Fido (Patreon)

Inspired by Nigma's Guardians.

How could life treat him so unfairly? During the few days he’d spent at his Guardian’s home, Fido had come to relentlessly ask himself that question. Fido wasn’t his real name, of course, but what difference did it make when it was the only one he’d ever be called again?

With the shrinking virus sweeping across the globe, governments scrambled to find solutions to mitigate its effects. Quarantines, lockdowns and research funding had been the early principles guiding every attempt to slow down its constant progress. However, as the disease kept spreading, a new approach had to be taken. If the virus couldn’t be contained, new objectives to minimize its effect on society would rise. Thus, the Guardian Program was created.

It was simple enough. Any Immune Gene Carrier could apply to host a victim of the virus from the moment it was detected in their system. They would provide shelter, sustenance and companionship to the affected for as long as may be required.

For Fido, the reception of his positive test felt like hitting a wall at maximum velocity. In his mid-twenties, the young bachelor knew the diagnosis was terminal and what it meant for him moving forward. Two years. That’s all he had left before his size dwindled down to just under a couple inches. He spent most of it traveling the world, visiting as many continents as he could before the dormant parasite awakened to rob him of his life. Twenty months later, on a cafe’s terrace in Barcelona, the young man knew it was time to prepare - to find a Guardian.

It came in the form of Abi. Compared to the creepy candidates filling the Guardian Program’s website, the twenty-something years old from Colorado felt like a breath of hope. In her intro video, she looked animated with a viral passion to protect and care for those unluckier than her. More than anything else, it was her rates that convinced Fido to go with Abi. His travels had left him with but a few thousand dollars in the bank - just what the petite brunette requested to help pay for her foreign language studies.

Feeling the strain of the rubber sole weighing on the back of his head, Fido fought the urge to cry the few tears he had left.

It was Sofia who opened the door of the cute campus house where Abi had told him to go. At first, Fido had apologized, thinking he rang at the wrong address seeing that the tall athletic blonde in front of him was the polar opposite of his Guardian. However, she had quickly reassured him with a warm smile that it was indeed where Abi lived. They were roommates.

Looking back, Fido fondly remembered the first few days he spent in Abi and Sofia’s company. The pair seemingly had nothing in common. One was shy and studious, when the other radiated confidence and reveled in physical activities. The young dwindling man had offered to help around the house while they went about their days, cleaning and cooking however much he could. The dollhouse in Abi’s bedroom was a powerful reminder of the life awaiting him and he found joy in these menial tasks. Life was sweet when nothing mattered anymore, and even Sofia’s bullish teasing about his diminishing stature hardly reached him.

It was her who called him Fido. He couldn’t even remember if she had ever used his actual name. Just one of the many things she rewired in his dwindling brain. A tear finally dropped down on the hardfloor below him. An inescapable feeling of regret rose up in his chest as the remembrance of his choices haunted him. He hated how weak he had grown. He felt a coward, too scared to leave despite being at liberty to do so. What would he even do out there? He could shrink any moment, and without a cent to his name, he’d live the rest of his life as an insect. Sofia was right. She was his best bet.

“Yeah I’m watching right now. They say it’s only for folks who got diagnosed within a week of catching the damn thing. So it’s basically worthless…” Sofia casually discussed on the phone. Fido didn’t recognize the voice coming out of the speakers. “Definitely too late for lil’ Fido here, isn’t it?” she continued, punctuating her question with a strong push on the dwindling man’s neck.

Fido bent his head lower under the pressure. He knew better than to complain. “Yes, Miss Sofia…” were the only words that would escape his lips in her presence. Her deal with him was simple enough, and not totally devoid of sense. Soon, he’d be the size of a bug. He’d no longer be equal with other people. He’d have to get used to being patient, ignored and do as he’s told. In a way, she was simply preparing him for the future - an unfair but predictable one. Her logic was unbreakable. It was better to be a pet than a bug and Abi’s little dollhouse looked luxurious compared to any other alternative she had laid down for him.

“It’s not like he’d wanna leave, anyway. I mean, he hasn’t so far. He knows it’s better here than out there. Don’t you, Fido?” Sofia continued, half talking on the phone, half talking to the kneeling man at her feet.

“Yes Miss, Sofia…” was once again the only answer leaving Fido’s mouth as humiliation burnt in his chest. He was trapped. A helpless passenger only able to watch as his new master reshaped his entire being. Abi knew none of it and he’d never dare say a thing. Making an enemy of someone who’d soon look after him at his most helpless would be a death warrant - or worse.

“Anyway, gotta go. I told Abi I’d pick her up tonight. Tell me when you come by Denver, we gotta catch up…” Sofia’s conversation continued, mixing with the sound of the news blasting on TV. The blonde amazon casually discarded her phone on the sofa and turned her attention down towards her toy. “You’re getting good at that boy. Obeying. Don’t worry, by the time that little episode of yours hits, I’ll make sure you feel grateful for it. We wouldn’t want you to feel any sort of size dysmorphia now, would we? No we wouldn’t.” Sofia talked down to Fido, her tone resembling one chosen for a baby or a pet. The pressure on the dwindling man’s head suddenly disappeared as the amazon uncrossed her leg and bent forward.

“What a good boy you’re becoming, little Fido…” she whispered, close to his ear. He hated her so much. He felt his cock twitch against the cold metal of the chastity cage she had given him. She was right.

It's been a while since I've made a piece based on someone else's work. Nigma's work has always been an incredibly strong inspiration for me and I really invite you to check out his stories if you don't know them yet. Chances are, you'll love them!

It's been a fun artwork to work on. It's rare for me to focus on such small size differences visually. However, I find the moments before shrinking so interesting from a psychological perspective. Diving into how someone prepares for their loss of size just has something special.

I hope you'll enjoy it, and that you'll appreciate Nigma's work if you're discovering it! :)