STORY 28

Tan adjusted his grip on the wooden scaffolding, and helped ease a long tube of carved shranja carefully into place. Further along this level of the scaffolding, one of his fellow builders gave him the thumbs up, and he smiled. The lianno was shaping up quite nicely. It would be another success - a source of pride for the entire community, albeit ephemeral.

Tan was a tomthumb, of the Alsumi tribe. Just seven centimetres tall, he had very dark hair, kept fairly short, a fit, moderately athletic build, and forest green eyes. At this present moment, he and about three dozen of his fellow tribesmen and -women were busying themselves with a most curious construction, outdoors in the forest. Ordinarily, they would not have gathered outside in this way, some distance from home, much preferring the safety of their undeground burrows. But this was an important event.

And, besides, they had Milly to watch over them.

Milly was a giantess, well over twenty metres in height - about ten times taller than all the tomthumbs present put together. If they had been able to clamber onto one another's shoulders and form a tottering pyramid, thirty or forty people high, they would barely have reached past her ankle. From their perspective, she was beyond gigantic - although she herself was almost dwarfed by some of the forest's tallest trees. One of the many lessons of Felarya was: there's always something bigger than you. But there were no sentient beings smaller than tomthumbs.

Their tiny size was, paradoxically, what kept the Alsumi safe. They were far too small to factor into Milly's diet, and so the gentle giantess had adopted them as her protected people, a community under her special care. They lived in a network of underground tunnels and chambers beneath her home, a giant wooden hut in the jungle. She had kept them safe from many a prowling neko, and she was watching over them now, as they worked.

Tan spared a moment to look at her. The beautiful giantess was sitting on the forest grass, with her back to a staggeringly immense tree, eating some sort of fruit. She had her right leg stretched out, while her left leg was brought up closer to her chest, her left forearm resting on her knee. Her clothes were light, simple, suited to the warm climate, leaving her limbs mostly bare… and enabling Tan to admire her smooth, milky brown skin. Her soft, lovely face was framed by long, flowing, glossy black hair, which emphasised her delicate features and warm, dark brown eyes. Those eyes were on her fruit, which she contemplated for a moment before biting into it, and turning her gaze to the tomthumb's work. Juice from the fruit trickled down her lower lip and onto her chin; she licked her lip, and wiped her chin daintily with her fingers. Tan felt his heart beat a little faster as she looked in his general direction, and he gave an awkward little smile. He knew she was probably not looking at him in particular, but her dark, kind eyes were mesmerizing. He felt he could gaze into them forever…

Of course, appearances could be deceiving. Despite her genuine kindness, Milly was dangerous… to some. She was a predator, a huntress, who lived by feeding on live prey. As she sat enjoying the sun and the warm afternoon air, she was, Tan knew, digesting the three nekos she had swallowed whole for her lunch. Perhaps they were even still alive inside her stomach. He glanced at her bare, lovely tummy, where only a very faint bulge hinted at her recent meal. He shivered, just a little. The feelings that came to him at that moment troubled him, and he tried to brush them aside. But he could not deny Milly fascinated him.

He sighed, wistfully, and turned back to his work. Building the lianno was a regular event, and an occasion for much excitement. It was, as far as he knew, a creation unique to the Alsumi, and a source of considerable pride. Its design had been conceived several generations ago, and faithfully reproduced ever since, with minor improvements only.

The lianno was a musical instrument and a work of architecture rolled into one. When completed, it stood almost forty centimetres tall. It consisted in an intricate pattern of hollow tubes, layers upon layers, fixed to one another in a cross-crossing design. Some of the tubes had holes bored into them in carefully chosen places. During construction, the ends of the tubes, along with the holes, were fitted with plugs, which were only removed once the entire instrument was completed. When that happened, the spring breeze whistled gently through the tubes, which transformed the rushing air into soft, delicate music - the greatest wonder of Alsumi creativity. The tribe would gather round, and listen, smiling as the music whispered with the breeze, its ethereal tune caressing their ears and lifting their spirits.

Milly always said it was `magic'. Not that she meant it was supernatural; merely that it was beautiful.

In many ways, it was the Alsumi's gift to her. And as Tan did his part in the building of the tribe's masterpiece, he put every effort into making it perfect. He imagined, in advance, the look of gentle pleasure on Milly's lovely face, when the soft music reached her ears. The sigh would be worth countless days of work, and utter dedication.

“Hey, Tan. Daydreaming?”

Startled out of his rêverie, he turned his attention to a young woman approaching him across the scaffolding. She smiled at him, amused. A faint breeze -locked out of the lianno for now- played with her short, pale blond hair. It gave her a look which was both tomboyish and feminine, an alluring combination. She was attractive - but his heart yearned for someone else. He returned the smile.

“Hey, Tina.”

Tina was Milly's closest friend among the tomthumbs. She was a bold young lady, far more adventurous than most of the tribe, and spent much of her free time with the giantess. Tan envied her sometimes. He himself was far too shy to spend much time alone with the beautiful Milly. Tina handed him a gourd of water.

“Have a drink,” she told him, then tilted her head a little. “Joanna's taught me an expression from her world. Penny for your thoughts.”

Tan uncorked the gourd. “What's a penny?”

Tina grinned. “No idea.” He drank, and handed it back to her. “Take a break. It's my turn to put a bit of work into this.”

Tan nodded. Although he enjoyed participating in this building work with the community, there was something else he wanted to do, which made him grateful for any opportunity to get away.

“Thanks,” he said. He walked past her, and they touched each other's shoulder in passing, a gesture of affection in parting. He clambered his way down the scaffolding, onto the grassy earth of the forest. He looked back up, taking in the skillful criss-cross of delicate tubes, the half-completed project. The end result would be the outcome of collective effort, and an opportunity for rejoicing… yet it would not last. The lianno was made of shranja, an easily carved, wood-like substance which also happened to be edible. Once the lianno was complete, and left outside unsupervised, it was bound to be eaten by someone or something within a short timespan. It seemed a shame, sometimes, but it would not have kept anyway. Exposed to the humid air, the instrument would have rotted and deteriorated within a few weeks. A lianno could not last, which was why the Alsumi regularly built a new one.

It was worth it, for as long as they had it.

He spared a last glance at the intricate structure, and at the builders busying round it, then headed for the trees.

“Tan?”

The voice was unmistakable. He stopped, and looked up, his heart missing a beat. Milly -gigantic beyond measure, and so very beautiful- was looking down at him with a questioning smile.

“Hi, Milly,” he replied, returning the smile, while his heart thumped in his chest. She had remembered his name… That simple fact filled with quiet joy. She knew who he was.

“Where are you going?” she asked gently. She had finished her fruit now. Only a thin, glistening sheen of moistness remained on her pink lips - saliva from the lick of her tongue, perhaps, and a faint trace of the fruit's juice. The fruit itself was in her tummy, along with those three nekos. He felt a slight hardening between his legs, and forced himself not to think about it. His glance shifted down to her slender waist, then back to her lovely face, and to the warm query in her dark eyes.

“Oh, just… around,” he said, forcing the words through his tight throat. He moistened his own lips, nervous, and gulped. “For a stroll.”

Milly looked concerned. Concerned, for him. His heart fluttered, with a warm glow of joy. Of course, he knew she cared about every member of the tribe. But right now, the focus of her concern was on him.

“Be careful,” she advised him, gently, almost scolding. “There are nekos out and about. Don't go far. Stay close enough for me to hear you, if you yell for help.”

“Yes… thanks,” he stammered, and smiled again, grateful and awkward at the same time. “I'll be careful. Thanks, Milly.” He paused. It was not often she started a conversation with him. “We, um…” He gestured back at the lianno. “We'll have it completed soon.”

She smiled - a perfect smile blossoming on her gentle lips. “I know. It'll be lovely. I'm excited.” The smile grew into a grin, displaying her perfect white teeth. “You're all doing a great job. I'm really looking forward to hearing the music!”

Tan grinned back, a little more comfortable now. “Well… We enjoy making it.” For you, he thought, but did not say. “Thank you for looking after us.”

She gave a soft smile. “Always,” she whispered. “It's my pleasure.” A quick laugh passed her lips. “Now go and enjoy your stroll, little one! Just remember, don't go far.”

Tan smiled, nodded, and walked off, leaving the giantess and his fellow tribesmen behind. His bare feet sank softly into a natural carpet of moss, and he made his way through the jungle undergrowth. The cheerful conversations of the builders faded, replaced mostly be silence, and the sounds of the living forest. The song of giant birds, far up above. The buzzing of insects. The rustling of small creatures amidst fallen leaves. The distant scream of a human devoured by some forest predator. Ordinary sounds.

He knew exactly where he was going. He was not beyond Milly's earshot; if he were in danger and yelled, she could still come running. He approached the stump of a fallen tree, and wedged his way through a crack into a carved out chamber within. It was not of his making, but it was unused, and so it had become his own hideaway. It was here that he kept his little secret. Sitting down in the semi-darkness, with only the muted sunlight seeping through the crack, he picked up a bundle of leaves, and unwrapped them. They were rather particular leaves, which remained fresh long after having been plucked, and which were very effective at preserving anything wrapped up in them. Setting the leaves aside, he held up the object they had been wrapped round. It was a statuette, about a third of his size, carved in malleable shranja. He looked at it fondly. Milly's lovely face seemed to look back at him, with that little smile of hers. It was his own work, a statue of the woman he loved, and it was almost completed now.

He picked up his tools and, with great care, set to work once more. He wanted it to be perfect, flawless, his greatest achievement. The passion of his feelings guided his skillful hand, etching the details of Milly's likeness into the shranja. Her appearance was, itself, carved into his memory, whence it came to him in his dreams, night after night. He smiled, slightly, as, with great care, he etched out her belly button.

He knew, of course, that his feelings were unreasonable. Milly could never love him. Not in the way that he loved her. She filled his heart, his thoughts, his dreams - a fiery ache, a blissful longing. And even if she had known of his feelings, and reciprocated, a giantess and a tomthumb could not form a couple in any meaningful sense. Their difference in size was staggering. He depended on her, as did all the Alsumi, and he could never be a satisfying mate. She deserved better than him; she needed someone of her own size. He knew it, and held no expectations, but it did not deter his feelings. The love he felt for her could rely only on fantasy, on his longing, with no other outlet than imagination. He lay, at night, thinking about her, imagining. Sometimes, in his daydreams, he was a giant, and literally swept her off her feet, as she laughed in his arms and put her own arms round him. He would kiss her, with lips the same size as hers. Other times, he was still a tomthumb, but somehow it did not matter, and their love transcended the obstacle of their size. As his mind drifted, he blew a little shranja dust off his statuette, and continued his carving.

His fantasies held a stranger side, too, one he quietly relished despite his sense of shame. He had become fascinated by the sight of Milly eating. When her lovely teeth sank into a piece of fruit, he shivered with excitement. When she swallowed a struggling neko, he felt a guilty hardening of desire. It was wrong, and he knew it. A part of him felt sorry for the giantess' prey. But, lying at night in the privacy of his bed, he sometimes surrendered to temptation, to that shameful desire, and imagined that he was a neko, or a human, sliding down Milly's warm, damp, pulsating throat, down into her hot belly…

He half-closed his eyes now, his penis hardening as he thought about it. He was tempted to put down the statuette, and endulge in the solitary sexual frenzy which his body cried out for. “Milly…” he whispered, shivered a little, sighed, and pushed his fantasy aside. He wanted to finish his statuette, while there was still daylight. He shook his head, pulled himself together, and focused.

He needed to get this exactly right…

* * *

Several hours later, it was a tired but happy Tan who wrapped his completed work carefully in a bundle of leaves, and picked it up. He wondered what Milly would think of it. He had never been so bold as to give her a present before. In a way, it felt strange to have finished it. It was the product of countless days' work, driven by his intense feelings. He slipped through the crack, and back out into the forest. It was late afternoon, and the air was still warm. He smiled.

“Hello, tasty!”

It was a playful, female voice. He turned, quickly, and his eyes widened as he found himself staring at a neko girl. She was a young adult, slender and graceful, with very dark brown skin, black hair, and black fur on her ears and tail. Her eyes were a deep orange, twinkling mischievously. He gasped, almost stumbled over himself, and tried to run, still holding the statuette. With a giggle, the neko pounced, swiping him up in her hand. She smiled, pleasantly, showing her teeth, and laughed.

“Too slow, yummy one! You need to practice running.”

“Well I'm not going to be able to, if you eat me, am I?” he blurted back, and wriggled in her warm, feminine hand. “Let me go!”

“If I drop you from this height,” she pointed out reasonably, “you'll break quite a few bones.”

“I don't care!” he shouted, trying not to panic. “Put me down.”

The neko cocked her head, and smiled, gently, observing him.

“Shhh… Come on,” she soothed. “Relax. I'm not going to eat you.”

“You're… not?” He blinked, still staring, as his mind grasped a first sliver of hope.

“Nope.” The catgirl shook her pretty head, and gave a lovely smile. “I've just eaten half a dozen neeras, and I'm quite stuffed.” She lowered him a little so that he could see her bare tummy, revealed under her short top. It was bulging a little, and he he thought he could see movement inside, as the girl's meal struggled within her stomach. He gulped, and trembled. The neko, noticing his fear, seemed a little sorry for him. “OK, I'm going to put you down. But please don't run.” She sat down, crossing her legs, and placed him on the ground in front of her. The pressure of her warm hand disappeared, as she released him. He breathed out a shuddering sigh of relief.

“Th-thank you,” he stammered.

“You're welcome. But it's pure luck. If I were hungry, I'd have eaten you.” She grinned, and wagged her finger at him in gentle reproach. “You shouldn't be wandering out here on your own.”

“No… I know.” He grimaced, and held the wrapped up statuette close against his chest. “I'll be more careful.”

“You'd better.” She licked her lips, and gave him a friendly grin. “You look quite appetising, you know. But I don't want to overstuff myself.” She patted her full little tummy. “You tinies tend to go straight to my waistline.”

“I'm sorr-,” he began mechanically, then stopped, and shook his head, scowling. “No wait, I'm not sorry at all! If we're fattening, just stop eating us!” The girl giggled, and he sighed. “If you're not going to eat me, why did you catch me?”

The catgirl ran her hand through her dark hair, tidying it. Her long black tail swished, lazily. Her orange eyes fixed him with interest. “Because I've been watching you.”

“You… have? Since when?”

“Since I caught your scent, a few minutes ago. I found your little hiding place, and looked inside. I watched you work. You didn't even see me,” she added proudly. “I was quiet as a mausus.”

“Yes, I'm sure you're a great and silent huntress,” Tan grunted.

“These little yummies probably think so.” She patted her neera-filled tummy once more, pleased with herself. “They never noticed me, either.” Despite himself, Tan found himself looking at her belly. Angry at himself, he forced his gaze to travel back up over her chest, and to her face.

“Why were you watching me?” he demanded.

“I was curious.” The girl exhaled a dainty little burp, and pressed her fingers lightly over her lips. “ 'scuse me. So yes, I was curious. I don't think I've ever seen a tiny sculptor before.” Her pretty eyes brightened. “Who is she, then?”

Tan held the statuette protectively, giving her a wary look.

“Someone I care about.”

“Well, obviously.” The catgirl giggled. “Whoever she is, you're in love with her. Is it a present for her?” Tan hesitated, then nodded. The neko produced a little squeal of excitement. “Oh, that's so cute! How long did it take you to make it?”

“A long time,” he said simply.

“But you did it for love.” She smiled, and sighed, happily. “That's really adorable.”

“You know,” Tan remarked acidly, “I'm sure most of the neeras in your belly had someone they loved, too.”

The catgirl recoiled a bit, hurt. “Oh. No, please don't say things like that.” She pouted, and glanced down at her tummy. “I don't want to think about them being in love, and stuff.” Turning her attention back to him, she smiled. “Does she love you, too?”

Tan sighed. “No,” he admitted.

“Does she know you love her?”

“Probably not.”

“Awww… Poor little tiny.” She sounded genuinely sympathetic. With a graceful, fluid movement, she shifted from sitting down to lying on her tummy, crossing her hands in front of her and resting her chin on them, looking at him. He resisted an urge to step back. Her lovely face -and wide, predatory mouth- were far too close for comfort. “She'll know when you give her the present.”

“You think so?”

“Well, yes.” The girl smiled. “You'll probably blush, and stammer, and she'll know you're in love with her.”

Tan flinched, and sighed, looking at the precious statuette in his hands, concealed by its leafy wrapping.

“Maybe I shouldn't give it to her.”

“Oh, come on,” the catgirl chided him. “Show some guts.” As though to underline her words, her stomach let out a rumbling gurgle, digesting her meal. Tan thought for a moment he even heard muffled screams. The girl smiled at him, her lips parting faintly to reveal just a hint of her white teeth. “I'm Calina, by the way. Have you got a name?”

“Well of course I've got a name!” he replied, indignant. “I'm Tan.”

The neko shrugged, casual. “Well, I didn't know whether tinies have names. I never really ask, when I'm… um, eating them. It's a bit weird to eat something with a name.” She brightened. “So, your future girlfriend must have a name, too. What's she called?”

“She's not my future girlfriend.” The neko's words, though, gave him a strange, pleasant warmth. It was the first time anyone had called Milly his `future girlfriend'. And, even if it was impossible, it sounded very enjoyable. “She's called Mi-” He stopped. A sudden thought had struck him, just in time. It was quite probable that Calina knew about Milly. The giantess was, after all, the top predator in the area. And if Milly had eaten some of the neko's friends or relatives, mentioning her might not be a good idea. “Milana,” he lied.

Calina's eyes were shining a little. “Tell me about her?” she asked, eagerly. “Maybe I can help you. I can give you advice, on how to make her like you. You're not bad-looking, for a tiny; I'm sure we can make her fall in love with you.”

Tan blinked, surprised. “I'm sorry… Are you actually trying to play matchmaker for me? For a tomthumb, that you wouldn't hesitate to eat if you weren't already full?”

“Well, why not?” She let out a girlish little giggle. “I'm a hopeless romantic.” In contrast with her words, her stomach produced a loud growl, followed by low gurgle, continuing to digest her neeras. “I'd really like your story to have a happy ending.”

Tan stared at her, for several long seconds, then shook his head, a little dazed.

“I… I think I'd just prefer to go home, now. Thanks, really, but I can manage on my own.”

Calina looked rather saddened. She pouted again, then shrugged, and sat up. “Suit yourself. But I'd really liked to have known whether you two hit it off.”

“You can ask me next time you capture me,” he suggested, sarcastic. Calina giggled at that, and picked him up. “Hey!” he protested.

“Oh, relax. I told you, I'm not going to eat you. Not completely.”

“Not… completely?” Tan's face turned pale. “What does that mean?” He gulped. “What are you going to do, bite my legs off? Please don't. I need them, you know, I really do.”

“Eugh, no.” Calina wrinkled her nose. “That would be… yuck, messy, and stuff.”

“In fact, I need every part of me,” Tan babbled on in fear. “I really do need both my hands, and, um, m-my toes, all of those, and my fingers, I rather like having all my fingers…”

“Stop babbling,” Calina told him, with a gentle smile. “I'm not going to bite any bits of you off. I promise. When I eat a tiny, I swallow them whole. Biting or chewing is just… not nice.” She paused, as a thought came to her. “Although… I've got a friend who chews her food. She says tomthumbs are kind of chewy and crunchy at the same time. But I think that's disgusting.”

Tan's eyes were wide, and he was shaking between her fingers, too scared even to stammer. She seemed to notice, at last, and sighed.

“I'm sorry…” she said, and seemed to mean it. “I didn't want to frighten you. I promise, you've got nothing to fear from me.” Her stomarch glorped, and rumbled wetly. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

“I'm… I'm… I'm glad to hear that,” he stammered, with a sigh of relief.

“I'm just going to put you in my mouth a bit,” she said pleasantly.

“What? Aaaah, no, don't!” he squeaked, as she opened her mouth and lifted him towards it. “I taste terrib- Mmmph!” She thrust him into her mouth, and soon all he could see was a pink, glistening cavern, damp with her saliva. He stared, across her tongue, at the dark drop into her gullet. He was all to aware that the neeras now in her stomach had vanished down that way, and that this had been their last sight. Her soft, firm lips closed round his waist, trapping the top of his body in darkness.

He squirmed in protest, his legs kicking empty air outside her mouth. She giggled, as his arms swept over her wet tongue, then she slurped him in fully. He slid along her tongue towards her throat. Before he could slide into it, her tongue moved beneath him, manoeuvring him back towards the front of her mouth. Dextrously, she tasted him, her tongue exploring his flavour. He heard another giggle, followed by a soft, girlish moan of enjoyment.

“Mmmmm…”

Tan sighed, and tried to relax. It was not easy. He was not entirely convinced that she was going to let him out. After all, she was used to eating tomthumbs, and he was just a tomthumb like any other. She was obviously enjoying him, which was flattering, but worrying too. Still… Part of him was able to appreciate his situation. This was quite similar to what he had dreamed about. It was not Milly's mouth, but it was the mouth of a nice, pretty girl, and very soon his fear faded partly, giving way to an unmistakable sense of arousal. The inside of Calina's mouth was warm, and damp, her hot breath enveloping him, her sticky saliva clinging to him. He reached out, tentatively, and touched her tongue, caressing it with his hands. He was rewarded with another giggle, then, finally, she spat him out into the palm of her hand.

“Did you stroke my tongue?” she asked, laughing.

He blushed. “No…” he whispered, unconvincly.

“Liar.” She smiled. “You'd better not tell your girlfriend. But it was nice.”

“She's not my-”

“Actually, I spat you out because I was enjoying you too much. If I'd kept you in there any longer, I'd have swallowed.” She grinned. “I don't suppose you'd let me swallow you, would you?”

“Uh, no.” He wrung his soaked shirt, squeezing out some of her saliva.

“Awww…” She laughed. “Never mind. But you're quite delicious.” She looked at him, rather fondly. “Would you like me to carry you back to your place?”

He narrowed his eyes.

“What, so you can find out where other tomthumbs live? I don't think so.”

Calina looked surprised, and a little embarassed. “No, actually, I… That wasn't what I was thinking. I just wanted to make sure you'd be safe. Never mind.” She flicked a strand of her dark hair aside from across her forehead. “I'll just put you down, then, and let you go.” She smiled, kindly. “You go and tell your girl that you love her. Good luck, little tiny.”

“Thanks.” She had sounded as though she meant it. He gave her a warm, genuine smile in return. “And thank you for not eating me. I appreciate it.”

She grinned, and placed him down gently on the ground. He ran his hand through his wet, sticky hair, and took off his shirt, soaked with her saliva. When he looked up at her again, he was surprised to see her tense.

“What is it?” he asked.

She frowned, and sniffed the air. Her black tail swished, her eyes wary.

“There's a giant predator approaching. I have to go.” She looked down, one last time, and blew him a friendly kiss. “Good luck! Maybe we'll meet again.”

“Try not to eat me if we do.” They smiled at each other, and he waved as she scurried off, her lithe, swift limbs propelling her away deeper into the jungle. Tan stood still for a moment, alone, then looked at the wet shirt in his hands. He sighed, and wrung it again, the liquid sticking to his hands. His trousers were soaked, too; he could feel her saliva trickling down his legs and ankles, onto his bare feet.

“Great…” he muttered. He looked up at the sound of someone approaching. She came into view moments later, and he found himself smiling. “Milly!” he exclaimed.

She looked down. Her expression of worry turned to one of relief. She smiled - and sucked in the wriggling, female legs sticking out of her mouth, along with a dark green neko tail. The catgirl disappeared between her lips with a wet slurp. Milly kneeled down, and looked at Tan reproachfully.

“What?” he asked. His heart skipped a beat once more at the scrutiny of her lovely eyes. She swallowed her struggling neko.

“You were gone a long time, Tan. I was worried.” She frowned. “You're soaking wet. And all sticky. What-”

“Um…” He grimaced. “A catgirl sort of… started to eat me, and then spat me out. You were worried?” he repeated. “You came to look for me?”

“Well, yes. I thought you were just going for a stroll.”

“Um, yes. Actually…” He felt his cheeks redden, and struggled to compose himself. He was distinctly embarassed, standing here bare-chested, dripping with catgirl saliva, soggy hair clinging to his forehead. “I was…” He took a deep breath. Milly had never seemed more lovely than now, gentle concern reflected in her warm eyes. He knelt down, to pick up his precious parcel. “I was making you something,” he said, forcing the words out past the nervous lump in his throat.

Milly's brown eyes lit up, surprised and delighted. In that instant, Tan thought with a rush of feelings, she looked beautiful beyond description… He held it up for her, and nodded, gazing into her eyes.

“For you…” he said.

“Oh, thank you…” Her voice was soft, grateful, a pretty blush on her light brown cheeks. Gently, she took the parcel from him. To her, it was tiny, and she took great care in unwrapping it. Tan watched on, breathless, anxiously reading the look on her face. It was silly, in a way, but her reaction would be so important to him…

Milly looked at the unwrapped gift, peered at it, then lifted it up closer to her eyes for a better look. It was so tiny that she could barely make it out, and it took an effort for her to scrutinise the details. When it became clear to her what it was, her face blossomed into a lovely smile.

“Oh… Tan!” she exclaimed in a soft, delighted whisper. “It's beautiful!” She looked down at him, smiling warmly. “Did you make it?”

He blushed, happier even than he had hoped to be. “Yes.”

“It's… It's wonderful! It's so detailed! It really looks like me. Oh… Wow!” she said, with a little laugh. “You've really put a lot of effort into it. I'm touched, I really am. It's a lovely present.”

He smiled, awkward but happy. “Good. I… It means a lot that you like it.”

“I had no idea you were sneaking off to make me a present.” She smiled, softly… then burped. “Oops!” She giggled. “Sorry. My neko's moving around in there.” She put her hand on her tummy, and gazed down at him fondly. “A little statue of me… I've never had anything quite like it.”

“Well…” Tan stopped, as he realised he could not think of anything to say. He laughed, awkwardly, and shrugged. Milly just smiled.

“It's made of shranja, isn't it?” She examined it once more. “Am I supposed to eat it, then?”

“Well…” he said again. For a moment, he was not certain what to think of that. He had put so many hours of hard work into it, that seeing it eaten immediately seemed a bit of a shame. On the other hand, being shranja, it wouldn't keep long… and seeing Milly eat it would be a reward in itself. He gave a nervous smile. “As you like.”

“I think…” She paused, with a thoughtful expression. “I think I'll keep it… for a while. I'll eat it later. I prefer to keep it, for now.”

Tan smiled, more comfortably this time. “OK. Whatever you want, Milly. I'm just… I'm very happy you like it.”

“You're blushing,” she teased. “You may be tiny, but I can see it.” She picked him up, very carefully, and looked at him with gentle attention. “Come on… You shouldn't be out here on your own. Let's get you home.”

Tan relaxed into the soft warm palm of her hand, and did nothing but smile as her gigantic legs carried them home.

She did not love him. Not in the way that he loved her. But it did not matter. She loved him all the same; she loved all the Alsumi, in her own way. She was their gentle giantess, their protector, their friend. She would always be there for them. And he would always love her - a quiet, unrequited love.

That night, alone in bed in his small, undeground chamber, deep below Milly's hut, he dreamt of holding the beautiful giantess in his tiny arms. He slept, with a peaceful, contented smile on his face.

THE END