Things were good out here, real good.
Darvin was set on making sure my needs were at the forefront of his mind.
It was nice to just sit out on that log by the fire and see him take the dirt road to trek into town. I even offered for him to take the car, but he refused.
Maybe it was because he liked the freedom of the open air? He seemed like someone quite content with taking his time rather than rushing needlessly.
He didn't want to scare me with his true form I realised each time he left and returned. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb5kSNd5jq
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I'd wait for a hulking mass of legs to round that corner or come through the trees, but it never happened.
Was he ashamed of himself like what Solanine was?
So, when I saw him returning while holding a pot over his shoulder that was loaded with a foldable bag, I decided to confront him on it.
"I want you to show me what you are."
Darvin's grin as he unloaded the bag by the fire slipped whne he looked to me.
"You don't need to be ashamed" I continued to make him snort.
"I'm not ashamed" he rolled his eyes "I just don't want to scare you off. You are really important to me and I don't want to ruin it."
Really important.
My gut clenched at the kind words. I knew he meant it innocently, but it still made me feel special.
"I'm good, dude" I grinned back "if you want to go do your sheddy thing, go for it."
He sighed in relief and rubbed his shoulder.
"Oh, good" he breathed out a laugh "I've been aching for a proper stretch. It gets cramped in these things, you know?"
"I don't" I giggled but watched him stand and start to kick off his shoes.
Oh, I wasn't expecting this. I thought he was just going to tear through them and just go replace them after. Made sense to save his only pair, and I wasn't complaining.
Darvin had no shame when he took the time to fold his clothes and place them on the log beside me. His eyes sparkled with a sly smile as he backed up and handed the bag from the pot to me.
"You'll have to cook tonight then" he grinned "my hands aren't going to be good with a knife after."
A knife?
I saw the packaging of the utensil nestled around the other items inside. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Yzj0gaLSM
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There was two packets of beef chunks sitting underneath half a pumpkin, a bag of carrots, a bag of washed potatoes, and several packets of herbs. He had even wedged in paper bowls and wooden disposable spoons.
My eyes watered when I realised he had planned to recreate my mother's meal. He had heard my story once and decided to act on it, just for me. He had even hauled this giant iron pot all the way here to make it. The thing looked like a small cauldren that he heaved into the fire to heat up and pour bottled water into. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSVt1Ec2yN
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Watching his naked frame glistening in the light and tame the flicking flames was a sight I drank up.
"Thank you."
A smile flashed to me.
"It's OK. I want you to like it here. You are helping me out after all."
He was going above and beyond just for a favour. Somehow, I felt like I was taking advantage of his kindness.
Darvin moved from the fire to walk past me and stand out in the open. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3VYldov3F
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I turned when he passed so I could marvel his body for the last time.
There was something about the scars curving along his body that had me getting hot and bothered just looking at them. He had the whole rebel look going for him, and that really made my cock take notice.
I really wouldn't complain if he wanted to fuck me in the dirt right here.
Darvin smiled warmly again, and I felt like I had been caught with my dirty thoughts. I adjusted myself quickly when he turned his arse towards me and started to shed his skin.
The split down the back tore straight through him. The skin peeled back like a cocoon cracking open for a butterfly trying to lift itself out.
I saw silver fur plastered down with blood push through the back, hulking and bulging as it grew from the back.
It was like he had suddenly developed a slimy tumour that was quickly dwarfing his body.
His arms and legs split when the body kept growing, pulling forth glued legs from the skin to plant them down and support himself. The body that had been growing unfurled an abdomen that shivered as it split across the top and seperated a furry fan that hovered only inches above the body.
The silver fur shuddered as the legs worked on swiping the pieces of skin and blood from it. It revealed delicate pink spots along the legs and a splash of pink and orange arching on the curved edge of the fan. The middle even had a gleeming golden dot that glinted in the sun when the spider turned toward me.
The eyes stayed the same dark brown. They really did look like masses of black rock sparkling there, still with the pink scars almost carving through some of them. More gold speckled around his face that was cleaned off. I could see splashes of the reflective colour accompanying the edges of the pink spots as his fur fluffed up.
There was nothing left of his skin he stood within. The massive creature, something impossible to fit inside even a large human body like his, dwarfed me as it waited for me to so something.
"Are you OK?" it breathed hesitantly.
Holy fuck. I could understand it too.
"Say something" it pleeded.
What could I say? The spider was breathtaking. It was so huge and majestic and beautiful and oddly arousing all at the same time.
I could only imagine how Darvin would look when he returned to his human skin after something that tore him apart so easily. How flawless he would look and how fooled he'd have me as he sat beside me.
I'd have to see if his cock worked like a human's did too. As raw and savaged as his natural form was, I wasn't here to fuck spiders.
"Wow" is all I could whisper.
He looked proud with that response. His mandibles twitched as he passed his legs through them to try and bring to life the beauty within.
"Can i touch you?"
I was mesmerized. I wanted to see if the soft fur really was as wonderful as it looked. With the scars, he looked like a hardened warrior, but I really was curious if it would be like patting a puppy, minus the extra legs.
"Come on then" his voice lightened.
I peeled and dumped the meat into the pot so I could have more time to savour this new experience.
I rushed over and stopped at a leg he held out, running my hands over the bristled fur there.
"Its wet."
"Well it did just get cleaned" he laughed back and twitched a little when I went to the next leg to compare the textures.
"Its really soft though. More like a chicken than anything."
"A chicken?!" he scoffed and laughed again "I don't know if I should be insulted by that."
"If take it as a compliment" I replied when I traced my finger through the pink spots and it's golden edging.
I ducked beneath him, in awe as I saw where each leg met his body and how it all moved as he turned on the spot to try and see me.
This was the first monster that didn't scare the shit out of me. I was blown away at how something could look so fearsome but actually be so gentle.
There was nothing like that with the monsters in the Base. They were as bad as they looked.
"So, if I touch this, am I touching your arse?" I teased as I ran my fingers down his abdomen that flinched.
"If you had to compare it that way, it'd be more the front" he chuckled as he rotated again and I followed beneath him "is that wierd?"
"A little" I admitted but frowned when I got to the end and looked around "where does the dick go?"
"Jeez, you really have no shame!" he lifted his legs and moved aside so that I was standing at his face again "you can't just ask someone that!"
"I'm curious!" I cried out "I've never seen anything like you. With Solanine, it's all how you see it; everything lines up like a human, and with Oxalis it's the same thing too but with a few more arms thrown in, but you are a massive fuck-off spider! I've got to know these things!"
"You are impossible, you know that?" he laughed as he passed me and jerked a leg to the bubbling pot "are you going to add the vegetables or not?"
"So, which ones are your arms, and which are your legs? Or are they all legs?" I asked when I tore open the bag of carrots to snap them and throw then in.
I heard him snort on the other side of the log.
"In human terms, these are my arms" he wiggled the first four "and these are my legs."
The back four did a little jig and I smiled at how obvious it all was now.
"Any more questions?" he sighed as he folded his legs underneath him to lower down onto the grass.
Huh. So it was almost like a cat folding it's paws under its body. Interesting.
I tore open the knife packet and slipped it out to use the plastic as something to try and cut the potatoes on.
"How do you see with so many eyes?"
"Like you do?" he replied with a shake of his head "I'm not going to have six little screens that I see out of. It's just a bigger area."
Six? I counted them just to make sure. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrtoGrVkFX
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Well, what do you know. His face was splattered with large eyes.
"Okay, so how do you even learn to walk on eight legs?" I waved the knife to him before peeling open the pumpkin and heaving the knife into the tough skin "don't you ever trip over yourself?"
"Well, some things you are just born knowing. I..."
"And how come you walk on two when you are human and not all fours? Wouldn't that be easier?"
"Have you ever seen a person do that? Defeats the purpose, Mr One-Thousand Questions" he jeered back playfully "any more? Or can I sit here and watch you butcher that pumpkin in peace?"
I finally hacked through the vegetable that I threw into the pot, skin and all.
"You heat things up and can't be burned" I pointed out "do you make fire or are you just super hot?"
I had never seen Darvin actually strike a match or have a lighter stashed away somewhere. This fire always seemed to be going before I woke up each day. If been here for three in total now and it still had me thinking how he did it.
"Super hot" he purred back and smiled when I was going to take that as an answer. The pink spots on his body started to glow a brilliant orange, just like flames. The pink and orange swipes of colour in the fan resting on top of his abdomen glowed as well. His mouth opened to let webbing dribble from it, pooling into the grass like lava that sizzled at the blades and ignited them before he stamped them out.
"Holy shit" I gasped in awe.
"Holy shit" he grinned back.
I turned back to the pot to distract myself. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2p69e6vzi
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No wonder he was always so comforting to have around when he was in his Skin. The guy was built to be the perfect mate to his own kind in every way. He really didn't need me here to help him score.
"So, what am I doing in this dance when you find a girl?" I piped up, trying to hide my doubtfulness as an innocent question "am I just sitting on the sidelines, making sure you get the steps right or...?"
"Oh" he lowered his eyes "uh, let's just skip that until we get to it. I don't want to scare you off before we get there, hey?"
Instantly I was suspicious. I stirred the pot, glaring to Darvin.
"What am I doing here?"
He rose to his feet. That wasn't a good sign.
Of course. He had been stringing me along; making me feel important and giving me this enlightening time of realization about myself, only for it all to be some sham.
"What am I doing here, Darvin?" I growled to him now and got to my feet "you've been lying to me this whole time, haven't you? Playing tricks on me and making me believe in stupid shit just to trick me. You don't need me here, do you?"
"No! No! I do!" he moved over to block the way to the car even though I hadn't moved "nothing was fake. I really do want you feel safe here."
"But why?" I folded my arms "what is there to be safe from? There's nothing out here. Is it you?"
The Mission had said nothing about an alterior motive either. It just outlined the need to bring him back and that he was going to be tricky; to consider the surroundings and not let him escape. They had missed the part about him being able to produce fire. Maybe Eagle hadnt known about it either.
He bowed his head and looked ashamed.
"Its me" he admitted "the things I told you in the water about dancing and finding a female are true, but you are to help me after all that."
I didn't like this. He was trying to find a way to lessen the blow of whatever he was trying to say.
"Ah, the egg part... it can't happen without you" he peered up at me "I'll burn them up if I carry them, and she's no good with other males around; itd be a massacre. The only way to keep them safe is..... in..... You."
In me? Oh, fuck no!
"Fuck this" I moved from the fire and stepped over the log to see him dart and block my path "and fuck you, using my mum against me like that! Making sure I was always fed and happy just for this shit! FUCK YOU!"
He had always been so adamant on keeping me fed and watered. He was fucking harvesting me; growing me so I could be some incubator. I didn't even want to know how he was going to get them in me.
"Los!" he begged when I tried to get around him and ducked under his legs, punching his abdomen on the way through "don't leave! I said I'd come to the Base after! Doesn't that matter to you?"
I stopped, spinning to face him.
"All that matters is that I get out of here and to somewhere back there where I know what's coming for me. At least those arseholes let you know when they are stabbing you in the back or making you fat to be some spider hatchery! Fuck!"
Fuck me. I had fallen hard for this shit too. Thought we could have been friends or even ones with added benifits, maybe more down the track. I'd only seen what he wanted me to see, like always.
"Please" Darvin darted around to block me again "I need you; I do! You are my only chance at this. I literally have nothing if this doesn't work. I really do care for you; none of this was a lie. Once they hatch, I'll go with you, promise. Just help me this one time. It's never worked before; they always run."
So he's done this shit to other people too. They had brains to run when they realised the shit he was about to pull on them too. No wonder it never worked.
Hatching baby spiders out of me. I shuddered and held my hands out to him.
"Fuck no."
His eyes dripped tears. They saturated his fur and splattered to the ground. My gut twinged with guilt and how stupid I had been to fall for his kindness without questioning it.
I was going to miss it though. It was nice to be valued for once.
"Please" he sobbed to me "don't leave. I liked having you around; loved it even. We were going to be friends. We were going to eat your mum's soup together and watch the stars again. Please, I'm begging you here."
I wiped my eyes as everything stabbed me all at once. I wanted those things too. I wanted them so badly.
"I KNOW!" I shouted back with a sob "but you had to ruin it with your stupid spider shit! I'm getting in that damn car and I'm sending someone else out to drag you in. I'm done with this shit, now move!"
"No" he planted himself down firmly "I really need this to happen. I'm risking my life for this, so you are going to help me or... I'm going to have to keep you here."
His voice wavoured on the last part but he didn't move. I knew he was serious about this shit too. He was going to make my life a living hell, or I could keep living in the happy oblivion I had been up to now and just take my prize back when it was all over.
The pot was boiling over. If I was going to stay, I needed something to eat that wasn't laying in the dirt.
Maybe I could try and sneak away when it got dark? He wouldn't be able to keep up with the car once I got it back on the road.
"Food's ready" I grumbled and shuffled back to the fire before realising I couldn't do anything to stop it "sort this out, I need to sit down."
Darvin was on it in no time. I didn't even watch while I dropped down to the grass a few meters from the log and rested my head on my arms hanging on my legs.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
Spiders! Of course it had to be spiders! 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnus46uQHQu
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He was a cunning cunt. He had me hooked from the start with his rope work and web shit.
The rope was still at the entrance of the cave; not like it'd be any use now. He knew his way around these things,103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhLQ8TDxqR
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not me.
Eagle knew this was going to be a challenge and I had let my confidence talk me out of the seriousness of everything. I could have run at any time when he had left, but I was too blindsighted by whatever I thought this was to leave.
I had been greedy and now my window was closed. I could have made it back if I hadnt been so stupid.
"Los"
I felt fur run down my back but didn't react to it.
"Are you still angry?"
"You think?" I snorted to the grass between my legs.
"You ever been bitten by a mosquito?"
The question took me by surprise and I looked up to Darvin in confusion.
"It's like that" he continued and tried to interrupt when I groaned and put my head back down "hear me out. It's like a mosquito bite. A little itchy, but manageable with some creams, which I'll obviously get you. It's a bunch of little red lumps on your back. Then after two days, it's all done. They'll make thier way out, you'll have your body back, and I'll be jumping in that car to come with you to the Base."
He actually made it sound a lot less worse than I was anticipating. Still, the thought of having anything crawling like that on or near my skin was terrifying me.
"The soup is ready too" he prodded me gently "meat is a little burnt and the veges are a bit mushy, but we could call it our own take on your mum's recipe."
I smiled at how silly that sounded. He really was trying to get us back to the way we were. I was starving too, but too proud to admit it upfront after the leverage I had over him.
"I have to see how badly you ruined it" I mumbled with a little smile before dusting myself off and heading over.
It was ruined for sure. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQkWodF1aM
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There was no substance left in the split vegetables that broke when I poked them, or the meat that was so black and chewy it was like trying to tear through burnt leather.
Darvin joined me in his Skin so we could try and convince ourselves we enjoyed it enough to try and salvage half a pot's worth.
The way he strung his own body with webs that pulled and forced everything together was incredible. It forced this hulking spider down underneath glowing strands smothering him and shoved it all beneath the skin that formed and hardened from the webbing itself.
He pulled them from himself and walked over so casually to retrieve his clothes. Surely, it couldn't be comfortable being like this. Something so large cramped up and moulded into a much smaller frame had to be torture.
I actually felt bad for him. He was much more easier to handle and let my mind wander with in this form, but he didn't need to hide when it was just the two of us. I already knew how fucked I was, regardless of what he looked like.
"This doesn't do her any justice at all" Darvin cringed when he bit through a chunk of black meat and tipped the vegetables back into his bowl "I'll do better tommorow."
The whole soup turning to shit was on me but I let Darvin roll in his guilt as he drank from his bowl instead.
I sighed, placing mine down. I couldn't do that. That's not who I was.
"Its my fault, not yours. You spent all your time and money picking everything out and I ruined it when I stormed off. I should sort out tommorow."
With what money? I had given it all to Darvin.
"I sprung the whole situation on you, so it's my fault" he insisted "I should have told you straight up and not have got so attached. It's bound to happen. Its wrong of me to keep you here."
He rose to his feet and held an arm out to the side.
"You can leave if you want to. I understand that what is normal to me isn't to you and that's OK. You should have a choice in this."
I looked to where the car was and felt my heart soar.
I couldn't get to my feet quick enough, tossing my bowl and cutlery into the fire.
"Thanks man" I breathed when I hugged him and started to run for my freedom.
I felt like I should have whooped for joy at how lucky I had been. I had been given the easy way out and didn't have to struggle at all for it. He had just handed it to me like a fool.
I rounded the bush and yanked open the door to the car and nestle myself into the driver's side.
I really melted into it and relished the feeling of the fake leather on my skin. The wheel felt fantastic under my hands that gripped it in jittering glee.
I jammed the key in and saw the lights illuminate the leaves ahead when it rumbled to life. The radio sang its muffled tune in the background as I pulled the car into reverse and checked out the back window.
But I couldn't move. I sat there, feeling like my stomach was dropping out of my arse.
Besides the whole hatchery setback, the guy really had cared for me. I hadn't had to think about if I would eat today or where I would sleep each night. There was nothing in the night lurking to come murder me because Darvin stayed up to keep watch. I had caught him multiple times just sitting on the log when I slept by the fire, or leaning on the wall of the cave to keep me safe. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B6FT5Zb98
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He had admitted he had got attached, and I had to agree I had done the same. I already was loving the kindness and subtle flirtations he occasionally threw at me. Someone like him was really starting to grow on me. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUgW5vibKq
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And I was here to bring him back. He had agreed to that too, after I served as a human shield for his children. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVDta5AJpk
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If I left now, I would fail the Mission. I could return with others to try again, but the damage would already be done. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYd2DtVQHu
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No-one knew I was out here. I could keep it that way and just wait it out until I bought him back like we agreed to. Eagle would still be happy with me and Solanine would have his smug face rubbed in how I didn't need him anymore.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHSqLKVTtS
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I liked being treated right. Hell, I loved being out here without a care in the world. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4pLyCcqTc
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A few mosquito bites couldn't be that hard. Two days of being pampered with everything to stop any discomfort sounded good. Better than anything Scalpel had to offer if I headed back now. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEseSua5vSK
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I knew the moment I was back, I'd have to be avoiding Solanine again. I was done with him, but there was no way he was going to accept that like the first time. He'd make some deal that I couldn't refuse then force me to be his mate. He wouldn't give up until he had me.
I turned off the car and just sat there in silence.
If I had someone else... someone who cared for me....
No, I couldn't. We barely knew each other. But I didn't even know Solanine either and had let myself be strung into all sorts of fucked-up shit with him.
I didn't want Solanine anywhere near me. Just the thought of him waiting for me when I returned made everything inside clench uncomfortably. He'd yell and threaten me, maybe even rape me again when I tried to run so I couldn't escape for those hours we were forced together. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRohj12FfX
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He liked hurting me even when he said he didn't. He just wanted what he couldn't catch. He had infected me with this disease, knowing full well it kept me away from others and closer to him.
Then there was Darvin. He was immune to this curse. I could touch him and really relax around him. And he was coming back to the Base with me. Why not have him come back as someone who could keep caring and protecting me?
I smiled at the thought and felt my chest bubble.
Was it bad to feel like this at the first sign of kindness? Was I just jumping at the chance out of loneliness and desperation? I wanted to be happy; he made me happy.
To hell with it.
I got out of the car and ran back for the log where Darvin was holding his head in his hands. He was hunched over and I could see his shoulders shuddering.
"Hey!" I shouted to him.
His head lifted and he wiped his eyes, sniffling. He got to his feet and stepped over the log.
"You can leave" he pointed "you don't need to stay here."
I rushed over to hug him, feeling his warmth leech into my skin and soothe me. His arms slowly wrapped around me, unsure of what to do.
"I want to stay" I mumbled as I held him.
His embrace became tighter as his body shuddered.
"I didn't want you to leave" he whimpered to me "I wanted us to be friends, and maybe... see where it went from there? This isn't because of the whole skin thing; I actually did think you were going to be gone for good."
I leant back to look up at Darvin wiping his eyes with his palm. For someone who looked tough, it sure was cute to see a guy so open and unafraid of his emotions.
I was falling, hard. Maybe it was the lust talking. It had been very chatty since I had seen his photograph in that folder. It didn't help he had create such a handsome battlescarred face.
Three days and I had already felt more alive than ever.
I wanted to know everything about him. I wanted to make sure that I was making the right choice and not falling for another Solanine in disguise.
The hatchery thing definately had me rattled, but if it was like taking a few bites and only lasted two days like he said, I guess I could try and suck it up before we headed back together.
This really mattered to him, but my need to make sure this was the right move mattered more. If this was the only thing that rattled me about him, then I was willing to take that.
I didn't want to be alone in the Base again, not knowing there was someone here who could make my life in there much better.
"We should start over" I smiled up at him "get to know each other before I become a walking incubator."
I shuddered a little and parted from Davin so I could hold a hand out toward him.
"HI, I'm Birdie. I go by Xylosma; not Xy or Los."
Darvin looked at my hand and grabbed it with a grin.
"I'm Darvin" he shook it "I go by Vinnie to the locals and I'm a spider."
"A spider?" I faked ignorance "you don't say? Really?"
He giggled at my antics and let go.
"Vinnie is a cute nickname" I added when we moved to the log "they really call you that?"
"All the time" he said enthusiastically "they love it when I go to visit them. I've made things for some of the shop owners in return for stuff I can bring home. Usually it's something really small like salt or soap."
"You sound like a fifteenth century commoner" I scoffed and laughed "but it's good you can get by with thier kindness."
"And yours" he smiled "seriously, I can't thank you enough. This means the world to me. I've always wanted to be surrounded with my own children, and now I can have that because of you."
"We might need to talk about that" I spoke up to burst his bubble and make him grow worried "I'm out here on a Mission. Sooner or later, the Base is going to send someone out to find me for sure. I doubt Eagle would want one of his Souls living it up out here where he can't keep an eye on them."
Darvin leant back and groaned in thought.
"What do you think we should do about it then?"
I thought too, staring at the fire as I did. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwU6NZOoCe
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It was amazing no-one had come for me already. I knew I was being tracked like every Soul there; this flashing red light was a constant reminder of that.
Was Eagle waiting to see if I was going to come back on my own first?
"We could set up a new place somewhere on the way back to Base. That way it'll look like I'm coming back and it could buy us some more time to get the family up and gone. Then once it is, we just roll back up like nothing happened."
"I guess we have no choice" Darvin sighed and got to his feet so he could lift the pot off the fire "we've made it this far; I'm not letting anything stop me now."
I liked how serious he sounded. He was so willing to give it all up just so he could have this chance because of me.
I felt flattered. I shouldn't have, but he made it sound like he wanted to stop at nothing to protect me.
I knew the real reason why, but I was letting my mind wonder once again as we packed up and smothered the fire.
Darvin's old home was well alight when we left and drove back towards the Base. His eyes tracked the surroundings basking in the setting sun, watching everything with great interest.
I drove on, speeding us over a massive bridge leading through more surroundings of forestry we had just come from. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQGyeZcQ8p
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For a while, it was nice just to see something other than greenary. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5UiBUL0cO
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkkhqDbmxW
The dark waters danced with light, reflecting the dying sky and the calmness surrounding it.
"Here" Darvin spoke when we approached the other side.
I pulled off the road and onto the gravel that crunched on the tyres. Stopping the car, Darvin sat there beside me, watching the trees to our right.
He got out without a word and headed for the pot in the backseat. I parked up and killed the car so I could scramble for the bag and follow him down the steep gravel slope towards the waters edge.
The grass there was wet but did offer a nice little area that could be suitable for camping. It was close to the car and right beside water. I set down the bag in satisfaction but Darvin kept walking without hesitation.
I raced after him with his belongings, following blindly once more.
I didn't like how far we were getting from the car. Leaving it like that in the open made me nervous that something could happen to it while we were too far away to react.
Darvin kept his eyes on the trees to our left as he walked. He kept up a steady pace and led us kilometers up the river to where it started to bend before he stopped and started threading through the trees themselves.
I squeezed behind him as he cleared the path for me around the towering trunks. We crunched over the leaf litter, stomping onwards until Darvin broke out from the trees and stepped aside for me.
The first thing I saw was the road to our left leading into this area that was marked as a park by the wooden green log at the end of the dirt. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlU710IzJtu
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCI3iDIUHO
The whole area was covered in dead leaves, even the two wooden tables and chairs that were bolted to thier own concrete slabs.
I saw the faint glow of light between more trees to our right and saw that it belonged to a toilet block nestled in there, its own little dirt path leading straight to it.
The air wasn't fouled by it at all. It was crisp here and alive with the sound of rustling leaves from the trees forming thier halo around us. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcLz3TItgO
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQcZGZMVPh
The only thing that did threaten to ruin the beauty was the double wheelie bins bolted right beside the sign by the dirt road.
I was just grateful I'd have somewhere to shit other than on the ground. I didn't care how beautiful it was while I did it.
"This is perfect" Darvin marveled the dead landscape, setting down his pot "I'll clear this up and get you settled in."
I sat on the nearest table while Darvin started to split from his Skin again.
As soon as the legs unfolded to support his body, he burst forth to slam into the other table and drag it upwards. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4UWsqnGqY
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD1f8ojvRk
Darvin pushed and heaved with all his might to lift the concrete block and topple it. The seat broke under the table he yanked from the block and dumped at the treeline. With the block itself, he carried it over towards me and dropped it to link the two bases.
I moved aside so he could tear up the second table and smash it onto the concrete. Leaving the wooden pile there, he charged for the park sign to haul it from the ground and drag it back to the new pile on the concrete.
His body lit up as he dribbled webs over the mountain of wood to get it glowing.
With a fire being born, Darvin ground his head along the dirt to clear away the leaves and shove them into piles at the treeline. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3XFeLcyHX
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHSfSZ8gZL
With the dirt exposed, all of the insects scurried and squirmed beneath him while he powered on to select a plot of land to the left and begin shoveling further into it.
He flung masses of dirt outwards in his determination to build a new hole big enough to fit him. His abdomen moved with his efforts, coating his fur under the grime being thrown around.
The fire took hold while he was digging and leapt up towards the trees. It was so intense I had to move everything from it, trying to drag the heavy pot away as I did.
It was good to finally see my surrounds properly in such a bright light. It kept the darkness at bay and warmed the cooling night air.
Darvin had disappeared under the earth now, still throwing out showers of dirt into the air from the opening.
I stood back and marveled his handwork until his dirt-covered body turned around and peeked back up at me while his arms and legs compacted the walls.
Giggling, I watched him shudder down into the dirt and spurt a flurry of webs from his body to stick to the newly pressed walls. It formed the first layer of that marshmallow webbing I had become stick to the first time I had seen it. More stuck to itself as he continued stringing out more and more of the fluff until a nice, thick layer was coccooning the inside he emerged from.
"Very impressive" I marveled when he shook himself off and started brushing down his legs "you keep amazing me with all these little things, you know?"
He looked proud with himself. He flipped the fan on his abdomen upwards to scrape the dirt from it with his back legs, really focusing on getting those colours flourishing again.
I guess it really was a matter of life or death if they weren't as glorious as they could be all the time. It made me wonder about everything else Darvin had to go through just to make him look like the most appealing and dominant male in the area.
I wanted him to show me. Maybe even try to win me over. It was a dumb thought, but I wanted to feel valued in every aspect, including sexually.
I could stew in silence. He didn't need to know what I was doing.
"You should dance for me" I marveled over the fan flapping upwards to shake the loose dirt off.
Darvin paused, working on his legs again now.
"That's only for mates" he replied.
"But I'm your mate" I pointed out "I'm your friend so we are mates, mate."
He shook his head at my attempt through a loophole through slang. He liked it but wasn't giving in that easily.
"Why don't you practice it then?" I offered "pretend I'm not even here. You said it's life or death, so why not get those skills up to scratch?"
I really wanted to see it. Curiosity was killing me.
"Are you trying to get off on my looks?" he teased and lowered down to shake his whole body and throw the dirt from it "am I really that irresistible to you?"
He was teasing but I felt like he was trying to worm the truth from me. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBa8udWWZh
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFpa3vF7tf
The moment he was human would be when I really would be in trouble witb my thoughts. He was playing with me until that moment too.
"No..."
"Right" he sniggered and turned from me "whatever you say, liar. You should go to sleep before you do something you don't want to."
He was being flirtatious now. I didn't mind; I liked having my ego stroked as he played it off as harmless fun.
"Maybe you are right" I tried to drag my brain back up from my pants "it's getting late."
I shuffled over to the hole and laid down in the dirt at the entrance so I wasn't glued by the webs again. Darvin stayed out in the open, peering over to me before shaking his fan upwards and billowing it out.
The gold spot caught the light of the fire to shine brilliantly. The pink and orange swipes of colour glowed white as the heat within Darvin stirred up for his display.
I rested my hand under my head so I could watch in awe.
"Uh, Uh, uh" he tutted when he turned around and spotted me "I'm claiming this area. You are supposed to be sleeping."
I knew he was doing this deliberately. I just laid there and watched, getting comfortable.
He strutted around in a circle of the area, keeping his eyes on a spot in the air, billowing his fan up again and shaking it when he stopped. The spots across his body intensified and spread to the fur around them, pulling out into more spots that were unseen.
With his new glowing body, Darvin strutted again to the start of his circle, sweeping his legs as he did to make part of leaf litter ignite along the way.
The fan came up once more, igniting this time into a wave of flames. His whole body followed, the fan shaking and lowering before raising once more when he turned to face me.
His dark eyes sparkled from the fire flickering around them. This soft fur billlowed amongst the heat in a way that looked like it was floating under water than burning up.
I saw embers peel across the top of him and float into the sky. Darvin moved to sweap the embers around him and make the area come to life in beautiful sparks of colour dancing and swirling as he forced them to move around as he did, dipping and spinning gracefully.
He planted himself down in the middle of the glistening area to shake out his fan one more time and spread every leg above the other so that it formed a colourful display leading to the fan itself. He stared intently only at me.
I didn't move, feeling my heart hammer against the dirt with his attention focused only on me.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaB835txTJ8
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ6TC2iRwj
With him standing in the middle it was only then I noticed that his elaborate dance and leg struts hadn't just been for a fancy show. They had drawn a spiraling, circular, mandala leading towards the middle where he stood. Every movement disguised as a dance had been carefully constructed to amplify the beauty of it all.
It was fucking georgous and it wasn't even meant for me.
He lowered his legs then the fan, shaking himself off and dusting away the mandala. The embers settled to the ground as he kicked over the dirt, the leaping fire diminishing back underneath the spots that regained thier usual colour.
I didn't know what to say or do. Despite playing it off, the flourish of his dance had been aimed directly at me to gauge how I would react to it and to his advancement.
I did nothing, only watching as Darvin settled himself in the dirt with his back to me so he could guard the area and keep his forward feelings close for one more night.
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