back soon, right? A trip only lasted so long, after all.
Ā A week passed though and the loneliness was hitting Grian even harder than normal. His usual routine of combatting the loneliness by watching Scar was interrupted by the fact that Scar still wasnāt back. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the empty hollow feeling filling up his chest the more days passed.
Ā Because of all this, Grian had been going a lot slower while out borrowing. Not only did he feel like he just didnāt have the energy to go any faster but there was also no real reason for him to. After all, Scar was gone. There was no reason for him to rush, since there was no fear of him being seen.
Ā But as he was taking his time borrowing from up on the kitchen counter, he only barely registered the sound of the door unlocking. But he did jump and freeze as the door swung itself open.
Ā Now, he had time. Plenty of time. The kitchen was not visible from the front door and his entrance back into the walls was only a few feet away. If Grian had been in a better headspace, the run there would be nothing and heād be long gone before Scar even walked fully into the apartment.
Ā But the thing was, Grian wasnāt in a good headspace.
Ā āAh, home sweet home!ā Scar let out as the door closed behind him. Scarās voice sent a pang right to Grianās heart. And a low meow sent a similar, if smaller, pang. āI know Jellie, Iāll let you out of there in just a second.ā Scar said and Grian could just picture the soft smile on the humanās face. The soft smile that he reserved especially for Jellie.
Ā The soft smile that Grian desperately, dangerously, wished could be directed at him.
Ā Even if the idea of such a thing would mean he was caught.
Ā Grian needed to leave. He still had time. If he just moved himself heād be out of there with nothing to worry about. He just. Had. To. Move!
Ā He didnāt. Scar rounded the corner, hands full with the cat carrier. Scarās eyes didnāt dart to him right away, it was a slow, painful thing where Scarās eyes swept over everything in his apartment, ending at the kitchen and finally, finally settling onto Grian.
Ā Scarās eyes widened and Grian didnāt dare to breathe. But being looked at for the first time in a year was turning his legs to jelly rather quickly.
Ā ā...Hi.ā He managed to get out, even if his voice was a bit raspy due to not using it for so long.
Ā Scar still looked shocked, and confused, but a small smile was also twitching at the edges of his lips and Grian felt his heart elate at the thought.
Ā Yes, he wasnāt supposed to be seen.
Ā But being seen was all Grian ever wanted. To have someone see him, talk to him, know him. And he hadnāt even realized it until he was without it for the first time.
Ā And though Scar was a human, Grian didnāt really care. Because Scar was seeing him and spoke with him and so far things were okay.
Ā And maybe, just maybe, things would continue to be okay.
Maybe Borrower Grian and Joel and then protective Jimmy?
(cw: dehumanization and villain Mean Gills)
Jimmy blinked at the creatures in the jar- no, not creatures. Those were tiny people. Those were people.
"Isn't it amazing, Tim?" Martyn asked, taking him by the arm and dragging him closer to the kitchen island.
Scott was sat in an island stool, leaning over the counter. His hands not quite touching the jar but hovering around it. He threw a smirk at Jimmy, "Cute, aren't they?"
Jimmy swallowed as he looked down at them, even closer now he could just make out their expressions. They were scared- or angry? 'Definitely weren't happy to be in the jar.
Martyn dropped himself in the seat next to Scott as he explained further, "We found them earlier today. I guess one of them slipped into the sink and the other was trying to get him out? I think they've been living in our walls."
Scott wrinkled his nose, "Kind of icky, don't you think? Like rats. Imagine if we had set out traps and one of them got caught in it, I wouldn't want to find a little squished person. Plain nasty."
"They- um- they look like they would know better than to step in a mousetrap," Jimmy replied, almost reaching for the jar. "We should probably set them outside now though, right? Obviously they have better places to be."
Scott scoffed, "And let them just wander back in to continue scavenging our cupboards?"
"Yeah, Tim, don't be stupid. We have a really big find here! Imagine what we could do with these two- at the very least I think we could make a few bucks selling them."
Jimmy blinked owlishly at Martyn, "Sell- Sell them? Are we looking at the same thing? Those are people! You can not be suggesting we just offer up two guys on Craigslist for a few bucks."
"I think "people" is a bit of a stretch, Jimmy," Scott said patiently- condescendingly, "They're more like mice or... dolls! Oh, that's a fun idea. You think I can keep one to make little outfits for?"
Martyn laughed at that, "Yeah, sure. I'm sure they'd love that."
Jimmy grit his teeth together, hands white-knuckled at this side. He stared down at the two guys in the jar. The two of them were doing the same thing, both staring up at him with expectation.
He took a deep breath, unclenched his hands, and chuckled along with Martyn. "Well, I guess that are kind of dollie-like, aren't they? They're barely half the size of my sister's Barbies."
Out of the corner his eye the two guys' expression fell.
They spent the rest of the night brainstorming what to do with them. Scott was going to keep one, for sure. Martyn was thinking of making a few short films with the other, maybe including the both of them sometimes, before selling his to whoever had the most interest once he made them famous. Jimmy nodded along for most of it, throwing out a few ideas for stories and agreeing with outfit ideas. He eventually ordered a pizza and got Scott and Martyn to step away from the kitchen to watch a movie. The three of them fell asleep on the couch.
Well Martyn and Scott fell asleep. Jimmy dozed a bit, shifting and moving around to make sure that when he got up, no one would get up with him. When he was sure that his friends maybe friends probably not friends were not going to wake up he made his way back to the kitchen.
The jar was exactly where they had- Well, no, the jar was several inches to the right of where they had left it. Closer to the edge of the counter. Not close enough, but Jimmy winced at the idea that they had been trying to scooch off the counter at all.
The two guys were both still awake when he approached, and they pressed themselves together and as far from him as they could. He certainly didn't blame them for that. He carefully plucked the jar off the counter and was out the front door.
He practically held his breath all the way to his car, setting the jar in the cupholder and pulling out of the driveway, barely remembering to put his seatbelt on as he did. He tried not to drive fast, he was tired and getting home quicker wasn't worth getting in a car wreck.
Once he was on the long road back he reached over and popped the hole-poked top of the jar. "I- I am so sorry for all of this," he said, shakily.
"Sorry for what, exactly?" One of them growled. It took a lot of resistance to not slam on the brakes, surprise and shame filling him to the brim that they actually spoke. It was the one with the dark hair, he thinks.
He knew they were people from the get-go. He knew they understood just from their reactions alone. He... hadn't known if they could speak. It made sense, but actually hearing him? Hearing that little voice that was so human? He couldn't believe he had even played along with Martyn and Scott for even a second. Ever considering these two as anything other than people seemed impossible to him.
He wet his mouth, his tongue feeling heavy and tacky, "I'm sorry Martyn and Scott ever found you. You two- The things they were saying. I- I can't believe I was ever friends with them."
"You were saying an awful lot too," the dark-haired one grumbled. Jimmy tried to keep his eyes on the road. There was a shout and then- "Don't bloody elbow me!"
"Shut up." That was the other one, with sandy hair. The new voice was quiet, he barely heard him.
Jimmy gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, "I know. I'm sorry for that too. I didn't want them kicking me out. I- I'm heading back to my place right now, but- but is there someplace else you'd rather go? I don't- I don't think going back to Martyn and Scott's is on the table, but anywhere else-?"
"You're not planning on keeping us?" The sandy-haired one asked.
"Gosh no! No. You're blooming people. If I wasn't so scared of you getting tossed around the car I'd let you out right this minute. We'll be just another moment before we get back to my place. I'll let you go wherever you want, just say it and we'll be there."
There was a small hesitation as the little guy spoke, "Your place is.. fine."
Jimmy nodded, "Okay. Great. We'll figure it out there. I'm Jimmy, by the way."
"Grian."
"Joel."
"Nice to meet you fellas," Jimmy said.
He couldn't imagine he would be knowing them for long, but he was glad to have met them today.
