[ J A M I E ]

Jamie sat at the edge of the human cafeteria, poking at his uneaten sandwich, he avoided the table of the other humans. Could see Jules and cherry whispering softly to each other, more than likely wondering why he sat on the other side of the room. For a few months now, he'd been with Ava during lunch, perched on her knee or sitting on her shoulder as they shared laughs and stories. More so than not, Ava's friends were there too. Shadowing him, talking over him. But now, the thought of being near her made his stomach churn. He hadn't spoken to her in three days, and the silence between them had grown louder with each passing hour.

He sighed, his thoughts swirling. He couldn't stop replaying what had happened in her room—the overwhelming sensation of being used, her casual dismissal of his feelings, and the way she carried on afterward as though nothing had happened. Ava had apologized, sure, but Jamie couldn't shake the lingering doubts. Was this what their relationship was destined to be? Him always feeling small—not just physically, but emotionally?

"Jamie, you okay?" a voice broke through his thoughts.

He looked up to see his friend Henryk, a fellow human, sitting down across from him. Henryk and Jamie had grown close since he had arrived to the school, bonding over their shared experiences navigating a world dominated by giants. Henryk's sharp, Eastern European features were softened by the genuine concern in his expression.

Jamie forced a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... distracted."

Henryk raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Distracted? Or avoiding Ava?"

Jamie's heart sank. He hadn't told anyone about what happened, but it seemed his sudden change in routine hadn't gone unnoticed. "I'm not avoiding her," he said defensively, though his voice lacked conviction.

"Uh-huh," Henryk said, leaning back in his seat. "So it's just a coincidence you haven't been anywhere near the giant sector all week? And that you've been biking straight home instead of heading to her place?"

Jamie clenched his jaw, looking away. Henryk wasn't wrong, but hearing it out loud made it feel more real.

"It's complicated," Jamie admitted after a long pause.

Henryk nodded, waiting patiently for Jamie to continue. When he didn't, Henryk leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Look, man, you don't have to tell me what's going on, but... if you're not happy, you've got to do something about it. You can't just keep avoiding her forever."

Jamie let out a humorless laugh. "I know. I'm just... trying to figure out if this is even worth it."

Henryk's expression softened. "You mean the relationship?"

Jamie nodded, his chest tightening. "I love her, Henryk. I really do. But sometimes it feels like... like I'm not her boyfriend. I'm just this... thing she likes to have around. And the way she's so casual about our size difference—it's like she doesn't realize how much it affects me. Or worse, maybe she doesn't care."

Henryk was quiet for a moment before speaking. "That's heavy, dude. But you have to ask yourself—can she change? And even if she does, is it enough to make you feel... equal? Because if not, you're just going to keep feeling like this, and that's not fair to either of you."

Jamie nodded slowly, the weight of Henryk's words sinking in. That was the heart of it, wasn't it? Could Ava change? And if she couldn't—or wouldn't—could he live with that?

Henryk sighed, then offered a small smile. "I mean, Cherry and I have our issues too, you know. I mean it's not like I'm dating a giantess.. that sure as hell wouldn't be easy" henryk laughed trying to lighten the mood, when Jamie didn't respond he cleared his throat, " But even thought she'd human, she listens when I tell her how I feel. That's why we work so well.. Maybe Ava just needs to hear you out—and really hear you."

Jamie gave him a faint smile, though his doubts lingered. "Maybe," he said quietly.

[ A V A ]

Ava sat in the courtyard, her long legs crossed as she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. Her tray of food sat untouched beside her, the sight of it making her stomach twist. Jamie's absence was palpable, and no amount of scrolling or chatting with her friends could distract her from the ache in her chest.

She'd tried to give him space, hoping he just needed time to cool off, but three days had passed, and he was still avoiding her. He didn't meet her at lunch, didn't reply to her texts, didn't bike over to her house like he used to. The silence was unbearable, and it left her replaying every moment of their last meeting, wondering where she'd gone wrong.

Deep down, she knew. She'd crossed a line, taken things too far, and it had hurt him more than she'd realized. She thought about the look on his face when they'd arrived at their date, the way his voice shook as he admitted how much their size difference weighed on him.

"Hey, Ava," Katy's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Ava looked up to see her friend sitting down beside her, a curious expression on her face. "You okay? You've been... weird lately."

"I'm fine," Ava said automatically, though the heaviness in her voice betrayed her.

Katy tilted her head. "Does this have anything to do with Jamie? I haven't seen him with you all week."

Ava hesitated, debating whether to confide in her friend. Finally, she sighed, setting her phone down. "Yeah. We... had a fight. Well, more like I messed up, and now he's avoiding me."

"What happened?" Katy asked, her tone gentle but curious.

Ava shook her head. "I don't even know where to start. I just... I think I made him feel like I don't respect him. Like I don't see him as my equal. And that's not true! I love him so much, but I don't think I've been good at showing it."

Katy was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Ava, you've always been a little... headstrong. And Jamie's—well, he's not like us. He's smaller, yeah, but he's also quieter, more reserved. He's also a guy, he probably feels like he isn't man enough, especially with someone so confident as yourself. You've got to be more careful with him, you know?"

Ava nodded, biting her lip. "I know. I just don't know how to fix this. He won't even talk to me."

Katy smiled softly. "Maybe it's time to stop waiting for him to come to you. If you love him, fight for him. Show him that you're willing to change—that you see him, really see him."

Ava's chest tightened, but she nodded. "You're right. I've just got to... figure out how to do that without making things worse."

[ J A M I E ]

Jamie sat at his desk, the soft glow of his desk lamp illuminating his notes and textbooks. He tried to focus on the words in front of him, on the formulas and theories he was supposed to be memorizing, but his mind kept drifting. His pencil rested idly between his fingers as his gaze lingered on the corner of his desk, where a small framed picture of him and Ava sat.

The photo was from one of their first dates—a trip to the mixed park in the city. Ava was laid down on a picnic blanket, Jamie sat beside her smiling from beside her large cheek, head gently tilted toward his much smaller frame as they smiled for the camera. He remembered how happy he'd been that day, how safe he'd felt when she carried him through the park, shielding him from the crowded foot traffic of giants. Back then, being with Ava had felt like a dream, like he'd somehow found the one person who could see past the size difference and love him for who he was.

But now? Now he wasn't so sure.

His thoughts drifted to their most recent date, just a week ago. He'd been sitting on the pillow of her bed while she finished getting ready, her teasing words and playful demeanor filling the room. He'd laughed and bantered with her like always, letting her larger-than-life presence wrap around him like a warm blanket. He'd loved her confidence, her unapologetic personality—it was part of what had drawn him to her in the first place.

But then, like so many other times, she'd crossed a line. Her playful teasing had turned into something more, something that left him feeling powerless and small—not just in size, but in every sense of the word.

Jamie closed his eyes, the memory washing over him. He could still feel the weight of her body, the heat of her skin, the overwhelming pressure of her world crashing into his. She hadn't meant to hurt him—he knew that. But her lack of awareness, her inability to fully grasp how different their perspectives were, had cut deeper than she realized.

He opened his eyes and stared at the photo again, his chest tightening. He loved Ava. He loved her laugh, her smile, the way she made him feel like he was the only person in the world who mattered when she looked at him. But at the same time, he couldn't ignore the way she sometimes made him feel like... an accessory.

That's what he felt like during their last date—a toy she could pick up and play with whenever it suited her, without considering how he felt. He hated that he felt this way, hated that his love for her wasn't enough to drown out the doubts creeping into his mind.

Jamie leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. His parents' voices echoed faintly from downstairs, the comforting cadence of Korean filling the house as they spoke. His mother's laughter filtered through the walls, and for a moment, he longed for the simplicity of his childhood, before he'd ever met Ava, before he'd ever had to navigate the complexities of loving someone so vastly different from himself.

He wondered if his parents would ever understand. They already disapproved of him dating a giantess, though they'd never said it outright. It was in the looks they gave him, the questions they asked about Ava. They saw her as a complication, a threat to the safe, structured life they'd built for him. And now, Jamie was starting to wonder if they were right.

But then he thought of Ava's face when she'd apologized, the vulnerability in her voice as she promised to change, to be better. He thought about how much she loved him, how much she wanted to make things work, even when the world around them seemed determined to keep them apart.

Jamie sighed, staring down at his notes again. He didn't know what to do. He loved Ava, but love alone wasn't enough—not when he felt like he was losing himself in the shadow of her world.

For now, all he could do was think, and hope he'd find the clarity he needed to figure out whether their love was worth the fight—or if it was time to let go.

The soft knock on Jamie's bedroom window startled him so much he nearly knocked over the cup of tea on his desk. His pencil clattered to the floor as he whipped his head toward the sound. His heart stopped when he saw Ava's massive face peering in through the window, her dark eyes scanning the room for him.

"What the hell?" he muttered, standing up so fast his chair skidded back against the wooden floor. His heart raced as he approached the window. Giants weren't allowed in the human sector—strictly prohibited, actually. The gates surrounding the human neighborhoods were heavily guarded at all times by both human and giant security, especially after the Darrick incident a few months back. Jamie's mind immediately filled with questions. How had Ava gotten past them?

He hesitated before opening the window, still processing the surreal sight of her crouched outside his house, towering over it like an oversized statue. How had no one seen her! He hadn't even heard her approach. The soft glow of the streetlights highlighted her face, and even though her expression was apologetic, her sheer size against the backdrop of his family's modest home made her presence feel overwhelming.

"Ava," he hissed, leaning against the windowsill, his voice low and tense. "What are you doing here? How did you even get in? There are guards everywhere!"

Ava's lips parted, and she winced at the sharpness in his tone. "I know, Jamie," she said softly, keeping her voice low as she glanced around nervously. "I'm not supposed to be here. But I had to see you. I couldn't keep waiting for you to talk to me. So... I climbed over the east wall."

Jamie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You what? Ava, are you insane? If they catch you here—"

"They won't," she interrupted quickly. "I made sure no one saw me. I swear."

Jamie ran a hand through his black hair, pacing back and forth by the window. He was still in shock, trying to process the fact that Ava, his giantess girlfriend, had not only snuck into the human sector but had climbed the heavily fortified wall to get to him. His parents—strict, traditional Koreans who were already skeptical of his relationship with Ava—would lose their minds if they found out.

"Ava, you don't understand," he said, his voice hushed but firm. "If someone sees you here, if my parents see you~" he stammered, eyes flicking to his bedroom door "Do you know how much trouble you could get into? How much trouble I could get into?"

Her eyes softened, and she moved her face closer so that her chin was nearly on the windowsill, "Jamie, I know the risk. I thought about it the whole way here. But I couldn't just sit around and wait anymore. I needed to talk to you. To tell you how sorry I am."

Jamie stared at her, his frustration battling with the pang in his chest. Despite everything, he could see the sincerity in her eyes, the desperation in her voice. But her presence here—her towering body looming over the small, tidy house his parents had worked so hard to build—felt like an invasion, a reminder of everything about their relationship that felt impossible.

"I don't know what to say to you, Ava," he said finally, leaning against the windowsill, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "You shouldn't have come here. My parents could come into my room any second. What if someone looks out their window to see you in the street. If they see you..."

"Then let me say what I came here to say before they do," Ava interrupted, her tone trembling slightly. "Jamie, I'm so sorry for what happened. I know I hurt you, and I've been kicking myself for it ever since. I wasn't thinking about how you felt—I was only thinking about what I wanted. And that's not fair to you."

Jamie looked up at her, his jaw tight. "It's not just about that, Ava. It's about how I feel in this relationship—like I'm always at a disadvantage. Like I'm just some... some accessory in your life instead of an equal partner. Do you even realize how much I've been struggling with that?"

Ava's expression crumpled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I do now," she said quietly. "And I hate that I made you feel that way. Jamie, I love you. I love you so much, but I see now that love isn't enough if I'm not willing to treat you the way you deserve. That's why I'm here—to tell you that I'm ready to do better, whatever it takes."

Jamie swallowed hard, her words hitting him like a weight. He wanted to believe her, but the fear of being hurt again—of being reduced to nothing more than a plaything, an afterthought—was still fresh in his mind.

Before he could respond, a voice called out from the hallway.

"Jamie?" his mother's voice, soft but tinged with concern, reached his ears.

Jamie froze, his heart pounding as he turned back to Ava. "You need to go. Now."

Ava nodded quickly, her movements careful and quiet as she began to back away from the window. "I meant what I said, Jamie," she whispered. "I love you. I'll wait for you, as long as it takes."

And with that, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Jamie alone with his thoughts and the sound of his mother's footsteps approaching his door.

He took a deep breath, his chest tight as he turned toward the door. "Yeah, Mom, I'm here," he called, trying to keep his voice steady.

When his mother opened the door, her sharp eyes scanned the room, narrowing slightly. "Were you talking to someone?" she asked in Korean.

Jamie shook his head quickly, his face a practiced mask of innocence. "No, just practicing my English presentation for tomorrow," he said in fluent Korean, hoping she wouldn't press further.

His mother studied him for a moment before nodding. "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Come downstairs soon."

"I will," Jamie said, forcing a smile as she closed the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Jamie let out a shaky breath, quickly taking one last look out the window in case Ava was hiding, before collapsing back onto his bed. Ava's words lingered in his mind, her voice filled with a vulnerability he'd rarely seen in her. He loved her, and part of him wanted to believe she could change. But another part of him wondered if their relationship was doomed from the start, a love too complicated for the world they lived in.

For now, all he could do was think—and hope he'd find the answer before it was too late.