Chapter 65
Dayton leaned back in her desk chair until it creaked, trying to let her shoulders unclench.
Her Discord call buzzed softly from her laptop speakers, a constant layer of voices and typing and Hannah’s pencil scratches coming through her mic like ASMR.
Behind Dayton, Ezra moved. Not much. Not loud. Just… present. The faintest scuff of tiny shoes on carpet. A soft shift when he paused. The kind of sound that made Dayton’s brain keep reaching for him like a tongue poking a sore tooth.
Thomas had never felt like this.
Thomas had been a practicum Little. A program. A checklist. He’d been polite and trained and supposed to be temporary but grew into a friend. Ezra was different. Ezra was aware in a way that made the air feel tighter. Like he was watching for mistakes. Like he was waiting for her to prove, somehow, that she didn’t deserve to keep him.
And Dayton hated that a piece of her wanted to prove that she did.
Through the webcam, Hayden could be seen sprawled cross legged on her bed, hair claw clipped into her hair, LED lights pulsing behind her in some lo-fi “I’m productive” glow that was absolute fiction.
“So,” Hayden said, dragging the word out like she’d been saving it. “Are we going to talk about your outfit this weekend?”
Dayton’s eyes narrowed. “It’s literally just a skate shop.”
Nicole was on her stomach under a blanket pile, chin in her hand, doing homework with the kind of fake calm that meant she was listening to everything. “You say that like it’s not a whole event.”
“It’s not an event,” Dayton said, already defensive. “We didn’t even make it official.”
“Answer the question, prosecutor,” Hayden said, leaning toward her camera with an evil grin. “Are you gonna have Ezra coordinate?”
Ezra actually choked.
It wasn’t loud, but Dayton heard it. A sharp little cough and then the tiniest pause, like he was mad at his own lungs for betraying him.
Nicole’s voice sharpened instantly. “Hayden.”
“What?” Hayden said, innocent as a courtroom angel. “I’m asking. She’s a Guardian with little now. Guardians coordinate stuff.”
“I am not coordinating my outfit with Ezra,” Dayton said flatly.
Hannah paused mid shading. Her camera was on, like always, showing her face in the corner and her sketchbook taking up most of the frame. Pencil tucked behind her ear. Eyes calm. Observing.
“Is this about Skater Boy?” Hannah asked.
The call went silent for half a second. Then Hayden exploded first, loud and delighted. “Hannah! Hannah, you can’t just drop that like a grenade!”
Nicole buried her face in her sleeve. “Oh my god.”
Dayton stared into her camera like she wanted it to apologize. “Why are we calling him Skater Boy.”
“Because he looks like one,” Hannah said, shrugging like it was an obvious fact. “His hair does the swoop thing. He wears the chain. He’s… skater. Boy.”
“See?” Hayden pointed dramatically at her screen. “Scientific.”
Dayton muted her mic for a second, took a breath, then unmuted. “It’s not about him.”
“Mhm,” Nicole said, soft and teasing.
That was when another camera popped into the call.
Kinsley’s face filled the frame at a low angle, slightly shaky like she’d propped her little tablet against something on the downstairs couch. Hoodie up. Eyes sharp. The vibe was: she just rejoined and she’s already judging everyone.
“What did I miss?” Kinsley asked. “Why does everyone look guilty.”
“We’re planning Dayton’s outfit for Skater Boy,” Hayden said immediately, delighted, “and Hannah accused her of being in a Disney Channel subplot.”
“No,” Dayton said too fast.
“Yes,” Hannah said without looking up, pencil still moving.
Kinsley squinted. “Who is Skater Boy and why do I want to fight him.”
“Kins, no,” Nicole warned, already laughing.
“Kins, yes,” Kinsley said, completely serious. “Like. As a concept.”
“Nobody is fighting anyone,” Dayton said, folding her arms.
Hayden put a hand to her chest like she’d been stabbed. “Dayton, it’s late fall. A skirt is a strategic choice. This is warfare.” Hayden redirecting back to the outfit itself.
“It’s an outfit,” Dayton said, deadpan.
Nicole’s smile went slow and knowing. “It’s not an outfit. It’s I planned this. It’s I have my life together. It’s don’t talk to me unless you have a clipboard.”
“Okay rude,” Dayton said, pointing at her screen.
“Exactly,” Hayden cut in, clapping her hands once into her mic like she was calling a meeting to order. “Here’s my vision.”
“Nope,” Dayton said instantly.
“You’re in a black sweater.” Hayden said powering through. “Black skirt. Boots. Hair down. Clean. New York. Editorial.”
“Editorial is just Hayden speak for ‘I saw it on Pinterest,’” Nicole said.
“Correct,” Hayden said proudly. “And Ezra…”
Nicole groaned out loud. “Hayden.”
“…Ezra in a tiny black sweater,” Hayden continued like she couldn’t hear anyone. “You two would match, but not cheesy match. Like… we’re a brand. Something from LittleThreads.”
Dayton stared. “I am not dressing my former teacher like a purse dog.”
“Yeah you are,” Kinsley said with zero hesitation.
“KINSLEY,” Dayton snapped, jaw dropping.
Kinsley leaned closer to her tablet camera, eyes bright. “You literally were on the car ride back, ‘I got him a travel case, and it snaps in.’ That is not a teacher sentence. That is a pet owner sentence.”
Nicole made a sound that was half laugh, half guilty. “She’s not wrong. You even demoed snapping in the furniture like your Sara doing a product reveal”
“It’s gear,” Dayton said quickly. “It’s safety. It’s… being responsible. I was excited.”
“It’s giving ‘my little accessory,’” Hayden sing songed.
“Hayden,” Dayton warned.
Behind Dayton’s chair, Ezra stopped moving entirely.
Dayton could feel it, like the air shifted.
Hayden didn’t notice. Of course she didn’t. “If Ezra had a tiny scarf you’d be unstoppable.” Hannah said glancing up with an innocent expression. “Visually… it would be cohesive.”
Dayton whipped around in her chair, scandalized. “HANNAH?”
Nicole laughed so hard her camera shook. “Hannah, I can’t believe you just sided with team coordinate.”
“The artist has spoken,” Kinsley said solemnly, nodding like a philosopher.
Dayton threw her hands up. “You’re all insane. Ezra, are you hearing this?”
Hayden smiled sweetly. “We’re visionaries.”
Nicole’s voice softened, bringing it back down before it got too weird. “Okay but real talk, Dayton. Are you excited for this weekend?”
Dayton hesitated. Just a fraction. But it was enough.
“I’m… fine,” she said.
Kinsley leaned in, eyes sharp. “That means she’s excited.”
“It means I’m fine,” Dayton said, glaring.
Hayden sighed dramatically. “She’s gonna ‘just exist’ and accidentally, emotionally destroy Skater Boy.”
“I’m not gonna destroy anyone or anything.”
“Not even the concept of free will?” Nicole asked.
Dayton laughed despite herself. “Stop, Nicole.”
Hannah added calmly, like she was narrating a documentary, “Free will is declining nationwide.”
“HANNAH,” Hayden howled.
Kinsley straightened like she was calling a vote in court. “Okay. Vote. Skirt and boots, yes or no.”
“YES,” Nicole said, hand up.
“Yes,” Hannah said, lifting her pencil.
“Yes,” Kinsley said, raising her hand high.
Dayton stared at all of them like they’d betrayed her personally. “I hate you guys.”
“Love you too,” Hayden said instantly.
“You’re welcome,” Nicole added.
“You needed us,” Kinsley said smugly.
“This is what community looks like,” Hannah said, already back to shading like nothing had happened.
Dayton sighed and turned back to her homework, cheeks warm. “I should brought in Londyn and Chrissy as back up.” She muttered
“They would have sided with us.” Hayden retorted. They love my ideas.”
Behind her, Ezra took a careful step again.
The softest tick of the charms followed him like punctuation.
I like how Dayton kinda tried to include Ezra and is also trying to not coordinate his clothing with her own. if that ends up being true, i see it as a win for both of them: Ezra gets freedom of choice in something, and Dayton doesn’t come across as forcing him to do things just cause she can. that’s a good step for developing a health relationship
Dayton was most definitely not pro coordinating outfits.
Dayton may not even take him if he doesn’t want to go.
I think that’s a good thing. It’d probably help him adjust to things faster if he’s given choices like this.
I would like to see Ezra act like a kid now that he is a new little. His human life is over so he is basically a kid little and even Kinsey would be like a big sister because she has been a Little for a lot longer and is a bigger female. I look at life and knowledge as a human and a little different because they are totally different body’s and experiences whether its right or wrong I’m not sure lol.
I liken it more to a adult human brain in a littles body, something like from Ray Bradbury’s old TV show where William Shatner and his son basically swap minds (great show btw, recommend it if you haven’t seen it. same with the illustrated man) or from the movie 13 going on 30. Even though Ezra’s a new little, he’s still has an adult mind. I think the only way we’d see that kind of regression is if he had severe head trauma lol
Experience is definitely different, but it’s more of a cultural learning than anything. The Avatar movies i think would be a good comparison. Jake’s life experience on earth didn’t matter, but once he learned the culture and how to move like the Navii, his mind caught up with everything else.
You are correct there isn’t a regression from humans becoming littles. However fewer and fewer humans are becoming littles each day canonically.
As narratively there is a finite number of vulnerable people left. So there is a point in time where smallborns overtake people who became littles.
To smallborns canonically being a little is normal to them.
fun conversation but would have been more fun if Ezra joined and stared poking fun at himself and Dayton with the matching cloths themes.
I didn’t want Ezra to be comic relief. Him and Dayton aren’t friends.’so I was kinda going for that vibe
well he is a new little and doesn’t have to act like a adult anymore because per the law he will always be less then any human kid no matter the age
Also, two questions: Asuka, did\do you skate? it’s come up a lot haha
and who’s tall between Jordan and Ezra? i think i remember jordan and greg being small for male littles, and Gavin being the tallest.
I did not skate. I just wanted to have this world be where skating is a popular activity. Done my may people like bike riding.
Ezra is probably taller as Jordan is canonically short as a little
when I was a kid we had BMX bikes were the thing. it rained to much in the seattle burbs for Skateboarding. But in high school I knew a person that was one of the first snow boarders but that is even more niche lol.
The council of Dayton’s friends has spoken lol.
They have the democracy has voted.
You know I can only imagine when we get to the point where Ezra is comfortable enough to join in on these live calls and see how he adds to the conversation ? ….probably make some references to old literature and some dad jokes lol …..okay now I want that to happen lol
Glad Dayton did try to get Ezra involved in the conversation though I think his reaction to him doing matching clothes was enough lol
Soooooo I’m guessing next week we see Sara and co finally meet Ezra ? Or still a bit ways away from that or something
She put in a bit of effort. So she is trying somewhat.
Ezra is not team coordinate.
It could go either way if Sara sees meets
Him or if it’s delayed.
Sooo I think this will probably be how Ezra and Dayton relationships as guardian and little will go – right now there just acquaintances at best, next frenemies, then step partners in crime, then finally friends and the golden and top level is best friends