#paul mccartney modern au

[johnlennonyaoi]

do you guys like them. chronically online Beatles

[dizzzyondreams]

in the vein of my last post:

[econhomework]

One Day at a Time

Paul's struggling to come to terms with everything life has suddenly dealt him, and just when he thinks he's getting the hang of it, John gets thrown into the mix. John's not exactly slap happy about the situation either.

(The lovely drawing of George and Paul taking a selfie in the bottom right is not mine or @stupidbloodytuesday 's art. It was found on Pinterest and we were unable to determine the original artist. If anyone knows who it is, please let me know so I can tag and credit appropriately!) Chapter 1: Doctor My Back

Chapter 2: Bad News on the Doorstep

Chapter 3: So This is How it Is

Chapter 4: Doctor My Eyes

Chapter 5: Odd New World

Chapter 6: Winston

Chapter 7: Everything But the Bus

Chapter 8: Life's a Piece of Shit, When You Look at It

Chapter 9: Memory Lane

Chapter 10: Back Again

[ilovedig]

This SCREAMS modern-day AU.

Even though it's real.

[tocrackerboxpalace]

fuck it, sports au. in my boy arc. whatever

third and final chapter expected to be posted... tomorrow? I already have most of it written, so... yeah!

[beatleshalloween]

I just finished this cute little creative alternative universe story.

I hope you will enjoy it!

[mickgaydolenz]

modern au has piqued my interest and so i must ask: who do you think their favorite modern artist or band would be, individually? 🤨 (we all know Mike is a swiftie so that checks out)

okay, okay, i’m literally so unbelievably uneducated in terms of modern artists, so i’m going to try my best to answer but i fr strongly encourage other people to chime in because i am soooooo out of the loop. i’m not even going to try and explain these, i’m just going to go with my gut instinct and work with the little knowledge i have so:

peter -> greta van fleet

mike -> tswift, but also the spice girls

micky -> lizzo

davy -> michael bublé

[beatleskinkmeme]

John is really insecure about the songs he writes, he feels like they’re never good enough, and is heavily critical of his writing. In an attempt to make him feel better, Paul starts anonymously writing for either a big music newspaper/magazine (like the Rolling Stone) or a popular music blog (if it’s a modern au), where he writes glowing reviews of the lennon-mccartney songwriting skills and in particular songs that John had a major part in coming up with.

.

[crepesuzette2023]

As the most infamous fic reccomender do you have anything which will get me out of this depressive pit I've recently fallen into? Something like 'I need you darlin' where its like a well-rounded full story of them falling for each other.

As someone who's familiar with "the long, dark tea-time of the soul," I'll do my best!

The I Need You Darlin' verse (@beatlessideblog) is definitely my go-to as well when I'm stranded on the emotional equivalent of wherever that was where they filmed The Terror, so we share that love. :-)

Many of my comfort reads are on the shorter side: smutty or humorous one shots, but your ask for well rounded stories made me think of these longer fics, too. Hopefully some of these spark joy:

Weddings (@ohjohnnysblog). John and Paul get married in their hearts in Paris '61, and before the law in 2014. They go through many ups and downs, but it all ends well.

I also enjoy 5 Thomas Lane (@chut-je-dors): Modern AU in which John and Paul are married dads. This one is more of a collection of long, one-shot chapters set in the same world rather than a fic with an overarching plot, so perfect for coming back to. The extra Phone Sex is a hot and funny. And check out this art!

A story I keep thinking about is Whatever Fate Decrees (@dailyhowl). John and Paul are an artist and musician, respectively, but still find each other. Lots and lots of pining, but a happy ending, I promise...and Brian lives! <3

Beautiful and so hot my dignity doesn't stand a chance: always, no sometimes (@stonedlennon). Private moments with John and Paul during the lead-up to Sgt. Pepper's.

Suffer Fools Gladly (@aquarianshift): John and Paul through the Beatles years. Four times they almost kissed, and one time they did. One of my favorite endings: zucchini-bread-bearing Lesbians ex machina!

Can You Still Love Me Tomorrow (@imaginebeatles). It's a sweet, romantic Christmas story, but lovely in any season. Modern/fake dating AU. Note the 'slutty!Paul' tag.

And here is a story-in-miniatures: Three lovely vignettes of young J&P through Mike McCartney's eyes, by thinkpink20: Sunday Morning, Boys, Interrupted, and Sleepless in Wales. Bonus: The Photograph, in which John gets to thinking after seeing one of Mike's portraits of Paul.

This is on the short side, but so comforting: Paul and John take a bath in Hamburg! (after bombardment, sonya, by inherownwrite)

Other comfort-/'satisfying my urgent need to laugh my ass off'- stories:

You Might Well Arsk (snugglesweaters). Barista John and student Paul strike up an email correspondence. One thing leads to the next...

Paul's Got John's Thigh, And He's Not Letting Go! (@waveofahand). Press conference shenanigans.

Fixing A Hole: Beatles Songs Scientifically Sorted In Order Of Gayness (@chut-je-dors, @imaginebeatles). Just gimme some truth.

[incorrectwolfstar]

platonic moonflower headcanons bc i said so

- definitely those two in class who’d constantly get threatened to be separated by the teacher if they didn't start doing their work + stop misbehaving

third year remus + lily in datda who can't stop laughing bcs "wtf is a hinkypunk" + "idek man." eventually they would get separated and have to sit at opposite sides of the classroom but then they'd glance at each other and they'd be gone. they wouldn't be allowed to sit together for the rest of the year

- remus introduced her to the wonderful world of swearing. ofc lily being muggle born would know what swearing is but was brought up not to do it. she knew remus two weeks - welsh, born + bred, swearing like a sailor, can't go a sentence without cursing. she was converted. remus taught her a bunch of new swears and slangs she didn't know about + they'd be the worst in their year for language

- remus allergic to mango (lil's fav) + lily allergic to chocolate

- modern au would post each other on their stories so much everyone assumes they've been dating for ages

- physical affection comes soso naturally. remus would play with lil's hair subconsiously + she'd trace the scars over remus' hands/arms. the both of them would take up one (1) armchair on each other's laps + play fight on the carpet (adds to the dating rumours james is pissed ha ha)

- they share clothes!! they're the same trouser size the majority of the time so remus would wear her flares + cords + pyjama bottoms. lil would steal remus' jumpers + (mainly) cardi's, with t shirts which are far too much big for her

- when they go out drinking eight times out of ten they'll end up in the same bed the morning after (if it doesn't end up with drunk sex w sirius/james remus will be little spoon)

- she introduced him to fleetwood mac, he introduced her to the beatles

- made a similar post ab this, but moonflower karaoke they'd fuck it up every time. like they'd be so good together. at christmas time they'd duet fairytale of new york by the pogues. somethin' stupid by frank + nancy sinatra. you're the one that i want from grease. long haired lady by paul and linda mccartney. don't go breaking my heart by elton john + kiki dee. i'm telling u guys omfg the world would implode

[menlove]

speaking of mclennon fics i need your help😩😩 i just finished i can only speak my mind & going nowhere & the jumper & on our way back home (which dear god were all excellent) and now i desperately need something similar and/or equally as good

those are some EXCELLENT fics. but hmmm lemme think! so I'll go for the vibe of like "mclennon through their lives" based on those. wall staring fics, if you will.

John My Beloved

explicit. 33k. major character death. user only.

They've always loved each other, in their own way...

I rec this one a lot but that's bc it's incredible and also made me like actually and genuinely start crying like. I'm not joking it was like 7am and I'd been up all night and I finished it and just stared at the wall and teared up. the last chapter is actually evil.

i was a younger man then (now) (post hoc)

mature. 27k. fix-it. (still major character death but not how you think)

John’s twelve when a bloke appears from a flaming pie and says, “From this day forward you are Beatles with an ‘a.’” The bloke is Paul.

Or: paul and john meet at all ages and eras and john is the time-traveler’s wife the way only john lennon can be

another one that I rec literally every time but it's my #2 mclennon fic of all time it makes me crazy

I Still Miss Someone

explicit. 64k. 3 part series. not a happy ending.

It's 1976 and Paul keeps showing up on John's doorstep with a guitar. Eventually John turns him away and Paul goes off to sulk in his hotel room the night before his flight from New York. Based on real events.

this one isn't through All their lives, but it has a similar vibe and made me stare at a wall, so

blood on the tracks

gen-mature. 66k. 11 part series. modern au. fix-it.

He was a grown man, a rock star, richer than Croesus, emotionally stable, and more than capable of handling a surprise visit from his ex-husband.

Paul married John when he was eighteen and divorced him at twenty-nine. Two years later, John pays Paul a visit.

this series is sooooo. I think about it Constantly. inspired me and millie's own married mclennon au that lives in our heads. I just love that like. it gets into the fact that even if they lived in a world where they could've been openly together and even married, it wouldn't have fixed the problems between them. a good character study!

Throw the Wine

mature. 51k. major character death. technically unfinished but it ends in a spot where it doesn't feel that way.

"But you realise that you're in real life, and you don't split up a beautiful thing with a beautiful thing."

-Paul McCartney

Or do you?

godddd I was hesitant to read this bc it's unfinished and last updated in 2018 but I saw it recced everywhere and everyone was so fucking right. this hurt. this made me want to die. it's so good. and like I said, it's unfinished but where it is is finished enough that you don't feel cheated. also, the author offers a spot to stop if you want a happy ending which is nice!

I Do

explicit. 73k. major character death.

A collection of stories about John and Paul’s developing relationship, with weddings as the theme for the day.

I'm on chapter 23/25 of this and I already know I'm about to get devastated. this is ruining me. but it's so good. my favorite part so far is that the love between them even while they're broken up is shown soooo well. like you really get the sense that they're still friends even at their worst times. they just love each other. it's making me crazy

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

you've given me modern day!john brainrot now

anyways i think the idea of him reading fics and sending snippets to the gc without warning is really funny. terrorising the others with bad smut, weirdly moody georgeand ringo being the bus driver

him laughing at bad characterization but also getting disproportionately annoyed when a fic has paul come up with a line /he/ wrote for a song, or if they get his favourite elvis song wrong etc

also him posting dramatic breakup songs in his stories to see shippers freak out gdhshshs

sooooooo true!!!

I actually had this DIFFERENT headcanon once, which was a John Lives AU, where he (as in, 79/80 year-old John) spends the pandemic reading McLennon fics and emailing them to Paul. (because they're Old People and Old People still use email with out-of-date hosting websites, especially to share things like this lol)

From: Paul McCartney <pmccartney@yahoo.co.uk> To: John Lennon <iamthewalrus69@hotmail.com> Subject: RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE: This is the last one (I swear) Hi John I'm glad you're entertaining yourself. Unfortunately, I am busy recording and don't have time to read five bad erotica novels a day. Have you ever thought of taking up painting again? Much love, Paul

[10 emails later]

From: Paul McCartney <pmccartney@yahoo.co.uk> To: John Lennon <iamthewalrus69@hotmail.com> Subject: STOP EMAILING ME WANKER. I'M NOT READING THAT. Much love, Paul

And then, through John's stealth tumblr account, someone tells him he can download fics off ao3 and he renames the PDFs and starts sending them to Paul, claiming they're business related documents.

[javelinbk]

Fic summary

Multi-chapter

The Songs We Were Singing (34k words)

John and Paul through the years, in a universe where they become lovers in the 60s but still split up.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 (but only certain chapters)

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Playlist

Take a sad song and make it better (69k words)

An alternative ending for 'The Songs We Were Singing'. What if John moved back to England in 1980 and stayed at Paul’s guest house? Oh, and what if they were ex-boyfriends?

Fix-It, 80s

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Pic set

Double Fantasy (13k words)

A modern AU where John owns a flower shop and Paul is the handsome stranger who seems to be buying rather a lot of flowers. Just a shame he has a girlfriend…

Angst level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Artwork

Stop all the clocks (31k words)

1967. After Brian dies, Paul decides not to go ahead with Magical Mystery Tour, and takes John up to Scotland for a month instead.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Moodboard

Artwork

Brother Dearest (76k words)

AU where Mimi and Jim get married and John and Paul are stepbrothers (stepbrothers who are attracted to each other)

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Get a job, cop! (18k words)

John and Paul end up getting arrested after their rooftop gig, which leads to an unexpected change in their relationship. But is it too little, too late?

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Father and Son (19k words)

A sequel to Brother Dearest. March 1976. Jim McCartney has died, and John finds himself returning to the family home for the first time in seven years.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

The Life of Riley (58k words)

Modern AU. John is a terrible driver, but a broke one, so he lets his aunt get him a job as a chauffeur. His first passenger is Paul, the son of a wealthy businessman, whose father wants him to follow in his footsteps. It soon becomes clear that neither men are happy with their current situation in life.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Our Version of Events (33k words)

1971, Tittenhurst Park, Ascot. John discovers that fans have been writing stories about him and Paul, and it changes everything that he thought he knew about their relationship.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Flowers in the Dirt (29k words)

A Paul-POV version of 'Double Fantasy'. Modern AU where John owns a flower shop and Paul is the handsome stranger who seems to be buying rather a lot of flowers. Just a shame he has a girlfriend…

Angst level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Moodboard & playlist

Artwork

The Story Continues (13k words)

A sequel to Our Version of Events. Paul finally visits John at Tittenhurst, and all is going great… until he plays Paul his new album.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Heart of Glass

Meet Paul McCartney. Forty years old. Husband, father of two, teacher turned PhD student. So far, so dull. Until he meets his new next-door neighbour, a successful writer by the name of John Lennon, who turns his life upside down.

Angst level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Moodboards

Playlist

One-shots

And I will sing a lullaby (1k words)

The first J/P fic I ever wrote, and what turned into TSWWS/TASSAMIB. Paul refuses to share a room with John after an argument, but soon comes to regret it.

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level- 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

You say yes, I say no (2k words)

Five times that John heard ‘no’. And one time he heard ‘yes’.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Sharing is caring (2.5k words)

Kink meme prompt - "Paul and John meet a woman and both start flirting with her. They can’t figure out which one she prefers, and that leads to a threesome. But it gets embarrassing when, in the threesome, it’s clear they are most attracted to each other."

Angst level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Because I love Paul (800 words)

How did Paul get that ‘Love of My Life’ badge at the All You Need Is Love press day?

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Paul in the raw (900 words)

Inspired by that old Beatles article that said Paul 'loathes pajamas and prefers to sleep raw', which seems... awfully convenient.

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

So It Was, So It Is, So It Always Will Be (2k words)

19 songs. 19 years in John and Paul's life. The (fictionalised) story of John and Paul, told through the songs of the Everly Brothers.

Angst level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fair’s fair (2k words)

Paul pulls John’s chair out at the Atlantic City press conference, so John decides to get his own back.

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

I’ve just got to get a message to you (800 words)

Paul keeps telling people that John hasn’t sent a message to him from beyond the grave. And John isn’t too happy about it.

Angst level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Khristmas Karaoke (4k words)

A spin-off from 'Take a sad song and make it better' - Lennon-McCartney Christmas 1987, and Paul has a new toy

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Playlist

Très bien ensemble (5k words)

Kink meme prompt - Paul’s attempts to pull at an art school party fail… or do they?

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

That picture on the wall (3k words)

Kink meme prompt - Paul develops his photos from the Paris 61 trip, and is disappointed to find they don’t have any decent photos of him and John together. John makes it up to him somehow.

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level- 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Mornings at Cavendish (6k words)

A spin-off from TSWWS/TASSAMIB - snapshots of John and Paul's lives through the years (mostly post-TASSAMIB)

Angst level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Just Can't Get Enough (6k words)

A spin-off from The Life of Riley - the first night, week and month of John and Paul's new life together

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Club Sandwich (4k words) (with @scurator)

Kink meme prompt - Some drug-fuelled party in 1967. Paul ends up sandwiched between two men on the couch. As they start fondling and kissing him, John stumbles upon the scene…

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

I love you anyhow (4k words)

Kink meme prompt - John or Paul accidentally saying “I love you” during a session of ‘just jerking off between mates’

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

Plausible deniability (9k words)

Kink meme prompt - Bedsharing leads to dry-humping which starts as something accidental when they’re asleep.

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴⚪️⚪️⚪️

Smut level - 🔴🔴🔴⚪️⚪️

It might come true (1.7k words)

Takes place five years after the events of Double Fantasy/Flowers In The Dirt

Angst level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Fluff level - 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Smut level - ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

Collections

Room for a little one?

Perspective flip for 'Because I love Paul' (angst/fluff)

Paul has an argument with Rory Storm, John worries about fish (fluff)

Deleted scene from Brother Dearest - George knows (fluff)

Deleted scene from Brother Dearest - Cyn's pregnant (angst/fluff)

George Martin allows Paul to be the boss for once (angst/smut)

Deleted scene from Father and Son - Mike's wedding (angst)

Mince pies and missed thighs - Christmas 1964, and John is in a grump (fluff)

Paul POV snippets from Father & Son (angst)

[cherry-velvet-skies]

Feeling Two-Foot Small (Part 1)

Tiny!Paul McCartney × Tiny!Reader

Genre: Fluff with some Angsty bits

Warnings: Convos about insecurities and stuff but that's about it

Words: 3k

Summary: Takes place in the Help! movie universe (but Modern!AU I guess? Idk lol); Reader wonders what it's like to be small, gets their wish, and meets a tiny Paul along the way

=======================================

=======================================

When people are asked if they wonder what it would feel like to be tiny, most of them think about the effects it would have on their life in a personal way. They rejoice at the idea of being the same size as their pet, having a small furry friend to play with. Some feel liberated at the idea of being able to get underneath all their furniture, hunting for all the loose paper clips, rubber bands, and hair ties they thought would never again see the light of day. Others might opt for a brief dive between the couch cushions to find every single stray coin that is now the size of their head.

You, on the other hand? Well, you think differently than that. You view being tiny from an outward perspective, pondering how being two or three inches high would have an effect on the world around you as opposed to you as an individual. When you shrink, do your clothes shrink with you? Or once you're small, do you lay naked inside a pile of now oversized fabric? Are those tiny skateboards you use for your fingers sturdy enough to support your weight? It would make getting around a whole lot easier. Does walking underneath the arch of a high heel shoe have the same implications as walking underneath a ladder? Would you receive some tiny alternate version of bad luck?

See, you don't think about what it is like to be small, because you already know that feeling quite well at your average height. You know what it's like to have the world tell you there isn't enough space for you, and that you must keep shrinking who you are until you fit. And sometimes, you are told to shrink so small that the only place you can fit is inside your own head. So why would you want to experience that sensation physically as well? However, it would be interesting to have your body match the way your mind has felt for a long while. In some sick, twisted way, you might feel right at home. 

But alas, it is only mere speculation. Something you didn’t want to think about anyway. You preferred not to fill your brain with any more possible outcomes of unachievable situations. You already did that enough with the things actually happening in your life. You already knew how it would all play out. You would spend hours sending your mind into such a frenzy that you tired yourself out, only to forcefully push the thought away the following morning. And if you weren’t careful, the topic would somehow barge its way back into your thoughts some weeks or months later, and the cycle would start anew. So, better to cut things off at the start, despite the part of you that couldn’t help but be the least bit curious.

When you awoke the following morning, something felt off. You opened your eyes to find the blanket completely over your head, which also felt much heavier than usual. You went to move the piece of fabric off your face until you realized that what was currently placed on top of you was two separate layers. You swiftly moved the first one off, poking your head out of the end only to realize it was the shirt you had put on before bed the previous night.

Mixed in with your confusion, your brain managed to form the idea that this was a dream. Your shirt and blanket becoming a hundred times bigger overnight is not physically possible. You felt like you were swiping the large blanket off your head for minutes until the bright beams of sunlight in your room hit your face. You sat up, only to notice that you had actually stood up, not that it made much of a difference. Whether you were standing or sitting, you still could barely see over the edge of the footboard. Glancing around, you noticed your pillow behind you, which was now the size of a giant’s, and the rest of your pyjamas crumpled beneath the blanket. A sudden breeze across the room alerted you that you were currently naked. And unless you were experiencing a rather severe case of Alice-in-Wonderland Syndrome, this was most definitely a dream.

You had always heard about lucid dreaming before, but the concept always frightened you. A dream that felt like reality? That doesn’t sound very safe. The only rule of lucid dreaming you remembered was never to use any of the bathrooms you see, as it will not end well. But other than that, exploring the world like this actually seemed kind of fun.

As you went to hop out of bed, You peered down the side of the cliff that was now your mattress, thankful you didn’t lose your impulse control and critically injured yourself from the start. You figured that if you somehow did end up shrinking in your sleep, you were going to need some serious level of strategy to get around.

Dragging one of the legs of your sweatpants over to the edge of the bed, you hoisted it over, hearing the elastic at the ankle thud as it hit the wooden floor. You looked down again before grabbing onto the side of the pant leg and using it to shimmy down to the floor like a fireman’s pole. If there was going to be any time in your life that you were grateful for not having a fear of heights, that time was now. But so far, your theory of your clothing not shrinking with you had been swiftly proven.

Once on the floor, your next task was to find new clothes. Or, at the very least, some type of fabric to keep you covered. Judging by how close you were to the floor, you gathered that your new height was about three inches, just like you had imagined. By those parameters, even your socks would be too big to clothe you. 

You felt like you were in a video game. Every single place you wanted to go felt like it took forever to get there. And that was when you spotted the perfect wardrobe. All these years, you knew something good would come out of your vintage Barbie doll collection. On the lower shelf of your desk, you had kept all the extra clothing your dolls weren’t wearing in a small bin. Luckily you were able to flip the lid open and start searching.

You may not have been able to see yourself in the mirror, but you felt like you looked good. One of Barbie’s rompers was big enough to look like a pantsuit on you, and one of Ken’s jackets was more than enough to keep you warm. Barbie’s winter boots weren’t exactly comfortable, considering they were nothing more than malleable plastic, but you didn’t exactly have much of a choice. In an equally small bin beside the clothes was a collection of small toys, including your finger-sized skateboard from when you were a little kid. Placing it beside you, you softly hopped on, pushing your foot and briskly gliding across your bedroom floor. As for your average-sized predictions, you had been spot on about the practicality of living a tiny life.

But now that you were properly dressed, you were most excited to try and explore the outside world. What you didn’t plan for, however, was how you were actually going to get out the door. After making your way to the exit, you groaned as the doorknob appeared to be a million miles away. You didn’t have any pets, so there was no convenient doggy door to use. Beside the door, you spied the small latch on top of the window. It was unlocked. Getting up there was going to be a pain, but it was your only logical way out.

Slinging your skateboard over your shoulder - with the convenient strap you made for it out of a pair of Barbie’s stockings - you began to climb up the curtain. The height from the window to the floor was about the same as getting up and down your bed, but getting up was definitely trickier. Once you settled on the window sill, you stuck the edge of your skateboard under the lip of the window, jumping on the other end of the board to pop it open. Granted, your decreased strength only opened it about an inch, but that was enough. You squeezed your way through the exit, and, seeing no other option, jumping down into the patch of dirt below. You didn’t injure yourself, but jumping that far didn’t feel good, especially after climbing up the curtain. This must have been what Tinkerbell felt like. Well, at least she had wings. And on top of just waking up and not eating anything, you already felt beat. 

That’s right. Food. You were so preoccupied with adapting to this new way of life you had forgotten to eat. In hindsight, the fridge had been too large to get anything out of anyway. But your prayers were soon answered as you noticed that the fruits in your neighbor’s garden were ripe and ready to be picked. You were sure they wouldn’t miss just one.

Dusting yourself off and skating a few feet ahead, you gently plucked a raspberry from the bottom of one of the bushes, making sure it hadn’t been tainted by any insects that might’ve gotten there before you. You would’ve only needed one anyway, seeing as a raspberry was now a watermelon in your world and one tiny berry would feed you for quite a few hours as you skated around. It also stained your lips a lovely shade of pink. Nature’s makeup, you thought.

Your neighborhood was pretty quiet in the morning, and being able to move about completely unseen actually brought you a level of comfort. No one to have to explain your circumstances to. No stray animals to drag you like a chew toy. You kind of liked it. To your surprise, the world wasn’t so bad from this height.

Reaching the end of your street, you decided to stop and take a rest. The sky looked like rain, and that was something you needed to watch out for. At this size, a raindrop could quite possibly waterboard you if you weren’t expecting it.

Taking shelter under a small plant in another person’s garden, you looked around at the other bushes and blades of grass around you. The garden felt like a rainforest. Tiny twigs and saplings took on the roles of redwoods and sequoias, towering above you, protecting you from the elements. You truly felt like a fairy. Like the ones who wore mushroom hats and made flower crowns from dandelion stems. The only thing that seemed a tad out of place was a gum wrapper that lay not too far from you. It was the perfect size for you to use as a blanket if you wanted it, but just as you got up to have a closer look, it moved. Clearly it was already occupied.

A boy with short brown hair popped out from underneath it, securing it around his waist like a bath towel. He turned around before you could hide, both of you screaming at the sight of each other. 

“How are you this small?” He blurted out, purely out of shock.

“Me? How are you this size?” You fired back, hoping he could give you some answers.

“I asked you first.” He retorted. You accepted that talking to him was certainly going to be an adventure.

“I woke up like this.” You explained. The boy seemed surprised, as if your reason was more simple than he expected. “Why, what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story.” He said sheepishly. “But one I hope is temporary. Nice clothes.” Sensing he wanted to change the subject, you lent him your jacket, which fit him perfectly. 

“They’re doll clothes. I had no other choice.” You chuckled. “I can give you some if you’d like.” The boy seemed unsure, but you persisted. “I know it’s not ideal, but it beats a gum wrapper.” The boy smiled this time, agreeing to go with you. You held out your hand to lead him back to the sidewalk and helped him on your skateboard. It was very clear he had never ridden one before, as he tightly gripped your waist the second you started moving. On the way back, you let him take a berry from your neighbor’s bush as well, to which he was very grateful.

“What’s your name, by the way?” You questioned. You told him your name as you watched his shoulders relax a bit, accepting you as his companion in this bizarre adventure.

“I’m Paul.” He said, trying to hold the giant raspberry and keep his gum wrapper towel from falling off at the same time.

The endeavor of getting back into your house was something Paul was not prepared for. Honestly, you weren’t too thrilled either, but you were prepared for anything by this point. You never thought that climbing the curtain would’ve been the easiest thing you’ve done so far. You both had to get back up to the window by climbing up the twigs of the nearest bush, which strangely enough, felt like one of those wobbly rope ladders at a playground. You got the hang of it pretty quickly, but Paul, however, did not. He eventually made it up, but with several rips and tears in his gum wrapper towel, which you were just grateful didn’t fall off entirely.

The rest of the trip was pretty simple. Paul enjoyed sliding down the curtain, but he was upset that he had to leave the raspberry behind as he couldn’t hold it and climb the bush at the same time. You promised you would get him another one.

Your selection of doll clothes was plenty for Paul to choose from. He ended up keeping the jacket you were wearing. It looked better on him anyway. He also chose one of Ken’s polo shirts to match it. The only pants that fit him were a pair of Barbie’s denim shorts. What the gum wrapper towel couldn’t tell you is he had quite the shapely figure. 

Once you both were settled, you tried to get whatever food you could from your kitchen. With Paul’s help, you were able to reach the bottom pantry shelf, succeeding in acquiring a package of fruit snacks and a small bag of pretzel sticks. A subpar diet as they may be, it was more than enough to get you both through the day.

“Okay,” You began, making a comfortable sitting area on your bedroom floor out of some old socks, “How did all of this happen?”

Paul began to explain his predicament, but in all honesty, he kind of lost you somewhere in the middle. He was talking about how he accidentally received a dose of shrinking serum that was actually supposed to go to his friend in order to stop him from becoming some sort of human sacrifice. Something like that. Well, at least you confirmed your suspicions that this was indeed a dream. Whoever this Paul was and how he got in your subconscious, he wasn’t making any sense whatsoever.

“But it’s temporary, right?” You asked. Paul shrugged his shoulders.

“I hope so. At least that’s what I was told from the woman who gave it to me. But then again, she says she is not always what she seems.” He stated nonchalantly. You furrowed your eyebrows. Yep. Definitely a dream.

“Well, what do you want to do in the meantime?” You suggested. Paul’s eyes widened. 

“There’s not much we can do outside without us getting stepped on or drowned by rain.” He crossed his arms, a small pout appearing on his lips. “Being this small is no fun.”

“Who said we had to go outside? There’s plenty to do in here!” You debated, much to Paul’s confusion. “I’m sure I have another one of these skateboards somewhere. We can race them around the house! Plus, now that we’re tiny, we can play a mean game of hide and seek.”

Originally, your disposition had been similar to Paul’s on this whole situation. Being this size was no fun. But only if you accepted that as a fact. If you make it fun, then anything can be enjoyable. 

“I suppose so.” Paul admitted. “It’s just that I’m not used to this, you know? Being so tiny and all.”

In the small amount of time you had spent with Paul, you gathered he was the type of person whose presence was regarded everywhere he went. His personality was considerably assertive, commanding attention. Though a bit boisterous at that, he was quite charming. Being the size of a toy was no doubt a blow to his ego.

“To be honest, being this small isn’t really much of a difference for me.” You confessed, eliciting a puzzled look from the boy beside you. “People don’t really notice me anyway, so I think it’s actually kind of better that I’m small enough to be out of everyone’s way.”

Paul scoffed at your statement, as if it was unfathomable for him that anyone would think such a thing about themselves. But insecurity was often just as voluminous as it was compensatory.

“So then you run the risk of being stepped on.”

“Then I move out of the way before it happens.”

“No, you tell people to stop stepping on you.” Paul’s gaze softened as he delivered his reply, a bit surprised by his own comment. Judging by the look on his face, you discerned this was his first time giving such a profound piece of advice. No matter what size you were, the key to not being overshadowed by others was not to avoid the situation entirely. It was to stop it from happening before it even began.

Without answering, you leaned forward to give Paul a hug. He tensed up at first, but quickly reciprocated your embrace, softly rubbing his hands up and down your back.

“So…” He whispered in your ear, “I’ll hide while you count?”

=======================================

I'm so glad I can post fics again! 🥰 This scene from the Help! movie is one of my favorites so I had to do something with it 🤭 This is a 2 part story so the second half will be up soon 😊

[whumpbug]

🎶 (get silly 💥) and 🖌️

@mellowwhumps

hiii!!! i wasn't sure what character you wanted the questions answered for so i'm just doing all 4 of the ones i have!

🎶 What song do they swear they hate until they’re alone and start singing it on repeat?

simon: wonderful christmastime by paul mccartney

archie: that one whopper whopper whopper burger king song

(for gene and cassidy, we're just gonna pretend they're in a modern au real quick. this is what the song would be)

gene: that one hozier whiskey song (claims its overplayed. still hums along every time)

cassidy: montana hates love songs so cassidy claims to hate them too, but he's a HUGE romantic deep down. his favorite is here there and everywhere by the beatles

🖌 If they spray-painted a city wall, what would they write / draw?

simon: he wouldn't.

archie: he'd draw a smiley cat for his own enjoyment

gene: he'd draw a smiley cat for the enjoyment of the kids in town (he has a soft spot for them)

cassidy: he only vandalizes things when montana tells him to, so it would most likely be something vaguely political. he enjoys the thrill of it anyways

thank u for the ask mello!!!!