Nexifem Inc. - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Lo! through the dusky silence of the groves,

Thro' vales irriguous, and thro' green retreats,

With languid murmur creeps the placid stream

And works its secret way.

-From “A Wish”, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Well after Chad had drifted off to sleep, a flurry of texts came in from Kelly. He woke to numerous alerts on his phone, caught back up in a digital cycle that dominated so much of life.

“You’re back! Finally!” Kelly answered. “You’re going to be surprised by how fit I am. I’ve been working out a lot and taking Voluptupram while you were away. I’m so glad you’re okay and we can talk again. I want to put you in my lap again and give you all the hugs, my little company man.”

Chad’s stomach fluttered in nervous energy at the idea that Kelly had also been using Voluptupram, possibly even more heavily than Selina, since she’d been given extra supplements by Ms. Pratt. Would Kelly’s belly button be above his head now? Once again, Chad wished that he’d texted Kelly earlier. His shyness and insecurities about his new size had given Selina a wedge into his life. If he didn’t reach out to Kelly, Selina would impose herself into Chad’s world. She clearly had no qualms about invading his one private sanctuary - his small apartment.

Chad sat up in bed and considered what to say. “I am so happy to be back, and I bet you look so good,” he wrote. “I missed you. I want to see you soon. My place is dusty and stuff though.”

Kelly replied within moments. “We should go for a walk. Do you want to meet me at this spot?” Kelly had attached a geo-tag to her text, connecting to the map app. Chad pulled up the link and saw that Kelly was suggesting they take a walk in a big but popular park in the middle of the city.

Chad swallowed. At some point he was going to have to go out into the world, even if he was only about 3’10”. Maybe this was the best way to do it - with someone nearby to protect him. It was certainly better, as a first outing, than trying to get to the office alone, and he really was starting to feel cooped up staying inside for so many days. He needed to feel the sun on his face.

“Okay, how about this afternoon around 2pm by the pond path?” Chad replied.

“Awesome!” Kelly answered. “I can’t wait to see you. Ms. Pratt said you might look a bit different because you’ve been helping with some special male supplement research or something. If it’s a vulni-chic thing, I bet I’ll like the new look!” Several emoticons followed of red lips and smiling faces.

“Oh, I think we’ll get some stares,” Chad answered. “But most people will be working at that time. See you then!”

Chad put his phone aside and slid out of bed. He looked out his window at the blue sky. Puffy white clouds were floating in a scattered sparse pattern. It looked to be a pleasant day, perfect for the park. Yet Chad felt his own nervousness at what he was about to do - to present himself to a changed world. A year or two ago, the sight of a man like him would have caused shock and amazement. Would there be any change in such a response now?

Chad walked into his living room and saw signs of the previous evening: the toppled bookshelf with items and books scattered all over the floor, his graduation photo from high school shattered and fallen from the wall. Selina had passed through his home like a force of nature, and she’d taken little care for his possessions or the images of his past. Chad gingerly picked up the framed photo, so that no shards of glass would fall to the floor. He set it down on his coffee table and looked at the smiling image of his former self.

Even back then, Chad had felt small, but he’d still believed he would sail into a good college, a decent job, buy a nice house, have kids, and live a ‘normal’ life. But he’d never really had very good grades. Instead of studying hard for the college entrance exams, he’d spent more time playing online games using tall powerful avatars, living out a fantasy of being a powerful commanding figure. He’d also procrastinated, assuming there would always be more time to eventually get around to serious grown-up endeavours. Meanwhile, many of his peers had gone on to careers and other cities, taking out student loans, working hard. And then he’d ended up at Nexifem, after settling for a diploma in admin support, as the job market got tighter and tighter, pushing him increasingly toward service industry and office support jobs. Nexifem had been a sort of surprising turn of luck, with a much better level of pay that he’d been used to. At least, that had been what he’d thought at first. Now it turned out that Nexifem had been the beginning of a whole new path for Chad and millions of other men, increasingly at the beck and call of domineering towering women of ambitious means.

Chad turned away from the shattered picture of his past and went into the kitchen. He picked out a nutrient gel-pack and cracked it open. He was able to eat regular food again, but he still had so many left over gels from Nexifem. It seemed silly not to use them, and it was a lot easier than cooking or ordering out. The kiwi-flavour of the pack filled Chad’s mouth as he considered what to wear for his date with Kelly. The clothes he’d worn the previous day had to be put in the laundry bin. They were covered in juices and sweat. Chad tried not to think about Selina and her demand for more Voluptupram. He pushed the thought aside and focused on the present. Today would be a less sordid day, he told himself.

———

Chad’s car pulled up to the edge of the large city park where he’d agreed to meet Kelly for their date. He’d managed to get from his apartment to the car without attracting any gawkers by using a rear staircase in his building. Chad was grateful for autonomous self-driving cars at times like this. Once he was in the car, he’d activated its dynamic window-tint, maxing it out so that no one would be able to see inside. Chad had been able to enjoy a quiet ride through the city to the park - his first time out in the world alone since he’d last emerged from the Adtenuo Tank.

There were many subtle signs of a changing world. Huge billboards now advertised vulni-chic lifestyle brands openly, with images of shorter men chopping vegetables, folding laundry, or lost in the embrace of a confident woman. The product could be anything from jeans to food to insurance, but many of the ads now targeted a consumer mentality that had clearly gone beyond a trend or sub-culture. It was become a ‘new normal’ - a term Chad remembered hearing about in old footage from his parents’ and grandparents’ experiences in the pandemic years several decades earlier.

When taken together with the recent experiences in Chad’s life, it was hard not to feel like he was increasingly living in a world made for confident ambitious women. Structures and privileges were slowly shifting away from men, particularly men like himself. Selina’s words echoed in his mind along with those spoken by Miss Everhart, Miss Belmont, Miss Pratt, and other Nexifem co-workers. Was their goal actually coming closer to reality? Chad felt a flash of hot guilt for helping to advance the ongoing changes, but was he really to blame? Wouldn’t Nexifem have just found some other desperate-for-work guy anyway?

Chad shook his head and tried to focus his thoughts on Kelly. Seeing her would make him feel better, he was sure.

As Chad’s car pulled up to the edge of the park, he used his phone to give it precise instructions to stop beside a large hedge which would block the view of passing pedestrians. Fortunately, it was still regular working hours and the curb was quiet. Chad hopped out of his car and closed the door with a little more effort than he once would have needed. He pulled the collar of his button-down shirt up and stepped into the park. His car pulled away after a moment, off to serve another client.

Chad was out on foot in the world for the first time since his second Adtenuo treatment. He felt both liberated and anxious as his lungs filled with fresh air. The scent of leaves, flowers, and soil woke his mind up a bit. Everything was bigger to him now. Chad looked around as he walked along the groomed path, noticing how daffodils near the curb now loomed past his knees in height. Ferns and juniper bushes seemed to take on a prehistoric dimensions, as Chad’s lower point-of-view gave him a new perspective. He was better able to see under the boughs and fronds of larger bushes to the shadowy mulch and weeds beneath. Most tree trunks were thicker than his body now, even the relatively younger ones. It was possible to imagine that he was wandering through some old-growth forest, if he squinted his eyes.

Chad walked further into the large urban park, which was separated into wooded areas and open lawns, until he came to a man-made lake that resembled a large pond sitting at the centre of an open green-space. Chad crested a knoll just as two passing female joggers emerged from another path to his left. The two women, who appeared to be in their late twenties, slowed to stare at Chad before going past. The sudden attention made him feel like a hare who had emerged from the woods, exposed to the open sky and unknown potential dangers. Chad felt palpable relief as the women resumed their pace. They were too committed to their exercise to stop, but Chad could see them talking as they moved away. He’d been noticed.

Chad spotted a blonde woman facing away from him, seated on a bench down by the lake. It was clearly Kelly. Her height and curvaceous fit figure were apparent even from a distance. Chad walked quickly, straightening his dress-shirt in an attempt to re-assure himself. Although he knew that he could no longer feign normalcy, Chad couldn’t help but cling to some hope that his clothing and posture would offset the impact of his diminutive size. No matter what, he would draw the gaze of strangers for being so small, but now the rampant vulni-chic and fempowerment movements had altered things. Chad had been turned into a sort of walking avatar of the desired fantasy for many women - a thrilling symbol of what was possible, of a future they had only seen in marketing, activist campaigns, and other media.

As Chad moved toward Kelly’s bench, a woman who was walking toward him in the opposite direction gasped in surprise. She pulled up short, halting on the path. Her fluffy Akita dog wandered toward Chad, pulling on the leash in its owner’s hand.

Chad offered his palm, inviting the friendly dog to sniff, before giving it a pet on the head. The animal seemed enormous, easily up to his chest. While Chad had always been comfortable around dogs, it was unique for him to have one this size panting practically in his face. The dog’s owner watched for a moment, towering over Chad. “Hello!” she said. “You’re barely bigger than him. I hope he’s not nothing you.”

Chad shrugged, trying to act like this was normal and fine. “Yes, he’s a friendly dog,” Chad said.

“Max, leave him alone now,” the woman said to her dog, tugging on his leash slightly. The akita backed up and began to sniff around in the grass beside the path.

“It’s okay. He’s just curious,” Chad said.

The woman appeared to be around 30, and had her brown hair pushed back with a purple sport headband. She was slightly chubby and gazed down at Chad with fascination on her heart-shaped face. “Well, I am too,” she said, with a little laugh. “Ive heard rumours about guys super into the vulni-chic look, but I never really believed any guy could look like…like… I mean you’re obviously not natural. Your head is in proportion and everything!”

Chad felt creeping nervousness as the woman gushed about his size and babbled on. She had decided he was this size by choice, to appeal to women. Clearly, Nexifem had been laying the groundwork for people to see men his size in a certain way, perhaps through some form of media content or infotainment.

“Uh, well no, this isn’t how I was born,” Chad admitted. He felt worry as he came dangerously close to violating the terms of his Nexifem corporate privacy obligations. “I’m afraid I’m under contract not to discuss my size.”

Chad had begun to step around the woman, wanting to get to Kelly before he attracted any further attention. The woman turned and stepped slightly toward Chad.

“But you’re barely up to my tummy!” She exclaimed. “Are you here all by you self? Do you have a girlfriend?”

Chad nodded, grateful for this opening, but also unsettled at how forward the woman was. “Um, yes. Actually, I am just going to meet her. She’s just over there,” he said, pointing toward where Kelly was seated.

“Oh,” the woman replied, looking slightly disappointed, but still curious. “Sorry for all the questions. I’ve just never seen a guy so little.”

Chad smiled, as the woman tugged slightly on her dog’s leash, keeping it from wandering off too far. “It’s okay,” he said.

“Hi there,” Kelly’s voice came suddenly from behind. Chad felt a hand on his head stroking his hair. “I see you’ve met my boyfriend.”

Chad swallowed. This was not how he’d intended to show Kelly what had happened to him, but she was acting like this was the most normal thing in the world. He felt an immediate sense of relief as the curious woman’s gaze lifted to a point above and behind him.

“I have!” The woman said. “He’s adorable. Max and him seem to get along wonderfully.”

Kelly laughed at this. “He really is, isn’t he?”

Chad turned slightly, and his eyes widened. While not quite as tall as Selina, Kelly’s hip was definitely at the same level as his head, and the barest turn of his head brought her legging-clad curves into his peripheral vision.

“He caught my attention from the first time we met, but it seems he just gets more vulni each passing month,” Kelly continued, stepping in front of Chad. He found himself slightly behind Kelly, peering around her sizeable peach-shaped butt and hip. Kelly’s hand cupped the side of Chad’s head, her fingers over his ear and jaw. Chad felt safe and moved closer to Kelly’s body, pressing to the side of her thigh as she talked with the strange lady.

“Oh my gawd,” the woman said. “Do you mean he like…shrank? Was it some sort of supplement? A new plastic surgery?”

“Not exactly,” Kelly replied. “I mean he obviously shrunk, but we’re not allowed to talk about how it was done. But I think you might see more men like him eventually.”

Chad was shocked. Kelly was giving the impression that she knew all about his size, and that she’d expected it. But he knew this wasn’t the case. Kelly was pretending for his sake, protecting him from the intense curiosity of a stranger.

“Oh, can you imagine?” The woman said. She pointed to Chad. “More vulni-chic guys like your boyfriend? I’m so curious what it’s like to have one like that. I’m sorry for being so nosy. You probably want to be left alone. I’m going to be thinking about this all week. My friends will never believe it.”

Kelly smiled. “It’s okay,” she said. “I completely understand. It was nice to meet you…”

“Judy,” the woman said, answering Kelly’s implied question.

“I’m Kelly. I hope you have a nice walk, Judy. Thank you for being so nice to Chad.”

“Thanks!” Judy said. “Bye Chad! Nice to um…meet you.”

Chad waved and Judy began to move away, pulling her dog’s leash and walking with a big grin on her face. “Say bye to your new friend, Max!”

Kelly turned to Chad and looked down at him. Her gaze settled on his face and her mouth opened in a smile of confident approval. Then Chad heard the simulated shutter noise of a phone camera in the distance. Judy had obviously been unable to resist taking at least one photo before leaving them alone.

Kelly didn’t seem to care or notice. She spoke quietly so only he could hear. “I almost bit through my cheek trying not to shout or laugh,” she said. Her voice dropped further. “You are so amazingly tiny and small now! I mean, I had suspicions about what you were working on at Nexifem, but this is so wonderful. It’s like some hot fantasy of mine come true!”

Chad swallowed, thrilled to hear how pleased Kelly was, but also unsettled at how quickly she was able to accept his new size. She was clearly shocked and amazed, but also ready to embrace a world where this was possible. Miss Pratt’s subtle hints that he was going to look ‘more vulni-chic’ had clearly allowed Kelly time to imagine what that might mean. Perhaps a smaller size had been part of her fantasies. His girlfriend clearly approved of a world that allowed for men to be reduced to 3’10”.

“I thought you’d like this,” Chad said. “You sure pretended well to that Judy lady. It seemed like nothing was out of the ordinary at all.”

Kelly laughed and sat down on the same park bench she been at earlier. Chad remained standing, noting that she was still looking down at him, even from a seated position. “Oh, I have lots of practice faking it,” she said. “You forget I’m divorced.”

Chad laughed a little with Kelly. “I guess so,” he said.

Kelly tilted her head and her eyes began to move over Chad’s body. She took his wrist and pulled him toward her gently. “Let me get a better look at you. It’s been so long,” Kelly said.

“I missed you,” Chad replied.

Kelly made a soft noise, as she looked at Chad. “You look cuter,” she said. “Like, not just smaller. It’s hard to put my finger on. It’s like…you’re softer.”

Chad felt blood rushing into his cheeks. Selina hadn’t even noticed this nuanced change, or had not really pointed it out directly. But Kelly was examining him closely in broad daylight, a look of fascination and arousal on her face.

“Um…do you like it?” Chad asked.

“Like it? I love it,” Kelly answered. “This is better. I actually it’s better for our relationship this way.”

Chad swallowed. Kelly had no doubts.

“It’s what drew me to you in the first place, that day in the supermarket,” Kelly continued. “I saw you, so small, trying to reach for that yogurt, the smallest man I’d ever seen. I just had to talk to you. You were like the embodiment of the whole new fad for smaller cuter guys. Now that same trend has become so popular, I don’t think it’s a fad anymore. I think this is just a part of the way things are now. Just look how that woman was all over you. I wanted to protect you and watch over you that day we met, but I couldn’t say it at first. I was worried you’d get weirded out.”

Chad stepped closer to Kelly, between her parted knees where she sat on the bench. He gazed into her eyes. “I know,” he said. “I guess I could feel it, but I liked you. Is the feeling stronger now?”

Kelly nodded. “Oh yes. You were the opposite of my ex. He was tall and strong and a jerk who thought he was the king of everything,” Kelly explained. “You look up to me, and you fit right into my life the way I want. And now, now you need me to watch over you, to guide and protect you. Do you realize that Judy was comparing you to her dog?”

Chad was genuinely shocked. “What do mean? Like my size?”

Kelly shook her head. “Oh, not just that. She was sizing you up, yes. But she also was considering how you would make a preferable pet. Every time she looked at you, she tugged a little on her dog’s leash. She kept looking at your neck and head. Didn’t you see how she bit her lip when my hand was on your jaw?”

“No, I didn’t see any of that,” Chad said. He felt nervous anxiety at how a woman could look at him like some sort of pet, and that he hadn’t picked up on it. Judy had seemed a little insecure and even awkward in a way. “She just seemed into my small size as a vulni-chic oddity.”

Kelly laughed and stroked Chad’s hair. “Oh she was. But you didn’t see what I did. I know what she was thinking, and in some ways I get it.”

“I’m glad you were here to step in,” Chad said.

Kelly leaned forward, cupping Chad’s head with hand, her pretty manicured fingers pushing into his hair as her palm slid against his jaw. “So am I, my precious little prince,” she whispered.

Kelly’s lips pressed softly against Chad’s in a deep kiss, as she drew him to her, closing her legs slightly against his waist. The kiss was deep and lingering, as Kelly’s tongue pushed into Chad’s mouth. She led the kiss completely, pulling some of the air from his lungs as her lips moved against him. Chad could feel Kelly tasting him, savouring the dynamic of their kiss. She was in control and he let himself fall into the moment, be tasted and enjoyed.

Finally, the kiss was broken, and Kelly pulled back an inch or too. Chad panted, trying to catch his breath. There was a taste of peppermint in his mouth now, left behind. It was as though Kelly had pulled the wind right out of him, consumed his air. She smiled. “Do my kisses leave you breathless?”

Chad nodded. “Well, I just…I guess my lungs aren’t as…you know.”

“They’re smaller,” Kelly said. “You’re smaller and sweeter. I can’t wait to get you back to my place soon so we can have a real date. But I have a bunch of stuff I need to do tonight with my daughter.”

Chad felt a deep longing to stay with Kelly, along with a fear of being left alone. His mind flashed back to Selina and he felt a mix of guilt and worry creep up into his chest. He knew she’d be coming for the Voluptupram she wanted soon enough.

“Oh, I wish I could go with you,” Chad said. “But I understand. I want to have a real date too.”

Kelly grinned. “Oh, it’s going to happen, and I won’t even have to cook much food for you. You probably barely eat much at all.” She laughed at the idea.

Chad smiled. “That’s true,” he admitted. “Will you at least walk with me to get a car? I don’t want to deal with any more women like Judy all by myself.”

Kelly nodded. “Of course I will,” she said. Kelly stood up, looming over Chad. He noticed that the crotch seam of her leggings was level with his collar. She had to be nearly the same height as Selina, but was wearing runners instead of heels or boots.

“H…How much Voluptupram have you been taking?” Chad asked.

Kelly peered down at Chad over her breasts, assessing him. “Just a little each day or two. Oh, wow. I didn’t really realize it before. I was so busy with Judy. Gawd, you’re so small and cute!” She exclaimed. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to this. Do you even reach my belly button?”

Chad lowered his eyes, but the shape of Kelly’s crotch and pelvis filled his vision. “No, I don’t think so,” Chad admitted. “Not quite.”

As he spoke, he watched Kelly slide her hand down her thigh, raking her nails gently over her the smooth fabric.

“So little,” Kelly whispered above him. “Chad, can you do something for me, before we walk out?”

Chad nodded.

“Hug my leg,” Kelly said. “Pretend it’s a woman’s torso.”

Chad stepped closer to Kelly and wrapped his arms around her upper thigh. It was surprisingly thick, at least as thick as his chest, if not thicker. Chad could feel a layer of buoyant healthy fat and smooth skin under Kelly’s leggings, covering her strong toned quadriceps. Kelly looked down at her small boyfriend and flexed her thigh muscles, causing Chad’s embrace to open slightly as her thigh bulged with strength.

Kelly moaned above him. “Oh….oh yes! Perfect,” she said. “Stay right there, little prince.”

Chad saw her pull out her phone, snapping multiple pictures and selfies with practiced skill. “This is so hot,” Kelly said, her voice shaking slightly. “I feel like a Goddess.”

Chad couldn’t help it. He moaned and rubbed his cheek against Kelly’s hip, squeezing her thigh tighter. A shiver swept through Kelly’s body.

“Oh fuck,” Kelly whispered. “I’m so wet.”

Chad was more than aware. A cloying musky aroma was mixing with the scents of trees, grass, and flowers in his nose.

“Come on,” Kelly sighed. “We better go before I end up with a wet spot and we get too carried away here. People are already staring.”

Chad pulled back from Kelly reluctantly, slipping his hand into hers. The two of them began to walk up the path, and Chad noticed that they were indeed getting stares. People in the distance probably assumed he was a small boy with his mother, but those who were closer and paying attention quickly realized he was a grown man - the most intense expression of vulni-chic aesthetics they’d ever seen. At least two people paused to take pictures, but Kelly’s brisk pace and confident expression prevented them from striking up conversations. The city park was filling up with afternoon joggers and walkers now, and they continued to run into a number of other pedestrians as they walked to the exit.

While most of the women they passed did double-takes, took photos, or gawked; one woman with dark make-up and a large hand-bag burst into laughter at the sight of Chad. Most men had much different reactions. Some tried to play as if they were totally un-phased by what they saw. Others looked horrified or stunned.

At least one man exclaimed, “What the fuck?!” He tried to follow them, but Kelly had quickly told him to leave them alone. Since she towered over the man by at least half a foot, he hadn’t pressed his luck.

Chad had noticed at least one or two men who’d worn expressions slight jealousy and fascination. These were men who seemed to envy him for his beautiful girlfriend, but Chad doubted if they’d really be willing to be his size. The pervasiveness of Nexifem’s marketing had created an openly willing male consumer subset who were interested in appealing to fempowerment fads and more domineering women. Could some men really find this appealing, or not realize the long-term consequences? Chad felt as much unease about the potential for men to desire this kind of life as he did at the glee of some women who saw him.

Then again, he was dating just one such woman. Kelly was clearly ecstatic with his smaller size. She’d even pursued him because of it, although in a kind-hearted way. Chad felt confusion. He had so many conflicting thoughts and feelings in his head, especially since the last Adtenuo treatment. He stayed close to Kelly, trusting her to keep him safe in the park. As they emerged out of the trees onto the sidewalk, Chad saw that their two requested cars were waiting: one for each of them.

“Here we are,” Kelly said. “Wow, you sure are attracting attention. I think you better get back to your apartment. Let me know if you need anything, and we can set up a good time for our next date.”

Chad nodded. “I guess it’s unavoidable that people will notice me,” he said. “I’m not looking forward to going back to work in a few days.”

“They still want you to work in the offices?” Kelly asked, looking slightly surprised.

Chad nodded. “Yes,” he said. “My supervisor, Miss Belmont, made that very clear to me in an email this morning. She said she talked to Miss Everhart about it. I have to go back soon. But I still want to make time for our date as soon as possible.”

“Of course!” Kelly grinned. She bent down and put her hands on her knees, bringing her gaze closer to Chad. It was a posture that evoked memories of boyhood: patronizing babysitters, bossy neighbour girls, and the gossipy friends of his step-mother. Kelly placed a soft kiss on his cheek, and Chad felt keenly aware that her lipgloss had probably left a shiny residue spanning his cheekbone. “Be a good boy for those ladies, Chad. They’re doing good work at Nexifem.”

Chad felt a swell of mixed emotions as his girlfriend endorsed Nexifem and the ambitions of women she barely knew. He knew far more than Kelly about what Nexifem’s executives truly desired. But he also knew how much he wanted to make Kelly happy. It wasn’t worth disagreeing with her, not the time or place. Chad nodded, “I will.”

“I’ll see you soon, my little prince,” Kelly said, stepping into her car with a wave.

Chad quickly got into his own car and inputted the directions for his apartment. The two vehicles pulled away smoothly, splitting off into serperate directions at the first intersection.

It was only while riding back this apartment that Chad realized he’d completely forgotten to mention anything about Selina.