Oc Tucker - Tumblr Posts

A Not So Average Night

CW: Minor character death

Next: Definitely Not A Mouse

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Tiny feet padded quietly through the dark tunnels. Particles of dust swirled through the paths as the sudden movement disturbed them. The air was stale and musty after being blocked from the outside world for so long, but that never bothered its resident.

The almost silent sound of tiny footsteps stopped and a minuscule brown hand pushed a kitchen tile out of the way. The 3.7-inch borrower poked his head out of the walls and surveyed his surroundings before cautiously stepping onto the open counter. The resident humans had called it a night, giving Tucker plenty of time to scavenge what he can.

He walked across the counter as his eyes scanned the area for any packages of food left out. His food stores have depleted immensely over the last few weeks. For some reason, the humans have been out of the house more often which meant less food in the home. Tucker had been forced to eat the tiniest amounts so he at least had a little bit of energy. His stomach rumbled loudly at the reminder.

Frowning, he squinted through the darkness towards the table in the middle of the kitchen. His brown eyes lit up at the most incredible sight in the world: an open bag full of chips left on the table.

Without missing a beat, the borrower unlatched his fishhook from his satchel and jammed it into the edge of the counter. He let the clear fishing line fall from his fingers all the way to the floor before scaling down himself. Leather boots landed silently on the tiled floor, and with a flick of his wrist, the hook detached from the counter high above him. Tucker caught the hook in midair with practiced ease after so many years of the same repetitive motions.

The small man wasted no time running across the open floor to the table as fast as his legs would carry him. The instincts ingrained in Tucker's mind screamed at him to find cover and stick by the walls, but he stubbornly continued through the quicker route through the middle of the room. There was no point in wasting valuable time when there were no signs of the human couple.

Tucker reached the looming table and hurriedly started swinging his hook to latch onto the table. With a quick tug to ensure the hook wouldn't pop out on him, Tucker confidently scaled the cliff-like height with expert speed.

The yellow bag sat nearby and Tucker's mouth watered. It was like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. He crouched down to peer inside the bag which was completely full of the greasy chips. Very carefully, Tucker crawled into the bag. Each movement slow and precise as he entered the aluminum cave and made his way to the chips. He shifted ever so slightly to his knees and cautiously pulled a chip closer to him. Tucker grimaced as the bag crinkled loudly around him. To Tucker, It might as well had been an alarm announcing the borrower's presence.

His heart rate spiked and he froze like a deer in headlights. His little hands clutching the chip to his chest like it was a life raft as Tucker anxiously listened for any human noises coming from the bedroom.

Tucker waited with bated breath for what felt like an eternity before deeming himself safe. He hung his head and willed his body to stop shaking for a moment. Glaring at the chip that nearly got him caught, he dragged the chip into the open air using more care than ever before.

The borrower eventually made it out with his prize in hand and backed a good couple inches away from the crinkly bag. There, he began breaking the yellow chip into smaller pieces and stuffed them into his satchel. Grease coated his hands and clothes, but the satchel heavy with food was more than worth it.

Tucker uncoiled his string from around his shoulder as he jogged towards the edge of the table. He smiled to himself as he neared the edge. This was going to be his most efficient borrowing trip yet.

Until he heard a loud squeak of a door across the small home.

Frantic brown eyes shot towards the door to the bedroom as the woman quietly tiptoed out of the room. She quickly, but carefully, made her way to the kitchen, the occasional floorboard creaking under her weight.

Tucker wasted no time breaking into a mad dash towards the closest cover and all but dove into the bag of chips. The plastic crinkled loudly around him and he grimaced. He desperately hoped her mind was tired enough to drown out whatever noise he made. Tucker inched further into the bag with ragged breaths, curling into a small ball. His eyes watered and his throat stung from the greasy salt coating him and his surroundings.

The overhead light flicked on and the ground shook slightly from her footsteps. The sound of her rummaging through the fridge was drowned out by the blood roaring in Tucker's ears. His heart couldn't keep up with the panic coursing through his entire body. He was in the absolute worst hiding spot ever! All she had to do was peer inside and she'll spot him, then he would either end up dead or a pet. Tucker couldn't decide which fate was worse.

Just calm down. She hasn't found you yet. You've gotten out of tough situations before. He reminded himself. Tucker focused on his frantic breaths and managed to slow them down to a more manageable level. His watery eyes watched the bag's opening with trepidation. His fingers curled around the nail strapped to his satchel as he mentally prepared himself to use the weapon against the giant. Of course, he knew it wouldn't really do much against her but he'd rather go down swinging than begging.

He remained crouched and silently listened as she continued searching for something. The seconds seemed to tick by excruciatingly slow when she finally whispered "a-ha!" And something clunked onto the counter. It took a few minutes for her to finish whatever she was doing before turning back to tiptoe to her room.

Tucker let his head hang down in relief as he waited for the click of the bedroom door signaling she was gone. He needed to go back into the walls as soon as possible. It was a miracle he made it out of this situation unscathed and Tucker was in no hurry to test his luck. He heard a click in the distance and began creeping out of the bag.

"Huh? What are y-" The shock was clear in the human woman's voice.

Tucker froze, half of his body out of the bag. His muscles tensed and his heart slammed against his rib cage. His eyes frantically searched for the human that undoubtedly found him while he mentally prepared for death.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

Her voice came from a different room and Tucker sighed in relief. He held a hand over his heart. At this rate he'll die from a heart attack rather than a human or rat. It was tempting to try and run to one of his many entrances in the walls, but he knew the risk was too high. As his parents explained to him time and time again; one wrong move could be the end of every single borrower. Tucker begrudgingly ducked back into the greasy, crinkly bag to wait out whatever was happening. Hopefully it will be quick.

"Go away!" The human yelled, her voice becoming louder and louder. Floorboards creaked as she hurriedly moved around the house.

"You know why I'm here." Said a new voice. It was a man's, but it was too deep to belong to the resident male.

Tucker's hand tightened on his weapon at the realization there was an unknown human in the house. His breaths became shorter and shorter as the ever-present fear seeped into his body. He backed further into the bag as the ground beneath him shook violently. The woman appeared in front of the table, her lower half being the only thing visible from Tucker's limited line of sight. Her hands were curled into fists and her chest heaved with panicked breaths.

"J, Don't do this!" She pleaded.

The shaking ground signaled the arrival of the stranger. "I love you," he stated quietly.

Shivers ran down Tucker's spine from the way the stranger said it. The words weren't filled with love and warmth and adoration, they were cold and desperate. And from the way the woman shook, she recognized the stranger's alarming behavior as well. Tucker found himself feeling bad for the resident human. Fear was an everyday thing for a borrower, it's what kept them alive, but she didn't deserve to feel the same way. The stranger was obviously dangerous and Tucker could only hope the resident male will wake up and help before it was too late.

She quickly raised her fist in preparation to punch him, but the stranger's hand closed around her wrist before she could do anything. Tucker winced as the hand squeezed harder and harder to the point where the woman's tan skin was turning white. She struggled against the grip but he never let up.

"Stev-" she began to desperately scream for her mate. The stranger swiftly grabbed her hair with his other hand and slammed her head onto the table. Then again. And again.

Tucker gasped and toppled over from the force. He heard a crunch, but he wasn't sure if it was the chips around him or the woman's head. A shadow covered the opening of the bag and he fearfully glanced up. Instead of a hand coming for him, he met the eyes of the woman whose head laid on the table not even a foot away from Tucker. Blood pooled around her and her cheeks were stained with tears as a gloved hand held her in place. Her hazel eyes were pleading as she weakly stared at the tiny man inside the bag.

The borrower didn't know what to do. He was just spotted by a human, an extremely powerful being compared to him. But she was hurt. Her large eyes were losing focus as more and more blood settled around her head. There was a strange temptation inside Tucker to help her. He had to stop the bleeding or get help or something! But that would be impossible. He was just a borrower living a life unnoticed.

All he could do was stare into her teary eyes and hope the sympathetic look on his face told her he was sorry.

Her lips parted, and if Tucker didn't have excellent hearing, he would have never heard her last words: "Josh," she said weakly as her eyes closed.

A door slammed in the distance followed by rapid footsteps. "Kirstie!" The resident human male shouted.

The stranger let go of her head and she collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. As the man's frantic footsteps grew closer the stranger fled the scene, leaving just as quietly as he came in. The only sign of him ever being there was the bloody scene the husband walked in on.

—————

Time passed slowly. Red and blue lights flashed through the window blinds as humans wearing identical uniforms searched the kitchen. There were loud clicks followed by bright white flashes that occasionally blinded him.

Tucker remained curled up in the bag of chips. He had managed to move a large chip in front of him for cover if anyone decided to check the bag. He also tugged the hood of his black poncho over his short afro to hopefully blend in better with the shadows. Tucker's muscles were tense and primed to run at any moments notice.

This was supposed to be a quick and easy borrowing trip, he groused to himself. His stomach rumbled and he held a hand over it as if it could muffle the noise. Even though he was surrounded by food, he hadn't eaten anything yet. With all the excitement and humans hustling around he couldn't risk making more noise than necessary. Tucker was used to being hungry anyways, a few more hours couldn't hurt.

A deep voice knocked Tucker out of his thoughts. The room growing quiet as the human spoke, "What do we got?" The man demanded, his voice was confident and authoritative.

He crouched in front of the table where the body presumably laid, putting him in Tucker's line of sight. Tucker noticed he wore different clothes and less gear than the others. His skin was pale and his black hair was cut short. And his eyes made Tucker forget how to breathe. They were icy blue, their intense stare seemed to pierce through everything they looked at.

A woman cleared her throat, "Her name is Kirstin Blum, 32 years old."

The scary man scanned the crime scene, his icy gaze briefly passing over Tucker's hiding place. The borrower curled into a smaller ball behind the chip. He could have sworn he felt a chill go up his spine as the eyes passed over him. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, the salt and grease covering him definitely wasn't doing him any favors.

"Alright," the man rumbled after a few moments. He rose back up to a stand, putting his face high above Tucker and out of sight. The small man's shoulders slumped slightly when those eyes disappeared. "We got any suspects?" He asked.

"Yes detective Lassiter, the husband. His name is Steven Blum, he was the one who called 911. He's in the backyard." The woman replied.

"Perfect," Lassiter murmured quietly to himself as he walked away. The woman followed behind him, leaving the borrower alone in the kitchen.

Tucker desperately wished no one else would come in. He was tired and scared and hungry and he just wanted to be back in his home in the walls. He could practically hear his comfortable nest calling his name and couldn't wait to curl up inside and sleep for days. Tucker rolled his shoulders and stretched out his legs. They were becoming stiff from staying in the same place for so damn long. He wondered if he'd be able to stand after this ordeal.

Tucker couldn't help a quiet groan when a new human voice cut through the empty room. He reluctantly curled up behind the chip again to wait out the newcomer.

"I could really use some coffee right about now." The voice of a man complained.

"I tried to pick some up! You told me to keep goin'." Another man retorted.

They both walked into Tucker's view, although he could only see two pairs of pants. He could immediately tell they weren't like everyone else who'd come by. They didn't wear any belts full of tools or hold any equipment. He curiously peered through a crack in the chip in front of him to watch the new humans.

The man wearing jeans crouched down, his green eyes carefully scanning the body. "We couldn't just stop, I need to see everything before the cops start moving things around." It was the voice of the first human. He ran a hand through the spike in his short brown hair, "Hey Gus, check the cabinets for coffee pods or something." He whispered up to his friend.

The second human -Gus- hit the man in the shoulder,"There's a dead person here Shawn!" He snapped back.

"I think she'll want me to be awake if I'm gonna solve her murder." Shawn retorted without missing a beat.

Gus stepped away from the body and leaned on the counter further back. He crossed his arms as he looked around the kitchen for clues, but not as intently as Shawn. The man had dark skin that contrasted with his bright blue button up. He seemed slightly shorter than the other human, but that didn't make a difference to Tucker.

"You're just trying to get this girl's ghost to haunt me," he accused. "If you wanna steal coffee from a dead person then be my guest."

Shawn simply huffed and shook his head in resignation. He stopped looking at the body and began examining the pool of blood nearby on the table much to Tucker's dismay. Hopefully the bag of chips he was hiding in didn't spark any interest. Tucker watched with bated breath as the green eyes squinted at all the little details, then finally widening.

He gestured wildly with his hand, "Dude! Get over here!" Shawn exclaimed excitedly.

Gus hurried over and Shawn pointed to a spot on the table. Both humans leaned in, their faces right in front of Tucker's hiding place. All they had to do was look up and they could make the discovery of a lifetime. He hunkered down lower to remain out of sight. The borrower put his hand on his nail and squeezed his eyes shut as he listened to the loud breaths coming from the humans so close by.

Gus' brows furrowed. "What am I looking at?" He asked.

Shawn's large finger came into view as he pointed at more spots, "Right here and here and here. Don't these look like little-"

"What the hell are you two doing here?" A deep voice demanded. Tucker recognized it as the scary man's voice from earlier: Detective Lassiter.

Both humans stood straight up, giving Tucker the confidence to breathe again without alerting the giants.

"Hey Lassie," Shawn drawled with a smile in his voice. "We didn't know you were here too. What a coincidence." He said innocently.

Gus smiled beside him, "If we had known I would have picked you up something to eat." He added.

The ground shook as the scary man stepped into the kitchen. "This is my crime scene. I don't need two idiot consultants contaminating everything." He growled.

"Since when have we ever done such a thing?" Shawn sounded absolutely offended. If he was scared of the icy blue eyes piercing through him, he definitely didn't show it. He then leaned over to peer behind the taller detective, "Is Juliet here?" He asked eagerly.

"Out." Lassiter stated with no room to argue. He grabbed Shawn's arm and tugged at the flannel shirt he was wearing to usher him out the room.

Shawn loudly complained and resisted being dragged away. "But you need our help!" He protested as he dug his feet into the floor.

"No I don't. We already caught the killer."

Tucker perked up at that. The bag crinkled softly around him and he winced. Luckily no one seemed to notice over the commotion Shawn was causing. He knew this meant the humans will leave and Tucker will soon be the only one in the house.

"Really? Who was it?" Gus asked from the side as he casually watched Lassiter and Shawn struggle. It was clear he also wanted to leave, probably because of the corpse still in the room.

Lassiter finally gave up and let Shawn free his wrist from his grip. He pointedly straightened his black suit jacket before answering, "Steven, the husband. I'm going to take him back to the station and get a confession."

The borrower balked at that conclusion. How in the world did they think the husband did it? Wasn't it their whole job to find the right person? Humans were dumber than he initially thought.

Something in the back of his mind urged him to come out and tell them the truth. How else are they supposed to figure it out if their best hope is in cuffs. But it was a human issue that had nothing to do with him. It's not Tucker's fault humans are destructive beings that hurt everyone and everything they come across. With that in mind, the last thing he was about to do was reveal the existence of borrowers to the world just to get justice for one human.

Shawn briefly seemed to consider what the detective said before his hands suddenly shot up to the sides of his head. He rested his pointer fingers against his temple and closed his eyes. "I'm having a vision!" He declared.

Lassiter started shaking his head and resumed his efforts to drag Shawn out of the room. "No! No psychic bullshit in my crime scene!" He protested angrily.

The man promptly ignored the detective. His left hand hovering over the victim lying on the ground. Tucker leaned slightly forwards and watched in complete bewilderment as the man waved his hand in circular motions in the air.

"I sense..... ow!" He suddenly held his left hand to the side of his head, stumbling out of the detective’s grip. "I sense the killer hit her head against the table over and over again, until she was dead." Shawn slowly walked closer to the table, his eyes scanning the surface once more. Once he seemed to find what he was looking for, he closed his eyes again with his hand still on his temple. "I'm getting something else.... Steven is not the killer." Shawn concluded confidently, opening his eyes.

Tucker was left speechless. How did the human do that? He just waved his hand around and knew the correct answer. A pit of worry grew inside of him. What if the strange human found him by doing the same thing. Tucker swallowed nervously and resisted the urge to make more noise by adding more chips in front of him for cover.

Gus glanced at Shawn with a quirked brow. At this point he knew better than to question his friend, but it's always the husband in the shows. He was definitely looking forward to hearing what Shawn found. It had to be something good.

However, the detective was less than pleased with that theory. "Really?" Lassiter's lips formed a tight smile. "Do you have any evidence someone else was in the house? 'Cause I can tell you right now there was no forced entry and nothing was stolen."

Shawn didn't flinch under the man's menacing tone, instead he gave him a cocky grin. "Not right now, but I will prove it wasn't Steven. The spirits never lie." He turned towards his friend still standing near the counter. "Right Gus!" He said and gave Gus a hard pat on the back.

Gus, who was completely unprepared for the force of the action, stumbled forward and ran right into the detective. While Lassiter was busying keeping both him and Gus from falling to the floor, Shawn snatched the bag of chips off the table. He hid it behind his back as he strode out the door before Lassiter can give him a piece of his mind.

Gus hurriedly apologized and ran after him, barely avoiding the string of curses coming from the detective's mouth.

Definitely Not A Mouse

Thank you so much for all the love on the previous part!

Previous: A Not So Average Night

Next: Witness To A Crime

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Tucker bit back a yelp of terror as the world seemed to bottom out. He tumbled into the bottom of the bag alongside the chips, his small weight slightly crushing them. He found himself partially buried under the yellow salt-coated food, thankfully it was nowhere near heavy enough to crush the borrower.

Gravity forced him down as the bag shot high into the sky, the rapid motion causing bile to rise in Tucker's throat. He was jerked this way and that, slamming into the aluminum walls along with the chips as the human's thudding footsteps carried him away. A few moments later, a door slammed shut and the movement abruptly stopped.

The only thing Tucker could hear was his own hyperventilating breaths. The bag crinkled above him and a yellow light quickly filled the darkness. He threw up a hand at the sudden onslaught of light but it left as quickly as it came, covered by a giant green eye. Tucker balked further under the chips as the eye immediately zeroed in on him. The human gasped and Tucker was pitched forwards as the bag lurched away from the human's face.

"This....what...." A shocked voice rumbled outside the bag. There was an uncomfortably long moment of silence that filled Tucker with terror. He scrambled to get his feet under him but the tangle of chips effectively kept him stuck in place. Chips cracked underneath him as Tucker strained to get some control over his situation. His hand tightened on his weapon. If he could just reach a wall then he can easily cut his way out before Shawn got any ideas....

"Seriously Shawn?" Gus complained angrily, slamming another door shut. "How are we supposed to prove it wasn't the husband? You heard what Lassiter said!"

When Shawn failed to respond, Gus glanced over to his passenger. He gasped, "Shawn!" His friend has done ridiculous things in the past for the sake of solving a case, but this was on a whole new level. "Did you seriously take food from their house! Are you insane?"

Shawn finally pried his eyes away from the bag to look at Gus with wide eyes. His mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish out of water, something that rarely happened to the man.

Gus narrowed his eyes, "I'm not moving this car 'til you tell me what's going on with you." His voice was low and stern. It was clear he was not exaggerating.

"This is evidence for the case. At least I think it is...." He uneasily looked between Gus and the bag. Shawn could feel the slight shifts of whatever was stuck in there, solidifying the fact that this was real. Of course he knew something was in there when he snagged the bag, but he was expecting a rodent or a bug or anything that didn't resemble a tiny human. He ran a hand through his brown hair. "Let's just go back to the office and figure out what's going on." He finally decided.

His friend still didn't move the car, instead he was now criticality eyeing the chip bag as if he could see what's inside. Gus sighed, "Is there anything in there that's creepy, crawly, and has a bunch of legs?" He asked.

"No." Shawn answered aloud, inwardly hoping he got a good enough look.

"Alright then. But if we go to prison for tampering with evidence, I am testifying against you." Gus warned before turning the car on and beginning the short drive back to the office.

Inside the bag, Tucker flinched at the sound of the engine and toppled over as they began to drive. He landed in between a gap in the chips sinking even deeper into the bag. The conversation overhead confirmed his fears that things will only get worse from this point on once they arrived at the humans destination. Tucker had to escape before they had a chance to examine him.

He squirmed to free himself so he can cut a hole through the thin aluminum wall, but the chips proved more cumbersome than he initially thought. Each movement made it harder for him to free himself, and the car's sharp turns didn't help at all. It was like being stuck in a deep ball pit where any action to get out only made things more difficult.

It was all too soon when the engine went silent and the bag jerked again as the humans climbed out of the car. The bag shook violently each time Shawn took a step, ruining what little progress Tucker made towards freedom. Outside of his prison he heard some keys jingle and another door opening and closing. They arrived at their destination. Tucker's heartbeat roared in his ears and he renewed his struggles to get out.

Shawn walked over to his desk in the shared office space. Gus curiously watched as he pushed aside all the clutter on his desk while clutching the chip bag to his chest. He knew he must have noticed a small detail that no one else could hope to see. Shawn's keen eyes is what made him such an effective detective, no matter how annoying his process can get. But Gus failed to see how a bag of chips can be important to the case, especially in a way that made Shawn so uncharacteristically nervous.

Finally Shawn turned towards him. "Listen. I have no idea what's going on here, but promise not to freak out."

The seriousness in his friend's voice sent a jolt of worry through Gus. He warily eyed the innocent looking bag one more time before nodding in agreement, "You have my word," he swore quietly.

Tucker paid no mind to the rumbling conversation overhead. He had just freed his weapon when the bag suddenly flipped, tilting into a menacing slope. He cried out as he began sliding towards the bag's opening. Tucker's free hand desperately reached out for anything that could stop his descent, but only grasped air. His boots harmlessly dug into the sleek material underneath him as chips nearly as big as him pushed him towards the light. Tucker ungracefully tumbled onto the hard desk among the chips and crumbs, landing on his stomach.

"Wha- is this for real?" A voice boomed above him.

He whirled around in a panic. Frantic eyes landing on not one but two looming giants. His instincts screamed at him to run but Tucker's body was paralyzed as their gazes pierced right through him. All he could do was stare at the humans while his brain seemed to short circuit while coming up with a plan.

"Is this real!" Gus repeated as he stared at the impossibly tiny figure. He hesitatingly took a step towards the desk.

This kicked Tucker into action. He jumped to his feet and began sprinting across the desk to the other side. If he could get over there then there was still a chance for him to escape. The air shook from the humans surprised yells but he pressed on. Shadows covered the table in darkness as both Shawn and Gus stepped closer to the desk. Tucker held the nail tightly as he ran on, more than prepared to use it when the human grabbed for him.

He stumbled as their heavy footfalls shook the surface but his eyes stayed locked onto the far edge of the desk. He was so close! His lungs felt like they were on fire and his bag thumped against his side as he poured all his power into his legs. Tucker jumped over a pencil and unlatched his hook from his satchel. His hand stretched out, ready to lodge his hook into the desk and jump down. He still had a chance.

All too suddenly, Tucker collided with something hard. He fell onto his back from the momentum losing his hold on his hook, his mind spinning as he tried to figure out what just happened. The wall he hit curled around him and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. Tucker's brown eyes widened in panic as fingers longer than he was tall restrained him into a fist.

He struggled against the fingers. He pushed and shoved and kicked, but the fingers didn't budge one centimeter. Tucker was too weak to make any sort of impact. Vertigo all but slammed into him as the hand rose up into the sky. Tucker temporarily seized all struggles and squeezed his eyes shut to focus on keeping the dizziness away.

"You are real..." A low rumble shook him to the core. Hot breath washed over Tucker and his body started trembling uncontrollably. He forced himself to peek an eye open and immediately flinched back. The human held him mere inches away from his face. Green eyes bigger than Tucker's head scrutinized him closely.

Tucker resumed his struggles but his limbs remained effortlessly pinned down. His bag dug painfully against his side. His hand still gripped his weapon with a solid hold, If he could just free his arm then he could make this human regret ever touching him.

"Dude are you seeing this!" The human exclaimed as he held out the squirming figure to his friend. “It looks like a tiny action figure!”

Tucker's breath escaped him as the voice vibrated his entire body. It served as a clear reminder of how much danger he's in. He's up against beings so powerful even a voice can overwhelm him. His heart rammed against his ribs and no matter how hard he tried, Tucker couldn't catch his breath. He wasn't sure if it his sheer panic or the fingers squeezing him that caused it. He didn't know what to do. He was completely helpless. He was only ever taught how to avoid getting caught, not what to do if he got captured. If he could do anything at all.

Especially against a psychic. He didn't know what that even was, but it's clear the human had strange abilities. Tucker hung his head as he took in another shaky breath. Will the psychic read his mind and find out about borrowers? He will fail his kind whether he spoke or not.

"I think you're holding it too tight." Gus observed with eyes still full of shock. 

The hand shifted again so Shawn could see Tucker's face. "Oh, oops," he murmured as he began loosening his fist. "There, that should be better."

Tucker immediately pulled an arm out of the fist and squirmed to try and free the hand holding the nail. But to his horror, two enormous fingers immediately came into view, dwarfing Tucker in their shadow. A finger and thumb lightly pinched his exposed arm, holding it out for inspection. Tucker froze, fearfully watching the fingers holding his arm.

The fingers shifted to reveal the tiny hand resting on a fingertip. Shawn's eyes widened, "Whoa," he whispered breathlessly. Even with the minuscule fingers stretched out, the tiny hand could barely cover the tip of his finger. It was unreal.

Tucker was shocked by the comparison as well, although it left him more frightened than fascinated. He was so small next to a finger. A freaking finger! It took everything in him not to try pulling his arm back as the fingers continued to hold it out at an uncomfortable angle. His bones were thin enough to snap from one tiny shift made by the human. He was at Shawn's complete mercy.

"Look at this! This is insane!" He exclaimed excitedly, unknowingly hurting Tucker's sensitive ears. Gus stepped closer to gawk at the insane size difference, putting Tucker in between two enormous humans. After a few excruciatingly long moments, Shawn seemed to lose interest in the tiny limb and let Tucker protectively pull it back towards himself.

"This is the craziest thing to ever happen. Ever." Gus stated as he unbashedly stared at Tucker. He leaned in closer, his brown eyes locking onto the leather strap on Tucker's shoulder. "I think it even has a little bag!" The giant face lit up with excitement.

"Wait really? You're kidding!" Shawn's fingers opened while his other hand came swooping in towards Tucker. Before he could even act, large fingers pinched the bag and began tugging it off him. He quickly clutched the strap with his left hand while keeping a firm grip on his nail with his right.

Tucker dug his boots into the thick skin of the human's palm as he played tug-of-war with fingers larger than him. It wasn't much of a match. The satchel was easily pulled off his shoulders and was lifted up into the air, but Tucker's unrelenting grip on the bag left him dangling from the strap. He didn't care. That bag was one of Tucker's most important possessions and he would be damned if he let a clumsy human get it without a fight.

"C'mon little guy, just let go." The human coaxed. A hand rose up underneath Tucker to serve as a safety net before Shawn shook the bag. He grunted and squeezed his eyes shut as he was swung this way and that, but thanks to all his years of climbing, Tucker still had an iron-grip on the strap. The hand underneath him lifted closer to his feet and he quickly tucked his legs up, doing everything he can to stay out of the human hand.

Eventually the hand was only a few inches underneath him, expectantly waiting for Tucker to drop down so it can squeeze him to death. Instead, he pulled himself up and looped a leg through the leather strap. His brown eyes were locked onto the fingers pinching his bag and his hand tightened around his nail.

Both Shawn and Gus exchanged uneasy glances as the little creature refused to let go of the bag. Shawn was not expecting it to be that attached to the object, and he was even more surprised when the little thing ended up dangling in the air. As much as Shawn wanted to pluck it off the strap, he didn't want to risk squeezing it too tightly again. Something that small could be killed with a simple flick of his fingers. So, he opted to be patient for once and wait for it to get tired and drop to his awaiting palm.

Of course it wasn't that easy as the little thing actually climbed up the bag. Shawn smiled as he watched it, reminding him of a tiny little ninja. It's kinda adorable.

Of course, the humans couldn't see when Tucker's gaze hardened and his body tense in preparation. In one smooth motion, he lifted his body just high enough from the strap and sliced deep into Shawn's finger above. The hand reflexively snapped opened and a loud, pained shout shook the air. Tucker gasped as he started to plummet to the floor far below him along with his bag. Surprisingly, he welcomed this free fall. He got out the human's grasp. That's all that mattered.

Of course, this brief moment of peace was ruined as he hit a surface that was far too close and leathery to be the floor. Tucker didn't even have a chance to catch his breath from the impact before a hand cupped over him, trapping him between two walls of flesh.

"Shawn! You okay?" Gus asked as Shawn plucked the nail out of his finger.

"No, that actually hurt." He complained, "I'll probably need a tetanus shot after this." Shawn grumbled. He watched as blood slowly pooled out of the cut before placing a tissue over it to stop the bleeding. He nodded towards Gus' cupped hands, "At least your catching skills are improving." He added gratefully.

Gus glanced down at his hands. He cringed as he felt the creature's slight weight moving around in there. He hated that feeling, especially knowing it was an unknown creature that resembled a human. At what felt like tiny pokes against his skin, Gus belatedly realized the danger he was now in.

He quickly thrust his hands back towards Shawn. "Take it back." He demanded.

He flinched away before Gus could deposit the creature back into his hands. "What? No! I don't wanna get stabbed again!" He argued.

"Well I don't wanna get stabbed either!" Gus shot back.

A smug smile briefly appeared on Tucker lips as he kicked and shoved at the borrower-sized fingers surrounding him. Even if his escape failed, he was glad he scared the giants a little bit. At this point he'll take any victory he could get. Hopefully they learned their lesson not to manhandle him so carelessly.

But the more he kicked and pushed to no avail, the more helpless he felt. A lump caught in his throat at the realization of how weak he is. Tucker never thought of himself that way before. He has gained muscles from his daily climbs around the house and has even killed giant rats in battle. Compared to a human, however, he’s weaker than a baby.

His prison continued to vibrate as the humans spoke loudly. "What do I do with it!" Gus asked sounding just as panicked as Tucker felt.

"Just-uh-put it on the desk!" The words barely left Shawn's mouth before Gus dumped Tucker back onto the desk. He grimaced as he landed painfully on his shoulder but that didn't stop his adrenaline filled body from shooting back onto his feet. His eyes frantically scanned his surroundings for an escape. The ground shook as both humans got down on their knees to be more level with the borrower, although they still loomed menacingly over him.

He warily eyed the giants as he waited for their next move. After the stunt he just pulled, Tucker was in for a cruel punishment. That's how humans work after all. If you fight back against their control and power, they will just crush your spirit until you're nothing but an obedient pet. Tucker will never let that happen, even if it kills him.

Gus leaned forward, "So.... What exactly are we gonna do with it?" He picked up a pencil and gently poked the little thing's side, watching as it reeled back. Gus still couldn't believe it was real.

Meanwhile, Shawn was busy gathering up the objects the creature was carrying: a fishhook and string left on the desk, the nail, and the tiny bag now lying on the floor. Personal belongings say a lot about a person and he figured the same would apply to the little guy.

His green eyes narrowed as he quickly examined each object. The string on the fishhook was long enough to reach most surfaces like tables and counters. Shawn vaguely remembered the creature carrying it on its bag when they first put it on the desk. It's definitely used as a means for the little guy to get around. The stinging cut on his finger made the nail's use pretty obvious, but the bag was another story. Shawn could hardly believe the craftsmanship of the satchel. He would assume it came from a doll house if it wasn't made out of real leather with noticeable wear and tear from years of use. The bag even had a little clip holding the flap down, something even the most steady human hand couldn't accomplish.

He left the objects on the far side of the desk and glanced up to examine the little guy's clothes. By all means they looked like clothes he would find in a store. It wore all black and dark grays, colors that let it blend seamlessly into the shadows. The stitching was far too intricate to be made by human hands. The brown boots looked to be made of the same leather material as the satchel.

Shawn's eyes narrowed even more as he noticed what looked to be specks of saw dust on the dark fabric. Interesting.

The more details he noticed, the more his stomach twisted with guilt. As much as he wanted to, Shawn knew he couldn't ignore the evidence that was quickly stacking up. The tiny man is an intelligent being. And they just took him from his home and possibly his loved ones.

Shawn blinked and looked at Gus, who was staring at him with a quirked brow. The tiny person was still standing on the desk with wide eyes burning holes into the humans.

"Let's talk about that somewhere else," He said, finally answering his friend's question. Shawn got up to his feet and walked over to the kitchen, searching through the cabinets until he found what he was looking for. Shawn hid it behind his back to avoid scaring the little guy into running away. He quickly made his way back to the desk before placing a glass cup over the man. He briefly watched as he held his hands against the glass, glancing nervously between the humans.

Shawn told himself he wouldn't be in there long, but that didn't stop the guilt from rising even higher.

Gus frowned at the method used to keep the little guy there, "This better be quick." He said quietly as he walked into the office lobby. Shawn followed closely behind and shut the door once they were alone.

"I think that little guy is intelligent." Shawn blurted immediately.

Gus crossed his arms over his chest, "How so?" He asked, tilting his head.

"The fishhook is used for transportation, the nail is obviously a weapon, and his satchel is way too advance for an animal or bug to create."

His friend nodded along the more he spoke. "The clothes too. They look like they could only be made by tiny hands." Gus added, looking more and more upset. "It -he- really is a person."

Shawn sighed and rubbed his temple, "And we just kidnapped him and manhandled him."

Gus pointed a finger at him, "There's no 'we,' that was all you."

"That's not helping me feel any better Gus!" Shawn groaned into his hands. "I thought it was a mouse and I was just gonna chase you around with it for a bit." He admitted blatantly.

"You would be doing this case by yourself if you pulled that off." Gus placed his hands on his hips.

"Relax, I would have only chased you for like three minutes." He paused for a moment, "Maybe four. Anyways that's not important," Shawn waved off Gus' annoyed glare, "We need to figure out what to do with the little guy."

Gus paced around the small lobby in thought. "Well if he's intelligent, then he must speak some sort of language." He reasoned. "If it's English, then we will simply ask him who murdered Kirstin and let him go on his way."

"Go where?" Shawn gestured wildly with his hands, "That house is a crime scene. It can't be safe for him. Especially with Carlton investigating the area.”

Gus stopped his pacing in front of the door to their workspace. "We do this one step at a time. Let's focus on communicating with him first."

Shawn nodded, “Alright, let’s get this guy talking.”

Gus held an arm out, blocking Shawn from walking through the door. “I’ll do the talking, you just focus on not scaring him further.”

He frowned, “Fine.” Shawn reluctantly agreed.

Witness To A Crime

Our two favorite idiots are starting to develop more brain cells when it comes to interacting with a borrower! Or at least one of them is…

First: A Not So Average Night

Previous: Definitely Not A Mouse

Next Chapter Coming Soon!

—————

For Tucker, the question of what to do with him hung in the air for an eternity. His panic rising every second the pale human stared at his belongings. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the pink eraser coming back to poke him in the side again. Tucker quickly backed up with his hands outstretched in front of him, fully expecting to be jabbed no matter what. Instead, the pencil stopped a few inches from him before dropping to the desk. Tucker cast a nervous glance up at Gus and his brows furrowed. The human's eyes almost seemed.... guilty. But that can't be right. Humans don't feel guilt for those deemed inferior.

Finally, Shawn looked up from Tucker's satchel. His eyes were torn away from Gus as he watched the human's huge, clumsy fingers place his bag on the opposite side of the desk. He desperately wanted to run over there and make sure nothing was destroyed, but the four large eyes fixated on him kept his feet glued to the ground.

Tucker didn't know what to do. The humans stared at him like he's some sort of anomaly. His fingers itched for the comforting weight of his nail and the leather that made up his satchel, but with all his possessions stolen away from him, he just stared at his boots instead.

"Let's talk about that somewhere else." Shawn said ominously.

Tucker's heart dropped all the way to the floor. What do they mean 'talk somewhere else'? What don't they want him to hear? It's not like he can do anything to stop what they're planning. His breathing quickened as he watched Shawn start rummaging through the nearby kitchen cabinets, hiding whatever he grabbed behind his back.

They're going to kill him.

His vision quickly blurred with tears as he watched Shawn's massive form approach with an object that will surely crush the borrower to a bloody pulp. The ground shook with every step as death came closer and closer. Tucker wanted to call out to the giant and beg him to spare his small life. However, his voice got caught in his throat as the shadow of the human's arm enveloped him.

He squeezed his eyes shut and braced his body for the pain. Something fell over him with a loud clang that echoed all around him. Tucker slowly opened his eyes and warily glanced at his new surroundings, frowning as he found himself inside of a large glass cup. He slowly crept forward and placed his hands on the cool glass, slightly pushing against it to test if it was light enough to budge. Of course, it wasn't.

Gus muttered something that was too quiet and distorted to make out in his new prison. Tucker watched as both humans rose to their towering heights and left him alone in the room. He could just barely hear their booming voices in the room beyond, but there was no doubt they were discussing if they should keep him or kill him.

Tucker wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve, his gaze hardening. He had to get out of there before the humans were done discussing his fate. He backed to the opposite side of the glass, took a deep breath, and sprinted full force into the wall. He rammed his shoulder into the glass with all his strength and tumbled onto his back from the force. The cup didn't moved at all.

Full of determination, Tucker rammed into the glass again and again and again. Sweat beaded his forehead and his now bruised shoulder throbbed in pain, but the terror of his unknown fate pushed him on. Blinded by his goal, Tucker failed to notice when the humans returned.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Gus rushed towards the cup as he watched the little guy sprint into the glass. He knew the little fella wasn't afraid to fight back after what he did to Shawn's finger, but Gus would have never imagined he would hurt himself like this.

The desk underneath shook violently and it was only then Tucker realized the humans were back. He stumbled onto his rear and scrambled backwards in terror as a giant hand reached towards his prison. His back hit the glass yet he still desperately tried to push himself further away from their towering forms. Air wasn't reaching his lungs and his heart hammered against his chest as the enormous fingers curled around the glass.

In a panic, he dove towards the middle of his prison as the fingers tightened around the glass. Cool air washed over him when the cup was lifted into the sky, but it was hardly refreshing as he fearfully waited for whatever cruel punishment the humans came up with. He remained fearfully curled up in a pathetic ball on the desk.

They decided to kill me, Tucker realized. Why else would they let me go.

A near inaudible whimper escaped his trembling lips when the humans lowered themselves to the floor, putting their menacing gazes closer to his cowering form. Without a weapon or his hook, he was trapped and at the human's complete mercy, one of which he stabbed. Tears formed at the corner of his eyes as the severity of the situation sunk in. He's dead. He's dead. He's so dead.

The bigger human cleared his throat gaining Tucker's attention. With brown eyes full of sympathy, he addressed Tucker. "Can you talk or understand what I'm saying?" His voice was gentle and smooth, but there was still a hint of concern.

Shivers went down Tucker's spine. The giants were asking their questions now. They are going to try and figure out what he is so they can find more borrowers. Tucker will be responsible for the extinction of his people, or even worse, the domestication of borrowers. As terrified as he was, Tucker knew he had to follow the two remaining rules to keep his people safe: Don't talk and don't tell them what you are. Tucker slowly sat up, and although his body felt like jelly, he met the human's eyes. He will not cooperate no matter how much they scare him.

After getting no indication the little guy understood a lick of English, Gus gave Shawn a questioning glance only to be given a shrug in return. It looked like it was all on him to figure out how to communicate with the little man.

He made sure the tiny eyes were on him before gesturing to himself, "I'm Gus," he spoke extremely slowly with a tone used for toddlers. Gus rested a hand on the paler human's shoulder next to him, "Shawn," he introduced simply.

Shawn awkwardly waved his hand causing Tucker to flinch back. The giant hand immediately shot down and out of sight along with a quiet apology from the human. The borrower curled his legs up to his chest and took a few deep breaths to try and calm his racing heart.

Upon noticing the tiny guy's jumpy reaction, Gus decided to stop gesturing with his hands and simply placed them on his lap. Instead, he nodded his head towards his friend again and repeated their names. They waited for the little guy to catch on and parrot their names back to them, or say his own name, but he just sat there silently watching.

"Of course he doesn't know English, nothing is that easy." Shawn grumbled under his breath.

Gus jabbed him in the side with an elbow, "Knock it off. You probably scared him too much." He accused with a glare.

"Me? You scared him just as much." Shawn retorted, clearly annoyed for being thrown under the bus.

Gus crossed his arms, "You brought him here to begin with."

"Yeah, 'cause he witnessed a murder." Shawn countered.

"That doesn't mean you can just kidnap people, Shawn."

While the giants bickered, Tucker slowly rose to his feet and began creeping back. Humans always get angry and destructive when they fight, and he wanted to be far away when that started. Thankfully they seemed to forget he was even there, until something loudly crunched under his boot. Grimacing, he slowly lifted his foot to see a chip crumb crushed into even smaller pieces. Tucker wanted to smack himself in the face. He completely forgot about the bag of chips being dumped out earlier after all the excitement.

The four giant eyes snapped back to him. Tucker braced himself and waited to be crushed in a fist or smacked off the table as punishment for trying to leave. But it never came. Cautiously, he peeked his eyes open to see the humans just sitting there watching him. They looked upset.... But they seemed to be upset for him. That doesn't make any sense.

Tucker gingerly stepped away from the crumb that got him caught. He kept his eyes trained on the humans as he slowly moved a few inches to the side, testing the waters with each step. All they did was loom over him as they silently watched him inch towards a pen holder. With a beat of hesitation, Tucker stepped behind it and crouched out of site from human eyes.

"Alright.... I don't think he wants to try talking to us." Gus stated with a frown. He could see the little guy's boot poking out the side, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. If he wants to hide then he will let him hide. Both men sat back against the green wall of their office, just tall enough to see the desk's surface while sitting.

Shawn drummed his fingers on his knee, quickly growing agitated from the lack of progress. He stayed silent for about five seconds before he opened his mouth. "Do you think he's a wingless fairy or a leprechaun?"

Gus thought it over for a moment. "He's definitely a wingless fairy," he decided.

"You sure? I feel like fairies are far more peaceful and mystical than this little guy."

"Im positive. There's no pot of gold or Lucky Charms here, and he isn't ginger."

Shawn looked at Gus with wide eyes, "Wow dude. Stereotyping? Seriously?" He shook his head in mock shame, "leprechauns don't have to like gold or Lucky Charms. It's the twentieth century!" He defended the very unreal creatures.

"Well not all fairies have to be pacifists." Gus countered.

Shawn glanced to the side. "Fine, we'll just have to ask him what he is. Loser has to pay for lunch"

"Deal." Gus agreed with no hesitation.

The room turned back to silence as they debated on what to do now. It wasn't like there was a guidebook on how to interact with a terrified, tiny person that may or may not understand English. So both men just awkwardly sat on the wooden floor waiting for something to happen.

That's when Shawn finally noticed the little brown boot sticking out from the hiding spot. He smiled in amusement, "His boot is sticking out!"

Right when the words left his mouth, the boot disappeared behind the pencil holder. His eyes widened and Gus let out a small gasp. They turned towards each other, then right back to the desk.

Shawn was already back on his knees right in front of the desk before Gus could stop him. "You can understand us!" Despite the early morning hour, he was bubbling with excitement. He eagerly waited for the little guy to come out talk to them now that they knew.

Tucker couldn't stop his body from shaking. That was such a brainless move! Once he heard they can still see him, he instinctively pulled his foot in. Who wouldn't in this situation? But he immediately realized his mistake when the humans gasped.

He curled further into himself, making his already tiny frame even smaller. Tucker couldn't catch his breath and his eyesight was growing splotchy. What are they going to do to him now? Are they mad? Will they torture answers out of him, or will they study him?

Tucker flinched closer to the silver tin behind him as Shawn's loud voice broke the brief silence. He was so so dead. He hugged his black poncho closer to his body in the hopes for even a small sense of comfort, but tears still threatened to fall down his dark cheeks. How did a simple borrowing trip turn into such a nightmare?

In front of the desk, Gus grabbed Shawn's shoulder and forced him back down onto his rear. "Quit it! He's scared enough as it is without your big head getting in his space." He scolded.

"But-"

"Shawn." Gus warned, cutting him off before he came up with an excuse.

He threw his arms up before crossing them and leaning back against the wall, pouting like a child. When Gus was sure Shawn wouldn't try anything else, at least for a little bit, he turned his attention back to the desk.

"I'm sorry about him," his voice was now calm and collected. He made sure to speak quietly as to not scare the little guy even more. "Listen, we don't want to hurt you or imprison you. We just need to know what happened to Kirstin back at the house." Gus paused in the hopes he would hear a tiny voice, but there was no noise besides the air conditioner whirring to combat the hot Santa Barbara air.

Gus hesitated briefly before he continued, "The sooner you tell us, the sooner you can go back home." He promised gently, even if that wasn't entirely true.

Tucker shifted uncomfortably as he listened to Gus' words. This human definitely seemed nicer than the other one, but he still made no move to come out. The psychic already figured out the truth back at the house, why would they need Tucker's recollection of the killing? Especially if Shawn can read his mind with his scary power. No, this was definitely a trap to get him talking.

"Can you at least tell us your name?" Gus probed.

No I won't, Tucker internally refused. He fidgeted with the long sleeve of his dark gray shirt, absentmindedly sticking his finger through the growing hole near the wrist. He briefly wondered if he would ever have an opportunity to repair it.

Shawn clicked his tongue when they still received no answer from behind the tin pencil holder. Gus' usual smooth-talking was clearly not gonna work in this case. But there's a way to get even the most stubborn person to talk, you just need to push the right button.

He glanced over to the bag of chips where they found the little guy in the first place. It was definitely one of the last places you would hide in if you were trying to avoid being found by humans. The little guy was probably already in the bag before any humans showed up, and he didn't have time to move to a better spot before Shawn found him.

Shawn's mind flashed back to the little fella's appearance, mostly how skinny he seemed compared to his height. It was clear he didn't have access to much food, and he was most likely trying to take some chips right before Kirstin was murdered.

He frowned. The little guy was starving and they're keeping him from eating any food. Maybe he'll gain his trust if he showed him they only want to help. Without a word, Shawn slowly shuffled on his knees closer to the desk.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked, copying the way his friend lowered his voice when talking. Although, it was mostly aimed at Gus so he would know what he was doing before he got dragged back again. Gus warily watched as Shawn plucked up a large chip and carefully placed it by the pencil holder. He immediately pulled his hand back and eagerly watched for any movement with bated breath.

As a shadow moved over his hiding place, Tucker scrambled as far away as he can. He squeezed his eyes shut and his body tensed for large fingers to close around him and drag him out of hiding. Instead, he heard something softly land on the desk. Peeking his brown eyes open, Tucker noticed a chip as big as his torso sitting innocently a few inches from the pencil holder.

He frowned critically. The humans were clearly trying to lure him out of hiding. Do they seriously think he's some brainless pet who will trust them after receiving one scrap of food? Still, Tucker's empty stomach growled at the mere sight of food and his mouth began to water.

He hasn't eaten anything since the previous morning and it was really starting to get to him. It was tempting to just run out, snatch the chip, and go back into hiding. They know of his existence after all. But the thought of stepping in sight of the humans, even for a moment, made him feel sick.

Tucker turned away from the chip before he made any rash decisions. He can last a bit longer without food and water. Unfortunately his stomach disagreed and loudly complained about his choice, making his cheeks burn pink in embarrassment.

"I know you're hungry. At least grab a bite before Gus eats it all." Shawn joked hoping to lighten up the mood.

This, instead, sent terror shooting through Tucker. The psychic can really read my mind... he thought to himself.

He swallowed nervously. He needs food. Badly. If they really wanted to hurt him, they would have done so long ago. Tucker wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them. He got up to his feet in a crouch with his eyes locked onto the chip. He wouldn't have to speak to them and break any rules, he's just gonna grab some food. Everything will be fine.

With that in mind, Tucker slowly stepped towards the edge of his hiding spot. He gingerly reached a hand out to see if he could just reach it and drag it back, but it was placed just far enough where he had to walk out. Cursing under his breath, Tucker stepped out.

He tried to ignore the humans' gasps and the sound of fabric shifting from their clothes. Tucker kept his eyes trained on the chip as he picked it up and held it to his chest. Tucker took a few steps back towards his hiding spot, but when neither human made a move to grab him, he stopped.

It took everything in the two friends to not jump around and dance when the little guy didn't go back into hiding. Instead, they smiled and fist-bumped in a subtle celebration. Progress was slowly but surely being made. As long as they stayed on their best behavior....

Even though he was nearly shaking with excitement, Gus still managed to keep up his calm demeanor. "Would you like any water with that?" He asked, his professional mannerisms kicking in.

The little guy shook his head side to side while keeping his eyes on his boots. He tentatively took a small nibble out of the chip.

Gus nodded, "Just let me know if you need anything." He paused for a moment before adding, "I'm glad you decided to come out of hiding. I know it must've been hard." He tried to sound as sincere as possible.

Tucker finally pried his eyes off the floor and glanced up at the humans. His heart jolted when he made eye contact and he nearly beelined straight back towards his hiding place. Until he noticed the sincerity in Gus' eyes. No matter how hard humans try, they can't fake their emotions towards borrowers. Their faces are so big they're like billboards advertising how they feel. Borrowers are able to see every twitch of a lip and flick of an eye to know one's true intentions. And Gus was truly being sincere.

He paused for a moment before nodding his head in response to the human, although 'hard' seemed like a major understatement.

Gus frowned slightly at that. "Well," he began, "Like I said before; once you tell us what happened to Kirstin you can go home."

Tucker almost let himself become hopeful when he noticed the human brown eyes quickly flick to the left. His eyes narrowed. Gus was lying to him. They're just trying to trick him into talking. His feet shifted in preparation to run back to cover when the psychic piped up.

"Relax, I get it. You have a fear of public speaking," Shawn said with a smirk. "Just nod your head yes or no if Kirstin's husband murdered her." His voice was full of confidence despite his quiet volume.

Dammit! How could I forget he can read my mind. Out of fear of what the psychic might do to him with his strange abilities, Tucker forced himself to stand in place. They already knew he could understand them, no more damage was being done. With his lips still sealed, he quickly answered the question and shook his head 'no'.

Shawn perked up, "C'mon, son!" He exclaimed triumphantly. He pointed a finger at Gus, "I told you it wasn't Steven!" He said with a smile as if he wasn't discussing a murder.

Gus rolled his eyes, "Sure, it's not the husband for once. But how do you plan on proving this to the police?" He cast a glance at the tiny man, who was now covering his ears from Shawn's outburst. Gus frowned at the fear he still showed them. Why can't he see they won't hurt him?

"Don't worry. Once we find the real murderer everything will fall into place." Shawn said with a smug smile.

He crossed his arms, "And how do we do that, Shawn? There's no other suspects."

Shawn nodded his head towards the tiny guy on the desk. "We have a witness right here." He answered simply.

"He won't even talk to us." Gus pointed out.

Tucker flinched as both humans turned their attention back on him. His eyes nervously danced between the two, but rested on Shawn as the human shuffled closer to the desk. Tucker clutched the chip even tighter to his chest and it cracked under his fingers.

"Hey little guy!" Shawn cooed as his face got even closer to him.

Tucker's breathing quickened and his heart started up its raid pounding again.

"Wanna make a deal?" He continued with a voice used to address toddlers. "You can go back into the walls once you tell us who killed Kirstin." Shawn said innocently as if it was the best deal in the world.

Tucker stopped breathing for a moment. His heart fell to the empty pit of his stomach. He stared blankly at the human with his mouth hanging open. "....What?" He whispered in complete shock. Tucker shouldn't be surprised the psychic read his mind to find out where he lived, but it still left him feeling dizzy. The human was threatening him now. He's gonna tear open the walls and kill his people and it's all going to be Tucker's fault. If he complies, will the human spare his people? 

Tucker swallowed thickly but his throat was still dry. It wasn't fair. He did everything right once he was caught; He never uttered a word to the humans or told them he's a borrower. But of course he got caught by that damn psychic.

He stared at the humans through teary eyes, ignoring the way their giant faces lit up when he uttered his first word. Taking a shaky breath, he opened his mouth. "I'll tell you what'cha wanna know as long as you don't hurt my people." Tucker demanded, but his voice sounded so weak and pathetic compared to the humans.

He waited with bated breath as he watched the humans register what he just said. Hopefully Tucker was making the right call.