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Dream wasn’t a bad person. Tommy knew this now after the months they’d been around each other. His human seemed rather sweet and kind despite everything going on around them and he was well aware of how protective he could be. Being warned about his friends before they even were allowed to come over was enough to help him understand where they both stood with one another.
Clay saw him as a close friend and Tommy saw him like an older brother.
Regardless of the familiar feelings between them both, he had felt horrified about meeting other people. The human wouldn’t let anything happen, that was clear, but he couldn’t guarantee his safety since some things couldn’t be anticipated. George and Nick seemed really lovely with the latter even asking to be called Sapnap instead. He found riding on their shoulders and even sleeping in their hoodies amazing since it helped his nesting needs.
Tommy got to basically join in on their hangouts whenever they were congregating at the apartment. He was scared of the world outside. He knew this over everything. There was one time he tried to sneak out of the place via Clay’s college bag and within moments he’d started to freak out. He was lucky the blonde human had heard his panicked whimpers before he’d left the driveway or else he probably would have passed out due to his fear.
Of course, that was what led them to what everyone was trying right now. Each and every single one of them was trying to convince him to leave. Not permanently, of course, just to try to handle a block or so with Dream. He wasn’t sure about this.
The last time they had convinced him to try something new he had to experience Brussels sprouts, or as he liked to call them, dog shit. All three of them had busted into laughter the moment he gagged. It was so gross and bitter. Trying vegetables wasn’t the greatest experience but he learned he liked carrots and broccoli… if they were drowned in a strange dip? Sapnap called it, vegetable ranch dip. Despite the name, he enjoyed it. They gave him coke afterward, at least that was more sweet than the veggies.
He was adamantly denying their desires. Yeah, it was nice out, and no one would be around for a few hours but he couldn’t do it. Right before he’d moved into the apartment complex and ended up in Dream’s flat, he’d almost died. The cold had been miserable and 2 years ago he’d not even been 14 yet. Animals were frightening and some raccoon almost made a snack out of him. It was the main reason he felt… unsure.
“Come on Tommy! It isn’t that bad, there is even a kid's playground a few blocks away.” Sapnap started to try and convince him. He refused to go to a playground. Whatever that was.
“I’m not a fucking kid!” He yelled out, quickly stepping from his shoulder to Dream’s as he started to scramble into his hoodie. Sitting against his neck and between the fabric of his shirt and the jacket was nice. He liked the feeling of Clay’s signature green hoodie on his body, it reminded him of his nest and the fact he had more access to softer and thicker fabrics. The warmth of his body was the icing on the cake for the perfect comfortable napping spot.
The small chuckle that left the tall blonde shook his small body but he wasn’t mad. He liked to be close to his big brother as his tail carefully wrapped around his neck and under his Adam's apple. He felt his body vibrate as he spoke up. “Come on Toms, you’ll have to get over it eventually.” He stated simply.
“Yeah! Eventually you assholes!” He concurred as his small form hid under the fabric slightly. He couldn’t bring himself to do this yet. Tommy took a moment to steel his feelings before George gave a small comment.
“How about we all go out to the balcony? It’s outside but it’s an environment we can control.” He found himself contemplating it. Tommy didn’t think this would be that bad. He would be outside and it wasn’t like he had to move away from where he was currently perched.
His moment of silence was interrupted as Dream got up from where he was, causing the borrower to wobble into the nook of his collarbone. “I can try.” The blonde found himself mumbling as he pulled himself back to his shoulder, getting back into his comfortable purchase.
His moment of resolve had to be immediately ruined as the three humans were quick to holler about how many things they could finally show him once he was comfortable being around other people, but Tommy found himself shaking at the idea. Outside and people were two different things. He felt Dream’s hand gently brush against his side, causing him to move and bring himself back down into his palm.
Tommy was larger compared to some kinds of borrowers, the smallest he’d ever seen was a few inches but here he was as big as a human hand. He sat in his hold without much fear, kicking his legs over the side as he leaned back into his thumb. He liked being caressed in Dream’s grip.
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The balcony actually hadn’t been that bad in his opinion. The sun and wind had felt nice while giving him a chance to bathe in the light. It meant he was teased for acting like a cat, but he couldn’t help it! Tommy has spent around 16 years in the walls, getting to sit out in raw sunlight was an experience he enjoyed. He understood why they’d been pushing him to get past his fears but it wasn’t like he would actually let them know this. Once George and Sapnap had left he found himself sitting right next to the open screen door, taking in the scents and sunshine. Dream walking around the apartment, he knew this, probably making dinner or working on something around their home.
He found his eyes drifting as he watched clouds go by and the sun slowly start to set. “Tommy!” Only to realize he’d zoned out as he glanced over his shoulder, his human crouching near him with his hand out. The borrower scrambled to his feet, running over to his hand and clambering into his palm without any struggle. He smiled brightly as he held onto his thumb to ensure that he did not fall. His eyes were brightly shining and now that he thought about it, they looked a lot like the sky.
Tommy let his tail wrap around Dream’s ring finger as he heard him continue with the started conversation. “I made dinner it’s not something you’ve had yet.” He said simply. He felt his small body grow a little dizzy at the speed before it was slowed down. He took note of the giant sheepish smile before he resumed. “It’s called Egg-drop soup. My mom used to make this all the time.” He told him without much thought.
He’s never met Clay’s family. The borrower was doubtful this was on purpose but he wasn’t upset regardless. Family wasn’t something he had so it wasn’t like it really mattered. “That sounds good! I like eggs but why is it called Egg-drop soup?” He asked swiftly as he was set down on the table, slipping off without much effort as he smiled.
“Well, you drop egg whites into the broth as it cooks in order to cause these little strings,” Dream told him as he sat down a small take-out container. He knew this was once used for some kind of condiment but it was better than Tommy having to eat from a medicine cup. “The broth is made of chicken broth and egg yolks so it’s called Egg-drop soup.”
He found himself nodding as he looked down at the pale yellow soup, the small strings were big in his opinion but he knew full well they were small for Clay. “If you buy it instead of making it, it’ll be this bright yellow color because people add yellow food dye to make it more appealing. I don’t really see why but it doesn’t change the taste.”
Tommy moved to reach his hands into the soup. The bits of egg were too big for his whittled spoon but he wasn’t one to shy away from messy eating. He couldn’t help an eager purr at the seasoned taste that spread across his tongue. This was one of the best things Dream had made over the few months they’d known each other.
The low chuckle that left his human wasn’t a surprise considering he was very prone to this kind of reaction as he felt his tail sway. “Good?” He heard the blonde question before digging into his own meal without any question.
He could feel his body warm up from the inside with each and every mouthful. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stomach the entire cup, he never could, but he was happy enough to not care. Dream, as always, finished his own bowl of soup before he did. It wasn’t very surprising considering he was aware that his handfuls still lost plenty of it due to how much would drip out between his fingers and such.
Tommy was licking his fingers to clean up the residue of broth as he finished up, motioning to his friend to take the container. With practiced ease he watched Clay scoop up the bowl, throw his head back, and gulp down the content. He wasn’t very surprised, well aware he didn’t need much to be fed but he still found himself fascinated every time he did this.
He’d heard rumors about how humans had these things called storage. It was described as a pouch in the abdominal area practically right next to the stomach. He didn’t really think it was true, and he was always tempted to ask but he remembered something that an elder had once told him. She’d claimed the easiest way to tell if a giant had one of these sacs was if they had sharp fangs. He’d been curious for a while but Dream had always been careful about that kind of stuff.
He knew he had them, Tommy had snuck up to him one night after he’d dozed off. It had been hard to wiggle his hands under his lips in order to make enough of a gap to see. The one advantage he had was his natural night vision. It let him take notice of the sharper canines in the front of his mouth that slightly faded towards his molars with each passing tooth. It had frightened him just as much as it had piqued his curiosity.
Of course, this was a risk but Clay had known about his kind before they’d even properly met. It was the main reason he’d revealed himself to a human in the first place. He’d been desperate to eat and had no choice but to beg for something from him.
Last winter had been harsh, actual mice kept getting to what had been left out for him and it led to a lot of problems for the two of them but he grew attached and it seemed his human had to.
“Dream?” Tommy felt himself shake as he mustered up his courage. If he could manage to step outside without being dragged or forced he could do this. It may have not been far, just a balcony by human standards, but for him, it was a wonder of his life.
The borrower wrung his hands together as he looked up, green eyes settling on his trembling form as he heard a worried voice shake the air. “Are you alright, Tommy?” His human was concerned and as bad as it made him feel he needed to feed his desires. Mice were curious by nature and he was considered part mouse so it made complete sense.
“I’m fine dickhead! I just have a question…” He mumbled before he placed his hands in his lap. “Do… Do you know about storages?” He asked softly. It wasn’t in his normal confident way, he knew this would set alarm bells off but he didn’t want to confuse the everloving fuck out of Dream if he had no idea.
He watched as his human paused, seemingly fine before he watched color flush up his face. Tommy felt confused, he expected more anger or confusion but not…
Embarrassment?
His tail swayed with his curiosity as he went ahead and stepped closer. Dream had to know what he was talking about, why else would he react in such a way? He went ahead and smiled as he crept closer knowing full well the bright green eyes that settled on his small form were aware of his teasing.
“Clay? How does it work?” He asked as he put his hands up and reached for his friend, giving grabby hands as he asked to be held. “Please!” He begged. The borrower giggled as he was removed from the table and felt warm hands under him. A part of him was nervous, after all, he’d been told that storage was inside a person. If it was near his stomach then…
Well, he’d have to be eaten. Right, that's how it would have to work… But being eaten was a huge fear for his kind. He couldn’t do that… but he had to curb his curiosity like many of his kind before him. “W-well..” The human started before he stuttered and looked down towards him.
Tommy did his best to give him his biggest and brightest puppy dog eyes. He was hiding his fear with his smile as he pleaded with his gaze. The finished sigh that escaped Dream told him all he needed to know as he spoke. “Well, in the past, people saw borrowers as food. I don’t know all of the details.”
“We developed the sacs in order to... Well originally held food for later but plenty of people ended up using it to keep your kind safe. So it no longer held the purpose of digesting things. It stopped having a purpose so plenty of people lost it as generations passed. Some people still have it.” The man added before Tommy reached up. He wasn’t sure about this but he needed to know.
“Could… Would you store me?” The blonde borrower asked before he pushed his hands against his lips. “I know you have one… because of your teeth.” He added to help Dream understand where he was coming from. He knew full well they wouldn’t hurt to try it out.
“Think about it this way, if I can hide inside of you then I can confront my fears somewhere safe. I won’t overreact or panic because I can’t see anything.” He started to ramble on before he took notice of how a smile spread up to his cheek. He could feel his own face flushing and becoming a bright shade of red.
“Toms, are you telling me you’ve been curious about this since we met?” His human asked smugly making the comment as the borrower was slightly pulled from his face. Tommy didn’t hesitate to kick his leg and speak up.
“Maybe I have! It’s none of your business dickhead! Don’t get your panties in a twist!” He called out as he crossed his arms before turning his head away. The all-too-familiar chuckle almost broke his gise of confidence before he heard him speak up.
“Well, I can at least give you this..” Dream muttered, his face just as bright.
This got him thinking… This was just as embarrassing for him as it was for the human. He had to be just as flustered and unsure as he was but they were both going to experience this together. It made him feel like a little kid again, happy to be allowed to go out borrowing on his own instead of being overwatched by an adult.
“I know how to.” He started making the smaller blonde look up in surprise. “I got into a lot of trouble as a kid, so having this little pocket I could put things in was a nice way to get out of trouble for a moment or two.” There was so much Tommy didn’t know about Clay and this was what he really needed to help ingrain this fact into his memory. He found himself quiet as he was brought up close.
His instincts wanted him to run away. He knew what was about to happen as he sat down, placing his hands in his lap he gave an anxious shiver as he was held close. Having both of Dream’s hands under him was nerve-racking but he was well aware he was doing it to give him more room to shift or move if he felt uncomfortable. The heat under him as his tail swayed, displaying his overwhelming curiosity, was quick to feel ice cold as he watched his lips part.
His abdomen twisted and squeezed at the sight. He could make out his teeth and how blinding white they seemed to be despite how his lips seemed to block them. Clearly to try and keep his anxiety deep down. The way the light behind them allowed him to take notice of the glistening saliva that spread across every part of his mouth and sunk into each crevice.
He tried to ignore the scent his mouth seemed to waft off. It wasn’t the best thing but it was better than he expected to smell. Regardless of this, he found himself leaning forward and placing his hands on his lower lip. He couldn’t help letting his own mouth drop open in awe as the human’s tongue curiously pushed towards his little fingers.
The warm slime that began to coat his palms made him slightly cringe but it wasn’t as bad as he expected. Dream’s nervous breath washed over him allowing him to understand just how similar they were. As he’d pointed out earlier, both of them were just as embarrassed and unsure but they both wanted this. Tommy knew this.
As he slid his hand inside, settling his upper body’s weight onto the pink muscle in front of him. He felt the tongue twitch and squish as he pushed his hands deeper into the moving flesh. The sudden gasp that left the large blonde made him burst into laughter.
“Oh My Prime! Y-you’re more scared than I am!” He called out as he gasped for his breath only to feel his weight unbalanced and his body slip forward. He spit out any spit that got into his mouth after his face planted into the muscle, his legs kicking slightly in an attempt to help himself righten his form in order to sit up. The warmth was surprisingly intoxicating. He found it more inviting than frightening despite being in the mouth of something his kind has always seen as a hunter.
Tommy let his gaze drift to look around the space he sat inside. His eyes turned to the cheeks, allowing him to focus on the white discolored tissue that decorated some spots of the internal side pouches. He was well aware of how Dream was prone to biting his tongue when he focused so, by his guess, it had to be from that. Right? Still, he found himself tilting his head out of curiosity only to feel a glob of clear, hot slime drip onto his head. “Shit!” He yelled out as he moved, slipping and falling onto his back in his desperate attempts to right his balance.
The small fit Clay burst into at his action almost went completely unnoted as he felt himself bring his hands onto his chest. As he watched the roof of his mouth, he took in the small harsh ridges and the sharp, animalistic-like teeth before his eyes drifted back to see the uvula danging over a darkening abyss. He felt his anxiety spike once more but he took a deep breath before he lifted one hand over his head. He gave the softer pallet a very gentle pat as he spoke up. “Alright, you big dumbass! Send me into your black hole of a storage!” He yelled out as he kicked his legs letting his tail wrap around his left thigh as he closed his eyes.
Tommy could feel the hesitance they both held but he wasn’t worried. Dream wasn’t going to hurt him nor would he allow him to stay in his stomach if he somehow ended up in that unforgiving space. He gently shifted but as he felt the tongue under him shift, forcing his head to slip back and bump against the entrance of his throat and slightly past his tonsils.
It didn’t even take a second before he heard the moving of muscles as they squelched and opened before a gulp filled his senses. His torso was pushed against the walls before his body was grabbed and tugged downwards. He yelped at the sudden motion, kicking his legs slightly as one arm was trapped above his head and the other pinned to his chest.
Tommy kicked his legs as he was forced down and into the tight tube that seemed to be endless as he felt himself being forced into an upside-down fall. He didn’t like the sensation very much since it was forcing saliva down his nose and into his respiratory system. The soft sound of pounding only seemed to grow even louder as a soft wooshing filled everything around him before his head hit something rather rough. Without a moment's warning, he felt his body push through after it softened up only leading to him tumbling into an open space. The lack of a sour or a sulfur smell and a very shallow puddle was enough to tell him he wasn’t in his stomach.
Within a second he felt weight against his back, causing him to scramble to an upright position. There wasn’t as much room as he expected. He couldn’t lay flat or really sit straight up without hitting a wall and stressing out his surroundings. He smiled a little as he moved, pushing his own hands against the weight against the wall. He felt it shift around him as soon as he made contact as Clay’s voice boomed all around his space.
“Toms. Is it okay in there?” He asked, voice shaking slightly. The nerves explained the heavy pounding that seemed ever so concerned.
“Yeah! I’m a big man! Nothing can scare me!” He found himself yelling. He figured this was the best choice since he was buried in the human’s body at the moment. Of course, his snark had to be followed with some in return as his friend spoke up.
“Yeah, like how you weren’t scared of taking a walk around the block.” Dream told him with obvious humor riding his tone. He didn’t hesitate to kick out, his foot coming in contact with the shifting flesh and it simply flexed in response to his small weight. He growled at the comment and turned to lie on his side. It didn’t take much before he felt the warmth and shifting walls all-encompassing his body. It really reminded him of the nests he had made in the walls before and the plush one in Dream’s end table. It was overwhelmingly comfortable.
Not that he would admit this.
“Fuck off.” Tommy grumbled in response as he crossed his arms over his chest, a soft smile creeping across his face as he nuzzled into the walls. He had a feeling this wouldn’t be the only time they’d do this.