Ellie crouched down, lowering her hand for Jordan to step onto.
It was something he would have never done before. Not even a thought in his mind that one day, walking from one place to another would be a group effort. That moving through the world would become something he couldn’t do safely on his own. Yet here he was, stepping onto someone’s palm like it was a subway platform.
It had become normal.
Jordan tried to tell himself that it wasn’t that different from a disability. Nobody wakes up expecting that it’ll be the last time they move freely on their own. Nobody thinks, Today is the last day I’ll stand on my own two feet. Today’s the last day I drive a car. Today’s the last time I sit at my kitchen table.
But that was what had happened to him. One night, he’d gone to sleep as himself. And by the next morning, that version of him was just… gone.
His life had become a series of lasts.
The last time he fell asleep in his own bed, stretching out without thinking about it. The last time he flipped through channels on his own TV. The last time he put on his own shoes.
And the worst part?
He never even knew. Never got to appreciate those moments because they weren’t supposed to be final.
That was the real price of Smallara. Not just the changes he had to make to survive, not just the reliance on Sara and her friends. No, it was the fact that he’d lost everything before he even realized it was slipping away.
Jordan exhaled slowly, pushing down the lump in his throat.
My life isn’t over, he reminded himself.
He stepped into Ellie’s palm, feeling the familiar warmth of skin beneath his feet. As she lifted him, he instinctively braced himself, though she was steady enough that he barely needed to. She wasn’t as smooth as Sara, but she was way better than Steph or Kayla.
“You’re actually kinda good at this,” he admitted.
Ellie smirked. “What, carrying you to the bathroom? Wow, that’s my dream skill. I can’t wait to put that on my college applications.”
Jordan rolled his eyes. “No, I mean, you’re good at all this Guardian stuff. Some Little is gonna be lucky to have you.”
For the first time, Ellie hesitated. It was quick—just a split-second flicker in her expression, like she was considering something she wasn’t sure she wanted to say.
Then she shrugged, smirking again like it had never happened.
“Yeah, well, you’re the only Little in my life for the foreseeable future,” she said, her voice a little too casual. Before Jordan could respond, she shifted gears completely. “Anyway, I’m starving. Let’s take a little detour while Sleeping Beauty gets her beauty rest.”
Jordan didn’t argue as Ellie carried him out of the bathroom and headed downstairs.
Because, really, what choice did he have?
Hmmmmmmmmmm why do I sense…..a disturbance in the smallara force…..hmmmmm just have to wait and see what happens next time
not sure what you mean.
You never really appreciate the stuff you can do until you no longer can do it.
Anyway, what do Ellie’s parents do for a living again?
That’s at least partially becuase he didn’t believe in smallara.
Her father is “the unofficial governor of New York.” He’s a shipping mogul, the most influential one in the Eastern US who may have ties to the drug trade.
“Jackson Montgomery (her dad) had the nickname Robin Hood as he often took from the rich by charging higher fees and propped up the poor.” was part of his description.
Her mom (Named Rose Ward) was also part of the company but she’s not given as much of a description.
still hilarious to me that is what his occupation ended up being
Lethal is correct
Even when suggesting he was a drug trafficker/dealer?
well he will move most anything. But I wouldn’t call him a dealer as they don’t sell drugs and depending on what is being moved they won’t want details.
THey will operate in grey areas of the law but will not openly violate the law.
1) “Ellie crouched down, lowering her hand for Jordan to step onto… It had become normal.” In just a week, he’s normalising quick.
2) “Jordan tried to tell himself that it wasn’t that different from a disability” it should be, Mal refers to it as sch, but it’s not, he’s a mutated human, an entirely new species, and had his rights stripped away for it.
3) “One night, he’d gone to sleep as himself. And by the next morning, that version of him was just… gone” and he’ll never get back to that person, never be as free or happy again.
4) “His life had become a series of lasts… And the worst part? He never even knew. Never got to appreciate those moments because they weren’t supposed to be final.” Well, part of that’s his own fault for not believing in the virus, especially since Littles are apparently not too rare a sight in New York.
5) “My life isn’t over, he reminded himself” sure it is, the life he lives is Sara’s life now, just like everything else of his became hers.
6) “She wasn’t as smooth as Sara, but she was way better than Steph or Kayla.” Is Ellie a ranked guardian?
7) “You’re actually kinda good at this,” … “What, carrying you to the bathroom? Wow, that’s my dream skill. I can’t wait to put that on my college applications.” I’m sure it’ll open many doors for her.
8) “No, I mean, you’re good at all this Guardian stuff. Some Little is gonna be lucky to have you.” that’s a nice thing to say, I doubt it’s true though, simply being a Little is unlucky
9) “For the first time, Ellie hesitated. It was quick—just a split-second flicker in her expression, like she was considering something she wasn’t sure she wanted to say” damn, he flustered her.
10) “Yeah, well, you’re the only Little in my life for the foreseeable future,” I guess Gavin and Kelli can get fucked.
11) “Anyway, I’m starving. Let’s take a little detour while Sleeping Beauty gets her beauty rest.” … “Jordan didn’t argue as Ellie carried him out of the bathroom and headed downstairs because, really, what choice did he have?” Breakfast sounds good, I’m sure Ellie will spoil him more than Sara would.
1) Sara carries him around alot. So I figured with how much it happens moreso then other littles. That it would become normalized for him quicker. As he is in Sara’s hands alot being lowered or lifted.
2) I would agree that he is mutated being and mutated human doesn’t have same rights with the probable argument being its a different species.
3) Well he won’t get back to that person. Never be free or happy is a bit much I would say. As never is a long time especially with a expanded life timeline.
4) Well littles are more normalized post the recent event that shrunk a bunch of people.
5) Right but Jordan may not mind that as much as you.
6) I feel like it was stated somewhere that she was ranked. I could be mistaken but she seems like the kidn of person who would be ranked.
8) I don’t know. I think Ellie woudln’t be the worst choice a person could have for a guardian. If you’re a little someone has to be.
9) I woudln’t say flustered just a competing thought she thought better of.
10) She only met Kelli less than 24 hours ago and Gavin is firmly entrenched with Mal. So she doens’t see Gavin all that much in comparison to how often she sees Jordy.
11) “Aunt Ellie” woudl no tbe watching his diet as much as sara would that is certain.
9) Maybe in a later chapter, Saras tormentor finely gets the virus and Sarah is able to buy her and gives Jordan to Ellie to give her basically sister the only little she wants and to always have Jordan close if she wants to see him.
8) she could be, but i meant simply being a little makes them unlucky.
9) What was the competing thought?