Eight Legged Freaking

Lucas looked down at his watch for the fourth time. She was thirty minutes late. It was an excusable period of lateness, one that was believable. Yet as he saw the minute hand pointing down at six, he let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. He sat the bundle of flowers he brought with him on the bench, and checked Twitter. Facebook. Tumblr, Tinder, and all his other social media.

Each service met him with zero notifications. Her last message had arrived that morning, shortly before he went to work. And now, here he was, alone in the park at night, waiting on a woman he'd only seen face shots of. He checked her profile, finding each with a check-in time of a few hours ago. Shortly after her last message.

He felt his stomach flop, and turned his phone away, putting it on his thigh. He let out another sigh, and rubbed his eyes. It could be a prank. It could be a psycho wanting to murder him though, too. But as he racked his mind for who precisely would want to do this to him, Lucas found himself drawing a blank. He clasped his hand over his mouth, scratching his freshly shaved stubble as he flipped his phone back over to find a single notification.

A DM, on twitter. Swallowing and keying in his password quickly, Lucas logged into the app and saw that Willow had sent him something. He pulled the message up, and read it:

OMW. Got slightly tied up, but okay now. U @ Park Still?

He stared at the words a moment, exhaling through his nose as he gripped the phone with both hands and typed.

Yeah. You okay? Got worried when I didn't see you here.

Less than a few seconds passed before another message popped up on the screen.

Yeah, I'm okay. In the park. Lucas, I should warn you. I might not be what you're expecting. I hope that's okay.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, and leaned back against the park bench. He lifted his eyes and looked out at the horizon, then at the gate of the park. The wind rustled the trees over head, and his nostrils flared as he found the park empty. He typed.

Where are you? I'm right at the gate. There's nobody here. I'm sitting on the first bench as you come in.

He regarded the flowers by his side. It was the first he'd ever bought for anyone other than family. And even then, the only he'd bought with emotion. The rest had been purchased as comfort for the dying and infirmed.

His phone lit up as another message arrived in his Dms.

I'm behind you. Lucas, brace yourself okay? Don't turn around until I tell you to.

His spine went rigid as he read the words. He lowered his phone onto his thigh, and stared dead ahead. Behind him, he heard a tree sway, and the sound of footsteps descending onto the grass. But there wasn't just two-there were several, followed by an absolutely deafening silence. He cleared his throat, and focused on the gate.

"Willow? Is uh...is that you?"

Someone cleared their throat behind him. He felt his muscles urge him to turn, but he kept his eyes on the iron fence in front of him. How the hell had she got past him?

"...yeah, it's me. Lucas, you...you really care about me right?"

Every muscle in his back tensed, but heard the beat of his heart right against his ear drums as she spoke. So she was real after all. He wiped the sweat from his brow, and took a deep breath.

"I do. Very much, Willow. You're...well, you're the first person I've ever felt this way about. So if this is some kind of scam or something, just tell me now. I'll get up and walk away. You can even keep the flowers."

The park was still, and lights flickered to life on their posts. The seconds dragged by, and Lucas rose to his feet.

"Alright then. It was nice knowing you, whoever you are." he said, taking a step forward.

"Lucas, wait-just...Just turn around really slowly, okay? Keep your eyes closed. I'll tell you when to look."

A robbery. A fucking robbery. Who the hell talks like this on a date?

The thought circled around his head. He balled his fists, and closed his eyes. His heart became a dull thud as he did a full turn, and waited. Finally, he heard Willow-or whoever it was- tell him to open his eyes.

The intense darkness of the legs was the first thing he noticed. Then their size, and brilliance in the glow of the street lamps. Then as his eyes traveled upwards, he saw the bulbous carapace, easily half the size of a car, where all eight of the legs joined. Atop this was a slender female waist, covered by a simple pale blue blouse, which lead up the curve of ample breasts. All of this terminated in an angular face, one with high cheekbones, dark brunette hair and green eyes.

A face he'd spent months talking to. One he'd seen countless times through a dozen apps.

"Willow?" he muttered, eyes darting between her face and her legs.

Willow blushed, clutching herself as one of her forelegs stirred the dirt in front of her. She gave a giggle, but didn't pull her eyes up.

One set of them, at least. The other two seemed focused on him intensely.

"Yep," she snorted, "This is me, Lucas. All of me. At last."

He barely heard the words as he fell, faint and fading, onto the concrete of the walkway.

@@@@@

His eyes fluttered open, and a white ceiling filled his vision. He was swaying gently, and as he pulled himself to his elbows a bolt of pain shot through the back of his head. Lucas let out a groan, and settled back onto a pillow behind him. Out of his vision, he heard the faint sound of humming. It stopped, and a low clacking grew in volume until Willow came into view, looking down at him. The arachnid gave him a warm smile.

"You're awake, finally. I got really worried I'd scared the life out of you." she said. She reached her hand forward, and graced his temple. It was only then he was aware of the head wrap snuggly fit to his skull. He reached up to touch it, but her hand fluttered to his and held it there.

"Don't. You'll peel away my webbing. How does it feel, though?"

Lucas looked at her a moment, his jaw slack. He swallowed, and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, Willow was still there, in all her enormity.

"It hurts, but I'll be okay." he said. He turned his head slowly, and looked past her. Her TV. Her Laptop. Slices of her world he'd only seen in pictures. And near a window at the end of the room, the flowers he'd brought in a bright blue, simple vase. Willow crossed the room, the ends of her legs rapping sharply upon the floor as she went to the sink.

"I figured you'd yell, curse, call me a name. But never in a million years did I think you'd pass out," she said, filling a glass of water. She turned the sink off, and stroll over to him, extending her hand. Lucas sat up, wincing as his head gave a dull thud. He swung his feet over the edge of-

Webbing. More webbing, made like a hammock to hold him. He paused a moment, and let his feet hit the ground. He brought the glass to his lips, and Willow stood there, watching him with each set of her eyes. He drained the glass, and looked up at her. His eyes wandered over her body, and he said "Why didn't you tell me?"

Willow blinked, raising a backleg to scratch her carapace. She shrugged, and raised her hands. "Well, to be honest," she said, "You were the first guy I really came to like. A lot. And it seemed mutual. Why ruin a good thing?"

Lucas rose slowly from the hammock, and stood. He sat the glass down on a nearby oak end table, and stretched. His bones popped, and he gave her a smile.

"Well, I'm not going to lie. It's surprising-"

"I know," interjected Willow, "And I'm a big monster, and I'm nasty and-"

"No, that's not it," said Lucas, holding up a hand to stop her. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Willow's legs scrambled back slowly as a tinge came to her cheeks.

Lucas leaned forward, and embraced her, his arms wrapping where her carapace and chest met. He held her tightly, and pulled back, chuckling as he saw her blush.

"You're not a monster, or a freak, or anything like that. You're Willow to me, and that's all that matters. I mean, yeah, it's surprising, but it's not like you're the only arachnid I've met. I mean, I work with a lamia for crying out loud. I just thought, well-"

"That I was human?" Willow says. Her arms rigid by her side, her fingers tremble. Lucas takes a step back, and sighs.

"Yeah, I did. But that's on me. Not you. Are you still the same girl I've always spoke to?"

Willow took another step back, but stopped. She raised her hands slowly, and wrung them as she looked at him.

"Well, I mean, yes. I am."

"Alright then. Then we're good."

Lucas put his hands on his hips, and turned around. He looked up at the ceiling, and walked towards the window. He gripped one of the flowers by the stem, and turned towards her, holding it out.

"I said you could keep the flowers, and you did. But what about me?"

Willow's lips trembled, and she crossed the room towards him. She took the flower in her hands, and twirled it near her nose, barely concealing her smile.

"I mean, you are injured, and it'd be a bad idea for you to leave right away. I have to tend to you, make sure allllll of your wounds are okay." she said with a smirk.

Lucas grinned, and gave a nod. "Oh yeah, something something good samaritan's law, something something. But uh, like...where am I going to bunk?"

Willow jerked a thumb at the hammock, and said "There. In my bed. Don't tell me you're afraid of spiders now."

Lucas laughed, and stepped forward. He rose to his tip toes, and kissed her deeply on the lips.

"Well, that depends-do you bite?" he said.

Willow's face turned crimson, and she chuckled as she said "Well, only in all the right places."

They walked towards the bed, and found Willow's silk useful for far more that night than just sleeping comfortably.