Eve's Boutique - Ch 46

 Five Types of Strength

Abigail carried her lover into the darkened room, hardly sure how to hold the woman, or whether she wanted to be held at all.  After the dazzling brightness of the shop, the bedroom was near pitch-black.  There were piles of clothes and other debris all over the floor.  It would be so easy to trip, to send the tiny woman sprawling.

Everything she did had the possibility to make things so much worse.

Abigail pulled back the rumpled blankets, and lay the little witch on the cool sheet beneath.  She sat beside her, uncertain what to do next.  Should she touch her?  Leave her alone?  Stay quiet, keep talking?  Eve was completely unresponsive, but she needed something, Abigail was certain of it.

“I’m going to stay right here,” she whispered.

Eve didn’t move.

Abigail lay her palm on the bed beside the woman.  Her hand was the length of Eve’s entire body.  It made a decent proxy for a lover laying beside her, but not quite touching.

“This is here,” Abigail said.  “If you need it.”

Eve stared at the ceiling, hardly blinking, hardly breathing.  Abigail stayed with her.  Watching from the corner of her eye, not even daring to burden the woman with her full attention.  Inside, every sense was keyed to the maximum.  All of her awareness focused on the woman she loved.

She tried not to think about how badly she’d screwed up today.  How afraid she was of losing Eve, about whether the witch was angry with her for picking a fight with Lilith, if this game might be impossible to win after all.  But not thinking about these things was an impossible battle of its own.  And as the minutes ticked by, try as she might, those feelings overwhelmed her.

At last, after a hopeless eternity, Eve stirred.  The woman took in a shuddering breath.  For a few awful seconds her entire body shook uncontrollably, and Abigail wondered if she was having a seizure, should she get Chloe, but then Eve settled.  Rolled over.  Wrapped herself around Abigail’s hand.  And began to weep.

Abigail hesitated, then stroked the woman with her thumb.  Petting her hair, massaging her tiny shoulders.  Allowing her to ugly cry into the palm of her hand, until she had exhausted herself of it, and lay trembling and panting.

“Please tell me,” Eve whimpered.  Her voice was almost lost beneath the low city hum.

“Tell you what?”

Eve looked over her shoulder, her eyes swollen and wet.  “Why you’re afraid.  Something really bad is going to happen to me.  Just tell me what it is.”

Oh.  Suddenly this made so much sense.

“I um.  Talked to Lilith.  Or really Kayla did the important talking, I just confirmed it.  This game, the stakes….”  She trailed off, swallowed, forced herself to stop rambling.  “If Lilith wins, she’s going to take your powers.  Enslave you, train you to be like her.  Break you, so you’ll never fall in love with… well, with people like me, ever again.”

Eve nodded solemnly.  She turned away, and went back to crying.

It was another minute before Eve spoke again.

“I know there’s more.  The rest.  Please.  I can take it.”

Abby sighed.  “You’re not the only one who’s in danger.  If we lose, Lilith wants to, um, do bad things to me.  Like, really bad things.  It’s okay!  I’m not giving up on you, no matter what she does.”

Eve mumbled something too low to hear.

“Sorry, what?”

The witch rolled onto her back.  For a moment she met Abigail’s eye, then looked away, ashamed.   “I said… I knew about that part.  That Lilith would hurt you, as soon as The Rules allowed it.”

“You did?  Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want to scare you!  Or make you worry, when you’re trying to think of how to beat Lilith!  Because even if you surrendered, she’d still find a way to hurt you.  She’s too vindictive to let it go.”

Abigail stared down at the tiny witch, saying nothing.

“You went numb,” Eve said, a quiver in her voice.  “I don’t like that.  Please don’t hide what you’re feeling.”

Abigail took a long, deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“I’m scared,” she said, at long last.

The tiny woman nodded.  “Me too.”

Abigail lay down.  She picked up the miniature witch, and lay her against her heart.  Then cupped both hands over her body – shielding her, even as she allowed Eve to shield her, too.

“Let’s be scared, together.”

And then, that was all they did.

For the first time since all of this had started, Abigail allowed herself to contemplate what would happen if they lost.  If she let everyone down.  If Eve was taken, if Mackenzie remained Lilith’s pawn forever.  If she herself lost her freedom, became Lilith’s pet or worse, and if she never saw Chloe or Kayla or any of the other people she cared about again.  And if, in the end, all of it turned out to be her fault.  If she wasn’t enough to save any of the people she loved.

She had no way of being certain.  But she thought she could feel Eve, being afraid too.  They were dark, terrible thoughts.  But somehow, it made it a little better to know she wasn’t having them alone.

“Whatever else happens,” Abigail said.  “Let’s at least be honest with each other.”

Eve laughed weakly.  “I’m such a mess.  There’s so much stuff I never want to show to anyone.”

“Yeah.  Same.  But I want to show it to you.”

She felt herself being hugged by tiny little hands.  Abigail hugged back, with her larger ones.

“Hey.  Abby.”

Abigail released the witch.  Eve steadied herself atop her giant breast, and regarded Abigail nervously.

“In the spirit of being honest.  Um.  You know that penalty shot?  The one you took a beating from Lilith to earn, that gave us this huge strategic advantage?”

“You already used it.”

Eve looked shocked.  “You knew?  How?”

Abigail thought about it.  “Dunno.  The way you looked at me when I said we had one, I guess.  It didn’t click until just now.  You used it to fix Mackenzie’s make-up, didn’t you?”

The tiny witch nodded.

“Even after she destroyed your shop?  Everything you’ve worked for?”

“It was the act of a cornered animal!  She’s suffering, you have no idea the pain she’s in!  She wanted to drown it out, to only focus on good things, but she can’t do that anymore.”  Eve paused.  A soft smile slowly bloomed across her face.  “But you knew all this.  You understand.”

“I told you, Mackenzie is a friend of mine.  She’s not well.  Even if fixing her make-up hurt our chances of winning… well.  I refuse to win that way.  I want to save everyone.”

“Everyone.  Even Lilith?”

The two of them stared at each other in the dark.  The giant girl, nearly filling the bed.  The palm-sized witch, sitting cross-legged on her chest.

“Do you know,” said Abigail, slowly.  “Why she’s doing this?  Lilith’s real goal?  It isn’t just to teach you a lesson.”

“It’s hard to be certain.  She’s the one person I’ve ever met whose feelings I can’t read.  Which makes her fascinating, and makes her scary.”

“She’s fascinated with you, too.”

Eve laughed gently.  “By which you mean, all of this is because she wants to fuck me?”

“That’s my theory, yeah.”

“It fits.  It would certainly explain a lot of her behavior.”

Abigail nodded.  “Like why she hates me?  Because she wants what I have, with you.  I have to say, you seem really calm about this.  How does the idea make you feel?”

“That,” Eve said.  “Is the hardest question to answer.  Romantic relationships aren’t unheard of within my order.  But whether I want it?  Well.  I usually need the feelings of someone else to figure that out.  Like a ship at sea, following a compass.  You, Abigail.  The gift you’ve given me, is that I know exactly how I feel about you, and even if I couldn’t sense you feel the same way, I’d still be sure of it.”

“But with Lilith?” Eve went on.  “It’s so, incredibly complicated.  I’m certainly attracted to her, and she’s always been a friend when I’ve needed it.  She isn’t a friend now.  If she had just asked me, before all this started, that would’ve been one thing.  But the way she’s gone about this?  How much she’s hurt you, hurt me?  It’s… hard to forgive.”

“Yeah.”

They were both quiet, for a long time.

“Your sister is kind of a twat.”

Eve giggled.

“I can’t hate her, though.  Even if she deserves it.”

“Yeah.”

“I am, however.  Going to win this game.  And make her regret every last thing she’s done to us.”

The teensy little witch offered her hand.  “Deal.”

Abigail carefully took it, and shook.

“Alright.  Ready to go back outside?”

Eve nodded.

Abigail licked the tip of her index finger, and held it out to the tiny woman.  “Here.  Your face is a mess.  Let’s clean you up.”

The witch hesitated – then broke out in an enormous smile.  She rubbed her tear-stained eyes against Abigail’s fingertip, then used her shirt to dry herself.  It wasn’t perfect, when she had finished.  But she did look better, happier, and anyway, if Eve was messy, it was just part of her charm.

Abigail held her close, and stepped through the door back into the shop.

Chloe glanced up from her work.  Her muscles were glistening with sweat, and there was a streak of soil across her forehead.  She gave Abigail a curious look, and glanced down at Eve in the palm of her hand.

“Is she–”

Kayla stepped between the two of them, smirking.

“Well, well.”

Abigail blinked.  Kayla was… huge.  She stood, hip cocked seductively, so close that her sternum nearly pressed against Abigail’s forehead.  She waited for a moment, as Abby pieced it together.  It wasn’t just Kayla – the shop was bigger, Chloe was bigger, and….

“So.  You about ready for those short jokes?”

“When we saw how much we were growing, we decided to give Kayla an extra drop,” Chloe explained.  “I think the height ratios for the three of us are pretty close to where they were on Sunday.”

“Great,” Abigail sighed.  “I’m right back where I started.”

“Not quite.”

Kayla lifted an arm, leaned forward, and allowed Abigail’s head to slip into the crook of her armpit.  The top of the smaller woman’s head rested against the underside of Kayla’s enormous bicep.  “I was always tall enough to do this.  But look down.  I’m bending my knees.  I didn’t used to have to do that.  You’re shorter than ever, cutie.”

“I’m having some complicated feelings about this.”

Kayla grinned wickedly.  “I’m not.”

The larger woman bent slowly, telegraphing her intentions.  When Abigail didn’t move away, Kayla slipped a massively muscled arm underneath her back, and another behind her knees.  She lifted.  And Abigail seemed to simply float into the air, wrapped in Kayla’s powerful arms.  Safe, and secure.

“You’re squeezing me,” Eve said, from Abby’s palm.

“Oh,” Abigail breathed.  “S-sorry.”

“I don’t mind.  Do it again?  Harder.”

Kayla lifted her higher, until the two of them were eye-to-eye.

“You know,” she purred.  “It isn’t the same as when we started at all.  And not just because you’re shorter.  I’m also a lot stronger.  The same goes for my feelings for you.  Do you want me to demonstrate?”

Eyes wide, Abigail nodded.

Kayla drew her in.  Teased her for a moment, painting her lips across Abigail’s.  Pulling away each time Abigail tried to initiate the kiss.  Making it clear who was in charge, that it would only begin when Kayla wanted.  When at last it did, the larger woman pressed down, sudden and savage, moaning full-voiced into her mouth.  Her tongue forced its way past Abigail’s lips, pushing her back until her head was pinned against Kayla’s giant shoulder.  She could only hold on, allow herself to be overpowered.  Her head swam with the intensity of it.  Her toes curled.  And in her palm, she could feel Eve, squirming with the very same pleasure.  Her empathic powers multiplying the passion that Kayla poured into Abigail.

Chloe cleared her throat.

“Sorry,” Kayla called.  “I guess I got carried away.  I didn’t make you jealous, did I Klo-Bear?”

“Not at all,” Chloe said.  “It’s just… Eve, are you feeling okay?  I don’t know what happened earlier, but….”

Abigail looked sharply at the witch.  Her head was just barely peeking out from in between her tightly clenched fingers.  “God, wow.  Eve, I’m sorry about that.  I got carried away and….”

“It was,” Eve interrupted.  “Utterly wonderful, and exactly what I needed.  The two of you could’ve gone on kissing all day, on my account.”

“They’ll be time for kissing later.”  Chloe said, smiling shyly.  “But the clock is ticking on these plants.  Can I get some help?”

It took Abigail many seconds to regain her composure, and longer still to ask Kayla to put her down.  It didn’t help that the giant woman kept smirking at her the whole time.

Fuck.  It was the worst, doing physical labor, when you were soaking through your undies.

They got to work.  Kayla, as the biggest person in the shop, was on door duty.  Accepting planters, fertilizer, and bags of soil, as Dylan passed them inside.  His small size worked to their advantage – everything Kayla received was even larger than normal.  Chloe remarked this was good for the plants.  That it gave them room to grow.

Eve still wasn’t up for size shifting, and assisted Chloe instead.  The tiny witch examined her plants, pointing out signs too small to see otherwise that indicated whether something was worth saving.  The best place to take a cutting, or if Chloe was in danger of packing the soil too tightly.

Chloe did the hard, precise job of transplanting.  Breaking up root balls, pouring soil, lowering each plant lovingly into its new home.

This left Abigail as the pack mule.  Hauling gigantic supplies from where Kayla brought them in, dropping them by Chloe’s side.  It would’ve been a hard enough job at her suddenly miniature height.  But everything she had to carry had also been blown up to jumbo size – and she was still sore from Lilith’s beating.

She dropped another giant bag of soil at Chloe’s feet, taking a moment to catch her breath as sweat poured down her face.

“I’m really sorry, Eve,” Chloe was saying.  “I don’t think we’re going to be able to save your trumpet tree.”

“It’s okay.  It’s an old friend, and I’ve loved it very much.  But sometimes you need to know when to let go.  And hey – maybe someday the start I gave you will be big enough, and you can return the favor.”

“I’d like that,” Chloe said.  “But what is this going to mean for your magic?”

Eve tilted her head.  “I don’t think I understand the question.”

“The tree.  It’s magic, right?  When Mackenzie drained everything from Abigail, and she couldn’t talk or read or write, the start you gave me… cured her.  Gave her back to herself.”

The witch looked up at Abigail, and smiled.

“That wasn’t the tree,” Eve said.  “That was the devotion and love that I poured into it, over all the years it took to grow.  If anything in this shop is magic, it’s because it’s a conduit for my love.  Nothing more.”

“It’s like I told you,” Abigail panted.  “Eve is stronger than she thinks.  But I’m not.  Hey Kayla?  Can you tell Dylan to come inside?  And can I borrow Eve for like, a minute?”

“Uh, sure.  Everything okay?”

“Yeah.  Just.  This is harder than it needs to be.  And I want to show you a trick.”

Dylan came through the door.  His baggy clothes were soaked through, and his face was the color of a ripened beet.  “What’s the matter?  We’re still… still not done.  Dirt, lots more dirt.”

Abigail grinned, and lifted him.  “I figured you needed a break – and a little reward, too.  Eve, come here.”

Abigail carried her two little lovers over to the counter, and sat them down, side by side.

“Am I hallucinating,” Dylan said.  “Or did the shop get bigger since I was here before?”

Eve winked at him.  “It’s magic.  Just roll with it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Abigail bent, resting her chin against the counter so she could speak to them in a whisper.  “Do you both know what I want?”

Eve and Dylan shared a glance.  They smiled at each other, and nodded.

“Hold hands.”

They did.

Abigail lowered her smallest finger, allowing both of them to rest their palms against it.

The three of them… desired.

It happened much faster than she expected, and the sensation was so powerful it almost drove her to her knees.  When Dylan helped her grow, there was something elicit and taboo about the feeling.  Like they were in a public place, and he had secretly slipped his hand beneath her skirt.  With Eve, it was far more confident, and sensual.  A kiss, where you kept your eyes open so you could stare into the other person’s soul.

But when the two of them blended together?  It was the perfect combination.  It left her breathless.  And her body responded accordingly to the passion they poured into her.  She was suddenly so fucking turned on – at least as much as when Kayla had kissed her.

She had to force herself to break the connection.  No need to overdo things.  A few more seconds and she would’ve lost it, and even that brief taste had been enough to leave the whole shop smelling like sex.

She shot her friends a flirty grin.  “Hey girls.  I know you were missing Abby-Classic?  Hope you don’t mind I decided to get an update instead.  I think we’ll call this, Abby three-point-oh.”

Chloe blinked.  “You’re… bigger.”

Abigail flexed.  “A bit more athletic, too.  And I think Dylan made my breasts bigger again?”

“Sorry.”

She blew him a kiss.

Abigail helped Kayla to her feet.  Just as she’d planned, the two were exactly the same height.  “I hope you don’t mind.  It’s all in the name of getting the job done.  And for the record, I did like you being taller.”

“You could’ve gotten a lot bigger than that just now.  Couldn’t you?”

Abby gave Dylan and Eve a knowing look.  “Uh-huh.”

“Hey,” Chloe called.  “This is hot and everything.  But mind getting back to work?”

“Of course,” Abigail said.  “The only reason I’m not all over you right now is because you’re so busy.  They’ll be time later.”

“Wait,” Kayla said.  “I need an answer.  How did you do that?  Grow, without potions or anything!”

“Because.  Eve is….”

“A lot stronger than she thinks,” Kayla interrupted.  “I get it.”

“And that,” Abigail said.  “Is how we’re going to beat Lilith.”

Silence fell.  Everyone in the shop stared at her.

“Eve.  I’m guessing you don’t have the energy to make another potion.  How hard would it be to modify an existing one?  Tweak it a little.”

“I could do that.  As long as you keep feeding me strong desires.  They’re very invigorating.”  The witch got a dreamy look in her eyes.  “Oh yes, that’s a good one.”

“Chloe.  Where did you leave the silver potion?  The reality-manipulation one.”

Chloe scowled.  “Damn, I left it in the apartment.  I didn’t think we’d need it, and I’m too big to go back and get it now.”

“Dylan can fetch it.”

“But the potting supplies!” he protested.

She smiled down at him.  “Sweetie, you’ve done enough heavy lifting for today.  I’m proud of you, but if you keep this up you won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow.  And here.  Let me fix your outfit.  You look cute like that, but it’s getting ridiculous.”

She spritzed him with fitting spray.

“I suppose you’ve got a backup plan for getting everything inside?” Kayla asked.

“Yeah.  I’m going to walk the street and recruit some Good Samaritans.  My fan club isn’t as big as Mackenzie’s, but I’m popular enough that we won’t struggling finding volunteers.”

“Got it,” Kayla said.  “So I’ll stand by to receive….”

“Hold on a second.”  Chloe turned to Abigail.  “Do you think we can do this without Kayla?  For a little while, at least?”

Abby gave her a curious look.  “Uh.  Yeah, I think so.  What’s up, Klo-Bear?  You onto something?”

Chloe nodded.  She stood, dusting top soil from her jeans, and gently took the bottle of fitting spray from Abigail’s hands.  “I was thinking about what Kayla said.  About how people only fight like this when they’re afraid.  And I really don’t want to feel like someone is afraid of me.  I think we could stand to alleviate tensions.  And I know someone who’s just diplomatic enough to do it.”

She passed the fitting spray to Kayla.