~Eden~
I groaned internally as I recognized the grating voice from across the stadium. Of all the people to interrupt my moment with Aiden, why did it have to be Marcus? He was arguing with the bouncers, his usual mix of entitlement and desperation seeping through his outward tough-guy persona.
My gaze flicked back to the distant figure of Aiden for a brief moment, my heart tugging at the thought of the unspoken connection we just shared. But the cacophony of Marcus' protests grew more insistent, and I knew that I had to address the situation at hand.
With a sigh, I strode purposefully in the direction of the commotion. As I approached the group of bouncers surrounding Marcus, my annoyance grew. He‘d always had a knack for finding his way into places he shouldn't be, especially where I was concerned.
“I’ve got this,” I called down to the bouncers, who looked equal parts surprised and relieved to see me. They stepped aside, allowing me to confront Marcus directly.
I watched as Marcus' eyes grew wide with astonishment, his rant faltering mid-sentence. He was always one to be ruled by his desires, and it was clear that my sudden appearance had thrown him off balance.
"Eden," he stuttered, awe and desperation in his voice. "I didn't know you were... I mean... you're so... big."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his clumsy attempt to flatter me.
"Thanks for the observation, Marcus," I said dryly. "But I'm kind of busy right now. What seems to be the issue?"
His cheeks flushed as he glanced between the bouncers and me, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape from his own embarrassment.
"It's just..." he began, his voice wavering, "I wanted to see you, to tell you how much you mean to me. To all of us, you know, the... the macrophiles."
I sighed, my patience wearing thin.
"Marcus," I said firmly, "I appreciate your support, but here isn't the place for this. We've talked about your... preferences before, and I've made it clear that I'm not interested in being anyone's... 'fetish'."
His face fell, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for him.
"But Eden," he whined. “You’re the only giantess I know... How can I even...”
His voice trailed off into incoherent sobs.
I felt another twinge of pity, but I knew that indulging his fantasies would only make things worse - I’d already learned that lesson the hard way once before.
"Marcus," I repeated, my voice softer this time, "you need to move on. I know folks my size are rare, but size is only one aspect of a person. Find someone who loves you for who you are, and it won’t matter, I promise."
The bouncers, who had been watching our exchange with a mix of confusion and amusement, finally stepped in to gently guide him away.
"Come on buddy," one of them murmured, "let's go find you a nice seat outside."
As two of the bouncers escorted Marcus out of the stadium, the third stepped toward me.
"Thanks for that, Miss Joiner," he said, his voice gruff but tinged with empathy. "He's been a real handful."
"It's no problem," I replied with a small smile, watching Marcus disappear into the night. "I just wish he could understand that I'm more than just a... a spectacle for his personal entertainment."
"Thankfully not everyone sees you that way,” "he said, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Take that reporter guy you were talking to a moment ago. He definitely wanted to chat you up, but he seems pretty cool with things. Treats you like a regular person, you know?”
"Yes, he does," I said, my eyes drifting back to the spot where Aiden and I had talked. "It's refreshing to find someone who can look beyond the surface. He's a good guy, and his daughter is adorable."
The bouncer chuckled, his deep baritone rumbling through the quiet stadium.
"Kids do have a way of pulling at the heartstrings, don't they?"
"They do," I replied with a laugh.
We exchanged some more pleasantries before the burly man turned to follow his colleagues, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more - thoughts that continued to drift back to my encounter with Aiden.