What's It to You?
Quinn watched as Arielle attempted to sneak a bite from the plate of nacho chili cheese fries. Caught red-handed, Arielle offered a guilty shrug and snagged more fries, dropping them all into her mouth. She had not intended to be sly, but it came off that way. She took the time to chew and swallow before speaking.
"I'm not going to apologize for being hungry," she said, checking to see if any chili or cheese had made it onto her white t-shirt, her lime green cardigan, or her pleated black skirt. Stain-free, she reset herself, pushing a tuft of chestnut hair behind her ear and straightening her posture. "I will, however, apologize for my lack of manners. My uncouth display is unbefitting of such handsome company."
Quinn snickered. "Handsome? You dropped that compliment right in there, didn't you? What is it?" Quinn turned to the side and put on an exaggerated modeling pout. "The jawline? The form-fitting shirt? The expertly trimmed goatee? Perhaps the English accent?"
Arielle rolled her eyes and grabbed another handful of fries. "You bought me four bacon double-burgers."
"Cute." Quinn reached for the plate but paused and looked up at Arielle. "I'm sorry, may I help myself to a few nacho cheese fries?"
Arielle offered a gracious nod and held out both hands. "Help yourself."
At 6'10", Quinn had expected to attract attention. However, it was the seven-foot-plus Arielle drawing most of the stares. Arielle took it in stride as she polished off her meal like a champ while Quinn, who'd ordered one single-patty burger, ate at a modest pace. Arielle wiped her mouth while Quinn continued watching her.
"What? Do I have food on my chin?"
“Are you actually seven-foot-six?”
“That came out of nowhere.”
“You said you were seven-six. You are maybe seven-four at the most.”
“I don’t keep track." Arielle narrowed her eyes into a playful glare. "Why are you so interested in knowing how tall I am? What's it to you?"
“I just expected someone… taller. I’m a bit over two meters. I expected you to dwarf me. But perhaps it's a good thing you aren't taller." Quinn's knee bumped against the underside of the table. "It is a miracle the two of us fit in this booth as it is."
"Oh, it's not so bad," Arielle said, shifting her long legs and brushing them against Quinn's. "It's a pleasant change to hang out with someone my size… or bigger."
Quinn raised an eyebrow and took one last bite of his burger before setting down the remaining half. "Ugh, I am stuffed, thanks to that mass of fries you ordered."
Arielle held her hands out. "I'll eat it."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope, hand it over."
Quinn did so, and Arielle bit off half the remaining burger in a single bite.
"Good God, woman."
"What? No use letting food go to waste." She leaned back and dropped the remaining morsel of burger into her mouth. "Besides," she leaned in towards her date. "I intend to burn all these calories tonight."
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"
Arielle tapped a finger on her chin. "I’m not feeling a night on the town. What if we went to your place? You live near here, right?"
"Indeed, I do. Shall we get going?"
"That sounds like a splendid idea," Arielle said, imitating Quinn's accent. She slipped out of the booth and stood to her full, towering height. Quinn tried the same maneuver and nearly collided with an older woman returning from the restroom. The woman’s head rode near rib cage level to Quinn. She glared through large glasses with irritation that melted into wonder.
"Dang, guy. You're huge!"
Quinn blushed. "Um, I'm sorry?"
"You're huge. I've never seen anyone as big as you."
"Oh, really?" Arielle said. The woman whirled around to find herself face to bellybutton with Arielle, who waved down at her. She looked back and forth between the two towering figures before stumbling backward and pointing at Arielle.
"She's even bigger than you!"
Quinn looked at Arielle inquisitively. "I suppose, but not by much."
Arielle tugged Quinn towards the entrance. "This has been fun," she said. "But my date and I need to be going." The woman continued staring as the two of them ducked out of the diner, Quinn barely crouching low enough to clear the frame.
"You take care of that big lady!" They heard the woman yell as the door swung closed behind them.
The two strode away, arm in arm. Expecting the awkward encounter to have killed the mood, Quinn looked up at Arielle who gazed into the sky. Far from embarrassed, she walked confidently with a proud smile. She caught the concern on Quinn's face. "What's up?" she said.
"That was awkward."
Arielle laughed. "Are you kidding? I get that all the time. You must not have been tall for very long."
"Ha ha."
"We’re big; she's small. What do you expect? Come on, let's get to your place."
A chilly breeze brought them closer together. With her longer legs, Arielle's hip met the bottom of Quinn's rib cage. They held hands as they approached the driveway. When they reached the door, Quinn stepped onto the porch then turned around to kiss Arielle, now at eye level. They fiddled blindly for the entry code, while Arielle pressed in closer.
"Having trouble with your code?" Arielle whispered.
"I've got it. Give me one more—"
Arielle crouched, leaned in and bit Quinn's earlobe. The keypad buzzed with another incorrect entry.
"Funny, you don't strike me as the type to lose his cool under pressure."
"I'm sorry," Quinn said, voice wavering. "This has been a good evening."
"The night ain't over yet. Let's get inside."
Quinn punched the correct code and pulled the door open. Arielle shoved them inside. Their kisses grew passionate. Arielle ran her fingers through Quinn's hair. They savored each other's lips.
"I like a lady who takes the initiative," a now shirtless Quinn said.
"And I like a partner who takes direction," Arielle purred. They kissed again. The 7'4" woman adjusted to maintain their embrace as she found herself staring up slightly at her companion. She stepped back, admiring Quinn's chiseled eight-foot frame. "This is unexpected."
"I can take direction. Doesn't mean I won't make you work for it."
"Can you get bigger?"
"This is about as large as I can get."
Arielle pouted. "Aw, I’m sorry to hear that."
"Are you?"
“Because I can get way bigger."
Arielle's body expanded upwards, reducing her top and skirt to shreds. Her lacy satin underwear fared better, accommodating—as well as flattering—her trim, toned physique. In seconds, she'd reached and surpassed her companion in size.
"You're breathtaking," Quinn muttered, as Arielle’s nose passed by, followed by her chin, then breasts.
"You aint seen nothing yet." Arielle moaned as her blossoming body filled the room. Her head, then shoulder blades, bumped the ceiling. She dropped to her knees looming above an eager, but increasingly anxious Quinn.
"Ari, you may want to slow down. At our size, we'll take out this whole room!"
"I think you mean, 'at my size.' Now, focus!" She lowered down, straddling the entire sofa. Her pleasant musky scent filled the air. Quinn felt a momentary serenity before several wooden beams in the couch cracked beneath them.
“Ari!" Quinn shouted. "You’re getting too big!”
"That's not even a thing," Arielle said, her gentle voice booming in the large, but shrinking, room. Thirty feet tall, she savored the feeling of Quinn's tiny feet on her belly, before a small hand gripped down on her nipple. Arielle moaned with delight and threw her head back, taking a chunk out of the sheetrock. Her eyes locked on Quinn’s, voracious with desire.
"Are you ready for this ride?"
A breathless Quinn could only nod in reply.
"Then let's get started."
And they would have, had the front door not swung open.
"Aw, come on. Again!?!?"
The pair twisted to see behind them. A young woman in a bright, red unitard removed her helmet and shook out her hair with an exasperated sigh.
"Oh hey, Meteor Girl," Arielle said.
"For the umpteenth time, it's Meteorelle! And we're not in the field. You can just call me 'Ellen.'"
"I didn't expect you home so soon."
"You two could be more discreet. Ari, I could hear you moaning two blocks away."
"Really?" Arielle asked, more curious than embarrassed.
"Now move. Your giant ass is blocking the hallway." Arielle shuffled her hips to the side to make room for Ellen, who quickly changed clothes and emerged wearing jeans and a t-shirt. "I'm going out for food. Try to be decent when I return."
"We'll try," Arielle said. "No promises."
"Ugh. Living with you two is the worst! I should have taken up Slug Girl on her offer."
"You can call her 'Portia,'" Quinn said.
"Shut up, Quinn," Ellen shouted as she left, slamming the door behind her.
Stillness hung in the air momentarily. Arielle chuckled and Quinn, still pinned to the couch, felt the reverberations through her massive body. "Totally worth it!" she whispered.
"You're terrible," Quinn said. "If you weren't amazingly hot, didn't have the power to change size, and were not fantastic at roleplay and sex, I'd break up with you."
"So good at roleplay, I impressed a shapeshifter. With that in mind, I lost track: are you a guy or a girl?"
Quinn grinned, morphing into an exact clone of Arielle at 7'4", eyes narrowed into a familiar teasing glare. "Why are you so interested in knowing what gender I am? What's it to you?"
Arielle giggled at the sound of her voice with Quinn's accent. "Ok, ok, fair enough. Speaking of roleplay and 'breaking,' you totally broke character.”
“When did I break?”
“You’re getting too big!” Arielle teased, waving her fingers.
“I thought you were going to bring down the house! You do realize we're renting—not to mention sharing—this place."
"I’ve been able to change size since I was eight. I know what I’m doing. I must admit, the panic in your voice, the way you grabbed me, getting walked in on…" Arielle gave a naughty smirk. "I kind of liked it."
"Oh, are you an exhibitionist as well?"
Arielle chuckled. "Growing three hundred feet tall has a way of stoking the latent exhibitionist in anyone."
"If you say so," Quinn said. "I can barely get to eight feet."
"I noticed. Maybe you need more practice."
"Maybe I do," Quinn said, returning Arielle's naughty smile. "Regardless, I should change out of your form before we continue."
"Actually," Arielle said, biting her knuckle as she studied her tiny duplicate. "Let’s run with this."
Quinn imitated Arielle's naughty smirk. "My. You are terrible!"
Originally Published November 1, 2018 for the SizeRiot WritersOct18 Story Contest