The hallway felt colder than usual as Darrick carried me in his hand, his large fingers curling slightly around me to keep me steady. His warmth seeped through his skin, a stark contrast to the sterile chill of the air around us. I tried to focus on that warmth, on the steady hum of his heartbeat through his palm, but my nerves twisted in my stomach, relentless and unyielding.

Darrick's strides were smooth, purposeful, but I could sense his hesitation in the way he held me just a little closer than usual. He wasn't rushing, but he wasn't exactly eager to get where we were going either. I tilted my head up to look at him, the sheer scale of his face always catching me off guard. His jaw was set, his hazel eyes flicking toward the doors ahead with a focus that seemed almost too intense.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He glanced down, the tension in his expression easing just enough to give me a small, reassuring smile. "I'm fine," he said, though the tightness in his voice betrayed him. "Are you?"

I shrugged, though the movement felt tiny in his hand. "I'm nervous," I admitted, my gaze dropping to the curve of his thumb. "I don't know what to expect."

"Me neither," he said, his voice low and steady. "But I'm not letting anything happen to you. You know that, right?"

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I know."

"I wish we could've stayed in your dorm," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looked down at me, his hazel eyes meeting mine. They softened instantly, and he gave me a small, apologetic smile. "Me too," he murmured. "But we can't avoid this forever."

The double doors loomed ahead of us, tall and imposing. Darrick hesitated for a moment, his thumb brushing lightly against my arm in what felt like an unconscious gesture. Then, with a deep breath, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

The recreation room was massive, its bright lights making everything feel clinical and overwhelming. Tables were scattered throughout the space, each one occupied by a giant and their human partner. My heart sank as I realized we were late—the session had already begun.

The hum of quiet conversations and the occasional clatter of objects filled the room, but the atmosphere felt heavy, almost suffocating. My eyes darted around, taking in the sight of tiny humans dressed in identical blue jumpsuits—just like mine—seated at the tables alongside their giant partners. It was a surreal, almost unsettling sight.

I spotted Austin, Cole, and Jace right away, each of them sitting at separate tables. Cole looked unbothered, his easy grin plastered across his face as he chatted with his partner, a young male human who seemed if not as equally excited to talk to someone his own age . Austin's expression was stoic, his movements deliberate as he focused on whatever task was in front of him. He had a male partner, human, with a beard and strip of baldness threatening the man's hair line. He hobbled around the table as he completed the task before him, his jumpsuit tight on his beer belly. Tess could see Austins eyes were full of judgment, even from where Tess sat in Darrick's hands . Jace, on the other hand, looked fidgety, his knee bouncing under the table as he muttered something, she couldn't see his partner, couldn't see his partner past his body .

Darrick's presence was impossible to ignore as he moved through the room. Heads turned, both human and giant, their gazes lingering on him—and, by extension, me. I felt my cheeks flush under their scrutiny, but Darrick didn't seem to notice. His focus was on finding a table, his strides slower now as if trying to shield me from the attention.

We reached an empty table near the back of the room, and Darrick lowered me onto the smooth surface with a care that made my chest ache. His fingers lingered for a moment before pulling away, and I immediately missed the security of his hand.

"Ah, Darrick," a voice called out, sharp and professional. Lydia, one of the handlers, approached with a clipboard in hand. Her sharp eyes flicked between me and Darrick, her expression unreadable. "You've arrived just in time. Everyone else has been partnered up and already started."

Darrick nodded but didn't say anything. I could feel the tension radiating off him, the way his shoulders seemed just a little too stiff.

Lydia gestured to the materials on the table—blocks, rods, and other small tools. "You'll be working with your human partner today to complete a series of tasks. Start with the tower-building exercise." She didn't wait for a response, already moving on to the next table.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself as I looked up at Darrick. His hazel eyes softened as they met mine, the tension in his face melting away just enough to reassure me.

"It's just us," he said quietly, his voice low and warm. "We've got this."

I nodded, feeling a flicker of confidence at his words. "Okay," I said, my voice steadier now. "Let's do it."

Darrick tilted the task sheet so I could see it, his enormous hand careful not to knock over the pieces on the table. "We need to build a tower with the blocks," he explained, his tone calm and measured. "It has to hold up one of these rods."

I reached for the nearest block, my hands trembling slightly as I lifted it. It was heavier than I expected, and I struggled to balance it before setting it down. Darrick mouth tightened into a line noticing me struggle. His massive fingers moved closer, sliding another block toward me with a precision that seemed impossible for someone my own size.

"Start with this one," he said, his voice soft. "I'll keep it steady."

We worked together in silence, the rhythm of the task calming my nerves. Darrick's movements were slow and deliberate, his focus entirely on me and the tower we were building. Every so often, his fingers would hover near mine, ready to catch a block if it wobbled too much or to help me lift another block onto the first. I pushed his hands away, wanting to do the task myself without his help.

"I can do it" I huffed out a heavy breath, making Darrick smile at the confidence

"If you say so" his hand surrendered by his side, his eye watching me as i pulled and dragged the blocks with all my might,the muscles in my arms were already shaking once it came to the third block.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, planting my hands on my hips as I surveyed the half-built structure before me. My arms ached, my legs felt like jelly, and I was positive I was going to need a nap after this. But I refused to give up. No way. Not with Darrick sitting there watching me.

"Are you sure you don't want help?" Darrick's voice rumbled above me, soft but teasing. His hazel eyes sparkled as he leaned forward, resting his massive forearms on the table. From my perspective, his face loomed like a mountain, his amused smile only making me more determined to prove I could do this on my own.

"I've got this," I said, more to myself than to him. My voice came out breathier than I intended, and I hoped he wouldn't notice just how out of breath I was.

He quirked an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Tess, you're barely taller than these blocks. I think I can handle stacking a few of them."

"I don't need your help," I huffed, grabbing another block and dragging it over to the base of my wobbly tower. The weight of it made my arms tremble, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through. "I can- do this- myself."

"Uh-huh." His smirk widened as he leaned back slightly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You're doing great, by the way. Really. Just don't knock it over, or you might disappear under that thing."

I shot him a glare, though the effort it took to lift the block probably took the edge off. "I'll be- fine," I grumbled, positioning the block on top of the others. It teetered for a moment, and I held my breath until it finally settled into place.

"See?" I said, turning to him with what I hoped was a triumphant expression. "I told you I could do it."

Darrick chuckled, the sound deep and warm, like a rolling wave. "You're one stubborn little thing, you know that?"

"Stubborn and capable," I corrected, though my hands were already resting on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. My arms felt like they were made of lead, and I wasn't sure how many more blocks I could manage.

He leaned forward again, his massive hand resting near me on the table. "You don't have to do everything yourself, Tess," he said, his voice softening. "That's why I'm here."

"I know," I admitted, my gaze dropping to the tower. "But sometimes I just... I want to prove I can handle it. Even if it's something small."

His smile softened, and he nodded as if he understood completely. "I get it," he said. "But that doesn't mean you have to wear yourself out trying to move mountains."

"They're not mountains," I muttered, though the block in front of me certainly felt like one

"Could've fooled me," he teased, his smirk returning. "You're sweating like you just ran a marathon."

I stuck my tongue out at him, but even that felt like it took too much effort. He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and despite my exhaustion, I couldn't help but smile back.

"Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll let you finish it yourself. But if you get buried under that thing, don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't," I shot back, though the thought of him swooping in to rescue me wasn't exactly unappealing.

I turned back to the blocks, summoning what little energy I had left as I reached for another one. My arms protested, my legs wobbled, but I was determined to finish this. If nothing else, I wanted Darrick to see that I wasn't as fragile as I looked.

Behind me, I could hear him chuckling softly, his amusement clear even without words. He didn't say anything else, though, just watched as I slowly but surely added another block to the tower.

After some gruelling moment, the final block loomed in front of me like an immovable boulder. My arms were jelly, my legs barely holding me steady as I stared it down. The rest of the tower was finished, standing slightly taller than I was, but this last piece... I wasn't sure I had it in me. My breaths came in shallow puffs, and I swiped at the sweat beading on my forehead.

"You're almost there," Darrick said, his voice a low rumble of encouragement from above. His face was soft with a smile, though his hazel eyes carried the faintest hint of worry. He knew I was exhausted.

But I wasn't ready to admit defeat—not yet.

I wrapped my arms around the block, grunting softly as I tried to lift it. My muscles screamed in protest, the weight making me stumble slightly. "I've got this," I muttered, though the words sounded weak even to me.

Darrick's hand hovered near me, as if he was ready to scoop me up at the first sign of trouble. "Tess," he said gently, "you're gonna fall over."

"I'm not," I insisted, though my legs were shaking as I struggled to drag the block even an inch closer to the tower.

He sighed, leaning forward until his enormous hand rested just beside me. The warmth of his presence was comforting, even if it was also a reminder of just how small I was compared to him. "You're tired," he said, his voice soft but firm. "It's okay to let me help."

"I—" I started to argue but stopped, the weight of the block making my arms tremble. My determination faltered, giving way to a heavy sigh of defeat. I let go of the block, slumping onto the table beside it. "Fine," I muttered, flopping onto my back and staring up at the fluorescent lights above us. "You win."

A low chuckle rolled out of him, warm and deep like the hum of a distant storm. "It's not about winning," he said, his smile audible in his voice. "It's about working together. That's the whole point, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled, waving a hand weakly in his direction. "Just finish it for me. I'm taking a nap."

I heard the creak of his chair as he sat up straighter, his massive form shifting as he reached for the block. From my spot on the table, I could only see the edge of his hand as his fingers curled around it effortlessly, lifting it like it weighed nothing at all. The contrast between us was almost laughable.

"See?" he teased as he placed the block carefully on top of the tower, then the rod, steadying it with a single finger to balance like it were absolutely nothing at all. "Not so hard."

I groaned, draping an arm over my face. "Show-off."

His laugh was softer this time, and I felt the gentle brush of his finger against my side. "You did most of the work," he said, his voice warm. "I just finished it off."

"Uh-huh," I said, peeking out from under my arm to look up at him. His face was closer now, his hazel eyes full of amusement as he watched me.

"You're something else, you know that?" he said, his smile widening. I felt my cheeks heat, but I didn't look away. The sincerity in his voice made my chest ache in the best way.

I smiled, letting my arm fall away from my face. "Thanks," I said softly. "But next time? You're doing all the heavy lifting."

"Deal," he said, his hand hovering near me again. "You good?"

I nodded, though I didn't move from my spot on the table. "Just give me a minute. I'm too tired to do anything else."

"Take all the time you need," he said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile. "You earned it."

As I lay there, listening to the steady sound of his breathing, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Sure, I hadn't finished the tower on my own, but I'd done enough. And with Darrick by my side, I knew I didn't have to do everything by myself.