#Blue Tarantula Fic

[pupuseriazag]

Blue Tarantula 3/??

(Before I get distracted again and say "Oh sure I'll upload the next one after eating dinner I'll post is as well so lets see, I'll leave this one a lil more longer because I dont remember in which page theres a POV change... is it a spoiler? maybe 👀)

Becoming Blue Tarantula was already weird some years ago. But learning there's actually multiple universes and confirming it was not a play… it's… a very weird feeling. I had known about what a multiverse is because people don't ever stop talking about them…but it had never been confirmed that it's an ACTUAL thing, you know? Like when you see something on the tv or online and you know it exists… but when you actually see it with your own eyes you cannot believe it.

I guess the big dude did help me after all, if it was not because of his.. dumb intervention I would not be here… I’ll have to go thank him for that and apologize for attacking him.

I decided to take a walk around the place… Just to make sure I was not falling into a trap and to calm down my previous anxieties, I took a better look at the floors and the people walking around, some of them even saying hi while passing by. 

Lots of them swinging around together, talking, laughing, enjoying themselves… I even found out they got a “training” room and people were testing their web shooting abilities… it looks fun, maybe I’ll give it a try later.

I lost track of time and night came as I explored this place myself, and I found myself again in the dimly lit hallway.

“Quiza deberia buscarlo y pedirle perdón…” Was my thought as I walked straight to that triangular door, I expected it to not open and ask me a password…but it opened right away.

I entered thinking he was going to be there but no, apparently one long ass corridor was not enough and he needed to be even more hidden, but now in a place that looked similar to a research or lab with a lot of machinery that was beyond my knowledge. 

The red dim lights of the holographic screens were the only thing guiding me towards him, the silent hum of their mechanical parts softly reminding me of some expensive buildings I had the opportunity to get into. A softer blue light coming from a distant corner, probably pointing me where this dude is.

I still couldn't believe all of the things that happened and I'm still not sure if my choice will be the correct one…or if I’m walking towards my ultimate demise. 

I kept walking until I found myself in a taller room, a harsh blue light coming from up illuminating a place I am sure needs more light than that. Desktops and more machinery that only this man probably knew what did.

And there he was in the middle, on top of a weirdly shaped platform that hovered over the floor. His back facing me and him being surrounded by what looked like thousands of those orange screens and a massive console that definitely did not look like if it was taken out from a sci-fi movie set… except of course, these ones actually work.

I heard the faint sound of a little girl talking and laughing… Is he watching something? I saw him move another screen closer to his side, with the photo of a little girl and him… Is he a dad?!

I approached him slowly, thinkin how to start my apology… I should just go for it. “¿Miguel?”

He moved the screens away quickly, turning his torso to see me. 

“Hey… ahm…” 

“¿Quieres que te envíe a casa?”

“¿Huh? No no, olvida… Olvida lo que dije cuando estaba enojado.” 

“Supongo que Parker logró hablar contigo.” 

“Si.. y ahm…” I came closer to his platform. “...Lo siento. Por atacarte y… reaccionar de esa manera.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

“Sonara estupido y reite si quieres, pero realmente pensé que ustedes eran trabajadores de Alchemax que me habían secuestrado.”

“...”

“...También lo siento por no agradecerte que me salvaste de una muerte dolorosa, no... no estaba del todo bien en ese momento… Sigo sin estarlo pero vos me entendes.”

“Ehem” The holo lady nudged his arm and he sighed.

“Yo… también lo siento por no controlar mi ira. Y por no tomar en consideración lo que estabas sintiendo.”

“aaaaand?”

“...Y por tratar de obligarte a unirte a nosotros sin tomar en cuenta lo que tu querías.”

It seems I was not the only one being “scolded” for my attitude.

I awkwardly offered him my hand, and he returned the gesture, shaking it slowly.

“Supongo que estamos a mano.” 

“¿Qué decidiste? Solo quiero saber, no lo digo con intención de forzar-”

“Me voy a quedar.”

“...¿Estás seguro?”

“Digo, no es como que tenga cosas tan interesantes pasando en mi universo.” I placed my arms behind my head. “Pero-.”

“¿Pero?” 

“...Antes de decidirme totalmente, te voy a hacer unas últimas preguntas.”

He crossed his arms. “Te escucho.”

“Todavía no se enteramente quién es Miguel O’Hara. Se que así te llamas… y juzgando por lo que sabes de mi, ya te sabes toda mi vida… Y si voy a poner mi confianza en vos, necesito saber quien sos.”

“...”

“...?”

“Supongo que es justo que te hable de eso.” Miguel came out from his platform. “Querías saber también qué pasa si no arreglamos las anomalías ¿Verdad?

“¿Aja…?”

“Bueno.” His eyes moved to the holo lady. “Yo viví una en carne propia.”

As if he gave her an order, she made several more holograms appear, showing different images as he explained.

“Supongo que estarás familiarizado con el concepto de “canon””

“Maso, ¿Qué tiene que ver eso?”

“Todos nosotros estamos conectados por ello. La vida de un spiderman tiene etapas las cuales son “canónicas” para todos. Ya sean momentos felices, logros importantes… y desgracias.”

The holograms showed me some people I recognized, everyone mourning a dead person… and then there was me, mourning Gwen.

I immediately covered my mouth and looked away. “No, no-. No me mostres eso.”

“No te lo estoy mostrando por crueldad. Es para que entiendas una cosa.” He approached me. “...No fue tu culpa que ella muriera.”

I turned my eyes to him. “Qué estás diciendo… ¡Sí lo fue!”

“Que no, Rox. Estaba destinado a que sucediera. Hicieras lo que hicieras, ella moriría.”

I took a glance again at the hologram, painstakingly having to hear my own sobs and crying when I found her on the ground.

“Todos pasamos por algo así, Rox. No fuiste el único.”

“...¿Que te paso a ti?”

The holograms changed.

“Investigando las anomalías me tope con un universo donde tenía una familia.” His eyes turned to the images. “Pero la versión mía de ese universo murió. Y lo reemplace conmigo.”

“...Y… ¿Que paso?”

“Rompí el canon de ese universo… y lo perdí todo.”

People running away from something began to appear in the holograms, with one resembling Miguel holding his daughter in his arms… until she vanished like the rest of the people and city.

I widened my eyes in disbelief… That.. That’s what’s going to happen to my universe if we don't stop it...? A cold shiver ran across my back imagining the situation.

Miguel stood in silence for a moment, it's not easy to recall such hurtful memories.

The holograms disappeared right after, leaving the two of us back in the blue light…

I didn't know he… wow… Now I feel worse for being a dickhead to him. He genuinely just wanted to help me avoid that happening to me… 

“...”

“...”

“...Lo siento de nuevo. No sabia que te había pasado a vos personalmente… Si hubiera sabido-”

“Ya pasó.” He lifted his hand. “Tienes tus razones para haberte comportado así.”

“Igual, Miguel. Fue muy mierda de mi parte…” 

“Entonces… ¿Qué decidirás?”

“Me unire a ustedes.”

“¿Estás completamente seguro?”

“...Si.” I finally said, looking at his eyes.

He gave half a smile. “Me alegra que lo decidiste.” Then produced one of those bracelets from behind and offered it to me. “Todo tuyo.”

He helped me put it in my wrist, and it lit up displaying the apparent number of my universe.

“Te sere sincero Miguel, para mi este bolado todavía… todavía se siente irreal.”

“Te acostumbraras, solo trata de no quitartelo mientras estés en otro universo.”

“No, no, me refiero… Todavía siento como que en cualquier momento voy a abrir los ojos y voy a estar en la grama del estadio.”

“Te diste un golpe muy fuerte ahí.” His voice sounded more serene, caring even. “Tenía miedo que tus heridas fueran demasiado severas y necesitaras alguna cirugía.”

“Tengo huesos fuertes, ¿Que puedo decir? De pequeño tuve un accidente de auto con mi papá y quebré el vidrio con la cabeza.” I pointed at my forehead. “No se me abrió nada ni me quebré la frente.”

Miguel made a worried expression, and Lyla appeared.

“Well that explains the skull scar” The what?

“¿Ah?” 

“Ignorala.” But- “Me alegra… Me alegra que estés a salvo."

Miguel was about to approach me when a hologram popped beside him

"Uhh, Miguel? We got a situation of a lost bad guy in Earth-602567" 

"Thanks Peter, I'll send someone right away".

Miguel turned his eyes to me.

"¿Quieres hacer tu primer encargo?" 

"Tampoco es como que tenga urgencia de regresar a mi universo." 

“Bien.” Miguel stepped off his platform. “Vamos.”

“¿Vamos a ir caminando?” I began to follow him.

“No me gusta hacer portales en el laboratorio, se vuelan los papeles.”

“Suena como que alguien deberia ser mas ordenado” 

“Quizá.”

Leaving the lab he touched some stuff in his bracelet, opening one of those portals 

"Tu primero." He replied before his mask appeared on him… Damn I left mine in the infirmary. 

I approached the portal, stepping in scaredly and feeling the force of the portal dragging me in.

I lost balance and ended up spinning up until I was able to somewhat balance myself awkwardly while Miguel was behind me, chill and composed. 

"Show off" I muttered to myself and almost lost balance again.

After some moments we reached the other side, because of my position I ended up slipping on the floor, but managed to stop myself before falling on the edge of the rooftop we appeared.

I looked around in awe. The buildings were just as tall as those in very big cities, crystal windowed skyscrapers and several other smaller (but still tall) buildings. 

Migue then came out almost the same, but landing on fours and easily lifting himself. 

"¿No te mareaste?"

"Me pregunto como putas no me desperté cuando me llevaste" I got up groaning softly.

"You'll get used to it." He handed me a piece of cloth. "Vamos."

I unfolded it and it was my mask? No, a new mask to replace my old one… gods, this dude.

“Rox.” He called me and I put on the mask, following him to where the bad guy appeared.

We managed to get into a back alley, with the sounds of punches and stuff being thrown increasing until we were able to see the dude who called Miguel.

“MIGUEL!” The dude called him while being held from his chest by a glitching green man, oh this gotta be someone’s goblin. 

He turned his head around, greeting us with a creepy smile and sharp teeth… my senses warned me and I pushed Miguel aside. Just as I thought, the goblin had called his plane thingy and jumped in it, preparing to escape.

“¡Pero que-!” Miguel looked up and with his web (laser?) launched himself off to catch him, managing to cling his talons on the glider to unstabilize it.

As Miguel tried to climb it I noticed they were approaching a building, probably about to hit it when both me and the other dude shot our webs at the glider and the goblin, then dragging him to the ground as he and Miguel fell.

Miguel, of course, landed safely. Can’t say the same about the goblin who fell on his back.

“Good job guys.” Miguel approached us, but I saw behind him was the Goblin yet again trying to attack him. 

“¡AH NO!” I shot webs at his body, putting him against the wall of the building, finally pinning him down.

Miguel turned at him surprised, then at me. “Thank you.” 

The other dude began to cough, probably out of air from all the fight he did before we came here. “Thank you so much, Miguel.” 

“Thank you for warning us. Sorry we took so long.” He lifted his bracelet again. “Lyla, scan the place. Rox, tie him up.”

“...Me?” 

“Yes, you.” He didn't say another word and waited for me to do it.

The goblin was still kicking and moving, trying to get rid of my web to escape. 

“Hey don't move, you’ll make this harder.” 

He mumbled around, calling me names and even saying what I was going to die of, pretty usual stuff I guess.

I tried to tie him, but his non stopping move was pissing me off. “Ok I fucking warned you.” I kicked him with my knee on there prompting an “oof” from the other spiderman and finally controlling the goblin enough to tie him with my web.

And just in case, I pushed my thumb on one of my fangs, letting some of my own venom come out to put it on my web. In case he tries to touch it.

Neither the other spiderman or Miguel noticed. So… Mission accomplished?

After that we returned, Miguel told me he would contact me with anything he needed me to do so I was pretty much free to go. I took it as a sign to go and explore the HQ more while he returned to his lab. 

I tried to see if I could find where he keeps his cameras... In case I was…curious… of where he could see me. 

What I found was that surprisingly most spidermen are... Very polite? Most of them said hi while I walked and some even asked my name or why my suit has that design. A complete opposite of Miguel's serious personality. 

I decided to stick around some more, finding a door to the outside of the building and sitting on one of the crystal walls, away from all the fuss and sounds of people talking and now being greeted with the sound of the wind. 

The night sky is beautiful from here, I can see more stars than back home… Even the height of the buildings was just… so intimidating.  

And the lights coming off from another entrance caught my attention, I got closer and realized it was the window from Miguel's lab. 

He was there, in the same place in front of the monitors… but sleeping on his seat like he couldn't simply move away and go to sleep on a bed. 

"Este pendejo…" I mumbled nodding my head sideways. 

I returned inside and went to the infirmary I had woken up, took one of the blankets and went inside his lab. Reaching his platform with my webs.

His face had a frown while some soft snores came out from his nose. I weirdly found it cute how even sleeping he had such a grumpy face. Poor man didn't even let his facial muscles rest when sleeping. 

But also, he didn't sense me again. So I carefully placed the blanket on top of him, giving one last look to his sleepy face before leaving. 

I took a peek at the screens, he was still looking at the photo of him and his daughter…I guess that explains his stressed attitude… I feel some sort of relatedness with him.

And how hard is it for the both of us to let the past go. 

—---------------------------------------------------

Two months have passed after I joined the spider society, the numbers of spiderpeople have increased and I've grown accustomed to it. Jessica was one of the newest and Miguel decided to have her as a third in command, she is so kind to me and sometimes we eat together. She even let me ride her bike around Miguel's universe… let's just say he wasn't happy about it, but I didn't care. 

Speaking of him… we haven't really talked after that day, he usually keeps to himself in his lab and doesn't really socializes with anybody… which certainly rubbed me the wrong way since I thought we c-

…What am I even saying? Forget about it. 

The only moments he talks to us is to send us to capture another bad guy and rarely goes himself… last time he went was to convince this british dude to join us.

He… Wasn't excited to say, but thanks to me he joined us and you know? Hobie is a pretty cool kid, I could use more like him back at home fighting the regime. I even talked with him about it and he seemed excited to join me in a fight someday in my universe. 

I like to drop by his universe once in a while with some food. Well, he is not the only one I try to share it with, Jessica loved the tamales I gave her last week and Peter said his wife enjoyed them as well jaja… 

I guess you could say my life has improved somehow, the situation back home is still shitty and I still cry to sleep sometimes… but now I know I have people who I can talk to and enjoy a good moment with, I even noticed I have less eyebags.

And yet… I don't understand why I still feel so lonely and sad when I'm by myself.

And Miguel's silence is starting to stress me out. 

So one day without thinking, I found myself getting into Miguel's lab without calling, casually walking towards him while he was "working". I assumed he had already noticed I was there so I didn't try to be stealthy. 

And there he was, on the high of his platform, his back facing me and the faint sound of holo buttons being pushed. I crossed my arms and leaned on the corner, observing him from behind while he did his thing. 

The blue light from above defined his back muscles and outline of his body, his very few movements in silence and occasional sigh were almost relaxing… and for some reason I found myself smiling endearingly.

Just because I was able to see him again. 

He moved some of the screens away to drag one closer to him, from away it looked like… a camera in my universe? He analyzed it for some seconds to then press a button to change the camera. He did this around 5 times, everytime changing them more quickly as if he was searching for something. 

"Layla." I heard him call his assistant

"Mhm?" She replied while she filed her nails.

"Show me where’s Rox." Ah, me? 

"They are actually riiight behind you." Layla pointed at me with her thumb.

Miguel turned around quickly, trying to regain composure. "What are you doing here?" 

"I wanted to visit you." I replied, separating myself from the wall. 

"I'm busy." 

"I didn't say I was going to interrupt you." I walked closer. "Although it seems you already get distracted spying on me. Why do you have cameras around my neighborhood?" 

"That's classified and none of your business." He coldly said. 

"Wow why are you being so fucking rude out of a sudden? I thought we were friends." 

"We are not friends, we are just colleagues." 

I opened my eyes widely not believing how fucking rude he had turned, this is exactly what happens when I let my guard down. Suddenly I'm feeling interested in someone and they turn out to be a major asshole.

He turned around before I could reply and continued his work as if nothing had happened. I felt my body starting to shiver and swallowed my ego.

"Ta bien. Come tres mil hectáreas de verga entonces, Miguel." I turned around to leave when I heard him muttering something.

"About damn time." 

I stopped dead in my tracks, oh this motherfucker is dead. I turned around slowly, eyes wide open while looking at me

"The fuck did you say? Oh, you now feel so mighty and powerful that you think you can treat others that way? WHEN THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO BE NICE?" 

Miguel stood still, his back turned at me while I could see his patience running thin. And mine was already broken.

"Yeah thats what I fucking thought. Next time someone tries to be nice with you maybe, just fucking maybe be POLITE or did the spider that bit you took out your manners?" 

I took out a plastic container I had brought with me from home, one filled with platanitos fritos I wanted to share with Miguel… this is exactly what happens when I try to be fucking nice for once. 

I threw it on the ground and gave it a kick towards Miguel, with the container not even touching him but instead landing on his platform.

"Hay ve que putas haces con esa mierda, hartatela si queres, cerote. Pero que esta será la última vez que me vas a ver amable con vos." I finished the discussion and left the lab furious, I don't care if he eats them or if he throws them. I don't want to see him anymore. 

I touched some stuff on my watch, opening a portal back home. I purposely avoided the streets I had seen on his cameras, then got into my house from the backside.

I took off my mask and threw it to the ground as soon as I entered my room, throwing myself on the bed and laying in silence.  

Why is it that when I try to be nice and open myself… this always happens? I thought we could support each other knowing we had gone through shit. I thought that was the reason he wanted me to join…

What happened to the words he said to me that day? Did he just… manipulate me? 

Of course he fucking did. Of. Fucking. Course. There was no denying it. I fell flat to his trap, I let his kind words deceive me and make me believe that because we had things in common we would get along and understand each other.

But no. It happened again. It fucking happened again. 

I held back my tears as much as I could, I do not want to let out tears for someone like him… but I'm still not strong enough against my own feelings. 

I hid my face under my blanket and the pillow, letting my tears flow as I felt so… so hurt. 

Some minutes passed and I felt a faint orange light appear in my room. 

"Rox? You there?" It was Jess.

"I'm sleeping." I tried to sound as ok as possible. 

"So you left the hub mumbling curses just to go to sleep?"

"Mhm, everythings ok." 

"You know you can tell me anythi-" 

"I'm fine Jess." 

"Are you hiding?" 

"Helps my spider powers to get more sharp." 

I heard her sigh. "If you need anything, just call me. Ok sweety?" 

"Got it, thanks Jess." I feel sorry for lying to her… but I just don't want to talk to anybody or show myself more vulnerable. Even if she may be able to help me.

The light disappeared and I sighed. At least that will keep anybody from bothering me for some hours… 

I took off my watch and suit, and decided to get some sleep, letting the dreams of a better life drift me away for some time… If only I could take some time to rest for a few hours.

Except I forgot I can't, and the distant explosion made me get up immediately and put on my suit, mumbling some words as I left, traveling as fast as I could.

I got on top of the ceilings nearby from where the explosion had happened. It was an abandoned construction of some apartments… and some people helping some injured kids on the basketball court beside it. 

“Por la gran…” I jumped to meet them, immediately trying to check if they were ok. “¿Que paso que paso? ¿Cómo estamos?”

“El Kevin subió a traer la pelota porque este maje la tiró para allá.” One of the kids said while holding his arm hurting.

“¿Y el dónde está?” 

“Sigue arriba…” 

“Va, voy.” I quickly threw a web to one of the open floors, smoke still coming out from it.

I knew neither police or firemen would arrive on time, so sadly I was the only option they had to go and help. I walked around as carefully and quickly as I could.

“¡KEVIN! ¡DÉCIME DONDE ESTAS!” 

“¡TARANT-!” I heard the voice of a kid being muffled on the upper floor and ran towards it, then stopped as the smoke dissipated.

And as it disappeared I saw the kid, being held hostage by none other than Daniel… Or as he calls himself “Doc Oc”.

Even though this man did not practice medicine and rather studied management.

I untensed my posture and rolled my eyes, of all people I expected to cause something so petty like this had to be Daniel. A crybaby dude who relies on a tentacle machine to help him.

“Te habías tardado en venir.” He said trying to be as threatening as he could.

“Mira, no tengo tiempo para otro de tus berrinches. Soltá al bicho y nos damos verga, vos y yo”

He held the boy high with one of his tentacles. “Agarralo entonces si pued-” 

Before he could start with his rambling I shot a web at the boy, dragging him strongly and the grip of the tentacle giving off easily. He flew towards me and managed to catch him and put him aside. Then runned towards Daniel.

He stood in place, angry and shooting his arms towards me, but not being able to catch me or even touch me. I jumped behind him and kicked his head in the air, throwing him away to the edge of the building.

“CORRE CORRE CORRE” I yelled at the kid and he ran away safely.

Daniel tried to grab the edge to not fall. “¡TE VOY A MATAR!” His tentacles helped him get back up, standing still on the edge with an enraged expression. 

“¿No te cansas de que te haga mierda? Porque ya das pena, maje.” I replied smiling confidently and taking a fight stance.

“¿Ah si? ¿YO DOY PENA? ¡A VER COMO TERMINAS SI TE ENFRENTAS A DOS!” He let out a creepy ear to ear grin and took out a gun from his pocket, shooting at the sky.

I heard some movements bellow and jumped as soon as the floor caved in, and while in the air I saw what looked another man with similar tentacles… with some of those tentacles glitching out

Oh no…

I landed on the wall of the apartment next to it, trying to think how the fuck was I supposed to deal with two of them. I instinctively touched my arm to reach my watch… FUCK I LEFT IT AT HOME.

“Is that the “spiderman” you said is giving you trouble?” The man walked (or well, his tentacles moved him) towards Daniel. 

“Yes, it's that one.” He replied while still grinning like an asshole.

“Didn't knew you spoke english, dipshit. I guess you’re not that much of a pendejo.” 

“You think you’re so great and powerful, but I know you’re just a little bitch, and I will be glad to see you DIE.” He launched himself towards me, some of his tentacles ready to impale me.

But I know Daniel’s movements and machinery, he is still slow so I avoided it easily.

“GOT IT.” And suddenly I was grabbed by one of the other dude’s tentacles, shit shit shit.

I tried to move my leg to burn the tentacle, letting myself free for a moment before both my arms were grabbed from behind.

“FUCK” I began to throw kicks but it was impossible.

Daniel’s laugh began to sound more and more maniacally as he approached. “AHORA SÍ. PREPÁRATE PARA MI VENGANZA.”

He prepared his tentacles, savoring the panic I had and how “finally” he had me there.

“THINK FAST” A familiar voice came from nowhere, Hobie! 

“¿Qué?” Daniel looked to the side and his face was greeted by the slam of an electric guitar, launching him away from the scene and this time falling to the ground unconsciously.

“HOBIE!” I greeted him smiling… Thank god he got here.

“Someone told me you need some help, didn't think it was actually for a fight.”

The other tentacle dude tried to move me away, using the free tentacles to try to grab Hobie.

But as he tried he kept glitching, missing Hobie as he broke the ones keeping me captive.

“Are they both from here?”

“No, the old one is from a different one.”

He handed me one of the traps. “I’ll distract him, go get it.” 

We both nodded and ran towards him, Hobie making sure he was looking at him as I slid the trap, stopping right below him and capturing him as he slammed himself from side to side, trying to escape it and failing.

I fell to my knees to breathe as Hobie called Jess to come get the anomaly. I couldn't hear anything but the beat of my heart pulsating in my ears realizing I could’ve almost ended up badly injured.

“You ok?” Hobie got closer, helping me get on my feet. 

“Yeah… I just need.. to breathe…” I coughed a little.

“I guess I got on time, innit?”

“You did… you did…” I took a deep breath. “Thank you bro.” I weakly fistbumped with him.

“By the way.” He took out something from his jacket. “You left this at your house.” He handed it to me and I put it on.

“Yeah… I had to leave in a hurry to help.” 

Hobie put his hands on his jacket. “So. What did Miguel do to you?”

“Huh?” The question took me off guard.

“Did he hurt you?” He asked with some worry.

“No, nothing happened.” I lied.

A portal opened behind us.

“Speak of the devil.” Hobie said when Miguel came out from it.

I immediately moved to where Hobie was, I'm still not in the mood to talk to Miguel. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Like shit.” I crossed my arms. “I couldn't get my rest and had to jump over here.” I took off my mask, breathing a little better.

“I can imagine that.”

“I’ll go get some sleep th-”

“Rox.” Miguel called me from behind… goddammit. 

I sighed with my eyes closed, turning around slowly to meet him getting closer.

“I need you to come over with me.” He said with a serious voice. “Right now.” 

I nodded sideways with my head “Ok.” 

He guided me aside, away from the others until he stopped.

“Are you injured?” Was the first thing that came out of his mouth. “I tried calling you and you did not answer.” 

I bit my tongue, trying hard not to slap him. The hell was he now worried for? 

“Oh, so NOW you want to talk? I thought you said we are not friends.” 

“I-” He paused himself, unsure on what to say. Put his hands on his hips and locked eyes with me. “I’m sorry.” The words finally left his lips, feeling like it took a lot of him to say it.

“You’re sorry?” 

“I'm sorry for saying that. That’s not what I meant to say back there.” 

“So what? You explode at anybody that interrupts your work?”

“Rox, listen to me.”

“I am listening! Tell me the fucking reason already.”

“I didn't want you to know that I…”

“...¿Aja?”

“...That I often spy on you, to protect you.” He said almost in a whisper, like if he admitted defeat.

“Miguel what the fuck are you even sayi-”

He lifted his finger, singing me to wait a moment. “I care. About you.” He continued “And I do not want anything bad to happen to you. So I got worried when you didnt answer.”

“Then why hurt me when I tried to be nice?!”

“Because I know I shouldn't care too much about you. Or anybody.”

I could not believe what he was saying, I took a moment to just stare at him blinking confused.

“Ok Ok. Para un momento.” I placed some fingers on my forehead. “So you’re telling me you basically got scared that I caught you spying on me and hurt my feelings after I tried to socialize with you because you don't think we should care about the other too much?”

He nodded looking sideways, now avoiding my gaze.

“Miguel. Nothing bad is going to happen if we get along. Or even if you get along with anybody else.”

“I know it will.”

“You don't.” I snapped my fingers. “Look at me.” He turned his head to meet my eyes, his expression being the saddest I’ve seen this man, but still frowning and trying to keep his tough guy facade. “Nothing bad is going to happen. We all got eachothers back, remember? You were the one who said that to me.” 

“I’m done talking about my feelings for today” He walked past me, stopping for a moment. “...Come to my lab later, please.” He said in a gentler voice, leaving to guide the others on where the bad guy had to stay.

I… was confused. Miguel's words resonated in my mind while I tried to make sense of his already messy way of expressing himself. 

Did he want to see me again? By what he said it looks like he does, but why is he so hesitant to tell me what he wants? 

He doesn't hesitate when he wants people to leave him alone and certainly is not hesitant to act like a bitch… 

This man truly is a whole mess… and yet I find him intriguing and interesting… but so fucking annoying.

I arrived at the HQ some hours later after showering and buying some food that I may or may not be bringing to share with him and try one more time, I know, I know. I'm a clown for even accepting his apologies.

After all, he said he wanted me to go to his lab, right? I should not feel unsure, but yet I do.

I got inside his lab and walked up to where Miguel was, and I found him sitting on the same floating chair I see him sleep in sometimes. 

"¿Miguel?" He turned his head around, taking off some reading glasses he had on. 

"Pensé que no vendrías." 

"Me quería bañar antes… y también traje comida." 

"Ya veo." He glanced at the plastic bag in my hand

"¿Vos ya comiste?"

"No, he estado trabajando.” 

I shot a web to impulse me onto his platform, surprising him but doing nothing nonetheless.

"Queres… ¿Comer juntos? Creo que traje comida de sobra para una sola persona." 

"Guardala para despues" He said without looking at me, I stood in silence… this man really is dense in these things, huh? 

"Miguel, compre suficiente para dos" 

"...Entonces quédate lo otro y cómetelo mañana." 

I grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to look at me. 

“Maje, compre dos platos de comida iguales a propósito para compartirlo con vos porque quería mostrarte que si quiero hacer las paces por tercera vez y ser amistoso con vos. Ahora, ¿Vas a comer o no pendejo?”

"Pudiste haber dicho eso desde el inicio" He said standing up and his platform started going down. 

After he did so I placed the plastic plates for the both of us in one of the many tables he had around, waiting for him to stop checking some stuff in his lab. 

"Se me olvido preguntarte si te gusta el pollo." 

"No me molesta." He replied, still checking a machine.

"...¿Tas bien?"

He placed his hands on his hips trying not to get mad. "Things have gotten missing around here, parts of the machines and other stuff."

"That's… actually weird, who else was allowed to get in here?" 

"You, Jessica, Peter and me." He finally sat down looking at the takeaway plate.

I opened mine showing my panes con pollo and taking one of the two out. "Son panes con pollo de mi ciuda. No creo que te vayan a hacer daño." 

Miguel opened it in a similar way and grabbed one. "¿Como un sandwich?" 

"Mhm" I took some bites and smiled unconsciously. These are so good… I would moan out loud if I was alone.

Miguel took a bite and that's when I saw his fangs more clearer, and by each bite he took I could only imagine him biting m- 

"It's very tasty." He lifted his eyebrows in surprise. What? Did he not expect them to be good? "Do you eat these frequently?" 

"Only for special occasions." I gave him a sincere smile, almost not noticing the crease in his lips letting a short smile form.

After some more bites I noticed Miguel had some sauce on his cheek, one he hadn't noticed. I searched for napkins but the lady didn't give me any.

"Miguel, you have sauce on your face." 

"Hm? Where?" 

I signed to the place on my own cheek, he wiped it with his thumb and licked it in a way I could say felt very erotic, but still missing one of the parts.

"You still have some on your cheek, Miguel." I reached nearby, wiping it away gently, with him almost paralyzed unsure of what I could do. "There." 

"Thanks." 

"You're welcome." 

I like to believe Miguel was ready for me to take the chance and slap him, but why would I? I mean, I DO have reasons to do so, but I appreciate the fact that he tried to explain to me why he was so hesitant to be near me… which reminds me:

"Hey, Miguel." I called for his attention. "How… are you feeling? After what happened in my universe?" 

"I'm not good at talking about it." 

"I noticed." I tried to not sound sarcastic. "But do you feel a little better?" 

"I feel less stressed." He confessed. "I still feel stressed about everything, but at least this won't be an issue." 

"You see?" 

"I will only ask you to not say anything that we speak here with the others. I will spend time with you, not with them." 

"So basically our little secret?" 

"...Why do you have to say it like that?" 

I let out a playful laugh. "Just messing with ya." 

"Yeah, you tend to be very messy."

"El comal le dice a la olla, take a look at your own cuchitril." 

"Fair" He finished eating and closed the lid of his takeout plate. "Thank you for the sandwich-" 

"Pan con pollo."

"Pan con pollo, eso." He continued. "I also want to thank you for the other food earlier."

"Oh? You did eat them?" 

"They were…very oily. But really good." 

"I'm glad you enjoyed them then." I finished mine as well. 

"Do you tend to share food with everyone?" He changed the subject, I guess now it's my turn to answer questions.

"I… like to give stuff to people. Food or little thingies that remind me of them, and so" 

"I see…" He saw me let out a short yawn. "You should get some rest." 

"I'm fine, don't worry." I said stretching my arms up. "I can handle being awake for a couple more hours… although you look like you may need some rest yourself." 

"I'm fine. I tend to not sleep that much." 

"Aaand that is bad for you, Miguel." 

"I say the same for you." 

"Oh no, I do sleep." I crossed my arms. "I may go to sleep very late but that's why I tend to wake up extra late." 

Miguel got up. "I still have work to do, so I don't have time to sleep." 

"Need some help?" 

"No, I'm fine." 

"Actually we could use your help Rox." Layla popped out.

Miguel tried to shush her. "I can do it on my own." 

"We need you to check the cameras on an anomaly we're surveilling!" 

"Oh what is it?" 

"It's nothing, go get your rest, Rox." 

I got up and stretched a little more while Miguel argued with Layla. 

"Ok I'll do it." 

"You don't have to." 

"Friends help friends, right?" I walked past him, jumping onto his platform while Layla explained the layout of the screens to me.

[ctrlhope]

The Pitfalls of Silk (m)

synopsis: The winter gods are out to get you. That could be the only possible explanation for the series of bad luck tumbling before you— tropical vacation cancelled, snow locking you inside. Hell, even your shovel broken in half has got to be the gods playing some sort of trick on you. Pulling you along, making decisions for you as they guide you along the red string of fate. Guide you towards the very spider that found his way into your basement. Allowing him to fall into your heart all the same. -> apart of the rest, relax, reserve series

p.jimin x f.reader

⋆𐙚┊: wc: 20.0k

⋆𐙚┊: genre: hybrid au, soft yandere, soulmate au, romance, fluff, smut, v light angst

⋆𐙚┊: content: spider hybrid!jimin (cobalt blue tarantula), human!reader, soft yandere jimin, dom!jimin, power imbalances, blood, blood kink, injury, mates / mating, stupid misunderstandings, reader is rlly bad at feelings, heat/rut cycles, jealousy, biting/marking, jimin has fangs, brat taming, light subspace, bondage, fingering, breeding / breeding kink, unprotected sex, cumplay, overstimulation, manipulation, mentions of kidnapping, mentions of venom, honestly rlly soft- jimin is just a little off his rocker, so many mentions of the word silk, jimin is soft for reader but also a little perverted freak <\3

⋆𐙚┊: notes: AHHH it’s finally here!!! I’ve had such a bad crush on spider jimin for such a long time. Creating his character over the years in my head— how exactly this type of hybrid would function was so fun for me. This fic (& the others that follow) has been spurred on by my special interest in arthropods so I hope you end up loving this jimin as much as I do <33 mwah I kiss u guys

18+ -> minors / blank blogs dni

The weather has grown cold, too harsh for anyone to live outside— survive. Burly temperatures tumbling through the air in icicles, the entire world painted in white.

While the city was still busy, your quaint neighbourhood had gone completely quiet. Everyone huddled inside, trying to keep warm while they sipped on cocoa. The worst blizzard in generations deciding to tumble through on the exact weekend you were meant to go out of town. Meant to be enjoying a tropical beach with the best of your friends!

But nooo, all of the planes had to stay grounded and you had to be stuck in your house with nothing but chilly embers decorating your fireplace.

You were pissed about it all, to say the least. Annoyed that your vacation had to be cancelled, annoyed at the fact you couldn’t stay warm in the slightest, annoyed that you had to be shovelling snow out of your driveway right now.

Well, attempting to shovel snow would be a better way to put it. In theory it seemed like the right thing to do– try and get your car out just in case, start to clear a path for when you’d finally be able to greet the outside world, triumph over whatever winter gods are trying to keep you locked in your home.

In reality, you could hardly move– three layers of pants, two coats keeping all of your joints locked down. God, and the snow. It was coming down way too hard, piling up faster than you could brush it away. Hurting your cheeks with the freezing temperatures, making your bones throb with want to go back inside.

It is safe to say that you did not succeed. That was an easy enough conclusion to come to with the two halves of your snow shovel in your hands. Eyes staring blankly at the object with utter… you don’t even know the word.

Cheeks flushed red with cold, head lifting to the sky as you blink. What the fuck! How shitty can your shovel be! What the fuck is wrong with the snow!

Okay, maybe you did buy it at the dollar store. But that isn’t the point! Where has quality gone in our nation! Caring about the consumer! Yeah, that was never there to begin with! But still! You like to think that there's a point in that somewhere!

The snow falling on your skin feels like the sky is laughing at you, mocking you. It probably is. Cancelling your trip, forcing you to stay at home into the lonely confines of your small neighbourhood.

Yeah, the world is out to get you, you’ve decided it.

A grumble leaves your throat in annoyance, quiet cusses leaving your lips as your legs try to waddle themselves inside. Layers of clothing restricting every movement you make, joints feeling stiff and bones feeling cold. You are no more than a penguin, are you?

“Stupid fuckin’ shovel, stupid fuckin’ snow…” You huff, slamming the thick oak door behind you. Hoping, in a way, that you could pretend none of the frost was there in the first place.

It’s not that you hate snow– of course not. You don’t like to hate much of anything. But when it’s this deep, this thick, you can’t help the sour mood you fall into. Can’t help the sickly feeling in your gut that it has somehow wronged you simply for existing.

Whatever, not that it matters much. You aren’t mother nature. You can’t change it or your now cancelled– most likely non-refundable plans.

What you can change? A nice warm pizza in your tummy.

You hum to yourself, tapping off your boots before ridding yourself of them entirely. Soon follows your jackets, puddles of water quickly forming on the floor where it falls. Snow melting much too fast now that it is in the warmth of your home.

You stare at it in spite, another way mother nature has wronged you today.

You know what? No, not your problem right now. That is a problem for you later today! The wood would be fine. And if it isn’t?

…

You groan, throwing your head back as you move to the bathroom. The battle of opposing forces inside of your head has won again– being responsible, doing the right thing.

Your hand snatches a towel, “Stupid shovel… stupid snow…” You huff, kneeling on the ground to wipe away the liquid that pooled.

You hang the towel back in the bathroom for it to dry before finally making your way to the kitchen. To finally make the frozen pizza you want– no deserve! Yeah, you’ve had a hard day today, being an adult is too hard sometimes. You deserve a little treat don't you?

Feet scuffling against the floor, fluffy socks dragging along the surface allowing you to quickly slip against the tiled floor. Your hips sway, a quiet hum leaving your lips as your hands move diligently, efficiently. Placing the pizza in the oven, setting the timer, flipping the switch on on the kettle.

Everything happens with practised ease. With movements that leave no room for error. Careful, efficient, the way your parents always taught you. The right way.

If you do everything correctly, things will never go wrong. You’ll never have to worry. When everything is in your control, everything is perfect and content.

It’s too bad the right way never accounts for things out of your control. When the world causes you to tense and get annoyed– when it doesn’t behave the way it's supposed to, like you want it to. Just like stupid shovels and a winter storm no one predicted.

But hey, at least you still have power. Your backup generator is there if you need it. Can still watch your dramas and eat warm food. Keep yourself sane while the insane persits just outside of your door.

Lonely, lonely, lonely winter storm~ whatever shall you do~

Your head begins to sing to itself while you wait. Maybe you already were going insa–

Bang.

What the fuck was that?

Your eyes instantly dart to the basement door wide with fear– the source of the sound.

A crash, a quiet cry, a scurry all sound in quick succession. Too loud to miss. Too loud to ignore. Too distinct to place on anything else.

You know winter noises. The crash of shutters against the window, the influx of snow on glass. The beating of hail against the roof or the creaking of pipes chilled from the cold. The noises you just heard? None of the above. They couldn’t possibly be. They weren’t. They were too… too…

Human.

Shit, shit. Is someone in your basement?! Oh god, oh fuck.

The room, it freezes over.

Your pulse starts to race– hairs raise, stand on end. Breath filtering through your nose as you start to panic. Fingers grip the countertop as you try to ground yourself. Try to figure out a way to escape this.

If horror movies have taught you anything– it’s how to run. Grab everything you can, high tail it out before you become victim to the unknown lurking just below the surface of your floorboards. Before you can be possessed or worse, chased down by some mass murdering clown.

That would be the smart thing to do– the wise thing. To get out of your house as quickly as possible, call the police to investigate it for you before you have to become the ‘final girl’ of a movie franchise of your own.

But the storm, the storm would never allow for the right thing.

The police would never make it in time, the roads far too hazardous to truly reach you. If they did, you would already have frostbite from the cold outside by the time they made it. You might be worse off than before–

At least, that’s what you tell yourself. The reasoning formulated in your head as you grab a broom from the closet, slowly make your way to the basement door. Completely ignoring the nagging feeling in your gut, the one that tells you that you actually want to travel down the stairs. A string tugging you along a path predetermined, forcing you to forego anything you had thought before.

No, your line of reasoning had to be the object pulling you down those stairs, creaking with every slow, nagging step that you take. It could never be curiosity, a want to understand the unknown guide leading you astray from the dirt road you’ve taken time and time again.

The right road that would lead to the right solution is all but forgotten in this moment. Only adrenaline spurring you on, fingers clenching and unclenching around the broom handle in your grip. Fingers tied so tight around the metal that your knuckles may as well be white.

You're terrified– scared out of your mind. The only noise passing through the drums of your ears is your own pulse, the accelerated beat of your heart as you try to clear the fog that dances over your brain. Fear must be clouding your judgement, making you follow it blindly into the light; well, dark.

Your breath leaps from your chest in short pants, eyes haphazardly harding around your form as you make it to the bottom of the stairs. Something is keeping your legs moving when all your brain wants to do is turn back and run. Call the authorities like you should be doing instead of risking everything to satiate the incessant need pulling at the back of your skull. Acting on instincts alone, allowing the string of fate to tug you around the corner. The urge to investigate is stronger than anything you had ever felt before. Anything you’ve ever wanted to feel before.

He sees you before you see him.

“P-please..” The quiet, almost non-existent voice sends a chill down your spine. One you were not expecting in the slightest.

Terrified, panicked. Shaking like a leaf, eyes welled with tears. It’s almost like he knew you were coming down all along, just… didn’t know what to do about it. Too scared to move, too scared to hide. Too scared to do anything but sit there and wait.

Just as petrified as you.

Nothing about the scene before you is making much sense at all. Not to you, at least. Why is he so scared? Why is he in your home? Why isn’t he doing anything but sitting there with pleading, helpless eyes? You try to take everything in, try to fit the pieces of the picture together.

Basement window opened slightly, just enough to allow the man— was he a man? To climb inside. Pretty blonde hair completely dishevelled on his head, grime coating what you know would be such pretty locks. Eyes with double pupils brimmed with tears threatening to spill at any second. Pink plush lips quivering with worry, fangs biting into them so hard you fear they may bleed. No, they are bleeding.

He is definitely not a man. Nor is he a beast. An intoxicating swirl of the two combined into a species of hybrid you’ve never seen before.

The first thought in your head is one it shouldn’t be. One that makes your heart stop for entirely different reasons than before. Makes you drop the broom in your hands, allowing it to fall to the ground with a clatter. Defences dropped completely in the face of the stranger before you.

He only flinches at the noise, blood covered hands reaching in panic to cover his all too sensitive ears.

Any worries have left you– something seeded deep within your soul tells you he isn’t a threat in the slightest. Not to you, at least. Never to you. Maybe it is the same string as before pulling you along. Pulling you to what destiny has provided.

He is absolutely gorgeous. Even with the grime and his pale complexion from the cold you can tell that easily. He might just be the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen, and you find lost in yourself what to do about it.

What is anyone meant to do when a drop dead gorgeous hybrid enters their home in the middle of a blizzard? Just as scared as you were moments before? Looking like he might freeze to death if you don’t–

Holy shit he must be frozen solid.

It’s only then that you come to your senses, your eyes racking over him once more as you take in all of him for more than just the beauty he brings.

His clothes are thin– far too thin for this weather at least. Tattered on the edges, few stains spotting the fabric, though its clear effort was spent trying to get them out. Your mind wants to wonder why he would worry about that, worry about making himself appear presentable, but raking your vision down you know there is no time for it. Not with the blood on his palms or the red of his flesh.

Your body moves quicker than your brain can think, crouching down in front of him. Noticing the way he flinches once more, the fear in his eyes more palpable, hurting worse than a gunshot wound.

The constriction of your chest is dumb, or at least it should be. Feels almost benign, unfounded. You just met him, you're scaring him, but for an unexplainable reason you wish you could take all of his worry away just for that moment. Make him feel a little better, a little warm. A little safe.

“It’s okay… it’s okay…” Your voice mumbles, trying to soothe him or yourself, you’re not entirely sure.

“I-I’m sorry… pl-please don’t.. It’s just so cold… Please…” He begs, though neither of you are sure what for. Not to hurt him, not to send him back outside. All you know is the tears that now flow from his eyes, cresting along his cheeks, dripping to the floor.

“Not going anywhere…” You hope your voice sounds stronger than you feel, hope he can’t hear the way the strings of your heart break, hope he hears how much you care in your tone all along, “Trust me a little okay…?”

You know your words mean nothing, that it might have been an impossible task for him to do so. But you had to try. Had to hope.

It should be hard for you to trust him too, it should be hard to rectify your fear in the face of the one who had caused it. It isn’t the right thing– none of this is the right thing, but it all just comes too easily. Compassion, caring takes over the anxiety too easily. Too brilliantly to do anything else other than care for this hybrid that has wound up at your door.

He was just a scared hybrid doing whatever he needed to to survive. Terrified out of his mind that he would freeze or starve out there– probably had no burrow or… you’re not sure, honestly, what his home might be like. But no home nevertheless. You could never just send another person out there to die.

He stiffens as you reach out for him, gently take his hands in your own. They feel like ice, frozen solid. You don't want to acknowledge what could have happened to them if he was out there any longer.

Without thinking you raise them to your lips, blowing on them as best you can. Trying to do anything to get the blood flowing again before you take him upstairs. Warm him up properly. Make him feel like more than a snowman once again.

You don’t notice the way his form completely loses all stress as you touch him for the first time, speak to him the first time. He feels transfixed on your voice– it had to be too sweet to be real. But you were too focused on your mission. Too focused on making sure the man who has broken into your home is okay to notice the way his lips part slightly at your tone.

You don’t notice the way his breath hitches, the way all of his hair stands on edge as a current runs through his body, breathing life into every pore he possesses. Nor the way his eyes widen, losing their will to cry as he stares at you.

Don’t notice the recognition on his face.

You don’t notice a lot of things he does that day. Too focused on getting him into a warm shower– one he was very confused by, you might add. Too focused on getting a warm meal in his belly. Too focused on getting him in nice, clean clothes. A set that will properly keep him warm.

You could worry about other things later. But this felt right. This felt like something you were always meant to do. Or maybe that was just the size of your heart talking– you could never be too sure. But you liked to think it was the former. Liked to hope that Jimin, who you later learned was a spider hybrid, was always meant to come tumbling through your window, into your life for good.

The days that follow are easy– falling into a rhythm with him, taking care of him is just too simple. As basic as breathing, maybe.

Though, it hasn’t exactly been hard with how much he sleeps. How deep he’s nestled in your bed, blankets piled on top of him to drown out any chills that may attempt to slip into his bones. It’s almost like hibernation– if you could describe it. Re-building his energy, making himself feel strong again before he faces the world.

You can’t blame him, honestly. Not after everything he’s been through. Only god knows how long he had been out there. How long he had to brave the snowstorm, the cold weather that previewed it as well. You would probably do the same thing. Hide yourself from everything that hurt you.

Most days you wish you could be doing the exact same thing as him. Hide under a pile of blankets and forget the rest of the world exists. But the voice of your parents would always nag you out of it, force you to be human with the rest of society because it's the right thing.

You humph, gently placing a plate of food on the bedside table. Let him occupy your room for as long as he needs, preparing meals for him even though he never touches a bit of it. It’s the least you can do with his condition.

You don’t think you’ve ever wanted to stop someone's pain so badly. You hope you can by just doing small things like this. You sigh, heading for the door once again. Another day on the couch.

“Human…?” His voice is quiet, almost non-existent as he calls for you. Cracking slightly, the first time he's spoken in days.

You quickly turn to face him and almost want to fall to your knees at the sight. Fluffy blonde hair peeking from just below the covers, doll eyes peering at you while the rest of him stays hidden beneath the surface. Does he know how destructive he is?

Wait, no. Now isn’t the time to be thinking about this. He’s letting his defences down, actually talking to you. Stop it.

“Hmm?” You gently call back, glued to your spot in the doorway. You don’t know what he would do if you moved, how startled he may be because of it. You want to talk to him– to find answers.

“What time is it…?” He slowly asks, pacing his question. You notice a slight lisp behind his words– how much of an effort he puts to cover it up.

“Mmm.. about 1? I made myself some lunch so I was just stopping by.” You explain, trying to justify your presence in the room.

“Oh.” He looks beneath the blankets, eyes darting around the room, “Okay. Thank you.”

It seems neither of you are great conversationalists, awkward air passing between the space left between your bodies. You don’t blame him. You don’t know what you would be thinking, feeling if you were in the same place as him. If you didn’t really know what your fate was going to be.

“How are you feeling?” You ask quietly, playing with your fingers to distract from the nerves that you feel. As much as you want to jump, pin him down and ask every single thing your heart begs for, you know that isn't the right thing to do. You know you should be slow, careful with this. At least, that's what the articles online have told you.

“Better…” His voice comes out smoother this time, finally coming out of sleep as he sits up in the bed. Gently taking the plate into his lap, scrunching his nose. “It’s not cold in here like out there.”

You can’t help but smile to yourself. He seems so relaxed, so at ease. Not scared in the slightest of you or what you may do. You forget all about the fact that you should probably be scared of him too.

“Not really,” You smile gently, eyes glancing at the window as he starts to eat, “I was really worried about you, scared me bad.”

You don’t see the flush that covers his cheeks.

“I-I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to… your window was the first one I could get through and I knew I couldn’t take the storm anymore so I–”

“Hey, It’s fine.” You turn your attention back to him, “I’m just glad you’re okay, yeah? It must’ve been terrifying out there.”

“It was.” He doesn’t hesitate in answering in the slightest, eyes serious as they focus on you. They’re beautiful, really. His eyes.

“I’m sorry…”

He shakes his head, “Not your fault human, I left the reserve. My fault.” He tells you in earnest, wanting you to believe it with every piece of your soul that you could never do anything to hurt him, “Come sit?”

The question is quiet, but you oblige nonetheless. Legs moving you slowly, perching at the end of the bed to face him. Kicking your legs slightly as you stare at the pattern of your sweats.

“The reserve?” You ask, turning slightly to face him. His face is suddenly smiling, nodding at your question. He must like the place a lot, see it as home for him to become so excited.

“Yeah! Where I live,” He explains, continuing to shovel food into his mouth as he speaks, “They say humans can't hurt you there, you get to hunt like in the wild too.”

He hums, content in talking about the one place he has ever found comfort in, found friends in. You can’t help but smile as he speaks, too.

“Yeah? It sounds really nice.” He’s nodding his head once again, as quickly as he can.

“There are lots of other arthropods to play with there. Lot’s of food. Sometimes the humans that visit will give you some too, but they’re normally scared of me.” He suddenly looks serious, eyes coming to meet yours once again, “You’re not scared of me, right?”

You jerk your head back, brows furrowing together in confusion. How could someone be scared of someone like Jimin? You’ve only known him for a matter of days and you doubt that you could ever be.

“Of course not.” You tell him, gently reaching a hand over to place on his knee. He doesn’t flinch away like you expect him to. “You just needed some help, we all need help sometimes.”

He smiles, the serious demeanour retracting from his face in an instant. Back to smiling down at his food happily. The silence doesn’t feel as awkward anymore, at least you don't think it does. It makes you happy, stretching on as he continues to eat like a man starved. He probably is, days of not eating and only sleeping.

“Why did you leave it?” You tilt your head, staring out the window once more. Few snowflakes trickle against the blue sky, “I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I figure if we’re going to be together through the storm–”

“You’re not gonna kick me out?” His face is awestruck, fork dropping to the plate in surprise. What is he talking about? Kick him out? In this weather?

You quickly shake your head, hand slowly pulling itself back from your knee. He whines in protest, quickly trying to force himself back under your heat. The touch of your hand warmed him up more than anything else in this room– more than the blankets, more than the heater or the warm towels.

His hand tangles itself with your own, pulls you back to his covered knee. Keeps your hand in place with his own while he uses the other to eat. Good. This is better. He likes it when you touch him. The way your small hand feels wrapped in his own.

Makes the tips of his fingers tingle, warmth spread throughout his skin. This is right. This is good.

“Why would I kick you out?” You ask in disbelief, either unnoticing or uncaring to the way he holds your hand– he’s unsure. Not that it matters much! “It’s too cold for anyone out there. I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

He smiles, the pit of his stomach only warming more at your words, “Good.”

“We have to wait for the snow to melt to drive you ba–” He cuts you off once again, not wanting to think about going back. At least not without you.

“My friend Taehyung leaves a lot,” He begins to explain, fingers squeezing your own as his palm lays heavy against the back of your hand, “He always talks about how fun it is. All the cool things he gets to see, you know?”

He places his plate to the side while he talks, licking one of his fangs gently. You don’t want to think about how handsome he looks while he does such an action.

“So I wanted to try it out, but we’re not really supposed to leave, you know? ‘Cause then we’re not protected.” You nod along, “And I don’t really have wings to fly out so… I had to wait until they weren’t really paying attention.”

“And that just happened to line up right before the snowstorm was supposed to hit.” You finish for him and he nods, looking down at his lap, “That has gotta be such shitty luck, Jimin. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s really not, you just wanted to go out and experience new things and you almost ended up dead.” You frown at him, trying to get the man to understand the gravity of what may have happened. He simply shakes his head, plush lips tilted into a small smile just for you.

“I said it’s okay.” He tries to make you believe it, leaning closer. Feeling nothing like the stranger he was only days before. “I got to meet you, so it was all worth it.”

Mate. Mate. Mate.

Jimin has a mate that he’s going to be with someday. Someone he’s going to fall in love with. Someone he’s meant to be with, be happy with for the rest of his life. Someone that isn’t you. You really need to accept that and move on from this stupid fucking crush you’ve developed. One that will amount to nothing but heartbreak.

All hybrids have them– Jimin is not excluded from that. You know it’s true. Know it’s so true that you can hardly breathe but he just makes it so easy, too fucking easy to fall for him.

He takes care of the house, cleans it for you whenever there is a mess. Does the dishes after dinner. Takes out the trash. Tells the spiders in the yard not to mess with you– okay, you’re not entirely sure he does that last one. But he is adamant he can speak to them, and who are you to rain on his little spidey parade.

As the seasons change and the months pass, he only makes it easier and easier. Fitting into your life like he was the only piece missing. Filling in all of the bits and pieces you never knew you needed, wrapping silk around your heart and pulling it tight before you could ever think about letting him go.

Even as the months heat and his deep blue roots grow out from his bleached hair, he has no desire to the place he once called home. The reserve quickly pushed aside every time you try to bring it up. Saying he likes it better here, that this is now his home.

To be honest, nothing makes you more happy. Nothing in the world could possibly make you feel better than Jimin. His little webs he places in the corners, the soft way he clings to you when he becomes needy, the way he likes to show you any bugs he catches before he eats them. You’re not sure you could continue in your life without it.

Yet still, still. You’re not sure if this is right. The right thing, the right way to go about it all.

You often fear that you’re keeping him from what he really wants, if he actually wants to go back but feels indebted to you in some way. If that’s the only reason he actually sticks around.

You worry you’re being selfish in that regard. And then once again you find yourself spiralling into the void of questions you could never have answered. Feelings that will always be unaccounted for because Jimin has a mate.

Or at least, will have one. Someday. And you’re not sure if you could handle that day coming. Not in the warm heat of spring, flowers blooming alongside feelings for an arachnid that has entered your life.

One that has no intention of leaving your side anytime soon, if he has anything to say about it.

But nothing, nothing in the world could prepare you for this. What could prepare the thrum of your heart or the butterflies in your tummy? You never expected him to hold you this close, keep your body pressed against his own in the small space of the coat closet. Keep his face tucked away in your neck, whining in pain at something you could never think to discern.

So quickly you were pulled away, without a second to waste you were dragged onto his lap. One second kicking off your shoes, covered in mud from gardening, the next a hand wrapped around your wrist, pulling you into the dark confines. Only Jimin there to cover up your scream, lips delicately pressed to your ear uttering a quiet please. Voiced laced with a whine so pained you couldn’t help but join him without a second to spare.

A thought to think– a debate on whether this is right to do or not, for yourself and your own heart.

“Min? Min, what’s wrong?” It’s the only thing you can think to ask, pulling him away from your neck, making his head face your own. Hands gently cupping either cheek as your eyes attempt to make out the features of his face.

It’s too dark, you can’t see anything. The only answer he gives is in the form of a pained groan, not even his eyes reaching you through the darkness. You start to panic, feel the nerves along your spine light up in trepidation.

He’s hurt. He has to be. What happened? Is he okay? He’s never acted like this before. Not with you. Never before has he seemed so hurt, so dishevelled save for the night you first met him.

Just before this the two of you were gardening, mid-morning sun shining bright overhead. A light breeze passing through the trees keeping the two of you cool. That was it! He only went inside a few minutes before you, a few minutes alone and he was already hurt this bad.

Oh god, you never want him to hurt. To be in pain. It hurts your heart just as bad as it hurts him, if not worse.

You’ve fallen a lot farther than you thought.

“Min, let me just turn on the lights okay? Let me see what’s wrong.” You try to coax him, try to kneel from his lap to reach the string above you. Panic flooding through you as he keeps you snug, keeps you from helping him.

You stop your struggle, veins running cold as he lets out a sharp, violent hiss. A sound he’s never made before, never dare uttered towards you– around you in general. It leaves you nervous, scared for entirely different reasons than before.

But one thing is clear from the way his fingers dig into the skin of your wrist almost painfully. The same wrist that was reaching for the string. He doesn’t want you to turn on the light.

“Okay…okay I won’t…” You tell the arachnid, slowly lowering yourself back onto his lap. Letting go of the struggle, letting go of the resistance. It isn’t what he needs right now, isn’t what he wants.

His grip loosens, arms returning to their place around your waist. Holding you close. Keeping you in his arms. His face nuzzles back into your neck, inhaling deeply with every breath he takes. Smelling you. Imprinting the memory of it in his brain.

“What if I use my flashlight…? Would that be okay?” Once again, the response is a much short, quieter hiss. A lot less defensive, angry than the first. Just a sign of dismissal.

“Okay…” You say quietly, bringing one arm behind him to gently run through his hair. Scratching his scalp in a way that always has him preening, “Can you please tell me what's wrong? So I can help…? Please…”

Your voice is quiet, almost a beg as you ask him. He squeezes your body tighter in response. Would’ve basked in the tone you gave him if not for the pounding behind his eyelids. Still, he knows if he’s going to get you to stay, he has to talk. No matter how much it hurts.

A whine leaves his lips, nose running along the column of your neck as he tries to scent you, “Hurts.”

He answered, his voice shaky and quiet, but it gives you nothing.

“I know Min, I know…” You hush quietly, trying to consol something that you do not have the answer to. Your other hand slowly starts to soothe up and down his back, trying to relax the poor boy enough to speak.

“The light. Hurt eyes. Head Hurts.” He gruffs out, burying his face into your skin to block out any other source that he could.

Your lips part in a soft ‘o’ as the picture becomes clear to you. Staying outside too long, helping you in the garden had come at a cost to the poor spider in the form of a splitting headache.

How could you have been so dumb to let him help you? The articles you’ve read, the pieces you’ve tried to put together to understand the man in your life– they told you as much. How delicate some species' eyes could be but… Jimin never seemed to have that issue before. Never mentioned it, anyway. He doesn’t mention a lot about himself.

You frown.

“Min, I’m so sorry…”

He only grumbles in reply, blunt nails digging into the back of your shirt to keep himself grounded. To keep his head from pounding any louder.

“Let me– Let me go get you some Ibuprofen, yeah?” You hope the sound of your voice isn’t making everything worse. If it does, he doesn’t say anything, only shaking his head, burrowing it further under your hair.

“Just… stay.” He sighs in defeat, shoulders relaxing as he holds you close. He doesn’t need medicine. He doesn’t need anything else. He just needs you. Why can’t you understand that?

“I’ll–” You breathe, trying to force the flush of your cheeks to disappear. He can see in the dark, you know that much. You wouldn’t want him seeing this. The effect he has over you. Doesn’t he know how dangerous he is?

“I’ll stay.”You sigh in defeat, unaware to the pride that blooms in his chest at the battle won. The quiet chirp from his throat that he has you here, with him. Where you’re meant to be.

Hours pass just like that, just the two of you wrapped in each other's arms. No words spoken but quiet requests to know the other is okay. That the other is safe. Even as your muscles begin to cramp, bones start to become sore you don’t dare to move. Don’t dare to do a thing when you are the only one that matters to him right now.

Jimin makes it so easy to pretend.

Especially as his migraine begins to lift, as the conversation between two souls becomes more frequent. As he moves your body to the side so your head can rest against his chest. As his fingers smoothe over the skin of your thigh, rubbing gentle, comforting circles into your flesh.

“And then Namjoon, you know how bad a flyer he is, ran straight into the director of the park. Made her spill her whole coffee all over.” He smiles to himself as he tells the story of the bee hybrid, eyes heavy as he looks down at your form. So cute and small, “and you know what he said?”

You shake your head, “what?”

“‘You need some honey?’” He recites, dipping his voice in a deeper octave to mimic what you can only assume to be Namjoon’s. His voice falling into quiet giggles, you quickly follow suit. Laughing at stories of friends, feeling at home in the dark closet.

You don’t care how long the two of you have been in there. Only that he isn’t in pain anymore.

“I’m glad you’re okay now.” You tell him, eyes feeling heavy, the soothing tremor of his voice vibrating in his chest making your head start to fog. Inklings of sleep slipping into your frame. Head lulling back against him, looking up at him with sleepy eyes.

He nods, his throat constricting at just how perfect you look there, fingers teetering on the brink of digging into your skin once more. “Feeling a lot better… my vision is still a little spotty but it's okay.”

You pout. He has to hold back a coo. Too cute. Do you even know how cute you are when you get like this? Probably not.

“No, it’s not okay. I should have known. Told you to go back inside so you don’t get hurt. I don’t like it when you get hurt.”

His heart pounds once, twice before he releases a shaky exhale. Do you know what you do to him when you talk like that? When you show him just how much you care?

The level of restraint he has, it has to be impressive. If he was Taehyung, he would have taken you right there. Wrapped your arms in webs so you couldn’t move. Mate you without a second thought.

Seriously, what did you think you were doing? Talking to him like that? Making him feel like he’s going insane, a few short strings from breaking free and just taking you to his nest. Keeping you there.

You can’t say things like that to him. Not with how innocent you look, with how terribly he already wants you.

A harsh breath comes out of his nose as he forces the thoughts away. He’s not Taehyung. He’s not going to take you for his own selfish desires alone. No, he’s going to keep lulling you into his web like he knows you want. Knows you need. Keep being a good little spider for you.

“I should have told you.” He says quietly, lips coming down to place a gentle kiss on your forehead, “Couldn’t have known my species is sensitive like that.”

You hum in quiet annoyance, “Still… read online about some glasses that can help some insects manage light… should have bought them.”

A courting gift? No no, you don’t know what that is. No matter what his spider screams he knows that isn’t true.

He sighs, he needs a distraction. Something to calm the voice in his head screaming at him to kiss you.

Your leg kicks out gently as he starts, feeling like nothing but a feather tickling across your skin. Gentle silks laying across the surface from his wrists, spinnerets hard at work to produce the webbing he places on your thigh.

He huffs quietly, a smirk of a laugh coming out as he moves your leg back, “Tickles?” He asks, an amused lilt present in his voice. Oh god, he’s going to start teasing you again. He loves teasing you.

“What are you doing?” You ask quietly, eyes glancing down to where his fingers move expertly. Thread after thread moving through his fingers, decorating your skin as he draws pictures. Paints flowers, sunsets, anything he can think of really across the canvas of your thigh.

“Just drawing… calms me down.” Marking you, claiming you. Showing every other arthropod that this one is his, this one is Jimins’. Well, at least for the next 3 days when the stick wears off. “Do you want me to stop?”

A tingle runs through your spine as he works, eyes not able to leave his hands for even a second. Your stomach swarms with what has to be a hive of bees, your core bubbling with something you don’t want to describe or think about.

You just hope he can’t smell you. Can’t hear the race of your heart, the increase in breath. The flush on your cheeks that travels all the way to your ears.

He can.

“N-no… It’s okay. I want you to feel better so… do what you need to do.” You mumble, trying to get your feelings to calm down before you fully lose it.

You have to buy those glasses.

Being a spider is just too difficult!

At least that’s what Jimin has told you time and time again over the past 8 months you’ve spent with him. Cold, icy months blossoming into the summer heat with him by your side. With him making residence in your home, cementing his place in your life without any regards for going back to his original home.

It’s too hard for him out there anyway! People at the park think you’re scary so they won’t give you any snacks, security removes your webs when they become too prominent around the landscape. Something about having to “give other spiders a chance” and them “taking up too much space.”

Can you believe them?! All the time and effort he put into his pretty webs, gone in a flash! The strain the sun caused his eyes, the pounding headaches he endured stringing up pieces of silk along the trees, creating a beautiful orchestra of white to claim his territory.

Thank god he doesn’t have to deal with that anymore, at least. Ever since you bought him those sunglasses, making webs outside has never been easier. Catching prey so much easier than ever before.

You don’t think you’ll ever get used to the sight of him eating the bugs he catches, but who are you to yuck his yum? You know all of the things he’s had to endure as a spider. Everything he’s convinced the world hates him for simply based on his breed alone. The least you can do is show kindness around his diet.

That’s how you end up rubbing his back in soothing circles time and time again, fangs piercing a stuffed animal or piece of fruit– anything he can get his hands on really, as he whines, flinches as he spits out all of his venom.

His venom is one of the worst things he’s had to deal with, you’ve learned. It builds up behind his teeth, waiting to be used on a waiting victim when there is no such thing. No exit point for the liquid to flow.

His fangs begin to ache, begging to pierce something just to release all of the pent up tension in his gums. It hurts too bad, too much to just keep it inside. So once a month, you find yourself in the same position, trying to help him relieve the aggression with soothing, gentle words as he spits the venom out in a way you can only imagine is unsatisfying. Leaving his fangs sensitive and achy for days to come.

In general, his fangs seem to be a point of special contention within the hybrid. They’re too pointy, cause too many issues. The extended canines digging into his plush lower lip just a little too hard making every movement just a little too uncomfortable. God, and he has to worry about brushing them to perfection– keep them pretty for his mate.

At least, that’s what he tells you.

The rest of the world hurts him. You don’t.

Today especially. At least that's what you can assume by the stretch of his arms, the whine bubbling from the back of his throat. His arms reaching for your form, beckoning you, calling you to join him on the couch. All worked up, acting like a wounded puppy that needs nursing just to get your attention.

It always works. Always will.

Some would say he’s become more pushy— more desperate for your attention, forcing it from your grasp without realizing it yourself. That’s what your friends have told you. How easily you fit into the palm of his hand with no more than a simple gesture coaxing you forward into his sweet embrace, never noticing the glares he sends others who enter your home.

No, you would deny all of it. Listen when he tells you that you don’t need your friends anyway. It just feels so good to be needed by him, wanted by him in a way you can never have him. In whatever way he’s willing to give.

r weakness than ever before. No matter how much you’ve tried to avoid it, how much you’ve tried to do the right thing and shove the stupid, pesky feelings down, he’s managed to twist himself into the confines of your heart. Filling a deep hole inside with his pretty silks and crooked little teeth. Takes up a lot more space then you’d ever be willing to admit. Not to him, anyway. Not when he could find his mate any day now.

You’ve been thinking about it more and more lately– the prospect of his mate. It’s difficult not to when he treats you so kindly. When he creeps in your bed at night to cold you, when he reaches out for your comfort alone. When he graces your neck with his fangs his lips–

You drop the dishes back in the sink, shoving your thoughts back into the deep dark recesses of your mind. Maybe if you can be his comfort for now, that will be enough. Even if it isn’t right.

Maybe that’s just how far you’ve fallen, how much he’s tangled you in his embrace. Not that it matters much, you smile all the same. Abandoning your task on only his third whine and fourth dramatic roll of the night. Giving in is so easy when it’s him.

But! It’s a new record for how long you’ve held out! Even got two stomps out of him. You should be proud of yourself.

Maybe you are, though it's for different reasons entirely as Jimin grabs at your wrists, pulling you down beside him. Nudging his face into the crook of your neck with a quiet, pained whine.

You like to ignore those other reasons. They’ll only hurt more if you face them head on. But it's hard to, so hard when he’s this close. When he’s holding you like you may just be the very thing from shattering his world apart.

Or maybe you’re over thinking things.

Yeah. It’s probably that.

“Y/n…” You feel his lips ghost your neck as he whines, wiggling slightly in discomfort.

His duality is always impressive, has been making your brain go a little haywire since he first moved in, since he became more comfortable in your presence. Letting you see him for what he really is. Always playing so cute, so pliant when he needs something– attention, food, for you to just give in and give him what he wants.

Other times he acts as if he could be the reincarnation of Arachne herself. Beautiful, deceptive. Terrifyingly aware of how attractive he is to the human eye. You think he does it on purpose. Likes to see your head spin as you try to keep up with which apparition of Jimin you will experience that day.

He doesn’t know how dangerous it can be, especially for you. How easy it can be to believe that it's real and not just the flirt of his personality. At least you have cute Jimin for now. It’s a little easier to manage.

“You okay Minnie? Something happen?” Your arm reaches up for where he clings to it, fingers gently petting through his fluffy blonde hair. The action seems to soothe him, make him almost pur from the feeling of your fingers alone. Make him feel the slightest bit better from whatever might be irritating him.

He forces his wrists onto your lap, nuzzles his face further into your neck. Inhale all the scents you have to offer. Let you see the issue of spiders.

The tiny holes of his spinnerets come into view, red and inflamed. Shit. They have to be hurting. The skin jutting out slightly more than it should be. Pretty strings of silk hanging in a messy manner. Clogged glands always hurt. Always make for issues.

You frown at the sight, delicately taking his wrist into your hand, looking at it closer. No, not too bad you have to take him to the doctor… you can handle it fine. But it won’t feel good, it never does. Dummy must’ve gotten too excited while webbing up the basement again, got his poor spinnerets working too hard. Overproducing silk to the point it has nowhere to go.

“Min!” You whine, already grabbing a pair of tweezers from the side-table– you’ve learned it’s always good to have a pair on-hand. “I told you that you gotta be more careful!”

“I know!” He hisses almost pathetically, “Just got ahead of myself!”

His voice is no more than a grumble, turning his head away from you yet not pulling away in the slightest. Pretending he hates when you scold him, when you show just how much you care about him.

You pretend it isn’t cute in much the same way.

“Always end up getting ahead of yourself,” You sigh dramatically, acting as if having to take care of the arachnid bothers you more than it actually does. Truth be told, you don’t care in the slightest. Who knows, maybe it even makes you preen in delight.

Feeling wanted as your fingers try to be as gentle as possible while removing the silk. Pulling out the little pieces strand by strand, work out the knot it's made under the skin to try and bring him some relief.

Though, no matter how careful you may be, he still flinches in pain all the same. Trying to cover it up like it was nothing, like every poke and prod doesn’t hurt. Like he can be tough under your gentle hands and pained gaze. He knows it has to be done and no matter how much you hate to see him in pain, you do too.

The dull ache will grow worse and worse, could even turn into an infection if you don't handle it as fast as possible. Worst case? He may have to have his spinnerets removed completely. A fate that feels worse than death to a spider hybrid– or so you’ve read at least.

Soon after he came into your life you did everything in your power to learn as much about his species as possible. Scoured webpage upon webpage, blog post on blog post, youtube video after youtube video. Even went down the sticky threads of a reddit rabbithole to try and learn everything about him.

The only thing you found: how horrible arthropod hybrids are treated in your society. Either sold at auction for absurd prices or cast aside completely depending on how “inhuman” they look. How they are used as tools to show wealth or are discarded from the rest of the world completely. The notion alone had pissed you off to no end.

Jimin was a member of the latter group– or at least that’s what you assumed. From behind no one would be able to tell he was any less than human. His lack of multiple limbs or fluttering wings left him to the devices of the reserve. Probably cast aside, dropped off by the people that raised him for not providing anything that went along with their definition of ‘value’.

Your eyes pinch into a quiet glare. They’re just fucking stupid. Anyone could see that Jimin is perfect. Anyone could see that he did not deserve the treatment he's received, nor deserved to be in the state he was in when you first found him.

And while you’re glad he didn’t end up with anyone else, still didn’t end up in an auction house like many others had, you hate them for thinking they could define his value. That they could define him for more than what he lacked. He still has beautiful fangs. Still has beautiful eyes and his natural cobalt-blue hair. He is still perfect to you.

A sharp hiss leaves his lips, arm attempting to jerk back from your hold as your grip tightens just a hair too hard. As you accidentally tug on a far too sensitive part of the knot. Getting a little too lost in your head while your fingers pick away diligently. Trying to ease the pain as fast as you can.

“Human!” He whines, quickly shushed by a flurry of apologies leaving your mouth. Face flushed, panic in your eyes as he admonishes you.

Once again you’re reminded all too well of how far you’ve fallen for him. Heart racing, brain yelling at itself for hurting him.

It’s dumb, you know that. Everything about the schoolgirl crush you’ve formed on him is. But it doesn’t stop the frown on your lips, the gentle rub of your fingers into his skin as you try to make it up to him.

A quiet grumble leaves his lips, heart hurting at the little dejected expression you wear. He forgives better than he forgets, moving his arms back to the pillow propped on your lap, allowing you to continue your work.

A pout stays on his lips as he watches your hands move. Watches the way the tweezers move under the thin layer of skin. Watches the way you move softer now, taking your time with him. Trying your utmost to not hurt him again.

To you it feels far too intimate. To him, it leaves him almost feral.

“Been working really hard on them lately, haven’t you?” Your voice sounds, trying to distract him or yourself from wandering thoughts– you’re not sure. He’s almost clean– almost all better so you can stop playing nurse. Get a warm washcloth to soothe the skin, take away any ache that lasts from the overused glands.

He nods, “Autumn is coming up…” He mumbles, the words leaving his lips in almost a shy fashion. Like it’s a secret that isn’t a secret at all in the coy fashion he knows you adore.

He knows all too well all of the things that make your stomach flutter. Listens to your heart beat like it’s his favourite song, the flush of your cheeks his favourite painting. Every little twitch of your lip or tap of your feet he catches with ease. You are his favourite everything.

You’ve become far more interesting than any book, far more gorgeous than any actress. Learned to read you better than yourself.But he supposes that would happen to any hybrid who had to wait as long as him, endure as much as he has.

Humans are tricky things, you know? You have to wait and wait and wait just for them to finally give into what they really want. Play the long game to win a prize at the end like he wants, deserves.

He’ll win it soon. August.

“Mmm? Having a contest with the house spiders or something?” You giggle, an effort to try and keep the atmosphere as light as possible. Try to distract from any pain he may be feeling at the moment.

Jimin is convinced he can speak to them– the house spiders that you allow to stay in the corners of your house. Another one of Jimin’s pitfalls that you couldn’t help but wonder into. He claims that they’re his friends, that he talks to them all the time. You, on the other hand, are unconvinced. They probably just use him for food!

“How did you know?! Who told you!” He gasps in mock surprise, head dipping low to rest on your shoulder before he continues, “No, not this time…they all know I would win anyway.”

“I know you would,” He doesn’t allow you in the basement to look at them, at least he hasn’t in the last month, but you’ve seen plenty strung around the house. Dotted in the corners of each room, his way of claiming territory. “You’ve always got such pretty silk.”

His face flushes– he knows you can’t see it. It’s good if you don’t, better if you have no clue how much your words affect him. Exactly how much those words mean to him.

Hopefully you will soon enough. Hopefully, if things go according to plan, you’ll know a lot of things. But right now you just need to stay a little clueless. Just for a little longer.

That’s what he promises to himself.

“What’s happening in autumn then?” You ask, finally pulling the last bit of silk from his left wrist. Both finally clean, finally working like they should be.

Taking each wrist into one of your hands, your thumbs find the openings to the spinnerets. Fingers rubbing gentle, soothing circles into the flesh. Your version of a little makeshift massage. One that always causes him to fall apart under. Spine slumping, mouth parting slightly as he watches your fingers work. His brain going a little empty along with the soothing motion of your fingertips.

Another thing that you don’t understand the intimacy of. The extent of what your touch means to him. How terribly it makes him want to bite you.

His voice is a pitch lower than before. You can’t help but notice the way his breath stutters in his throat at the gentle movement of your thumbs. The way his pupils expand ever so slightly. The way he leans into your touch, avoids eye contact at all costs.

You can’t help the blush that dusts your cheeks, the flutter of your ribcage. The way you keep going just because you know it’s making him feel good.

Stop it! You’re thinking in a bad way again! It isn't right! It’s just from the massage, the relief after his spinnerets are cleared! God, you can’t think about him like this. Can’t do this to yourself! Calm down, seriously. None of this is a big deal.

You know he can hear fast your heart is beating regardless of the argument going on inside of your brain.

“Autumn is mating season.” Your thumbs stutter.

Oh. That is something all of the articles definitely neglected to tell you. They didn’t tell you anything about… that aspect of spiders. Not that they explained much to begin with but certainly nothing about breeding.

You can’t help the way your grip tightens, trying to find purchase– stability at the revelation. Heart thrumming in your chest faster, more aggravated than before. The chill that travels down your spine with the hum of his voice so close to your ear.

Can’t help the sinch of jealousy that finds you either.

Fuck, you hate that he’s smirking– without even looking at his face you can tell! You know he can hear the exact pitter-patter of your heart, any little sound or smell you let out he can easily pick up. Knows your exact emotions before you know them yourself.

“Ah… I see.” This topic really shouldn’t make you so embarrassed! Pull yourself together!

You know that all hybrids have a cycle they go through. Heats, ruts, anything in between. You knew that when Jimin came into your life he would be the same! Knew there would be a time when he’d have to lock himself in the basement, body flooded with hormones. The pretty sounds you’d have to block out filling the house.

But still, because it’s him, you can’t help the nerves that arise from your core. The realisation that it would be coming sometime soon.

If you’re going to make it through you’d have to invest in some soundproof headphones. For your own sanity.

“Mmm?” He smiles, voice sweet and saccharine. Away with the pain of existing also left cute Jimin, leaving a deadly predator in its wake. One that likes to taunt and tease you while acting as innocent as an angel.

Leaves your brain confused, floundering trying to keep up with his deceptively sweet tongue. Doing it all just to get a cute little reaction out of you.

Guess he picked up on the exact little whirlwind of your mind, “You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed…”

“Shut up!” You whine, trying to stand from the couch so you can retrieve a washcloth. Try to avoid the way your heart is going to pound out of your chest, the way you know you’ll fall farther into his clutches.

His arms lock on firm, face nuzzling into the crook of your neck to rub his cheeks against your skin. Scent you just like he does a million times a day claiming that it's necessary. Spiders smell so much less than other hybrids– he has to do it or else.

Or at least that’s what he says– you think that it’s another lie.

“What!” He laughs, “Not like I’m saying anything dirty, it’s only natural.” He chides, sliding back against the couch, pulling you into his side with ease. Slotting you in like you’re meant to fit there, not whatever mate he meets in the future.

Your brain yells at itself. You know how dangerous that line of thinking is.

“Unless you want me to be dirty? I could if I wanted, you know.” He smiles as innocently as a wolf, fangs oozing with confidence behind them.

“Oh my god!” You sigh dramatically, putting on the front you always do when your heart feels like it may just explode. When you feel like digging an early grave because Jimin knows exactly what he’s doing.

You simply roll your eyes, “And I could punch you in the dick if I wanted to, you know?”

His laugh is always so pretty, boisterous yet still as light as air. Head tilting back, his neck on display as he chastises you for the empty threat. One you both know won’t come true, at least not right now.

He smiles, a gentle kiss being placed on your forehead as he urges you to stay. Promising he’ll be a ‘good little spider’ so you don’t have to worry about him. The implication of snacks and movies making you stay. The way he pouts when you tell him you’re not buying anymore BugBitez™ until the end of the week confirming that this is where you need to be right now. That it’s right.

It’s almost too easy for him too. Everything is too easy for you when it comes to Jimin. He claims the exact same.

Or at least, that’s what he mumbles in your ear now. Arms wrapped around you as tight as he can manage. Movie nearing its end with Jimin on the cusp of consciousness, you having lost the plot of it a long time ago.

Something about Aliens? Cowboys? Mothman? You couldn’t even hope to guess. Not when his breath is in your ear.

It’s hard to focus when he’s so close like this. When he’s saying pretty words that could get you lost in your fantasy over and over again. Making him harder and harder to give him up every moment that passes you by.

“Got lucky with my human.” He mumbles, half asleep, face buried in your hair, “Really good human.”

His lips move so lazily when they speak. Fangs running across the surface your skin like they have a mind of their own. Never daring to pierce the surface. Never daring to bite you for real. No matter how bad he really, really wants to.

How bad he wants to mate you. Make you his pliant little prey– see if the rumours about what his venom does to humans is real.

Your breath stutters but you pay it no mind. Trying, begging your eyes to remain focused on the movie. To ignore how deceptive sleepy Jimin is. Tomorrow, he will act as normal. His words will carry no weight.

He isn’t your boyfriend. You aren’t his mate. You two are just friends sharing a house.

Feelings you have no right to have are forced down over and over again. It seems like it's become a daily occurrence– a pattern of habit you have no hope in breaking. The love piling behind your eyelids means nothing when the person he is meant to be with could be around any corner.

But it’s getting harder. Too hard to hold them back and restrain yourself. Especially on nights like this when it feels like fate that the two of you met.

Thinking back on that fateful day now, all of those months ago, you’re sure it had to have been. Maybe the winter gods (if such a thing existed) decided to shine their light on you; to make the blizzard a little less lonely. Make your life filled with long days and even longer nights just a little bit brighter.

Or maybe they hated you and wanted you to suffer.

Wanted you to live a life knowing your affections will never be reciprocated, knowing that Jimin has a fated one out there somewhere just waiting for him. Knowing that it isn’t you. Cursing you to a life of watching Jimin fall for another.

Thinking becomes so hard when it’s about Jimin. When it’s about the man who made you so far into the pits of hell that you don’t think you’ll ever crawl out.

So instead your fingers simply squeeze his hand. Rub gentle, soothing circles into the skin. Care for him like you’re meant to instead of thinking about what the future may hold. What will happen when he does find his mate. What they might be like, what they might dress like, if they’ll have to move in here, if you’ll have to watch him fall in love over and over again every single day.

You think you might hate them.

You sigh.

No, that wouldn’t be fair. Could never be fair to Min. He deserves happiness. He deserves the world whether or not you’re a part of it.

You hope he isn’t able to pick up on the changes in your scent.

“Mmm mm, got lucky with you Min.”

August 11th.

A beautiful dream shattered by the incoherent nightmare that is your spider pacing around your room. A pillow pulled to either side of your head, doing everything in their power to drown out the noise as an audible groan leaves your lips. His nervous prattling too early in the morning for your liking.

Any other day it would be fine, you would think that it’s cute. The way he worries his lip between his teeth. The way he gently bites down on the pad of his thumb, one arm crossed while the other soothes the skin of his chin.

Any other day you’d sit in bed, listen to him. Mock him slightly with how much worry runs through his body.

But he isn’t talking about his mate any other day, is he? No, it seems that the occasion has been saved for this morning. His head running a mile a minute, losing all composure he once had before. Losing his very sense of self as anxiety courses through his veins.

“What if it isn’t good enough? I need to present it to her soon. Need to make sure everything is perfect for her.” Apparently he had met her. When? You have not a single clue. Jimin hasn’t left the house in weeks other than to go hunt bugs and to go to the grocery store with you.

“What if the web isn’t big enough? She might not like the style either…” He grumbles, eyes locked on the carpet as he moves back and forth across your room, “God and what if she hates the food… No, no you know what she likes.”

“Jimin, she’ll like everything. It will be fine.” You groan, sitting up in bed to face him, voice gruff with morning air.. You don’t want him to be in here, talking about this. Talking to you about this. Shattering your heart every second that passes by.

You knew it would happen someday, you really did. You tried to do everything right. Tried to pretend reality wasn’t creeping through your windows with every second that passes by. Try to ignore the impending sense of doom that covered your skin.

Did everything right only to end up failing once again due to the rations of Park Jimin.

You try to look at him through the fuzz in your eyes, sleep still trying to force you back into its clutches with everything that it has. Try to see what he is doing– understand what he is saying. His voice continuing to speak yet not fluent enough for you to actually understand. His body twitches ever so slightly, head jerking as his teeth dig deeper and deeper into his thumb. It was almost like you weren’t even in the room– not to him at least. Lost within the tangles of his brain.

Pulling himself deeper and deeper into the recesses of his mind, spiralling out of control of everything that seems rational, everything that he is meant to do or meant to say. It’s almost like he isn’t in the room at all. Isn’t pacing along your floor, surrounded by your scent. Comforting his inner spider before it loses control entirely with the hormones that rush through his veins.

August 11th. The date was circled 5 times on his calendar– red exclamation points, doodles scattered across the stupid day. Yet now, for the life of him he can’t seem to remember why. He can’t seem to remember much of anything though, so that isn’t a surprise. Only his web. The gifts he’s prepared for this day. Yeah. Those are the only things he can seem to think about.

A hand lands on his shoulder– one that isn’t his own. Who’s touching him? He isn’t sure. Isn’t sure of much other than the smell combing through the room that becomes sweeter and sweeter by the second. Honey he is unable to resist.

Especially with how soft the hand is that touches him. How gentle it is on his shoulder, his pace back and forth falling just so he can revel in it. Understand it.

“Hey Min.” Oh. It’s you. Your voice coming through the fog. Your voice startling him from the dream.

Gorgeous, gorgeous you.

Mate.

“It’s gonna be okay, yeah?” Why do you sound sad? No, maybe it’s distressed. His face falls.

No, no, no. You shouldn’t be sad. You should never be sad. You should always be happy with him. You should love him. His love should make you whole. Your love makes him whole.

Wait, does he have your love yet?

Now he isn’t sure.

All he knows is that he should. You should. He should wrap you up in his nest, hold you close until you feel nothing but him. Don’t think about anybody else. Look at anybody else. You should always be happy and safe. Happy and safe with him just like he feels with you. Has always felt with you.

More than that stupid reserve. More than his webs back there. It was fate that brought the two of you together, right? Right? So he should be allowed to indulge just a little. He should be allowed to let go of this stupid, fucked up play he’s been putting on for so long. He should be allowed to do whatever he wants.

The reserve always taught him he was a wild spider, you know?

Wait, spider.

Spider.

His rut. That’s what’s coming today. That’s why the day was circled. That’s why Jimin isn’t acting like himself. That’s why his spider is itching, clawing to come out to play. Why he so desperately wants all of you to himself.

He hasn’t even presented his web yet.

He tilts his head at you, blank eyes staring down into bright ones. Ones that hold his entire world at your fingertips.

“There he is.” Your smile is almost blinding. Makes his head pound just like the sun's rays.

That’s right. That’s why he needs to keep his composure. To keep that smile on your lips. To keep you happy. To keep you falling in love with him slowly the human way. The way he knows you’d prefer. Knows you adore every second of.

He isn’t Taehyung. He isn’t Taehyung.

The human way is better. Better at keeping you pliant. Better at keeping you happy. Better at keeping you unafraid.

He hates when people are scared of him. Hates when people flinch with every movement he makes. Hates when people can’t just love him like he so craves. He’s still a hybrid. He still wants love. He was bred for it just like the rest of them.

So when you came into his life, so gentle and caring despite the palpable fear that scented the air– weighed it heavily, it sparked light behind his eyes. When he felt you touch him, felt the sparks dance across his flesh and allowed himself to inhale once more. When there were no traces of fear within you, only the scent of his mate. His eternity.

He knew he had to do the right thing. Had to make you love him the human way. Had to make you fall for him, endure the wait. Endure the daily struggles of his instincts just so you would never be afraid of him. The end would be worth it.

He would never let you fear him even at the cost of his own sanity.

Because he isn’t Taehyung. He’s Jimin. He’s a good spider.

“You need to be careful Min…” You tell him quietly. Your voice is the only anchor to his shaky world. The light brought him back from the edge over and over again today.

He needs to leave your room before all of his planning goes to waste. Calm himself down. Present to you his web and all of his gifts so you can accept him properly.

“Your thumb… it’s bleeding honey…” He tilts his head again, inspects your hands as they move closer. Tries to force lucid thought from behind his heavy eyelids as you touch his skin directly.

Tries to ignore the throb deep inside as you gently remove the finger from his lips. Pull it away from the fang that was piercing him. The sting of the bite.

He hadn’t even noticed it.

He watches as a single drop spills from the abrasion. Slipping down his finger. Feels the way your hands come up to cup his cheeks.

Leave. Leave. Leave.

The way your thumb comes to his lips, worry etched across your features as you swipe away any remaining blood from his lower lip.

Leave. He needs to leave.

He isn’t sure how your finger ends up in his mouth. His plush lips wrapping around the digit, tongue curling around your flesh as he licks away the red spilled. Sucking on it gently as heat curls in his stomach. His eyes half-lidded, staring into the recesses of your very soul.

A groan passes through him at the taste of your skin. How sweet you are against his tongue. Do you even know what a vixen you are? What a tease you’ve come to be over the past 9 months?

No. Of course you don’t. Not with the blush that rushes to your cheeks. The stutter of his name that passes through his lips. The questions that you ask– what are you doing? Wh-why?

He wants you to be quiet. To enjoy you for all it’s worth. Enjoy everything you have to offer.

The command is silent– no more than the press of his bleeding thumb to your lips. The demand that you part them for him. To clean that wound that you unknowingly caused.

A hand on your cheek directing your head back. He’s been a good little spider, you can be a good little girl too, can’t you?

You are.

“J-Jimi–” He slips it inside, resting the pad against your tongue. Holding it in place. Asking, begging for this one little thing from you. You don’t mind, do you? You’ve always made him feel better before. This is no different, is it?

And so you do.

He watches the way your eyelids fall, your lips close as you begin to gently suck against it like he so craves. Like he desires down to the very cells that make up his body.

To imagine it’s his cock instead. Gently fucking into you over and over again, teaching you how to take his it how he likes. How he knows you’ll like. You’ll love everything about him. You’re meant to. It’s in the fabric of your DNA and soon it will all be his. Right after he shows you his–

Shit.

He needs to leave.

Got carried away in his fantasy. In pretending again.

His rut is coming too fast, too strong now that he finally has his mate in his grasp. He needs to leave. He needs to calm down so he can go this properly.

He leaves you on the bed, more confused and distressed than when he first entered. Annoyance hovering over your entire wake in a blanket of unrest. One that you know will not ease your soul for the rest of the day.

The spider has locked himself away. Hiding from you. Keeping himself in the basement, door locked, shutters drawn to drown out any sense of you that may be persisting.

You, on the other hand, have had nothing to do but stew in your own emotions. Think about every little decrepit detail that occurred hours prior. Edicting yourself to only address him by spider even in your thoughts.

It’s spiteful, sure. But it’s the least he deserves, you know? After everything he’s put you though– pulling you along like a little puppet on a string. Making you sit idly by for him to give you any lick of affection he’s willing to part with. Making you feel special, like you're worth something every second that he gets only for him to remind you with too much familiarity that he isn’t yours to have.

He woke you up, told you about his mate, looked at you like he was going to fuck you, and made you suck on his finger only for him to leave? The sheer fucking audacity of this man.

You’re sick of it.

Sick of having to force everything down because you know it isn’t what he wants. Sick of falling in love with him every day. Sick of having to play house. Sick of not having him. Sick of being playing the lovesick fool.

So, into the novels you fall. Into alternate worlds that are far better than your own. Displacing yourself into new habitats, new environments to escape the confines of the four stuffy walls that surround your body, head, and heart.

Into a world where it’s okay to fall in love with whoever you want. Where it’s okay to feel wanted. Where reality can be shut away by your headphones and a good snack. Where you can ignore the body approaching behind you. The tap on your shoulder.

You try to, honestly. And a good attempt it was.

Keeping your grip firm on the pages, nails digging into the paper below. Breath in your lungs held as if doing so would keep him away. Eyes tracing the pages over and over again though reading nothing. Attempting to appear as if you didn’t notice him at all.

Maybe he would leave, that was your biggest hope. Take the headphones placed firmly over your ears as a loud, obnoxious hint. That he would see you’re not interested and retreat to his basement layer to plot on the next way to torture your heart.

He doesn’t. He never would.

His frame comes to kneel in front of you. To stare up at you with those big brown doe eyes that you know you could never escape. Placing a gentle hand on your knee, trying to get you to see that he is there. That he wants to see you.

You see his lips move, though ignore entirely what they say. Letting out a huff, turning your body away from his own. Continuing to mindlessly stare at the pages even though their contents holds no meaning in this moment. No real value.

His forehead drops to your leg, a sigh leaving his throat. Words mumbled from his lips you’re unable to make out– not that you would want to hear them anyway.

Maybe it’s a temper tantrum of sorts. Giving him a taste of his own medicine. To feel even a pinch of what you do. He probably never does.

Your fight is a good one. It truly is– at least you think so. But it all comes tumbling down the second his lips press against your knee. His hands reaching past your iron grip on the book to hold your own.

You will always fall to the likes of Jimin.

Especially when you see his lips mouth the word please. His brows crested with worry, his lower lip quivering in worry. Fangs biting the surface to try and soothe the nerves he feels.

Any sense of foreboding he held earlier, gone. The tick of his shoulders, the cold, blank stare of his eyes vanished. Your Jimin, the one you’re used to, in love with, rising to the surface again.

You’re unable to fight against the plea, no matter how much you want to. Unable to fight against him.

“What is it.” Your voice is harsh as you remove your headphones, setting the book to the side. Much more than it appears he’d like it to be if the flinch of his neck is anything to go by.

“I…” Words feel lost in his throat, but he forces himself to continue forward, “I have something I need to show you, human…”

Why is he acting so weird? Acting like earlier never happened? He seems nervous, almost petrified at your reaction. As if anything you say could break him entirely.

You don’t understand it at all. Anything about this situation, really.

“Okay…?” You watch his face carefully, trying to reason. To figure out why exactly the air seems so heavy. Why this situation feels so tense. “Show me then?”

“I…You have to come with me?” It sounds like a question, his face flinching at his own words. He’s meant to do this perfectly. Why can’t he seem to get it right? Why can’t his instincts help him with this? “Like, I can’t bring it up here… I need you to follow me?”

“Huh?” The quiet breath leaves your throat as your features pinch.

He quickly tries to explain further, trying to help you see through the worry on your face, “Not far I promise. Just to the basement, yeah?”

Your head jerks back in surprise, “You never let me go down there.”

“Yeah but…it’s special this time.” Oh.

It’s almost as if the pieces click together on their own. Your brain drawing conclusions, making decisions for you despite the obvious staring right in your face. His mate is probably down there. Wants you to meet her.

You can only sigh, accept your fate for what it is. Follow the boy with the string to the basement once again, just like the first night he came tumbling into your life.

“Okay.”

He holds your hand as you walk.

Holds it as if his life depends on it. As if it’s the red string of fate that has tied your two bodies together for the rest of eternity. As if he might die the second you two part. As if you might run away the second he lets go.

You never do, never try to run away from him. You’ve tried to run away from your feelings for so long. The least you can do is see through to the end of them, right? That would be the right thing to do. The dignified thing instead of trying to throw a tantrum on the floor.

The walk to the basement feels like the longest in your life. A marathon you have no training for, no experience with tugging you along. Silence extended for miles along each creak of the floorboards, each set of the dim stairs.

Jimin left the lights off, dusk settling along the horizon not long ago. Only distant flickers from the basement coming through as you make your way down. Candle light in the distance lighting the way.

He doesn’t say a thing as your feet reach the bottom of the stairs, toes cushioned by soft silk lining the floors. He doesn’t have to.

It’s beautiful. That’s the only way you can describe what he’s turned the basement into.

Beautiful silks cover every waking surface– the floors, the walls, the ceiling all lined in brilliant patterns of white dancing across the surface. Creating stories as if they were living themselves.

You wish you could stare at them. Admire them for the rest of your life. Decipher each piece laying, coating the surface. Envisioning the world through the eyes of Jimin. Through the world around him.

Webs cross from floor to ceiling, taking space over the room. Intricately laid in patterns you are more accustomed to with spiders. Webbed hatching sectioning off parts of the space, acting as furniture for the bug to rest on.

As your eyes scan the room, you finally find what you think has to be the most gorgeous web in the world. Sitting in the far right corner of the room stands a nest that takes up the entire corner. The effort it took to make it clear in its craft. So soft, so comfortable.

You almost want to curl up in it yourself.

Illuminated by only the glow of candle light, Jimin does nothing but watch as you take everything in. Watch as your face changes into that of euphoria. Mesmerised by everything he has worked so hard on, everything he’s done just to impress you.

You turn to face him, staring at him with nothing but wonder in your eyes.

“Jimin, this is– fuck this is incredible,” Your voice is breathless, cut off by how overwhelmed you are with everything. With him. “This must’ve taken you so long, it’s so beautiful. Oh my god, how did you–”

He can’t take it anymore. Can’t take it now that he has you here, has you in his web. Now that he can keep you in it forever. Complimenting him. Completing him. He needs to finish with the rest of this fast. Before he does something he’ll regret. Before he finishes showing you how good a mate he will be to you properly.

He tugs you forward, practically puzzling as he tugs you deeper into his room of webs. Expertly guiding you through each one without a second to spare.

Jittery, excited. Feeting rocking themselves back and forth as he sits you on a blanket placed on the ground.

He isn't going to last much longer. Not before his heat takes over. Before he loses his mind at you in the sight of his nest. His mate in his nest. Waiting to be bred. Waiting for–

No, no Jimin. Stop it. Stop acting like a spiderling that doesn’t know what to do with himself now that he has his mate in his nest.

“I…” He takes a deep breath, voice shaky as he tries to calm himself down, “I made us a picnic… I hope you like it.”

His spider hisses at the words, hating having to describe it as something stupid like a picnic. No, it's a nuptial gift. Evidence that he’s a good enough mate. That he’s good enough for you. That he deserves you.

You watch him, watch as he pushes the basket filled to the brim with food over to you. Watch as his frame shakes slightly as he stares at you, fingers tapping against strings of webs closest to your leg.

You can’t help but feel lost. Overwhelmed with affection, but utterly, entirely, hopelessly lost all the same. What is he doing? Why is he presenting all of this for you? Shouldn’t he be doing this for his mate? Isn’t all of this some type of courting ritual?

Oh.

It appears the puzzle you constructed– pieces matched together haphazardly stuck together with glue isn’t the solution after all. Isn’t the reality presented before you know.

You’re… you’re Jimin’s mate?

Your eyes widen, head jerking to meet Jimin’s gaze. His pupils shaky, not daring to leave the surface of the basket. Not daring to move an inch until you accept him.

You’re an idiot.

“J-Jimin a-are we…?” You hesitate to ask, hesitate to break the gentle balance residing over the entire basement.

His head snaps to face your own, eyes plagued with the same blank, predatory look as before.

“Mate.” Deep, harsh, scratchy. His voice makes you feel like he’s going to devour you whole. Like he is the monster waiting in the deepest recesses of your nightmares when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. When in reality he is the very being your soul yearns for stronger than any other.

The revelation, the– everything leaves you overwhelmed. Emotions strung up for the stars, casting aside any comets that tried to hurdle towards the perfect glass encasing this moment. This eternity you wish to live in forever as you finally understand that he wants you just as much as you want him.

You can’t help but grab his cheeks– ignore how venomous he looks, and press your lips against his own. Can’t help the explosion behind your eyelids, the sparks that travel across your skins in euphoric waves. The way your heart swells like a balloon, racing in your chest so fast you fear you may die.

Every emotion you’ve felt that day, every nagging, creeping sensation finding its way into the back of your skull vanishes in an instant. No going back. No orchestra or chorus reprise. No thoughts of not being his mate. You are his mate.

Only him.

Only Jimin.

He doesn’t part with you, not for a second. Not when he finally has you against him. When you so easily rise into his lap. When his natural instincts finally stop screaming at him and take over completely. Kiss you with everything he’s worth. Devour you whole.

His hands find purchase on your hips, blunt nails digging into the skin. Mocking him for not doing this in the closet with you all those months ago. Allowing him to truly understand how good it would’ve felt then. How good it will feel every second that follows.

He thinks you have to be the prettiest thing in the world.

His spider thinks that you need to be bred full of his spiderlings. Fucked so hard that you wont be able to walk– wont be able to leave his nest. That he’ll be able to tie you up nice and pretty, stuff you with his cum over and over again until you’d never even think about leaving.

His spider is winning.

“Min…” Your voice is breathless, trying to keep up with the flurry of kisses he presses against your lips, your face– anywhere he can reach. It’s like he’s addicted to the feeling, like he’s making up for lost time.

“Min, I love you.” And just like that, any sanity he has left vanishes.

His spider has won.

Without a second thought you’re lifted from your place on his lap, thrown carelessly into his nest. His nest where you will stay. His nest where he’ll keep you. All thoughts vanished from that pretty little head of yours. Just like it should be.

His hands find the back of his collar, shirt discarded without a second thought on the floor. He doesn’t need it anymore. Not when he has you. When he wants to feel you fully.

You can only stare– fawn at his tan skin. The gentle muscles on display for you. For your eyes only while he crawls towards you. Stalks you just like they might a pretty little butterfly caught in their web. Wrapped in webs and killed without a second thought.

His lips find yours once again. Slotting together, filling the other to make them whole. Dazed in lust and passion, neither soul hoping there would ever be a way out for the other.

Well, there won’t be for you. But that’s okay. You’ll love it. Love every second of it.

He knows it as his fingers dance against your skin. Sliding beneath the hem of your shirt, running with skilled ease up your sides. The chill that racks through your body is evidence enough. The way you so easily allow him to draw your shirt over your head solidifies it. Your shorts follow, making it set in stone.

Your breath comes out in short pants, every slight touch, every little movement sends fire burning through your skin. Igniting you, setting your core ablaze with heat that only he can extinguish.

Fingers gently sliding over your ribs, thumbs coming just blow your breasts to rub circles into the skin while his fangs nip gently into your lower lip. He can’t bite you now. No, after he mates you he can bite you all he wants.

He groans at the thought, hips rocking themselves against your clothed cunt. Allowing you to feel all of him– the press of his cock, the motion of his need allowing you to fall higher and higher into a heaven you did not think possible.

You whine at him to do something, anything. Too impatient to wait any longer. Too impatient to live a second more without something, anything buried inside of you.

His smile is sick, twisted as he reclines back on his heels. Allows himself to get a good look at you.

“Shh, Shh…” His hand cups your cheek, smoothing his thumb against your lips. Pressing it inside with more ease than before. More compliance than before. There’s a good little girl.

“Poor thing is having a hard time, huh?” He mocks gently, hips pressed firm against your own allowing you to feel every inch of him, “Pretty lips all swollen, pussy a little mess from just kissing… mm mm…”

He groans, hand slipping between your legs. What he finds is no more than a mess of a girl. Hips bucking upwards. Slick dripping from your center, panties coated in arousal. Puffy little clit begging for any attention he’s willing to give it.

Without any hesitation his thumb finds your clit, pressing against it without any thought of reprieve. Without any thought to give you any of the relief you crave. You’ve made him wait this long, you can wait a second, no?

He groans high as you buck against his hand, mewl leaving your lips as some sort of plea. Ah~ how cute. Such a little thing so desperate for something, anything that you’re willing to give up your very head in return? How cute! How adorable!

His spider preens. Is almost so belated he doesn’t notice the hands that come down to grip his wrist. Hold him in place all so you can circle your hips against his thumb. Rub adorable little rings into your clit without any help from him. Use him to make yourself feel good.

A coo leaves his lips. Who is he to deny such a pretty little human?

“Ah pretty baby wants to feel good, does she?” He almost giggles at how pathetic you look. How adorably you cling to him. How hard you try.

His arm is ripped from your grasp, pulling back from the very place you desire him most. Where your arousal soaks the cotton of cotton, so palpable he can practically taste it in the air.

“It’s okay baby…” He sees the annoyance in your face, the battiness you hold in your heart coming to light. Excited to tame it. Excited to quell the pretty little devil in his web.

Tie you up. Breed full.

Breed you.

His fingers work fast. Arms are pulled over your head, silks quickly pinning them to the surface. Strings wrapping and wrapping until he’s sure you’re secure. Sure you can’t move.

His hips gently rock against your own, clothes cock pressing against your core. Watching as your hips buck, as you try to urge him closer with a pathetic whine.

See exactly how you struggle against the strings.

Perfect, perfect girl. How did he get so lucky, huh? Can never be sure.

You’re unable to stop the cry that leaves your throat as his hands pull your panties aside, finger thrusting into your wet heat. Filling you up, making you feel a little more whole.

“Min~” The moan of his name is shaky. Every sense you have in overdrive as he works his finger against your walls. Every push inside deeper, harder. Curling against your walls in the exact way you craved.

Pleasure coils in your stomach faster than you thought possible. A second finger joining the first, pumping in and out as he prepares you for his cock. Prepared you to take all of him and nothing less.

He knows you can do it. You can, can’t you?

“Mhmm baby, I know… head a little clearer now, huh?” He chuckles, chastising, “Can only think when you’re full. It’s so cute.”

You whimper at his words, head rolling back as the coil pulls tighter and tighter within your gut. Urging you to just let it snap, feel everything you’ve been waiting for.

“F-feels good…” You mutter quietly, unable to see the haze cloud his vision. The way his amused expression drops into that of a wild animal.

Without any warning his fingers pull out of your heat, body leaving your own entirely as he stands. Grabbing your hips, dragging them closer. Flipping your body over. Setting you pretty on your knees, arms uncomfortable crossed in front of you.

He quickly rids himself of his pants, allowing his cock to spring free from their confines. Head red and messy as it hits his stomach. Angry at how neglected you’ve left him. How desperately he wants this.

You have no way of preparing yourself for the drag of his cock through your lips. The gentle nudge against your clit. Thick head dragging through your folds, spreading your arousal. Mixing it with his pre-cum.

Making you messy. Making you dirty just for him. Making you belong to him.

“Gonna fill my mate.” All humour is gone from the man behind you, as if he is someone else entirely. It’s really too bad your head has a few too many screws loose to care. Care about anything other than the way his firm head presses against your hole. The way his blunt nails dig into your flesh.

“Gonna breed her. Mate her. Make her mine.” It’s almost as if his word is a command. The very sentences he utters become law.

You can only nod your head. Give yourself to the very man that fate led you to all those months ago. “Want~”

The thrust of his hips into your walls is almost too much to bear. A cry leaving your lips as he fucks himself inside in a single thrust. Forcing you to take him to the hilt, to feel all of him stretch your walls. No break. No waiting around.

You’ve both done enough waiting.

It hurts— the burn, as he stretches you full. Presses his cock against your walls making sure your cunt remembers no one but him.

The way he gives no reprieve, fucking into you like an animal starved. Pulling back until only the tip remains inside before fucking himself fully inside once more.

“Min!” You cry, waves of pain and pleasure boiling all the same within your bones. All the same inside of your blurred head, nothing but static and thoughts of him behind the line of your eyes. Slipping off into space as you let cunt clenched pathetically around his cock.

“Good mate, taking me so well. Such a good human.” He groans, hips pulling back and thrusting into you over and over again. Making you fall apart with his pace. Pumping his cock into your pathetic little hole fast and hard. Ruining you for any other man.

Making sure he will be the only one you allow to enter heaven.

Your moans come out wanton, pleaing. Hips start to move back against him, trying to keep up with his pace despite the burn you begin to feel in your tied arms. Desperate to let him know just how good he’s filling you. Just how good he’s making you feel.

“My mate.” His pants come out harsh, breath on your neck as he hovers close. The sound of skin and against skin is the only thing you’re able to hear. The pressure of Jimin’s lips against your neck makes you feel like you’re about to go insane.

He’s desperate to make you fall apart on his cock alone. Pleasure building and building, the coil tight. Ready to snap at any moment. Ready to fall apart at his command.

“Gonna make you mine forever pretty.” His voice is featherlight once more. The switches have you reeling, your brain spinning. “Want that, don’t you? For me to bite you? Mark you up? Breed you full of my spiderlings? Ruin that pretty little head for anything else.”

He sighs, nails digging into your hips where they’re sure to leave bruises. You nod your head in agreement, moans spilling past your lips as his hips change their angle. His cock hitting the spot that leaves you seeing stars on every thrust.

“Say the word and you’re mine.” You feel his fangs against your skin. The harsh drag across your delicate skin. “Forever.”

You can’t take it anymore, pleasure burning through you. Blinding you. Unable to think about anything else other than the rough thrusts of his cock against your walls.

“Please.” It’s no more than a whimper, but he swears it’s the loudest thing he’s ever heard.

His teeth clamp into your flesh— the final thing needed to push you over the edge into bliss. Your body stutters, walls a vice around his cock as the coil finally snaps. Heat flowing through every cell you possess. The only thing in your soul is Jimin.

Your back arches, eyes dotting with black as you allow it to overtake you. Jimin rocking you against him, groaning as he fills you with his cum, painting your walls white. Allowing you to ride out your high with him. Finally allowing the rut to rid his brain for only a moment.

He slowly pulls out of you, panting. Quickly moving to cover your center back up with your underwear. Make sure all of his cum stays tucked away in your pretty little pussy to get you nice and pregnant.

You can only whimper, body twitching at every movement he makes. Worn down your bones— energy sucked so dry you can’t even feel the throb of your neck. Don’t even notice the blood that drips from where he marked you— claimed you in the way only a hybrid can.

All you're sure of is the need to be close to him. Need to feel him.

Is this what he had been feeling all along? Marks were known to do that, to allow you to feel what your mate does. If he had to endure what you’re feeling right now, it had to have been hell for him.

“Min…” you calm his name. Pull him from where he stares between your legs. Where his fingers rub circles into the surface of your underwear, spreading any cum that leaks from your twitching hole.

Within a second he’s at attention, staring at you with all of the love in the world. You’re not sure how you missed it before. How you could have deluded yourself into believing any less.

He pouts as you wiggle at your restraints, silk holding your arms in place all this time. He gently shakes his head, slowly flipping your body back over onto its back. Crawling over you to look at your face properly. Take in your fucked out expression. Ruined his pretty little human. Made her perfect.

“Don’t want to.” His lower lip juts out at you, eyes wide just like a begging dog. “Look pretty tied up in my web. Should stay like this. Forever.”

“I don’t think my job would like that very much.” You giggle, lip pouting out to match his own. He leans down, quickly capturing your mouth in a quick kiss.

Something hard pressed against your leg once more. His hand comes down to guide it against your heat. Rub against you despite the oversensitivity and cum leaking from your hole.

“Then we move to the woods together… I’ll hunt for us…” He grumbles, pushing your underwear to the side once more. Collecting any cum that has spilled out with his cock, gently fucking it back into your cunt with the head.

A whine rips from your lips due to oversensitivity. Pussy sore, aching from what he just put you though. What you aptly begged for. Yet you can’t deny him. Don’t want to deny him with how good it feels to be filled. How addicted you’ve become. Cock drunk.

“Wh-what?” You try to breathe, walls fluttering around his length as he slowly thrusts back inside. Filling you to the brim once again. “W-we can’t do that, Minnie…”

His thrusts are slow, languid. Almost like he’s making love. Treating you with utmost care despite how wrecked your entire frame is.

He is entirely unaffected. His rut leaves him wanting for more and more until you have nothing left to give. Face twisting into confusion at your words.

“Why can’t we? Make you up a nice pretty web… keep you full all the time” He hums against your neck, gently licking at his mark, “treat you like a real good mate, yeah? Fill you up over and over. Will look so pretty with my spiderlings.”

He moans the words, hips speeding up ever so slightly at the thought. It dawns on you that this must be his rut talking. Filling his head with nonsense he knows can’t come true. In a few days when he wakes up from it, he’ll probably pretend he never said anything about taking you to the woods. Keeping you there.

No harm in agreeing, is there? Especially when he makes you feel so good. So happy and full. When it makes him feel just as good. When your head starts to feel fuzzy, the exhaustion weighs heavily on your consciousness. You’re on birth control anyway, it's fine.

“Mmhmm… sounds nice..” You moan quietly, already feeling your second orgasm approaching. Allowing yourself to become lost in the same dream as him. Allowing yourself to fall victim to pretty words and false promises. Ones that he intends to make true.

“Gonna take such good care of my mate.” He groans, face buried in your neck. He feels your walls clamp around him, pulling him in over and over again. Cunt never wanting him to leave.

His hand draws between your thighs, fingers rubbing quick circles into your clit. Neither of you are going to last long. Both too sensitive to do anything but fall into the pleasure of each other.

Pussy fluttering against his cock, head rolling back as your high runs through you once more. White clouding your vision, ears ringing as you are overcome with fire. Drowning in the feeling of his cock fucking you full of his cum once again.

He lets out a harsh groan as he fills you. Breeds you just like a good spider would. Makes you feel complete as he helps you through both of your highs.

Your eyes feel heavy— too heavy to stay open even a second longer. Too tired to stay awake as he pulls your underwear back over your center. As he pulls your body close to his own.

He doesn’t blame you, never could. It must be hard having to keep up with a hybrid during their rut. But he knows you can do it. Knows you’ll do it for him. Especially with the promises you made. The ones you made only to him.

The last words you hear before falling under the veil of consciousness is a simple declaration. One you’ve waited months to hear.

“I love you.”

“Y/n! Hurry up!”

The whine of Jimin’s voice is louder than any car, highway, hell— aeroplane you’ve ever heard, you’re sure of it. The grip of his hand around your own is like iron, tugging you along the worn trail path, trying to urge you faster than your feet will allow.

“I’m going! I’m goin!” You chide with him, giggle leaving your lips at his hurried nature. You don’t think you’ve ever seen the spider more excited. Maybe even more so than when he strokes the bite mark scarred into your shoulder– your permanent reminder that you are his and he is yours.

“Not fast enough!” He groans, head rolling back in annoyance, “The best spot is going to get taken!”

He’s told you about this spot time and time again– excitement palpable with every mention. A beautiful clearing back at the reserve, one that the trees shine perfectly through. The best spot for basking in the whole park, as well as for begging humans for snacks.

You smile at the thought. Following as close behind him as your feet will manage. Blanket and bags of food tight in your grip. After months of paperwork, he can finally return to this place without fear they’ll take you away from him. The mate licence in your wallet proof enough of it.

He finally gets to take you to the reserve– the place he called home for so long before he met you. The place where he first learned how to be a proper spider. The first place he learned to make friends. He’s most excited about the latter part, getting to show off his shiny new mate to all of his friends. The one he caught the human way.

He’s been talking about it for days, since you first brought up the idea of visiting. Of wanting to see where he lived before he met you. Prattling on and on about everything he’s going to show you, how he’s going to introduce you to Jungkook if he can. About the waterfall over the cove that you two can swim in without anyone finding out.

All of it is a dream come true for your little spider. Your mate.

You smile at the thought– how excited he is as he helps you set up the blanket on the ground. As he helps spread food all around you. Body jittery, head twitching at every little sound.

It’s clear he’s going a little crazy with joy. Entirely ecstatic to have you here with him. Sitting across from him on the ground in a way that almost mocks the picnic you had in his basement that night months ago.

Ah, sorry. Nuptial gift ceremony. He liked it a lot better when you called it that.

“Oh! And then, after we eat, I can introduce you to the head of the park! She’s Namjoon’s mate, but she doesn’t know it yet.” He talks to himself, chatting idly about nothing as he presses another strawberry to your lips. You eagerly take it, biting down on the fruit without a second thought.

You cover your mouth with your hand as you speak, “Really? It must be difficult to confess to her, then.”

He nods his head, overexcited as he looks past you into the trees. Nose twitching as he tries to pick up a scent. Yellow tinted sunglasses high on his nose to block any light from hurting his delicate pupils.

You can’t help but think about how beautiful he is. How lucky you are to have him.

His hair has grown out since that fateful day months ago, blonde replaced by a deep blue that puts the night sky to shame. How his frame has bulked out ever so slightly. Pretty tan skin looking more healthy than ever. His head off in the clouds, trying to ground himself so he doesn’t pick you up and drag you off into the woods.

The human way is never easy for him.

“Mhmm… he’s trying but he isn’t very good at it. Doesn’t understand how humans like it to be done…” He mumbles.

“Hybrid’s do it different?”

“Yeah,” He seems a little lost in space, nose twitching harsher as he tries to recognise the exact scent he knows will be coming soon. Jungkook can never hold himself back from a picnic, no matter how far. He just wishes his nose was stronger.

“Hybrids just take their mate right away. Prove they’re a good mate and then it’s done. But human’s you have to teach.” Your shoulders drop slightly, and maybe if it wasn’t for the love you felt for him or the mate mark pressing against your neck, you would have understood the severity of his words. Of teaching a human, tricking them into making them fall.

“Oh…” You pout, head coming down to rest against his shoulder. None the wiser to the meaning behind his words, “I’m sorry… it must’ve been hard for you.”

He only shakes his head, “It’s okay. I just didn’t want you to ever be scared.”

Suddenly, Jimin is standing. Eyes darting across the underbrush that surrounds the treeline. You follow his vision, squinting slightly to try and make out exactly what he is looking at when two antennae pop over the other side of a bush. Twitching, pointing in your direction. Hunting down food as they move closer.

The insect moves close, tilting his head as he finally moves within your line of vision. Mop of brown floppy hair on his head, wide bunny eyes. Twitching nose all the same. If it wasn’t for the lack of ears and black antennae jolting from his head, you would’ve thought he was a rodent.

“Kook!” Jimin’s voice is loud as he quickly run’s to meet the boy. The other looks just as excited, eyes lighting up with stars as his legs take off in the same direction. The two fall into a puddle of laughter and play fighting as they fall to the ground in greeting.

The infamous Jungkook, an ant hybrid– the biggest ant hybrid you’ve seen, mind you. Jimin’s best friend is finally revealed. And you have to say, seeing them together. Watching as your mate attempts to playfully tie him up silks has to be the prettiest sight you’ve ever laid eyes on.

“Oh my god, Min!” You laugh as Jimin struggles, the giant ant hybrid easily breaking free from the others strings. Instantly the attention is on you. Jimin leaning back to his heels, head thrown back as he whines.

“Shut up! He’s gotten stronger! My webs hold you good enough!” You continue to laugh, unaware of the ant sneaking closer. His antenna tickling your shoulder as he stares at the food in front of you. Begging for just a little taste to bring home to his colony, a little bit to make the queen happy.

You happily oblige, making room for the two of them to join you once again after their little scuffle. A reunion too cute to not try and remember forever. And just like that, conversation begins to flow easily between the three of you. Almost as if Jimin never left in the first place.

The two of them spend all afternoon catching up– Jimin reciting the story of how you two met, Jungkook opening up about the cute human that’s started to come by the park every saturday. Pulling his antennae down as he speaks, clearly embarrassed. Telling you all about how they met, about the reserve.

“Ah~ don’t mind him. Kookie’s just embarrassed cause he doesn’t know how to talk to girls.” Jimin teases, leaning over to ruffle Jungkook’s hair. His arm tightly wrapped around your frame, holding you close. “Not every day that an ant hybrid has a mate outside of their colony, you know?”

“Hyung! Shut up!” He quickly whines, eyes shooting a subtle glare towards the other. Legs kicking slightly underneath his frame. “You… know what it means… especially cause she’s human…”

“I know.” His fangs shimmer as his hand reaches out to ruffle his hair, “Don’t worry. She’ll wanna be your queen in no time.”

You nod your head in agreement, picking up another piece of fruit and popping it into your mouth. Nothing much to add to the conversation– you’ll never really understand the intricacy of hybrids and how they work. Especially those like Jungkook and Jimin.

Yet, you can’t help but feel at peace with that. At peace with them and this moment. Content with your life, content with your mate and the life you’ve built together. You hope that Jungkook can do the same with his own someday. Build a nice little colony or whatever it is that ants do.

“Mhmm, anyone would want someone as cute as you.” You smile, watching as the ant’s eyes go wide. Blush covering his cheek as he tries to pull his antenna down to cover them. Jimin instantly pounces on the other, starting a new round of play fighting. Laughing about having to defend his mates honour. That she isn’t allowed to look at any other hybrid. No one but him.

You giggle along with them, leaning back from your spot. Taking a mental picture of the scene in front of you. Jimin happy, playing. The sunset over the horizon as the three of you laugh in the woods. As Jimin no longer looks anything like that spider all those months ago.

And maybe he’s right. Maybe you did fall into his trap lined with silk. But you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Even when you wake up in the middle of the woods. When you wake up in a cabin decorated in pretty webbing. When you come to find society is far behind you. When you discover no one else other than Jimin telling you that this is exactly what you asked for.

You wouldn’t have it any other way.

⋆𐙚 if you enjoyed this fic, please consider buying me a kofi!

© all rights reserved to ctrlhope 2019-2024 ; do not copy, plagiarise, or translate.

[lace-coffin]

adding onto Asa's newest pet coddling and babying his bugs, how would he react to us protecting them?

Like, maybe another member of the collection got out and found s/o where Asa keeps the bugs and, and startled s/o drops the giant tarantula from where they are on their knees. In their momentary fright, they flinch and shove the tarantula's enclosure, braking it and alerting Asa that something is wrong.

The startled tarantula starts crawling around, quickly moving in the escapee's direction, and just as Asa opens the door, his pet stops the escapee from squishing the tarantula they so fondly named Cocoa by covering it with their hand and scooping him (the tarantula) out of dangers way

this unfortunately leads to the breaking of Asa's pets' hand, however, s/o seems more concerned for Cocoa, as they now have the giant furry spider clutches closely for their chest, but not to tightly, as Asa had taught them to handle it gently

Also I loved the last one!!! very sweet and exactly what I was hoping for, thank you so much!!

Hi I’m really glad you enjoyed the last one! It actually turned out to be one of my fave fics I’ve written and I really appreciate how much detail you always give me to work with! 💖

How would Asa Emory react to his pet/SO injuring themselves to save one of his bugs?

Asa Emory x gn!Reader

Requests are open!

Trigger warning for mild violence and blood.

Shit shit shit. This was not was Asa needed right now. One of his older failed projects had bolted past him and disappeared into the dark halls of the hotel. The Collector in question was currently dragging himself up from the floor with the aid of a near by table, winded and panting.

In a moment of accidental carelessness he’d turned his back, deeming the captive inundated enough to leave. After a round of ‘experimenting’ it wasn’t like he was in any state to move, at least Asa thought. the man laid bloodied and wounded in a pile, paper mache mask stapled to his clammy skin.

Apparently he still had some fight left in him, swiping Asa’s ankle before he could start chaining him back up. That led to the situation now.

By the time he’d gathered himself and trudged to the door the captive was out of sight, it would be impossible to find him right away, he loved his hotel but the twisting halls all blended into one, even if you were a regular visitor. The bloodied and beaten man could be anywhere by now, Asa having no way in knowing where for sure.

Suddenly the sense of urgency came crashing down on him. You were currently spending your allotted free time wandering the hotel, only ever drifting between the places that your master pre-approved as safe for you but on your own nonetheless. Usually the jingling collar on your neck served enough warning if you were to drift, the zombie like prisoners in the lower levels knew not to touch something marked by the hotels owner, one scrape on you could mean a punishment that would leave them wishing they were already dead.

Asa knew in the delirious state the man was in he wouldn’t know nor care you were off bounds, desperate and disoriented, looking for any opportunity for escape from this hellhole.

He could check the cameras, see if he could track the escapee making his way across the monitors but it would be too time consuming, time already not being on his side with you loose in the hotel, blissfully unaware of the deranged man stalking the halls. Fuck, he’d have to do this on foot and now.

On the other side of the hotel you hum quietly, running your fingers across the various terrariums in the specimen room. This was your favourite room to visit, having named all the critters to your liking and much to Asa’s amusement hidden under annoyance. You were particularly fond of the Blue Death Feigning Beetles, just a bunch of silly little blue guys that didn’t really know what was going on but happy to be there nonetheless.

Only one specimen held a higher place in your heart. Cocoa, an older rich brown curly haired tarantula or Tliltocatl albopilosus as Asa insisted. Asa had gifted her to you after seeing how well you handled the other specimens with a particular lean towards tarantulas. One of the easier kinds to keep, she lived up to her specie description well, docile and less prone to kicking hairs or biting. You two had bonded well, spending evenings together on the specimen room floor.

You watched happily as she tottered across the floor in-front of you, never letting her get too far before coaxing her back into your palms. Just as you were going to pluck her from the floor and return her to her tank the door slams open, leaving an indent in the wall where the handle smashed into it.

Crazed bloodshot eyes met yours from across the room, this was obviously one of sir’s projects, but what was it doing here? Fear spiked up your spine like ice as he started approaching with haste, blood gurgling in his mouth making anything he was attempting to say unintelligible. He probably thought you could help him. Poor guy. You felt a little pitiful for him.

That was until he lunged for you, sputtering blood over your fresh clothes from his dripping maw. You let out a startled scream, this seeming to annoy him more, slapping a dirty hand over your mouth in an attempt to silence you and stop his tormenter from locating him. You sink your teeth into his hand in retaliation, the feeling of splitting skin vile under your canines. He howls in pain, shoving you away from him and onto the floor.

You do the first thing you can think of and mentally apologise to cocoa for what’s about to happen. Gripping the table leg you shove the table over, by proxy pushing her tank onto the floor, with as much strength as you can muster. not before taking inventory of where cocoa is on the wooden floor, not wanting her to be hurt in the process.

Asa now only a hallway away hears the crash and swears under his breath, his worse fears becoming real as it becomes apparent you and the escaped victim are sharing the same room. He can only hope he gets to you before you sustain any injuries.

In the blur of chaos cocoa is startled and skitters across the room towards the man. the delirious man snarls in anger and fear, raising his foot to crush her under his tattered shoe. eyes snapping wide in terror you lurch across the floor for her as fast as you can. You manage to grab her just in time, your breath shaky as you scoop her up. The man above you takes this opportunity to stomp as hard as he can on your hand, the sick sound of your fingers crunching under his weight reaching your ears as you wail in pain.

Just as the man makes a run for it the door bangs open loudly to present a less than happy Asa, infuriated murderous look haunting his features. The man responsible for this whole ordeal visibly pales even more. Before he can shake off the shock a blade is swept across his throat with accuracy, leaving the ghostly man to crumple to the floor, gurgling on his own spit and blood. Your master watches him fall with a sick satisfaction, this is soon wiped from his face and replaced with concern when his gaze meets you.

Despite being disheveled and exhausted you hold Cocoa to your chest gently, whispering sweet words of comfort to her. You weren’t sure if the words were more for her or you but it didn’t matter right now, you were both safe.

You eyes finally rest on Asa and your expression softens, knowing things will be ok for definite now. “Sir…I’m sorry about the tank, I didn’t know what else to do, how to reach you. Cocoa’s ok, I’ve checked her over and she’s fine, see?” You cross the room to your master and extend your palm for cocoa to waddle onto Asa’s hand, letting him give her the once over.

“You took perfect care of her, I’m thankful, pet.” A small smile creeps onto his face but is quickly swept off as he sees your hand, red and throbbing, fingers already starting to bruise. Asa quickly places cocoa into an extra tank and turns back to you. “Hand” he orders, waiting for you to place your abused hand into his larger one. He looks over it carefully, flexing a few fingers and hearing you hiss. There’s definitely some breaks.

His face takes on a guilty but frustrated look. “What is this? You should’ve tended to yourself first” he lets out a deep breath. “Excuse my temper pet but you’re hurt, your hand is most likely fractured in a few places…I’m sorry for letting this happen.” He says remorsefully, placing a soft kiss on your forehead.

“Sorry for not telling you sooner it’s just, I guess I didn’t even really register it, sure it hurt like a motherfucker-“

“Pet. language..”

“Sorry sir, it hurt real bad but I was so focused on making sure cocoa was safe it seemed like a non issue at the time.”

“I forgive you, little one” he whispers into your hair. you two stay like that for a moment, basking in each-others safety after the hectic events of this afternoon. Eventually the taller breaks away from the embrace with a sigh, gesturing to your damaged hand.

“Let’s get you fixed up and fed hm?” He suggests, suddenly hiking you up into his arms, your legs scrambling to wrap around his wide waist as you lean your head into the crook of his neck. Asa hum’s calmly as he makes his way through the halls, you snuggle deeper into his embrace, the events of the day finally weighing down on you.

“You can rest now cricket, sir has you, you’re safe.”

[notorious-fanfic-bracket]

Round One

Welcome to the Notorious Fanfic Bracket to determine the most iconic, influential, and notorious fanfics of the interwebs. These divisive fics sparked discourse, traumatized our younger selves, became a behemoth of fandom, or otherwise deeply impacted fan culture. 

These contenders were selected out of two previous fanfic polls (1) (2) I did on my main blog @tarantula-hawk-wasp​ . (I’m your host Holly/Hal, she/her) 

**** Where is My Immortal? ***** 

my immortal is the Honorary Champion. The winner of the bracket will enter a bonus round against My Immortal. It did not seem fair to pit anything against My Immortal. 

Link to Celebrian vs. To Scale the Blue Sky poll 

Link to Twist and Shout vs. The Milk Fic poll 

Link to A Reylo Fic vs. Legolas poll 

Link To The Hat Fic vs. The Skin Fic poll

Link to Dipper Goes to Taco Bell vs. Let It Out poll

Link to Heat Waves vs. Cupcakes poll

Link to Sexy Times with Wangxian vs. The Heart Rate of a Mouse poll

Link to Starkit’s Prophecy vs. Dirty Laundry poll 

[ashcoveredtraveler]

An approximation of what real life insects(or others) reflect Hollow Knight characters.

Let's start off the Dreamers:

Monomon(Crystal Jellyfish[right], Boxed Jellyfish [left]):

Of course I started off with the dreamer that wasn't a bug at all. It was difficult to find any jellyfish that resembled Monomon, but I chose these ones. Fun fact, the boxed jellyfish are one of the most poisonous Jellyfish.

(more under cut)

Lurien(Cinnabar Moth[right], Scarlet Tiger Moth[left]):

Based on this post by @dairyfreenugget . I like the thought of Lurien heavily contrasting the blue colors of the city. However I realized it's kinda pointless in my AU/Fic cause 1, he doesn't have his wings anymore, just stems of them and 2, he always wears his cloak so no one knows what bug he is. Though I bet you whoever is closest to him would appreciate the brightly colored stems they could occasionally see.

Herrah(wolf spider[left], Sapphire Gooty Tarantula[right])

Wolf spiders are known to hunt and are agile, and I imagine Herrah would probably be one of the best hunters in Deepnest. But they are not poisonous, we can sometimes just be allergic to them. However the Sapphire Gooty Tarantula, is one of the most venomous tarantulas. They look dope as all hell, and the colors kinda match Herrah. I might have to draw Herrah with purple fluff instead of brown.

[meggie-stardust]

Happy @stetersecretsanta2022 to @thesubtextis!

I was so excited to see that you were ok with things getting dark as long as they have a happy or hopeful ending, because I've been wanting to explore some darker fic, and you've given me the chance to go dark here. I hope you enjoy it; I had a really fun time working through this one. <3

I want to thank @bettertasting for the cheer leading and vibe checks when I got too in my head while writing this. And a massive thank you to @punchedbymarkesmith for the killer last minute beta that found all my excessive commas and other run on sentences. I also want to shout out the other wonderful SSS support chat who helped with everything from moral support to writing sprints, and everything in between: @ambersagen, @teenwerewoofs, @tarantula-teeth, @lucky-bishop, @midmorning-bomb, @vmures, and @bwtch. Y'all are the best and I hope to keep creating awesome things with you.

---

Give Me Pure Energy by Wreck

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Rape/Non-Con Category: M/M Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles, Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski/Other(s) Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Peter Hale Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ghost Peter Hale, Succubi & Incubi, Dream Sex, Dreams vs. Reality, Dubious Consent, Rape/Non-con Elements, Non-Consensual Somnophilia, Ghost Sex, Resurrection, Young Peter Hale, Mindfuck

And the thing is that Stiles has so few new people in his world that aren’t werewolves or trying to inflict bodily harm on him, so he doesn’t think it’s all that weird when the new kid shows up in his dream, blue eyes twinkling as he beckons to Stiles from across a field of purple flowers. Because dreams are really just your brain’s way of processing the events from the day, and dreaming about a new, interesting kid is totally normal and even expected. OR the alternative season 2 where Stiles craves some normalcy and befriends a new kid in his econ class, only to realize that maybe they both want more from each other than just a simple friendship.

Read on AO3

[kariachi]

Some daemon au fic, featuring Elena and Celio and preparing a space for a tiny daemon.

~~

If there was a benefit to settling as a bug, a standard bug not one of those giant stick insects or tarantulas, it was that you got an excuse to shop for furniture and such. Sure it was all miniature furniture, selected out of a catalog from their siring-pair’s favorite company, but still. They weren’t a wealthy household and had an allowance of ten dollars a week, this was the closest they were going to get to being able to interior decorate to their taste without having to undergo a whole plot to get the Morningstars to fund it and their parents to let them.

As such, Elena and Celio treated going through the catalog with similar weight to Black Friday shopper gearing up. They set up shop at the kitchen table, Celio settled on Elena’s nose for an aerial view. Two rulers off to one side, a piece of paper and a pencil on the other. One cup and one small cap of cocoa, because they deserved it. A post-it note with his measurements, in millimeters, centimeters, and inches all. Not that there were many inches, or even a full inch. And right in the center, the latest Arthrotect catalog, a thick thing that wasn’t quite up to the position of doorstop but surely hoped to take on the role when it grew up. The cover showed a snail daemon stretched out on a little leather couch. The words ‘Full Detail Guaranteed on All Pieces!’ stood out in bold red letters in the bottom corner.

The first quick flip-through, as suggested by their siring-pair, showed the first section to be an array of two-page images of different daemon apartments, each labelled at the top with the range of pages to visit for that style. From spotless whites contrasting with straight black lines under ‘Minimalist’ to bold colors and tilework under ‘Traditional Mexican’. Dark woods and warm metallics under ‘Traditional’ to bright, contrasting colors and loud wallpaper under ‘Maximalist’. Some with endless blues, some with endless wicker, some that came out of a castle and some that came out of a pagoda. One that’d had a multi-colored crystal and glass lamp so ugly they’d had to immediately go to that section and write it down. Why the ugliest lamp on the planet had to be over thirty dollars they did not know, but if it came down to it, they’d get Mike and Ruth to buy it for them. Thankfully it’d been available in an acceptable size.

Somehow, despite being primarily bugs for the past six months, it had never occurred to them that daemon apartments would be scaled before. The catalog had five separate size categories under every apartment box and item of furniture- from five to twelve millimeters all the way to forty-three to fifty millimeters- alongside the pieces’ own measurements and level of functionality. Depending on the size of the daemon, buyers could make sure they wouldn’t be overhanging or swimming in their bed or chair or some such. Celio was just barely in the thirteen to twenty category, so while some items had to be purchased at a larger scale if they really wanted them, they were mostly accommodated. And even for those daemons that weren’t, the catalog had a range of sets of stairs, ladders, and ramps that smaller daemons or disabled daemons could use. It even had a lighting guide in the back, explaining the different lighting levels beside each of the functioning lamps and such and what area and how much they would brighten when turned on.

There was even, before such things as the lighting guide, a section for general household goods. Small cups, bowls, and plates, décor outside of any specific style. A holiday section ranging from tiny Christmas trees to little towels with pomegranates on them to miniature beaded skulls. Half-inch tall statues of people and animals, and paintings of similar scale. Tiny puzzles and boardgames. They really did have everything.

By the time Elena cracked her knuckles, matched her own sip of cocoa by holding Celio’s little mug up to him, and they properly set in to work, there were already four things on the list.

[horuslupercal]

You've just reminded me of the tarantula marines and pls I must know

Can I dr aw

If s o

Any details with their armors i should know of

oh abso if you wanna. I am either speedy jim or slow as hell with art and these guys are fighting me

they're pretty standard guys. usually trussed up in mk vii or vi (1. I love my beakies 2. I want them to embody janky rogue trader space marines). orange as hell. I'm still deciding how I wanna go about their markings (P. murinus, like a lot of african tarantula species, have a bit of a "starburst" on their backs and dots on their butts, plus iridescent blue/green inner feet) for their armour but a not insubstantial number of astartes just have them tattooed

Sazimai, like all previous chapter masters, actually specifically has the whole pattern including blue palm tattoos funfact. I've been slowly slowly whittling away at a big fic regarding the campaign where he ascended and that scene is in there :3

armour is rough ngl. I've been playing around with slight differences between portions of the chapter, since their structure is a little more horizontal than the codex wants. e.g. librarians with blue vambraces (since M. balfouri is the species most commonly kept in communal enclosures -- most other species will eat each other) and apothecaries with red (hides blood). lots of em like to mess around with different ways to have fangs -- Sazimai has implants, Cyrio has gelled up and dyed bangs, Lyvar has tattoos + they're painted on his helmet, etc

Minoranae, their homeworld, has varied climates because I say so but a good portion of it IS cactus-and-tumbleweed-ridden and dusty southwest usa vibes and several astartes can and do wear jeans and chaps in their free time, since the fortress monastery is more over there. there's also a fuckhueg jungle tho and sometimes an aspirant is never gonna let go of being from the jungle. either way you're gettin white shirts with ripped off sleeves

[sing-me-under]

I think it’s funny how DC/Batman tumblr works.

I’ve always preferred DC to Marvel (and only a small part of that was because I thought the judgemental looks people gave me was funny), but the reason why was because I just preferred the absurdity of DC… But I only interacted with gold and silver age comics (and the Teen Titans animated series). I’m not sure how I managed to completely bypass the entirety of the 90s and 00s, but I did. I have no attachment to that era of comics.

Dick Grayson has and always will be my Robin, pre-Flashpoint will always be my Batman, and Adam West’s Batman will always be the only live action I will ever acknowledge. (sorry, BTAS fans, but I never watched the cartoons and I know effectively nothing about Kevin Conroy).

Anyway, I mostly avoided modern comics because I just didn’t like the aggressively buff art style of what I had seen. Somehow, I never really saw the more graceful styles (bless Dan Mora, Yasmine Putri, and Belen Ortega for their beautiful af art), so I wasn’t all that interested. I just assumed graphic novels (and manga) had better art than modern DC comics (and although Marvel comics, to me, always looked more like graphic novels, I wasn’t particularly interested in their storylines), so I just stuck to other stuff. It’s only when I watched Wonder Woman (2017) in theatres that I thought “I really liked that movie! I should check out DC again”… Only for my first interaction with the fandom to be a post about a very specific issue involving Nightwing and Tarantula, so I noped right out of there.

Anyway, I didn’t get pulled back in until I happened across some screenshots of the first few episodes of WFA, and I was like “oh this looks cute” and considering I was already in the midst of a webcomic binge, hopped right in. And as I am wont to do when I am interested in a thing, I hop straight into their fandom. First AO3 to get a feel for the fandom then onto Tumblr to read the discourse.

And boy, has this been a joy ride.

This Batfam fandom is a fucking nut sack (affectionate). There’s like a decade’s worth of fan content that suit my specific tastes, and even after like five months of digging around, I’m still finding fics on AO3 to bookmark rec. it’s amazing.

On a similar note, good god, there’s so much fucking Batfam. The one time I tried to look into Hal Jordan, it was just him kissing face with Bruce Wayne. While I do thoroughly appreciate this ship (and many other Batman ships), I wanted to know more about Hal Jordan but it’s surprisingly difficult to get a feel for any heroes other than from a Batman-dominant perspective. With how expensive comics are, I also can’t just throw myself into canon and figure out what I like and dislike from there.

I’m sure they’ve got better suited communities, but I am a Tumblr user from start to finish. Tumblr Blue is the color of my life blood, and AO3 is my sustenance.

Unfortunately, Batfam thrives on Tumblr and AO3. It grows and sucks the nutrients from the other DC fandom spaces like the vines consume this low-growing tree in the backyard. Only the longest branches still bear leaves. Everything else has been assimilated.

[fox-mulder-gets-pegged]

Reading a fanfic and seeing a character is keeping a pair of tarantulas communally which is unusual for tarantulas. I proceed to open a new tab and spend the next 40 minutes researching tarantula species that are both communal and more accepting of handling since the aforementioned tarantulas are used in music videos in this fic. I post a massive infodump comment that is 90% me asking the author if they had a species in mind while writing this chapter and if not, to consider the Monocentropus balfouri due to their (comparatively) chill disposition, ability to be housed communally, and their vibrant blue colour which would make them a good choice for being stunt animals and 10% me telling them great chapter wonderfully written 👍👍👍

[doublearmbars]

Here’s a snippet of daemon au/his dark materials fusion thing. I’m not planning any longer fic for it rn because I have other stuff I wanna finish first and I was mostly gonna do art for this.

No daemons in the fight once the bell goes. That’s the rule.

But before the match everyone treats it a little different.

Some come roaring down the ramp with their partners, like Death Triangle’s odd mix, a domestic cat riding the back of a jaguar with a screaming mad river otter beside them.

Others leave their daemons backstage entirely, let the crowd wonder, they’ll probably picture something larger, more intimidating than reality. And sometimes it’s inconvenient to bring an alligator down the ramp.

Yuta and Andi aren’t hiding, per se, it’s not a secret, they just agree that it’s easier if they do promos and interviews together, and leave the matches to Yuta.

When Yuta finally sees what Daniel’s daemon is, it slots into place. They sit across from each other in the locker room, by chance, while Daniel’s getting ready for a match and Yuta is packing up from his. Usually Yuta would be all the way in his head, picking his match apart to find where the seams are. But something catches his eye and he can’t help but stare.

She’s like a jewel crawling up Daniel’s arm, 2 inches long and a shocking metallic blue with orange wings and antennae that curl back towards her head. Yuta doesn’t know if he expected something different.

Andi squirms in his duffel bag, poking their head out. Yuta unzips it a little more and they scramble up the arm of his hoodie and settle around his neck. They keep watching while Yuta finishes folding his gear away.

If Daniel or his daemon notice they don’t show it. He just gets up once he’s ready, too restless to wait for call time.

Yuta looked it up later: tarantula hawk wasp. One of the most painful stings in the world. A stinger so long hardly anything eats it. But the kicker is- despite how painful the sting is, it’s not deadly. The most intense pain only lasts 5 minutes.

[pupuseriazag]

Blue Tarantula 2/??

(Don pendejo (me) added too many things he wanted to do during vacations and now is suffering the consequences of not being able to organize himself and forgor to upload chapters days before perdonenme pls ando medio pendejo anyways heres another one)

Some mumbling around dragged me back into consciousness, the harsh white lights now were dim and I was laying sideways, my stomach still hurting but now from hunger. 

"Lyla, give me the report." He came back.

"Uhh they have stabilized but are still in weak condition." 

"...That's strange." I heard him approach me. "Hey, ¿Estás despierto?" 

I tried to keep my eyes closed, not moving a single inch.

"Rox." 

"¿Qué queres?" 

He sighed in relief. "¿Cómo te sientes?" 

"Hmph" 

"Esa no es una respuesta." 

My stomach growled audibly. 

"..."

"Tomaré eso como respuesta. Lyla, ask Pedro to bring something for them." 

"Okey!" I heard the lady reply.

"Supongo que tuviste tiempo para pensar y tranquilizarte." 

I remained silent.

"¿Desde hace cuanto tienes hambre?" 

"¿Hace cuanto te fuiste?" 

"8 horas."

"Desde hace 7" 

He sighed again. "Me lleva la ching- ¿Por qué no usaste el panel de asistencia?" He sounded slightly annoyed.

"..."

"Rox."

"No quiero creerte." I finally admitted. 

"¿Perdón?" 

"...Me rehúso a creer lo que dijiste. No tiene sentido y es algo estupido… pero no logro encontrarle sentido al porque hay cosas tan… futuristas, aquí." 

I just don't want to engage in this situation anymore.

"Mira, Rox." His tone softened. "Sé que es demasiada información. Pero quiero que sepas que hago esto por el bien de todos. No solo por mi bien, o el tuyo." I turned my head to him. "También el de todas las personas." 

"...." 

"Sé que no es fácil. Pero déjame ayudarte." 

"Respondeme a algo." I sat again. "¿Por qué yo?" 

"Serias de gran ayuda, todavía estoy empezando a reclutar gente. Pero estoy seguro qu-" 

"¿Por qué yo?"

He closed his eyes for a second. "Porque esto involucra a tu universo tamb-"

"¡¿Por qué yo?!"

"...Porque no iba a permitir que murieras de una manera tan estúpida, suficientes personas han muerto ya y no quiero ver ese número crecer. ¿Ya estás contento?" 

"Yo no necesitaba que me rescataras. Nadie ha estado ahí para mí y ciertamente no necesitaba intervención de parte de Don Pendejo Colmillos" 

"¿Un gracias por lo menos no se te puede salir?"

"¡¿Gracias de que, imbécil?! ¡OH GRACIAS POR RESCATARME DE MI DESCANSO ETERNO! ¡AHORA FELIZMENTE TE AYUDARE A QUE EL UNIVERSO NO EXPLOTE! ¡TE PODES IR MUCHO AL CAR-!" 

"Uhm… should... I come back later…?" We both turned our head to another person wearing a similar suit, but with an apron on top and a trail with food.

"No no, come in." The big guy crossed his arms. "I'm pretty sure the insufferable attitude will stop once they get their damn meal." 

Asshole.

The other "spider" dude approached the bed, putting the trail on my lap, the silence was deafening.

He got to the door and waved bye with his hand, leaving awkwardly after finding us fighting. 

I took a glance at the food. It… definitely looks like food, at least the edible kind.

"Come." He demanded. "Que todavía estás débil." 

"¿La envenenaste?" 

"Come." 

I took the plastic spoon, carefully taking some of the rice on the plate and bringing it closer to my nose to see if I could smell it being laced.

The man rolled his eyes dramatically. "Es un puto arroz con pollo, ya deja de ser tan dramatico." 

"Dramático el vergazo que te voy a dar en la jeta." I mumbled before taking the first bite, slowly chewing the rice and trying to taste anything suspicious in it.

…It was a pretty damn good rice.

I took another bite, but still not wanting him to believe all my suspicions were gone.

I heard him huff. "¿Siempre eres así de desconfiado?" 

"¿Siempre sos así de metido?" I kept eating, my face softening without me realizing since the food was so good.

I hadn't had eaten such a good meal in a while, I cant fucking believe I'm falling for this ruse. 

We stood in silence as he watched me eat, making sure I did not left anything as if I was a fucking child.

But surely, my temper had calmed a little after finally eating some food. 

"Puta que rico" I sighed and mumbled under my breath.

"Eso debiste haber hecho hace horas, ya te sentirías mejor si por lo menos hubieras comido." 

"Callate"

"¿Te da pena admitir que estabas equivocado?" I swear this bitch is taking me to my limit. 

"Callate." 

"Goshhh you two are so annoying" The little holo woman appeared again. "If nobody stops you two you're going to end up fighting until you're old" 

I crossed my arms. "Well then, you tell me." I addressed her. "Tell me he is lying" 

"As much as I would love to snitch and say yes… He actually is not lying" 

"Not you too…" I brought a hand to my face.

"I think I know how to make this easier." She zapped from side to side until reappearing at the door and opening it. "Ta-da!" 

"Layla, what are you doing?!" He got up from his seat.

"If you don't let them see outside they are not going to believe you, Miguel." 

I threw the trail to the side and launched myself towards the door, nows my chance.

The burst of adrenaline I had in the moment helped me run from the hexagonal hallways until I found myself face to face with a massive tower with several floors… and a lot of those other people with spider suits.

No… it can't be…

I shot a web to go to a higher floor with glass windows, running up to them to look outside, this has to be a joke.

I saw green plains and futuristic looking skyscrapers, things that looked like flying cars going around them. And as much as I tried to shove my face into the window to confirm they were tv screens… I couldn't.

I'm… I'm actually not in my world.

I covered my mouth in panic and took a step back, trying to regulate my breathing as the situation began to overwhelm me.

"Excuse me… are you ok?" Someone put a hand on my shoulder and I immediately shrugged it off.

"DONT TOUCH ME" I yelled and ran away again, to nowhere and just somewhere I could feel safe.

I want to go home, I don't want to be part of this, I did NOT ask to be part of this shit. I want to go back to my stupid universe where things make sense and there are no buff men holding me hostage. (Nota de Zag: no sea pendejo mijo)

I ran until I found myself in a corridor with dim lights, and my legs collapsed to the ground making me fall to my knees, trembling with fear and anxiety.

My eyes were watery and my breathing became irregular. Sobbing and letting my tears fall on the floor.

"Porque… ¡¿Porque?!" I let out to myself and closed my eyes, finally breaking down in tears.

I heard quick steps from behind. "See? I told you they would not go far" it was the voice of that woman, he must be also with her.

"Rox-" 

"Dejame ir…" I sobbed. "Déjame regresar a mi hogar…" 

"Entonces ya te diste cuenta de la situación." 

"¡SI! ¡Y NO QUIERO SER PARTE DE ELLO!" 

"Para tu desgracia, eres parte de esto desde el momento en el que te convertiste en spiderman"

"¡PUES RENUNCIO!" I yelled and tried to take off my suit. "¡YA NO QUIERO NADA! ¡SOLO QUIERO UNA VIDA TRANQUILA!" 

I was about to take off the top part of my suit when he got closer, his shadow covering me completely.

"Ciérrate el traje." 

"¡OBLIGAME!" I turned my head to him and he grabbed me from my sides, putting the top part of my suit again and closing the zipper in a swift move.

"No tienes más ropa aquí, y no voy a dejar que andes por ahí desnudo solo por un berrinche." Still holding my side, he helped me get up effortlessly. "Te llevaré de regreso, no estás en buena condición." 

"¿Sabes que me hará sentir mejor? ¡IRME A MI PUTA CASA!" 

"¡EL BIENESTAR DE TU UNIVERSO ESTÁ EN PELIGRO! ¡DEJA DE SER TAN EGOÍSTA!"

“¡PUES NO ESTAS AYUDANDO! ¡CADA VEZ QUIERO MORIRME MÁS!” 

The holo lady appeared “They’re right, you’re making it worse” 

He released me and I turned to see him, sticking my back to the wall behind me.

“Hey what’s all this ruckus about, Miguel? Did anything bad happen?” Another one of those people came closer, this one maskless and casually approaching the big dude. “Can’t you see you’re scaring this poor girl?”

“Not a girl.” 

“Ah, my bad.” He leaned on the big dude. “Poor thing is having a rough time and you’re intimidating…” He looked at me, like asking how to address me.

“Them” 

“Them, right.” He continued. “That way you’re not going to have that many people join you.”

“Alright, let's see YOU do this then. I’m done trying to explain in any fucking way shape or form how their universe IS IN DANGER-”

“Yeah yeah yeah, go get yourself a cup of coffee, ok? I’ll talk to them and make sure they are ok”

“Peter.” 

“I know, I know. But don’t worry, I got this” He winked at him.

I trust this place less now.

“Ya estoy hasta la chingada, ya haz lo que se te dé la puta gana. Pero después no vayas a decir que no te advertí” He finally said while pointing his index at my chest.

He left to the other side of the tunnel, entering through a door I had not seen into god knows where.

I closed my eyes for a moment, finally he was gone.

“Hey-” He tried to put a hand on my shoulder and I slapped it away. “Ok ok, sorry.” 

“Tell me where I can get the fuck out.”

“Woah, easy there” He moved his hands downwards. “First you gotta relax, I’m not gonna take you anywhere.”

“You don’t get it, I don't want to be part of this.”

“And why is that?”

“What do you mean “why”?! I don't want to have the fucking destiny of MY universe in MY hands.” I continued. “That dude just came to my universe, supposedly rescued me from my death and comes telling me now I have TO PROTECT MY UNIVERSE?!”

“I know it must be too much-”

“IT IS! I DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF THIS! I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!” I grabbed my suit from my chest. “DYING WOULD’VE SAVED ME”

“Hey don’t say that.” He interjected. “Your life is worth living”

“You don't even know the shit I’ve gone through.”

“Well.” He put his hands in his pockets. “I’m all ears.” 

“...You… want to hear my story?”

“Everyone in this place has a story to tell, after all. We’re all spidermen.” He turned on his heel, walking away. “Come with me, let’s chat somewhere comfortable”

I let him walk for some moments, until he turned and signed with his hand to follow him.

He took me to another area, one that looked more like a lounge with tables and expensive looking booth seats, by far the most familiar thing I’ve seen in this place. 

This dude is far more friendly than whatever Don Pendejo 

“Ok let’s start from the beginning.” He offered me his hand. “My name’s Peter B. Parker.”

I looked at his hand, and slowly shook it, returning the gesture. “Rox Reyes.”

“Great! Nice to meet you!”

“Same… I guess.”

“I’m listening.” 

I took a deep breath, preparing myself mentally but feeling less stressed now that at least someone tried to make me feel comfortable and not threaten me… I’m still not completely convinced these people won't hurt me tho… but I guess talking about my misfortunes won't hurt.

And minutes later I found myself still ranting about everything with Peter, everything from my life before and after I turned into Tarantula… it feels better to finally talk about this with someone else, specially with someone who actually understands me (or at least pretends to)

All of these very specific problems I’ve had, Peter always continued it with a “I know right???” “Oh yeah, that tends to happen” “I remember my first time doing that!!” He even showed me his own webs when I questioned if he was really like me… he even took a pic of the spider that bit him… which is something I didn't think of when it happened to me.

“Peter, I want to ask you something… but I want you to be completely honest with me.”

“Sure.”

“No no, I’m being serious. It may affect my choice.” 

“I promise I’ll be honest.”

“Ok…Are you all really going to save your universes… or is this just an elaborate joke to make me speak and probably use me to cause more evil in “my universe” because you guys are actually just Alchemax employees and not actually spiderpeople?”

“Thats certainly a mouthful of a question”

“Please respond.” I lowered my gaze. “ I… I’m just scared and-”

“No no, I get it. I would’ve also thought the same if I had gone through what you lived through.”

“So…”

“Have some trust in us, that’s all I will say.” He gave me a reassuring smile. “I know Miguel can be intimidating but that's just because he cares so much about this mission. After all, he is the one hosting us.”

“What?”

“Yeah! This is his place and his universe. You could say he is the “leader” and the one who started this fight to keep the multiverses safe.” He laughed it off. “But don’t worry, he may be grumpy and dramatic, but he doesn't not mean harm.”

I looked away, remembering his fangs and talons… I don't know why that is the part I believe less, he certainly looked like he would rip me in half if he wanted.

“Suuuure”

“Give him a chance, I’m sure you two will get along… after all he…” Peter stopped, thought about it and shook his head sideways. “I’ll let him tell you that part.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll just say, he also had his rough moments in his life.”

“That doesn't excuse him being an asshole.”

“Does it excuse you from being one?”

I- He-... 

He left me fucking speechless I was not expecting him to read me like that.

“No offense of course, I know you’re just trying to make sense of this.”

I crossed my arms. “Gotta hand it to you, Peter… you gagged me.”

“...Do I smell bad?”

“No no, it's… it's just a dumb saying. I was just not expecting you to say that.”

“Oh, ha ha!” 

“...I guess you’re right. I acted ungrateful after he… well, just did what he thought was right.”

“You know, there was once a time in my life where I felt like the only thing that could save me was death as well.”

“You?”

“Yeah, I had a rough time when I was... maybe slightly older than you.” He continued. “I divorced my wife, my aunt passed away and I was depressed for a long time.”

“Sounds rough… wait, didn't you say you’re married?”

“Yeah! We remarried after I came back from another universe and I decided to give it a shot, and here I am.” He smiled, probably remembering stuff. “What I want to say is that things do get better, Rox. Even if it feels like it is a never-ending nightmare.”

“Even if I have heard that same phrase since I was a teenager and things only continued to go downhill?”

“Even if you feel like that. Who knows? Maybe this is your chance to have a better life”

“I wish you were right.”

“What stops you from trying?”

I thought about it for a second… if I come back now and choose to stay, it means I will be returning to my old life… Lonely, depressing and stressed old life. The safety of my universe won’t be my responsibility… but I’m bound to fall again by one of those anomalies if it happens to be slightly stronger than that cyborg.

And if I stay… I’ll now have the responsibility to deal with those anomalies in my universe and in someone else’s universe… But I won’t be on my own, I’ll be surrounded by people who according to Peter... will gladly lend me a hand. 

…And even if I want to end it all… I wouldn’t feel good knowing that my universe… my mom… would soon disappear.

I don’t want my universe to perish, I just want to disappear from it.

Still… I’m not sure if I do want to have the responsibility to do so.

“...Myself, I guess.”

“I won’t pressure you to choose. But! It would be good if you gave it a little more thought, after all, it's your life.”

“...”

“But remember Rox, whatever you choose.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this.”

He smiled genuinely at me and his phone started ringing. 

"Welp, that's my sign to go home." He patted his knees and got up.

"You don't stay here?" 

"No, I can't." He said touching some things with his futuristic watch. "My wife and I expecting sooo, It’s time to go and take care of her" 

"Oh I see, congrats." I said politely.

"Thanks. Also also!" He pointed at me before entering one of those weird glitching portals "Don't get intimidated by Miguel, ok? Take care Rox!" 

And so, Peter entered the portal and left, leaving me alone again.

I thought about the things Peter told me and their mission in the spider society and how I had ended up in such a…weird situation.

[ctrlhope]

Is Jimin's nest in the basement? What is it like? Does it stay the same as in The Pitfalls of Silk?

Can his mate put blankets and pillows in it? Fairy lights? Is it cosy?

OOO!! This is such a fun question, I love world building so much!! okie let's hope I don't get too rambley--

spoiler! it did ASASJBKDB

I'm assuming this is in regard's to the drabble so his nest is the same as described in TPOS! It's mostly described in the second to last scene of the fic :D It is located in the basement as his particular breed of spider (Cobalt Blue Tarantula) build their webs in more of a burrow style, so underground is just more comfortable for him :D

His burrow can be described as really soft-- his species is known for webbing/ creating large burrows so that carries over! He's covered all the flooring and walls in his webs. Along the walls he likes to create art with his webs as well, making them almost look like murals. He has webs sectioning off different parts of the basement as well (they look more like the traditional "spider" type of web and can be a bit confusing to navigate through, so you need his help the first few times, lmao). I feel like the type of nest he builds really just depends on his mood! He learned from lots of different spiders growing up, so there isn't one particular style he's more fond of then the others.

His main 'nest' is in one of the back corners of the basement. I imagine it more enclosed kind of-- off the ground, almost looking like a jumping spiders web but bigger, if that makes sense? The opening starts out as large, but as he wants you to leave his nest less and less, the more he'll almost neurotically make it smaller, lol. So, like a hammock type of shape, off the ground in the corner, and BIG!!

It is very cozy inside! Well-- to him at least. But he doesn't normally sleep with pillows or blankets or anything! He just considers it a human thing. But, if you were to bring your own things into his nest, he might just go a little crazy lmao. He would absolutely adore it-- his spider would praise you non-stop in his head. Talking about breeding and all of that. How pretty his mate is, how she wants to be his forever. Making his web a home. How lovely she is. Everything.

His eyes are very sensitive to light, so as long as the fairy lights aren't too bright I think he'd be fine with them! He typically uses candles to light the basement himself, so hanging them around the burrow might be lovely for him :> He probably wouldn't want them in his main "sleeping" nest though, just cause he has trouble sleeping with light :< Anything else is fine and he would absolutely love. Your utter devotee <3333

As always, apologies for how long this got DDD: I don't know how to stop my fingers once they start but I hope this answered all of your questions!!! MWAH!

[notorious-fanfic-bracket]

Round 2!!!

if you saw the version with the wrong draft of the bracket - no you didnt.

Welcome to the Notorious Fanfic Bracket to determine the most iconic, influential, and notorious fanfics of the interwebs. These divisive fics sparked discourse, traumatized our younger selves, became a behemoth of fandom, or otherwise deeply impacted fan culture.

These contenders were selected out of two previous fanfic polls (1) (2) I did on my main blog @tarantula-hawk-wasp​ . (I’m your host Holly/Hal, she/her)

**** Where is My Immortal? *****

my immortal is the Honorary Champion. The winner of the bracket will enter a bonus round against My Immortal. It did not seem fair to pit anything against My Immortal.

Link to To Scale the Blue Sky vs Twist and Shout 

Link to A Reylo Fic vs The Hat Fic 

Link to Dipper Goes to Taco Bell vs Heat Waves

Link to Sexytimes with Wangxian vs Starkit’s Prophecy 

[shadowqueen402]

Hi Hi! Could you write a Fic about Cass, Emma and Yuri having a girls day?

Okay!

"Here we are at the Highland Isle Mall," Emma said to Cass and Yuri. "I saved up enough money for this. So what do you two want to get from here?"

"Is there a pet shop in there?" Cass asked. "I want to get some supplies for my kitty."

"Uh, maybe some new clothes," Yuri said. "Some of my outfits don't fit me anymore. My mom believes that it's time that I start finding some outfits."

"Okay. Me? I want to head to the jewelry store. One of my maid's birthday is coming up. I want to get her a present." Emma looked up at the mall. "We're usually close to the clothing store when we enter. So you can pick new clothes when we get there, Yuri."

Yuri nodded as she and Cass followed Emma into the mall. As usual, the mall was crowded with lots of people that carried bags as they chatted away with their friends while going to other stores.

"I never knew that malls could get so crowded," Yuri said while looking around.

"Well yeah," Cass said. "It has a lot of stores here. Of course lots of people are going to be here shopping away."

"There's the clothing store, Yuri," Emma said, pointing to a store that had outfits on display in the windows. "Let's head on inside."

The girls went inside the clothing store. Shelves of shirts, pants, skirts, and shorts were seen. Mannequins also had outfits displayed for the guests to see. Racks of coats, sweaters, shoes, and jackets were seen.

"Go ahead, Yuri," Emma said. "See which clothes you like."

Yuri nodded and walked up to one of the mannequins. It wore a dark blue denim jacket over an indigo shirt, a white skirt with small indigo diamond patterns, and grey boots. "Ooh, I like this outfit," Yuri said, smiling. "I have to get the look." She made her way to the shelf to complete the outfit.

Cass eyed up a bunch of dresses in the kids' section. She saw a sunshine yellow frilly dress that she knew would look great on her. "Take a look at this dress," She said, her eyes sparkling with joy. Then, she looked at the dress rack to find one in her size.

Emma looked around at the outfits. But she wasn't in the mood to buy something from here. Once Cass and Yuri got their outfits, they walked up to the registers. Emma handed the lady a $50 bill to pay for their clothes.

"Next up, the pet shop!" Cass exclaimed in excitment. After having their items bagged, Cass and Yuri left with Emma and made their way to the pet shop.

Inside the pet shop were collars for dogs and cats, pet beds, food dishes of various colors, dog toys, cat toys, wet and dry food for dogs and cats, leashes, fish tanks, cages for hamsters, and lots of stuff needed to care for furry friends.

Cass went over to the collar rack and looked at the ones designed for cats. Her eyes landed on a pretty pink collar with flower designs and a little bell on it. "This is perfect for Daisy," She said. "I'll take it. She'll also need food dishes and some toys for her to play with too."

Emma smiled as she watched Cass pick out two pink food dishes for her kitten. She also got a bag of cat treats and picked out some cat toys. "I never had a pet of my own," Emma said. "I haven't decided which pet I should adopt."

"Me neither," Yuri said. "I did see some cats that I would like, though… But my mom's reluctant to get me a pet tarantula."

Emma also paid for Cass's cat stuff. After they were bagged up, they left the pet store. "Now, I need to head to the jewelry store," Emma said. The girls made their way down to the jewelry store.

In the jewelry store were all kinds of jewelry, both for women and men. Emma eyed a beautiful silver necklace with small, pear-cut gems in every color. "I'll take this one, please," Emma said to the man at the register.

"Coming up," He said to her. Emma paid the man the amount that was due. The man wrapped the necklace up and handed it to Emma. "Have a good day."

With that, Emma, Yuri, and Cass left the mall. "Wow, that was a fun day!" Cass exclaimed.

"Yes, it was," Emma said as the three of them walked home.

[citrus-art-and-lifes-posts]

The Draw Queue

a list of things i intend to draw (not necessarily in order) jic any a yall were curious about the stuff thats living rent free in my mind these days lmao

security breach au character line up

security breach au glamrock op vs glamrock mega

security breach au kids (namely sari, sam, jack, michaela, miko, miles, raf and charlie)

Idw shockblurr

graphics for an rpg transformers game (mostly bgs but also some scene mock-ups)

astrotrain

swindle

(write) shockblurr post-war fic

fashionformers (mostly the elite trine but also some lost light mechs)

faeformers (mostly bgs but also some lost light mechs)

the tfa bots all wearing saris with sari

bayverse optimus

a mock-up of my dream home, with shockwave living in it, of course

more psychedelic transformers art - maybe with unicron/galvatron/cyclonus/the sweeps

getaway

city-speaker au, mostly with lost light mechs

the djd in a totally radical (tm) skating rink

overlord

sixshot

Form Before Function character line ups

Form Before Function ideas and plot points

Cybertronian Community headcanons (but as drawings!!!)

Swerve/blue bots

cyberverse Perceptor/dead end

beeverse ratchet/drift

oplita <3

yes man (fnv)

g1 trine of cyclonus, whirl and tailgate

g1 trine of cyclonus, galvatron and stratagem

Sunder (religiously flavored)

SHIT TON OF REDRAWS (including but not limited to: shockwave in flowers, jackass!nautica, cyberverse whirl, mirage, primus!rung, etc)

megastar memes (check drafts)

Transformers Fashion Fanzine

MiniMegaRung

tfp soundwave collecting cassettes (minigame???)

crocknock vs a tuba

Til Someone Gets Hurt animation/animatic

Jazz sitting in people’s laps <3

Cerebros/prowl (check drafts)

transformers!among us (part 2)

magnet art with sunny/sideswipe

normal mechs dressing up their sparkling vs perceptor dressing up his sparkling

skystar fanzine

medic skywarp

FUCK TON of adopts based on color palettes

self-care transformers stickers

redraw shockwave ace header for pride month <3

All special ops mechs with full visor/facemasks

G1 scene redraws

bayverse ratchet/ironhide

fanart for several fanfics (fanfictuary???)

tfp cliffjumper

bayverse human!sunstreaker

cooking/baking/gardening/cleaning transformers stickers

pharma/tarn

(write) black sands chapter

(write) bayverse symbiosis/mecha au

egirl tfp soundwave

tfa longarm character sheet <3

getaway

primal/dinobot

redraw all the OLD icons

taraprowl

Tfp prowl/soundwave/swerve

Prowl, bloodynosed, hovering over a bathrom sink, staring at his reflextion in the mirror, thoroughly pissed off

tfp megatron, starscream, soundwave and shockwave facing off against tfp optimus, prowl, jazz and ratchet for beach day shenanigans

Cyclonus/octane

Transformers as chao / transformers in their respective chap gardens withtheir chao <3

bumblebee/blades

Late 90s scene!punk blueberry rodimus

double sided charm with red roddy in front of a cherry slushie and blue roddy in front of a blue raspberry slushie on the other side

skyfire zine

swerve zine

tfa game nostalgia zine

fashionmech (maga)zine

tarnma animatic

tfa optimus animatic

tfa blurr v shockwave animatic

song-based animatics (prowl, jazz, rodimus, drift, ratchet, pharma, tarantulas, chromedome, optimus, starscream, swerve, shockwave)

make a shockwave plushie

transformers as chao/transformers raising chao

finish transformers-themed acnh island

mecha-carebear adopts

acnh jacket of whirl, with sparkling whirl in his cockpit <3

tfs as space rovers

That one vocaloid pic, magnet, maybe with jazz and prowl or maybe hot rod and deadlock

Swinjack

Bumbleblades

Bunch of mechs who Shouldnt be in the rescuebots universe, but now Are (overlord, sunder, prowl, pharma, etc)

Megatron/nautica

texaid

Jedi "knights"

Earthspark megop

Waspinator cassette au

prowl/oilslick

Moonracer punk redesign

Tfa letfire & jetstorm with decepticon frames

Soundwave & cassette!entrapta

Femm-cassetticon!combaticons with onslaught as their host <3