Chapter Text
The moment Liam Walker clocks in, he starts counting minutes until he can go home. Everything is depressing. His cubicle is depressing. The Excel sheets he spends eight hours a day staring at are depressing. His whole fucking life is just depressing. He can’t even see any windows from where he’s sitting. He misses the sun. It would burn his complexion immediately, but he misses his vitamin D nonetheless.
When the eight hours are up, he can finally go home. Back to his cheap apartment, where he can read or watch TV in solitude. It’s the highlight of his day, and it’s sad.
“Hey, Walker! You're gonna come with us tomorrow, right?” A hand slaps the side of his cubicle with enough strength that it makes Liam jump out of his chair. James laughs at the expected reaction and bumps Liam’s shoulder. It hurts.
“James… Right. You are still going to pick me up, correct?”
Liam doesn’t drive. Cars are expensive, so he relies on public transport. At least he can proudly say he’s doing his part in saving the planet. If there is still something to save, that is.
“Of course. Evan is joining us, by the way. Eight-thirty, be ready,” James grins and… oh no, not the finger guns. Liam just wants to disappear before anyone notices. He sinks deeper into the office chair and hopes that the white cubicle walls will provide at least some dignity.
His eyes wander towards the leaflet pinned to the corkboard.
‘Adopt a Parvus Fair’
Homo parvus, or just Parvus. That’s what they call them now. Just reading the words makes him sick. It’s been eight years since about 8% of the world population has shrunk. Those people not only lost their height, but also all of their humanity overnight. At first, the scientists were trying to find a way to reverse this or at least find the cause of the sudden shrinking. As years moved on, so has the world. Out of sight, out of mind.
Liam’s family came out unharmed, but he still remembers their neighbour, Mr Smith. He turned from a grumpy old man into a tiny feral creature that couldn’t even talk. Like a wild animal. And now, laws are being passed in almost every country that allow any civilian to legally adopt a Parvus like a pet. No, even less than a pet. Cats and dogs at least have some protection from mistreatment, but since homo parvus is such a specific scientific concept, none of these applies to them.
Liam is still not sure why he agreed to join his coworkers on this trip. He doesn’t want a pet. He doesn’t even have enough mental capacity to care for himself, let alone an innocent, defenceless creature. But apparently, everyone is getting one now, and he really needs to fit in. He can’t afford to be bullied in his first job. University was already cruel enough.
“Hey, Liam!” Another loud slam against the cubicle wall interrupts Liam’s daydreaming. This time, it’s Gabe and his huge grin of pearly white teeth. They are almost blinding. Liam has a running hypothesis that they could reflect sunlight if the rays fell on them at the right angle.
“Hi, Gabe. I was just lost in thoughts…”
“Relax. You think I would rat you out for not smashing your keyboard for five minutes? Dude, I literally walked to the tenth floor to make myself a cup of coffee there just to get away from my desk. Jesus, I hate this fucking hellhole.”
Gabe has a cubicle right next to Liam. It is only natural for them to be more than associates. Especially with Gabe’s extroverted personality and need to complain about every corporate interaction.
“You… walked there? We are on the fourth floor.”
“Yeah, and I would do it again!”
Liam has nothing but admiration for Gabe’s lack of care. Sometimes, he wishes he could just not care about things. But getting his brain quiet down seems to be the biggest problem. Gabe has none of these problems. Or at least he doesn’t let them show, while Liam tends to be an anxious mess all the time. Subconsciously, his eyes involuntarily flick towards the leaflet. And Gabe notices.
“I heard you talking to Rowan. So… you gonna get yourself a pet?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t have a good feeling about it.” There it is again. The ever-present anxiety. Impending doom of a bad decision.
“It's gonna be fine, man. Taking care of a pet is gonna be good for you. It's nice to come back to something after a long day of work."
“Do you have one of your own?"
“Parvus? No, but I have a cat. They wouldn’t mix well."
The image of a tiny humanoid body ripped to shreds by a feline predator flashes in front of Liam. Why does he have these thoughts?
“I can’t do it. I can’t be responsible for another life. What if I hurt it? Or worse, kill it?”
“Calm down, it’s going to be fine. Do you know how stressed I was when I first got Pumpkin? She was so tiny and weak. She would meow every time she couldn’t follow me to the other room. And now, I can’t even imagine life without her.”
Gabe pats his pockets, only to fish out a wallet. Like a proud parent, he produces a small photo out of it. It’s him and an orange cat. While Gabe is wearing an impossibly ugly Christmas sweater, the cat has a tiny gold star similar to a Christmas tree topper strapped to her head. She does not look amused. The absurd sight forces a laugh out of Liam.
“Careful. If someone heard you right now, they could mistake you for a straight man boasting about his children.”
“Bisexual, my friend. And don’t you forget it.”
Those are the last words they exchanged for today. It’s the nature of their relationship. Friendship that never exceeds the boundaries of the office building.
When Liam finally decides to leave for home, most of his colleagues are already gone. Gabe was among the first ones to clock out, while Liam always stays the longest. In its own way, it’s calming. There is nobody to talk to when he collects his things and swipes the card as he exits the building.
Liam usually takes the tram home. Or a bus. He’s not picky, and both take him to the same location. Then it’s just a short walk to his apartment building. But he always has to cross that damned bridge. There’s nothing wrong with the structure. It’s old but sturdy, with a narrow road for bicycles in the middle and pavement on the sides for pedestrians. The river underneath is just a tiny branch of the main river flowing through the whole city.
Every time crosses the bridge, Liam stops and stares. How deep is it? The big river in the city centre is so deep that fish live there. He hasn’t seen any fish in these parts, only an occasional duck family happily splashing around.
This little corner of the world can be so peaceful, yet all Liam can think about every time he crosses the bridge is how he wants to throw himself off the railing. He doesn’t even like heights, and the idea of a freefall terrifies him. Then why is he thinking about it even now?
Leaning against the railing, Liam discards the thought. It will be back tomorrow anyway. That's the bridge’s magical grasp calling him. He crosses it quickly without looking over the railings.
Liam’s apartment might be depressing, but it’s his. His own space after years of sharing a living space during university. It has a bedroom, a living room with a kitchenette and a bathroom, but to Liam, it’s perfect. It may be too dark and lonely, now that he’s thinking about it. Perhaps the adoption fair is not such a bad idea after all. As Gabe said, it would be nice to come home to something…
The ride is awkward. Not because of James. James Rowan is a decent man. Too loud and touchy for Liam’s taste, but he’s never treated Liam badly. They’ve worked together on some projects, and James is the kind of person who befriends people quickly. Liam is not so quick to consider people friends, but when he got invited to the Parvus adoption fair, the fear of missing out was too strong to ignore. He’s always had this need to fit in and be liked, so he agreed. Back then, Liam had no idea Evan would join them.
Evan, on the other hand… Liam doesn’t like Evan. He’s older than both of them and has been at the company longer. He is their senior and not afraid to remind them. Liam has no idea why James invited him. Probably because Evan already owns a Parvus. It’s getting popular now, which is why James came up with the idea to adopt one. It’s a shallow reason, and it makes Liam angry, but it’s too late to turn back.
Liam has been thinking the whole night, staring at the little digital clock blinking numbers into the darkness. He doesn’t want to adopt Parvus today. Or any day. He read about them, and every word just added uncomfortable weight at the bottom of his stomach. Like a heavy stone of guilt. The more he learns about them, the more he cannot shake off the feeling that they are just tiny humans. Except every article is trying to convince him they are not. Along with their height, the Parvi also lost their intelligence, making them as intelligent as a normal animal. Most of them can be as smart as cats or dogs, but some retain the intelligence of rodents. He read about their usage in clinical drug testing. Their biology is still the same, just miniaturised. And an animal won’t tell you to stop… The thought of a tiny person acting like an animal doesn’t sit well with Liam.
The shelter is crowded. There are more people than Liam had expected. Mostly families with children. The three adult men stick out like a sore thumb. Liam quickly decides to leave James and Evan to their own devices and browse alone.
“Remember, every adoption has the potential to give a new chance to any parvus here,” the shelter employee says with a practised smile. At least the children crowded around her seem convinced. The feeling of nausea once again scratches at the back of Liam’s throat. As if she could sense his weakness, the employee locks her eyes with him. She has chosen her target.
“Hello, sir. How can I help you?” The name tag on her uniform says Lizzie. She has perfect blond hair, perfect red lipstick and perfect long eyelashes. Liam has a hunch she’s not going to easily leave him alone.
“I- I was just looking…”
“Perfect. Let me show you some amazing new additions to today’s event. Shall we?”
Oh god.
“So, are you a first-time owner?” Lizzie chirps excitedly as she marches towards the other side of the room. She walks fast, but not fast enough for Liam to get accidentally lost in the crowd.
“Yes. I mean, I still don’t know if I am ready to adopt-”
“Don’t underestimate yourself, sir! Parvi are great pets for beginners. Most of them don’t require a special diet. They are very obedient and overall great companions. Here, let me show you…”
Her intensely sweet perfume does not help with Liam’s nausea. He tries to look anywhere but at her, but his eyes are drawn to the little cages placed on every possible surface in the room. There are cages stacked against the wall and on the tables. There are enclosures on the floor. And each one of them has a tiny person inside. No, not a person. An animal. He has to keep reminding himself that, otherwise, he’ll go crazy.
Lizzie keeps talking, but Liam tries to block her sweet voice. Maybe if he looks busy looking into the cages, she will keep him alone…
“An interesting choice, sir, but I would not recommend Parvi from this section to first-time owners."
"Why not?” Liam frowns while still glaring into the cages. But his eyes are still coming back to one particular cage. The creature inside is curled up in the faraway corner, trying to appear smaller than he already is. He has white hair and the saddest green eyes Liam has ever seen.
“We have received these Parvi from a medical lab. They have been deemed unsuitable for medical and scientific testing. Due to their previous ownership, there may be underlying medical issues that might be overwhelming for new owners.”
The tiny white-haired creature appears to be lethargic. Is he sick?
“Is he an albino?"
Lizzie Ruffles through the papers she's holding. It takes her only a few seconds to find the correct one with information about the lab section.
“It doesn't appear so. Perhaps it's just his unique colouring."
It's just an animal, Liam reminds himself. But the sad eyes are so bright. So human.
Lizzie seems to be satisfied with Liam's interest, because she opens the cage and grabs the little person.
“Cup your hands, please," she tells Liam. Before he has a chance to protest, with her free hand, she guides his hands together and drops the Parvus into them.
He's so small. Most homo parvi are around three or four inches tall. It feels impossibly small for something so human. He's dressed in a grey sleeveless top and pants of the same colour made of the same fabric. Like a tiny uniform.
It takes Liam a moment to realise he's holding his breath. He has a life nestled in the middle of his hands. What if he hurts him? The Parvus sits obediently, hugging his knees. So small. He's still trembling in fear, and Liam doesn't know what to do. So small!
“Finally found one that caught your eye?” James appears right behind him out of thin air. Liam instinctively jolts away. The small figure in his hands doesn’t take too kindly to the sudden movement. At least Liam thinks so. The resigned look and emptiness don’t leave the Parvus’ face. It’s hard to tell what's going on in his little head.
“I was just looking!”
“Come on. Once you find one you like, it’s hard to leave them here,” Evan grins, following right behind James. He’s shorter and stockier, and has a sly, lopsided smirk that creeps Liam out.
Liam doesn’t know Evan well, which means he doesn’t trust him. He feels an urge to shield the white-haired Parvus from him. The grin, along with the look Evan shoots at the tiny creature, sends shivers down his spine.
“I’ve already picked one, so if you are done here, we can go,” James says. There is no urgency in his voice, but Liam would feel bad for making his coworkers wait. Besides, Evan might be right. The more he looks at the tiny person in his hand, the more he feels inclined to take him home.
“Yes. I think I am also done here.”
When Lizzie hears that, her smile grows even wider. “Amazing, sir. If you’d just follow me. There is paperwork and an adoption fee to take care of first.”
She grabs the parvus, maybe too tightly since the tiny creature immediately starts squirming between her fingers. Liam wants to say something, but decides not to make a scene. Can’t she see she’s hurting him?
The parvus disappears into a small carrier. It’s much smaller than the one used for cats and other small animals. It resembles a simple carton box with holes in the top lid and handles on the side.
They are taken to a desk where the adoption is supposed to get finished. Once Lizzie starts filling out the papers, Liam carefully opens the top of the carrier box and peeks inside. The box is filled with shredded paper and some fabric. And among all of that, an incredibly small Parvus. It’s hard to even spot him due to how pale he looks against the white paper.
“What’s your name, little guy?” Liam asks in a low voice. The tiny creature shudders and presses his back against the wall furthest from the giant’s face. Guilt immediately pangs at Liam’s heart. Is he doing something wrong? Why is the little guy so terrified?
“It doesn’t have a name. You have to name it,” Lizzie says in a condescending tone. The one you’d use when explaining something to a child.
“Well, how about John?”
“Come on, you can’t give an animal a human name. Even my six-year-old niece was more creative, and she named the family cat Mr Whiskers!” James laughs, and Liam can feel his cheeks burning.
“Fine, let me think…” The tiny creature is staring with a blank expression. But there is something behind those sad green eyes. A pleading look that’s begging him to think this choice through.
“Pepper. Because of the hair.” The decision feels heavy on Liam’s mind, but also freeing. The burden is suddenly lifted, only to be replaced by immediate regret. Was this a good choice?
“Wait… he’s not a redhead…” Evan tilts his head and stares down the parvus, who is hiding in the corner of the box. Despite his efforts to make himself even smaller than he is, the white and grey hair is clearly visible to all.
“He means the spice, not the vegetable, you idiot… It’s a good name. This guy is on the track to be our new creative director!” James grins and bumps Liam’s shoulder playfully. It’s only playful to James, as Liam winces in pain.
“Pepper it is then,” Lizzie writes it down and slides the form over to Liam. The contract is much shorter than he expected. He doesn’t even have to fill out his address or contact information. There is less clearance than at a dog adoption. Liam somewhat expected this. The legality of civilian Parvus ownership is still relatively new. The laws around here went into effect not even a year ago. In some countries, the ownership has been allowed for two years already.
“Just sign it here and here, and you can take him home with you,” the woman smiles with the patience of a saint. Liam reads the form twice.
“I expected the fee to be higher.”
“Oh, it’s mostly for the carrier. As stated, due to the previous placement, there is a possibility of underlying medical issues. For this reason, we want to relieve some stress from the potential owners by offering a reduced adoption fee.”
The way she recites the clause makes Liam’s stomach churn. He looks over at Pepper, who still sits in the dark corner of his carrier box with an empty stare. Is he in pain? Does he have any underlying medical issues?
Liam signs the paper. Twice. Not that he’s going to read his copy. It makes him sick just having it tucked in his pocket.
“Thank you, sir. I hope you’ll be satisfied with your new pet!”
Liam already has a bad feeling about this.