Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pin? Check. Hook? Check. Cloak? Check.

Carter glanced down at himself, making sure that he had everything he needed for tonight's scavenge. It was always a process, making sure that every little detail lined up perfectly, but every borrower knew that one small slip up could mean life or death. At this point though the small boy was used to living on edge. Being a stout five inches tall, Carter had to be constantly wary of every move he made. There aren't many things that can't kill him-- Even one wrong slip from high up in the walls could send him plummeting to his death.

He swallowed and gripped his bag tighter, trying not to think about it.

Humans were incredibly perceptive, but equally as unobservant. He'd been living in this house for his entire life, and his actions were never once noticed. To be fair, the things he was taking weren't big. In fact they were things that humans had either discarded, or have in abundance so much that they wouldn't notice a dent. But the fear of being caught never left the back of his mind. His kind was to stay hidden and remain that way, for who knew what happened to those who were caught. They were often never heard from again.

He'd heard stories from his parents, of the humans trapping borrowers, torturing them, keeping them as pets, and worse. He couldn't hold any truth to it, but it did it's job to scare him away from doing most of his bolder thoughts and kept him safe as a child, even if a little traumatized. There was nothing more dangerous than a human's insatiable curiosity.

But that bridge went both ways. Although it was just his way of life to live off of their scraps, the tiny borrower found himself absolutely captivated by the ginormous world above him. The things they discarded were often very useful, and if not they at least made cool trinkets. The humans scared him completely, but their possessions and abundance of food had always blown him away.

He thought back to his first scavenge, the first time his parents had let him leave their home in the walls. They had finally caved after months of him begging them, and trying to prove that he was old and responsible enough to go. His big brother had always been the one going to help his father, as he was eight years older, but Carter was eager to know what it was like. The stories didn't cut it.

He still remembered the rush of adrenaline as his father pushed aside the loose panel, providing a small entrance into the massive world for the first time.

His first visit was to the pantry, for a cracker and some pasta if they were lucky, but he found himself stuck in his tracks at the vastness of it all. Rows upon rows of food lined up before him, on shelves so much bigger than he'd ever seen before in his life. Jars towered over him, containing foods and liquids alike, big enough to encase him entirely. That was the moment when he truly realized what he was up against and why stealth was so important to his parents, and his survival.

Luckily for him every mission they had gone on together was successful, with the humans being none the wiser. 

Well, until the day when nobody returned. 

Carter grimaced at the memories, shaking his head clear of them. Almost a year had passed since his family had vanished, leaving him to fend for himself, but thankfully they were excellent teachers. It wasn't easy but he moved on without them, sleeping in their beds whenever his emotions got the best of him. 

They were taking on a dangerous task and they all knew it, venturing out into the unfenced backyard. It was fair game for anything to eat you out there, or worse. But unfortunately in order to plan a move they had to go scouting, using the opportunity to grab other necessities on the way back. 

But that day never came.

They had tasked Carter with taking care of the den and their belongings, promising to see him once again in a matter of days. He was 18 at the time, and could handle what they asked of him no problem, but he always wished he could have gone with them. At least if they were dead then they all could have gone together, and he wouldn't be stuck with this gut-wrenching loneliness.

But things had started to look up after the two older humans of the house moved out, leaving just one behind. Borrowing was much easier as following the schedule of one human was so much easier than two or three, especially since this one wasn't even home half the time.

It was in the late hours of the night now, and Carter knew that the human would be fast asleep. He was running out of supplies and if he was going to get more to last him the week, now was his chance. He took a deep breath and slid aside the tin door to his humble abode, stepping out into the darkness of the walls. His eyes immediately adjusted to the dim light, having lived in it his whole life, and he began the slow but careful journey through the walls.

From what he was aware he lived under their living room, a home picked out by his parents themselves when they originally moved in. It was conveniently close to the kitchen and many other entrances they had found over the years, and even had a backdoor to the outside world, just through the brick maze. The perfect spot for any borrower family.

All throughout the inside of the walls were staples, wires, strings and bits of wood filed away to hold on to, effectively creating a mile tall obstacle course leading to each destination. Borrowers were excellent climbers, but it was still a treacherous journey every time he went, especially on the way back. Carrying supplies and jumping from ledges was never easy, but Carter had never had a problem with it before. 

Almost effortlessly he leaped between the metal supports and balanced himself on the wooden walkways, reaching the kitchen wall in record time. Nailed it, he thought to himself, letting him revel in his small victory before wrapping his hands around a long string that disappeared into the blackness above. He gave it a tug, double checking that it would hold his weight before he began the climb. 

His bag of supplies made it difficult to balance, but his tail swayed to help keep him in place. Before long he reached the top, pulling himself up onto the platform with an exhausted huff. Before him stood a row of tiles with a small crack of light filtering through one of the sides. With a grip like iron Carter pulled the hunk of ceramic out of position, giving him just enough room to slip through and jump down onto the kitchen counter.

Shivers raked up his spine as he stepped out of the comfort of the walls, staring out into the beyond. He didn't think he'd ever get used to feeling so tiny. About thirty steps ahead of him the counter vanished, dropping to an even lower floor below. A fall that could kill him if he wasn't careful. Thankfully what he was looking for was kept near the walls, in easily accessible containers.

The bread was his first target, kept in a brown box with a liftable lid on the other side of the kitchen counter. A small chunk off the end of the loaf or some crumbs had never been missed by a human before, or if they were Carter had never heard them complain. What was a meal for them could last him a month. But he was always careful not to take too much, looking over his shoulder at every noise that echoed through the night.

Keeping their sugar in an open bowl instead of a lidded jar was a brilliant move on this new humans' part. It made taking it so much easier than before, turning a two person job into just cupping it in his hands and pouring it into a smaller pouch. It was a luxury to him as a child, as it was so hard to get to before, but this human thankfully used it often and kept it out.

He thought back to how many little things have changed since the two older humans moved out and his family's disappearance. Both happened at around the same time, causing an extreme shift in his living style. For months he was tormented by the thoughts of them dead, always believing that the two humans had taken them when they left, leaving him and their house behind to rot in the dust.

Fortunately for him though things got easier after they went bad, with a new human moving in and landing him right where he was now, brave enough to be in the wide open on a borrowing mission once again. It was just like any other he'd done in the past nine months of solitude, everything going smoothly.

But something shifted in the distance, something that threatened every ounce of bravery the small borrower harboured. It was unmistakably the sound of a human approaching, heavy footsteps growing closer by the second.

Quickly his eyes darted to the hallway where he knew the human's room was, eyes widening in panic. Everything in Carter's body went cold, and it felt like his heart was pumping ice through his veins. No, he thought to himself, this can't be happening. It was the middle of the night, he was supposed to be dead asleep.

The borrower's eyes darted to the loose tile in the wall that he had emerged from, but the sickening realization set in fast. He wouldn't have enough time to make it across the counter before the human got here. But he was damn well going to try. Hastily he scrambled to pick up his bag once more and make a run for it, accidentally dropping the pouch of sugar he had just gathered. He cursed under his breath as it spilled behind him, leaving a mess that he didn't have time to clean, and that the human would obviously see.

No, no, no, His brain screamed as his feet propelled him forwards, carrying him faster than he had ever run before in his life. Still, it wasn't faster than a human could walk, and before he could even make it to the sink the kitchen was flooded with light. Through the shock he was able to act on instinct, diving behind the coffee machine for cover, beside the bread cupboard. It wasn't the greatest as it only protected him from one side, but it could potentially keep him out of view long enough for the human to leave and him to escape. His heart pumped mercilessly against his ribcage, and silently he prayed that the other would go away soon.

The footsteps grew closer to the counter, rattling his bones with every step. He didn't dare move a muscle in case the human would see him, and he could barely hold back a squeak as a giant arm came into view and turned on the sink beside him. Carter's eyes widened. It was massive. The borrower didn't even want to imagine how big the rest of him was.

He could hear the sound of a glass being filled and then drank, before being placed down empty on the counter with a satisfied sigh. Maybe he was in the clear? Maybe the human would be too tired to notice his mess before he could clean it up and escape from this death trap? The tiny boy's thoughts were frantic, but he tried to stay positive. It was better than listening to the voice screaming you're gonna die.  

A heavy silence washed over the room, and Carter tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He almost thought that the human would leave him alone, when suddenly behind him came a low voice.

"Huh." Was all it said, but the single word was enough to fill Carter with terror as he heard things around him begin to move.

His mother's voice rang in his ears. Nothing is more dangerous than a human's curiosity.

Weakly he curled in on himself, back braced against the sleek black surface of the coffee maker. He wanted nothing more in this moment than to disappear, to not have this raging fear tear him apart from the inside, to just hide alone in the dark once more.

But unfortunately all sense of safety was ripped away from him as the machine he leaned against moved, getting pushed perpendicular to the wall, perfectly cutting off Carter's exit.

Frozen in place he now stood completely out in the open, face to face with an actual, living human bean that loomed high above him.

"Woah.." The giant breathed, barely a whisper. His eyes were huge and filled with wonder, a sight that made Carter's stomach turn. Every rational part of him screamed to get out of there, to make a break for it, but he couldn't move. His fear froze him to the core.

He'd been caught. He was careless and now he had to pay the ultimate price. What would this human plan on doing with him? 

Carter's feet acted before he even had time to think, taking slow, terrified steps away until his back hit the cold tile wall. He jumped and looked behind him, half expecting to see the clear wall of a jar closing him in, but to his bewilderment the human made no move to grab him. Instead the two just stared each other down, neither of them saying a word.

That is, until the human broke the silence. 

"...are you okay?" 

The question caught him off guard. Why would a giant concern himself over a tiny thief? 

No, Carter wanted to scream, I'm not okay with this. But he knew better. It was bad enough that his existence was now known, but he'd be breaking the ultimate rule by speaking. He gave the other no reply, trying to meld his trembling limbs with the wall behind him, wishing he had never stepped foot outside the den tonight.

His silence must have bugged the human, who's brows furrowed into an expression Carter couldn't read. Without warning a giant hand moved closer to him, much too close for comfort. He instinctively pulled out his pin and held it in front, his only source of protection from a massive being that definitely had the ability to crush him if he wanted. He was prepared to stab it into any digits that tried to close around him -- no way in hell was he being grabbed tonight.

But, much to his surprise, an attack never came. Instead upon seeing his sword and defensive stance the human retracted his hand a little, almost as if he was respecting his space.

"It's okay," the giant cooed, "I won't hurt you."

Yeah right, Carter huffed, not believing a word of it. Being under such an intense stare felt like needles on his skin, and he wanted to throw up. He flinched as the hand moved again, expecting it to snatch him at any given moment, but it only opened up to a huge palm. 

"..This is yours, isn't it?" The question shook him from his thoughts, the low voice making his eyes meet with the human's once more. His gaze was unwavering, searching for any sign of recognition in his little frame. Carter's eyes drifted down towards the outstretched palm once more, just now seeing what he was holding.

It was his sugar pouch that he dropped. Completely empty of contents, but fully intact. Carter's head whipped up to stare back at the human, bewildered by his actions and friendly smile. Maybe this was just an elaborate setup to get him to move closer? He didn't trust the gesture, and made no move to grab his belongings from the giant death trap. 

The human seemed to understand his wariness, and carefully tilted his hand so that the small item would fall to the ground by his feet. Carter stared back in confusion, wondering why on earth a bean would be helping him rather than dissecting him. It made him uneasy, and he didn't dare break eye contact as he slowly bent over to pick up the bag. 

The human's smile widened, sending shivers down his spine. The hand moved once again, slower this time, pulling back before reaching to the left.

"You need sugar, right?" He asked after another awkward silence, not really expecting an answer. For a split second he averted his gaze to grab the cup of sugar by the bread cabinet, carefully bringing it closer to them until the dish separated the two.

"You can have some, it's okay. I won't stop you." As if giving extra confirmation, the human took a step back from the counter and gestured to the bowl.

Carter remained still, scared and confused. Every part of him wanted to run, to get as far away from here as possible, but he didn't because he knew he'd just be captured. But this human had him cornered within arms reach and wasn't hurting him. He was helping him. 

But why? The question rang in his ears, over and over again, drowning out the sound of his racing heart. He had done nothing but try to take from him in the night, that much he knew the human could see, so why would he try to help? Carter hesitated, trying to find any ulterior motive as to why, but his mind blanked. This human was proving wrong everything he knew about their kind, but the little borrower didn't let down his guard.

His gaze flicked between his pouch, the sugar, and the human. He had absolutely no reason to trust him, but if he didn't take this chance then he probably wasn't going to bring home any ever again. Now that he was found this was the last time he'd ever be spending in the kitchen. If he got out of here alive, he thought to himself.

Slowly, as if unsure of his actions, Carter took a shaky step towards the sugar and filled his pouch. Thankfully, the other didn't move. He didn't need anyone's help to keep himself fed, especially not a human's, but if he was just going to give it to him then he wouldn't turn it down. Besides, he was afraid of what would happen if he refused. The last thing he wanted was to be rude to somebody who could end him in a heartbeat.

He'd just play it safe for now, and wait for an escape opportunity to arise. His gaze switched between the pushed-out tile in the wall where he had entered, and trailed back to the scruffy freckled human that was stopping him from leaving. Except he hadn't really stopped him from doing anything so far, making Carter question if this one was really as evil as he was told. 

His nervousness and rapid glances didn't go unnoticed by the giant in front of him, who broke the heavy silence once more. 

"Oh," he commented quietly, coming to the realization that he basically had him trapped here this entire time. "You want to leave.." He couldn't quite place it, but there was a sad tone to the booming voice.

Without even thinking, Carter gave a shaky nod of affirmation. He desperately wanted to leave, to get somewhere safe and have his limbs not feel like they're about to collapse like a house of cards.

"I get that," the human said in response, giving his own nod. "I won't keep you here, it must be terrifying.."

He gave another nod to confirm.

"Shit, I'm sorry." 

Carter was unsure if he was believing what he was hearing. An apology? For what? Was he really just going to let him go? After he'd caught him red handed? Confusion swam around his thoughts. There was no way a bean would just let him walk away, something like that was practically unheard of. The only stories he'd heard of borrowers who ever made it back from contact with a human had to fight for their freedom, and the results weren't pretty.

Yet, ever so slowly, Carter began to creep towards the sink and the loose tile, not breaking eye contact. He still had quite a ways to go, and the human would definitely see the entrance and seal it off or set traps, but losing a door was a price he was willing to pay for his life. If he could make it there.

His pace quickened, limbs pushing through the terror that froze him in place a minute ago. The human seemed to be sticking to their word, surprisingly not making any effort to grab him or stop him from leaving. Carter figured that if he was ever going to escape, now would be the time to do it before the human changed his mind. 

His scared backtracking switched into a full on sprint after sheathing his pin, taking him past the sink and back towards safety. He clutched his bag tightly and stared ahead at the exit, trying to ignore the sickening feeling of being watched as the human's eyes followed his every move.

This shouldn't be working, he thought, half expecting a jar to slam around him before he could make it very far, but again no attack ever came. Instead he made it safely across the counter to the other wall, giving the human a long, puzzled look before pushing the ceramic tile in and trying to quickly crawl through.

"Wait," pleaded the same tired voice that found him earlier. Carter stopped sliding the tile back into place, head swiveling towards the human through the small crack. "Will you come back?" 

The small boy didn't have to think twice before shaking his head. No. Borrowers had to move out as soon as they were spotted, so that no bean could ever find them. It's impossible to live a life of secrecy when someone is expecting you to be there, and Carter wasn't sure if he could handle another close encounter like that again.

In a matter of seconds he was back in the safety of the wall, fitting the tile back into its hole. Just as it closed he caught a glimpse of the human's disappointed expression, his stomach turning into knots. As soon as he was alone and away from prying eyes a huge sigh escaped his lips, and he tried to calm his trembling body.

He was alive. He made it. The human had let him go.

But why? 

Chapter Text

Whenever he was visiting the house growing up, Eric's grandparents had always told him to be careful where he put things as they seemed to vanish quite frequently. Just little things, like bobby pins and buttons and elastics. Even money and food sometimes. He'd always chalked it up as just the family forgetfulness or maybe an air of bad luck around the house, but never would he imagine tiny people living in the walls and taking their things. 

And now he lived here, witnessing it happening to himself.

Eric stared up at his ceiling, completely unable to sleep. Something unimaginable had just happened, and he genuinely wondered if he had hallucinated it all. But even after rubbing his eyes free of any lingering sleepiness, he could still see clear as day the terrified face and shaky breaths of the small blonde sugar thief on his counter. For hours he lay there, replaying the events over and over in his brain. 

The little guy looked pretty human, but there was no way people that small existed. And had fluffy ears and tails. He was obviously terrified and had the intelligence to understand him (let alone make improvised weapons and tools) so there was no way that Eric would have kept him there like a prisoner against his will, but damn did he wish that they could have talked more. He'd examined the hole in the kitchen wall which the other had fled from, but couldn't see very far in. Curiously he wondered how deep the wall trenches were, and how many more of them could be hiding in there.

The sun began to rise from behind the horizon, with Eric still unable to wrap his mind around the existence of someone so tiny. Had he made the right decision? Will he be alright? Would he ever come back again now? How long has he been here in the first place? Unending questions danced around inside his head, not leaving him a moment of peace. 

As the day continued things went on like nothing had ever happened. The birds sang like normal, the TV was boring like normal, and Eric was alone. Like normal. He was unable to get the small person off of his mind for even a second and actually considered leaving a note asking for a chance to meet again, but he heavily doubted that would work. The other hadn't spoken a word to him, and Eric idly wondered if he could even read. 

Every little bump and scratch that he heard throughout the day put him on high alert and had him looking around, wondering if it would be the return of his house-mate. But as the day droned on and faded into the next one, Eric wondered a little sadly if the little one would stick to his word, truly intending to not come back. 

It sure seemed like it, as the third day of silence rolled around with nobody else in sight, and nothing small in the house disturbed. He even 'accidentally' dropped a few small things yesterday but they remained where they fell, collecting dust on the floor. Even the kitchen tile stayed in the same place, untouched by small hands. Eric let out a long sigh as he got ready for work, figuring he should give up hope of them meeting again. 

The tiny adventurer had probably packed up his things and was long gone by now.

///////

Carter huffed, puffing out his cheeks and raking his hands through his hair. He was supposed to be all packed up and long gone by now, but things weren't really going to plan. Supplies were almost gone as he hadn't been on a borrowing mission since that fateful night, afraid of any potential traps he might run into. 

His best guess was likely to find a new home. He thought about the neighbours' houses around him, weighing the pros and cons of each one. To the left was a house much bigger than his current one, but he also knew that a family lived there, meaning more humans to avoid. And kids. Carter swallowed, thinking back to being on the counter. He knew that he wouldn't be so lucky with anyone else.

The sweet small house on the right was his other option, with one or two humans there who loved to garden. But, if he remembered correctly, they also had a cat. Carter thought back to the day he was exploring the yard perimeter and had looked over, only to be greeted with angry yellow eyes on the hunt. He barely had enough time to step back before a claw came swiping through the small gap in the fence. Houses with pets were out of the question.

He chewed his lip, knowing that his only other option would be to stay in the yard until he found someplace new, which would be one hell of a journey. The outside world was beautiful and fascinating, but the vastness of it all could swallow him whole if he wasn't careful.

The blonde had barely scraped together enough essentials for a scouting trip, even just throughout the yard, but every time he went to leave his journey got delayed. Ever since the incident, the ugly grey sky did nothing but rain.

Moving was going to be impossible, and by day two he was running out of emergency rations.

He spent a fair amount of time today sitting on his bed, pondering his choices. His family had left behind so many things when they disappeared, things that Carter couldn't bring with him but also couldn't stand to leave behind. Hell, he had a full house worth of things that he'd have to regather, whenever he found his next place to live. Borrowers were supposed to not have that many things, so that they could travel lightly when needed, but they had all grown so comfortable in these walls. Almost forgetting that they'd have to leave some day.

He swallowed the lump rising in his throat, the uncertainty of it all making him feel sick. He didn't want to move away from his childhood home, but he wasn't safe to stay here now that he was seen. Who knows what the human would do to him if he caught him again?

Immediately Carter's mind trailed to all of the stories he's heard, and cautionary tales that his parents told him. None of them were pleasant, and a shudder of fear echoed through his body.

But how many of them were actually real? Had any of them really faced a human before, or were they all just tales? Why had he been let go?

He would be lying if he said he hadn’t been haunted by the questions every waking moment. How could he not? He had been trapped and by all accounts he should've been grabbed, or crushed or stuck in whatever it was humans did to borrowers at the very least.

Yet here he was, back in his home safe and sound. Because a bean had let him go.

Everything the human had said and done that night stood in direct contrast to what Carter believed. If this human wasn't bad, then not all of them could be, right? Maybe if this one didn't mind him living here, then he wouldn't have to try and move? He tried to not let the thoughts consume him, but the days of constant overthinking and not sleeping stoked his smoldering curiosity right up into a roaring need for an answer.

And he couldn't think of a better day to get one than the third rainy day in a row. He was stuck inside until the endless water stopped, and he'd starve until he either confronted this human or tried to be even stealthier when he went out. Neither of them were favourable options, but at least if he chose to talk he could finally get some answers.

Carter’s gaze slid slowly upwards, as though he could see through the floor into the kitchen above him where everything had unfolded. His stomach twisted with emotions. 

It was forbidden to speak to a human, but who was there to enforce it? Not his parents, and not his brother, who would certainly be flipping his lid if he knew what he was planning. But besides, he'd already broken borrower law by being seen and got out unscathed. Doing it once more couldn't hurt, right? Carter swallowed tightly, a voice in the back of his head shrieking at him for even considering this.

But when would he ever have this chance again? The questions would torment him for the rest of his life if they went unanswered, leaving a part of him always wondering, and that wasn't an acceptable option. 

He made up his mind. He'd do it.

Curiosity was truly a dangerous thing.

a couple hours later

Pin? Check. Hook? Check. Dwindling sense of sanity? Double check.

Carter went over the plan again and again in his head, realizing that he was risking everything once more just to know. It was a question that had the ability to change his life and where he lived, so he had to do it. A million anxieties swam around his head, trying to dissuade him from leaving, the biggest one echoing the loudest. 

What if this time he doesn't let me go?

It might have been sheer optimism but at no point did he see himself being captured or grabbed by the human that lived above. He might just be delusionally hungry and sleep deprived, but without those he probably wouldn't have the courage to leave the safety of the walls.

Carter took a deep breath and pushed aside the tin door that separated his small life from the giants above. He looked behind him before shutting it, burning the memory of his home into his head like it was the last time he'd ever see it. Exhaustion settled deep in his limbs, his body straining from all the stress he's been under in the past few days. Moving hurt, his legs protesting every step that he took forward, but he pushed on down the narrow corridors. The human was only gone for a few hours at a time, so if he was doing this he had to act fast. 

Every step he took was coated in caution, eyes peeled for anything that could go wrong, but the climb to the kitchen went the same as it always did. Nothing was out of place, no traps had been set, even his climbing string wasn't cut. It felt.. eerily normal. 

When he reached the platform at the top of the rope just inches from the kitchen wall, he stopped. Am I really about to do this? Carter thought faintly, giving himself one last chance to turn around and act like their encounter had never happened..

But he would never get another chance like this.

He edged the tile out of its socket, the scrape of the ceramic making him flinch. It popped free faster than usual, or so it felt. He could feel his hands shake as he pushed it aside, peering through into the world beyond. Light beamed through the hole and flooded the inner walls, chasing away the comfortable darkness that the little borrower had grown so accustomed to. 

Slowly Carter slipped first his legs, then the rest of himself through the opening, taking extra care not to make a sound as he stepped onto the counter. He knew the human wasn't home, as he hadn't heard the warning sound of the jingling keys in the lock just yet, but that didn't stop him from being on edge.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, and began to walk. Being heard was top priority; having a conversation didn't mean the two had to directly look at each other, so Carter opted for hiding behind the curtains on the window above the sink. It wasn't the best spot, but it provided a much better sense of safety than the coffee machine. 

Once he got to the base of the window he threw his hook into the side of the fabric, taking a few tries before it caught into the seam at the bottom. The climb seemed to go by rather fast, and before he knew it he was hoisting himself up onto the deep windowsill and putting away his tools. It took more out of him than he'd thought tho, dropping to his knees for a moment to regain his composure. 

Before him towered a few potted plants, their leaves pressed up against the glass, trying to absorb as much sunlight as they possibly could. The window was open about an inch, sending a small gust of cold air past the boy and making the curtains flutter lightly. He chewed his lip and stared outside, watching the raindrops streak down the glass. The sky was getting darker and he knew the human would be home any time now. 

All that was left to do was wait.

Which, to Carter's surprise, didn't take long at all. He'd gotten lost in his thoughts, staring out at the world beyond from his perch, and was only jostled out of them by the loud crunch of a vehicle pulling into the driveway. The borrower's heart leapt up to his throat as he recognized the black car and the human stepping out of it, remembering why he was out here in the first place.

He stood back up and walked closer to the curtains, hiding himself behind their dark burgundy fabric. Timidly he peered into the kitchen, only the top of his head sticking out. 

This is insane, he thought to himself, trying to stay calm.

He tensed as he heard the familiar jingle of the keys, and a short pause before the door opened. The human entered as usual, making the trek to his room first before returning to the kitchen, right on schedule.

This was it, Carter thought, staying in his hiding spot until the other was close enough to hear him. 

He cleared his throat before speaking, trying to swallow the fear.

Chapter Text

Work had been pretty uneventful, going by rather quickly. Unsurprisingly not many people liked to visit streetside businesses in the rain, especially to get paper products or pick up their printing. It was a quiet, easy job at the stationary store, and he liked it.

Driving home had been equally as boring, his only company being the endless rain that pelted against his windshield, and the darkening sky above. They were in for quite a storm tonight, the weatherman had said. He had the radio on for a bit, but that too just eventually became noise in the back of his mind. It was hard to focus on anything lately.

The house greeted Eric with the familiar groan of the wooden steps beneath his tired feet, the door letting out a long ominous creak as it opened and shut behind him. The lingering smell of his grandparents immediately put him at ease; even though it was mostly his belongings in there now for the past year, he still liked to imagine that he was a kid again, coming in to eat dinner from playing in the yard.

But instead of smelling sizzling food and seeing the soft glow from the tv in the living room where his grandpa always sat, there was silence. The place was dead quiet, and Eric let out a long sigh as the loneliness began to creep in slowly.

He made his way past the kitchen and towards his room to drop off his work bag, not bothering to check the loose tile on his way by to see if it had been moved. It was time he accepted the fact that his little houseguest was gone, and that it was foolish to spend so much time and energy wishing for something that wouldn't come back.

Eric threw his phone and bag down onto his bed, rubbing his eyes before returning to the kitchen for some water. He stood there for a minute at the sink as he drank, staring out the window lost in thought. 

And that's when he heard it.

"You let me go.." 

The voice was there. It was impossibly small and a little hard to hear, but it was definitely there. But where was it coming from? Eric frantically looked around, gasping lightly when his eyes landed on the slightly adjacent kitchen tile that he'd inspected earlier. It was pushed aside enough for someone only a few inches big to crawl through.

"You're still here?" he said incredulously, voice dripping in awe. The counters were empty though, with no signs of life hiding anywhere on them. Eric wanted to search for the little guy but chose to remain still, worried that he'd stop talking again if he got too scared. 

"I don't know where else to go.." Carter answered under his breath before he could stop himself. He clamped a hand over his mouth as if he could somehow shove the words back in, but it didn't seem to matter. They were too quiet for the giant to hear.

"So why?" Carter pushed on before he lost all of his bravery. "Why did you let me run?" The question that had been burning him inside for days finally slipped out.

"Why..?" Eric repeated, his head swiveling towards the sink. Where was this voice coming from? Had he really risked being seen again just to talk to him? 

"I don't know.." He continued, bringing a hand up to anxiously rub the back of his neck. "What did you expect me to do? You looked scared, and I kind of interrupted you in the middle of what you were doing."

Carter's brows furrowed.

"....Trap me? Kill me?" He answered honestly, mostly out of anxiety. "Y-you're not mad that I was stealing?"

Eric blanked. "Mad? No, of course not… Just a little surprised I guess. But trust me, I would never hurt you." The room fell silent and he paused, thinking things over for a moment. "Are you back for more sugar? Or do you need something else..?"

"No." His small voice replied sharply, shaking his head even though he knew the human couldn't see it. "I just came to talk." 

"Well I'm all ears." 

The blonde gulped, thinking hard. He'd already broken the two most important rules he knew to follow; Don't be seen, and don't speak to humans. So he had to stick to the third. Leave if you get found. He owed that much to his people at least. To his parents. If they were to see him now, talking to a human, they'd never let him hear the end of it.

"I-" The borrower faltered, the words slipping out of his mouth. He nervously gripped his bag tighter, voice wavering with uncertainty. He didn't want to go. 

"I'm leaving. Tonight." 

"Wait like, for good?"

Carter didn't answer, but the silence that fell around the room was confirmation enough.

"You can't," the human blurted out, immediately correcting himself. "I mean you can, it's not like I can stop you, but this storm is supposed to get way worse tonight…. Will you be safe?" 

Carter's gaze panned over to the window and he chewed his lip in thought. If the weather was supposed to get worse than this, then there was no way he could manage moving for at least another day or two. And if the human knew that he was here, there was no way he could continue scavenging in secret. 

His stomach grumbled, and he couldn't satisfy it. A tight feeling began to form in his chest, making him want to cry. For the first time in a long time he didn't know what to do. Things really weren't going his way.

"You can stay here longer," The human's soft tone broke the silence, tearing him from his racing thoughts. "I don't mind."

"I cant..." The smaller one looked away as he replied, unable to decipher his conflicting emotions. Why was this human being so nice?

"Why not?" The question slipped out of Eric's mouth, unable to hold back his curiosity. His expression wilted, a little sad that none of his offerings were being taken. 

"Because," Carter replied, repeating the words that his parents had engraved into his head. "We leave when we're seen. Humans and borrowers don't mix. It's dangerous." 

"Borrowers.. so that's what you're called?" Eric echoed back, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. "And there's more of you?" 

No reply. 

"Well, I can promise you that you're in no danger here," he continued, changing the subject. "I'm not like other humans... but I understand if you don't believe me." 

Silence draped around the two once more as Carter took the other's words in. The worst thing was that he was starting to actually believe him, that maybe he truly had a chance to stay here unharmed. A thing borderline unheard of in borrower society. Every fibre of his being wanted to stay, to keep living here like nothing had ever happened, but he hated the idea of his existence being known. He also dreaded the alternative of running away just as much, and the complications that entailed.

"I can't trust you," he blurted before he could stop himself, mouth running on autopilot.

"..But you are right now." 

The five words made him freeze. He was right. This whole crazy idea had stemmed on the fact that Carter had trusted this human not to attack him. Trusted him to let him leave a second time. Maybe this one really was different. Maybe he didn't have to run. After all this was his home too, and if he was being invited to stay, why should he be forced to leave? 

"Just think about it?" Eric urged on, knowing he was putting a lot on the other's plate. "The invitation to stay. I'll do whatever you want to make you feel comfortable." 

Carter's tail flicked in agitation. He couldn't handle it anymore, every part of him screamed to steal a look at the giant that broke his every expectation. Why was he so adamant on keeping him around? And why was he so kind about everything? The confusion clouded his mind, and against his better judgement he peeked out from behind the curtains, revealing his hiding spot at last.

But it turns out his position had already been known, his tiny blue eyes instantly meeting bright green ones. Well, so much for remaining hidden.

Eric smiled, wondering if he was finally getting through to the little borrower, but it faded as the other immediately ducked back behind cover.

"...Maybe." Came a small, hesitant reply, but it was good enough for him. 

"I can work with maybe." Eric's smile returned, beaming from ear to ear. 

The kitchen fell quiet, and Eric couldn't handle the break in conversation. He wanted to know so much more about this person hiding in his walls, know everything about his little life, but he didn't want to come off too forward. For now, he'd stick to simple questions.

"Do you have a name?" He suddenly asked boldly. "I'm Eric, but I'm sure you already know that.." 

Carter froze. He didn't want to tell him, but if he was really considering staying then he may as well. After all it was just the two of them, and he was already on quite the roll breaking every single big rule he'd ever known in his life. Why stop now?  

"..Carter." His reply escaped before he could give it a second thought.

"Well, Carter," Eric's tone was soft, trying everything in his power to coax his new friend to stay. "I was just about to make dinner.. would you stay for some?"

The thought of a warm meal instantly made the blonde's stomach grumble again. He'd been rationing out the last of his non-perishables for the last few days while he avoided the kitchen, snacking on bits of stale cracker whenever he got hungry. But it wasn't enough and his body was starting to feel the negative effects of not eating properly. His diet had changed dramatically after his parents' disappearance, especially his father's. Cooking was a skill Carter had yet to get the hang of, and he didn't know enough about which plants were edible to go green.

His mind was brought back to the present as he realized Eric was still waiting for an answer. Realistically he should just say no and leave; he already had his answer, and didn't need the help of a human to stay fed. He could just stop at the pantry on his way home, but instead he bit his lip.

Unable to tell if he was making borrower history or just being a fool he nervously hugged his sides, deciding to go with his gut. It hadn't let him down so far.

"....Y-yeah."

Chapter Text

Eric was ecstatic. He didn't think his smile could get bigger, but somehow it did. He honestly didn't have much faith that he could talk the other into staying, but the small boy had actually accepted. Hesitantly, but accepted nonetheless. Idly he wondered if Carter had ever had a hot meal in his life, or if this was just a night of firsts for them both.

"Awesome. So.. any preferences? Anything you can't have or don't like..?" Eric asked, getting out a pan for the stove.

"..No." 

"Perfect." 

As a borrower he wasn't used to having many options of what to eat, and he wondered what it was like to just be able to have whatever he wanted, whenever. Humans lived rather spoiled lives to him, and this was his first glance into that luxury. 

Carter flinched at the sudden burst of noise as the human moved, trying to envision what he was doing. He was probably one of the few borrowers to ever witness something like this, but he was still deciding whether that was a good or a bad thing. Ever so cautiously he peeked out from behind the curtain once more, watching the giant begin to prepare everything; Much like his father, but on a much bigger scale.

However, his spying didn't go unnoticed.

"Y'know, you don't have to hide around me. I swear on my life you're safe here."

"...I want to." Carter answered timidly, feeling safe behind the thin curtain wall. He still needed time alone to process these life-changing experiences, and he wasn't sure if he could handle being out in the open again just yet. He knew that he was small, but nothing put that into perspective quite like the sheer size of a human. However, the words were still reassuring to hear. 

"That's alright," Eric shrugged. He was a little saddened by the other's reply, but he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. If that's where he felt safe to be, then by all means he could stay there. Only so much progress could be made in a day, and being on a first name basis was a rather big leap in the right direction. Slow and steady, he sighed to himself.

A few minutes of silence ticked by as Eric prepared a breakfast scramble for dinner, trying to pretend he wasn't being watched by two impossibly tiny eyes. He was going to make chicken and vegetables but didn't have the groceries for it. He really had to go shopping, especially now that he realized the absence of food in the house was affecting more than just himself.

"So how long have you been here for..?" Eric asked curiously, stirring the contents of the pan as they cooked. It wouldn't take long, as he made sure to chop everything into extra small pieces.

Carter didn't want to tell him any more than he already had, but he'd be lying if he said the conversation didn't feel nice. He didn't realize how badly he missed someone being there to talk to, even if that presence was a human. For so long he had no one to chat with except the bugs, and they weren't too responsive.

"My whole life." His tiny voice replied as he hugged his knees. 

"Wow, that's impressive," Eric's eyes widened in disbelief. His whole life, and he'd never seen him before now. Inwardly he wondered how much the other had seen of him. Probably too much.

"And you were ready to leave just like that?"

Carter nervously tightened his grip. "It's not like I wanted to!" His voice rose defensively as he rested his chin on his crossed arms. "I just didn't think you'd be this.. friendly towards me." 

"Well, I'm glad you're second-guessing it." Eric laughed lightly, a smirk lingering on his face. "And I'm not the kind of person to pick on someone who can't defend themselves. Besides, dinners get pretty lonely here so it's nice to have company."

Carter's stomach sank as he remembered how nice his family dinners used to be, at the table with his parents in front of a plate of food. Nowadays it was just him eating whatever he could find for a meal, always alone. He glanced over at Eric through the curtains. The human was alone now too, and Carter didn't consider until now that they could be in the same boat. He tried not to acknowledge the sympathy that he felt.

The smell of food cooking was making him hungrier than ever. Occasionally in his den he'd get a waft of whatever dinner was cooking above, and it always smelled amazing, but it was nothing compared to being beside the real thing. Curiously he peaked out, mouth watering at the pan full of steaming goodness. 

An arm reached over the stove, turning a knob until it gave a soft click.

"It's ready." Eric announced, before realizing something kind of important. The smallest plates he owned were the size of his hand, which would still be much too big for Carter to use, and silverware was probably out of the question. He paused, thinking of what he could use to improvise.

"Actually, hold on. I'll be right back." 

It didn't take long for him to return, holding a toothpick, two shot glasses, and a cleaned gatorade cap. He smiled at Carter, who was standing half out of the curtain now, wearing a confused expression. 

"I don't really have anything your size, so I'm hoping this will do for now." 

Eric filled the first shot glass with water at the sink, before gently placing it on the windowsill and pushing it forwards a few inches with his finger. He winced as Carter shot back out of view, forgetting for a moment that the little guy probably had a fear of his huge hands.

Turning back to the stove, Eric proceeded to dish up the tiniest plate he's ever held. He tried to give the other a little piece of everything (hash browns, broccoli, bacon, and some egg), but quickly ran out of room as the cap filled up. Hopefully Carter would say something if he wanted more than what fit on there, but then again his stomach was pretty small.

The borrower stood back as Eric approached again, watching intensely as he positioned the other glass upside down under the plastic cap, effectively making a table just for him. His eyes lit up once he saw the pile of food, but his gaze quickly darted to the other. Was this all for him? It felt too good to be true.

Noticing his hesitance, Eric smiled and gave a small reassuring nod. "Hope you like it, dig in."

Thankfully after Eric dished him up he gave him some privacy, leaning on the counter just out of view as he ate his own portion. He got the feeling that the blonde didn't like to be watched, and he'd respect that no matter how badly he wanted to look.

Carter almost couldn't believe what he was tasting. It was the best thing he'd eaten in almost a year, and the warmth from it helped shield himself from the cold rainy draft that sneaked through the crack in the window. It felt like his body was thanking him for actually feeding it well, and he couldn't help but smile as he crammed his face with as much food and water as he could handle.

Within minutes the two were done eating and Eric piped up once more, slowly walking towards the window.

"So how was it?" 

Carter wiped his mouth, turning to face the human with a smile. Never in his life would he have imagined that being found, which he considered the worst thing that could ever happen to him, could actually turn out so well. He opened his mouth to reply, but a yawn escaped first. A wave of exhaustion had suddenly washed over him, making his tired limbs yearn for his bed. 

"Really good," he finally pushed out before looking away shyly, his voice getting a tiny bit quieter. "thank you.."

"Hey, it's no problem. You looked like you needed it, and I've got plenty to spare."

The borrower wouldn't admit it, but Eric's glowing smile was.. comforting. It went against everything he knew, but he felt like he didn't have to shy away from the things he was told were so evil his whole life. When he looked up, for once he didn't see an enemy. It was crazy but maybe, just maybe, they had a chance of friendship after all.

"Which reminds me," Eric continued, "Did you want to take some home? I'm not sure if there's more of you since you didn't answer earlier, but I'm sure they'd like some too." 

All of the comfortable feelings Carter had vanished at the giant's words. His smile faded as he thought back to his parents and brother for the millionth time, and the day that he'd given up hope they'd return. 

"I… I'm alone." He admitted sadly, looking away again and ears going flat.

Eric immediately regretted asking, seeing that it was a rough subject. His lips parted to speak, but the words didn't come out right away. 

"Well if you ever don't want to be, you know where to find me… I really don't mind you being here, y'know." 

He smiled warmly at the little borrower, feeling a twinge of sympathy in his chest. There already wasn't much to do around here, so he couldn't believe how much worse it would be not having entertainment like TV or the internet. He figured Carter probably had different ideas of staying out of boredom, but that doesn't save someone from the fact that they're alone. A feeling Eric knew all too well.

He was deeply captivated by the borrower's entire existence and wanted him to stay so badly, being more than happy to have an interesting new roommate. Or just someone to talk to every now and then. The house somehow felt much less empty now, even with such a tiny presence. 

Carter on the other hand, wasn't sure how he felt. Coming to terms with the fact that he no longer had to hide was.. difficult. He kept waiting for something to go wrong, not believing that he was fully in the clear. Eric seemed genuine, but he knew that humans were unpredictable. He could still snap and turn against him at any moment, or lure him someplace unsafe.. but something deep inside told him he wouldn't.

It was a tornado of hot and cold emotions swirling inside of him, and that tight feeling in his chest returned. The same feeling he gets when hes about to make a dangerous jump, or a stupid decision.

Optimistic bravery.

"IF I stay," Carter finally piped up, putting heavy emphasis on the first word even though he knew the answer, "I have conditions." 

Eric met his tiny determined stare with wide, eager eyes.

"Anything." 

"Okay firstly, no touching me. At all."

"A given."

"Second, you can't tell any other humans about me. Ever."

Eric nodded.

"Thirdly, you have to let me leave whenever I want to."

"..Is that all?" 

The blonde narrowed his eyes in thought, placing a hand on his chin. Those were his three main fears other than the location of his den being known, but he doubted the human could track him through the walls. It was also accessible by moving the brick pile stacked haphazardly against the back of the house, but they hadn't been touched in decades so concern was low.

"For now.." he nodded in return, figuring that he could always add more rules later whenever he thought of more boundaries that he didn't want crossed.

"Those seem like easy enough rules to follow," Eric smiled, beyond happy that Carter was considering staying. "I won't let you down. Promise." 

The borrower smiled faintly. Maybe this could actually work?

The draft from the window suddenly grew sharper, billowing out the curtains as a gust of air pushed into the house. Carter's tiny smile faded as he shivered. The stormy weather was picking up outside, and in the distance he swore he could hear the sounds of thunder rolling in.

Another yawn escaped as he looked down at himself, figuring that he should probably get to bed soon. It had been another long day and even though things admittedly turned out as best as they could, his body still ached for some proper rest. He looked over at the pile of food on the plastic lid that he had torn through, only a few crumbs remaining now. It felt like forever since he had a full stomach, and he almost forgot how good it felt.

But all good things must eventually come to an end.

"I'm-- I'm gonna go." Carter broke the silence, not meeting the human's gaze. He didn't want to see his reaction.

Eric looked down, noticing how the little guy looked like he was about to collapse. Even from a few feet away he could see the bags under his eyes, and the tired delay in his movements. He was a little saddened to see his new friend go so soon, but he looked like he needed the rest.

"Okay." He sighed, looking a little dejected, but he understood. The wind picked up again and the curtains flared out, making Eric worriedly look from the incoming storm to Carter's small stature. 

"Stay safe out there."

Taking his chance, Carter gave the giant a nod in response before starting his descent from the windowsill. His arms strained more than usual as he dropped to the ledge, and he wobbled a bit as he landed in an unstable crouch. 

He really was in no condition for running from a human right now, and was eternally grateful that he didn't have to. Eric sure was something different, and it gave him a lot to think about as he slowly walked from the sink to the tile in the wall that lead to his home. He paused once he was within arm's reach of it, turning around to face Eric one last time.

"...Thank you..." he said again, trying to ignore the flare of heat rising in his cheeks. For everything, he wanted to add. But instead he promptly turned around, pulling himself up and slipping through the misplaced tiles without looking back. 

"No worries," Eric smiled as he watched the small tile in the wall fit back into position, like nothing was ever out of place. His heart fluttered at how perfectly everything had gone down, and he felt a sense of peace wash over him. Maybe he wasn't so alone after all.

"Goodnight." 

Carter slept well that night, despite the ceaseless freezing rain that leaked a brisk cold into his home. It was almost fall now, and although things had once again changed drastically for him, he felt good about all of the crazy things that were happening. 

He finally drifted off to sleep, finding himself missing the warmth of the kitchen and the human's company more and more.

Maybe he'd just been extremely lucky, but his mind couldn't hide what his heart was truly thinking.  

They weren't monsters at all. 

Chapter Text

When the next morning came around, not a single cloud was in sight. The storm had raged on for the majority of the night but by sunrise everything was calm once more. When Eric woke from his surprisingly undisturbed slumber, he felt refreshed. The sunlight filtered through his blinds and streaked across his face but for once he didn’t shy away from the light, instead just basking in its warmth.

It was a perfect fresh start to a whole new chapter of his life.

A week ago, his thoughts were the same old things like I wonder who’s online, and what show should I watch? And goddamn I need a haircut. But now, the only things that he could think about was Carter, and the concept of Borrowers. His head just couldn’t fully wrap around the idea of tiny human-esque people that lived in the walls in total secrecy. The thought of their existence captivated him entirely, and never ending questions flooded his mind.

Did every house have them? How long did they live for? How much do they weigh? How much human culture did they know? How soft are their tails?

Eric was determined to know as much as he could about them, but didn't want to swarm the little guy too fast. It wasn't like he could just pick him up all poking and prodding, even if he really wanted to. The entire line of trust they had built would crumble, and Carter's safety was too important to him to let that happen. After all he was still a person with thoughts and feelings, so Eric couldn't subject him to doing something he had no say in. He figured that some things would just take time to learn, and some he may not ever know the answers to at all. 

Needless to say however he was infatuated, and wanted to give Carter the best experience living here that he could ask for. He didn't really know how to do that though, considering the borrower only came out of hiding on his own terms. A housewarming gift, maybe? But what could he even give to someone so small that they could actually use?

The question stumped him as he began to get ready for work, but it kept his mind busy in the silence of the house. When he looked down at his plate full of breakfast (last night's leftovers), he was reminded of how he had to find something Carter's size that he could use. Everything in Eric's life that he considered average everyday objects would be so different to someone of borrower stature, and it made him suddenly a lot more aware of how much space he took up.

His mind was preoccupied up until he left the house, forcing himself to shift into work mode as he locked the door behind him. The cool morning air helped pull him back to reality, making him shudder lightly. September was already coming to an end, and he wasn't ready for the cold. 

Before Eric took the last step off the porch he looked back at the house, letting out a short sigh. 

"See you later," he whispered with a smile.

///////

Carter rolled over in his bed of soft fabrics, not yet ready to face the day. The birds had different plans however, perched high in the trees singing their hearts out to the skies, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't block them out. He groaned as he forced his eyes open, wishing he could just tell them to shut up and go back to sleep too. But it was a brand new day, and he had to face it eventually.

His muscles tensed as he pushed himself out of bed, but they didn't hurt as much as yesterday. A good meal and a long night's rest could really do someone wonders. Before doing anything else he plopped to the ground and began some basic stretches to help with his soreness and movement throughout the rest of the day. It was something his mother had taught him, and doing it was another way he could still feel close to her.

After a few minutes of stretches he paused, noticing something off in the air. His eyes narrowed as he tried to place what was wrong, when suddenly it clicked. It stopped raining. The borrower's face lit up with a huge smile as he realized that he could now go outside once more and be in much less danger. 

The rain wouldn't kill him, but he wasn't a fan of the giant cold puddles that formed everywhere and the mud that slicked up his feet, making every step treacherous and climbing almost impossible. It did have some useful features though, as he knew the sound of it hitting the house was loud enough to distract the humans from whatever noise his family was planning on making. It also served as a shower and an irrigation system for his mother's garden below the back deck, since they had no running water.

But on a morning as cold as this the rainwater bathing had to be put on hold, or he risked not being able to warm back up. The candle that they used for heating and cooking needed to be replaced soon, and he wasn't sure if he even knew where any spare matches were. For a while now Carter had just bundled himself up more whenever he felt cold, but he'd have to somehow find a different approach if he wanted to survive the winter. 

Fall was blooming right in front of him, but despite the rapidly dropping temperatures it was one of his favourite seasons. He loved the way the colours of the leaves shifted as they fell from the sky, and the way they crunched under his feet when he went out exploring. He even loved the smell of the crisp fresh air, and the way it clouded his breaths like fog. Every year for as long as he could remember he'd gone outside to witness the first snowfall, always captivated by the glistening flakes and the tranquility of it all.

Carter figured that beans must love this time of year as well, since there were always so many more of them around. Driveways and houses often filled up to their limits with family and friends, radiating laughter and warmth all down the streets. The smell of food was always in the air, and with so much of it being cooked both human and borrower alike could stock up for quite a while.

The blonde hugged his cloak tighter around him, trying to keep warm as he walked through the brick hallways leading to the backyard. It was colder out than he'd been expecting, but after three solid nights of rain he'd be damned if he didn't go enjoy the sun. 

The soft rays of light hit his face in all the best ways, making him close his eyes and smile. He sat there for a few minutes just beyond the deck, taking everything in and enjoying a few deep breaths of fresh air. There was nothing to do today, and it felt good. He didn't have to pack to leave, or catch up on chores, or anything he didn't want to do. All he wanted was to relax, so he did.

 A bright orange leaf floated by and landed in the dirt beside him, its ends still tinted with the green of life. His gaze trailed up to the tree it had fallen from, the swaying branches looming far above him. He wondered what it would be like to see things from so high up like a human, or to be able to soar the skies like a bird. He'd heard of other borrowers making gliders out of soft plastics or furs, but he'd never had the chance to actually see or try one for himself.

After a while Carter's stomach grumbled, pulling him out of his daydreaming. Instinctively he reached for his bag to have a snack before remembering that he didn't have any food left. He cursed under his breath, realizing that he'd have to make a trip to the pantry today for something to eat. In hindsight he should have just accepted when Eric offered to let him take the extra food home, but he'd been too tired in the moment to make a smart decision. Something he was notorious for.

The thought of going borrowing felt entirely different now that the human knew of his presence. It was a little disorienting at the least, knowing that he didn't have to clean up evidence of himself or hide what he was taking to save his life -- He didn't even have to do everything in the dead of night, which is something not many borrowers got to experience. He felt lucky to have met a human as kind and respectful as Eric, but he hoped that his newfound freedom didn't instill too strong a sense of safety. It was still a dangerous life to live as a borrower, and he couldn't allow himself to be blinded by luxuries and forget that.

He thought back to his parents and brother, his smile turning into a frown. He would give anything in the world to see them again, even if it was just to hear them yell at him for breaking every single rule they told him to follow.

"It's not my fault.." he muttered to himself as if they could hear, absentmindedly drawing lines in the dirt,

"..That you left me here for so long."

He spent at least another hour or so in the yard, trying to brighten his mood before heading back indoors. His mind kept drifting to everything that had happened in the last week, and he kept questioning his choices. He wanted to stay, not able to think of himself living anywhere else but the foundation that his den was nestled in. Every rational part of his brain told him that this was the safest place for him to be, and he hoped that Eric wouldn't do anything to change that. The human had proven himself trustworthy, but trust had backfired on him more than once before.

Craving warmth once more, Carter shuffled back into the shelter he called home and flopped down on his bed. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like with it not being there, knowing that things could be much worse than they were now. He was honestly glad to not have to leave; Eric letting him stay definitely changed the playing field, but it took a lot of stress off his shoulders. 

The borrower didn't last very long laying in bed, with hunger aching through his body. He knew that Eric was gone again, making this the best time for him to venture out into the house. Although he knew he didn't have to hide anymore, it still felt right to go borrowing unseen. It'd feel strange to have Eric watch him take the things he owned.

But Carter thought back to what the other had said regarding food, the words echoing around his head: 

"You looked like you needed it, and I've got plenty to spare."

It was true. He did need it, and the pantry always had snacks in abundance. Carter decided to take an extra bag this time to stock up for at least a couple days, not worrying that he'd be taking a noticeable amount. Being hungry all the time was getting a little exhausting, and Eric likely wouldn't care if a little extra went missing.

He hoped, at least. 

The trip to the pantry was the same one to the kitchen tile, except it followed the wall just a little farther. It was a bit more precarious to travel as the wooden platforms ended there, and he relied solely on etched handholds and nails that jutted out through the wall. But many years ago his father had tied a yarn railing to a screw on each end of the gap, and luckily it still held to this day. He'd used it many times to hold onto when he lost his balance, saving both him and their supplies from a treacherous drop. 

But that was when he was younger, when he wasn't as worried about traveling because he was always with somebody who could save him. Now he was alone, and he was all on his own for correcting his missteps. There wasn't room for error anymore, and thankfully after many weeks of practicing it alone it just became second nature to him. 

As did the sound of the wood panel creaking as he slipped through it, giving him access to the second shelf of the 4 tiered pantry. It was a bit of a tighter squeeze now that he was older, and it always baffled him that his dad could somehow get past it as well. He turned around, facing the giant closet of food in front of him. Everything he wanted was on this shelf except for the pasta. He'd have to drop down one for that, but it was something he'd really been wanting lately.

Okay, chips and crackers first Carter thought to himself, going through his mental list. His feet directed him behind the jars of miscellaneous contents and he ended up at the base of a large brightly coloured plastic bag. These ones were extra loud when they crinkled, making for a difficult take, but they were so worth it. Out of all the kinds of chips he's had before (which was admittedly a fair amount), these ones were his favourite. He figured that they might be Eric's favourite too since there was always a bag in here, but he probably wouldn't mind if one chip went missing. 

He never had before.

The chips never really filled him up though, they were more like just a treat. The real winners were the salted crackers and the big puffy ones. He was pretty sure they were called rice cakes, but they looked nothing like either of those things to him. 

It took a bit to get everything broken up and stored away, but once he did he began the trek to the pasta. The best way there was to climb against the thin support wall that ran through the middle of the shelves. Sticking his hook into the wood he rappelled down to the shelf beneath him, greeted by a recently opened bag of spaghetti noodles. He broke one up and tucked it away as well, using his grappling rope to climb back up to the exit. 

Overall it was a successful mission, and Carter knew that he still had time to traverse the kitchen counter for some bread and butter. He pushed aside the bag that was almost full, reaching to adjust the empty one in front of him, and began to walk. Within a couple minutes he had everything he needed to enjoy a couple hunger-free days, and he put his hands on his hips with a satisfied smile.

The next few hours were spent laying in bed and munching some of the chip, revelling in its flavour. He stared up at the ceiling, wondering if he should go say hi to Eric tonight. He did say that he could visit whenever he got lonely, and he promised to abide by his rules, but it was still more than a little intimidating to be around someone so much bigger. The sun was setting lower by the minute and Carter wondered when the bean would come home. It was taking him longer than usual, and for a split second the borrower worried that things might not be okay.

His worries melted away as he suddenly heard the crunch of the tires in the driveway, and the unmistakable sound of the front door opening. Eric's heavy footsteps filled the floor above him, but what he wasn't expecting to hear was his name being called.

Carter shot the other a confused look through the floor, his heart suddenly pounding. What did he want? Should he go see? Was this a trap? Or something nice?

As per usual his curiosity got the better of him and for the second time today he began the trip back up to the kitchen tiles, scampering as fast as his little legs would take him.

///////

By the time his shift had ended, Eric was exhausted. Fortunately though, he had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to gift the little borrower when he got home. He had to downsize his list quite a lot, initially forgetting to consider that these things had to be small enough to fit between the walls and be carried by someone under half a foot tall. He felt confident in what he chose though, and couldn't help but smile as he drove to the dollar store.

A friendly face greeted him with an overenthusiastic smile, and Eric immediately recognized it as his old highschool friend Thia. Her black hair and facial piercings gave it away in a heartbeat, but she wasn't as scary as she looked. Under her tough facade she was gentle and caring, and Eric knew that. He'd seen her crying over cute puppy videos on her phone before.

She waved him over to talk, and a tiny spike of fear rose in Eric's mind as he tried to quickly come up with an excuse for being here in case she asked.

"Long time no see, stranger!" She smiled, nudging him with her elbow. 

"Hey Thia, good to see you." He smiled back. "I didn't know you worked here.. how long ago did you start?"

"About a month ago," Thia sighed, glancing to the side. "Waveracer kicked me out for being 'too unprofessional', which is bullshit." Her dejected stare turned into a smirk. "Not my fault people are dumb enough to believe when I jokingly tell them there's sharks in the swim section." 

Eric laughed and shook his head. Only Thia would do something like that, which was another reason why he loved being friends with her.

"Anyway," she continued, gaze returning to Eric. "Can I help you find anything? I mean I know you already know where everything is, but I'm supposed to ask." 

Eric promptly shook his head. "No it's alright, I'm just here for a couple small things and then I've gotta run home or I'll miss movie night." 

Thankfully that seemed to be a good enough of an excuse for his friend, who widened her eyes in interest but proceeded to leave him alone, parting with a short goodbye. He watched as she snuck through the aisles towards the back of the store, presumably to go finish whatever she was doing.

Left alone once more, Eric briefly went over his list and started to grab the things he wanted to give to Carter. The first was a techdeck; a tiny, fully functional skateboard. It was meant for fingers, so it'd be perfect for someone not even the size of a hand. His other gifts were more practical than fun toys, being a matchbox and a spool of black sewing thread. He decided to throw in a tealight candle as well, figuring that it might be useful as well. It probably wasn't the best idea to be lighting a fire in the inner walls of his grandparents' house, but Eric had faith that Carter would be safe with everything. After all, it was his home too.

After paying he tied everything together in a little black dicebag, his smile lingering as he got back into his car and started the drive home. 

Ten minutes later, he was walking up the steps of his porch once more.

"..Carter?" he called out in the kitchen, not knowing if the other could even hear him. He said his name again, louder this time, and waited patiently for an answer. After not receiving one for a while he questioned if the blonde was even home, wondering if he should just leave the gift and go about the rest of his day. But his doubts faded as he eventually heard the soft scrape of the ceramic tile beside him, two minutes later.

A small head poked out through the gap, making sure the coast was clear before the rest of him emerged. It was just Eric there, standing a few feet away with a gentle smile.

"....Did you call me?" Carter asked hesitantly, but he figured the human wouldn't be standing there waiting for him if he hadn't been.

"Yeah," Eric confirmed with a nod, his smile growing. "I'm glad you're here. I brought you something.. can I come closer?"

The borrower gave him a puzzled look, but held his ground and nodded. 

Eric carefully took his hand out from behind his back, holding the black pull-string bag of little gifts. He placed it gently on the counter between the two and brought his hand back to his side, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"I know you didn't ask for this or anything, but I wanted to get you a housewarming gift. You said you've been here your whole life so I figured I'd get you something I know my grandparents and I wouldn't have had before."

Carter was stunned. A gift? For him? From a human?

His eyes shined at the black bag a few inches away from him, wondering what could be inside. It was almost the size of him but it looked surprisingly light, and velvety soft.

Cautiously he stepped forward, going onto the tip of his feet to reach the top and pull it down. When his eyes fell onto the small black board, his gaze of wonder turned to confusion. He pulled it out, marveling at the clean plastic and cool colourful designs.

"That's a skateboard," Eric informed, his smile growing bigger at the borrower's expression.

"You can put it on a slanted ground and stand on it, or just push off with your foot to go forward." 

Carter stared in silence as he did what Eric suggested, unsure how to feel. He'd never had something just given to him, especially something like this. When he put it on the ground and watched the wheels spin under the board his eyes lit up once more. This will be a lot of fun.

"I--" He faltered, turning to look at Eric with a genuine smile, "..Thank you so much! This is really cool!" 

"You're welcome dude," Eric beamed, so happy that he was enjoying it. "I hope I didn't go too far, but there's still some more things in there."

Carter's attention whipped to the bag, and he temporarily abandoned the skateboard at his feet. He pulled the bag down further, inspecting the contents left inside. He could see a brand new match box, a full spool of thread, and a new candle, unable to believe that it was all for him. 

"Yess," he exclaimed out loud, "You don't know how useful this stuff is." 

"I hoped it would be," Eric chuckled. "it's not too much for you to take with you, is it?" 

The blonde boy looked back at the gap in the tile, then shook his head. "No, I think I got it."

"Sweet. And if you ever need anything else just let me know. I only spent a couple of dollars on that." 

Carter didn't know what dollars were but with the way he was saying it, it didn't sound like too big of a deal. His mind paused for a moment, thinking of all the new things he could use or that needed to be replaced around the den. But he couldn't ask Eric for them just yet, that'd be too much. 

Instead he just nodded, giving him a smile.

Suddenly a large grumble cut the silence, emitting from Eric's stomach. "Sorry," he looked away sheepishly, giving a short sigh. "Haven't eaten since this morning, so I guess it's time to make dinner. You're welcome to stay for some again, if you want.." 

Carter didn't have to think twice before nodding his head. Eric's dinner last night was amazing, and he couldn't wait to see what he would make again as he played with the skateboard. He had no doubts anymore that not all humans were evil -- at least least not while Eric was alive.

"Alright," Eric's heart skipped a beat at Carter's enthusiasm to spend more time with him.

"I'll get to cooking."

Chapter Text

They had spent the majority of the evening together, with Carter feeling more and more comfortable by the minute. They laughed as Eric taught him how to skateboard; He was bad at it and had crashed a few times on the counter while the other was cooking, but he was slowly getting the hang of it. It would probably be better to practice it when he wasn't four feet off the ground, but this was probably the smoothest surface he could find. He figured in the meantime, until he found his proper balance on wheels, he could use it for transporting other things around. 

The two of them didn't talk about much in particular, Eric being the one to ask most of the questions. Which was fine, as Carter didn't really know what most humans normally talked about, and he didn't mind talking about himself and his life. He hadn't really had the chance for a proper conversation for a while before meeting Eric, and every word he spoke he realized just how much he missed it. For once it wasn't just his own voice echoing back to him in the empty walls, or the blank stares he received from the grasshoppers and pillbugs. 

It was actually someone interested in talking to him. 

A friend.

He ended up telling Eric about his den beneath the floor (without giving away its location), and about the dangerous paths between the walls. He even explained some of his favourite things he's collected before; one of which was a 'coin', whatever that was. He told Eric about how his brother would react whenever he brought cool things home, always worried that it'd get them caught but still secretly proud of him.

Even though Eric knew that these were things he and his family had lost he didn't seem to care that they were in the borrower's possession, simply smiling and listening intently as Carter spoke. If these were things that weren't really needed and he'd risked his life to get, then he deserved to keep them. The absolute difference in their lives while living under the same roof baffled Eric but intrigued him, making him ask more and more questions as time crawled on.

Whenever they weren't talking, the silence that draped around them wasn't uncomfortable. There was no more awkward, tense feeling in the breaks of conversation like one of them was waiting for the other to flee at any moment. Carter figured it felt different because he actually wanted to be near this human now, to talk to him about his day and listen to his deep laughter fill the room. He wanted to stay up here where it smelled like fresh food and be in the warmth forever, feeling more safe than he has before in a long time. 

But unfortunately, he couldn't. 

Eric had ultimately been the one to cut their meeting short, retiring to bed a lot earlier than usual with a promise to meet again tomorrow after work. Carter agreed to it. The sun had long since set and he could tell that Eric was tired with the way he kept yawning, so he didn't try to stop the human from leaving when he did. 

Reassembling everything into the black bag and fitting it past the hole in the wall wasn't easy, but somehow Carter pulled it through. He figured afterwards that he could have just left it near another entrance on the ground and taken it from there, but that would have taken so much longer, and as much as he didn't wish to leave Eric a part of him was aching to be home. 

Eventually, after using the utmost amount of caution, Carter managed to bring everything back to the den with him at once. A smile returned to his face once more as he unpacked the bag, refilling everything that had been previously running low. The bag he left near chairs at the entrance, unsure of what to do with it just yet. He leaned his skateboard against the outside of his bedroom wall before heading in, excited to go practice riding on it again in the morning. He knew just the spot to do it, but he wanted to be in the sunlight to try.

That didn't bother him too much though, as his shoulder was still bugging him from one of the falls he'd taken earlier. Some rest on a full stomach would probably do him well once more.

With nothing really to do except sit in his mind and try to forget his crippling loneliness, Carter forced himself to go to bed early as well. It wasn't easy, as his mind and heart were still racing from their interaction earlier. He'd felt so calm and collected, visiting a human of all things. And what's worse, he was planning on going again.

What was happening to him?

He tossed and turned for a while that night before finally succumbing to slumber, telling himself that he'd just deal with everything in the morning.

Which seemed like a good idea in the moment, but future Carter wasn't having it either. When the sun rose once more and the birds began their chirps and their songs, He was determined to not let anything ruin his day. Especially his overthinking. After his usual morning routine of stretching and then breakfast, he paced around his house and wondered what to do. Above him he could hear Eric begin to wake up and walk around as he got ready for work, and Carter knew that he was about to be alone again for most of the day. 

Which was fine. It was like any other day to him, and he was going to make it just as much fun. Surprisingly he didn't feel like grabbing his new skateboard first thing, instead opting to just take a morning stroll in the dew-covered grass. He loved the way the early light reflected off the little droplets, creating a shimmer on the ground beneath his feet as he walked. It would be a fine start to his already perfect day, and he could knock off a quick perimeter check of the fence at the same time.

He dressed a little heavier when he got ready for this morning's patrol, preparing better for the cold. He decided to don his black cloak, pulling the hood up over his head as he stepped outside once more. Going outside into the yard hadn't always been something he enjoyed; whenever he used to sneak out it was never relaxing, knowing that whenever he returned home his parents would get mad that he'd left without their permission. But now that there was nobody here to tell him what to do, Carter felt much more free to do as he pleased.

His fingers trailed along the thick blades of grass as he walked from the deck to the single fence line that followed the western side of the house. Droplets of water rolled down their green stems, hitting the ground with a gentle sound that could only be heard at that height. His eyes scanned the earth, looking for any signs of something new that had fallen or been misplaced by the wind. Sometimes storms brought cool new trinkets and souvenirs, and sometimes they pushed aside or wrecked the wooden boards that separated his human's residence from the one with the cat. 

Either way, his eyes were peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly though, with all of the boards nailed in place where they should be. In reality Carter could have just stopped there and turned around to go home, but something edged him forwards. He continued on throughout the yard for another half hour or so, even going as far as the edge of the raised flowerbeds that bordered the stone walkway through the overgrown garden. Beyond that the yard faded into brush, which could engulf him in a matter of steps. He knew that it wasn't very big for a human though, and he was pretty sure it faded right back into their civilization on the other side.

While the space of yard that it left him to live with was more than enough for someone of Carter's size, he couldn't help but stare longingly into the foliage, finding himself wondering what his life would be like if he'd lived out there instead. 

A rustle shook him from his thoughts, the sound emitting from the dark tangle of nature just a few giant feet ahead of him. His hand immediately darted for his pin sword, prepared to defend himself or attack if needed. It was probably just a squirrel or a rabbit or something else making its way through the underbrush to grab some food, but either way the blonde kept his guard up, staring intensely.

The rustle grew louder, as if it was approaching, and ever so slowly something began to emerge from the brush. It took a second for Carter to make out what the figure was, but when he finally did his stomach sank to his knees.

There before him, inching closer with a stick crutch, was his brother.

Alive and in the flesh. 

"Damien..!" He exclaimed, his tense hands immediately going limp with shock. Hot tears pushed at the corners of his eyes as his feet slowly propelled him forward, almost not believing what he was seeing. A part of him wanted to run up to his brother and give him the biggest hug he's ever had, but a part of him was afraid to move, as if this were some elaborate illusion that would crumble under his touch if he got too close.

But his anxious feeling was quickly replaced by his shocked relief, and he couldn't help himself as he ran to the other's side. 

"You're alive," he breathed, hardly able to believe the words himself. "Oh my god you're actually alive, I thought you were gone forever but you're here and--" 

Carter stopped in his tracks, his panicked ranting interrupted as Damien limped into view and he could now see just how rough he really looked. 

"And you're hurt.." His heart rattled against his chest as he looked over his older brother. His clothes were dirty and torn, and he had cuts and deep purple bruises all over his body. The worst was his face, which was battered as well, the lines under his eyes showing how truly exhausted he was; almost like he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep in the whole nine months that he was gone.

"Carter," his raspy voice came, one that the little borrower knew so well. His heart lurched when he heard the pain in his brother's voice paired with the strain of his movements, and it took everything he had to not reach out and comfort him.

Turns out he didn't have to, as Damien limped forward once more and closed the gap between them. He draped himself over his younger sibling, two very sore arms reaching up to his back and holding him close, like he never got to do before he left; Like he would never leave him again.

That was the tipping point for Carter, who broke down into an incomprehensible sobbing mess. His own arms clung to Damien's back, grip hard as iron, as if he would let go and his long lost brother would fade away once more, leaving him in the dark.

"I'm so fucking sorry," Damien cooed, fighting the pain that rippled through his whole body as he ran his fingers through his little brother's short fluffy hair. "I never should have left you.." 

His words made the small blonde only cry more, his trembling frame pressing harder into the comforting embrace that surrounded him. It took another full minute of feeling his emotions before he was able to pull back and wipe his eyes, croaking out a reply.

"N-no, it's okay," he lied as if he hadn't worried himself sick over everything every single night, "You came back a-and that's what matters." Carter sniffled, gently peeling himself out from under his brother's grip to look up at him with a beaming smile.

How lucky he had been to find him before the cat.

"Let's go home.." Damien replied with his own soft smile, his gaze trailing to the back deck that their den sat under, just at the base of the wall. He hadn't known comfort and safety in what felt like forever, and he was determined to not give up the taste of it just yet. Especially after making it this far.

Carter nodded enthusiastically, wiping away the last of his tears. He started to walk back towards the house, pausing to make sure that Damien was right behind and lending him a hand when he needed it. He tried not to notice the cough that the other harboured, or the slight wheeze in his breaths when he walked. 

"Okay but I'm warning you, I haven't cleaned my room in, like, forever."

Well, more like the whole house for that matter. When their parents were home things were constantly kept off the floors to avoid clutter and tripping. But Carter found it hard to keep clean when he lived alone and depressed in such a confined area. Instead of putting things away he'd started a pile for his borrowings, sorted from his most to least favourite, and what was actually useful or not. It wasn't like he was ever expecting anybody else to see it, so he felt kind of bad about the mess.

He'd picked up quite a few odds and ends since his family's disappearance, things that he only grabbed because they were cool and he knew they'd never let him before. But he wanted them, and he had gotten good enough at borrowing things from Eric that he wasn't afraid to try and take them.

Damien, upon entering the comfort of the house walls once more, let out a very long sigh of relief. A wave of safety and nostalgia hit him, and his limbs almost collapsed from exhaustion beneath his weight. 

He finally made it. Home at last.

Everything was almost exactly like he had left it, except much messier. Only the tools and kitchen table were ever moved or used, the rest of the house staying untouched. Damien opened the door to his room, reminiscing on all of his belongings that he thought he'd never see again. He noted how his bed looked like somebody had just crawled out of it, and his chest tightened as he realized that that's where Carter had slept while he'd been gone.

The older borrower wasn't sure how to feel when he looked around at all of the newly found things in their dusty den, his brows furrowing. On one hand he was proud of his little brother for being so stealthy and brave and successful, but he wanted him to be careful. He couldn't shake the fear that one day Carter would be too cocky trying to take something and get caught. 

And that's when his eyes landed on the black bag and the skateboard, a thing much too new and much too pretty to be taken by a borrower without a bean noticing. Besides, it was a toy, not a necessity. 

He hated to voice his concerns the second that he got back through the door, but he couldn't help it as the words slipped out.

"Carter," he called, the blonde appearing by his side in a matter of seconds. His smile faded though as he followed Damien's gaze to the skateboard, breath hitching in his chest.

"Where did you get this..?" His tone implied that he already knew.

"I - I..." Carter stammered, unsure of what to say. But his silence spoke volumes.

"You can't just take these things," Damien scolded, more disappointed and worried than angry. "They'll notice."

Carter bit his lip, dreading having this conversation so soon already. His brother had always been extremely perceptive, so there was no way he could keep him and Eric's meetings a secret while he was here. Nervously he brought a hand up to the back of his neck, letting it hang there as he looked away. 

"I didn't take any of it.." His voice rose defensively before growing quiet, "It was given to me.." 

Damien stared in disbelief, waiting for Carter to explain himself. When no further words came, his jaw dropped open.

"....What?!" Damien demanded, his eyes going wide. He couldn't believe what his brother had just said.

Carter shrunk away even further, trying to hide himself from Damien's outraged stare that bore into his soul. But there was no amount of hiding that could mask the truth, and he'd have to come clean to him eventually.

"The human, he's kind of… friendly."

The silence that settled in the air made goosebumps raise on his skin. Damien didn't speak so Carter had to fill the gap, trying to raise his voice higher than a squeak. 

"He.. may have caught me on the counter…" The words made him wince, and he immediately corrected himself. "But he let me go! And he didn't grab me!" 

Damien paused as he took it all in, his foggy head unable to process everything. 

"Wait so you got caught, made it out alive, and didn't leave?" His tone was incredulous, and a little angry.

"I tried to!" Carter defended himself, his mind racing as he tried to quickly explain how everything had gone down. "But it just kept raining and then I ran out of food, and he - he told me I could stay and--" 

"You TALKED to it?!" his brother cut him off, voice raising. Carter didn't think his eyes could get any wider, but somehow they did. He loathed the expression.

"I - I didn't have a lot of options!" He protested, "And I promise he's nice! He really doesn't want to hurt us!"

"Any option is better than that, are you fucking kidding?!" Damien huffed, but he couldn't help the strain of deep coughs that wracked his body as his breath caught in his throat.

"Humans aren't nice. He's tricking you." He finally croaked out after clearing his throat a few times and patting his chest.

"No, you're wrong," Carter shook his head, expression turning sour. He refused to believe that Eric was bad, especially after how respectfully he had treated him after having such a power advantage. 

"Carter," Damien hissed, about to argue more, but he was interrupted by more coughing. His scolding was put on hold as his whole body shook with each violent hack, making him curl in on himself weakly.

The smaller borrower quickly rushed to his side, but Damien just gave him a dismissive wave. 

"It's fine," he tried to reassure his little brother, but it did little to soothe his worries. He seemed to have dropped the argument for now though, rubbing his temples and sighing in resignation. "I just need to lay down." 

Carter swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, perfectly happy to move on. He watched as Damien shifted his weight on the crutch, grimacing in pain with each step towards his bedroom but refusing any help along the way. The other had swiftly closed the curtain door behind him when he was in, not muttering much more than a 'Goodnight' in Carter's direction. It made his stomach twist; he hated fighting with his brother. He lingered outside the doorframe for a moment, hearing Damien sigh as he crawled into bed.

So much for a sweet reuinion.

He chewed his lip before reluctantly retreating to his own room, trying not to freak out over everything that had happened so far today. He worried about his brother's wounds and wanted to tend to them, but he knew that he wouldn't accept the aid. Besides, Carter had definitely angered him by breaking every sacred rule his family lived by, so it was doubtful that Damien would be willing to talk to him tonight.

Maybe he hates me now? The blonde thought anxiously, grabbing fistfuls of the fabric blankets on his bed.

No, he corrected himself, staring up into his ceiling. He's just tired. That's all.

That night Carter made the decision to stay home with his brother instead of meeting up with Eric. He wanted to listen for any sounds of distress Damien might make, and be able to rush to his side in case he needed anything. It was still difficult for him to wrap his mind around his brother being home now, and he wanted to spend as much time with him as he possibly could. He really hoped that Eric wouldn't be too upset that he'd bailed on him, but he couldn't leave the older borrower alone.

For hours he layed there as the other slept peacefully in the room beside him, feverishly wondering what on earth had happened to get him wound up in such a bad condition, and where the rest of his family was. Every part of him burned to know, but he tried not to think about the worst case scenarios as his mind finally drifted into unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

When the morning rolled around, it was even colder than the last. Carter rolled over in bed and tugged his blankets closer over him, trying to savour any and all body heat to protect himself from the brisk cold. He knew it'd be better if he actually got out of bed and lit the fire, but that required leaving his warm bundle of comfort and the idea didn't strike him all too well.

Carter shut his eyes again and tried to force himself back to sleep, but it didn't work. It never has. It was as if there was some sort of switch inside of him, where once he was awake then he was awake for the day. Naps never suited him well either, unless he was extremely exhausted. Aside from the one occasion in his life where he'd fainted (due to heat), he's rather alert and aware.

And that's how he could hear the faint rustle of Damien's bed through the wall as he shifted in it, finally stirring from his night of deep slumber. He groaned in annoyance, obviously trying to hide himself from the cool morning air as well. Neither of them wanted to get up and face the day.

They both layed there awake in bed for another little while, but ultimately it had been Damien to get out first. His breath ragged as he pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning over to grab his crutch. Carter listened for the soft click of it hitting the ground to know that his brother was on the move, but he didn't get up to go greet him just yet. He knew that Damien wasn't really a morning person.

The soft click of the crutch grew louder until it was outside Carter's door, and he jumped lightly as the other gave a slight knock. The door opened anyway, his brother not waiting for a response. 

The blonde looked up, meeting his brother's gaze.

"Hey," the older borrower spoke, in that certain tone he always used after their fights.

"Hey.." He replied back a little awkwardly, a soft smile growing on his face. "Feeling any better?" 

Damien shook his head, and Carter's smile faded.

"No, not really. But I'll be fine." Again came his famous dismissive wave that he did even if things were not going to be fine. It didn't put Carter at ease.

"Anyway, I was wondering where you're hiding the food. Could really use some breakfast." 

Carter's chest seized as he noticed the dark rings still remaining under his brother's eyes, and he realized that he'd probably need more than one good sleep to correct all of that deprivation. 

"Yeah me too," He laughed lightly, his smile returning as he gestured to his room. "I've got it in here… got kinda tired of going between my bed and the kitchen." 

"It's literally outside your room," Damien protested at his laziness. "Right outside your door." 

"It's far!" Carter whined, even though they both knew he was being unrealistic. It was true though, having snacks across the room was much better than having to go to the kitchen each time his hunger or loneliness or boredom ate away at him.

Damien only rolled his eyes in response, and limped into the bedroom. He eyed up all of his brother's new belongings, and raised his brows at the considerable pile of food Carter had stored here. His mouth instinctively opened to say something about taking so much, but for once he didn't care. Instead he was just glad to see different options of what to eat, and he couldn't help it as his stomach growled. 

Their conversation went on hold as they both began to grab their respectful portions, eating in comfortable silence as the birds chirped away. Carter noticed though, how his brother flinched at Eric's footsteps above when he woke. He knew that he was scared of the humans, but he'd never seen Damien shy away like that before. 

Just what exactly had happened out there?

His mouth opened to ask the burning question inside of him, but Damien's words came first.

"So… I'm guessing there's been no word from mom or dad?" There was something in his voice that Carter couldn't quite place. Something sad.

Still the words made him freeze, and it took him a second before he could reply.

"W-what do you mean? I thought they were with you?" he couldn't believe that his brother didn't know where they were. Were they okay?

Damien looked away, unable to meet Carter's eyes. He absolutely did not want to have this conversation right now, or ever, and he knew it showed.

"They were, until the dog attacked."

The younger boy fell silent.

Dog..?

Against his better judgement, Damien pushed on. He hated thinking about the events that had unfolded, let alone talking about them, but his brother's questions were justified, and he deserved answers. He sighed, figuring he should start from the beginning.

"The trees went on for a lot longer than we thought. We brought extra food, but we had to ration it." He paused, glancing over at Carter's face. His blue eyes were filled to the brim with curiosity like he used to look at Damien with when he told him stories before bed to calm him down. But this was not a fun story like many of those he told before.

"We were going to turn back but we'd already made it to the other side, and I'd convinced them that we should at least take a look around." Damien grimaced; That had been his first mistake of many.

"It was a massive field, with a bunch of metal human junk in it. The grass isn't cut there though, it's hard to see what's around you. After a while of walking, Dad wanted a vantage point to get an idea of our location. But he couldn't even make it to the base of the rock before this monstrous fucking dog came barreling towards us."

Carter's curious expression turned to horror, heart hammering in his chest as he hung onto his brother's every word.

"We ran in different directions. Mom and dad dove into a nearby can, but the thing went for them first." He paused, remembering how it had barked and gnashed its teeth at them, trying to get what was inside. He remembered how his parents had looked, the utter fear in his father's eyes. Out of every single trip they'd ever went on together, Damien had never seen the steely man so afraid.

But he couldn't tell Carter that, it'd break his heart even more. He guessed that he could still tell him what had happened, and just spare the gruesome details.

"It just kept barking," He continued, "..And I stepped out. I just--" I couldn't watch them die, he almost said, but bit his tongue. "I started yelling, to distract it. Which worked, but it came after me instead.. so I ran." 

Carter's worried expression grew tenfold.

There was a short pause, and Damien didn't meet Carter's gaze. 

"When it chased me…. it kicked the can that mom and dad were in. All.. all I saw was it rolling away.."

That same sinking feeling in Carter's gut appeared, and he felt like his stomach was going to twist out of existence. He couldn't take his eyes off his brother, as his mind raced.

Where did they end up? Were they okay? Why hadn't they come back? Will they ever..?

Carter swallowed and fought the tears that tried to spill, his throat growing tight.

"I ran and ran into the metal scraps-" Damien pushed on, despite the tension rising in the air. He'd stop if it became too much for his brother.

"--And dove under a big rusty sheet. To hide." Like a coward, he wanted to add, almost ashamed of his actions. But hiding had always proven him well, and he knew that sometimes the safest way out of a situation was just to avoid it. 

"..But I was found." the words came out, barely a whisper.

Carter's tense expression faltered as suddenly something had clicked into place. The reason why Damien had forbidden him to see Eric and been so outraged that he had talked to him was because he had his own experience with a human, but it wasn't pleasant. 

Or at least he gathered, by the way his brother's jaw clenched and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the side of his bedframe. He looked like he didn't want to talk anymore, and was staring dead ahead, as if lost in a dark trance. Carter took another long look at him now that they were so close, seeing just how bad of shape he was in. Dark bruises and deep scrapes littered every spot of his exposed skin, and he seemed thinner than he usually was from what he could remember. He looks like he's been through hell.

Carter hadn't noticed he was crying until his brother's head whipped towards him, concern growing on his face. 

"But I'm okay," sort of. He tried to lift Carter's spirits, unable to watch his little brother cry. He wrapped his arms around the smaller borrower once more, and in return was pulled close so he could rest his chin on the blonde's head. 

Carter couldn't help but feel sick at all the pain his family had gone through without him, while he sat here uselessly holding down the fort. For no one to return.  

Damien was the first to pull away, and Carter's eyes burned as he tried to push back more tears.

"Alright that's enough explaining for one morning," He sighed, more than happy to push this conversation aside. Carter agreed with a nod, bringing a hand up to wipe the last of his tears away. He looked up at his brother, who had now stood up, and smiled sweetly. He was so happy to have anyone in his family back, even if it unfortunately couldn't be them all. 

"Now let's clean this place up."

The next few hours of dusting, tidying, sweeping and fixing their den were spent mostly in silence, but neither of them seemed to mind. Carter had agreed to help, mostly because he felt bad about how disastrous the place had gotten, and because he didn't want his brother to exert himself. It had ended up being a surprising amount of work though, and the latter was bound to happen.

Carter noticed the coughs becoming more frequent, along with his brother's frustration and intolerance. He used to get like this when he was sick, and the younger borrower tried to express his concerns. He was only met once more by that wave of 'don't worry about it, I'll be fine', and Carter pouted as he could do nothing more than insist his brother to slow down.

He didn't listen though, always being one to insist to others that he was strong enough to do anything, especially the things that needed to be done. He ended up reaching his limit though, by the time the sun was just passing over the highest point of the sky. Evening was approaching, and he was too exhausted to continue. 

Damien faltered, a sharp piercing headache striking through his brain. His grip slipped on his crutch as he moved to readjust himself, and he fell to his knees against the floor. The sudden action made him explode into another coughing fit, which only made his head throb more. Carter had run up to him, and for once he accepted the help to stand.

"Hey, I told you to slow down, you can't push yourself like this," Carter piped up in concern, helping his brother back to his feet. He knew that if his brother were in any better condition he wouldn't accept him talking to him like that, but Damien only nodded. 

"I think I just need more sleep." 

Carter could only agree, and helped his brother back up and over to his room and down into his bed. He gave a sympathetic wince as he glanced down, noticing how sick the taller borrower really looked.

He tried to push away the worry with positivity, telling Damien to just get as much rest as he could, and that dinner would be taken care of for him. Carter had eventually shuffled out of the room, feeling a little guilty that he hadn't helped more today. He tried, he just didn't really know what to do. That regrettably seemed to be the case more often nowadays.

And it happened again as he pondered what to make them both for dinner. He tried to think back to how his mother had treated him when he had previously fallen ill, but he pouted as he realized that he didn't have the proper ingredients to make any of the recipes in her cookbooks. A quick thought flashed tgrough his mind of him asking Eric to make some soup, but he quickly threw the idea away. He sighed, hoping that Damien would be alright with some of his famous butter-spiced pasta. A hot meal was definitely something he needed, and right now options were rather limited.

Carter worked quietly as he gathered everything together to make dinner, not wanting to disturb Damien's rest. He slid the new candle under the thin metal sheet they used as a stovetop, replacing the old thoroughly used one, and grabbed one of the pots. Before too long pasta was on the way, and Carter's stomach began to growl as he thought of the finished product. He didn't have any ingredients for sauce, but butter and spices tasted just as good in it. He knew that Damien agreed as well, as this wasn't the first time that he's made it like that.

When he went to go deliver the bowl of food to his sickly brother, he found the other already fast asleep. Careful not to make a sound, he set the pasta down on the bedside table, pausing for a moment to look down. He reached out a hand and placed it on his brother's forehead, grimacing at the touch. It was hot. Feverishly hot. 

Carter suppressed a worried groan, bringing his arm up to worriedly chew at his fingers. He knew how to help someone with the common cold, but with the state of the house and their current situation, he doubted that he could provide the necessary assistance. Still, he remained hopeful, and vowed to do everything in his power that he could do to help Damien.

He started that off by getting him a spare cup of water, and a cold cloth to rest on his head. The rest of the care he needed would come from sleep for now, he hoped. Carter stayed in his room nearby while the other slept, again unwilling to leave his side. He had hopes that this was just a bad cold and it would all blow over soon, but a tiny voice in the back of his head wasn't so optimistic. 

///////

Eric had been ecstatic after their second dinner together, baffled by how much progress they were making. Carter didn't seem to mind being around him anymore, and he noticed how the little borrower seemed to flinch less whenever he moved his hands or stepped a little closer. It was a tremendous leap in the right directions in his books, as he recalled how Carter had been so afraid to show himself for so long, and clearly didn't like to be out in the open.

The day of work after that had felt like it droned on forever. There wasn't much to do at the store, so at least he was getting paid to stand around for a good part of the day, but it was utterly boring, and he felt a little bad. By the time he got home he was already feeling tired, but the fatigue was quickly replaced with excitement as he remembered his earlier conversation with Carter.

As promised,  Eric showed up in the kitchen and waited for Carter to appear. He thought about calling out again, as it had worked for him the first time, but he hesitated. It would probably be better to just let him come out on his own time, rather than making him answer his call. He opted for tearing a piece of paper and writing a little note on it, leaving it by the one entrance that he knew the borrower used the most. He figured that there were probably more of them scattered throughout the house, and while he had admittedly looked for them, he hadn't found any yet. Which was probably how it was meant to be; secret entrances weren't very secret if they were just out in the open.

He waited for about twenty more minutes before leaving the note, going on his phone to make the time pass faster. But he was only accompanied by silence, and he couldn't help but let out a sad sigh. Maybe Carter had forgotten about their meeting? Maybe he was just busy? He tried not to worry, but he couldn't shake the thoughts that something was wrong as he sulked off to his room for the night. He left his door open as he continued to pass the time, welcome to any little guest that wanted to seek him out.

Nobody came though, and he went to bed that night a little disheartened, but begrudgingly accepting of the situation. If Carter didn't want to be around him that was okay, he'd spent every single other night here alone, so this one shouldn't be any different.

It shouldn't, but it was. As the night faded into the next day and he yet again got up and ready for work, that apprehensive feeling returned and his worry for the little borrower only seemed to grow. He said he was alone out there, and Eric's mind immediately jumped to all of the dangers that someone that size would have to face. It made his chest lurch as he realized just how many things that was.

He waited again after work for a short bit that day, admittedly a little more fidgety than the last time. The note that he had left for Carter was still undisturbed, confirming to him that the little borrower hasn't been back here yet. It was only the second day, and Eric knew that he'd just been getting his hopes up, but he was still faithful that Carter would return. Eventually.

Maybe.

Day three rolled around, and he finally had a few days off. He'd slept in quite late, but it was well-deserved. The house was still dead quiet though, and his fears rapidly grew. Was Carter alright? Had he scared him off? Was everything too much for him? The worries picked away at his mind. He knew that Carter was just getting used to being around him still, but his absence was troubling. 

It didn't take long at all for the lonliness to settle back in, weighing his shoulders down as he browsed on his laptop. The internet was being boring, and most of his friends were either busy or at work or on the other side of the world, so there wasn't much to do. He figured that he could just use the time to catch up on some drawings, and promptly stood to go find his art bag.

Hours passed by without Eric noticing. He'd only realized that the sun had long set after it started to affect the light in the room, messing with his vision clarity on his work. He sat back and rubbed his eyes, figuring a break and a meal were in order.

Dinner was too lonely that night for Eric's liking, and he was a little sad about that. He'd gotten so used to being alone here and when he finally had a taste of some interesting company, they vanished. He sighed, resigning himself to watching Netflix in his room for the remainder of the night.

The computer screen kept him company for another couple hours, until his eyes were too tired to focus anymore. He yawned and rubbed them again, looking at the time; 1:06. It'd been a while since he's stayed up this late, and he was honestly ready to pass out. Eric reached up to take off his glasses and set them down on his nightstand, crawling into bed with another sigh. 

Eventually he drifted off to sleep with hopeful thoughts of tomorrow, but he didn't stay asleep for long.

"..ric." A tiny, impossibly small voice spoke out, tearing him from his slumber. 

"Eric!" the voice came again, this time louder. The freckled human's eyes immediately shot open, beyond surprised when they landed on a small figure standing on his nightstand. A glance at the clock told him it was 3:18 am. Groggily he reached out for his glasses to get a better look, blinking furiously to try and focus his eyes. When he did however, he paled at the sight before him.

Carter stood there alone, as close to him as he'd ever dared to go before. At this distance, even in the dark, Eric could see that something was off. 

"Is everything alright?.." He asked carefully, heart practically skipping a beat when he heard Carter sniffle. Was he crying?

"I--" The blonde hesitated, biting his lip for a moment before continuing.

"I need your help." 

Chapter Text

When Carter went to go check on his brother the next morning, he was saddened to find that the bowl of food was still untouched. He even made sure to come in a few hours later than usual, giving Damien plenty of time to wake up past his usual morning grumpiness and eat breakfast if he wanted to, but it seems he hadn't. The only things that had been disturbed were the glass of water and the cold cloth, both of which Carter promptly refilled and replaced before slowly backing out of the room once more, leaving his brother to rest a little longer.

He let a few hours pass by before checking in on the other once more, surprised to see that he was now awake. Barely, but awake enough to talk.

"Hey," Carter spoke softly, trying not to suddenly frighten him.

"Mmm." Was Damien's only response, not opening his eyes. Carter carefully pressed on.

"How're you feeling?" 

"Like shit." 

"..Can I help?" 

Damien shifted, thinking about it. "..More water." He managed to say, clearing his throat as the hoarse words came out. It burned to talk.

Carter hadn't even noticed that the water cup was emptied again, but he was glad to see that his brother had been drinking it. He grabbed it with the intention to refill it, but paused as he noticed last night's dinner still untouched. It probably wouldn't be the best thing to eat anymore since it was mid afternoon, so he opted to clean it up as well. Still, he voiced his concerns.

"You should eat something… it's been a while." Carter worried at his lip with his teeth, hoping that Damien wouldn't disagree. 

"'Mm not hungry.." The low, raspy words crushed his hope. Damien rolled over onto his side, as if further securing his unwillingness to eat. His stomach felt uneasy, and he knew that if he tried to force anything down it would just make things worse. He really didn't feel like throwing up, hardly able to contain the pain from the headache when he wasn't moving or putting pressure on it.

"Okay," Carter sighed, unable to hide the sadness in his tone as he turned away to go refill the cup. 

"Maybe later, then." 

Damien gave no reply.

The evening had soon rolled around, with Carter trying to find things to pass the time with as his brother rested. It was easier now, since the den was cleaned and sorted again, so he paced around the activity room and picked at things to do. He felt bad about how long he neglected his chores and the general management of the place, but it was tough times and being tidy wasn't his priority.

A couple more hours passed by and Carter checked in on the other once more. Damien didn't respond or stir when he walked in, which was a little worrying. Resting his hand against his head like before, he found that it was still very hot. However, despite his high temperature, he seemed to pull his blankets tighter around him as if he were cold. Carter had even gone back to his room to sacrifice one of his own blankets to help warm him up, but it wasn't enough.

The cup of water was still full, sitting on the bedside table exactly where he had placed it before. He nervously chewed his lip for a moment, contemplating what to do. Damien wasn't wanting to eat or drink anything, but Carter knew he had to get him to try. There was no getting better if he wouldn't. 

"Damien.." Carter spoke in a hushed tone, lightly nudging his brother to wake him up.

He was greeted by another low groan.

"Please.. you have to eat or drink something." He took his hand away from his brother, turning to hand him the cup. "The water's right here.. can you sit up?" 

Damien shuffled under the blankets, trying hard to listen to his brother's words. Fighting his pounding headache he forced himself to prop up on his elbows, shaking from the cold, but sweating nonstop. His eyes could barely open as he took the water from Carter, drinking as much as his body would let him. Which wasn't much unfortunately, but it did well to soothe his aching throat. Every part of him felt terrible, and he hated it. He wanted to be able to push through, but he also just wanted to sleep for eternity.

After a few brief moments he handed Carter the cup back, unable to keep his eyes open for very long. He slumped back down to the bed, arms going limp. A few seconds later they pulled the blankets back up to cover his flushed face, and he rolled over to go back to sleep. It felt so much better than being awake.

Carter let out a deep sigh. He didn't know what to do if Damien wouldn't eat, and he was barely drinking enough water to keep himself hydrated. He seemed to only be getting sicker, and Carter's worry grew. Maybe he just needed to eat something lighter than pasta - maybe bits of cracker would do? 

He made himself dinner that night, but left Damien some cracker chunks instead of giving him something warm. He probably wouldn't want to wake up to eat it if he had, and then it wouldn't be appetizing when he went to eat it later.

But lo and behold, on the third day the crackers remained untouched. Carter's stomach sank, as the gravity of the situation started to sit in. This wasn't just a sore throat and a bad cold, it was worse. And if he didn't start doing something different to take care of it soon, then it was only going to continue to get worse.

The problem was, he didn't know what else to do. Despite his best efforts, Damien wasn't improving. When he went to go wake him to drink more water in the morning, All he could get in response was a few mumbled words that Carter couldn't make any sense of. He kept shivering, but sweating and panting whenever he moved. It hurt the younger borrower to see his brother like this, and he felt hopeless on what to do.

Well, almost. He'd done everything he could so far to improve Damiens condition given the tools at hand, but he still wasn't under the best care. He knew that Eric was smart and would know what to do to help him, but as much as the idea was basically his only option, it was practically unthinkable. 

His brother had always been extremely wary of humans, even going so far as to say that they're all deceptive liars. He fully believes that they're all greed-driven, but to Carter, Eric hadn't been anything but selfless. He knew that Damien wouldn't understand that right off the bat though, and he would maybe never forgive him for 'turning him in' to Eric if he went to ask for help. Especially with how much more nervous he was now around Eric's footsteps alone.

Yet, as the day droned on and Damien gave him little to no response, the idea of it was becoming more and more favourable. Carter tried not to cry as he remembered back to all of the times that his brother had been there for him, been there to save him whenever something happened to him.

But now, just this once, Carter wanted to save him back. Even if it was a crazy, stupid idea, he finally worked up the courage to ask Eric for his help. He was out of options and this was the last thing he could think of doing. He tried hard to wake Damien to eat or drink, but he wouldn't budge, and couldn't hold any intelligent conversation.

The way his shivering increased at nightfall was the final straw holding Carter back from going upstairs and getting Eric. His heart pounded in his ears as he climbed up the legs of the nightstand, happy that its interesting design offered such a good grip. Once at the top though, he froze.

He was almost eye level with Eric now, the closest he's ever been to him before. His breath caught in his throat at how much bigger the human was than him, but he wasn't afraid. Eric looked so peaceful laying there, the mountain of blankets moving rhythmically with each massive breath. Carter almost felt bad about disturbing him at such a late hour, but then he remembered the severity of the situation, and how Eric had said that he could come to him if he needed anything. Emotions started to swell up inside of him, and he couldn't stop from crying at the stress of it all. He wished there was a different way, but he knew that he likely didn't have much time left to find one.

The first time he said his name Eric didn't stir. Admittedly it was a little quiet, as if Carter wasn't entirely sure he believed what he was about to do. So he called out again, this time much louder. He didn't know if he'd have the bravery to try it a third time.

Thankfully though it seemed to have worked, with Eric's eyes flying open and the two locking gaze once more. Carter simply stared, sniffling back his tears as he tried to remember what he was going to ask. 

"Is everything alright...?" Eric asked first, concern growing on his face.

"I--" he stammered, "I need your help." 

Eric stared in silence, prompting Carter to let it all spill.

"It's Damien- my brother, he-- he's back.. but he's not okay. I think he's really sick, and he's not getting better and I don't know what to do anymore and I know he's going to kill me for being here and doing this but I'm just so scared." He sucked in a sharp breath at the end, unable to hold back the tears now as the reality of everything hit. 

Eric stared back in stunned silence, eyes widening. The reason why Carter hadn't shown up at all in the last little while was because his brother was somehow back, and he was tending to his illness. But they both knew that there was only so much that could be done from within the walls. He admired the bravery it must have taken Carter to get here, and it hurt his heart to watch the blonde break down like this in front of him. He desperately wanted to reach out, to comfort Carter in any way that he could, but he knew to refrain. He'd told him no touching, after all.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," He cooed, trying his best to calm Carter down with just his voice. "Of course I'll help you take care of him. It'll be okay," He sat up a little more and gave the little borrower the warmest of smiles, wishing that he could somehow give him a hug.

Carter sniffled some more, wiping away his tears again. He was so tired, of crying and of worrying, and he couldn't help but let out a long shaky breath at Eric's response. He was hoping that things would be okay, but it felt a thousand times better to hear that come from someone else. He looked over at the other, feeling a sense of peace wash over him at his smile. 

Eric paused for a moment as he thought of what to say next. He didn't even know where Carter lived, much less how someone of his size was going to access it or take care of Damien. He figured, maybe, that Carter had thought about this too, and had hopefully made preparations. 

"Can you take me to him?" He eventually asked.

Carter nodded. "But he can't stay at home.. it's too cold. He has to come inside." 

Eric nodded back, jaw setting aside in thought for a moment before an idea came to him. Very slowly, he began to extend his hand towards Carter, palm facing upwards, until it lay flat on his nightstand a safe distance away from the borrower's feet.

"Let's go get him, then." 

Carter stood his ground as Eric's massive arm moved towards him and he was suddenly reminded of the first night they met, how he'd kindly returned his sugar pouch. Again there was no malice in his actions, but still Carter froze. 

He knew what it meant; 'Climb aboard'. And he trusted that Eric wouldn't hurt or crush him, but a part of him hesitated. The sheer size of his hand alone made his heart skip a beat. Did he really want to trust his life in the hands of a human? What if he fell?  

Eric noticed his hesitation, and piped up as if to fix his mistake. "Sorry.. I know I'm asking you to break the first rule you gave me, but I just thought I'd offer a faster way for us to get there. If you don't want to though, I get it." 

Carter pulled himself from his trance, focusing on Eric's words. He was right; It would be much faster for him to just guide him there from his hand, but it was an experience he wasn't sure if he was ready to have yet. He swallowed, thinking back to Damien and the promise he'd made to do anything to help him get better, and nodded. 

"..It's okay, I'll do it." 

Eric's eyes lit up, and his smile deepened. He honestly wasn't expecting Carter to accept his offer, but was delighted that he did. It would save them a lot of time, and Eric would get to experience something he's been thinking about nonstop since the borrower first appeared. 

Slowly Carter stepped forward, until he was at the edge of Eric's hand. He stood there for a moment, staring down at the lines in his palm that served as a platform. This is crazy, his mind yelled at him, but by this point he was used to ignoring that little voice. He took a careful step forward, planting himself in the middle of Eric's palm and wobbling a bit before finding his footing on the fleshy surface. When he was situated, he looked up.

"You might not want to stand," Eric chimed in. "For balance." He added at Carter's confused look.

The blonde took his advice and lowered into a crouch, eventually ending up on his knees. The last thing he wanted to do was lose his balance at this height.

"Ready?" 

Carter gave a nervous nod. He was as ready as he'd ever be. 

Ever so slowly, Eric lifted his arm. He was surprised at the resistance his hand met, a little baffled at the borrower's weight. He tried to keep as steady as he physically could as he climbed out of bed, being extra cautious about Carter. His fingers curled inwards protectively, as he held him close to his body, providing him with walls all around. It was hard to believe that there was an entire living, breathing being, trusting him to be gentle with their life in his hand, and the feeling gave him butterflies. He tried not to think about just how fragile he really was, as he made his way through the house.

Carter stilled, trying not to feel sick at the motion of the hand moving beneath him. Fingers slowly curled around him, but after a moment he noticed that they were there for safety. A breath escaped that he hadn't realized he was holding, and some of the tension visibly left his body as he was lifted up to just below Eric's chest, feeling safer there than in an open, exposed palm.

From behind him he could hear the human's thunderous heart beat, and feel it echo through his hand. He wondered if all humans' hearts beat that fast or if, in some way, Eric was just as nervous to be this close to Carter as he was to him. He listened close to the giant breaths filling even bigger lungs, feeling smaller and smaller the more he thought about it. 

Thankfully his thoughts were cut short by Eric speaking. 

"So, where to?"

His voice, although kept quiet, was louder than Carter had ever heard it before. The vibrations from each word rumbled through his chest, and it took him a second to collect himself to answer.

"Uh…. the back deck." 

The house looked incredibly different at this angle and Carter could only stare in amazement, leaning forward on his hands and knees to get a better look. They were closing distances that would take him five minutes to cross in just a matter of steps, and the view while doing so was breathtaking. Everything looked so different; Even the kitchen counter, something that usually towered unimaginable heights above him, was now more than a foot beneath him. 

Suddenly the phrase 'out of sight, out of mind' made much more sense as he realized how easily humans saw small things like the stuff he borrowed as 'insignificant'. From up here it was hard to notice anything missing, especially on the floor, and it made him feel a little better about the things he took.

Any good feelings he harboured instantly melted away as the two of them stepped outside onto the back deck, and into the frigid night. Although Carter knew it was colder out in the air than it was in the walls, he couldn't help but worry even harder about his brother. Subconsciously he pressed closer to Eric, using his body heat to help stay warm. 

"Okay we're here," Eric said a little confusedly after a few moments of silence, peering down at the borrower in his hands. 

Carter jolted when they stopped moving. He wasn't expecting them to get there so quickly, but he figured that's just the way it was when traveling by human. He looked around, brows furrowing; It took him a second before he realized that Eric had only ever been to the top of the deck and not below, which was where they needed to go.

"..No," The blonde shook his head. This was not their destination. "We have to go to the bricks." 

Eric paused for a moment, clearly thinking hard. His grandparent's house may have been old, but he didn't recall ever seeing any bricks on it. He thought back to his childhood, of all the hours he'd spent playing in the yard, and tried to think of places he hadn't been allowed to go. 

And that's when it clicked. Under the deck, pressed up against the house, was a pile of old bricks that his grandpa kept there. He'd never been allowed to touch them before, as bricks weren't really a child's toy, but his grandpa seemingly hadn't done anything with them, either. They simply sat there like decorations, collecting dust under the deck as nature reclaimed what the lawnmower couldn't reach around it. 

Eric's feet kicked into motion, bringing them down the steps and to the space between the deck and the ground. It was incredibly dark over here, with the back porch light barely able to reach that far. He squinted, desperately trying to remember where the old brick pile was amongst all of his grandfather's other clutter. Silently he was grateful that he was doing this at three in the morning, as he wasn't sure he could explain what was going on to his neighbours in broad daylight.

"I.. I can't see anything down here," Eric admitted a little sadly, chastising himself for not bringing his phone or a flashlight. 

"It's okay," Carter looked up, "this is close enough. Can you put me down?" 

"Of course," Eric nodded, slowly lowering his hand once more until it hit the cold ground. He stayed in his crouched position, feeling more than watching when Carter had climbed off. 

He stared in wonder, barely able to see Carter's tiny figure snake through the blades of grass and begin to maneuver over the spare junk below the deck, obviously beelining for the pile of bricks a few feet away. With how nimbly he navigated Eric wondered if he was able to see in the dark, or if this was just an act of muscle memory. It would make sense though seeing as how he lived in the walls, and there wasn't bound to be much light.

After a few seconds Carter disappeared entirely, leaving Eric to sit alone in the dark. He waited patiently, faithful that everything was okay and that the other would return soon. His heart pounded at the idea of meeting a second borrower, and his mind raced as he excitedly tried to picture Carter's brother. 

A few minutes passed, and the faint scraping of plastic tore him from his thoughts. Eric squinted harder, trying to make sense of anything in the inky blackness. Suddenly a burst of light flooded his vision, and his eyes darted over to the source. Carter stood there with a lit match, standing over a rather slumped pile at his feet. The first thing he noticed was the bright red skateboard, but upon further inspection Eric's breath caught in his chest -- it was definitely another borrower, but the sight wasn't pretty. Even from this far away Eric could see the discoloration of the other's skin, and how bad of shape he was in. He grimaced, not quite expecting this.

"I can't get him closer," Carter said, a little defeated. He hoped that this would do.

Eric pondered his options for a moment, but he knew one thing for certain. He couldn't touch Damien. Physically, yes, he was capable of just picking him up and bringing him inside, but Eric's fears got the best of him. The bigger borrower looked previously injured; What if he grabbed just a little too hard? What if, despite his best intentions, he ended up hurting him more? With the way Carter had spoken earlier, he doubted Damien would be okay with him being touched either. 

But he had to transport them somehow. 

An idea struck, and he blurted it out.

"I'm just going to grab the brick," Eric stated, before figuring he should elaborate. "The one you're standing on. I really don't want to accidentally hurt him.." His voice trailed off, thinking of every worst-case scenario that could happen. 

Carter nodded, letting out a small 'okay' that cut off Eric's rapidly derailing train of thought. Snapped back to the gritty reality at hand the human repositioned on his knees, giving himself better balance as he reached forward towards the quickly dwindling light. He doubted that Carter had brought a spare match, so he knew he had to act with haste.

The borrower stood his ground as the giant hand came towards him once more. It really was a terrifying sight, one that would have made him scream and run away not even two weeks ago, but he knew better now. Eric wasn't some careless beast, and just wanted to help. Damien wouldn't understand though, and the blonde was eternally grateful that his brother wasn't awake enough to see what was happening.

Eric's fingers wrapped around the rough surface of the brick, being careful not to touch either of the people on top of it. He nudged it closer to himself so that he could grip it with two hands instead, trying not to think about how freaky it must have felt from Carter's end as his whole floor shook.

The little borrower struggled to stay upright, bringing himself to his knees once more for support. Instinctively Eric's hands cupped around the open space of the brick, creating short soft walls and providing the safest possible ride for the two of them as they re-entered the house.

Carter sighed as he looked down at his brother, who jostled with every heavy footfall from the human. 

"It'll be alright," Eric smiled softly, noticing Carter's concern.

He hoped it would, at least.

Chapter Text

Eric couldn't quite believe what he was looking at. Again, much like the first time he laid eyes on a borrower, he was dumbfounded. Damien looked rough, and he couldn't help but wince at all of the minor injuries on his body. A cold couldn't have done that to him, and it just left him wondering. What did?  

He looked so delicate, yet sturdy; Eric could see the years of experience and toned muscle in his body, but his arms were still as breakable as toothpicks. While he wasn't as identical to Carter as he was imagining, with his neck-length brown hair and bigger physique, he could tell that the two were still related. Up close Eric could see that they shared the same darker fur patterns on their ears and tails, although the tuft at the end of Damien's was admittedly a little less fluffy.

Carter helped him put the older brother down on an old soft hoodie on his desk, beginning with an injury assessment. He stood beside him between Eric's arms, worriedly looking down. Eric tried not to loom over them, but it was hard to get a good look without.

"What are his symptoms?" He eventually asked, hoping that Carter would be able to explain. 

Carter sighed. There were a lot.

"Well he's really warm," he started, "I think it's a fever. He kept coughing a lot and wouldn't really eat or drink much, and then he just kind of stopped responding to me at all. He keeps shivering and I.. I think he also had a headache?"

He wilted away from Eric's gaze, ashamed that he wasn't able to help his brother more than he had. If his mother were here she could concoct some sort of salve or tell him what plants he could use for medicine, or make her miracle soup like she always did, but it was just him. He worried deeply about his brother, and felt so hollow as he watched him lay there, almost lifeless except for his flushed cheeks and occasional shudder.

Eric nodded, hand moving to rest on his chin in thought. It sounded like the flu to him, something he'd dealt with a handful of times in his life, but this was on a whole different scale. Quite literally. All of the remedies coming to mind that would aid a sick human weren't very applicable to borrowers, like painkillers or cough syrup or a steaming hot shower. He thought for a second to try the first two, but he had no idea how it would affect him. He didn't want to give him too high of a dosage, or witness the potentially harmful effects of human medicine on something that very much wasn't human.

His eyes narrowed as he kept thinking. He'd have to find a place for the two of them to stay, somewhere accessible yet hidden, and warm but also dark. He knew his grandparents didn't have any shoeboxes, and he doubted that he could construct something that would work in such a short amount of time. After scanning the room for a solid minute his eyes landed on his dresser, and his face lit up. He could clear out a drawer for them. Perfect.

It didn't take too long to set everything up, maybe about ten minutes in total. Eric scoured the house a bit to get his grandma's heating pad, and the softest yarn blanket he could find. If there was one thing a sick person needed, it was warmth to fight the virus.  

He laid the heating pad on the bare bottom of his dresser drawer, before piling the small yarn blanket on top. His grandmother used to sit with it on her lap in her rocking chair to keep her legs warm, but it hadn't seen a day's use in over a year since she moved out and Eric figured this was a good reason to bring it back out.

Carter watched from the desk as Eric raced around his house to get things ready. It put him at ease just a little to see the human so roped into helping Damien, but it couldn't stop him from his anxious habits. By now he'd paced back and forth across the wooden surface at least five times, nervously chewing his bottom lip. 

His mind was racing, and he could only sit back and endure the scenarios it conjured up. 

Damien would hate him.

Mentally he was preparing himself for one of the worst fights of their lives; his brother would never forgive him for going to a human for help, even if it was to save his life. He was probably going to be terrified when he woke up, wanting absolutely nothing to do with Eric. 

A big part of Carter's fretting was figuring out how to convey to the older borrower that Eric was actually good, and wouldn't hurt them. He'd been nothing but sweet and gentle to the both of them so far, even going so far as to not touch Damien when he couldn't say no. Still, despite his cautiousness, Eric would have to be extra careful now. Carter knew it was the size of the humans that frightened his brother the most, but maybe if Eric took extra precautions around him he'd learn to understand he means no harm.

Or maybe he'd just want to leave even more, to get away and pack up and escape as fast as possible. Carter grimaced, realizing that this was the more probable option out of the two. Maybe he could have a talk with Eric to make sure he was aware of his brother's fears--

"You all good there?" Eric's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Looks like you're about to burn a track into my desk," he laughed awkwardly.

Carter's cheeks flushed, not even realizing that he'd been pacing as much as he had. His lip was admittedly a little raw too; he really had to break his bad habits.

"I'm fine," He lied, just like his brother. Must run in the family.

But much like when Damien says it, it wasn't very convincing. Eric raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing the blonde. "Really? 'Cause that doesn't look like 'fine' to me."

Carter could hear the worry in the human's voice, and it made something in him give out. He let out a long sigh, dropping his tough facade and letting his shoulders slump forward slightly. Eric was trustworthy, he could confide in him.

"I.. I guess I'm just worried," he said, rubbing his arm and looking away. "About Damien." 

Eric nodded slowly, looking down at the borrower with a sympathetic expression. 

"Yeah, no doubt. But I'll do everything I can to make sure he gets better, I promise." He shot him a reassuring smile.

Carter couldn't find it in himself to smile back. "I know, and thank you." He said honestly, "..But I'm more scared for when he wakes up." 

Eric's smile faltered, turning into a look of confusion before remembering what Carter had said to him earlier on the nightstand; 'I know he's going to kill me for being here and doing this'.  

He recalled back to an even earlier conversation, when they were talking in the kitchen. It was the first time Carter had willingly shown himself, but he still hid behind the curtain for the most part. 'Humans and borrowers don't mix. It's dangerous'. He'd been scared, rightfully so, and it dawned on him that Damien would probably react the same way Carter had on that first night. Afraid, speechless, untrusting.

He nodded, understanding what Carter meant, but still he asked "Will he be afraid of me..?"

Without hesitation Carter nodded. "Yeah very. And mad at me for bringing him here. He… really doesn't like humans."

Eric's expression wilted even more, his chest tightening at the words. Of course it was just instinctual for something so small to fear something so big, but the way Carter phrased it made him feel like someone had been purposefully awful to them before. 

"Well I can't help being human," He laughed, but it was humourless. "But is there anything special I can do to make my presence a little easier to deal with?"

"U-um.." Carter thought hard about the question. There wasn't really a lot more Eric could do differently to make things better, Damien was just afraid.

"What you're doing is fine, but maybe just be extra careful? I mean, I think he's gonna be terrified no matter what…" He trailed off.

Eric simply nodded again, putting some thought into it as well. "Would it help if I gave you both the room or something? I can sleep on the couch, and only come in here to check on you guys every now and then with food and water."

Carter's eyes lit up at the offer. It would definitely be easier to have Damien be calm if Eric wasn't always in the room with him. But wait.. did he just say-

"Both?" Carter asked before he could stop himself.

"Well, yeah," Eric shrugged, "Obviously you don't have to say yes, but do you want to sleep up here? Since you don't have to keep hiding in the walls and all, and I bet you're getting tired of making the trip to the kitchen." 

Carter puffed out his cheeks in thought, letting out a long breath. He hadn't thought of where he'd be sleeping during all of this, but for some reason he wasn't expecting it to be up here. In all honesty the thought of sleeping openly in the house instead of the walls scared him a little, but he didn't want to be separated from Damien. Besides, he was admittedly getting tired of climbing that kitchen rope almost every day, and it wasn't like he had anything to do at home. It could be left untouched for a few days.

"Thanks," Carter repeated with a tiny nod, "That would be awesome." 

Eric beamed down at the little borrower. "You're welcome dude, it's no problem. Do you want to sleep in the dresser too? I can clear out another drawer so you don't overheat in there with Damien." 

Carter thought about it, before he slowly shook his head. "N-no, I wanna be in the same one as him." 

Both of them turned to look at Damien, who was curled into Eric's soft hoodie on the desk, still quivering from his fever.

"Alright then, let's not keep him waiting."

Carter eagerly agreed.

---------------

All in all, Carter was glad that he had gone to Eric for assistance. The human had put down everything he was doing just to be of help to them, and watching him fret over Damien's wellbeing rose Carter's confidence in his brother's survival. The older borrower was tough and had been through a lot, so there was no way he'd be taken out by something like the 'flu' as Eric called it. Especially not with all this extra help.

Eric had found an old eyedropper in his grandma's medicine cabinet, quickly washing it out and filling it full of cold tap water before returning to the borrowers. After learning how long it had been since Damien had eaten or drank anything, he knew he had to do something. Even if that meant forcing it down. 

Thankfully Carter was there beside him the whole time helping Eric whenever he was too big to handle a situation, like opening Damien's mouth and knowing how much the borrower could drink without drowning him. Initially Damien fought weakly against the smooth glass of the eyedropper, but eventually he let it do what it wanted as the cool water soothed his aching throat. Little more protests were made, as the borrower was too far gone to respond with anything more than the occasional grunt or whine.

Between the two of them, they'd managed to get Damien settled into the warm dresser drawer with a small cold compress on his forehead. He seemed to lean into the cold touch, and Eric made a mental note to change it out regularly to keep it cool. 

With a sigh he sat back, knowing that all that was left to do was try and get him to eat, and leave him to rest. A part of him worried that it wouldn't be enough, but he pushed away the thoughts. This had to work, because if it didn't then he was out of ideas of what to do. He could barely stomach the idea of Damien dying under his care.

"...All good?" Carter piped up, noticing Eric staring blankly into the drawer below him. His words seemed to snap him out of his haze.

"Yeah," Eric nodded, bringing himself back to the present. "Just thinking about what to make for him to eat. He's not allergic to anything right?" 

The blonde shook his head. "No.. I don't think so?" Frankly he didn't know, but they'd been eating the food in Eric's house for their whole lives so there shouldn't be a problem with whatever he wanted to make.

"Alright.. I'm thinking tomato soup, then. I can put it in the dropper and feed him that way, since I don't have any tiny spoons," he chuckled. "I'll need your help with that, though."

Carter nodded.

"Do you want to come with me to the kitchen while I make it?" Eric asked.

"Umm….." Carter looked down at his brother in the drawer from where he stood at the top of the dresser, watching the slow rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. He was still out cold, and probably wouldn't be waking up any time soon.

"Sure." He added after a moment, looking back up at Eric.

Eric smiled softly, slowly raising a hand to the edge of the dresser. It was a silent invitation, much like the first time he'd offered to carry the borrower, but this time Carter didn't hesitate before closing the distance between them and climbing onto the open palm. He still wobbled a little, but plopped down onto his knees before he could fall.

On the way to the kitchen, Eric broke the silence. "So, are you hungry?"

The little borrower in his hand turned to look at him and gave a small nod. "Yeah." He knew Eric didn't mind sharing food when he needed it. In all his fretting over Damien, he was neglecting taking care of himself; it'd been too many hours since he'd eaten last.

"Do you want some of the soup too? Or I could get you something else, I went shopping yesterday."

"The soup sounds good... I've never had it." Carter shrugged. 

"It's nothing special," Eric shrugged back. "It's just what my mom used to make for me whenever I was sick. That, and a grilled cheese, but I don't have any mini loaves of bread." He chuckled.

Carter was about to ask what a grilled cheese was when he was promptly deposited onto the sleek countertop beside the oven. Eric seemed to waste no time in getting out a pot to boil the water and opening the can of soup, and the borrower didn't want to distract him with so much conversation. So instead he sat there in silence.

Eric cooked swiftly, not minding the lack of words. Carter's company alone was enough to put him at ease, even if the two weren't talking. After a bit, he caught sight of the blonde curiously trekking across the counter. It had only been a handful of times that he was able to be up there unafraid of being caught, so he'd never really taken the time to look around.

The sleek countertop beneath him stretched on and on, holding all sorts of different appliances that towered over him. He ran his hand along the smooth wood of the breadbox as he walked by, stopping at the edge of it with an idea. He wondered how Eric would react to him just taking something right in front of him, and he figured there wasn't something he could think of more harmless than bread crumbs.

With a quick look at Eric the borrower lifted the cover just slightly and slid in, taking a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dark. Once inside he quickly gathered up a chunk off of the heel of the bread, which he knew Eric hated anyway. Upon exiting it he'd half expected the human to speak up, to ask him why he did that, or why he didn't just ask first, or to say literally anything. 

But Eric did nothing except glance in his direction and give him a soft, tired smile. He didn't really care what Carter wanted to take; any portion that he did take was so miniscule that it didn't matter, and he wasn't big enough to carry away anything important. Well, unless he decided to 'borrow' Eric's car keys or his phone or his ID or something. Then they might have a problem. But if the little dude just wanted some extra snacks at three in the morning, who was he to judge?

This response only stirred more confidence within Carter, though. His face brightened with a triumphant smile, and he immediately dropped his fears of Eric getting mad at him. 

"I like this kind," He stated plainly, sitting down cross legged and starting to nibble on the bread. "You should always buy it." 

Eric chuckled. He had spent a couple extra dollars on a good hearty loaf instead of the boring white slices he usually gets to slap into his lunches for work. It wasn't something he would normally buy, but knowing that Carter liked it might change that. 

"Sure thing, bud." He smiled. 

-----

Meanwhile, in the other room, Damien was having a not-so-great time. 

He thrashed in the fabric of the old hoodie, his subconscious haunting him with traumatic memories of the past while he slept.

"What a peculiar being.."

He'll never forget how he had been looked at, under that deadly, scrutinizing gaze. every limb in his body had froze, every ounce of his bravery fleeing in one swift motion. He'd faced many mice and spiders before and even a rat once, although he barely escaped that one, but it was nothing compared to being in the grasp of a human, the one thing he feared the most. The one thing that could crush him to death just because it wanted to. 

His mind felt distant, like he wasn't really in control of it. Everything sounded so far away, but things were so close and touching him. He felt warmth around him, then something cold press against his face. After the cold had left, there was warmth again. It was a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that he couldn't comprehend, and he groaned weakly into the makeshift bed beneath him.

He just wanted to sleep forever...

But something was touching him again. Something that moved. Immediately he flinched away from the contact, not wanting to receive any pain, but all he got in response was a soft sound. Using all of his effort to focus in on that sound, he realized that it was a voice. Someone was talking to him.. someone he knew. 

"--just food, Damien." He heard, barely. 

"Fffd?" Damien mumbled, still unable to open his eyes. 

"Mhm." Carter confirmed. 

Another voice broke through his clouded thoughts, one he didn't recognize. 

"--He awake?" Was all he could decipher. But he couldn't muster up the energy for a response. Carter spoke again, but it wasn't anything the older borrower could make sense of. It didn't even sound directed towards him.

Damien's short burst of consciousness had left him as fast as it came, but a few moments later he felt that same cold hard surface against his face. He had no energy left to fight it, and this time welcomed the 'food' that it brought before falling asleep once more.

Carter looked up at Eric from where he sat in the drawer by his brother with the saddest expression the human had ever seen. Tears began to form in the little borrower's eyes, and after such a long and stressful day, he let them fall.

Eric's heart felt wrung like a wet towel. It hurt to see Carter so distraught. 

"I-I'm sorry," Carter stammered between sniffles, sinking to his knees. "I know you're trying your best but what if he doesn't get any better?" He couldn't stop his mind from worrying.

"Hey, it's okay," Eric soothed, daring to reach into the top drawer of the dresser. His hand found his way to Carter's back, and he hesitated for a moment before giving it a gentle stroke. Unsurprisingly, the blonde flinched at the contact, turning to look up at him. 

"You don't need to be sorry, I bet this is really tough to deal with." Eric continued, retracting his hand just slightly. "My grandma got real sick one time, so I sort of know how you feel. But on the bright side, he was awake, and talking to you!" He offered a reassuring smile. "I bet if we just let him get some more rest, he'll get better." 

Carter couldn't help it, and broke down even more. He leaned back into Eric's hand, wrapping his arms around the end of his finger and burying his face into the soft touch. Tears flowed freely as sobs wracked his body, and his grip only tightened. Once again he felt that gentle stroke down his back, but this time he didn't pull back.

It had been so long since he had somebody there to comfort him like this. So many nights he had spent alone in his bed, crying himself to sleep as he thought about how alone he really was now, how his mother was gone and how he'd never feel a caring touch ever again. 

But here he was, feeling safe in the grasp of Eric's hands. The human was so gentle with him, so honest and reassuring and careful of his actions. He was comforting to be around, and Carter was more than happy that he had taken the initiative to talk to him and spark such a life-changing friendship.

The two sat there for a few more minutes, Carter getting out all of his stress via tears and Eric whispering sweet nothings to soothe him while rubbing his back. Eventually the borrower pulled back, wiped his face free of the wetness, and looked back up at Eric.

"Thank you," He croaked out, voice hoarse from crying. "For everything. I'm so glad I met you." 

"I'm glad I met you too," Eric replied earnestly, feeling honoured to have gained his trust. "And I hope you know I mean it when I say I'll always try to help you in any way I can."

Carter only nodded, burying his face back into Eric's finger. The small hug only lasted a few more seconds, before he pulled his hands back out of the drawer.

"Alright," Eric sighed, his fatigue finally catching up to him. He wasn't used to waking up ridiculously early and running around doing things. For Carter and Damien he didn't mind, but he still felt exhausted. "How about we get some sleep for tonight?" He offered, fighting back a yawn.

Carter took a glance back at Damien before giving another nod. "Yeah, that's a good idea.. Sorry for waking you up so early…" He shied away from Eric's gaze, feeling a little guilty.

"Hey like I said, it's no problem." Eric assured him. "I'm glad you came to me when you did.. We'll get him better I promise."

At that Carter looked back up at him, a big smile growing across his face. He was glad that putting his trust in Eric turned out so well.

"Oh also," Eric continued, glancing behind him into his room. "Did you want me to sleep on the couch tonight? Or can I use my bed..?" 

"You can sleep here," Carter answered, knowing that Damien was still extremely out of it and that Eric deserved a good sleep after all of his help. 

Eric sighed a small breath of relief, giving the borrower a soft smile. "Alright then, goodnight Carter." 

"Goodnight!" The blonde called back as Eric turned around and crawled back into bed.

Sleep didn't come easy to him that night, but it helped to know that he was safe, fed, and warm. Before too long, he found himself drifting off to the slight electrical hum in the air, and the calming sound of Eric breathing.

Chapter Text

Thanks to his work schedule, Eric found it not as hard as it used to be to wake up early. Which was good, considering he needed to be awake and have steady hands when treating the sick borrower in his dresser. Carter had thankfully already been awake in the drawer when Eric approached, eyes landing on the eyedropper in the human's hand. 

"Why does he have to drink so much water?" Carter asked as he stretched, genuinely curious-- He felt like at this rate they were going to drown the elder borrower. Realistically, it was only administered every few hours or so.

"It's good to drink any kind of liquids when you're sick," Eric explained. "It keeps your respiratory system hydrated and helps you cough more mucus up." 

Carter nodded, understanding 90% of those words.

"So it's good that he's coughing?" He asked, still a little confused. 

"Well yes and no," Eric tilted his head lightly, his expression turning a little grim. "His body is fighting the sickness and getting all the bad stuff out which is good, but if he coughs too much or too hard it can hurt him even more." 

"Oh.." Was all the blonde said in response, looking down at his brother with a worried expression. He couldn't fathom Damien being even more injured.

"I would have given him some medicine to help, but I'm too scared of what that'll do if I give him the wrong amount.." Eric said, feeling a little guilty that he couldn't do more to ease Damien's suffering.

"It's okay," Carter more so told himself than Eric, not taking his gaze off his brother. "He'll be okay, I know he will." Damien was a fighter, and Carter wouldn't accept that this would be what brought him down, plain and simple.

"That's the spirit!" Eric beamed, giving the little blonde an award-winning smile. It was good to see Carter being positive about the situation. 

The two had quickly tended to the sick borrower, who once again accepted the cool liquid. He was still out like a light; Carter had never seen his brother sleep so much before, or anyone for that matter, but he figured that he must be needing the four day's rest to heal.

Hopefully, the sleep was doing more good than bad-- at least his skin had a little more colour to it, and he didn't seem as sickly as when they'd first brought him up here. Even some of the lighter bruises and scrapes on his limbs had faded a bit. His body was still hot to the touch, but Carter couldn't tell if that was from the fever or the copious amount of blankets surrounding him.

After a minute of the two sitting in companionable silence, Eric spoke up.

"So, I don't have to go to work today… Did you want to do anything in particular?" He asked, glancing over to his window. The sunlight filtered through the blinds, sending beams of warm yellow light cascading onto his floor. The window was open about an inch, and the occasional gust of wind sent in a refreshing autumn breeze.

"It's a nice day out." Eric concluded with a shrug.

Carter thought about it. Spending the day with Eric wasn't something he could ever see himself doing not even two weeks ago, yet hearing the idea now sounded like the absolute best way to spend his time. While he could continue to sit here and fret over his brother's wellbeing, he knew that it wasn't healthy for him to obsess over things like that.

Carter opened his mouth to respond but before he could speak his stomach cut him off, grumbling noisily enough for Eric to hear. The human's shoulders shook with a small laugh, and his much louder voice broke the silence once more. 

"How about we get some breakfast, first? He offered with a smile.

"That sounds good." Carter sheepishly smiled back.

On the way to the kitchen, Carter came to the realization that he quite liked being carried by Eric. The height he had over everything else, the speed at which they passed things by, the way that his life felt protected in the human's gentle hands-- it was all thrilling each and every time, but it was a thrill he was learning to love. 

Ever so cautiously, he started to lean forward more and more on his hands and knees, until he was looking down over the edge of Eric's palm towards his feet. Carter couldn't help the goofy grin plastered across his face as they traversed the short distance, knowing that it would have taken at least ten times longer to get there himself. But his hook and skateboard were still near the brick on Eric's desk since he'd brought the two inside, so it wasn't like traveling alone was an option at the moment.

Even as Eric's hand lowered to the counter and he climbed off, Carter's grin remained. Today felt like a good day, and he took a deep breath and let his muscles relax as Eric started to prepare things around the kitchen. Things were going to be okay.

"So, what're we having for breakfast?" Eric asked, turning to the borrower with his usual soft smile. His hands were stationed at his hips, proud with the knowledge that he could probably provide Carter with whatever he wanted.

Carter faltered for a second, a little taken aback that Eric was asking him what they were both going to eat.

"U-uh, I'll just have whatever you're having." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah but, I want to know what you want to eat. I can make you whatever- toast, pancakes, cereal, eggs.." Eric continued, listing off just some of the different things that Carter could try. He bet that the borrower lifestyle didn't allow for a lot of oven-cooked food or dairy products. 

At the mention of eggs Carter's ears perked up, and his tail swished in interest. That was the stuff that Eric had made for them on their first dinner together. Well, it was a part of it. Honestly his favourite bits were the potato.

"Eggs!" Carter yelled excitedly before Eric could list more foods and switch the conversation. "That's what was in what you gave me before, right?" 

Eric quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, it is, good memory. Do you want just eggs or the whole scramble?"

Carter shied up, knowing that chopping up all the extra ingredients was a lot more work. "T-the whole scramble.. if that's okay." 

Eric beamed down at the blonde, happy to be able provide a meal for Carter that he liked. "Yeah, of course." He said with a nod. "I'll get right on that."

And get right on that he did.

-----

Damien could hear sounds again, but they were still so distant. A few of them grew closer- some voices, some footsteps, a door opening and closing. And then, silence.

But.. as far as he remembered, he hadn't fallen asleep anywhere near where any of those sounds could be heard. Confusion clouded his thoughts and his face scrunched up into a grimace. He felt like pure shit still, but admittedly a little better than when he'd passed out before. The last thing he remembered was being in his bed and talking to Carter. 

Carter… where was he?

His mind was just starting to function properly again, but everything still felt really fuzzy. Just barely, Damien cracked open his eyes. But when they didn't land on the cardboard nightstand next to him, they immediately flew open in a panic. He wasn't where he'd passed out.

He shot upright in bed, before realizing that he wasn't actually in a bed. It was some kind of… thick grey material? Wrapped over him like a blanket. His head instantly whipped up to scan his surroundings, his neck burning in protest at the movements.

As soon as his eyes landed on the four walls surrounding him, his stomach dropped. This wasn't his den at all. This was a box.

A cage.

His anxiety screamed at him, tearing at his skin. His knuckles turned white as his fingers clenched into the fabric surrounding him, his heart racing at mach speed. Of all fucking things to wake up to, he'd been captured by a human again. 

He could see his face-- The man who had taken him. Living in the alley for months was better than having to look through the bars of his cage and see that unkempt mustache sitting upon a stupid, smug grin. Barely feeding him and belittling him every chance he got. Handling him like an item. 

How thin and fragile he made him feel.

It had taken him an entire month before he said a word to his captor, and even then it was by accident. The next few months held barely any speaking, although slightly better treatment. But he was still a pet. He was still trapped.

Just like he was now. 

Instinctively Damien began to back away from the opening in the top of the box, already able to see hands coming to grab him, feel fingers poking and prodding at his sides, imagining his tiny form being crushed by five leathery digits. He was right in the center of a giant death trap again, with no way of escape.

Amidst his panicked backtracking, he had forgotten about his sprained ankle. After trying to put pressure on it backing away he immediately sucked in a hiss and made a short noise of pain, before clamping his mouth shut. Whoever had taken him obviously thought he was asleep, and if he could keep it like that then maybe he could have some extra time to figure things out. 

But the universe, to Damien's dismay, had other plans for him as Eric stirred in his seat at his desk just a few feet away. Carter was in the hallway practicing with his skateboard, and he had some emails to reply to for a bit, so it was currently just him in the room. He knew that Carter had told him to be extra cautious around his brother, but he saw no harm in standing up to peek over the edge just to make sure the injured borrower was alright. He hadn't expected the other to actually be awake yet.

Damien however, was not okay with seeing the human's head poke out from behind the far wall. As soon as their gazes locked his eyes went wide, his whole body frozen as a wave of complete terror took over him. 

Thankfully, at least his voice hadn't failed him.

"G-Get the fuck away from me," He stammered with a cough, hating the way his voice quivered with fear. 

He'd given up a long time ago on staying silent around humans-- more often than not, that just led to them doing whatever they wanted to him, whenever. But if given the option to tell a bean off, he would. It likely wouldn't stop them from doing what they wanted, but the backtalking was a cathartic release for his pent up fear and anger.

Eric on the other hand, was stunned into silence by Damien's sudden burst of words. He was clearly still afraid of him, but in a much more verbal way than Carter was.

"Hey look," Eric said gently as he took a step back, careful not to make any sudden or loud movements or sounds. "I'm seriously just here to check up on you, you're in rough shape. I won't touch you at all."

"No." Was all Damien could squeak out, shaking his head violently. He didn't need any more hands or eyes on him, he was tired of human attention.

Eric paused for a long moment, thinking about what to say. There was probably very little he could do in the moment to prove he wasn't a threat and get Damien to open up, so he just opted for giving the borrower a couple options.

"Alright... do you want more rest, then? Or I can go get Carter?--" 

"CARTER," Damien blurted before the human could finish. "What did you do to him?!" He demanded, his mind immediately imagining the worst. He couldn't bear the thoughts of his brother going through what he did.

"What?" Eric asked, a little offended at the insinuation in Damien's tone. He guessed it made sense, though. "I haven't done anything. He's just playing in the hall right now but I can go grab him if you want. He'll probably want to see you now that you're awake." He added the last bit as an afterthought.

"Don't you dare lay your grubby human fingers on my brother," Damien spat, his tone venomous. Despite his strong words, his body shook like a leaf. There was nothing he could do to stop himself from feeling like an ant under a boot.

It took Eric a second to realize that the borrower had thought he meant 'grabbing him' literally and not just getting his attention, and he internally berated himself for his poor choice of words. 

"No, sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I--" He cut himself off with a sigh, grimly realizing that no amount of reassurance would calm him down. Instead of arguing about it he just turned on his heels towards his door, gently peeling it open and peering out into the hall.

Carter was at the end of the hall near the kitchen, effortlessly gliding along the smooth wooden flooring on the little plastic skateboard. He smiled at the sight, proud that the borrower liked his gift and seemed to have gotten the hang of it so fast. He figured that a lifetime of such agility would require good balance, but it was still mindblowing to witness.

"Hey," Eric said softly as the blonde drew closer, hovering by the doorframe. Carter's head turned towards his direction as soon as the door had opened, eager to see what his friend needed. But there was something in his tone that made him momentarily drop the board, putting his practicing behind him as he crept a little closer to Eric. 

"What's up..?" Carter asked, slight concern overtaking his smile.

"Damien's awake.." Eric glanced back into the room before looking back at him with a scrunched up expression. "And I think he thinks I've captured you or something." 

Carter gasped, eyes going wide. Damien was awake! 

"Take me to him!" Carter yelled in excitement, taking a few hurried steps closer to Eric's legs. "..Please." 

"Gladly," Eric replied, lowering himself into a crouch so that he could reach the borrower. "He's too afraid to talk to me, but hopefully he'll listen to you."

Carter nodded vigorously as he clambered onto Eric's palm once more. During the trip from the hall to the dresser he tried to think of what he could tell his brother to calm him down, but there were too many variables in the scenarios. He'd likely just have to play it by ear.

When the two got closer to the dresser, Eric slowed his pace a bit. 

"Damien..? I'm approaching again." He warned softly. Carter shot him a proud smile, happy to see that Eric was following the human-borrower etiquette of being as not-scary as possible.

It didn't seem to matter though, as there was no response from the drawer. Eric inched closer, eyes going wide when he saw just an empty sweater where the older borrower had been laying. Carter met Eric's gaze from his hand, and the two shared the same worried expression holding the same silent question. Where did he go?

Ever so cautiously Eric lowered his hand into the drawer, and Carter slid off it with ease. He wanted to stand there and make sure Damien was okay, but he knew that his hovering was the cause of the older borrower acting this way. He sighed internally, taking another step back from the dresser out of their view to give them their space to talk.

Carter blinked rapidly, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of the drawer once more.

"Damien? He called out, voice drenched in worry. He scanned the drawer for any sign of his brother, concern only growing as his eyes came up with nothing. Just barely he heard a shift of materials, head whipping towards the far back corner. There was something dark there… something like..

"Damien…?" Carter asked again, even softer this time. As he approached he could see that his older brother was curled up in a ball in the back corner of the drawer, as far away from Eric as he could get. He was shaking, and Carter felt his breath hitch in his throat. He's never shown this much fear before. 

"Hey," He was beside him now, voice barely a whisper. Ever so gently he reached out to comfort his brother, but recoiled like he'd been burnt when a hand came to smack the touch away.

"Don't touch me!" Damien hissed, not even looking up at his brother.

Carter stood still, shocked to his core and a little hurt that Damien was rejecting him of all people. He brought the arm that Damien had smacked away to his chest, nervously wringing his wrist with his free hand.

"It's okay--" He started, but Damien cut him off before he could even finish his sentence.

"Okay?!" Damien spat, looking up at his younger brother incredulously. Just then, Carter could see the tears staining his eyes. "How is this okay?!" He demanded, gesturing vaguely to the box they were in.

"Because I brought you here!" Carter quickly explained, "You're safe!" 

Damien promptly ignored the last two words of his brother's sentence, too focused on the first part.

"You let it fucking grab me?!" His voice rose in disbelief, limbs shaking at the thoughts of being in another pair of hands.

Carter vehemently shook his head. "He didn't even touch you! In fact he was scared to!" He protested.

Damien didn't believe it, and his scowl deepened.

"It doesn't matter. Why would you ever go to a human for help? Do you know how much danger you've put us in?! " 

At that Carter broke, unable to keep up his composure. 

"I couldn't lose you again!" He yelled abruptly, hot tears spilling down his cheeks. "I didn't know what else to do!"

The room fell silent enough to hear a pin drop from across the house.

Damien's stomach turned into knots. He hadn't meant for Carter to worry this much about him-- he knew he could be reckless, but outing their entire species just to save his life was still a rather dumb idea. But he figured after some thought that he would likely do the same thing, if given the chance to save his brother. They both meant the world to each other.

"I.. I'm sorry." Carter finally spoke up, breaking the ear-splitting silence that settled between the three of them. 

"For bringing you here," he elaborated, his voice cracking slightly. "I know you don't like humans but you were really, really sick and I couldn't do anything at home without mom."

Damien stayed silent. He knew this much was true, considering how cotton-stuffed his head still felt and how groggily his limbs moved, but he hadn't thought it had gotten that bad.

"I promise he didn't touch you," Carter repeated, knowing that that's where a huge chunk of his brother's fear lies. "And he won't. He's really nice, and just wants to help me take care of you." 

"I don't want his help." Damien said coldly, wiping away his tears. He hated crying in front of other people. He opened his jaw to say more, but was cut off by a cough fighting the painful itch in his throat. 

Carter didn't miss that he had said 'his' and not 'it's', which was a small step in the right direction.

"But you need it," the blonde argued. And deep down they both knew he was right. Carter was more than capable of doing the borrowing for the both of them, but he was no connoisseur when it came to medical expertise. He was way out of his element taking care of someone so sick, and simply didn't have the supplies for it either.

Damien was silent again, so Carter pushed on.

"I told Eric you don't like people so he said he'll leave us alone so you can heal, and only come in here to bring us stuff if we need it. You don't have to be around him." 

After hearing that, a very miniscule amount of tension left Damien's body, and he stopped gripping his arms so hard.

"He… he listens to you..?" He asked after a moment, lifting his head to look back up at Carter. His disbelief was obvious. 

Carter nodded vigorously. "I know it's hard to believe, but he hasn't done anything to me without my permission. He listens to what I want, and respects my space when I want it." 

Again Damien grew silent, a lot on his mind.

Carter hesitated, daring to ask a question that's been burning in the back of his mind for days now. 

"The last human you met…. wasn't nice, were they?" He asked carefully, nervously biting his lip.

Damien's grip tightened, his whole body going stiff again. His throat closed up at the memories and words failed him so instead he simply shook his head, eyes dropping to his knees. 

His reaction to the question didn't go unnoticed by Carter, who stared down at the other with a sympathetic expression. 

"Can I come closer?" He asked tentatively, but this time Damien only nodded.

In a matter of seconds Carter slid down beside him, and rested his head against his brother's shoulder.

"It's different this time," he reassured in a soft voice, determined to get Damien to see that Eric was good. "I promise." 

Damien looked down at his brother next to him, but his expression was unreadable. He felt so many emotions swell up inside of him at once- Anger, relief, sadness, fear. But when he looked into Carter's baby blue eyes he could feel something else, too. 

Safety.

He swallowed thickly, giving his brother a silent nod in response. He didn't like being anywhere near the humans, but if Carter was around, then.. maybe he could tolerate it for the time being. 

"I hope so.." Was all he said, mostly to himself, before a long yawn cut off the end of his sentence. The drawer was so warm, and he was still so tired. Momentarily he pushed aside his fear to enjoy being together with his brother, but that moment was long enough for him to fall unconscious once again.

Chapter Text

Eric waited after setting Carter down into the drawer.

And then he waited some more. 

After a while of straining his ears, he could make out the faintest of voices. That is, until he heard them start to yell. His eyes went wide, not expecting that of all things, but Carter did say that Damien would be mad at him. He just didn't think that it would hurt so much to hear them fight. 

He continued to stand to the side, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, not really sure what to do. If he left the room the movements might make Damien nervous again, but if he stayed, his lingering presence might also make him nervous. Plus, if Carter needed something then he wanted to be there to provide it. Idly he thought about how he was going to hear if they needed assistance if he wasn't spending the majority of his time in the same room as them, wondering if a desk bell would work or something.

Another short bit had passed before Eric even realized that the talking had stopped all together. It had been silent for a while now, and he knew it wasn't his place to butt into sibling fights, but he really wanted to know if things were okay.

"...Everything good in there?" He asked in the softest voice he could muster. 

Despite the softness, Damien had learned to be a light sleeper. He jolted awake at the unexpected voice, head darting first to the opening in the drawer, then to Carter's face. His heart instinctively raced a mile a minute, body immediately tensing up again, but Carter only smiled and placed a hand on his arm.

"It's okay," The blonde whispered, not breaking eye contact. "He just cares, like, a lot." He chuckled lightly. "Are you okay if I go answer him?"

Damien stared dead ahead again at the hole in the top half of the drawer, then back at Carter. But his little brother's worried expression was enough to make him crack. Damien knew he wanted to go do this, and has been breaking borrower code since day one of being caught. He likely wouldn't stop breaking it now.

"I don't agree with it," Damien huffed, annoyed to have been woken out of his short-lived sleep. "But I won't stop you." 

Carter's smile returned in full force, and he moved to stand up. It was a little difficult to walk across the blanketed bottom of the drawer, but he'd made it to the edge before long. Eric was waiting patiently there for him to the side, just out of their view from the back of the drawer. The borrower bit his lip for a second, wondering how much of their conversation the human had heard.

Eric smiled in relief as Carter finally came out of the shadows. He repressed the urge to glance in further to see Damien, knowing that the other probably wouldn't like it.

"So uh.. how's it going?" He asked, a little awkwardly. Socializing was never really his forté. 

"Its….. Okay." Carter answered with a small shrug. "He's still sick and won't accept that he needs the help.. but I think we can prove to him that you're not scary. It'll just take time." 

Eric nodded enthusiastically. He knew from Damien's reactions that he probably hadn't seen a human be gentle before, and that was just his specialty.

"Would he want to talk to me..?" He asked after a moment.

"Probably not," Carter answered honestly, glancing back into the drawer behind him. "I mean, I can ask?"

"He yelled at me earlier so I don't think he's afraid to speak to me, but if he just doesn't want to I get it. Let me know if I should leave the room for the day, or until lunch or dinner or something.." He added sadly, resting a hand at the back of his neck.

Damien could hear everything Eric had said, and already had his answers by the time Carter had walked back over to him. 

He didn't want to talk to him, a little afraid that he'd either lose his voice again or be unable to keep the conversation civil. He didn't really want to be anywhere near humans any time soon, and just like Carter had thought, he had wanted Eric to leave the room for a bit. Being able to sleep without feeling watched was something the borrower hadn't experienced in a while.

Eric obliged, feeling a little sad, but ultimately he respected Damien's wariness around him. He hoped that after a while of him being gentle and nice that Damien would come to understand it's not just a facade. He wondered if he'd ever get to speak to him, or if Carter would remain their message man.

He tried not to let the thoughts bother him as he carefully turned to leave the room. Carter had told him that Damien wanted him to stay, so Eric figured he'd just go do some art or watch netflix. It wasn't like he was a stranger to being alone, after all.

"Oh by the way," he paused at the door frame, just before he was about to head out. "I'll knock and wait a bit before opening the door, to let you know I'll be coming in." 

Very faintly he could hear Carter shout an 'Okay!', and with that he closed the door behind him. Not fully, in case one of them somehow made it to the ground and needed to go somewhere, but just enough for it to not click. He'd given Carter his rope and hook back so he wasn't stranded in the dresser, and with a short sigh he resigned himself to the couch for the afternoon.

///////

Damien slept soundly in the drawer, at peace knowing that he was to be left alone. His body was still recuperating and regaining its energy, but the same couldn't be said for Carter. He was brimming with energy, and after a while of laying there with his brother bouncing his leg up and down, he couldn't take doing nothing anymore.

He stood up, stretching his arms high into the sky. It had been at least an hour or two since Eric had left, and Carter had found himself growing bored in the silence. He longed to be back on the skateboard, gliding down the smooth wooden floorboards, but he groaned as he realized he'd left it so far away. He chewed his lip, reaching for the hook at his side. It was a long climb down the dresser but at least it was something to do. 

He stole one last glance at Damien before beginning the trek.

As the hook sunk into the old wood of the dresser, his mind began to race. It wouldn't be long before Damien was fully healed, and what then? He'd likely want to go back home, find a new place to live, and forget this ever happened. But Carter couldn't just leave Eric. Not after everything he'd done. He wouldn't leave his friend.

He guessed it seemed pretty crazy from a borrower standpoint, being friends with a human. But out of every single story Carter had heard of them, not one of them reacted the way Eric had. And that's when he realized that that's all they really were: Stories. Humans weren't big lumbering beats to avoid, hellbent on capturing and torturing borrowers-- They were the same, just much, much bigger.

He felt stuck between both worlds. A core part of him still longed for isolation, to remain hidden like he'd been taught to his whole life, but he knew now he no longer had to. Instead of being afraid standing out in the open, fascination sets in. Humans had such cool stuff, and a life of not getting in trouble for snooping through their things was something Carter only dreamed of.

But even though he had that chance now, he didn't want it to come at the price of his brother. He'd just have to figure out a way to convince Damien to stay. At least in the den, if he wasn't comfortable up in the house. 

Carter grunted as he dropped to the ground from the last few inches of his rope, having just enough length to get down to the floor. He figured he'd just leave it there for climbing up later, whenever he finished killing time. 

The whole gargantuan size of everything in Eric's room threw him off guard. He's only ever traveled the house through the walls, never daring to walk out into the open like this before. It took him a minute to reach the door of Eric's bedroom, and once he did he paused, pulled from his thoughts. The handle that Eric reached so easily was miles above him-- if he hadn't had left the door ajar, Carter wouldn't have been able to get by. He considered fitting under the bottom gap, but it would be a tight squeeze. 

He took a deep breath, gripped the side of the wood, and pulled back with all his strength. The door creaked lightly, and it took a little bit of effort to pull it open far enough for him to slide through, but once he did he was happy to see that his skateboard was still in the hallway where he'd left it. Faintly to his left he could hear noises in the living room, attributing them to just whatever show Eric was watching. 

He picked up his skateboard, a wide smile growing across his face. It really was the best gift ever.

Eric had heard the scrape of the plastic against the hardwood floors over the sound of his show, furrowing his brows until he turned around to peer down the hall, his eyes landing on Carter. His curiosity was immediately put at ease, and a soft smile replaced his confused look as his attention returned back to the screen.

He had been about to go check on them, but if Carter had been willing to venture out here, then Damien must still be heavily asleep.

***

Except, he wasn't. 

The older borrower had woken up not too long after Carter had left the drawer, done with his naps for now. He tried to go back to sleep some more, but he could only ignore reality so much. He groaned, forcing himself to sit up and look around. Carter was nowhere in sight, but thankfully neither was Eric. He sighed to himself, taking the time to revel in being alone.

He still felt like shit, but it had admittedly gotten much better since he was at home. His head still throbbed and his throat was still dry, and he cursed aloud as he realized there was no one to ask for water, and he was too injured to get it himself.

With a huff of defeat he layed back down on the blanket, staring up at the sleek wooden ceiling. He hated that he had to rely on a human for their help right now; he felt utterly powerless. 

But then again, Eric had listened to what he wanted from the very start, when he had actually taken that step back when he told him to get away. He thought back to Carter's words, when he said that things were different this time, and wondered if they held any semblance of truth. He didn't think a human would ever respect his wishes, but here he was, sitting alone at his own request.

He put some thought into his situation, coming to a conclusion he wasn't the biggest fan of. Ultimately, he had to stay here until he got better; Realistically he could just ask to go back home right away, but he doubted Eric or Carter would just let him go in such a rough condition. So, unfortunately, his only option was to talk to Eric. But he figured it wouldn't be too terrible to lay down some ground rules, so long as they were followed.

He'd just have to wait until he came back into the room.

Which thankfully didn't take that long. Noon had hit, and Eric found himself growing hungry again. He figured that the two borrowers might be as well, so he paused his show and stood up with a long stretch. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been worried about Damien the whole time, wondering if he needed anything or if he had somehow managed to escape, hurting himself further in the process. 

He found Carter in the hallway, who was taking a break and sitting against the wall. 

"All tired out?" Eric asked teasingly. But to be fair, Carter had been practicing for about thirty minutes now. 

The little blonde smiled up at him, and shook his head lightly. 

"No, just gonna rest for a bit.. but it's still really fun." 

"I can see that," Eric laughed gently. "But you've been going at it for a while now-- you hungry yet?"

Carter gave him a shy nod.

"Well what do you say we go see how your brother's doing, and then make some lunch?" 

The borrower nodded more enthusiastically this time, and wasted no time in climbing onto Eric's hand once more.

As promised, Eric knocked lightly on the door and waited a few seconds before opening it. 

"Damien?" He called out softly, "I'm not sure if you're awake but we're here to see if you want lunch or something." 

Again he received no response from the drawer, but after another nod from Carter he continued his approach.

Despite having time to collect himself and assess the situation, all of Damien's bravery left him when he heard Eric's heavy footsteps grow closer. He was instantly reminded of his last captor, and the fear gripped him once more. 

He's coming to toy with me.

His limbs went tense, and he could all but crawl back a few inches as Eric's massive hand lowered into the drawer once more. But his panicked breathing calmed a little as he saw Carter hop off, completely unharmed. For good measure the blonde patted the massive hand twice with his own, before it disappeared out of sight.

Damien was still tense, but he didn't object as Carter grew closer. At this point, he was glad to see any familiarity. The younger borrower looked at him with sympathy, seeing him half backed away on the ground once more, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. 

"Hey, you're up!" Carter said excitedly. He really didn't want to have to wake his brother up only to be in the same situation they were in before.

"Yeah.." Damien replied lamely, not looking up at him. His throat still burned when he talked. "Where'd you run off to?" 

Carter only shrugged. "Sleeping is boring, so I had to go do something." He decidedly left out the part where he was playing with the skateboard Eric had bought for him.

But it seemed to be a good enough excuse, as Damien just brushed it off. 

"Anyway, how are you feeling?" Carter continued. "I don't know if you heard Eric but we're having lunch soon." 

Damien took a second to respond, trying to string his thoughts and emotions together.

"I need water," He rasped, "...And to talk to him about all this shit, I guess." He added with a vague gesture to everything around himself.

Carter perked up in excitement once more. He hadn't expected his brother to actually want to talk to Eric yet, and considered it a huge leap in the right direction. 

"Yeah we can do that!" Carter nodded enthusiastically. "Do you wanna come to the front so he can hear you better?" He asked, extending a helping hand.

Damien narrowed his eyes at the offered limb before reluctantly taking his brother's hand. He disliked how eager Carter was about being near the human. Getting to his feet took more effort than he was willing to admit, and he had to pause for a moment to hold his throbbing head before the two continued on. Without a crutch he used Carter as support, not wanting to put any pressure on his ankle. 

Eric waited patiently for Carter at the side of the drawer, ever since he disappeared with a 'be right back'. But he hadn't expected both of them to come out into the light. His eyes widened at Damien's sudden appearance, but the older borrower didn't stay in sight for long, clinging to the wall of the drawer instead.

Carter understood completely. Not even he was brave enough to face Eric head on the first time they talked. Thankfully, Eric understood as well. He just hated being the source of so much fear to someone so small.

It was silent for a while, none of them really knowing what to say. Eric cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Uh, hey.." He started out, mentally cringing at himself. But once the silence had been broken he found it easier to fill it with words. "How are you doing..?" He asked. "Do you need anything in there?"

How was he doing? Not great. But after a reassuring look from Carter, he managed to find his voice once more.

"Water." Was all he said, willing his voice not to shake with just one word. Every time he'd asked for something before, he'd always been denied.

You'll get more when I feel like it, stop whining.

He wanted to say more, but his throat closed up at the memories. Carter saw his demeanor change, but said nothing. 

"Yeah, of course I can get you some, one sec." Eric answered. He didn't miss how scratchy the borrower's voice sounded, and wasted no time in turning on his heels to fetch a container for some water. If Damien was willing to talk more, he'd probably want it first.

As soon as Eric left the room, Carter glanced back over at his brother.

"You okay..?" He asked tentatively. 

Damien only nodded, taking a moment to compose himself once more. It was difficult to remember to breathe when Eric was around. He kept repeating reassurances to himself in his head, steeling his nerves.

It's different this time.

Eric returned before long, with a book and a shot glass of water in hand. 

"Can I put these in there?" He asked Carter, who was the only one who could see him.

Carter stared in confusion at the book, but gave Eric a nod. He watched as it was placed on the blanketed bottom of the drawer, creating a solid surface for the glass to then sit on, so nothing spilled.

Damien tensed as Eric's hands lowered into the drawer, much closer to him than they had been before, but again they didn't reach for him. Again he was safe, and again he was baffled. 

"..Is that everything you need?" Eric asked after a second, hoping that it wasn't.

"No.." Damien replied after a few moment's hesitation. "I also need your word." 

The brunet paused, tilting his head in confusion. "My word on what?" 

"Your word that you'll let us both go. I-I'll stay here until I'm healthy, and then we're gone." 

Eric's heart clenched at the thoughts of never seeing Carter again. He thought for a moment if the younger borrower would have even come back to see him if his brother hadn't needed the help. But he just chalked that up to anxiety, not wanting to believe it to be true. While he knew that the brothers would probably go back to living together under the deck, as borrowers were meant to remain unseen and not interact with humans, he didn't want one of his most interesting friendships to end so swiftly.

"..I mean, I'm not going to keep either of you here against your will, if that's what you're worried about." He replied after a few seconds, burying his sadness.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Damien retorted. "That you won't?"

"Because that's barbaric."

"But it's happened before."

At that, Eric grew silent. He didn't know anything about Damien's past, but he had suspicions that his strong fear of humans came from some bad experiences. His throat grew dry, and he pondered for a moment on what to say.

"He wouldn't." Carter interjected. "He lets me go all the time. It was one of the rules I gave him about me staying here."

Damien quirked an eyebrow at his brother.

"'No touching, no telling, no trapping'." Eric listed them off, in short form. "And I assume those rules apply to every borrower, including you." He spoke towards Damien.

Hearing the word borrower come out of a human's mouth gave the older brother chills. Despite any ceaseless torment he received, he'd never told a human what he was before. Just how much Eric knew he couldn't say, but he had hopes that Carter wasn't stupid enough to let everything spill. Knowing the name was more than enough.

Damien didn't know if he fully believed Eric yet, but he guessed he'd just have to wait and see. Having his brother here at least made things more bearable. He grew silent for a while, a lot on his mind after everything said.

"Oh," Carter piped up and turned towards Eric, just remembering. "Do you also have something to help a broken ankle?" He asked.

"Not broken," Damien corrected. "Sprained." 

"Hmm, I could probably find something, yeah." Eric nodded slowly, trying to think of what would work. "Can that wait until after lunch though?" 

Two unanimous 'yes's was his answer. 

"Alright," he smiled. "What do you guys want to eat?" 

Damien faltered, a little taken off guard. He wasn't used to getting to pick what he ate, and wasn't expecting Eric to offer. He was silent for a few seconds, before he spoke up curiously.

"..What did you feed me when I was asleep?" He asked, feeling weird to think about it. 

"Soup." Eric answered plainly. "But I can get you anything else if you're feeling up to chewing it." 

After putting some thought into it, Damien shook his head. "No, soup's fine." He didn't really feel like irritating his throat even more with dry foods.

"Okay, more soup for you, and what about you?" He asked, his attention turning to Carter. 

"U-uhm, what is there?" Carter asked. He knew what there was in the pantry, but also knew that the stove opened up a whole new world of hot foods he'd never tried.

Eric shrugged. "Well there's always the usual breakfast selection, or I can cook something or get you sandwich materials?" He offered. "Or you can just come with." 

Carter thought about it for a moment. He'd already made Eric cook them a big breakfast, and he didn't want to ask for something taxing again. 

"A sandwich sounds good.." He replied. He'd only ever stolen little pieces of one that had been left out before, and hadn't ever had a fresh one for himself. He glanced at Damien, but with how stressed his brother looked he didn't feel like leaving him alone.

"And I'll stay here, I think." He added at the end. Very slightly, Damien looked relieved.

"Alright." Eric nodded with a smile, not blaming Carter for wanting to stay. "I'll be back in a bit." 

And with that, he left for the kitchen.

///////

After the meal had ended, Eric returned back to the couch. He'd grabbed his pencils, his phone charger, and a pillow, and was prepared to leave the borrowers alone for a little while. They had lots of water left, and Eric had given them an assortment of dry foods to hold them over between hot meals. 

Over the next two days the two spent a lot of time in the drawer together, with Damien's health rapidly improving. Eric barely made any appearances, only coming in once or twice a day to stock them up on snacks and water, and see if they needed anything else.

To pass the time and to help ease Damien's nerves, Carter had told him about every interaction him and Eric had together, starting from him being caught on the counter. 

He told Damien about the dinners Eric had shared with him, about the gifts he had gotten, about how gentle he was whenever his hands were near him and how cautious he was about raising his voice. Damien only nodded, believing more and more of it as time went on; He never opened up about his own past experiences with humans, leaving Carter to only wonder. But he had stopped flinching so bad whenever Eric entered the room, which they all considered a plus.

On the third day Damien was in much better condition than when he'd first gotten there. Moving no longer made him wheeze, his head no longer throbbed all the time, and even the scratchiness in his throat went away. Eventually the foggy feeling in his mind cleared as well, and except for his ankle he felt good as new.

Better than he had in a long time, actually. Which meant it was time to go.

While the drawer was comfortable and warm, it wasn't where he belonged. 

"Carter," he called out, making his younger brother crawl over towards him. 

"Hmm?" The blonde asked, lazily sprawled out on the blanketed floor.

"....Let's go home." Damien said after a heavy pause.

Carter tensed up.

He knew this was coming, that despite Eric's kindness Damien still wouldn't want to stay. He had borrower blood through and through, and Carter knew that he was just itching to get back into the walls the entire time they'd been up here.

But Damien couldn't go alone. And Carter didn't want to leave. 

He said nothing, but Damien was practically able to read his mind.

"We don't belong up here..." He said after a few more moments, not making eye contact.

"I know.." Was all Carter said in response, looking aside dejectedly. 

But in all fairness, he was missing their home too. And he figured that even if the two returned to life as normal, he could still spend time visiting Eric. Damien likely wouldn't agree, but he didn't care. Having his brother be mad was an acceptable price to pay for Eric's companionship.

Eventually, Carter agreed to go with.

Eric was admittedly a little upset that they both wanted to leave, but he understood. Being up here just wasn't their lifestyle. He could only hope that Carter would continue to visit, or that the brothers wouldn't just leave all together after everything that happened. 

There were no entrances to the walls directly from Eric's room, but there was in the living room. Damien was still absolutely not okay with being touched, so Eric opted for just taking the entire drawer out of the dresser and carrying it to their exit. 

Damien wasted no time in disappearing into the walls without another word, but Carter hesitated, one hand on the wall. He turned back to look at Eric, who wore the same bummed out expression Carter had seen on their very first night together. He quickly tried to cover it up and shift to a smile, but it didn't go unnoticed. 

"Thank you," Carter said again as he met the human's soft green eyes, meaning it more and more each time. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but Damien's thankful too." 

"You're very welcome." Eric replied earnestly. "You're both always allowed up here, whenever you want. If you ever need something again, just let me know." 

Carter's smile deepened. "I will!" He called back. 

He hesitated once more before fully slipping into the walls with a small 'goodbye', doing a half-jog to catch up with Damien. He always hated goodbyes.

Slowly, the two began the trek home in silence. 

Completely unaware of what they were about to discover.

Chapter Text

The first thing Carter noticed was the cold. 

He shuddered, his arms coming to wrap around his sides to preserve any amount of heat. He'd forgotten how much cooler it was in the walls after being surrounded by warmth in the dresser for a few days straight. Honestly he had loved it up there, and was missing it more and more with every step he took.

It didn't take long for the dust to settle back onto his clothing like it usually did, as they pushed their way through the now mostly unused tunnels. The pace they traveled was slow, as Damien was hindered by his injured foot, but they'd get there eventually.

Eric had brought him some small strips of a soft white material to wrap his ankle properly, and had even given him part of a crushed up ice cube to help the swelling. As for a crutch however, he'd been completely out of ideas. He considered just snapping a chopstick, but then Damien would have nothing to grip it by. 

At a loss, he'd asked the older borrower if he had any ideas as well. Damien had told him to just go grab a stick from outside, so Eric had brought back many different options. Most of them were either too long or too short, but eventually he'd found one that worked. He was able to put a little bit of pressure on it now that it was wrapped, to better the healing process even though it hurt. 

Carter walked behind his brother the whole time, silent for a few minutes. But his thoughts could only swell and fester inside of him for so long before they spilled out.

"So what are we gonna do now..?" He asked, breaking the tense silence. "...I don't wanna move."

Damien stared ahead, not slowing his pace. 

"But we should." He replied flatly. "The less humans who know about or have evidence of us, the better." 

Carter's face crumpled in frustration. "But that doesn't make sense! If we move into some other house then we're just exposing ourselves to more humans, when Eric already promised not to tell anyone!" 

"Humans always lie." Damien snapped.

"No, not all of them!" Carter retorted. "He wasn't lying when he said he'd let you go when you were healthy, was he?" 

Damien fell silent.

"And he wasn't lying about wanting to help us.."

"Enough." The elder brother grumbled. He didn't understand Carter's obsession with this human. While he'd admit that being under Eric's care was far better treatment than any other human encounter he'd had, he still didn't trust him. Nobody was that nice for no reason. He'd want something out of the two of them eventually. 

Carter stopped his arguing, letting out a long huff. He kicked a piece of lint to the side, and kept on walking. He hated that Damien didn't understand. He felt extremely bad that his brother had to go through something traumatic with a human before, but why couldn't he see that Eric wasn't like that? 

The walls were dark and cold, only adding to Carter's bitterness. His fists stayed clenched for the majority of the walk until Damien had slowed his pace to a halt, making Carter almost bump into him. He steadied himself, glancing past his brother with a curious eye.

"..Why did you bring that here?" Damien asked. 

Carter leaned a little farther to see what he was talking about, but his confusion didn't fade when his gaze landed on a blanket from their den slumped against the wall. He hadn't brought that out here, and frankly had no idea how it got there. 

"I-- I didn't.." Carter answered after a few seconds of concerned silence. Something a little farther on glinted in the dim light, and he pushed past his brother to inspect it. 

It was one of their cups from the kitchen, or what was left of it. He picked the piece of crushed tinfoil up, thoroughly inspecting it. His gaze switched between the blanket and the tinfoil-- Why were these things out here?

More of their household items were scattered haphazardly around the walls, becoming more cluttered as they narrowed in on home. It was getting colder and colder as they approached, and Carter felt his arms begin to tremble slightly.

The two pressed on, Carter now in front with his pin drawn defensively. Had someone found their den? How could they even get here in the first place?  

And then it clicked.

The back entrance.

He'd never closed the bricks after they brought Damien inside.

Carter stopped in his tracks momentarily, heart hammering in his chest. If he had left it open, then anything under the deck could have walked in there! His feet picked up their pace once more, and he was nearing a sprint when he finally reached the tin door to their home, which looked like it had been shoved aside forcefully. 

The borrower carefully peeked inside, but once he did his face fell to a look of horror.

Everything had been destroyed.

Well not everything, but the entire den was in complete disarray. The table was knocked over, most of their furniture broken, their belongings scattered everywhere. Carter figured it would be bad luck if a mouse had found their place in the short time they were gone, but it looks like several had. Other borrowers certainly wouldn't ransack a place like this, and leave crumbs and scrapes on the floor.

"Carter!" Damien called out to him, rushing to see why he had just run ahead. He had been just as confused about the items all over the place, but when he saw their home he could only stand still in shock.

Carter fell to his knees, taking in the sight before him. The place he had grown up in and the things their parents had made were now ruined; Things that were his only connection to them.

And it was all his fault.

It took Damien a matter of seconds to pick up on the signs of a rodent invasion. He said nothing, walking around Carter to inspect the place. All of the food they had stored had been thoroughly torn through, nothing but tiny crumbs left behind, not even enough for a snack. He grimaced at his surroundings, assessing the rest of the damage. 

"I…. I let this happen.." Carter confessed sadly, still in shock. He wanted to say he was sorry, to say that he hadn't meant for this to happen and he had truly meant to close it behind him, but what good were the words now? What damage could his apologies mend?

For a while the two sat in silence, neither of them knowing what to do. Carter had stood up to check out his room, unsurprised to find it the most destroyed of all- at least near where the food had been sitting. He couldn't look at the sight of it, feeling worse about everything by the minute.

Another agonizing minute of silence passed before Carter let out a long huff, hesitantly turning to his brother.

"Let's… let's just go back..?" He said, his voice straining to stay level. 

"What?" Damien asked, looking at him incredulously. He couldn't believe what he was suggesting. "We have a home, we don't belong up there!" He argued. 

"And what happens when he leaves, Carter? You'll have to go back to borrowing, instead of having everything handed to you." 

"I still know how to borrow!" Carter protested, his hands curling back into fists. "And I… I'd want to go with him. and you could come too!-- we wouldn't have to scavenge for our whole lives!"

Damien only looked at his brother like he was insane. Carter filled the silence.

"But anyway he won't just leave, this is his family's house." 

"And it's our family house too!" Damien spat. "You're really going to throw out tradition, our way of life, for living with the enemy?" 

"They might be your enemies but they're not to me." Carter said curtly. "Eric is a good person and you know it, you're just blinded by your hatred! He tried so hard to be careful around you, and he actually cares about us!" 

Damien opened his mouth to say more, but Carter cut him off.

"He saved your life. He took care of you when I couldn't! And he- he was the only one there for me in a long time after you and mom and dad left.." 

At Carter's last sentence, Damien grew quiet. The younger borrower was shaking with emotion, unable to break eye contact.

"I.. I'm not leaving him." 

The two sat in silence for a heavy moment, staring each other down.

"...Why is he so important to you?" Damien asked, dropping his fighting attitude. He'd rarely seen his brother so worked up like this before. The two of them had fought many times over their lives, over many different things, but he'd never seen Carter seem so serious.

"He's my friend." Carter stated. "He's done so much for me and I can't just pretend like nothing happened, unlike you!"

Damien huffed in annoyance.

"And look around us," Carter gestured around with wide arms, to the destruction surrounding them. With the cold, the lack of light, and the mess, the place looked already long abandoned. 

"...I know this is all my fault but there's nothing left here for us now but a lot of work and painful memories." He continued.

Damien hated to admit it, but Carter was right. Their home had been totaled, all food in sight eaten, most of their furniture broken. Sure a few things were salvageable, like their tools, but even after extensive tidying it wasn't ever going to be as nice as their parents had made it once before. 

And Eric, well… he wasn't like any other human Damien had ever seen. He'd actually stuck to his words the entire time they had been there-- He'd even given them his room and slept somewhere else. That, paired with his soft speaking, general consideration for their wellbeing, and seemingly endless patience was a refreshing change to what he was used to. Maybe it was worth a shot.

Being honest, he'd cut his emotional ties with home long ago. It was a place he had given up hope on ever seeing again, expecting to find it in this condition anyway if he had ever returned. Looking around, he quickly came to the conclusion that he wouldn't have the energy or physical strength to fix it all before snowfall.

The older borrower figured he did technically owe Eric his life, and even though it was against his better judgment he knew it was a wise decision to take up the shelter that the human could provide. There'd be no more spiders or rats or bugs to fight, and it would save him another hellish scouting trip to find a new place to live once his foot had healed. 

Besides, the drawer had been pretty comfy, and realistically Damien knew that the two of them wouldn't survive outside in the upcoming cold. He grimaced, setting his jaw aside in frustration. He hated it, but it was the most logical thing to do.

He was proud, but not stupid.

"Just give him a chance..?" Carter pushed on.

" Fine." Damien grumbled. "But one fuck up and I'm out of there." 

But it wasn't like he really had a choice. It was either go back up there, sit alone in the dirty den, or freeze and starve to death outside. Somehow, the latter two didn't seem as appealing as the first.

Begrudgingly he made his way around the den, the two picking at things they wanted to take with them. The black dicebag was thankfully still by the entranceway, and it was the perfect size to stuff their salvaged belongings into to bring through the walls. Eric likely already had most of what they considered necessities, but Carter had gone into their parent's room to find their mother's shawl, wanting at least something to comfort him and remember them by.

Usually Carter would be ecstatic about going back up to visit Eric, but the walk there this time felt much more different. Maybe it was because with every step he grew further and further away from the only home he's ever known; Maybe it was because he still blamed himself for all this happening. Whatever it was it kept him silent, the only noise coming from dragging the soft black bag behind them by the pullstrings.

With his foot in its current condition, Damien couldn't climb the ropes to the nearest entrance. The two stuck to the most level path, only having to drop a ledge once. They snaked their way back through the wall the same way they came, all the way until the living room entrance.

Carter hesitated for a second with his hand on the wall, turning to face his brother. The two shared a worried look, but it only lasted a second before the blonde steeled his nerves and pushed on through, emerging out from behind the curtains. He dropped the bag just outside the entrance, proceeding forwards on foot. Damien stayed with their small bundle of supplies, watching Carter's silhouette grow smaller and smaller as he neared the couch.

"...Eric?" An unexpected tiny voice called out his name, making him flinch and instinctively slam his sketchbook shut, as if the borrower could see the drawings of him Eric had been doing during his moping. It wasn't his first sketch of Carter, and certainly wouldn't be his last.

His head swiveled towards the window and dropped to the floor, where a very fidgety Carter now stood. Eric's eyebrows knit together in concern, wondering why he was out here again already.

"Oh, you're back..?" He asked, more surprised than anything else.

Carter could only nod, nervously wringing his wrist with his hand. He had an entire conversation planned of what he was going to say, but all of it had fled from him the moment he stepped out of the walls. He swallowed thickly, suddenly reminded of the night that he had climbed Eric's nightstand. Maybe using the same approach would work.

"I.. I need your help again.." He said, unable to hide the sadness and guilt from his voice. "W-well, we both do.."

"What do you need..?" Eric asked carefully, curiously leaning forward a little more. The borrower had only ever come to him for help when things were really serious before.

Carter's throat closed up. Could he really ask him to stay here? Sure Eric didn't seem to have a problem with sharing anything with them before, but this was different. This would be permanent, and would change all of their daily routines for life. For a moment he panicked, thinking that he had made another mistake, but Eric's gentle gaze calmed him down, waiting patiently for him to speak.

"I messed up.." He looked away, struggling to find the words. Anxiously his arms folded across his chest. "O-our home is wrecked, because I didn't close the bricks a few days ago.." He explained. 

Eric's face fell from a look of curiosity to concern. He hadn't even thought about that being a possibility. 

"..Do you need somewhere to stay?" Eric asked after a moment, feeling like he knew what Carter was getting at.

Wordlessly the borrower nodded, still looking away.

"Hey," Eric said, making Carter look back up at him, meeting his soft green eyes.

"It's okay," Eric assured, noticing the blonde's nervousness. "I'm sorry to hear about your home, but you know you're always welcome to stay here. I'm honoured that you trust me enough." 

At that, Carter shot him a shaky smile.

"Where's Damien?" Eric asked, wondering if it had just been Carter to come up here alone. 

"Over there." Carter pointed to the wall, at the bottom of the curtains. Just barely, one could see two tiny legs poking out.

"We-- we brought some stuff from home, but it isn't a lot." The borrower continued.

Eric nodded, lost in deep thought, endless questions dancing around his brain. Where could the two of them even live here? Would their rules remain the same? How long would they want to stay?

The three of them had a lot to talk about.

After spying on Carter's interaction with Damien, the older borrower eventually deemed it safe enough to step out of the shadows. Eric noticed the movement, eyes darting in his direction. For a moment Damien stopped in his tracks, unease coursing through him being under such a large gaze, but he pushed forward through his worry. In a matter of seconds, he had planted himself by his brother's side, looking up warily at Eric.

"Where do you guys want to stay..?" Eric asked after a second, hoping that either one of them would have an idea. 

Carter and Damien only shared a look with each other, before looking back up at Eric blankly. They didn't know.

"Alright well, we can come up with something.." Eric spoke up optimistically, breaking the silence. A hand raised to his chin in thought. 

It would be easy enough to lend them a small space of his grandparents' house, but the matter was of where to put them. If he let them stay in the living room on the bookshelf, then both them and their belongings would be out in the open for anyone to see.

He doubted that they'd want to stay in the dresser, which he'd only used as a split second decision to take care of Damien while he'd been sick. They'd be staying in Eric's room then, leaving little to no privacy for either party, which didn't bode well to him.

He scanned every room of the house in his brain, every nook and cranny he knew existed. Most were either too high up for Damien to climb while injured, or too small for two people, or something else that would make it unideal. Eventually though, an option dawned on him. 

The linen closet!

"Oh," Eric's face lit up with the idea, and he moved to stand up. "What would you guys think about staying in here?" He asked, walking over to the closet. 

The two borrowers followed as fast as they could on the ground, but it still took them a considerable amount of time compared to Eric. Damien's injury gave him a disadvantage, and Eric wanted nothing more than to be able to offer to carry them, but he knew he couldn't. While Carter may have accepted it he knew that the other wouldn't, and he wanted to show that he also respected their independence.

When everyone was assembled Eric pulled aside the folding door, revealing a large empty space at floor height. It was dusty and would definitely need to be cleaned before they moved in, but it was big enough for an entire borrower family.

Carter's mouth dropped at the sight. 

"Woah.." He breathed, running into the enclosed space. It was perfect! And it was right by the hallway to use his skateboard whenever he wanted. He excitedly turned to his brother, a huge smile plastered from cheek to cheek. 

Damien limped into the closet, taking in the space around them. It was definitely big enough for the two of them, and gave them both enough light and enough privacy. He stared at the door, noticing that even if it were forcibly closed he'd still be able to slip under the bottom of it, escaping if necessary. 

"What do you think?" Eric asked triumphantly, but if Carter's reaction was anything to go by he'd say it was a yes.

"I can keep the door cracked for you guys, and it's right by the kitchen in case you get hungry. I could probably also put a hole into the wall, if you really wanted." He added. He felt a little bad about offering to break his grandma's place, but if it made the two more comfortable then so be it. 

"What do I think?" Carter echoed, "It's awesome!" 

Both of them turned to Damien for his answer, making the borrower stiffen. "I-It'll work.." He replied, not showing any of the excitement that he felt inside. 

Eric's smile widened. 

"Oh this is nothing," he laughed, "wait until we clean it out and decorate it." Carter looked even more elated.

"I know you guys brought some stuff, but if I can provide anything else just let me know. Actually, I can probably sort something out for beds, and furniture if you wanted." As an art kid his whole life, he had an entire storage container filled with arts and crafts junk that he lugged around with him, and he figured there had to be something in there he could use to make them the things they need. 

"Or," he continued, another idea dawning on him. "I can let you guys make things for yourselves? You both seem pretty innovative, and I have a bucket full of supplies you could use."

That seemed to spark Damien's interest, who turned to Eric with a raised brow. 

"'Supplies'?" He asked.

Eric nodded. "Yeah, just little things like thumbtacks, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, fabric scraps, probably some safety pins, some string. I don't know, I have a bunch of junk in that bin honestly." 

While these were all just meaningless 'junk' items to Eric, each one of them that he'd listed had raised Damien's interest more and more. Those things were invaluable to a borrower, and if Eric was just offering it to them then he would gladly accept.

Eric must have seen the glisten in Damien's eyes as he spoke up once more, a small smile creeping across his face. "Did you want me to go grab it?" He asked.

Two very eager nods was his answer.

///////

The borrowers spent the majority of the evening setting up their new home, decorating it with all the things they had. It was nowhere near as cluttered or as cozy as their last place, but it still somehow felt like home.

Eric had put a book against the back wall, creating a divide for their "rooms", and the two had a field day sorting out their belongings and crafting different things. He simply watched in awe as the two of them worked, creating actually useful items out of the objects he saw so mundane.

Damien seemed much less tense than he had ever seen him before; tinkering was his happy place, a trait that him and his father shared quite closely.

One of them had asked for a sewing kit, to which Eric didn't actually have. He did find a spare needle, which worked in the meantime, but he vowed to go get them the things they needed when he was off work tomorrow. 

He didn't tell them that he was also going to buy them new fabrics, in case they wanted to make new clothes. The ones they were wearing had seen nothing but dust and dirt for years, and were long overdue for a change. But Eric didn't judge, seeing as how they had to find everything themselves before. It was impressive to see what they already had, really.

He felt so honoured to have the two living with him. He'd half expected to barely see each other again after they had gone, or for them to leave the house entirely, not for them to come back and ask to stay. He felt bad that their home was now unlivable, unable to imagine how that must feel, but was happy to provide them with a new one all of their own design.

Eventually he'd left them to their own devices for a little bit, giving them some space to breathe and settle. But the sun had sunk low into the horizon, and it was time for dinner once again. Carter had requested Kraft Dinner, on the account that it was one of the options Eric listed, and because he'd never had it before. Damien also liked the sound of cheesy pasta, and had agreed to it as well. 

They ate separately, with Eric simply dropping the food off at the edge of the door and eating his meal on the couch. It was a comfortable silence, but he'd resumed his show for background noise. He itched to know how they were doing, but refrained from checking unprompted. They'd come to him if they needed anything. 

He picked up his sketchbook, and started to doodle to pass the time. Another hour or so had passed, and the windows outside looked black as the cool September night rolled across the sky. He figured he should probably head to bed soon, to be able to wake up early for work. He'd had the craziest few days off, but he had to return to routine eventually.

Just as he was about to stand up to call it a night, he noticed Carter had walked to the side of the couch, aiming to talk to him.

"...Hey." The blonde called up. Eric paused his show. 

"Hey bud, how's everything going?" 

"It's amazing…" He smiled, looking aside. "I- I dont know how to repay you for all this" The borrower gestured vaguely towards the linen closet, which he now considered home. Eric had done so much for him, and he couldn't do anything in return.

Eric simply shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, trust me." He returned Carter's smile, leaning over to offer his hand to bring him onto the couch. Carter wasted no time climbing on, taking a second to find his footing on the cushiony armrest. 

"Just having you here is more than enough," Eric continued, staring ahead. "It was lonely here before you guys came, so I'm just happy that you want to stay." 

Carter nodded; if friendship was the only payment Eric wanted, he would happily oblige. 

"I like it here," He said honestly, giving a light shrug. "I'm just surprised that Damien agreed to come back with me.. I think you finally got through to him."

Eric chuckled, his gaze returning to Carter. But the blonde was staring dead ahead out the window towards the back deck, thinking about going back to seal the brick entrance again. Eric followed his line of sight, the two just staring out at the darkness in silence. 

"...You ever stargaze?" Eric asked out of nowhere.

"...Like, stare up at the sky?" Carter asked, a little confused. 

"Yeah." Eric confirmed. "I used to stare up at the stars every night and see how many constellations I could find." 

"What's a 'constellation'?" Carter wondered. 

Eric smiled. "I'll show you."

The brisk of the night nipped at his skin the second they had stepped outside, but it was honestly a little refreshing. He let out a content sigh, leaning his head back as far as it would go and staring up into the sky. 

"So basically, you connect the dots to make pictures." He explained, raising the hand that wasn't holding Carter to point to the stars. "That one is called the Big Dipper, because it kind of looks like one. It's part of a much larger constellation called 'Ursa Major', which supposedly looks like a bear, but I could never see it." 

Carter nodded as Eric rambled on, staring up into the night sky. He hadn't ever spent the time to 'stargaze' before as he had never really been allowed outside at night, and it just didn't seem like something he'd enjoy. But standing here with Eric, listening to him talk, he found that he enjoyed it very much. 

One thing he didn't enjoy however, was the cold. It seeped through his clothes and went down to his bones, making him shiver lightly. It didn't go unnoticed by Eric though, who glanced down at him worriedly. He felt a little bad, bringing the borrower out here so unprepared. 

"C-can I come closer?" Carter asked after a few seconds, fidgeting with his stance.

"Yeah of course," Eric nodded, but he paused as he thought of where to put him. He wanted the other to still be able to see the sky, but he also wanted him to be able to warm up a little. In a quick decision he deposited Carter onto his shoulder, hoping that he wouldn't mind the close contact.

Thankfully he didn't seem to mind at all, nestling himself in the crook between Eric's neck and shoulder, reveling in the comfort. The brunet smiled down at him, unable to get over how adorable Carter was being. 

The borrower trusted him wholeheartedly, and it was the best feeling in the world. 

Something had always felt off about living here, but in Carter and Damien's company, Eric found that he finally felt complete.

Who knew that life could be so great after meeting one little sugar thief?