Recondite (Novella)

Chapter 14

"I can't believe you actually let me get a dilly bar," Adam giggled, leaning against Ty as he sleepily rubbed his eyes. Ty chuckled, beaming down at the little borrower.

"Well yeah-- I wanted one too!" He pointed out. Adam tittered in response, sighing happily as he snuggled the human's flank. Ty had curled up in the car seat in a position that allowed Adam and Harvey to rest on his side, both borrowers tired from their day out of the house as Ian drove them all back to Tyler's place.

"Alright good news guys," Quentin suddenly piped up, putting his phone away. "I just got off the phone with Tyler, he said that according to Jordan and Jess, the house is now 'Pest free'. Tyler apologized to Pest Control for Aunty Janet calling so uncalled for, and that she's just unstable with age."

"Go Tyler!" Adam cheered. Quentin smirked.

"Unfortunately that rewarded him a whack on the head with a broomstick." That sent Adam into a fit of giggles, Harvey smiling a little with a touch of sympathy.

"Does that mean we can stay?" He asked hopefully. Quentin frowned a little in thought, sticking his tongue out at the very corner of his mouth.

"... I dunno..." He admitted. "You'll have to talk to him."

"In the morning." Adam had curled up and wriggled under Ty's arm, dozing lightly in the human's body heat. "It's been a long day, and we need to rest," Harvey murmured. Quentin nodded in understanding and sat back, leaning away from Mitch and Jerome who were messing around with each other, Jason the victim in the middle as he yelped, being given a noogie.

"Hey!" Ian glared in the rear view mirror, a twinkle of humor in his eyes. "Don't make me turn this car around and put you two in the trunk!" He threatened with a grin. The two quickly stopped, chuckling nervously and apologizing to Jason. Mitch smiled sheepishly and sweeped a few tufts of the sandy brunette's hair back in place, yipping when Jason slapped his hand.

"Ok I guess I deserved that," he mumbled, rubbing his hand. Ty chuckled, then looked down to check on Adam. Harvey had moved to lay against the human's arm, resting next to Adam. Both had their eyes closed, Adam snuggling Ty more intimately than Harvey, who still seemed cautious.

"That's adorable," Jason cooed from the backseat, having leaned forward to see what Ty was looking at. "It's like you're a cat and they're your kittens." Ty was silent for a moment, then let out a convincing meow, making them all chuckle as Jason reached forward and scooped Harvey up. Harvey stirred and meeped, Jason shushing him softly and sitting back. Ty smiled and left Harvey to be cuddled to death and cooed over by the four grown men in the back, checking on Adam again.

He wasn't there.

 Alarmed, Ty looked around for his tiny friend before feeling something on his scruff, and he yelped and tilted his head back.

"Hey!" He giggled as Adam burrowed through his hair, emerging on top of his head.

"Dood, you really need to wash your hair!" Adam teased. Ty rolled his eyes.

"I'm out of shampoo."

"What kind of hair product do you use then?" The tiny human asked, stroking a soft thick tuft.

"I don't-I don't use hair products," Ty grinned.

"Oh... Is that why your hair always looks so greasy?"

"Oooohoho, he told you!" Ian laughed. Ty grinned weakly, but something seemed to be distracting him, which Adam picked up on.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, tugging on a tuft of hair. Ty sighed.

"It's just... We've had that conversation before."

"We have?" Adam felt guilty for making Ty think about the past. "I'm sorry Ty," he mewled, laying down just above his forehead. Ty shook his head, careful to not make Adam fall off.

"It's fine." A smile came back over him. "Really," he assured as Ian pulled into the driveway. Ian sighed and cut the engine, then turned around in his seat to stare down his friends in the back, who were arguing over the poor borrower that they all found adorable.

"Alright, who has Harvey?" They glanced at each other, then Quentin procured the borrower from his pocket, having been wise and stayed out of the quarrel. Harvey yawned as he was taken out, and Ian held his hand out demandingly, as if dealing with children. The others grumbled a little as Quentin complied obediently. Ian tucked Harvey safely into his pocket, and then got out of the car without another word. Quentin followed, and Jerome and Mitch scooted over to join them outside. Jason looked back at Ty.

"Can I hold him?" He asked hopefully.

"Sorry Jason, but he's really tired," Ty politely rejected, getting out of the car. Jason shrugged it off, understanding, and got out as well, and the two headed inside to join the others.

"Heeeeyyyy you guysss!" Tyler was sprawled over the couch, slurring his words. "Ya maaade iiit!" He cheered weakly.

"... Are you drunk?" Ty asked. Tyler scoffed and laughed.

"Nah, we don't have any alcohol-- don't do drugs kids!" He added seriously, pointing at the two friends. Jason and Ty shared a look, blinking in confusion.

"... So how's Aunty Janet?" Jason asked nervously. Tyler threw his head back and chuckled.

"Oh yeeeeeaaaaah, she's faaaantastic," he sighed dreamily, being sarcastic. "She's ultimately p*ssed off, but hey? What else could I possibly do? I gotz tiny peoplez to save."

"Ok," Ty interrupted. "So, you're not drunk, or any of the other sh*tty stuff people really shouldn't do to themselves... So what are you?"

"I'm hiiiiiiigh on liiiife!" Tyler sang, hanging his head off the edge of the couch. "Fan-flipping-tastic!"

"... Ooooookay then..." Jason arched one eyebrow. "I think he's dazed or something."

"May have hit my head on the wall a few times after Aunty Janet left with her broomstick," Tyler yawned, making it sound like no big deal. Ty facepalmed.

"Ugh... Ian," he called out as soon as he saw the raven-haired male jog down the stairs. "Can you uh... Sort Tyler out? He hit his head on the wall."

"Repeatedly!" Tyler added with a giggle. Ian raised his brow, but he didn't question it.

"Well, if he had drank or something I'd be  checking him in to the hospital right now," he threatened.

"Sooo life lesson: Never do alcohol, drugs, or anything else bad!" Ty asserted.

"Yep." Ian nodded. "Even if others are doing it... Now best go to bed, I'll take care of Tyler."

"Fine, night then," Ty sighed as he and Jason headed upstairs. He mumbled a "good night" to Jason before shutting his door, and he stood there for a moment before reaching up to his head and gently peeling Adam off of him.

The little shrunken human was asleep, curled up in the center of Ty's palm, barely filling up the space in his hand. He was as light as a mere handful of paperclips... Ty smiled softly and hugged the borrower to his chest, feeling Adam stir at the change in temperature, but he didn't wake up. He carried Adam to his bed, seeing that Ian had set Harvey down on his pillow, and he chuckled fondly, also noticing that he too was fast asleep. He eased himself onto the bed and picked Harvey up, settling both tiny beings on his chest and sighing peacefully.

Adam suddenly stirred awake and crawled up Ty's chest, nestling against his throat and settling down there. Ty had stiffened in surprise, then relaxed and smiled, resting his hand over his tiny friend and gently hugging him close. Adam squirmed a little, wriggling further under the hand, then went still again. Chuckling softly, Ty reached over to Harvey with his other hand, scooping the sleepy borrower up and setting him down next to Adam, covering them both with his hand. Harvey only shifted a little at the change in where he lay, but didn't wake up. Adam had also gone back to sleep, and Ty glanced out the window at the dark starry night before smiling and closing his eyes, slipping into a peaceful sleep with his two tiny friends close to him.