April 20, 2022

Spider climbs up to the roof and sits down on the edge, staring out into space.

Ari slides up here sitting close to the edge silently, not making eye contact with Spider.

She looks over, it looks like she's fiddling with something in her lap. "Hey.”

Ari looks up, his face is just kind of, blank, without the light mischievous air they usually hold. "Hey. Whatcha doing?"

Spider holds out her hand, revealing the switchblade. "Trying to talk myself down, it seems I don't do well on my own anymore.” She chuckles grimly.

Ari offers a hand. "Looks like a nice knife, can I see it?"

“Don't cut yourself.” She hands it to them.

Ari looks at it for a moment before tossing it lazily into the woods. "There, out of sight, out of mind. I don't know if that knife meant something to you but it's not safe for you to be around it."

Spider shoots them a look before sighing. "It did..but never anything good I guess.”

"I'll find it later, it didn't go very far. But I'll be handing it off to someone else."

"Remind me to never invite you to my place then.” Spider chuckles humourlessly and starts running her nail over her thumb.

Ari gives a small laugh before looking down. "So uh... the- weather... am I right?"

“What's next, the state of the economy?" She jokes.

"Well it is in the gutter, isn't it? Or its better than it has ever been? How does that stand in an apocalypse?" Arimidex asks, jokingly.

"Well, I'd imagine it's in the gutter with the complete collapse of society and its values an' all.”

Ari nods. "Society was stupid anyway."

"From bits I saw of a "normal" society? Hell fucking yes,” Spider says.

"I prefer almost dying constantly over that shit, to be honest."

“Eh, for me that shit went hand in hand.” Spider chuckles.

Ari snickers. "Sounds terrible. So you've uh- done this before?"

“Kinda? My world was fucked over long before I was born, I just spent my life dealing with the fallout,” Spider explains.

Ari's eyes wander down to what's happening in the backyard and scoots away from the edge, putting their head in their coils slightly. "I don't think I can handle hearing other people be happy right now. Is that bad?"

“God, no,” Spider says.

Ari sighs and nods. "Okay... okay then."

"I mean I get it.” She sighs. "It usually makes me angry, which then my dumb arse takes out on the others.”

"Yeah... I guess it's just jealousy. They all seem... fine, right? I know they're not but like... they enjoy a lot of things..." Ari says.

“If they can be happy, why can't I?" Spider asks.

"Exactly."

"Even worse is the numbness though.”

"How do you mean?" Ari asks.

"Just... feeling nothing and feeling like nothing when you know that you're supposed to be feeling things, looking around and seeing everyone else feeling whatever they are and wondering if they're faking it.” Spider takes a deep breath. "Makes feeling actual emotions even worse.”

Ari nods along. "I get that sometimes... just standing on the sidelines while the others do the important actions and emotions."

“And then when you actually feel things you may as well of set off a mental nuke because fucks knows how you deal with these things in a healthy way.” Spider says.

"You can always talk to me about it, I don't know how much it helps but I think it's supposed to be better to talk about it."

She raises an eyebrow. "Well, I appreciate that but one condition.”

"Which is?" Ari asks.

“That yous do the same.” Spider responds.

Ari sighs. "Fine, fine."

"I get it ya know?"

"It's the classic mental illness feedback loop."

“Pretty much, but it helps..at least for me it does.” Spider chuckles. "Makes me feel human again as weird as that sounds, I think it's the connection.”

"I guess... but it's just like- everyone has their own problems who am I to add to them?" Ari asks.

"Because if someone didn't want to hear about your problems, they wouldn't ask, or offer to. When I ask someone if they're okay, I know what I'm potentially signing up to, if I didn't want to deal with that, then I wouldn't ask.”

"Yeah... but also like what if they're just doing it out of obligation, or pity?" Ari asks.

“And the point of that would be? If someone is that shallow that they don't care about you then fuck em.” Spider sighs. "I get it though, been there myself a few times, you just gotta...find people you trust. As sickening as that all sounds.”

"That makes sense.” Ari goes silent, keeping her head buried.

Spider chuckles. "Yeah, I feel it.” She stares out into the distance again, now dragging her nails lightly down the inside of her arm. “Emotions are weird, aren't they?"

"God... I hate it. Why can't they be like normal difficulty?" Ari asks.

“Because then whoever's running this shitshow wouldn't get their thrills.”

Ari groans and flips off the sky. "Hate that."

Spider goes quiet, digging her nails in harder.

Ari slaps Spider's hand. "Hey. No."

Spider jumps and pulls her hand away, sighing. "I hate memories. It feels like any good ones I have, have just been...tainted.”

Ari nods. "I try not to get too caught up on the past, y’know? I didn't really start out cleanly in that department, with everyone wanting me gone and such. I mean some people still do."

"I am....was a memory though..my entire existence relied on being stuck in the past, but I get your point. And for what it's worth, you're miles better than Adam.” Spider says.

Ari nods. "Yeah... I mean just because you existed as a memory doesn't mean you can't grow from that? And what was Adam's deal anyway?"

Spider shrugs. "I have no clue, he mostly kept to himself and I didn't really talk to him much, attacked him once though.”

"Oh? Why?"

"Wasn't my choice, you know that nightmare chamber that is Jovian hall? Well before that was the bunker, more specifically the dead-end room, we were taken by...a blanked out Terminal… and well the fucker who was controlling him forced me to shift, don't really remember much after that though.”

Ari nods. "I see... huh... that's wild... he sounded like a pushover."

"From what I could read of him? Definitely but again he mostly kept to himself, then you popped up.” Spider says.

"Wack... sounds like a buzzkill I would've hated him," Ari says.

Spider laughs. "I wanna see that now, you and him in a fucking catfight."

Ari snickers. "That'd be great, put us in a ring. Dude, he was like so skinny before I started working out."

Spider laughs. "Then my money would be on you.”

"I'm also like a snake soooooooo, I think I'm hotter than him too," Ari says.

Spider raises an eyebrow, smiling. "Jury's still out on that one mate.”

"I'll bet so much money that I've pulled so many more bitches than you."

A stack of 20 20-dollar bills appears on Ari's lap. Money to bet. I dare you. Do it.

Ari glances down. "Oh hey, how convenient."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?" Spider asks about the bitches comment. She shakes her head, sounding amused.

"I'm hotter than you." Ari smirks.

Spider flips him off jokingly. "Suure you are.”

"Then go on, how many bitches have you pulled?" It flicks through the stack of money playfully.

She shakes her head. "One, and you? Not counting that fancy light show that you can do.”

Ari counts on his finger for a moment and looks up at her. "How are we classifying bitches?"

Spider grins playfully. "Relationships.”

Ari sighs. "Wait, we need to agree to the terms, that's not what I meant when I made the bet."

“Then what the hell did you mean? Cause if you meant the other way, then I'm not into that.”

"I mean more liiiike, how many people have you had attracted to you, romantically or sexually." Ari explains.

“Fuck, I gotta think now.” She looks thoughtful for a second. "Like three? I think? Not really good at reading that kinda stuff, especially back then.”

Ari nods, grinning. "I win, without hypnosis it's probablyyy around ten or twelve? That includes Cole and Cerberus, And uhhh with hypnosis? Probably 30."

"Jesus fucking Christ.” Spider laughs.

Ari is seemingly proud of this reaction. "I'm a Lust demon, sue me!"

"And Luna's a Sloth demon yet she's not in a semi-permanent catatonic state is she?” She grins. "That's bloody mind-blowing though.”

Ari snickers. "I literally get hungry to fluster people I don't know what you meaaan."

“As someone who's been attracted to one person in my entire life, its mind-blowing.” She chuckles.

Ari nods. "That's fair, attraction is different for everyone, I'm just a whore."

“You said it mate.” Spider jokes.

"I wear that badge with pride."

"And I wouldn't expect anything less.”

Ari lays back and looks up at the stars. "Soooo yeah, I'm hot."

“And here I wish I still had my powers.” Spider laughs. "You might be "attractive" but I'm literally hot.” She does air quotes on attractive.

Ari tilts veir head. “Do you have a power I never learned about?”

“Yeah, one just popped up like a week, I think? Before I was turned human.”

“Something to do with heat?” Ari asks.

Spider grins. "Fire.”

Ari's eyes widen. "Ohhh shit, that's sick."

"I know right?"

"I'm getting you those powers back."

"How? I don't even know how it happened in the first place, Raine butted in for some fucking reason and now they're gone.” Spider lays back on the roof and sighs tiredly.

Ari looks over. "I mean Raine doesn't seem too unreasonable, have you eaten recently?"

“No.”

"I'll get you food."

Spider chuckles. "Fine but get yourself some too, otherwise I'll just feel guilty.”

Ari rolls their eyes. "Fineee."

“Aren't you glad you came up here, eh?" She grins.

Ari smiles a little. "I am, yeah. You think any normal person would believe us if we tried to tell them you nearly killed me some months back?"

“Definitely not.” Spider laughs.

“I got some nasty scars from that I hope you know. If it weren't for that theater kid wannabe I’d be dead.”

Spider sighs. "Yes, I'm aware of the kind of damage canines can cause, and I apologize for it.”

“Psshhh you’re fine, I deserved some of it. I was still a twink too.”

Spider smiles slightly and says jokingly, "Ah yes after all there's nothing more masculine than scars.”

It bursts out laughing. “I meant I hadn't worked out enough yet.“

Spider laughs. "I know but it lightened the mood didn't it?"

Ari starts stretching her arms out a tad, seemingly a specific routine to it. “Absolutely, and by the way, do you have any idea how to stretch a tail?”

“Snake tails? Not a clue. You could try wrapping it around something while it's short, and no, don't even think about trying it on me.” Spider chuckles.

Ari snickers, thumping their tail on the ground a little. “Awwww, you suree?”

"Funnily enough I like my ribs intact, so yes I'm sure.” Spider chuckles.

“Boooo it's so cringe that they won't heal,” Ari says.

Spider laughs. "Is that your grand plan, Get my powers back so you can crush me to death without consequence?"

Ari grins devilishly. “Maybe it is, what're you gonna do about it?”

“Well, now I'm regretting letting you chuck my blade away.” Spider grins and feints a punch at their face.

Ari flinches and scowls. “Heyyy- you cant do that!”

"Relax I feinted it.” Spider sighs. "...sorry, you ok?"

Ari nods for a moment before feinting one in return. “You can't do that without expecting any payback.”

Spider flinches and laughs. "Oh, I'm well aware.”

Ari laughs along. “Y’know, whoever runs the show probably hates the fact we’re getting along.”

“And as we all know, there's no better motivator than spite.” Spider grins.

Ari nods wholeheartedly. “Oh absolutely.”

Luna appears on the roof with two plates full of rice, steak, and peppers, also napkins and forks. "Here you two go."

Ari grabs both plates, handing one to Spider. “Thanks a bunch, Luna.”

Spider takes the plate. "Thanks you two.”

"Glad to help. See y'all later." And with that, Luna returns to the kitchen.

Spider starts eating, and by eating I mean she's fucking devouring it, god knows when she last ate.

Ari tentatively takes a bite before digging in. “Does it taste better now that you're human?”

Spider pauses. "It's certainly different, but most things since I became human have been more dull and lifeless really.”

Ari tilts his head. “Really? I wouldn't guess that. I mean it sort of makes sense, what you remember can a lot of the times feel better than the experience itself.”

A red firework goes off from the backyard.

Spider flinches at the firework. "Yeah, like I went for a walk in the woods the other day and everything just felt.. lifeless, I didn't feel that connection that I usually do.”

Ari looks up at the firework confused. “Fair, fair. The fuck was that??”

“A firework,” Spider says.

“Where did it come from?”

She chuckles and looks down into the front garden. "Well, it's not the front garden so that leaves the back.”

Ari looks down to the back. “No one, but there's some stuff down there?”

“Wanna go check it out?" Spider moves over to the backyard side of the roof.

Ari moves with her. "I don't mind either way."

Spider chuckles. "See you down there then.” She lowers herself off the roof.

Ari wraps herself down the tree to reach the backyard.