Matt’s pulse hammered in his tiny chest, his mind reeling from Daniel’s options. Each one sounded like a gamble, but the thought of the team barging in left him no time to overthink. He trusted Daniel—always had. Swallowing hard, he pointed at Daniel’s sock. “Your sock, man. It’s… less weird, right? Just keep me safe.”
Daniel exhaled, a nervous chuckle escaping. “Yeah, sock it is. Less awkward, but, uh, sorry in advance—it’s sweaty as hell from practice.” He reached down, his massive fingers gentle as they scooped Matt up. To Matt, those fingers were like warm, calloused cranes, careful but firm. Daniel’s touch sent a shiver through him, the scale of his friend’s hand overwhelming. “Hold tight, dude,” Daniel murmured, his voice low and steady. “I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”
Matt nodded, his tiny body trembling as Daniel lowered him toward the open cuff of his athletic sock, still warm and damp from the field. The fabric loomed like a cavern, smelling of sweat and grass. “This is so fucked up,” Matt squeaked, half-laughing despite himself. “Just… don’t step on me, okay?”
“Swear I won’t,” Daniel said, his grin lopsided but reassuring. He slid Matt carefully inside, positioning him near the arch of his foot. The sock’s fibers were coarse, like a dense jungle to Matt’s tiny frame, but Daniel made sure he was snug, tucked against the curve of his sole. As Daniel pulled the sock on, Matt felt a gentle pressure—not crushing, but firm enough to keep him secure. It was like being hugged by a warm, slightly damp wall. Daniel wiggled his toes, testing the fit. “You good in there, man?”
Matt’s voice was muffled but clear enough. “Yeah, I’m… cozy, I guess. Smells like a locker room exploded, though.”
Daniel snorted. “Deal with it, tiny. Let’s get you outta here.” He laced up his sneaker, each step sending a rhythmic pulse through Matt’s world. The pressure was steady but controlled—Daniel was careful, his footfall deliberate. Matt clung to the sock’s fibers, the warmth and slight give of Daniel’s sole keeping him anchored. The outside world was a distant rumble as Daniel grabbed his bag and headed for the locker room door.
The journey to Daniel’s dorm was a surreal odyssey for Matt. Each step was a controlled quake, the sock’s damp heat wrapping him like a cocoon. He could hear the muffled sounds of campus life—distant chatter, the crunch of gravel under Daniel’s sneakers, the occasional hum of a passing car. Daniel didn’t stop, didn’t talk, just kept moving with purpose. Matt trusted him completely, but the sheer scale of his dependence on his friend hit hard. He was a speck, reliant on Daniel’s every move.
After what felt like an eternity, the rhythm of Daniel’s steps slowed. A door creaked open, then shut with a click. The air shifted, cooler and quieter—Daniel’s dorm. Matt felt the sneaker loosen, then the sock peeled away. Light flooded in as Daniel’s fingers fished him out, lifting him into the open. Matt blinked, disoriented, as Daniel set him gently on the desk beside a stack of textbooks. The surface was a vast plain to Matt, Daniel’s face a towering, worried moon above.
“Holy shit, we made it,” Daniel said, exhaling hard. He ran a hand through his damp curls, his blue eyes scanning Matt’s tiny form. “You okay, man? That was… intense.” He sat on his bed, the mattress creaking, and leaned closer, his voice softening. “I can’t believe this is real. Shrunk. Like, what the fuck do we do now?”
Matt stood, shaky but unharmed, his nakedness less embarrassing in the quiet of the dorm. “I’m okay,” he said, his voice steadier now. “Thanks, Daniel. You… you saved my ass back there.” He managed a weak grin. “Literally, I guess.”
Daniel laughed, the sound warm and familiar. “Yeah, well, you’re still my best friend, even if you’re two inches tall. But seriously, we gotta figure this out. You can’t stay like this. Was it really the chem lab? Maybe there’s a way to reverse it.”
Matt nodded, wrapping his arms around himself. “It was an accident—some compound I spilled. I don’t know if they’ve figured out how to fix it yet. I was too busy trying not to get squashed.” He paused, meeting Daniel’s eyes. “I didn’t tell you because… I don’t know, I was scared. Didn’t want you to think I was a freak.”
Daniel’s expression softened, his hand hovering near Matt like a protective shield. “Dude, you’re not a freak. You’re still you. We’ll talk to the lab techs, hit up the profs, whatever it takes. I’m not letting you stay a Borrower forever.” He smirked, but his eyes were serious. “For now, you’re crashing here. I’ll find you something to wear—maybe a tissue or some shit. And we’ll keep you hidden. Deal?”
Matt’s chest warmed, the weight of his fear easing. “Deal,” he said, his tiny voice firm. “And… thanks, man. For everything.”
Daniel just nodded, already rummaging through his desk for something to use as makeshift clothes. “Anytime, Matt. Now let’s fix this tiny-ass problem.”
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