the aftermath is secondary

MILO

this is for the snakes and the people they bite
for the friends i've made, for the sleepless nights

There’s something that helps his tired bones sag in relief as she reciprocates his touch, and he tries to guide her toward the bed where they might be able to pull the table over to it and eat together. Her question causes him to still, his dark gaze lifting over to her face, catching the gaze she gives him. And there’s a hint of confusion within his own. “I wasn’ plannin’ on it.” He tells her with a small shrug. “’Course I’ll always help.” He reaches up to try and grasp her hand with his own, to give her a gentle squeeze and a small smile.

“So? Y’didn’t leave him there, did’ya? Y’brought him t’me. ‘n I healed him.” He tries to drag that hand over to his lips where he can press a gentle kiss to her hand. “He’s difficult t’talk to t’begin with, honestly. I don’ really blame ya fer slidin’ back a bit. But y’have changed, y’know. If y’didn’t you prolly would’ve gone for the kill.” A red brow raises as he puffs out a quiet sigh, moving to sit on the bed and grabs a bottle to hand to her so she might start taking the edge off.

Downstairs, Rigby would find as he inspects the maps and whatever else the house has to offer, that something he does disturbs a nest of something, as a bunch of black spiders begin to pour out of the cracks to get a way from what Rigby has unknowingly disturbed.

for the warning signs i've completely ignored
there's an amount to take, reasons to take more

RIGBY

Rigby was just going to look, but he had no qualms with interfering. So for pure boredom's sake, he lifted a rolled up parchment map, flipped it around just to hear the paper crinkle. He didn't notice at first the hole behind the scroll, the way something stirred there in the darkness. It was the spider that dropped from within the roll that made him jump, drawing a slight oof from his lips when the sudden pressure made his leg buzz.

He looked back to the tables, where little black eight legged soldiers now marched down the drawn pathways on the maps. They scattered, tons of them, all coming from the cracks in the woods and adding to the mess. Knowing that they were spiders he found himself interested, curiosity drawing him in for a closer look at the arachnids. Probably harmless, most spider's he'd met were.

The street rat stepped away, dropping the scroll back onto the table and letting the swarm of spiders inspect it themselves. Back to the table he moved, found himself bored, and so with a low grumble he reached into his pocket to start another cigarette.

i'll make you understand
and you can trade me for an apparition

AURELIA

and my hands aren't clean
maybe they never will be

Aurelia doesn't pull away from Milo, not even if she thinks she wants to (read: she doesn't). He pulls her hand into his own, away from her face, but she can't force herself to keep holding his gaze. She goes with him, rising from her chair with limbs that feel far more tired than they should.

He kisses her hand and her gaze lifts, slightly surprised by the tender gesture. He understands, and it brings her far more relief than she thought it would. Relief which she finds herself fighting against, arguing against it. Of everyone here, she shouldn't be relieved.

Her eyes close with a deep furrow of her brows and she tsk's, shaking her head. "I still shouldn't have done it, that's not reason enough..." she remarks, opening her eyes again when there's been a moment. But they don't focus back on Milo, instead staring down at the empty space on the bed beside him, where he wants her to sit, where he offers a bottle for her to drink from. She doesn't go for it.

"I let you down. Let myself down. I hurt someone. You should be upset, Rigby deserves to be, you deserve to be. I deserve that. You should be disappointed in me, Milo," she manages with a strained voice, finding the words hard to admit. She clenches her jaw and dares to sink into the space beside him. She relents even though it's hard for her to allow herself his acceptance, hence why she pushes for something else. Her gaze flickers up towards his, waiting for some darker truth to come out.

Spiders have a strange, uncanny way of just... getting places. As Rigby lights up another cigarette to smoke, he might take notice of something small and black on the end of his cigarette. It quirks about before scuttling over his hand. Aaaand maybe... he'll notice there seems to be quite a lot more of these spiderlings all. over. him. Of course, don't miss their mother, who sits on his shoulder as if watching over them - or more specifically, watching him. She is also, by the way, faaar bigger than her offspring.

but they can still carry you home
when you're ready to sleep

MILO

this is for the snakes and the people they bite
for the friends i've made, for the sleepless nights

She doesn’t sit. She doesn’t go for the bottle. Instead, she’s content to sit there and spiral about it despite Milo’s best attempts to try and bring her out of it. For a second, he’s at a loss, unsure what to do, until she continues and tells him that he should be disappointed in her, and that’s when his red brows pinch together in confusion. “Oy.” He says gently, taking the bottle and taking a sip of it if only to try and entice her a bit more.

“’m not upset, though. Jus’ because I should be, doesn’ mean I am.” He challenges back, arching a red brow as he stares up at her from where he sits on the bed with the small table before them, where the food is getting cold. “’n I’m not disappointed in you. Could care less what Rigby thinks ‘bout it, truthfully.” He shrugs, reaching up to try and tug her down beside him.

“C’mon, you’ll feel better when ya’ve eaten.” And drank a little, hopefully, maybe.

The spiders downstairs continue their shenanigans with Rigby, the mother spider settled on his shoulder moving to poke at Rigby’s neck with a long leg as if expecting him to dare try to do anything that might harm them all.

for the warning signs i've completely ignored
there's an amount to take, reasons to take more

RIGBY

While there might be turmoil and encouragement going on upstairs, Rigby had his own set of obstacles. He probably should've just remained sitting, not been a snoopy rat, trying to search through their things. But he'd done it, as would be expected, and he'd somehow disturbed a whole nest of spiders. They were cool at first yeah, but once he'd backed away from them, he'd assumed that was it. He'd smoke his cigarette and they'd dance on the maps nearby.

There's something that prickles the skin on his shoulder, the skin uncovered by the over sized shirt slouched to one side. His hair stood on end as he whipped his head to see, only confirming his fears and opening a pit of dread in his stomach. There are more of them too. Climbing on his shirt, on his forearm, from the cigarette by his lips. He's probably made more noise today than he has in months, but that doesn't excuse the "NUH," that escapes his mouth as he jumps back.

He shed his outermost layer quickly, the billowy shirt dropped to the ground. The spider by his neck prodded at him, reminding him that she was still there. In one very bold move he swiped out at her, sending her flying to the ground with the rest of them. He wasn't cruel enough to retaliate against a family on spiders, so he let them be there, a shiver of unease creeping down his spine.

Well, that's enough of this bug ass room. Bare chested now, covered in grime and with blood all over his pants, he grabbed his satchel, shoved his cigarette pouch deeper into his pockets, and started limping up the stairs. When he reached the top he followed the voices, hoping Milo could show him to a place to crash. He didn't bother knocking, all house etiquette was lost when he no longer lived in a house.

He popped his head in, unaware that the mother spider was nestled in his matted curls, just waiting and waving at the other two. "Hey uh," he started, taking in the scene and pausing. Aurelia had no pants on, was she crying? Ew. "Oh, never mind."

i'll make you understand
and you can trade me for an apparition

AURELIA

and my hands aren't clean
maybe they never will be

She watches him take a sip of the bottle but she's feeling pretty dead inside, so it prompts no reaction out of her, no want or envy. Realizing that the food is getting cold does nag at her a bit, but this is a little more important. She waits with bated breath for him to let go of his control, to get upset at her, to tell her everything she already knows.

Only he doesn't, instead challenging her notion of how he should feel with how he actually feels. She breaths in a reluctant sigh and lets him pull her in beside him, leaning into it a bit too far and finding her arms subconsciously moving to wrap around his waist. To ease into his comforts of warmth and understanding, and food and booze to match.

Except these notions are interrupted because, hello! They have a gUEsT. Her gaze lifts towards the door, not at all bothered by the fact he didn't knock. That's completely on him; if he wants to get a plate thrown at his head for it then that's his choice. Aurelia makes no moves to do this, though, because he seems to need something. So her brows raise expectantly, but he seems bothered by something he's seen. She has no idea what might perturb him in this moment, from just spitting it out, but she's fine with him figuring it out on his own... until..

"Rigby-" She glances towards Milo with an extremely incredulous expression, as if silently asking 'you see it too, right? I'm not crazy?' There's a giant fucking spider on his head. "Wait-" She rises up onto her feet again, dashing over to catch up to the street rat, grabbing a shirt while she's at it. There is no way she cares that she's pantsless.

"Don't. Move." She instructs, looking rather intensely at the spider before glancing over at Milo for some sort of help. She takes the shirt in both of her hands and begins to slowly lift it up over Rigby's head and, before he can get all edgy and smart, she covers him in it, pulling it down around his head. "Got it!"

Or did she? I mean, no, but she certainly got Rigby? At least? The answer is no though, because now it's making its way down his chest.

but they can still carry you home
when you're ready to sleep

MILO

this is for the snakes and the people they bite
for the friends i've made, for the sleepless nights

He almost gets her to do it. Almost. But then she’s suddenly looking past him and his head swings around to find their guest once again. Rigby’s peering in, a question that Milo’s sure sits on the tip of his tongue, that’s cut off before it could even begin. Red brows furrow, staring at Rigby despite not staring at the man’s face. Because he’s staring past it, to the spider settled on his shoulder, a low hum of ”mhmm” leaving his throat in response to Aurelia’s question.

She rises immediately and Milo rises slowly after, peering in his room for anything that might help. A bowl he finds, he overturns to pour out the contents (it’s nothing big, just a space he’d been collecting pretty things to sell in the markets), before he’s approaching behind Aurelia.

A fucking bark of a laugh leaves him at her panic, at the tangle of limbs of the street rats within a shirt that still has the spider within it. But he sees the fuzzy legs peek out from Rigby’s chest. “N’ya don’t.” He rumbles, reaching out to coax the spider into the bowl, humming quiet shooshing sounds to the creature as she settles within the bowl and stares up at him with all those eyes, half prepared to run out of the bowl at the next opportune second.

“I got ‘er.” He murmurs, lifting the bowl to peer at the fuzzy spider. “Oy, she’s pretty.” He hums, stepping over and ignoring the tangle of Aurelia and Rigby. “Let’s getcha some place nice, yeah?”

for the warning signs i've completely ignored
there's an amount to take, reasons to take more

RIGBY

Rigby had started to shift back out the door to find a room on his own, but the shocked looks on their faces made him pause. He frowned, confused, scowled as Aurelia said his name. "What?" he asked, incredulous, shaking his head just a tad with the explanation. All of a sudden the pants-less crazy person is dashing towards him with a shirt, Rigby's eyes widened and he startled back.

"What?" he repeated, this time in a hiss. It was then that he followed her gaze up beyond his eye line, to something situated above him. No time to think about what they might see, the shirt is lifted up and swooped over his head. Something prickly touched the back of his neck, the sensation made him jump, the feeling moved down over his shoulder and onto his chest. Oh fuck, the spider.

The mother spider crawled across his chest, he had to try his best not to wriggle and slap at it. He couldn't even see the thing, not with knife bitch holding a shirt over his head. He waited impatiently in the fuzzy light that bled through from the fabric, anxious as he felt a hand brush against his chest. The little legs finally left, the creepy sensation leaving him with a shiver.

With the spider off and immediate danger gone, Rigby frantically pushed away from Aurelia and her shirt jail, glaring as he finally got free. He scratched at his chest, neck, collarbone, turning to Aurelia. "Were you just gonna trap it on my face?" he exclaimed, though any venom was lost at this point. He didn't have it in him, his predominant feeling right now was itchy and gross.

i'll make you understand
and you can trade me for an apparition

AURELIA

and my hands aren't clean
maybe they never will be

Aurelia thinks she's got the spider, even if it's trapped on Rigby's head, until she sees those spindly limbs stretching down his chest. Her hands freeze around the hems of the shirt, watching with widened eyes as Milo seems to handle the situation far better than she ever could. Her own instincts told her to smash it. Since it's such a large spider, maybe it's better that she didn't.

"Milo?" She questions, uncertain if he's got it, still holding the shirt over Rigby's face (maybe it's better that she does so that he doesn't freak out). That is, until the creature's been captured into the bowl and Milo is pulling it away. Aurelia's brows raise. "Hey... don't touch it!" She warns in advance, hoping that it's not venomous but not truly knowing. Not like she's an expert anyway. Its size is intimidating enough.

Rigby's stirring is enough to draw her attention back to him and she lets go of the shirt in a bit of an 'oh!' moment. "Uh..." its a mumbled utterance as she watches him untangle himself, until he asks her a rather pointed question, to which she can only respond, "You're welcome."

Awkwardly, her lips contort into a sort-of frown and she awkwardly tacks on, "I'm uh.. I'm sorry, for what it's worth... for.. shooting you," her gaze dips downward before glancing back up toward Rigby's face, "I won't do it again, if it... makes any difference."

At this, she waits for only a moment before she trails after Milo to see what he's going to do with the spider, peering over his shoulder.

but they can still carry you home
when you're ready to sleep

MILO

this is for the snakes and the people they bite
for the friends i've made, for the sleepless nights

Milo’s a bit too occupied with the tarantula in the bowl in his hands, trying to soothe the creatures fears as he gets her as far away from the collateral damage that could be a combination of Aurelia and Rigby when it comes to the spider. He hears Rigby’s question, he hears Aurelia’s apology and instruction. “Yer room is across th’hall. Prolly wanna shower though if y’wanna feel better.” He calls out over his shoulder as he moves to head back downstairs.

He catches sight of Aurelia, though, and flashes her a playful grin. “I’m gonna take ‘er outside ‘n a nice shaded place from th’rain.” He murmurs, hoping that perhaps if he does that the babies might follow. “She’s real pretty though.” He hums, lifting the bowl a bit to peer into it and spying the spider where she settles and curls up a bit, waiting to see what happens, but surprisingly more relaxed than she had been settled on Rigby’s shoulder.

Then his chest. Then in the shirt.

It’s fine, Milo’s manage to make the rescue.

for the warning signs i've completely ignored
there's an amount to take, reasons to take more

RIGBY

Rigby could've snarked back to her apology, snapped and hissed and made it worse. And he wanted too, he probably would've if he wasn't so tired and itchy, if he wasn't sort of depending on them right now. Instead he stares, shrugs, and watches the two of them leave the room with the spider.

He was alone again, he stood there for a moment just to process the hellstorm that had been today, simply stewing in the way he felt like spiders still crawled across his skin. He scratched at his chest, slumped back to his usual gait, then headed across the hallway. A shower sounded too hard somehow, and he'd been in worse condition than itchy before. He walked into his room and shut the door, flopped on the bed, and was out in minutes.

---

Fin!

i'll make you understand
and you can trade me for an apparition