ANOTHER BORROWER JANIS FIC? A N D IT'S LONG (ish)? wow.
Trusting Damian was probably the best decision of my life. Not that I've had to make many life-changing decisions.
It didn't take long for Gretchen and Kevin to find out that I've been caught. It took them even less time to want to meet Damian for themselves.
Even though they all knew each other now, I was still the only one visiting Damian often. Gretchen was still slightly scared and Kevin just couldn't be bothered. I mean, fair.
We (It was really just me) had made a new path through the house right to Damian's room but I was the only one to use it often. It leads behind an outlet abnormally high in the wall where Damian's desk was. He used to use it to plug in lights (as you would and outlet) but now it sits there without screws.
But that's not where I was right now. I was sitting in the combined living space next to Gretchen. "I saw it, I swear."
She was whining about a mouse which, to be fair- was scary, but it wasn't near us right now so why carry on like this.
"Ariel will get it, I'm sure."
"Janis," I don't think I've ever seen Gretchen this stressed. "It was so close to our house! We live in a pocket of room between beams of wood! It could be on the other side right now."
"But at least it's not on this side."
"Maybe not now but it clearly was." Kevin says walking into the room holding what used to be a bag full of granola.
I curse under my breath, taking the bag from him. "All of it?"
"And the rest of our food."
"Kevin, that was our stash for the week!"
"Do I look like a mouse? Why are you yelling at me?!"
Sometimes our dysfunctional family arguments got so loud I'm surprised we didn't get caught.
I run my hand down my face. It's still early, maybe six pm. We don't even think of borrowing until past midnight.
"What are we gonna do?" Gretchen asks. She sounds like she might cry.
"I'll go get Damian." I say. We don't ask for his help often. Ever since that night, he just leaves out granola chunks once a week and I visit just to talk and hang out with somebody other than my roommates. But he did say whenever he needed help to get him, so-
"You can't go that way!" Gretchen hissed as I went to shift the block of wood we use as a makeshift door.
"And why not?"
"Janis, are you stupid?" Kevin deadpans. "Gretchen saw the fucking mouse over there."
Oh right. Maybe I am stupid.
Huh.
"Well, I can't just walk through the house."
"We can go borrowing on our own," Gretchen says. "You've gone soft and dependent, Janis. Damian won't always be there. What happens when we have to move, or he moves out? You're losing your skills. Look-" Gretchen throws a thimble at me- and hard.
"Ow!" I whine as it bounces off my shoulder.
"Janis four months ago would have caught that." Gretchen shakes her head, earning a murmur of agreement from Kevin.
"Okay, I'm shitty. Sure. Whats you're point?"
"We don't need Damian to borrow. We're borrowers. It's in our name."
"Fine," I say, shoving borrowing tools into my bag. I get Gretchen's point. I also know she and Kevin don't trust Damian. But I don't see an issue with asking for help- at least not anymore. Maybe Gretchen was right, now I'm soft and dependent, but at least I've got a friend. Other then roommates that bully each other.
"Are we going now? It's still early." I ask.
"I'll do a quick lookout," Kevin says before disappearing.
Gretchen and I stand in silence for a bit.
"I'm sorry for yelling." She says quietly. We never apologize. I guess I'm not the only one soft. "After that night with the cat, when you met Damian- I thought you were dead. And yeah, none of us are friends but you're still my roommates. You're the closest thing to family a borrower is gonna get. And I just want to see you safe. The bond you've formed with that human- it's not it."
I scowl. "Sweet sentiment, Gretchen, but you don't know what you're talking about. You want to see me safe, well Damian is the only reason I am here and I am safe. You don't trust him but you also never put in the effort to try."
"All I'm saying is from an outside perspective, this is a sure way to get yourself killed."
"Anything we do we can get killed!" And we're yelling again. "Fall off a table, run into the cat, get caught by a human-"
"Yeah! Get caught by a human! You said it yourself, Janis!"
I cross my arms. "That's different."
"How so?"
"He isn't gonna kill me!"
"Intentionally."
I freeze, meeting Gretchen's eyes. She shrugs, seemingly happy her point got across.
I never thought of it. Damian and I had both been so careful around each other. It's never a thought that even entered my mind.
And I won't let it now.
I shake my head, regaining my composure and glaring at Gretchen.
"You're wrong."
"Am I?"
"Yes." I'm determined to stand my ground and not let Gretchen in my head again. "Damian is careful, he isn't reckless. He sees me and another living creature, nothing less than."
Gretchen shrugs as Kevin walks back into the room. "You're funeral. I won't attend."
"Woah." Kevin holds his hands up. "What did I just witness?"
"I'm officially dead to Gretchen, I guess."
"Cmon guys." Kevin seems genuinely saddened by this normal occurrence. I'm cut out of Gretchen's life every other week.
"No! I won't 'come on guys'! When Damian decides he bored with keeping Janis around and exposes all of us we all have to pay for her reckless behavior!"
"Damian wouldn't do that." I put my hands on my hips.
"Would he not? You're not even four inches tall. You think you have some big impact on his life? Your friendship isn't mutual! Unlike you, Damian probably has a life outside these walls! He doesn't care about you!" Gretchen's voice gets softer as her anger dies. "And I'm sorry the only way I could get that through to you was by yelling. I know its hard for you. But-"
"No."
"What?" Gretchen takes a step back at my cold attitude. Tears are burning in the corners of my eyes, but I refuse to let them spill. Kevin seems mildly annoyed at most. He looks like he could use some popcorn.
"You don't know what you are talking about. You never put in the time to meet him and-"
"Janis do you hear yourself?! You've got the same two arguments. You don't know him, he isn't like that. How can you not see this only ends up with you hurt?! Emotionally or physically!"
Call me immature, but I don't want to hear anymore. So I walk away. I duck into my room, Gretchen calling after me.
We still have a couple more hours until we need to borrow anyway.
"Janis."
"Go away, Kevin."
"Gretchen is just looking out for you."
"She's doing a shit job at it." I look in my mirror past me to see Kevin hovering in my doorway. He didn't seem to have more to say, so instead, he changed the topic.
"The Hubbards aren't home. We're thinking of doing a quick trip before they get back."
"Do we know when they get back?"
"No."
"Then that's too risky."
"You don't get to talk about risky, Janis."
I shrug. "All I'm saying is we can go four hours without food."
"Janis."
"Fine!" I throw my hands up in defeat. "I don't know what you two gain from a death mission or what point you're trying to prove, but let's just go get fucking food."
Kevin smiles, but it's forced. He isn't happy, he's just relieved he got his way without too much of a fight.
We don't take our normal route this time. We have to go the long way to avoid the mouse that attacked Gretchen. This route requires us to climb up and it leads out to the counter and its probably my least favorite course.
I curse as I lose my footing on a nail and almost fall.
"Jesus, Janis." Gretchen says from above me, but she seems more concerned than annoyed.
"Yeah yeah." I mumble, regaining my composure and continuing to climb.
We all make it to the entrance (without falling). Kevin goes out first to do a quick lookout and Gretchen and I stay back in silence.
This entrance is also a broken outlet, but unlike Damian's, there was still power going through it, so pushing it open was always a dangerous task.
"All clear." Kevin waves us out. "Ariel is on the sofa."
From the kitchen table, you can see the front door which leads into the living room. And sure enough, Ariel is asleep contently.
There's a lot of things on the kitchen counter, none of it is food. A napkin holder is blocking my view of the front door, and there are a couple of cups scattered around as well as papers or any random object put down.
There's a gap in between two counter tiles, maybe the size of my foot. It's an easy step across, but we have to be careful not to drop any of our tools down there. We'd never get them back.
"There's no food." Gretchen deadpans.
"Really." I roll my eyes. After what my roommates said, I was feeling less and less sure that I should ask Damian for help. It made me feel guilty because deep down, I knew they were wrong. But- what if they weren't?
Unlike you, Damian probably has a life outside these walls!
It'd be shitty luck, but pretty par to how my life generally goes. My pity party is interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.
Shit.
We all collectively freeze as the sounds of voices fill the building.
"Guys!" Kevin the first to snap out of it as he pulls back the outlet, holding it for us. I nod and begin speed walking over when I hear a cry from behind me.
I whirl around to see-
Gretchen's got her foot stuck in the crack.
Of course.
The voices are closer, and I'm right in the middle of the outlet or Gretchen. My mind momentarily flashes back to when Gretchen left me with the cat but we meet eyes and all bad morals disappear.
She's crying and I can tell it's from both pain and fear.
I rush towards her, ignoring the cries of protest from Kevin.
My mind is in overdrive, picking up every noise while simultaneously blocking it all out.
I can hear Damian and his dad, their voices clearly heading towards the kitchen, but my mind has tunnel vision, focusing on Gretchen.
Gretchen reaches out to me like a lost child. I grab her forearms and she does the same, and I lean backwards with all my weight. Gretchen cries out in pain but her foot doesn't move.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I look up momentarily and freeze upon seeing Damian enter the kitchen with his dad behind him.
We're too late.
We're done for.
Fuck.
"Janis." Gretchen whimpers.
"I'm trying."
I bend down and grab Grechen's ankle, trying to lift her foot out from the source. I can tell she's trying to stay still and quiet, maybe they won't notice-
A shadow falls over us, and I freeze.
Fuck.
I don't even want to look up.
Fuck.
If its Damian, then that's embarrassing.
If it's his dad, then we're dead.
I glance up-
Damian is standing with his back to us, leaning against the counter talking to his dad.
He's blocking us from the view.
I could break down and cry in relief, but we've still got a problem. Upon seeing it’s sort of safe, Kevin rushes over to help. He lifts Gretchen up while I pull out her foot. Gretchen lets out a muffled cry but she’s free. She leans heavily on both Kevin and I as we make out way to the outlet again. I don't bother looking back, I'm busy carrying half of Gretchen's body weight.
That's gonna be sprained for a while.
And we still need food.
Fuck.
-
"Janis, I know it's you."
I sigh and step out from where I was hidden in the shadows. "What are you doing out here."
Damian is standing with his arms crossed the center of the kitchen, strongly resembling a disappointed mother.
"You guys were almost caught."
"Blame Gretchen." I shrug, avoiding Damian's gaze.
"Is she okay?"
"We're no doctors but she's probably not gonna be borrowing for a while."
Damian tsks. "You need food?"
"No, you don't have to worry, I can do it myself. I don't wanna be a bother you probably have other things to do-"
"Janis."
"Yes," I mumble, glancing up. Damian looks like he can't decide whether to laugh or be concerned. "What?"
"I offered. You aren't a bother."
"Okay," I said softly.
I guess I let Gretchen's words get to me more then I realized.
Damian grabs granola before turning back to me. "What would you have done if I didn't see you?"
I shrug. "Died, probably."
Damian obviously did not like this answer. "Janis."
"What do you want me to say?! We're small and inconvenient and it's a big dangerous fucking world!"
"You can ask for help next time."
I hug myself slightly. "You'd get annoyed fast if I asked for help every time. I'm a borrower, I should be able to do this on my own."
Damian doesn't try to fight my point. "Can I pick you up?"
"Why?" I question but nod anyway.
Damian reaches out and gently scoops me up, letting me fall into the palm of his hand before holding me to his chest.
"Because I want to talk with my friend and not risk her getting caught. We're gonna go to my room"
Friend.
Take that, Gretchen.
"Okay." I laugh softly as Damian makes his way through the house.
tldr, gretchen is a bitch but its from the heart
@realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @sourishlemons @smallsoysauce
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 9/?
Fandom: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Relationships: Ichirou Moriyama & Riko Moriyama, Ichirou Moriyama & Kengo Moriyama, Kevin Day & Riko Moriyama, Neil Josten & Riko Moriyama, Nathaniel Wesninski/Riko Moriyama, Ichirou Moriyama & Nathaniel Wesninski, Ichirou Moriyama & Kevin Day
Characters: Ichirou Moriyama, Riko Moriyama, Kengo Moriyama, Tetsuji Moriyama, Kevin Day, Neil Josten, Nathan Wesninski
Additional Tags: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brotherly Love, Family Bonding, The Power Of Love, long fic, Dark, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Child Abuse, Neil as Nathaniel, RAVENS!, mob, Big Brother Ichirou, Begins when Ichirou is eight, Kind!Riko, Raven!Andrew, Raven!Jeremy, Raven!Allison, Raven!Neil, Baby Butcher, No Incest, This is an angsty family story, with a happy ending, Tags May Change, future attempted rape, future attempted non-con
Summary:
Childhood for a Moriyama is brutal. Exacting. There is no room for mistakes, no room for love. Yet when Ichirou's mother breaks the rules and introduces him to newborn Riko, he finds that sometimes, love is involuntary.
Ichirou breaks the cycle of shunning his younger brother and does everything he can to be there for his baby brother... Where his father failed to defy the Moriyama traditions and be a brother to Tetsuji, Ichirou will succeed.
"You ate the science. I can't believe you ate the science." Cecilia picked up the now tiny Kevin and held him in her palm. "It was clearly labeled- oh well. I think Janice would let me borrow one of her dollhouses." (ask-cecilia-palmer)
It was not Kevin’s fault! He’d eaten plenty of things in the past that had been labeled like the mushrooms had been. ‘Do not ingest!’, 'Not for consumption!’, 'Poisonous!’, and 'Experimental!’ were all labels that had been on his meals when he’d been a trainee for StrexCorp. “I thought it was edible,” Kevin groused as he sat in Cecilia’s palm, looking very much like a scolded child. “I was hungry. It’s not my fault. A dollhouse?! What?! I’ll-I’ll grow back to my normal size, right? Right Cecilia?!” Kevin? Living in a dollhouse? He couldn’t do radio from a dollhouse! Well, perhaps for the nation of tiny people under Lane Five of the Desert Flower Bowling and Arcade Fun Complex, but he didn’t speak their language.
Standing on his kitchen counter and trying to find the best possible way to eat the single spaghetti noodle in front of him, Kevin noticed himself starting to grow. He grew as rapidly as he shrunk three days prior, until he was back to his usual 5-foot-9 height. And he was still standing awkwardly on the countertop. He jumped down with a smile, "Oh, thank goodness."
//The M!A is over! Any current threads with tiny Kevin will stay with tiny Kevin, but, other than those, Kev is back to his usual size!
//Kevin will be back to normal size in about 5-6 hours, so if you have anything you'd like to say to him while he's still tiny, send some asks on over!
//I just want to note that I'm extending the M!A to tomorrow. Today was initially going to be the last day, but I started it so late in the day on Thursday, plus I was offline most of the day yesterday. So an extension is in order! Kevin will remain tiny until tomorrow night.
