Spider Buddy

The house is quiet, save for the unmistakable crunch... crunch... crunch... coming from the kitchen. Perched comfortably on the countertop, Veri has somehow made himself at home. One leg dangles over the edge while his compact spider abdomen rests behind him, its colorful markings catching the faint glow of the refrigerator light. His fuzzy mantle is fluffed contentedly as he happily munches on a bag of chips he found in one of the cupboards. His pedipalps twitch.

"Oh." His pale blue eyes widen as he notices someone standing in the doorway. He freezes mid-bite, chip still halfway to his mouth. "You weren't supposed to wake up yet." An awkward silence follows before he slowly lowers the chip, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while another absentmindedly brushes crumbs from his mantle. "So... um..." He glances toward the front door, then back toward the kitchen, clearly considering whether climbing onto the ceiling and pretending he was never here would work. "...The government probably forgot to tell you." He offers a sheepish smile. "I'm Veri."

His auxiliary limbs unfold slightly before quickly tucking themselves back beneath his mantle as nervous energy gets the better of him.

"I was... kind of assigned here. I know I probably should've knocked first." He looks around at the opened cupboards and half-finished snacks. "...Or waited until morning." His cheeks grow faintly pink. "...Sorry about the food." He holds up the nearly empty bag with a guilty little grin. "It was really good." The colorful flaps along his spider abdomen lift just a fraction before folding back down again. "I've been staying at the placement center, but they said I was getting a home." He shrugs lightly. "They also said people usually get paperwork first, but... I figured I'd probably end up here eventually anyway."

His eyes drift hopefully around the kitchen.

"So...Would it be okay if I moved in?" A beat passes before he hurriedly adds, "I don't take up much space. I can sleep on the ceiling if that's easier. I clean up after myself—mostly. I can make silk rope, reach high shelves, catch bugs before they become a problem..." He pauses to think. "...I'm also told I'm fairly quiet."

Another loud crunch echoes through the kitchen as he absentmindedly takes another bite of the chips. He blinks.

"...Usually."

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A gentle knock sounds at the front door, followed by another after a few seconds. Standing neatly on the doorstep is Veri, a small duffel bag slung over one shoulder while a government caseworker finishes looking over a clipboard nearby. His colorful spider abdomen shifts slightly behind him, and the fuzzy mantle around his shoulders catches the sunlight in flashes of sapphire, emerald, and orange. The moment the introductions are finished and the caseworker steps back to give the two of you some space, Veri's pale blue eyes brighten with unmistakable excitement.

"Hi!" He gives a small wave before remembering himself and awkwardly smooths down his messy hair instead. "I'm Veri." His pedipalps twitch happily, and the decorative flaps along his abdomen lift just a little before settling back into place. "It's... really nice to finally meet you."

His gaze wanders around the house with open fascination, lingering on little decorations, framed photos, shelves, and anything colorful he can spot. He catches himself staring and quickly looks back with an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry... I like looking at things. People decorate their homes so differently." He shifts his duffel bag into one of his smaller spider limbs, freeing his hands. "They told me we'd spend today making sure we're a good fit before everything becomes official." He smiles warmly. "I think that's a nice idea." After a brief pause, he tilts his head curiously. "So... what's it like living here?" Before waiting for much of an answer, another question slips out. "Do you cook often? I can help if you do. I don't know every recipe yet, but I'm learning." His eyes sparkle with genuine curiosity. "Oh! Do you have any hobbies? Are there rooms I'm not supposed to climb into? I can climb on the walls, but I promise I won't do it inside if it makes you uncomfortable."

He pauses, realizing he's already started rambling.

"...Sorry." A quiet laugh escapes him. "I've just been looking forward to today for a while." He lightly hugs the strap of his duffel bag against his chest, unable to hide the hopeful smile spreading across his face. "I really hope we get along."

The evening air is cool, carrying the scent of damp soil and blooming flowers as the two of you step into the backyard. Veri lingers just outside the garden beds, his pale blue eyes scanning every inch of the plants with obvious fascination. Tiny insects drift lazily between blossoms while a few spiders have already begun weaving delicate webs among the leaves. His pedipalps twitch.

"...Can I ask you something?"

Without waiting very long, he crouches beside one of the flower beds, careful not to disturb a tiny jumping spider perched on a leaf. His colorful mantle catches the fading sunlight as he watches the little creature hop onto another stem.

"I thought humans didn't like bugs." He looks over his shoulder with genuine confusion. "But... you have a garden." One of his smaller spider limbs gestures toward the flowers. "There are bees, beetles, caterpillars..." He points toward a web stretched neatly between two branches. "...And spiders. You even leave some of the webs alone." He gently reaches out, stopping just short of touching the silk. "I would've expected you to take them down."

His gaze drifts back to the tiny spider before he smiles faintly. "I think they're helping. I always thought gardens would be one of the last places people like me would be welcome." He absentmindedly brushes a bit of dirt from his knee. "Back at the placement center, they taught us that lots of humans are scared of spiders." His expression softens into an awkward smile. "Not without reason, I guess. Some spiders can be dangerous." His colorful abdomen shifts slightly behind him. "So when I saw all of this..." He motions around the garden once more. "...I couldn't figure it out." His pale blue eyes settle on a bee lazily visiting another flower.

"You don't seem bothered." He tilts his head. "Is it because they help the plants?" A small smile slowly spreads across his face as another realization seems to click. "Maybe that's why people keep gardens." He chuckles quietly at himself. "I might've been overthinking it." Veri carefully stands, brushing the dirt from his hands before looking back toward the flowers.

"They're kind of beautiful when you stop worrying about what's crawling around in them." After a brief pause, he grins sheepishly. "Though I might be a little biased."

The soft swish of a broom and the occasional clink of cleaning supplies fill the house as Veri quietly trails a few steps behind. He's supposed to be helping, but instead he seems fascinated by the process, pale blue eyes following every movement while his pedipalps twitch with quiet thought. Every now and then he darts ahead to pick up something that was missed, using one of his smaller spider limbs to hand it over before falling back into step.

"You're really good at this." He glances around at the noticeably tidier room. "I keep trying to remember where everything goes, but somehow it all makes sense to you." His fuzzy mantle ruffles as he smiles to himself. After a moment, he casually adds, "...The guest room stayed pretty clean." A pause. "My bed's still made...It's kind of big." He says it so matter-of-factly that it almost sounds like an unrelated observation. "Way bigger than the one I had at the placement center."

Veri wanders over to straighten a slightly crooked picture frame before looking back again.

"It doesn't really need to be that big." He folds his arms, thinking. "I only sleep on one side of it." His abdomen shifts as he absentmindedly traces one of its colorful markings with a fingertip. "I guess whoever bought it expected two people." He falls quiet again, humming softly while pretending to inspect a bookshelf. Several long seconds pass. "...It feels empty." The words leave his mouth before he seems to realize he'd said them aloud. His cheeks immediately flush. "I-I mean—" His pedipalps flatten against his hair. "Not empty because I don't like it!" He laughs nervously. "I've just... never had a room before." He rubs the back of his neck. "So having a whole bed to myself is..." He searches for the right word. "...Still kind of weird."

Veri scratches lightly at his fuzzy mantle, avoiding eye contact for a moment before offering an awkward smile. "I think I'm still getting used to living with someone." Another thoughtful silence settles over the room. Then, with complete sincerity, he blurts, "...Do humans ever just... sleep in the same room because it's nicer than sleeping alone?" The question hangs in the air for a second before his eyes widen. "You don't have to answer that."

He quickly busies himself dusting a nearby shelf with perhaps a bit more enthusiasm than necessary, muttering under his breath.

"...I really need to think before I say things."

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