The hallway outside my room was quiet . I paced nervously in my room, my size making the space feel even more confined. Today was the day—the first time I'd have to face the program's classes. The knot in my stomach tightened with every passing second as I waited for Darrick. I ate some fruit that had been left for me, unable to attempt a meal. Unable to even visit the cafeteria that I knew would be empty anyways. There didn't seem to be a single human in sight, it remember me of my school at home.. dead and quiet. She wasn't sure if any humans actually worked in her sector of the building. Unlike Darrick who was sneaking around from giants that could get him in trouble, she swore she never sore any workers. Unless it was the occasional janitor or cafeteria lady with a hair net. She wasn't told about any classes, any introductions. She was lead to her room and told to wait.. she didn't know she had to go to recreation until Darrick told her so..

It was a strange place

The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed down the hallway, and my heart jumped. I knew it was him before I even saw him. The rhythmic weight of his stride was unmistakable, steady and deliberate, but today there was something else—a hesitancy I hadn't noticed before.

When Darrick appeared, his white sneaker filled the doorway as it opened to show the platform. She heard him as he rested a knuckle on the ground to crouch, moving his head so that he could peer into my room, his hazel eye filled the doorway now, locking on me immediately. Relief flooded his face, though it was quickly replaced by something more restrained.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice carrying the warmth and calm that I needed. "Ready?"

I hesitated, my hands twisting together. "Not really," I admitted, my voice small even for my size.

He moved backward giving me space to leave my room. Taking a breath, I looked down at my hands that were visibly trembling you've got this Tess I thought to myself, trying to shake off the jitters. Stepping out of the room, I looked up seeing Darrick resting one knee on the ground to bring himself closer to my level. His presence was overwhelming, as always, but comforting in a way I couldn't explain. His expression softened as he reached out his hand, palm up, inviting me to step onto it.

"It's going to be fine," he said, though I could tell he was trying to convince himself as much as me. "I'll be right there the whole time."

I stepped into his palm, his warm skin beneath my feet, through my shoes a stark contrast to the cool metal of the platform. He curled his fingers slightly, creating a protective barrier as he lifted me up with the same care he always did, as if I might break under the slightest pressure. The motion was smooth but still made my stomach flip.

"Darrick," I said as he stood, his height now making me dizzy. "What if... what if -What if it's—"

"It's okay Tess" he interrupted, his voice firm but kind.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a small, reassuring smile, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes flickered with uncertainty. He was nervous, too.

As he carried me down the hallway, his other hand rested lightly over me, a subtle shield against any prying eyes. His strides were slower than usual, as if trying to prolong the moment before we reached the classroom. The air between us was thick with unspoken fears, but neither of us wanted to give voice to them.

"Are you nervous?" I asked quietly, tilting my head to look up at him.

He glanced down, his hazel eyes meeting mine briefly before shifting forward again. "A little," he admitted. "Not about you. I know you can handle this. I just..." He trailed off, his lips pressing into a thin line.

"You're worried about me being in there with everyone else," I finished for him.

He nodded, his thumb brushing gently against my arm. "I've seen how some of them act. I don't trust them. And I don't like the idea of you being in a room where I can't keep you safe."

I swallowed hard, his words only amplifying the weight in my chest. "I don't want to do this without you," I admitted.

"You won't have to," he said quickly, his voice firm. "I'll be right there. The whole time. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

The conviction in his voice helped, but it didn't erase the unease curling in my stomach. Still, I trusted him. If anyone could protect me, it was Darrick.

Darrick's hand was steady as he carried me down the quiet hallway. His long strides made the world blur around me, but his grip was firm, reassuring. From my perch in his palm, I could feel the faint hum of tension in his muscles, even though his expression was as calm as ever. His hazel eyes flicked around, scanning the hallways as if he were on the lookout for someone—or something.

"You're quiet," I murmured, craning my neck to look up at him.

He glanced down, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just thinking," he said, his voice low and rumbling like distant thunder.

We were supposed to be heading to the recreation room, but something in his demeanor felt... different. He had led us to what appeared to be a shared area, empty at that point, seeing empty rooms as they walked past doorways. He veered left, his pace quickening. I tilted my head, my curiosity growing.

"Darrick?" I asked, my voice tentative.

He didn't answer right away, only ducking through another hallway until we reached a door I didn't recognise all too well. It was his dorm room. The oversized nameplate on the door bore his name and Cole's, but the space beyond was unmistakably his—organized, sparse, and smelling faintly of cedar.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"We've got time," he said simply, closing the door behind him with a soft click. "Recreation can wait."

I blinked up at him as he crossed the room, his movements unhurried now that we were alone. He sat down on the bed, his enormous form making the mattress groan under his weight. Lying on the bed, he let out a sigh, relaxing it seemed finally. The hand holding me shifted, and I let out a soft gasp as he tilted his palm to lay me gently against his chest.

The warmth of his skin radiated through the thin fabric of his shirt, Darrick having tied the top half of his suit around his waist. I instinctively pressed my hands against the expanse of his torso to steady myself. His heartbeat thudded beneath me, slow and steady, like a drum echoing in a cavern. Every inhale he took made his chest rise and fall, the movement so subtle to him but massive to me.

I shifted slightly, grasping the fabric of his shirt. His chest was solid beneath my touch, the sheer size of him overwhelming. Each breath he took was a wave, lifting and lowering me in a rhythm I couldn't help but sync with.

"Why are we here?" I finally asked, though my voice was softer now.

Darrick's hand came up, his fingers brushing lightly against my back. Even the smallest movement of his fingers covered so much of me. It wasn't the first time he'd held me like this, but the intimacy of the moment still sent a shiver down my spine.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you," he admitted, his voice rumbling through his chest and into me. "Recreation's going to be a lot today. I thought... we could use a minute." He dropped his chin to his chest, trying to look at me "everyone's at lunch"

His honesty made my heart ache. I knew how much he hated the program, how much he hated what it put us through. But hearing him admit it so plainly made it all the more real.

"You don't have to protect me all the time, you know," I said softly, though I knew it wasn't entirely true. A part of me did rely on him, needed him to shield me from the things I couldn't handle.

His thumb brushed against my back again, and I looked to his face. His hazel eyes softened as they met mine, and for a moment, the weight of everything else faded away.

"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I want to."

I couldn't argue with that. Not when his hand cupped me so carefully, his touch so deliberate and gentle despite his size. I shifted slightly, lying down fully on his chest, letting his heartbeat lull me into a sense of calm. The fabric of his shirt was soft beneath me, and I could feel the heat of his skin seeping through.

"You're so... big," I said after a while, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Darrick chuckled, the sound a deep vibration that made my whole body hum. "You don't say."

I laughed softly, my fingers tracing aimless patterns on the fabric beneath me. "I mean it. Sometimes it feels like... like you're not real. Like you're too big to be."

"I could say the same about you," he said, his tone teasing but warm. "You're so small it's hard to believe sometimes. But you're here."

I smiled at that, letting my head rest against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat was steady and grounding, a reminder that no matter how massive he was, he was still Darrick. Still mine.

We stayed like that for a while, the quiet of the room wrapping around us like a blanket. The world outside—the program, the recreation room, everything—felt distant and insignificant.

"Thank you," I whispered, not entirely sure why I said it.

Darrick's hand shifted again, his thumb brushing lightly over my hair. "For what?"

"For this," I said, gesturing vaguely to him, to the moment. "For being you."

His chest rose and fell beneath me in a soft sigh. "Always," he said simply, his voice filled with a promise that I knew he meant.

Darrick shifted beneath me then, the rise and fall of his chest steady as he adjusted his position. His massive hand moved toward me, his fingers curling gently around my body. Even though I trusted him completely, the sheer scale of him never failed to make my heart race.

He lifted me with a tenderness that almost didn't seem possible for someone of his size. The air rushed around me as he brought me upward, the world tilting slightly until I found myself hovering above his face. His hazel eyes were soft, watching me intently, his expression filled with a mix of amusement and something deeper—something that sent a warmth rushing through me.

"I just want to feel you closer," he murmured, his voice low and rumbling. The sound vibrated through his body and into mine, making me shiver.

Before I could respond, he tilted his head back slightly, bringing me down onto the broad plane of his cheek. His skin was warm, the faintest shadow of stubble brushing against my legs as I adjusted myself.

"Darrick..." I whispered, my voice breathy as I pressed my hands against his large face to steady myself. His skin was smooth and solid beneath my fingers, the curve of his cheekbone beneath me feeling impossibly vast.

"Stay there," he murmured softly, his breath warm against me. His lips parted slightly, and I felt his breath rush over me, gentle but all-encompassing.

Then, with a tenderness that melted every thought from my mind, his lips pressed softly against my side. It was more of a nuzzle than a kiss at first, the curve of his mouth brushing against me as he tested the contact. The sensation was electric, his warmth flooding over me as his lips moved against my body in slow, deliberate motions.

His thumb rested lightly against my back, stabilizing me as he tilted his head just enough to bring me closer. Each kiss was careful, precise—his lips grazing over my shoulder, my legs, the curve of my side. The faint tickle of his breath and the warmth of his skin were overwhelming, sending waves of heat through me.

He murmured, his voice low and intimate, as though the words were meant only for me. "You're perfect."

I pressed my hands against his cheek, leaning into the soft pressure of his lips as they brushed against me again. "You are also," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.

His lips quirked into the faintest smile beneath me, the motion making my entire body shift slightly with the curve of his mouth. "I'll always keep you safe," he said softly, his voice filled with a certainty that made my chest ache.

His kisses grew more purposeful then, trailing over my body in a way that left no part of me untouched by his care. Each motion felt like a promise, a wordless reassurance that I was his, and he was mine. His size didn't matter—not in the way I thought it might. Instead, it only made me feel more cherished, more secure, as though his vastness existed solely to shield and protect me.

"Darrick..." My voice broke on his name, and he paused, his lips stilling against my skin.

He opened his eyes then, those hazel depths locking onto me as he tilted his head slightly, his expression softening. "Too much?" he asked gently, his thumb brushing against my back in a soothing motion.

I shook my head, the warmth in my chest threatening to overwhelm me. "No. Never," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. "I just... I love you."

His eyes softened even further, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I love you too," he murmured, his voice carrying the weight of every unspoken promise between us.

For a moment, the world seemed to shrink around us. It was just the two of us, suspended in this quiet, intimate moment that felt too precious to disturb. And as his lips brushed against me once more, I knew that no matter what happened next, this was where I belonged—safe, cherished, and entirely his.

I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into the warmth of him, the steady rhythm of his breath and the gentle touch of his lips against my skin. For the first time in what felt like forever, the chaos of the outside world faded away, leaving only the two of us in the quiet sanctuary of this moment.

Darrick's hand moved slightly, his fingers curling protectively around me as his lips pressed one final kiss to my side. "We should probably get going soon," he said, his voice soft but tinged with reluctance. "They'll be looking for us."

I sighed, my heart sinking at the thought of leaving this peaceful cocoon we'd created. "Just a little longer," I pleaded, my voice barely audible. "Please."

He smiled, his hazel eyes filled with a tenderness that made my chest ache. "A little longer," he agreed, his fingers brushing lightly against my back as he settled into the bed, eyes closing as I lay on his mouth and face

And so we stayed there, suspended in a moment that felt both infinite and fleeting, wrapped in the quiet intimacy that only we could share. It was a moment I wanted to hold onto forever, even as I knew the world outside would inevitably pull us back into its grasp. For now, though, this was enough. He was enough. We were enough.