piecewise | g/t snippets & drabbles

from the start (m/m)

"You never let me do anything!"

Donavan stood there, hands on his hips. "No Syd, you can't menace the place for firing me."

A huff. "Killjoy."

The 5'11 human decided to ignore that comment. "Besides, the last time I let you 'let loose', I was investigated for counts of arson."

Another huff. "Not my fault Vance thought torching the place would get rid of me."

"Mhm," came Donavan's voice, as his gaze shifted to the suspiciously tinted blob on the younger being's shin.

"Besides," he continued, looking up at the 37-foot giant, "we have other things to worry about."

A loud THWOOM answered him instead, and as he casted his glance towards the adolescent he found Sydney sitting on his butt, hugging his legs to his chest. Silently, Donavan inched towards the dejected figure, eventually letting out a large sigh.

"I'm sorry." Came the 18-year-old's voice. Donavan's heart broke at the sentiment - it wasn't his fault. "It's just...not fair."

He'd rarely heard the giant speak so softly, let alone in regret. "I know," the 23-year-old said, letting another sigh escape as he upped the counter in his head. "It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either." Sydney pointed out, voice back to the volume Donavan recognized. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

A sad smile found its way to the older man's face, but it didn't quite reach the 20-something's eyes. "You don't know that."

Sydney scoffed. "Oh come on! The last three jobs you lost were because you stuck your neck out for people that didn't deserve it, and I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for- "

Donavan's head perked, silencing the thought with a slow turn towards the bigger adolescent. "No," he said softly, but with such a conviction that it unfurled the bigger being slightly. "You would've lived."

Sydney found his eyes. "Do you regret helping me?"

"Not at all!" Came out of Donavan without a second thought, but his eyes flashed a different kind of hurt. The duo let the silence of the cabin take over a second, mulling the interaction over. Donavan turned so he wasn't facing the younger man.

"I think..." he started, and Sydney held his breath for what was coming next. "I think you saved me, actually."

What?

"You don't believe that." Came out of Sydney as he stretched his legs. "You've been doing giant odd jobs, with giant currency and a cabin in your name for my sake and- "

"They wouldn't have let me live back there."

Sydney immediately shut up. They'd discussed the human world briefly, in small portions, but he didn't know the whole of Donavan's story. Running from his family, living out of the only car he could afford, working late & early hours with only enough time to rest and errand. Errands and rest, Sydney thought, sounded something straight out of a nightmare, but the giant didn't doubt Donavan's experience when he saw the human's work ethic - or the bags that seemed to multiply underneath his eyes.

But Sydney's life had been nothing like that. One forest encounter, a ridiculous amount of gauze and reassurances (from the human, no less) later and they'd started on a life that for Sydney was for the better. His own family had turned on him - a giant amongst mini-giants, the hybrid class had isolated themselves from the moment they found out. Hybrids were known to only live among themselves after all - the humans had waged too much more, and the giants (albeit more peaceful) weren't as "intellectually stimulating."

The 18-year-old wasn't sure what was worse. He was still short by giant standards - his 37'9 only barely crossed the 35' threshold of giant, with many fitting closer to the 50' standard (or even the upper 75'). But one thing was certain - he was well beyond the 25' upper hybrid, or "mini-giant" standards, and the day he'd reached 30' was the day he'd been cast out. Sydney shuddered as he replayed the memory, unconsciously drawing his left hand closer to the human.

A short "hey" shook him out of his stupor, bringing him to the current moment. "You okay?" came from Donavan, and a dry laugh left his lips as he shook his head.

"I'm supposed to be comforting you, remember?" He said, but he didn't stop the older man from sidestepping his hand, opting to draw even closer to his thigh.

"We'll get through this." Donavan said, and it took everything in Sydney to not throw his head back.

Sydney stared ahead, aware of the heat pressed against his thigh. "You should've left me there, y'know."

A harsh poke. "Dude?!"

"Don't ever say that again." Donovan's voice came, empty as the day he'd found the bigger being.

Sydney's shoulders did a small shrug, but he didn't dare disagree. "I'm the deadweight here, not you. I got fired for throwing myself into the fire, and everything here- " The smaller being paused, vaguely gesturing to their dwelling- "helps me out, too. You've lifted me more times I could count, had my back when no other human, giant, or mini-giant could-"

He felt the warm weight shimmy up his thigh. "You...piece of shit."

A grin formed as he watched the 5'11 human in his peripherals, obnoxious relief after climbing the mass for higher ground. Finally, Sydney looked at Donavan cheekily. "Takes one to know one. Although..."

His grin morphed into something more serious. "You're definitely too nice for your own good."

Donovan let those words hang in silence as he stared. "What?" Said Sydney, suddenly aware of the extra attention.

"Thanks," came out breathlessly, but meeting the human's gaze again revealed that he was looking further than Sydney's face. What was he thinking?

Sydney's grin returned. Doesn't matter.

"Don't mention it."