Archive of Our Own

The light is blinding.

Something shatters, someone shrieks, and then Courtney’s whole body is on fire. Her legs buckle from underneath her, and she falls to the floor with a painful thud. It hurts more than it should, she thinks, if the growing lump in her throat is anything to go by. Why does she suddenly want to cry?

The light recedes, taking the heat with it. All that’s left is the chill and a searing headache.

Courtney blinks once, twice, trying to right her blurring vision. The clamor around her still rages, but the sound is sharper against her ears than it was a moment ago.

The scientists are speaking at each other, over each other, talking for the sake of talking, but they all give her space. Why are they standing so far away? Did… did something go wrong?

Courtney parses her memory, trying to put the last minute or so together. They were running tests, she was there to give the report to Leader Maxie, and… what then?

Her eyes sweep over the crowd one more time. A lot of people are staring at her, but no one dares come near.

It’s a long second before anyone pays her any mind. They take quick glances from the corners of their eyes, almost like they’re afraid to look directly at her.

“Someone should get Leader Maxie,” one of them says. They’re not volunteering, just putting the suggestion out there.

Courtney makes a small sound from the back of her throat. She doesn’t hate the sound of that. Even if Maxie can’t make heads or tails of the situation, at least he’d talk to her instead of around her. At least then, maybe she’d know what has everyone so antsy.

Courtney’s eyes hurt. Between the bright light and the general unease, there’s a headache drilling right into her temples. Clumsily, she rubs her eyes with her fists—only to realize her hands are much smaller than they’re supposed to be.

Her stomach lurches.

Thankfully, she doesn’t have time to linger with the thoughts before Leader Maxie comes sweeping into the lab, an apologetic grunt following close behind. “Now, just what is the meaning of—” His eyes settle on Courtney, and the rest of his sentence evaporates.

He takes a step closer, passing the invisible threshold the others have erected around her. Leader Maxie’s always been tall, always been larger than life, but now he towers over her. Did he get bigger?

Or did she get smaller?

As Maxie approaches, the more evident the difference in size becomes. Finally, when he’s right in front of her, his gaze softens, and he lowers himself into a crouch. “Oh, Courtney.”

And for whatever reason, that’s the line. Her eyes well, her courage flees, and the fact that there are a large number of eyes on them turns irrelevant. She holds out her arms, desperate to be held.

Maxie scoops her, clothes and all, into his arms. It’s only once she’s being held, when she can feel the trembling of his hands, that his terror makes itself known.

What happened to her? Why is she so small?

“What happened.” It’s not a question, but a demand. Directed at the scientists behind him, but he doesn’t turn to address them. Not that he needs to. Leader Maxie always commands attention.

“We’re not entirely sure,” one scientist says. His sentences come across like a car in a traffic jam, starting and stopping with an equal lack of grace. “We were testing the teleporter. Something blew. Some fuse. We don’t know. She was the closest and she got hit. We don’t know.”

Rather careless, wouldn’t you say? Maxie should say. Courtney’s waiting, knowing his lines better than he does, but for some reason, he refrains.

Instead he stands, Courtney still in his arms, and the sudden change is enough to rock her stomach with nausea. She tightens her grip, as if that alone will keep her from throwing up on Leader Maxie’s shoulder.

The world looks so different pressed up against Maxie’s shoulder. He’s taller than her, even when she’s fully grown, but now it feels like she’s climbed the tallest tree, high enough to see the tops of the rest of the forest. It almost makes the sheer number of eyes on her, all of which have gone wide at the sight of her tears, bearable.

“And what are you fools all standing around for?” Maxie snaps. He hugs her a little closer, as if doing so will shield her from his own harsh words. “Are you waiting for an invitation?”

So that’s why he went off-script. It wasn’t him forgetting his own lines, it was everyone else forgetting their places. Despite herself, she manages a tiny smile. It’s fun to watch Maxie crack the whip—especially for her sake. She daresay it makes her feel quite special.

Maxie turns on the stuttering scientist, the one who’d spoken earlier. “Call me when you’ve fixed this and not a moment sooner.”

“But Leader Maxie…” the scientist trails off. Courtney can’t blame the man—Jareth, she thinks—for faltering. It's not often anyone has to face down Leader Maxie’s wrath. “We’ll need to run tests. We don’t know—”  

“She’s in no state to be poked and prodded at,” Maxie says. “You may ask tomorrow and you may ask her. Do I make myself clear?”

Jareth drops his gaze. “Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. She’ll be staying with me for the time being. Don’t disturb us.” He strides out of the room, just as quickly and confidently as he came. Not that anyone would dare question him.

His steps are brisk as he takes them back to his office. Of course he’d bring her here. There’s comfort in his protectiveness, the way he whisked her up without hesitation, aiming to keep her safe. A gentle fuzz prods at the back of her mind, something that she’ll figure out how to deal with later.

“This is certainly quite the upset,” Maxie murmurs. His pace never once slows, not until they’re in the safety of his office. Then, because try as he might to hide it, he’s just as baffled and worried as his scientists, “You’re freezing.”

Is she? Courtney touches the back of her hand to Leader Maxie’s neck, and the way he jumps confirms it. She doesn’t pull away.

“We really must get you some better fitting clothes,” Maxie muses. He’s talking more to himself than to Courtney, and still she hangs on every word. It is hard to feel comfortable when her clothes keep threatening to slip off.

Maxie sets Courtney down on the couch, and immediately she misses the contact. This is a very bad situation and very scary, but at the same time… it’s nice that she’s small enough to fit so comfortably in Leader Maxie’s arms.

But Maxie is already pacing the length of his office. With the problem presented, he’s already back in the mindset of how to fix it.

“Tabitha.” He’s got his phone to his ear. “Yes, I’m sure you heard of the incident in the labs? …Yes. My quarters. As soon as you can. Oh, and Tabitha? You wouldn’t happen to know anything about children’s clothing sizes, would you?” He pulls a sharp breath in through his teeth. “As I feared.”

Their conversation continues, but Courtney tunes them out. Talks with Tabitha take forever, like he can’t just hear what Maxie is telling him and do it. She pulls her clothes a little tighter around her body, trying to dredge up some extra warmth. She thinks that if she weren’t so cold, she’d rather like a nap. Her eyelids feel strangely heavy now.

Maxie joins her on the couch a moment later. He crosses his legs, and she finally sees his nervous energy breaking through. “Tabitha will be here shortly. Then we’ll get you something warm to wear.”

Courtney wrinkles her nose. She can only imagine what a nightmare clothes shopping will be. It’s never been easy for her. She hates the texture or the weight or the pull. The only comfortable piece of clothing is the one she already has. And considering her current size, there’s going to be a lot of pinks and ribbons and bad textures. There’s nothing she despises more than glitter.

“Leader Maxie.” Courtney says instead, unable to staunch the concern creeping up her throat.

“Yes?”

“I feel small.”

Maxie sits back, surprise passing over his features for the briefest of seconds. “I see,” he says slowly. “Well, that changes things.”

“Does it?”

“Only if you’d like it to.” Maxie folds his hands in his lap. “Now, would you like help back up or help settling?”

Courtney considers this. “Settling.”

Maxie’s lips bend into a gentle smile, the kind that crinkles his eyes and accentuates his Murkrow’s feet. She so rarely sees it that it instantly makes her brain fuzz over. “Good choice, love.”

Good choice. Courtney’s brain latches onto the praise, turning it over with a blooming sense of pride.

“May I hold you?” He already has his hands open, ready to grab her at a second’s notice, but he refrains.

Part of Courtney wishes he wouldn’t hesitate, that he’d pick her up with the same conviction he did when she was crying. But that’s not Maxie’s style, so she simply nods the affirmative.

He scoops her up, oversized clothes and all, and guides her head to rest against his shoulder. She’s so small that her forehead slots right against the gentle slope of skin before the subtle musculature of his shoulders starts. The smell of coffee clings to his clothes.

“There we are, sweet girl.” Maxie rocks from side to side, the movement almost enough to immediately knock her out.

When did she get so tired? It’s morning, but it feels like she can barely keep her head up. Something to report to the scientists maybe. Valuable information about side effects. She’ll keep that in the back of her mind for later. For now… would it really be so bad to let her eyes rest for a bit?

She’s not sure how long she stays slotted up against Maxie’s shoulder in that half-awake fuzz, only that Tabitha’s arrival is what puts an end to it.

His footsteps approach and then abruptly stop, and by the time she opens her eyes, he meets her gaze and makes a single observation.

“Court, you’re tiny.”

She glares up at Tabitha. As if she couldn’t put that together for herself. Very perceptive, he is.

“We need to get her some properly fitting clothes,” Maxie says.

There’s no reason for this to be a three-man job. As a matter of fact, having them all in the same place runs against all matters of efficiency. Courtney would have no idea what Leader Maxie was thinking… if the idea of having the two of them there with her wasn’t unbelievably comforting.

She knows this won’t be easy.

There are few things worse than the Mauville shopping center.

The lights, the sounds, the people, it all swirls to create the most unpleasant cocktail of overstimulation Courtney’s ever dealt with in her life. All while she’s being carried like a baby and swaddled in adult clothes.

Thankfully, Maxie and Tabitha know how to dodge crowds, because if they didn’t, she’s sure they’d be getting the police called on them or something. So the mission is find good clothes so she can stop looking like a street urchin, and then get out as soon as possible. Simple, but… much easier said than done.

“Do you like this?” Maxie holds up a tiny red hoodie, which Courtney takes in her hands.

It’s soft to the touch, and it looks like it will fit her easy enough, so she nods.

There’s very little for girls her size that isn’t sparkles and pink, so anything that doesn’t fall under that category is more than fine by her. She just wants out of this place.

It’s easier once they find out what her size is, when she doesn’t have to painstakingly try on every size, only to find the clothes are comfortable but too small or a good texture but too large. And somehow, these pieces of clothing are always missing in her actual size.

But a hoodie can run just a little bigger, so as long as it fits, it’s an instant purchase.

“Alright, I think these should fit,” Tabitha says, an armful of fresh clothes. Thankfully, nothing in pink, but Courtney’s aware that their options are wearing painfully thin.

Maxie sets her down. “To the changing room, dear. This should be the last one.”

Which is what he’s been saying for the last twenty outfits. Courtney would be annoyed if he didn’t believe it every time. He’s never had to deal with girl’s clothes before.

The worst part about shopping is the way it reveals how little control she has over her body. Even a simple task like putting on a sweater takes twice as long, her chubby hands fumbling through the sleeves. It’s like no part of her body wants to cooperate, no matter how simple the movement.

She’s just pulled her head through the collar when Maxie knocks on the door. There’s nothing that makes him more anxious than waiting. “Courtney? Do you need help?”

“No.” She has to stand on her tiptoes to reach the door handle, and it takes a moment for it to properly turn.

And despite the worry creasing his face, his mouth bends into a smile. “You look lovely.”

Does she? She hadn’t had the chance to see for herself. Not that she ever really cared much about her appearance, but it’s hard when Maxie looks so happy with her. She redirects her attention to the floor-length mirror to get a good look at herself.

A puffy red sweater, the collar so large it threatens to swallow her jawline, hanging so low that it almost completely covers her skirt. Paired with the white stockings and Mary Janes, she really does look like a child.

Maxie steps into view. She’s so short that she barely reaches his knee. “What do we think, dear?”

“It’s good.” She doesn’t care what she wears so long as it’s comfortable. As long as they can leave soon. “That should be enough.”

Maxie’s lips press into a grim line, like he wants to argue still. But that’s two whole outfits they have for her. How much more can she need? It’s not like she’s going to be stuck this way forever, just a few more days while the lab techs figure out what went wrong.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Maxie says finally. “Best not to risk another trip back here, yes?”

Courtney wrinkles her nose. Both ideas sound terrible. Besides, now that they know her size, they could just send Tabitha on his own. It’s not like he’s doing anything important anyway. “I’d like to leave now.”

Part of her hopes that speaking clearly, presenting herself as the adult that she doesn’t feel like, will help convince Maxie, but it’s an unneeded effort.

Leader Maxie is stubborn, but in fine doses, and his face softens with sympathy. “I’m aware it’s overwhelming here,” he says. “We can stop for now, but we still have some more shopping to do. Is that alright?”

The childish urge to pout rises, but Courtney pushes it back. She can’t be small in public, even if no one would bat an eye. “What else do we have to get?”

 “Just some regression items,” he says. “Would you like to walk or be carried?”

“I’d like to walk, please.”

“So you shall.”

Courtney recognizes her mistake before they’re even out of the clothing section. Her legs are much shorter, meaning she has to take more steps at twice the speed just to keep up with Leader Maxie.

It’s not in her nature to shout after him. If Maxie thinks she should be able to keep pace, then that’s exactly what she’ll do. She doesn’t even realize he’s walking them to the baby care section until they’re already there, and by then, she’s too busy trying to keep her ragged breath under wraps to really complain.

In his defense, it makes perfect sense. She regresses, and being physically small would probably only exacerbate those feelings. And seeing as most of her gear would be too big for her now, it’s the best solution.

She wishes it didn’t make so much sense.

“We’ll make it quick,” Maxie assures her, already selecting a three pack of baby pacifiers. “What do you think of these?”

“They’re acceptable.” At the very least, they don’t have any cartoon characters or sparkles on them. That’s the least Courtney can ask for.

By all accounts, this should be something that she’s excited for. One of her favorite memories of regressing was of her head rested on Leader Maxie’s shoulders, watching as he scrolled through the options of pacifiers and bottles and sippy cups. He’d been so patient, giving every option chance for ample consideration. It made the whole ordeal last twice as long, but to Courtney, it felt like no time at all.

She wishes it were the same now, but all she can think of is the harsh fluorescents, the smattering of people surrounding them, the fact that she’s being seen. She hates it all more than she can put into words, and all she wants to do is leave as soon as she can.

“Do you see anything else you like?” Maxie asks. Try as he might to hide it, there’s a crease of concern on his forehead.

So Courtney rights herself, trying to put on a brave face. He said they could leave soon. That means she’ll just have to grin and bear it. She tilts her head back, but anything on the top racks stays tauntingly out of view.

“Allow me,” Maxie says. He scoops her up, cradling her against his chest.

The world seems so much more mystical from this angle, like she’s riding on the shoulders of giants. She winds her hand into the back of his hood, holding as tightly as she dares.

“That one?” She points to a red and purple sippy cup. It’s the only one she sees that doesn’t have some cartoon character plastered onto it.

“Excellent choice, dear.” Maxie plucks it from the shelf, then glances uncertainly at Tabitha. “Perhaps we should get a basket?”

Tabitha salutes and saunters off, leaving Courtney and Maxie to finish up with their selections. Thankfully, Courtney doesn’t need much more, but she does let Maxie pick out some plastic cutlery and a bottle for her. She doubts she’ll use it, but he’s clearly in his prepper’s mindset. Buying things just in case.

Thankfully, that’s all Maxie wants for her. She’s not sure how much more supply shopping she could take. Not to mention that she’s itching to get these tags in her clothes to stop poking her.

At the checkout, Maxie sets her on the counter, letting the checkout worker scan the tags on her clothes before carefully snipping them free. She keeps giving Maxie odd looks, but she doesn’t say anything out loud, just hands them their receipt and tells them to have a good day.

“Leader Maxie, can we go home yet?” Courtney’s trying to keep the plaintive whine out of her voice, but she doesn’t know how successful she is at that.

“Yes, I think that’s the best course of action,” Maxie agrees. “I know it’s been a tedious task. Thank you for staying patient.”

Courtney walks behind Tabitha and Maxie, the two of them cutting just enough of a path that no one knocks against her. They pass a restaurant, and the wafting smell of food is strong enough to make her sick. It’s been a while since she’s eaten, and who knows how the transformation might have affected her appetite. She should bring it up with Leader Maxie later, but for now, she doesn’t want to think about food. It’s just another reason to get out of Mauville as soon as possible. 

Courtney feels the shift in the air first. She’s never been good about picking up on social cues, but even she can tell something is wrong. She dares a peek behind her to find a man she doesn’t know walking toward them. There’s a deliberateness in his step that proves he means business.

“Team Magma.” Oh, that’s not a good tone.

Team Magma has their fair share of detractors. Most of them think Leader Maxie and his team got off far too easily for what they’d tried to do, and even more don’t trust them to turn over a new leaf so soon. But usually those complaints are kept in murmurs; seldom does anyone ever confront them so directly—and so aggressively.

Maxie arches a single eyebrow. “Yes?” There’s something low and dangerous in his voice. A warning. “Is there an issue?”

“Who let criminals like you have a kid?” That’s all the warning Courtney gets before a hand locks around her arm, yanking her in the direction of the strange man she doesn’t know.

Maybe it’s the full afternoon of being stuck in a department store, under the harsh fluorescents and surrounded by people. Maybe it’s that she’s in a tiny little kid body with tiny little kid emotions. Or maybe it’s just the fact that she doesn’t want to be grabbed. But she does the thing that comes most naturally to her.

She screams.

The man, to his credit, is flabbergasted. “Kid, I’m trying to help you! It’s okay!”

Courtney thrashes in his grip, making sure to pitch her voice extra loud when she says, “Let me go! I want my dad!”

Those are the magic words, it seems, sure to draw a crowd. Heads immediately turn, people shift forward. Murmurs ripple through the empty air. Nothing quite stirs the masses like the sound of a child in distress.

The man releases her, and she goes sprinting over to Maxie.

And if Maxie can tell it’s an act, he certainly doesn’t let it show. If anything, the use of “dad” has only emboldened him in playing the overprotective parent.

“Honestly, was it worth it to frighten her so?” he says. “You should be ashamed of yourself, quite frankly.”

The man has the good graces to blush. “How was I supposed to know?”

“As if there’s ever an excuse to go grabbing random children.” Maxie turns his nose up in disdain, and if Courtney weren’t supposed to be playing the scared little girl, it would’ve been enough to make her smile. He scoops her up and holds her tight to his chest. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

Thankfully, the man is too flabbergasted to respond any further. Courtney wonders what his plan was. Did he think she was kidnapped? Or just that Leader Maxie has no business caring for a young child? Either way, it makes her stomach twist, makes her more desperate to be away from so many prying eyes. At least they’re leaving now.

“Dad?” Tabitha echoes, once they’re far enough away from the crowd.

Courtney dares a peek away from Maxie’s shoulder. Tabitha’s grinning at her, like this was all a joke. It probably is funny from his perspective.

“It was the best response to get him to back down,” Courtney replies. “And it worked.”

“It certainly wouldn’t hurt things,” Maxie agrees. “Better that people assume I’m her father than her kidnapper.”

Courtney buries her face in Maxie’s shoulder, shielding her eyes from the lights.

And if she were to dampen his jacket with tears, that’s nobody’s business but theirs.

Somehow, returning to the Magma Base only sours Courtney’s mood further.

All it takes is one sentence.

“Sir, Archie’s waiting for you.”

Of all the days Archie had to show up at the base unannounced. Now, she’s promised that she’d try to tolerate Archie, for Leader Maxie’s sake, but she thinks she’s allowed an exception when she’s tiny and tired and overwhelmed.

“I’ll go check on the grunts,” Tabitha says, a paper-thin excuse to get him out of the room as quick as possible. Courtney has half a mind to beg to go with him, appearances be damned. The only thing stopping her is that she’d really rather not be separated from Maxie right now.

Archie’s waiting for them, right in Maxie’s office. He has a lot of nerve to just let himself in like that, right at home on Maxie’s couch. At the very least, he rises to greet them, but most irritating of all is how the tension in Maxie’s shoulders comes undone.

“Archie.”

“Heya, Max. Came as soon as you called.”

Courtney keeps her face hidden, pretending not to hear the kiss they share over her head. She’ll selectively block out the fact that Leader Maxie is the one who invited him. Just what does Maxie see in him?

“I brought a couple of my best guys,” Archie continues. “Just to give you a boost.”

“That’s… awfully kind of you,” Maxie replies. “Thank you.”

“Anything for the little sprout.” His gaze shifts to her, and he gives her a gentle smile. “Can’t be easy, bein’ so small like that.”

From the safety of Maxie’s jacket, she glares. Just because Leader Maxie’s on good terms with Archie doesn’t mean she has to be.

“Have there been any developments?” Maxie asks, because he can’t help himself. He told them to only contact him when they had a solution ready, but still gets antsy when he hears nothing.

“They’re nailing down what caused it, but it’ll still be a while,” Archie replies. “Don’t worry so much, Max. They’re figuring it out; just give ’em some time. They mentioned something about tests?”

“Tomorrow.” Maxie’s voice is hard, unrelenting on this. Ignore his anxiousness; he won’t subject Courtney to anything just because of that. “She hasn’t had the easiest day. I’m not going to compound that by letting lab techs prod at her for Arceus knows how long.”

“I can handle it today.” Courtney says it, but she knows how this conversation goes. Leader Maxie’s stubbornness finally has a chance to go full-throttle.

He just shushes her, ghosting his thumb over her temple. “Tomorrow,” he promises her. “We need to make sure you’re well-rested so the results are as accurate as possible. That way, we can find a cure that much quicker.”

And sure, it sounds reasonable, but just because Courtney wants to argue doesn’t mean she will. Maxie has made up his mind, and seeing as she’s currently a tater tot, there’s little she can do to disobey him.

“That’s acceptable.” Courtney makes no effort to hide her pout, though.

He gives her back an appreciative pat. “Thank you, dear.”

Courtney tunes them out from that point on. The two of them love hearing themselves speak, especially about the dull ins and outs of their jobs as team leaders. Who’s on what project, who’s taking an extra day of kitchen duty to help with the efforts. Courtney couldn’t care less.

It does, however, bring a new problem.

The events of the day are finally catching up to her, hitting her with the kind of exhaustion that makes her tiny, whiny, and grumpy. Logically, she knows that she should excuse herself and get some rest, but she doesn’t want to be away from Maxie. It’s too hard to make the choice for herself. She concedes the responsibility to Maxie.

“Leader Maxie?” Courtney tugs at his hood, just to get his attention. Better with her than with Archie. “I’m tired.”

It’s so natural to leave it there, to provide a problem but no attempt at a solution. Maxie hums, setting her nerves at ease.

“I suppose you are overdue for a nap,” he muses. “It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”

Even after everything, it’s barely the afternoon, but Courtney can’t bring herself to care. At this rate, she feels like she could sleep for days. She nods, even when his question doesn’t require a response.

“I’ll be back,” Maxie tells Archie.

“Take your time.” And just like she feared, Archie has the nerve to ruffle her hair. “Sleep tight, sprout!”

There’s at least some satisfaction in separating Maxie and Archie, even if it’s only just for a little while. She’d take it further, clinging to Maxie the second he tries to lay her down in bed, but she never gets that far.

The gentle bob of his steps, the hush of the dark room, the comfort of Leader Maxie’s presence, all serve to put her to sleep before her head hits the pillow.

When Courtney wakes up, her head is pounding, the blankets clinging to her with a suffocating heat. The way it does when she’s slept for far too long.

The room is fully dark, so quiet that Courtney has half a mind to drift back off. Who cares? She can just sleep the headache off, since it’s not like she has any admin responsibilities right now. Leader Maxie always keeps his room pleasantly stuffy. She burrows deep under the blankets, unable to stop the delighted sigh that slips out.

Across the room, there’s a rustling, a presence she hadn’t noticed at first. “Courtney?”

“Leader Maxie?”

A dim light clicks on from the other side of the room, casting his outline with a faint glow. “You’re finally awake.” There’s a note of relief in his voice she really doesn’t like the sound of.

She rubs her eyes with a clumsy fist, her body less coordinated than ever. She hopes it’s just the fog of sleep, not something worse. After all, no one has any idea what symptoms may manifest. She’s patient zero for getting shrunk. “How long was I asleep?”

Maxie pauses to check his watch. He’s dressed casually, so it must be later in the day. Or maybe morning? He has the curtains drawn so tightly, she can’t tell.

“A good eight hours,” Maxie replies. His fingers ghost over the top of her head as Courtney tries to do the math. “You seemed quite exhausted. This whole ordeal must’ve taken a lot out of you.”

Courtney nods. Her eyes are so heavy that she could easily fall back asleep here and now. She wonders, if she asks, will Maxie let her? She tucks her head back against the pillow.

“Now, now, don’t fall asleep yet.” No such luck, then. “You at least need something to eat and drink before you go back under.”

Courtney lifts a single arm, asking to be carried. If he wants to make sure she eats, then he can do it himself.

Maxie chuckles as he scoops her up. She falls bonelessly against the curve of his shoulder, her wants slipping out before she can stop them. Blame it on her tiny body, all out of sorts from sleeping so much. “I want a bottle.”

Maxie’s brows rise. “So I see. Will you be alright with me leaving? Or shall I send for someone?”

Isn’t there another option where the bottle just appears? She’s too cozy to move, and she doesn’t want Maxie to move either. But at the same time, she really, really doesn’t want anyone to know what a baby she’s acting like. If Maxie carried her into the communal kitchen to make a bottle, there would be no hiding it. And if her math is right, there would at least be a few grunts having dinner or late night snacks. They’d see her. All the leeway she’s been afforded would vanish into thin air.

“I wanna stay with you,” she says, against all better judgment. Even if she falls asleep again, she’d rather fall asleep in Maxie’s arms than anywhere else.

“Let me call for Archie,” Maxie says instead, because of course he’s still hanging around. Courtney was hoping that by the time she’d woken, he’d be gone, like a bad dream. Apparently she’s not lucky enough for that either.

Maxie shifts Courtney to one arm as he fumbles for his phone, summoning Archie from another room. Have they been spending time in his office this entire time?

They talk in quiet tones over her head, and she hates how much smaller it makes her feel, hates that Archie could approach anything resembling a parent for her.

“Moomoo milk with chocolate syrup,” Maxie instructs. “But be sparing with it. She’s hardly had anything to eat and I don’t want her with nothing but sugar on her stomach.”

“’Course, ‘course.” There’s a wry smile in Archie’s voice and Courtney almost, almost agrees with him. He clearly thinks Maxie is overreacting. “Don’t worry, lass, I’ll get it for ya.” His footsteps recede into the hallway.

Maxie rocks her and hums, and if his goal is to soothe her back to sleep before she can have anything to drink, he nearly succeeds. Any calm evaporates when Archie returns, and she doesn’t have the self-restraint to keep from glaring at him.

“There ya go, lil gal,” Archie croons. He knows better than to touch her after getting that level of stink eye. She may not have a lot of energy, but she’d still try and bite his finger if he got too close.

“Thank you, dear,” Maxie says, and a familiar jealousy surges. Irrational as it may be, that’s her nickname, and she’s in no mood to share it.

Courtney doesn’t have bottles often, but when she does, she usually holds them on her own. Maxie’s job is usually to make the drinks, then to act as a pillow when she leans against him.

It’s an entirely different feeling to have someone holding the bottle for her. She’s tilted back enough that milk just flows into her mouth, pooling warmly in her stomach. Maxie makes a dozen tiny adjustments, making sure it doesn’t flow too fast or too slow, adjusting his hold so she doesn’t choke. There’s very little she can do for herself here.

It makes her feel helpless.

Helpless and very, very tiny.

“Poor thing must be exhausted,” Archie murmurs. Only then does she realize she’s let her eyes drift shut again.

“But is it really a good idea to let her sleep so long?” Maxie wonders. Try as he might to shoo it away, a note of anxiety creeps into his tone. “What if this is a symptom?”

“Don’t worry so much, Max,” Archie replies. “Just let her sleep. Next time she wakes up, let the scientists run their tests, and then we’ll have an answer. Won’t do anyone any good to keep her up when she’s tired.”

That’s the last coherent thing she hears before she slips under.

The next time Courtney wakes, she’s still tired beyond all belief, but she’s in no mood to hold up progress.

She wakes up curled into someone’s chest, smelling of the ocean. Familiar smells, but for the entirely wrong reasons.

She peeps an eye open, annoyance washing over her. This is not Leader Maxie, but his stupid boyfriend who decided to stay the night.

He has an arm draped over her, cradling her in a way she might find comforting if she weren’t so annoyed. She pops the pacifier out of her mouth.

“Where’s Leader Maxie?”

And Archie has the nerve to chuckle. “Morning to you too. He’s taking a shower, Court.”

Courtney hums, hoisting herself out from under Archie’s hold. Vaguely, she remembers them shifting her to the middle of the bed, just so she wouldn’t fall off the side.

“Ya hungry?” Archie asks. “Why don’t we get some breakfast?”

“No.” She’s starving, but he doesn’t need to know that. She’d rather wait for Leader Maxie.

Thankfully, she doesn’t have to wait that much longer. Archie keeps giving her these glances, like he wants to say something.

The bathroom door swings open and Maxie emerges, wet hair tied back, face flushed from the steam. The neckline of his shirt is already damp.

“Hey there.” Archie grins at him, patting Courtney’s side. She shoots a glare at him. “Littl’un was asking for ya.”

Maxie’s eyes flash to her, the questions obvious. Is she still regressed? Is this a side effect of the lab accident or just her?

She doesn’t want him to linger on the possibilities, so she raises her arms to be held. Maxie obliges.

The smell of the ocean fades, replaced with aftershave and Old Spice deodorant. Courtney lets out a contented sigh, her cheek pressed against his warmed skin. It’s too soon to be thinking about this, she knows… but she wouldn’t mind falling back asleep about now.

“We should get you a crib,” Maxie muses.

“No.” Her fingers curl into the collar of his shirt. She likes being boxed in on all sides, yes, but she’d much rather share a bed. “I stay with Leader Maxie.”

He chuckles, and the hands on her back hold her just a little tighter. “So you will.”

 Part of her wants to stay this way for the rest of the day, but she knows that’s impossible. The sooner she lets them run tests, the sooner they’ll make a cure. And in the meantime, she can sleep all she wants.

“Can we visit the labs now?” she asks.

The hesitation is written across Maxie’s face, but it’s Archie that cuts in for him.

“Why don’t we try breakfast first?” Archie suggests. “I wouldn’t want to face those doctors on an empty stomach!”

Maybe I’m just braver than you. But Courtney bites her tongue. That’s a childish answer, and while Archie might take her barbs in stride, Maxie would scold her for being rude. And she really doesn’t want to lose Leader Maxie’s respect right now.

“That’s fine,” she says. She tugs on Maxie’s collar. “Help me?”

His gaze softens. “We’ll get dressed and meet you there, Archie.”

And thankfully, Archie leaves without a fuss.

“I’m quite partial to this outfit myself. It looks very charming on you,” Maxie says as he lays out her clothes. He dresses casually, out of uniform for once.

It’s the second outfit they picked out yesterday, the one with the big sweater. Just hearing Maxie say it makes Courtney like it more in turn.

He helps her dress, but as they finish up, he stops, the hesitation written clearly across his face.

“I know it’s a lot of changes at once,” Maxie says. “You’ve been handling it very well.”

There isn’t really much of an opportunity to act otherwise. Sure, she could let Maxie drag her through this kicking and screaming, but that just sounds like an exhausting waste of time. Like everyone else, she wants this fixed as soon as possible. Even if being carried so easily is kind of nice.

“If you don’t want to be regressed, that’s perfectly fine as well,” Maxie tells her. He crosses then uncrosses his arms, restless and unsure. “Your comfort is tantamount. But if you did want to be a little smaller, that’s perfectly fine too.”

Courtney hesitates. She’s finding that out for herself. It’s so easy to slip into her tinier mindset when her body is already so small, not to mention how safe she always feels with Leader Maxie. The only problem is finding a way to articulate this. She’s not as good with words as he is.

“I think…” she starts slowly, “…that it’s going to happen no matter what, and I can’t really make a distinction between the two anymore.”

Even now, she feels that smallness pushing at the back of her mind, and she’s sure that any tests the doctor’s conduct will only make that feeling worse.

“I see.” Maxie replies. He lowers himself into a crouch so they’re eye to eye. “Then, I will do my best to keep an eye out for whatever you may need. You have my word.”

Courtney holds her arms out for a hug, which Maxie wastes no time scooping her into.

“Now, let’s make sure you’re properly fed, yes? You haven’t eaten in a while.” With a bounce and a smile, he takes her to the mess hall.

It’s in between official mealtimes, so the most they have are a few stray team members grabbing snacks between meals. The grunts do offer a few curious glances, but no one stops to say anything. And since Courtney’s being handed a real cup instead of a sippy cup, she’ll count her blessings.

The most her stomach can handle is dry cereal, something that Maxie clearly isn’t happy about, but he refuses to push her on it.

“They mentioned a blood test,” Maxie whispers, in a fierce voice clearly not meant for Courtney to overhear.

“I can handle that,” Courtney replies, before Archie can jump in with his little reassurances. Rubbing Maxie’s arms, muttering little reassurances to him, it’s like he’s trying to take her job from her.

Maybe she can handle it, maybe she can’t, but she’ll try no matter what. If he’s uncertain, she’ll be Leader Maxie’s rock. It’s what she’s best at.

When they arrive at the labs, no one jumps to ask questions, remembering Leader Maxie’s response from the day before, and it results in a deafening silence.

“Good afternoon, Leader Maxie,” one of them says, braced for impact. Is it afternoon already?

“Yes, good afternoon.”

Courtney cuts in front of him, intent on speaking for herself. “What tests do you need from me?”

“We need a blood sample,” Jareth says. His gaze keeps flickering to Maxie, confirming that his last scolding is still very fresh in everyone’s minds.

“Don’t worry!” the nurse chirps. Whether or not she knows of Courtney’s predicament is uncertain. “The tourniquet hurts more than anything. You won’t feel a thing!”

“You’ll be alright,” Maxie says, though he sounds like he doesn’t quite believe it either. They’re led to one of the exam rooms, usually only used for annual check-ups for the grunts. Courtney’s fairly certain this will be the first and only blood test done here.

“Of course I will.” She suppresses a grimace as she’s set down, but she stays still, only wincing slightly when the tourniquet is tied around her arm.

The urge to whimper and whine, to scream for her dad the way she did yesterday, all surge, but she pushes them away. This is a necessary evil, she knows. A step toward getting better.

“Make it quick,” she says, pinching her eyes shut.

Courtney can feel Maxie shifting nervously behind her. She’s giving away too much of her discomfort, but in her defense, this sucks.

“Alright, just a little pinch!”

The pinch is not little, but there’s no point mentioning that. She will not look. She will not look. If she looks, she’ll pass out.

“Hey, Court!” Archie pops in front of her, smile bright. “Who’s this little guy, eh?”

He’s holding her Camerupt plushie in his hands, and she scowls. That’s hers, so what business does he have grabbing it? She’d yank it back if her arms were free, and that fact alone is enough to have her thinking about her blood being drawn again.

“It’s a gift from Leader Maxie.” A puff of breath escapes, not quite a cough, but enough to be noticeable. The nausea wells in the back of her throat, a clogged pipe in the pit of her stomach.

“Aww, that sure was nice of him, huh? What’s his name?”

“Her name is Thera.”

“Like the volcano,” Maxie says. The pride in his voice is unmistakable.

She nods. “’Cuz that’s how Leader Maxie named his Camerupt.”

She feels a pull in her arm, taking her attention away and welcoming in a roiling nausea. She coughs, loudly, and nausea squeezes her stomach.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Thera.” She’d be a fool not to notice the anxiety in Archie’s voice, the way he’s scrambling but trying to hide it.

“She doesn’t like you,” Courtney says, just because she can. The urge to look blooms, especially when her arm starts to feel weird, but again she resists. She’s almost done.

But Archie only laughs. “Well, I’m sure we can smooth things over! Maybe you can show me what she likes and I can get her a present!”

Courtney holds her breath, trying to hold onto the irritation instead of the nausea. She won’t be bribed, especially if it means she has to go shopping with Archie. She glares, but Archie only grins in return.

“All done,” the nurse announces. She pats Courtney’s arm. “Keep that tourniquet on for about ten minutes, and then you should be all fine!”

“Thank you, miss,” Maxie says. He doesn’t blink, taking Courtney up into his arms the second she thrusts her hands at him. “And excellent work, Archie.”

“Ain’t nothin’! Poor scamp just needed something else to focus on.” His massive hand ruffles her hair, but she’s too tired to put up a fight.

“You did very good, my dear,” Maxie croons.

She ignores the praise, eyes trained on Archie. “Thera.”

Archie puts the plush into her arms, but it’s so big and she’s so small that it’s almost bigger than she is. She tries to hold tight, but her arms feel like noodles.

“We should get her a cookie,” Maxie says. “Her blood sugar will be low.”

Immediately, Courtney can see the weak point. He’s more of a pushover than usual. “Two cookies.”

Maxie hums his assent. “Only if you drink something as well.”

“Makin’ her take some milk with her cookies.” Archie gives a low whistle. “Quite the hardass, aren’cha?”

Maxie ignores him. “Tell me if you aren’t feeling well, alright?”

Courtney nods.

“May I have your word?”

Courtney holds up her fist, pinkie raised. “Pinkie promise.”

Even Maxie can’t resist chuckling, shifting her weight to one arm so he can interlock his pinkie with hers. “Thank you, dear.”

Thankfully, she’s taken to Maxie’s office instead of the mess hall. She doesn’t want to risk being seen again.

As some consolation, she’s held in Maxie’s lap while she nibbles on her cookies, even though she has no appetite. Honestly, she still feels like she might puke, but she hopes that’ll go away once she’s had some food. By all accounts, she should be starving. It’s been so long. Maybe her bloodwork will show why that is.

Her sippy cup, chilled with Moomoo milk, presses into her hands. “Can you drink something for me?”

Courtney drinks, the milk soothing the jagged edges of her throat. It does little to dispel the haze in her mind, but she drinks until it’s empty. And just because Maxie is watching her expectantly, she adds, “More?”

“Of course. Stay right there.”

She’s nudged out of Maxie’s lap as he disappears, and Courtney tries not to throw a fit. She was hoping that Archie would be the one sent off, but no such luck, it appears. Courtney wipes the cookie crumbs from her face, trying her hardest not to pout.

A beat of uncomfortable silence passes. Then a cookie slides into view. Courtney takes it without thinking. A cookie is a cookie, and she’ll only get so many before Leader Maxie starts shoving a bunch of vegetables at her.

Grinning, Archie puts a finger to his lips. Their secret. And this doesn’t mean Courtney likes him any more, but she will take the cookie. If he wants to make something more out of it, then that’s his problem.

Maxie returns a moment later, the fine lines of his face drawn in worry. One of the grunts must have found him. Or—more likely—he made a detour on his way back to the mess hall. “The bloodwork might have all the answers,” he says, and it’s clear how much he hates that non-answer. “But they won’t know for sure until later tonight.”

While Courtney can’t stand all this waiting around, it’s clear that Maxie hates it even more. Only Archie looks nonplussed, happy even. He probably likes her being small and out of the way.

“Sounds like we’ll have to do something special to help pass the time, then!”

And the slope of Maxie’s shoulders relaxes, ever so slightly. “With how we were treated last time, I can only imagine a second attempt would go just as swimmingly.”

Archie doesn’t ask, and Courtney can only imagine Maxie filled him in. She was sleeping for a long time, after all. “We’ll go somewhere quieter,” he says. “The Mt. Chimney trails are always fun. Could take her down the beach near the Aqua base.”

“I don’t wanna do that,” Courtney replies. Or, more accurately, she doesn’t want to do any of those things with Archie tagging along. It’s the second day and he’s still sticking around. Is he ever going to go home or is Courtney expected to deal with him the entire time?

“Aww, come on!” Archie says. He’s goading her, but she refuses to take the bait. “You gotta at least have a little fun while you’re small like this!”

“It wouldn’t be an awful idea,” Maxie muses, the traitor. “We have discussed wanting to go to one of the parks while you’re small. It might be fun to have the chance to act like a proper child, wouldn’t you agree?”

It does sound fun, and that’s the problem. It’s so tempting that Courtney doesn’t even want to think about it. The incident from the day before still hangs heavy in her mind. She hates how easy she was to grab, how defenseless she was against someone so much bigger than her, but at the same time, she can’t help thinking of how safe she was with Leader Maxie. Maybe she likes the idea of toddling into danger, if only Maxie were the one tugging her back to safety.

She’s about to say she’s too tired, when Archie beats her to the punch. “We could always take her Sharpedo surfing. Mariana loves kids!”

And it shouldn’t work. Courtney really, really doesn’t want it to work on her the way it does.

But she can’t help perking up at the idea of that.

“See? The sprout’s eyes lit up!”

Maxie offers her a side glance, and it’s clear that he doesn’t want to give in. For some reason, that only makes her want to try it even more. Never mind that she’s not that great of a swimmer. The risk is part of the appeal.

“If you’re certain…” Maxie says slowly. Better this than to see her tired and catatonic. “But perhaps a nap first. I’m sure the bloodwork took an awful lot out of you.”

“Yeah, well, she’s tiny. That’s why they only took one vial.”

“Only one vial,” Maxie scoffs. “She needs that blood, obviously.”

Archie rolls his eyes and shoots Courtney a wink. They’ve got this annoying synergy, feeding off of each other’s energy. They get the most worked up when they’re bickering.

“He’s just being overprotective, ain’t he, Court? ’Sides, the fresh air will do you some good!”

Again, Courtney sees the weak point. “I want ice cream after.”

“Of course!” Archie says before Maxie can say no. “You’ll have a blast, trust me!”

Courtney still doesn’t like Archie. He’s inserted himself into their group with way too much confidence, and he always has a way of getting Leader Maxie too worked up.

But he is fun sometimes. And she can’t help but think of Thera, still cuddled in her arms. She and Maxie hadn’t left with her; it was Archie who had the forethought to grab her. Not to mention that he’s been trying his hardest to make this whole affair enjoyable, despite her best attempts to be grumpy. And Sharpedo surfing does sound really fun.

So maybe, just maybe, she can try to get along with Archie too.