what arms have lain under my head til morning? [mixed]

[tisnotthehouse]

Who: Tarantulas

What: This spider is about to have some real Bad Times. This is an top-level for everyone who would like to experience those Bad Times along with him.

When: Late February and March

Where: Open

Warning(s): Emotional manipulation and toxicity, people poorly coping with mental illness. Pregnancy, gore, and body horror. Further warnings TBD (4/7)

Comments

[tisnotthehouse]

Tarantulas twitches slightly when César reaches for his stomach, watching curiously as he buttons up his shirt for him. Ah, that does make it a little easier to resettle Dawn and sit more comfortable. He listens carefully to the things César has to say, only sighing quietly at the end in what might be wistful, or perhaps even envy.

"The continuity of organics sapients," he says softly. "Do you know what an asset that is to your species? Your individual lifespans are so short, but look at how far you've come in less than a million years! The kind of stagnation, the creative sterility, that plagues Cybertronian society is simply impossible on organic worlds...it can't even find a place to take root."

He sighs again, leaning back slightly in his chair. In his arms, Dawn has stuck a corner of her blanket into her mouth and sucks on it meditatively, staring at the sunbeams on the ceiling with her wide buttery eyes.

"Could I have another glass of water?" Tarantulas finally asks.

[pineapplesalmon]

"It's one of the reasons I don't want to live forever. I already accept I'll die some day, and I hope it to be because of old age after a full life." César finds mortality to be a strength.

He watches Dawn for a moment with a soft smile, eyes flicking up to Tarantulas as he speaks; César stands to go back to fetch him some more water. "Of course. Do you want anything to eat? Calories are important right now while you're healing."

[tisnotthehouse]

"I think I'd like to be present for that," Tarantulas says quietly; for once the negative connotations of something he said occur to him before someone has to point it out, and he winces, explaining, "I mean that...being there at the end of someone I respected, I think...I'd be sorry to see you go, obviously, but if it was like that...I think it would be a good memory. You know, eventually."

He's made himself flustered now. When César offers him food he shakes his head quickly. "No thank you. My stomach's still unsettled."

[pineapplesalmon]

"Just water, then." César puts another glass of water down on the table in front of Tarantulas, chuckling. "No, it's okay. I know what you mean. I see funerals as something that should be celebrations Not even all of us human-based organics can agree on how funerals should be. I'll make arrangements so you can be there."

He sits back down, his expression growing a little more serious. "... I'll be having a funeral for my parents in September, if you'd like to attend that. I think they'd be charmed by you attending to understand us more. They were scientists, too. We all worked on the same project together."

[tisnotthehouse]

For a moment Tarantulas can only stare, stunned.

"You...really want me there? For something like that?" he finally asks. When César doesn't immediately answer in the negative, Tarantulas begins to actually stammer, flustered once again. "César, that would...I'd be very pleased -- no, that's not the right word," he interrupts himself, grimacing. "I mean, it'd be an honor. I'd be honored to attend."

It's not simply the event himself that has him so emotional. He's seen funerals before, from tens of thousands of different cultures -- but always from a distance, as a neutral observer. He's never felt any attachment to a member of the family before, nor they to him. This invitation is unprecedented, despite the extreme length of his life.

[pineapplesalmon]

César smiles more broadly, charmed by how flustered Tarantulas is, and glad he was right about how much it would mean to him to attend. "Yes. They took great effort to help me become part of the world. If they were still alive today, they'd extend the same hand of friendship to you. Some things can only be understood if you've experienced them first hand."