“It’s probably not enough, huh? But it’s a long trip, and carrying too much would only wear you out… If we run low, we’ll just resupply as we go.”
“No, Hurel, seriously… I can’t eat that much.”
“Oh dear, Bee-Bee, that won’t do. You need to eat plenty to maintain that chest and that butt.”
“I—I’m going to lose weight! I’m losing weight, okay!”
He was already feeling chubby, and now Hurel was teasing him on top of that. It made Blaine snap out in frustration, but then Hurel’s expression suddenly turned serious—dead serious. His voice dropped low as he said, Absolutely not. The tone was so chillingly firm that Blaine found himself nodding without even realizing it. It was a little scary.
“Hurel… I really appreciate the effort. You clearly put a lot of heart into it, so I do want to take it, but… okay, this one! I’ll just take this one!”
“Mhm, that’s Bee-Bee’s bento.”
“Right? It looks so good, I’m really looking forward to—huh?”
Blaine had just picked up the most elaborate lunch box—the one beautifully wrapped and stacked at the very top of the pile—and was cradling it in his arms when he froze, puzzled.
“I’ll carry the rest, since I’ll be the one eating them.”
“…Huh?”
What was he even saying? Blaine just stood there, mouth hanging open, unable to process. Meanwhile, Hurel stuffed the towering stack of bento boxes—easily taller than himself—into a massive backpack that looked twice his size. He slung it over his shoulders with zero effort, like it weighed nothing, and casually stepped up beside Blaine. Then he flashed him a soft smile, as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
“Alright then. Shall we go?”
***
“This is my first time packing lunch like this… How does it taste?”
“Mm. It’s delicious.”
And it was. The bento Hurel had made was packed to the brim with care—everything from the arrangement to the color scheme was thoughtfully done, and the contents were all Blaine’s favorite foods. It didn’t feel like a lunchbox—it felt like a feast. Yet despite that, Blaine couldn’t fully enjoy the taste right now. He was staring blankly at the empty containers beside Hurel, his face puckered as if he’d just bitten into an unripe persimmon.
“You ate a lot, huh?”
“Well, you know… If you eat too much while traveling, it can make you sluggish. I just ate enough to stave off the hunger.”
“I… I see.”
Blaine, who had already eaten more than usual just to avoid looking ungrateful, was now leaning back on his arms, groaning softly with a stomach that felt on the verge of bursting. People often assumed he ate a lot because of his size, but the truth was, Blaine actually ate small portions. He was a light eater by nature.
“It’ll be dark soon. Where are we staying tonight?”
“Uh… about that…”
Hurel… when are you going back? He’d wanted to ask for a while now, but the timing never felt right. Now, deciding to just get it over with, he blurted it out.
“What? Bee-Bee, you’re going back? You’re giving up on finding that Sage or whatever?”
“Wait, no! That’s not what I meant—”
“Good! You’ve made the right choice. It’s too dangerous, and there are no guarantees anyway! Come on, let’s go!”
“No, no! I’m not going back—you, I’m talking about you!”
Just like that, the gleam in Hurel’s silvery eyes vanished. They went cold, steely. He now wore an expression that said he finally understood what Blaine meant—and it was like a blade of ice. His hand, which had been tugging Blaine along just moments ago, now slid down to his wrist, fingers tracing it with unnerving calm. Then came the low, icy voice.
“Hmm. So you want me to go back?”
“I-I mean… if you go too far, the return trip will be rough. It’s dangerous too. You’ve done enough escorting, so—”
“‘Escorting,’ huh.”
The spider chuckled under his breath. Then, in one smooth motion, he pressed Blaine down by the shoulders and climbed on top of him. Blaine, now lying on his back with a spider perched on his stomach, didn’t know how to react. Then—he felt it. A cold shiver shot through him, like a bitter winter wind cutting into his bones. What… what is this eerie feeling? Why is it so cold… and scary?
“My Bee-Bee really does have good instincts.”
“Uh…?”
For someone with no awareness at all, Hurel thought, concealing the rest of the sentence behind a sly grin. He’d nearly scrapped his whole plan on the spot—nearly wrecked that cheeky bee who dared tell him to go back. Turned him into a sobbing mess, just for saying something so brazen. But fortunately, Blaine had followed it up with a line sweet enough to let him off the hook. A survival instinct, maybe.
Despite his size, Blaine was still just a prey animal—alone, vulnerable, and currently not even in top condition. Yet here he was, worrying about whether Hurel could make it back safely on his own.
“You’re right, Bee-Bee. It is too dangerous to travel alone. That’s why it’s better if we stay together.”
“What? No way—that’s ridiculous!”
“I’m worried about you, Bee-Bee. I’m coming with you.”
“W-wait…”
Not content with simply toying with his wrist, Hurel leaned down and began pressing soft kisses to the thin skin above Blaine’s fluttering pulse. Blaine’s entire body tensed, face going beet red, trembling from the touch. Just the feel of those soft lips was hard enough to endure—but then came the warm, wet brush of inner flesh, the slippery stroke of a tongue—was that an accident?!
“Why do you keep doing that?!”
“What’s wrong with a kiss? Close friends do it all the time.”
Maybe spiders do, Blaine thought desperately, but honeybees sure don’t!
“Wait, don’t tell me… Bee-Bee, do you not think of me as a close friend?”
“Wha…? That’s not what I—huh?! Why are you crying?! Of course we’re close! We’re very close! Please don’t cry!”
Blaine panicked. Tears were welling up in Hurel’s large, glistening eyes, lips quivering, and it looked like the slightest nudge would make them spill over. Desperate, Blaine cupped the spider’s soft cheek with one hand and ran the other through his ivory hair to soothe him—but it was no use. The tears weren’t stopping. Blaine ended up forgetting entirely what he’d been saying, frantically focusing on trying to calm Hurel down before he burst into tears.
“Don’t cry, please… You’ve got such a soft heart, how are you going to survive like this…”
“I’m so glad… Bee-Bee, I’m so happy.”
“Okay, good, so now let’s just calm dow—mmph!”
Wait, already?! Blaine let out a muffled gasp, only for something slick and warm to slip between his lips like a snake. His body stiffened in horror. Hurel’s tongue wasted no time—it ravaged the inside of Blaine’s mouth, teasing the sensitive inner flesh, caressing the roof, and then curling around the base of his tongue before sucking hard. It was like he was trying to engrave his very existence into Blaine’s memory, brushing over every tooth, nibbling lightly on the smooth enamel surfaces with his moist, velvet tongue.
Blaine’s mind went blank. Even his fingertips twitched with overstimulation. This is way too much for just a “friendly kiss”! That thought had long since vanished into the ether. His brain was now filled with nothing but the desperate hope that this pleasure wouldn’t stop.
“Mmm… mhmm—”
His sky-blue eyes clouded over, their clarity washed away. Blaine had gone limp, utterly helpless, and clung instinctively to the body atop his own.
***
I’m definitely going crazy.
Blaine gently rubbed his lips, now swollen like a duck’s bill, and scowled. Did my stinger fall out and take all my brain cells with it? That would at least explain how he couldn’t muster a single protest against Hurel’s idiotic and outrageous behavior.
“Bee-Bee, are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine.”
Even now—this moment right here—he should be yelling, It’s your fault, you dumb spider! But instead, all he could manage was a weak, forced smile. Why can’t I ever say what I really feel to Hurel? As he spiraled deeper into his own thoughts, he heard rustling from the nearby trees. Hurel, who’d been busy with something in the woods, now approached with slow, deliberate steps.
“Anyway, Hurel… think about this again. It might be dangerous. There’s no telling how long this journey will take. You don’t have to come with me…”
