SURPRISE MFS
in honor of one whole year since the spiderbit wedding, here's a little something to celebrate the gay cubitos of all time <3 also known as: spiderbit renewing their vows and being so stupidly in love with each other
this is a really fucking long one i'm sorry (not sorry)
They walk until they find a flower forest, and it's three in the morning when the words are said. Repeated.
Neither of them have been able to sleep well the last several weeks, with the tumultuous amount of back to back to back situations, feeling stripped of almost all the control they felt they had before.
(And heaven forbid they don't have their eyes on each other for more than a few hours. What if something happens again? What if the other gets ripped from them, right from arms reach, all over again?)
(What then?)
The amount of times they leave each other in a day can be counted on one hand, and at night they're pressed together as close as humanly possible, warm and paranoid all the same.
Everything has gone to hell, it feels like. Everything except them, at least. And it truly is a reminder that maybe Roier was right once upon a time, saying it was them against the world.
So it's all gone to hell, but they have each other. And because they have each other, and have had each other for so long now, they walk and walk until they find a flower forest.
(And because they can't sleep, but that's besides the point.)
(It's the closest they can get to a year ago.)
They walk through the flower forest until they find a clearing, standing themselves in the middle of it.
Cellbit is the one to break the quiet that had befallen them, gently taking Roier's hands into his. His voice is soft. "Guapito?"
"¿Sí?"
"Would you like to get married again?"
A smile etches its way onto the spider-hybrid's face immediately, and he's nodding after a couple seconds. "I thought you'd never ask, gatinho."
The investigator smiles, too, feeling lighter than he has in months. Wordlessly, he slides the puzzle piece ring off his husband's finger, slipping the spider ring off his own to press it carefully into Roier's palm.
It's just them, there, and neither of them remember much of the formalities and spiels of words that came with from Father Peta the first time around.
(They were too focused on each other.)
But they both remember at least one thing as clear as day. And, temporarily pocketing his ring, Cellbit takes Roier's hands again, and speaks the words that came to him as easy as breathing. That still do.
"Você foi a primeira pessoa que eu vi quando eu cheguei nessa ilha. No meio de todo aquele caos, você foi o primeiro que apareceu no vidro, e desde que eu vi esse seu sorriso--" he lets go of one of his hands, raising his own to cup the spider-hybrid's face, stroking his cheek adoringly-- "eu sabia que eu nunca mais ia esquecer dele.
Quando eu mais precisei de alguém, quando eu estava completamente sozinho, você apareceu." Somehow, it almost felt even more true than it did back then. Roier, who always somehow knew when to show up when he needed it, who always knew whether he needed to talk or needed a distraction. Roier, who not only loved him through his lowest and most gruesome moments, but was willing to stoop to the same exact level as him.
(Was it unhealthy? Maybe. But Cellbit gave up on maintaining healthy habits months ago. There's no time or patience for that, anymore.
And Roier understands that. Roier understands him.)
He watches his partner lean into his touch, dark eyes closing as he soaks in the words with a small smile. "Eu quero que você saiba que enquanto eu estiver aqui--" Cellbit moves his other hand, to carefully cradle Roier's face in both-- "você nunca vai estar sozinho.”
(He'd gotten a little rocky on that promise, but he came back. And he'll keep coming back, no matter what. Nothing will keep them apart anymore.)
(Roier knows that, too. Because Cellbit has left, but Cellbit always comes back. Time and time again. The one person who hasn't truly left him yet, and the one person it seems he could never truly get rid of even if he wanted to. A scarily beautiful thing.)
Eyes open, Roier lets a few moments pass before gently pulling his husband's hands off his face, holding them in both of his own against his chest. The look the cat-hybrid is giving him makes him want to melt into a puddle on the forest floor, and he hopes that the other is feeling even half as warm and fuzzy as he is.
(Cellbit most certainly is, resisting the urge to pull him closer and kiss him senseless.)
Roier sighs, squeezing Cellbit's hands. "Yo no tengo nada preparado para decirte, pero te lo diré desde el corazón. Eres una de las personas en las que más confio. Eres la persona en las que más confio."
(That had certainly become far more true with time. Cellbit understands him. And when he doesn't, he tries until he does.)
(With Cellbit, Roier doesn't need to worry about feeling seen or heard. He can just be.)
"Te amo." It's his turn to reach out, delicately pushing back some of his partner's hair before stroking along his cheekbone. He hears the telltale rumbly beginnings of a purr from the cat-hybrid, and feels the oh-so-familiar light coil of a tail around his leg. "Te amo con todo mi corazón.
Y, estaré siempre a tu lado, para cualquer cosa que necesites."
(He's proven that, time and time again. Between being willing to go war against the Federation with him and being so incredibly willing to murder worker after worker until their message is clear and everything else in between.)
Cellbit pulls the spider ring back out of his pocket, smiling amusedly when Roier immediately holds his left hand out. "Do you accept me as your life partner?"
"Sí, sí, acepto. I think it's obvious, no?"
The investigator laughs, and, with a gentle meticulousness that makes the spider-hybrid weak in the knees, he slides the ring back on, holding his hand in both of his and raising it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the top. "May not even death do us part."
Roier is momentarily surprised, but his smile brightens in a heartbeat, feeling like he could burst. He grabs the white puzzle piece ring from his sweatshirt. "And do you accept me as your life partner?"
"Aceito. Sempre."
He grabs the white puzzle piece ring, sliding it back onto his husband's own left hand and mimicking the kiss. "Then may not even death do us part.
Is this the part where we kiss, now?" he asks after a beat, making Cellbit laugh even more. He starts to laugh himself at the contagious sound.
When they calm down several seconds later, Cellbit cups Roier's face once more, warmth reigniting in the latter's veins at the fond smile on his husband's face, the brightness in his eyes that goes far beyond their piercing color. "Well, it is now."
"Perfecto. I was getting impatient."
One hand immediately holds the back of Cellbit's head, the other resting against his cheek as he pulls the cat-hybrid closer, slamming their lips together.
Cellbit melts into it instantly, moving one arm to wrap around Roier's neck and draw him even closer still.
(It's a miracle they can even get closer to each other.)
They only pull apart when their lungs demand oxygen, foreheads falling forward to press together as they catch their breath. But even then, only a few seconds pass before they're reconnected in another kiss.
But this one is softer, far more gentle. Roier cards his hand through Cellbit's hair, and Cellbit holds him tighter even still.
Their noses brush when they pull away. "Obrigado, guapito," the investigator murmurs.
"Ya, mi amor," his husband chastises fondly. "No thanking me." Roier tilts Cellbit's head down, kissing his forehead. "Eu te amo, gatinho."
Cellbit smiles, turning his head to kiss Roier's palm and nuzzle into it. "Te amo, guapito."
He lets the spider-hybrid pull him into a tight embrace, no more space left between them. A loud purr reverberates from his chest, and he lets his tail coil back around his husband's leg, effectively keeping them in place for a while.
The Federation could take and take and take, but there's one thing they'll never be able to take, no matter how hard they try.
(You can't take soulmates.)
No one should find them out here, giving them all the time in the world. But should anyone try to mess with them, they'll learn the hard way.
(Never again.)
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Too Small To Be Afraid (Chapter 17)
Cover / Master Post / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter (Coming Soon!)
I struggle to support myself on Derrick's shoulder as he walks. I was having a hard enough time balancing when he was sitting still, so trying to steady myself as he moves definitely isn't any easier.
As I hold onto my deskmate's shirt collar for dear life, I scan the horizon for any sign of that tree. Since I was always in Derrick's hands when he walked me home before, I was never able to see too much of the surrounding area. Now that I'm up here on his shoulder, I can see everything: stores, houses, cars, and of course nature. It's unreal seeing it all with my own eyes! But as I look around, I can't seem to spot that cherry tree.
Derrick wouldn't take a detour, would he? Since the apartment is so close to the school I highly doubt it, especially since he knows how in love I am with that cherry tree. But if we haven't taken a detour... why have we been walking for so long? I know I wasn't able to see much scenery before, but why don't I recognize anything at all?
"Here we are," Derrick says.
I gaze up at the blue house in front of us. This is not my apartment.
"Um," I start, "where are we?"
"What do you mean?" Derrick asks. "This is my house."
I nearly lose my footing when my legs threaten to buckle beneath me. He took me to his house?! For the party?! Why?! What happened to asking my dad first and helping him with... that thing?!
Panic sets in as my deskmate reaches for the front door. What should I do?! I can't stay here!
"W-wait!" I stammer, hoping to get Derrick's attention.
"Yes?" He asks, a note of confusion in his voice. "What's wrong?"
"I-I��� um, I think there's been a misunderstanding!" I blurt out.
"A misunderstanding?"
"Y-yeah, I... didn't think we were coming here. I thought you were taking me home."
Derrick rubs the back of his neck. "Oh. When I asked you before we left, I thought you said you wanted to come over."
My heart sinks. "I-I don't remember," I utter, my core twisting and tightening at my current predicament.
"I'm sorry," Derrick says. "If you want me to, I can turn around and take you home."
"Are you sure? You wouldn't mind it?"
"If you're not ready for this, I don't want to push you," he says as his brows turn upward.
"Then could you—"
Before I can finish answering, the front door opens.
"What's the birthday boy doing standing around out here?" asks a woman with long, wavy brown hair and big green eyes.
"Oh, we were just— I mean, I was about to—" Derrick stammers.
"Well, don't just stand there," says the woman, smiling warmly. "Come in, come in!"
The woman grabs hold of one of my deskmate's hands and pulls him into the house. The unexpected movement causes me to stumble, but Derrick catches me in his free hand before I fall and holds me close to his neck. My heart pounds and pounds in my ears as heat radiates from my reddening cheeks. I thought we were close before, but this?! This is a little too close!
"Mom, I need to—" he starts. "Hey, what's this?"
When Derrick pulls his hand away from me, I scramble to regain my composure. Once I'm able to balance myself on his shoulder I look around the room and see it's decorated with balloons, streamers, and gifts. There's even a banner that reads 'Happy Birthday John And Derrick.' I blink, cocking my head to the side as I read the sign. Who's John? My eyes widen and my heart bangs against my ribcage. How many more people are coming to this party?!
"Don't go thinking I wouldn't decorate just because your brother's not here!" Derrick's mom exclaims.
I forgot Derrick has a twin brother who's away for university. As curious as I am to see how alike the two look, I'm relieved to have another perthean out of the picture.
"Right," Derrick says. "Anyway, Mom, I need to take—"
"What do you think?" His mom asks, clasping her hands together. "I know yellow is your favorite color, so I tried to use as much of it in the decorating as I could."
"Um, it's great! But really, I need—"
"What time are your friends coming over again?"
"5:30. Which is why I need to hurry and—"
"And who's this?" The woman says, leaning towards Derrick's shoulder with her eyes fixed on me.
A shiver runs down my spine as I struggle to think of something to say. "H-hello, m-m'am," I wave.
"This is Kaylin, my deskmate," Derrick says. "And I need to take her home."
"Home? But you just got here!" Derrick's mom says with a frown.
"Well, yes, but I was only... I mean, I just wanted to show her where we live. It was on the way," my deskmate lies.
"I see," the woman says with a smile. "Well, Kaylin, you're welcome to stay if you'd like! I'm sure your deskmate would enjoy your company on his special day."
Guilt builds up in my chest. What was I thinking letting Derrick walk me all the way back home? And on his birthday, no less! He should be using this time to prepare for his party, and here I am forcing him to deal with me. Should I really be treating him like this?
My heart sinks when Derrick turns to leave. This is my last chance. Can I really do this? Will I really be able to make it through this party?
"Hey," I whisper.
Derrick stops in the doorway. "Yeah?"
"It's... okay," I mumble. "I'll stay."
"You will?" Derrick says, his eyes wide and a smile spread across his face.
"Mhm," I hum, although something deep down inside of me still wonders if this is really a good idea. "I think it would be fun to... hang out with you. Outside of school, that is."
Derrick looks down, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "It means a lot to me that you'd say that. But Kaylin," he says, shifting his gaze back to me, "are you sure you're ready for this?"
"I... um," I think for a moment, unsure of what to say. Am I really ready? Do I think I'll be able to handle this? "Well, I don't know. But what I do know is that I want to be here."
"Okay," my deskmate says. "But only if you're sure."
"Don't worry. I'm sure." I say, although the doubts running through my mind don't make me feel sure at all.
What if Derrick misplaces me in such a big house? What if a ton of people are coming over and he forgets I'm even there? What if I get stuck somewhere? What if someone doesn't notice me on a table or counter and I'm knocked around or squashed?
Anxiety wells up in my core as Derrick turns around and closes the door behind him, sealing my fate.
"Oh?" Derrick's mom pipes up from in front of the kitchen sink, where she's begun to wash dishes. "Change your mind?"
I give a shaky nod from my place on Derrick's shoulder. "I-I thought I might as well stay, since I'm here and all."
"Wonderful!" The woman smiles. "Make yourself at home! If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know."
"Th-thanks," I stutter.
Mrs. Drake's brows turn upward for a moment as she smiles. As she returns to washing the dishes, I can't help but wonder if she's caught on to my fear. I need to get a hold of myself! I can't keep stuttering like this! I don't want anyone to think I have anything against pertheans!
"Derrick, honey, don't you want to change into something more comfortable before your other friends come over?" My deskmate's mom asks.
Derrick looks at me with worry in his eyes before looking back to his mom. "I don't exactly want to leave Kaylin alone. Since she's already here, I mean."
"She won't be alone. I'll be right here the whole time," Mrs. Drake beams. "And besides, I'd love to get to know her!"
My gut twists into a knot within me as my arms and legs begin to shake. Left alone with Derrick's mom?! How in the world am I going to handle that?! I immediately start to regret my decision to stay at this party as Derrick raises an open palm to his shoulder for me to step onto. Taking a deep breath, I release my grip on the collar of his shirt and carefully inch towards his hand. I don't know how I'd ever live it down if I stumbled in front of another perthean!
My deskmate lowers his hand onto the kitchen table, and I somehow manage to step onto the hard surface without flailing around much. A hollowness suddenly overtakes my core like a punch to the gut as Derrick removes his hand, leaving me stranded where I stand. The table is much lower than the average balcony, and my head starts to spin as I crane my neck back to look up at my deskmate from the wooden surface.
Noticing my struggle, Derrick crouches down in front of the table. Now he's the one looking up at me, but his size is still so overwhelming to me. He's just so... big. His face nearly fills my entire field of vision! I back up a bit, clutching at my skirt as anxiety floods my nervous system. He's so close. We were close before when I was on his shoulder and when he held me to his neck, but... this is just different. And I'm not so sure I like it.
"Will you be okay?" Derrick whispers.
I let out a deep, trembling breath. "I-I will be. You can go."
When Derrick stands to his full height, I don't dare look up at him again. I keep my head down as my heart pounds and pounds in my chest, begging me to find someplace to hide. Once Derrick leaves, the sound of the running faucet is all that fills the room.
I spin around and see Mrs. Drake continuing to work on the dishes. If I'm lucky, she won't say anything, and I'll only be waiting a short while for Derrick to come back. I figure this is as good a time as any to let Dad know I won't be home for a while. I pull my phone out of my skirt pocket and slide over to my text conversation with him. I write what comes to mind.
Won't be home until later.
I pause. What am I supposed to tell him? Do I really tell him I'm at my deskmate's birthday party? That would be a huge win in his book. I can picture my dad now gloating about how he was right in sending me to Pacific. I shake the thought away and add to the the message.
A friend wanted to hang out.
I gulp, silently hoping he won't ask any further questions, and send the message. It takes a moment, but eventually I get a single thumbs up emoticon in response. I let out a sigh of relief.
"So..." Mrs. Drake says as she glances over her shoulder at me. "Kaylin, right?"
"Mhm," I nod.
"And you're new to Pacific?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She hums in response, returning her gaze to the dishes in the sink. "And... have you always lived in town?"
"Actually, I just moved here. I was born and raised in Maedri," I answer.
"Oh, Maedri!" Mrs. Drake says with a wavering tone. "I heard they have a bustling undercity there."
"Y-yes," I stammer, "it's pretty expansive compared to Chancelor."
A moment of silence passes us by. I watch quietly as Mrs. Drake sets various plates, bowls, and utensils on a rack to dry.
"It would be easy to live entirely underground without ever seeing a perthean then, wouldn't it?" She finally asks.
My heart sinks. What's she getting at? "O-oh, I guess so," I say.
She hums again. "And... might I ask what brought you to a school like Pacific?"
I swallow dryly as my legs quiver beneath me. What am I supposed to say to that?!
"U-uhm," I start, begging my voice to come out without any more stutters, "my dad wanted me to go to his old high school."
"Ah," the woman says. "And would you say you're... handling everything well?"
She has to be onto me. Why else would she be asking me all these questions?
I'm about to answer when I hear footsteps approach from behind. Finally.
"Sorry I took so long," Derrick says, emerging from the hallway. "Kevin and Brittney are on their way, I just got off the phone with them."
As I turn around, my eyes take in every aspect of my deskmate's attire. Jeans and sneakers, a striped yellow and white t-shirt, and a gray and yellow jacket. He's dressed so... casually! I stare down at my school uniform. I feel overdressed.
Derrick chuckles at the sight of me. "Sorry you didn't get to change," he says. "Do you want to take off your blazer?"
I think about his question for a moment. I tend to feel safer with more layers on, like I'm wearing some kind of armor to protect myself from danger. Although, I don't want to risk wearing my blazer to the party and getting it dirty somehow. And maybe it's just because I'm so nervous, but it does seem to be getting hot in here despite how much cooler it typically is above ground.
"Where should I put it?" I ask, removing my blazer and letting my arms breathe through my white button down shirt.
"May I see?" Derrick asks, approaching the table and placing his hand in front of me.
I reluctantly lay my blazer atop my deskmate's fingertips, and he pinches it between his thumb and index finger before lifting it high up to his eyes.
"Wow," he whispers.
My entire body is immediately overcome by a hot flash of some kind, and I begin to tremble where I stand beneath my looming deskmate.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that!" He stammers as his face reddens. "It's just that it... and you... I mean, it's just really tiny. Not that you're... that. I mean, I would never—"
"I-it's okay," I interrupt. "I know I'm... short."
Derrick seems to relax a little at my words. He sighs. "Anyway, there's a place for this right over here," he says, carrying my blazer to a coat rack beside the front door. He hangs it on a smaller arm that seems to be designed for human items. "There."
They have a spot for human items on their coat rack? I thought for sure nothing in this house would be fit for a human!
"You look confused," my deskmate states.
I straighten my head and unfurrow my brow. "I-it's just... I didn't think you'd have something like that here."
Derrick looks back to the coat rack. "You mean a coat rack? Doesn't everyone have one of these?"
"No, I mean that," I say, pointing to the smaller arms. "Why do you have a spot for human items on your coat rack?"
"For human guests! Why else would we have it?" Derrick asks.
My mouth hangs agape at my deskmate's words. I thought items like this were something I'd only ever see in the movies! I didn't think pertheans would actually include items in their homes for human guests! Come to think of it, I didn't think pertheans would entertain human guests often— yet here I am.
"You think this is special?" Derrick laughs as he approaches the kitchen table and pulls out a chair to sit down. "Wait until you see what else we have!"
My mind swells with wonder and curiosity at the idea of there being other human-friendly items in this house.
"Derrick, honey," Mrs. Drake says, pulling me from my thoughts. "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
My heart skips a beat at her words. How could I forget about dinner?! My body trembles at the thought of sharing dinner with— who knows how many people? No, how many pertheans?
"D-dinner?" My deskmate stutters, his eyes widening with surprise.
"Yes, dinner! You said this morning you'd have to think about what you wanted and that it depended on whether or not one of your friends was coming."
Derrick turns to look down at me, his face a bit pale. "Oh yeah, um... one girl has a few allergies, but... she isn't able to make it."
"So what did you decide on, then?" His mom asks.
"Um..." Derrick starts, his brows upturned and his eyes focused on my quaking frame. Suddenly, a smile appears on his face as he turns back to his mom. "You know, actually, we won't be hungry for dinner. We all had big lunches at school."
Mrs. Drake folds her arms, tilting her head to the side as she narrows her eyes at her son. "Do you really expect me to believe that? You know, the last time something like this happened—"
Derrick abruptly pushes his chair away from the table and stands from his seat. "Mom, can I speak with you for a moment?"
Mrs. Drake nods, letting out a sigh and following my deskmate down the hall.
What's going on? Why is Derrick trying to avoid having dinner so badly? Could this be about me? What does his mom mean by 'the last time something like this happened?' Is Derrick going to tell her about my fear?
Although I know it's rude to eavesdrop, I can't help but try to listen in on the two pertheans' conversation. All I'm able to make out is some harsh whispering, interrupted by the occasional 'why.' At one point I hear Derrick whisper, 'just give me some time!'
As the duo emerges from the hallway, I try my best to look like I wasn't just poking my nose where it didn't belong. I try to ease my tremors by rubbing my arms, but it doesn't help much as Derrick and his mom resume their previous positions in the kitchen. Derrick's mom flashes a polite smile at me, only to immediately turn away and resume drying and putting away dishes. What the heck happened back there?
Bing-bong!
"Oh!" Derrick says, standing up again and heading for the door. "That must be our other guests!"
I gulp and wipe my shaking, clammy hands on my skirt. The party's about to get started, and there's no turning back now.
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