📖 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒪𝒸𝒽𝑜: 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 & 𝐵𝒾𝑔 𝐵𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 🍫🍼

Lucas could not stop thinking about what happened at the coffee shop.

It was impossible. Amari likes me. He really, really likes me.

Every time Lucas replayed those words in his head, his whole body got all floaty and warm, like he was wrapped up in his favorite blankie. It made him want to curl up in his safe little world, chew on his paci, and kick his feet.

Except—he was at school.

And he was supposed to be big at school.

Lucas sighed as he sat in his usual spot in the library, knees pulled to his chest. He stared at the untouched textbook in front of him, trying to focus, but his brain was just too fuzzy.

"Tiny," a familiar voice called.

Lucas looked up so fast he nearly knocked over his book.

Amari was leaning against the table, smirking down at him.

Lucas immediately curled in on himself, shy. "H-hi..."

Amari slid into the chair across from him, setting down a bottle of chocolate milk.

Lucas blinked. "F-for me?"

Amari shrugged. "You like chocolate, don't you?"

Lucas felt his heart do the thing again. The fast, thumpy, wiggly thing.

"...Yeah."

He grabbed the bottle, holding it close before taking a tiny sip. The cold, sweet chocolate milk was perfect, and his body relaxed instantly.

Amari watched him, resting his chin in his hand. "You look cute when you drink that."

Lucas squeaked. His fingers twitched around the bottle. "D-don't say that..."

Amari chuckled. "Why not? You are."

Lucas shrank in his chair. His tummy felt too warm, all twisty and tickly.

Big belly feelings.

That's what his mom called them. The kind of feelings that made his body all squirmy inside. He didn't know what to do with them.

So he did what he always did when he felt too much.

He started to slip.

His fingers tightened on the bottle, his shoulders curled in, and his body rocked just a little. His brain got all floaty, the big thoughts too much to hold onto.

He mumbled, barely above a whisper—

"'Mari..."

Amari frowned. "You okay, Tiny?"

Lucas sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. "Feel... li'l..."

Amari blinked. His eyes softened.

Lucas knew he shouldn't be little at school. He tried to stay big. But sometimes, it was just too hard.

And right now, with Amari being all nice and saying things that made his belly feel weird, Lucas just... slipped.

He stuck his thumb in his mouth, his knees pulling up onto the chair. His bottle was still in his other hand, cradled against his chest.

Amari watched him, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he reached out and gently tugged on Lucas's sleeve.

"Hey," he said, voice softer than Lucas had ever heard it. "You wanna get out of here?"

Lucas peeked at him from behind his thumb.

Amari tilted his head toward the door. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

Lucas hesitated. But then Amari held out his hand, palm open, waiting.

Lucas didn't think. He just reached out and took it.

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