Jordan nibbled on the warm, freshly baked cookie that Sara had handed him as they made their way toward Kayla’s room. The rich aroma of oatmeal and butter filled his nostrils, making his mouth water in anticipation. He was pleasantly surprised at how moist and chewy the cookie was, each bite releasing a burst of sweetness on his taste buds. As they walked, Sara broke off another piece of the treat for him, but it was slightly smaller than the last one. She then delicately took a bite herself, savoring every morsel before finishing it off with a contented sigh. Jordan couldn’t help but crave more of the delicious cookie, but he remembered his conversation with Ellie and knew that Sara was conscious of both their caloric intake. The chances of getting another bite were slim to none, but he couldn’t resist the temptation to ask for just one more taste.
The girls entered Kayla’s room, their footsteps softly padding against the wooden floor. Sara made her way to Kayla’s bed and settled down, carefully placing Jordan on her lap. As she looked down at him, she couldn’t help but smile at how comfortable he seemed in her presence. Gone were the days when she would instinctively swat at his movements, now it was almost soothing, like a gentle massage. She compared it to the feeling of a bug crawling on your skin – initially unsettling but eventually becoming a familiar sensation that can even elicit laughter with its ticklish touch.
The thought of setting Jordan down on the ground made her uneasy. He was always so curious and eager to explore, just like he did with Dayton. She didn’t want to risk him getting into any trouble in Kayla’s room. But at the same time, she couldn’t shake off the guilt she felt for her own mistakes that led to the events with Dayton. Yet, it was ultimately Jordan’s own choice to run off into the unknown territory of the backyard, putting himself in great danger. She didn’t know whether to be angry or remorseful.
Sara realized, from that tumultuous experience, the importance of keeping a tighter leash on Jordan. She would only trust his care to Ellie, Kayla, or Mallory – individuals who had proven themselves capable and reliable in the past. While she was open to allowing Chloe to care for him as well, Sara didn’t want to burden her friend with such responsibility unless it was absolutely necessary. She knew Chloe would do it without hesitation if asked, but she also knew that being a caregiver to a little was not something Chloe desired. It wasn’t fair to put her in that position unless there was no other option. The thought weighed heavily on Sara’s mind as she grappled with the delicate balance of caring for a little while also respecting their boundaries and limitations.
“Kayla, take it easy. You don’t need to do anything special. We’re all friends here. We are your friends. You don’t need to be so uptight.” Chloe said, seeing how tense Kayla looked.
“Right, I know. It’s just I can’t help but feel a bit of imposter syndrome.” Kayla said as she looked down at Kelli who was just happy to finally be home.
“Imposter syndrome? I told you Kayla. You’re my girl. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone here. I know you’re partying with us Friday an all but what are you doing Saturday Night. Like around 9 or 10 at night?” Sara asked.
“Ummm probably what I normally do,” Kayla said.
“That means she will be in her PJs playing video games with a bottle of probably Mountain Dew, but sometimes she has been known to be“Spicy” and choosing Dr. Pepper.” Kelli teased as Kayla blushed a bit but didn’t deny any of it.
“Thats perfect. Do you feel like hot dropping into warzone?” Sara asked “you would round out the squad for trios. Plus, you’d be doing Jordy a favor.” Sara added.
“Sure, we’re normally done raiding at that time. So, I don’t mind hopping in. But how does that help Jordy?” Kayla asked, confused.
“Well, he was going to be the third if you couldn’t go. It’s a sponsored stream but you don’t have to be on camera or anything. But, now its Ellie, you and me.” Sara said happily.
“You mean this is like a Sarandipity stream?” Kayla said nervously.
“Yeah, that’s not a problem, is it?”
“No, it’s just you’re big time. I’ve seen your viewer numbers.” Kayla said.
“It’s really not a big deal. Just act like they aren’t there. That’s what Ellie does. They are going to love you.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I don’t think you’ve seen gamer Kayla.” Kelli said.
“Gamer Kayla?” Chloe said questioningly.
“As meek as she is at all other times, she is the exact opposite in gaming. You’ll see Saturday, I guess.” Kelli said as Jordan celebrated on Sara’s lap that he didn’t have to play Warzone. As he had never been good at first-person shooters.
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I love moments like this. Actually nearly makes you forget about smallara and everyone just seems close and on more even footing. So is Jordan going to be with Kayla and Kelli during the stream? I forget when they’re to hang out but that’d be fun to see vs Jordan being at sarahs.
All That being said, idk if I’d say anyone outside of Kayla has really proven the self other than the fact that they’re guardian trained. Ellie I’m warming up to when she’s in guardian mode but her teasing just is too much to take seriously, but Mallory is gonna hate Jordan when he’s around gavin cause she can’t really talk to him or correct him the way she does with gavin and that’ll piss her off eventually.
A more peaceful moment in the Smallara world as they hang at Kayla’s.
Jordan would be with Sara during the stream as Kayla would be at her house and Ellie would be at her house although Sara has a couple computers so she could also be at Sara’s which wouldn’t be shocking either with how much time Ellie and Sara spend together.
I feel like Mallory wouldn’t hesitate to correct Jordan. She would care for Jordan but probably not give as much slack as she gives Gavin.
Although Ellie would probably get the littlesitting nod before Mallory.
Mallory gives gavin slack? Lol I guess your right though about Mallory correcting him, but theres probably a line she wouldn’t cross since he’s not her little, so if Mallory saw “old gavin” showing up when Jordan was around, she’d probably have to decide how how best to handle it without upsetting sarah. I forsee something like a time out until Mallory gets her way but sarah getting mad cause Jordan was just trying to have fun with gavin and do guy things and Mallory just not getting it cause she is too controlling over him. Idk, that’s just me, but their guardian styles and opinions don’t match up enough for me to think Mallory would be a good choice to little sit jordan unless she can chill out and let gavin have some fun on his own
1) that’d really suck to have to abide by someone else’s diet, Sara’s keeping him healthy, but it’s still quite selfish. Especially since, I doubt he got a chocolate chip, just the batter part.
2) I somehow do think Lil Dipidy will end up on Warzone at some point.
3) I appreciate that Chloe takes the dominant position on the chair sitting higher than the rest, with Kayla on the floor, looking like the lowest of tge three.
4) interested in the thought of Jordan’s touch soothing Sara, I get that that’s the point but I’m still hoping for the bond to go both ways.
5a) Dayton’s backyard is an interesting thing to think back too. At the end of the day that was Sara’s fault. She wants him to understand that “actions have consequences” but doesn’t realise that also applies to HER actions.
5b) “It was ultimately Jordan’s own choice to run off” what was he running from? It was ultimately her choices that led to him believing that running off was his best/only option. Her choice not to help him when he asked, her choice to violate and over rule his consent, her choice to sexually harass him, her choice to over punish him for minor acts of bad behaviour, her choice to make major life decisions without consulting him. And to top it off she had the gall to claim she was treating him fairly.
While ultimately I think running away wasn’t a good plan, it was the first time he stood up to her since 107, really went “I’m mad as hell, and im not going to take it anymore:, and given the tantrum she threw in that in 107.5 it makes senses that escape would seem like his only option.
Sara’s made it clear that she’s in charge, which means blame lies with her by default, she needs someone else to hold her accountable. As it is now I don’t think these thoughts she’s having will lead to her admitting her mistakes to him out loud, or making it up to him, and cause all her friends are yes-girls who wanna tell Jordan how lucky he is, I don’t believe any of them will call her out. Even Jordan’s little chat with Ellie if he’d actually reached out to her she’d likely have tried to gaslight him into not complaining rather than take his complaint seriously.
6) Sara will only leave Jordan with people who have proven themselves reliable, including this girl she just met.
5b) refrained from commenting cause I had a feeling you’d say exactly how I felt lol I mean yeah it was his choice to run, but his decision was a based off a summation of previous events. Like I get he could have said he didn’t want to be with Dayton at that time, but would saran have actually listened? And what happens if Daytons trained but jordan still doesn’t trust her similar to what happened with Maisy? Sarahs closer to Dayton so she may push back on that, not to ramble on lol point being, he did make the choice, but it’s not like he had been thinking I need to escape the whole time. Was all based on his treatment
Glad I could give your fingers a rest.
1) well it was oatmeal rasin or sugar cookies as the chocolate chip was if she had known they were coming.
You probably put more thought into it then Sara did though in regards to what part of the cookie she gave Jordan. The intent was she just broke up a small piece for him.
Although kudos to you, out of all the things I thought you could turn around on Sara being a bad person, I did not see the cookie thing coming. When I wrote it, I intended that it was just a genuine nice gesture.
2) Oh, I’m sure at some point one day he will have to. He won’t avoid it forever.
3) She is a woman of comfort.
4)a little’s touch doesn’t soothe the guardian the way you want it to. It is possible them being around can be relaxing the way a friend, or pet’s presence can be calming on a person. But it doesn’t work in the way the bonding works on Jordan.
5a)Sara gave Jordan the choice of who he wanted to go with, and Jordan, aware of Dayton’s nature, decided to put himself in a situation where he was under Dayton’s control. This was a personal choice that Jordan made, fully understanding the potential risks.
Sara is a minor, and while she may have made a bad choice, her age and inexperience must be considered. In contrast, Jordan is an adult with the wisdom and experience to make informed decisions. His decision to go with Dayton and subsequently run away into the backyard were choices he made independently.
Blaming Sara by saying she drove Jordan to make bad decisions overlooks Jordan’s responsibility as an adult. Life is indeed hard and unfair, but this does not justify making reckless choices and shifting the blame onto others. It’s not Sara’s job to ensure Jordan doesn’t make poor decisions—especially when he had the opportunity to express his concerns and chose not to.
If Jordan had expressed his fears or discomfort to Sara, Chloe, or Stephanie, they would have likely intervened due to their caring nature. By choosing to remain silent, Jordan forfeited his right to play the victim later. He loses sympathy because, as an adult, he is expected to make reasonable decisions and voice his concerns when necessary.
Every individual, regardless of size or circumstance, has a responsibility to ensure their own safety. From the smallest to the largest creatures, this inherent responsibility exists. Jordan failed to do this, and that failure is not Sara’s fault. Sara cannot be blamed for decisions made without her knowledge, nor can she be expected to read Jordan’s mind.
Any mistakes Sara made regarding the Dayton backyard incident are irrelevant because Jordan placed himself in that situation. He didn’t speak up, deferred to a 12-year-old, and worsened the situation by running away. These are clear examples of poor decision-making on his part. While it’s fair to critique Sara’s response, it’s also important to recognize that Jordan needs to face the consequences of his actions to learn from them.
6) In regards to Sara leaving Jordan with Kayla. Jordan is friends with Kelli. So its not shocking revelation to make. Parents leave their children with babysitters they know little about all the time.
Sara has also spent all day with Kayla which is more time then most Parents spend getting to know a babysitter.
I feel like she has taken precautions and vetted Kayla. Where it wouldn’t be weird or any different then many real world cases.
Jordan’s agreement was kind weird though wasn’t it? Like Dayton threatened/blackmailed him into it, plus sarah kinda ended up changing her mind after initially not wanting to give him over to Dayton and Nicole and did it anyway. I doubt she’ll do it again now that they’re bonding a bit and she’s agreed to not let him be handled by nontrained people but at that point in time she wasn’t exactly blameless unless we’re saying that individuals can’t pressure people into doing something they don’t want to do. Like I’d say sarahs incident was her choice but that would overlook everything leading up to it to me. Same thing for Jordan imo, though I guess it all goes back to his opinions of smallAra to begin with.
Not trying to play both sides, cause I think there’s merit on either argument about what jordan did, but I think it’s fair to say that he may not have ran off if sarah wasn’t trying to force (for lack of a better term) him accepting being a little into him.
couldn’t edit this, but realized saying “not trying to play both sides” wasn’t what I meant lol it’s more like I’m trying to stay as neutral and open minded but ultimately I don’t think we can just brush off events that lead up to major events
undestandable it was a life changing moment in the story.
1) Oatmeal rasin? I didn’t realise you were making Kelli and Kayla’s parents abusive.
I’ve certainly done that before Lol.
Thanks, I’m both spiteful and petty. Though my comment was more about her control over his diet and such.
4) I know, and that will forever feel like a missed opportunity to me ;P
5b) Jordan made his choice under duress due to the fabricated threats Dayton was blackmailing him with. Can you honestly say that Sara would have believed Jordan over Dayton if he mentioned the theat here then and hadn’t lucked into it being recorded? and even if she would have, Jordan had reason not to believe she would.
I don’t give too shits that she’s a minor. If she’s old enough to have a little, she’s old enough to be criticised when she isn’t good enough to that little. I’m not saying Jordan isn’t responsible for his part in the decision making process, but I am saying it’s completely understandable why he believed that was his best option and Sara’s actions had lead to why he chose escape rather than return.
Jordan doesn’t know Steph well enough to trust their “caring nature”, Chloe wasn’t there yet and Sara’s track record was kinda shit. She protected him from the Spider, but let Dayton mess with him because she thought it was funny, she willingly let Maisy insult and bully him , even going as far as stopping Jordan from defending himself becauseshe wanted to be Maisy’s friend, Sara did protect him from Tamara, (likely only due to prior beef) but then turned on him the moment doing so had consequences for her, even going as far as to blame him for the incident. I don’t see him not asking for help as an unreasonable decision as he’d plenty of reasons not to.
“Every individual, regardless of size or circumstance, has a responsibility to ensure their own safety.” I completely agree with this, but here me out. Couldn’t it be argued that that’s exactly what Jordan was doing with his escape attempt? Like many slaves before him, fleeing his Owner on a risky journey hoping to find a better, safer place for himself? While I dint believe that netter life was actually an option for him, (at best he’d be returned to Sara at worst killed) this is the only real tine he tries to challenge the hand he’s been dealt.
I do think the choice ls Sara made would be an important factor in what happened not to be ignored. I though I do think you’ve misinterpreted something. I’m not pro- Jordan’s escape attempt. I think it was a dumb fucking idea that would most certainly have killed him, and Jordan WAS punished for it, he lost points and got collared, meaning he has fafed consequences, and that’s on top of having recently been released from a punishment he got because Sara messed up and victim blamed him. My issue stems from Sara lacking her punishment for her wrong doings, even if you don’t think she’s to blame for his escape attempt she’s still got plenty she hasn’t answered for.
6) I get that, she just seems so out of place next to her life long friends like Mal and Ellie was my point.
THey also had sugar cookies. Oatmeal Rasin cookies can be pretty good if made correctly. Esepcailly the ones with the chocolate chips added in as well.
5b) I think our main difference in points is how much responsibility falls upon Jordan and Sara. As while we agree they both have some blame. We differ on how much blame each is assigned.
As to me, I can’t get passed the fact even though Dayton was trying to blackball him into a choice. He is an adult and never tried informing Sara of the situation. As if he informed Sara and she still did nothing I would 100% agree with you.
However, I can’t excuse his own negligence and bad decision making in not telling Sara regardless of if he thought it would matter or not. Because at least then he would know. As now he always lives in a what if.
6) Well it is a accommodation for Jordan that she is making. As she recognizes Kelli is JOrdan’s friend. So leaving him with Kayla would be a chance for him to spend time with a friend.