the collector: itsy bitsy spider

Fanfic: the collector slash

Arkin bent slowly to peer at the large tarantula crawling across the dusty floor.

Its eight legs slowly crept in a graceful motion as if walking on air. Arkin's eyes moved with the spiders movements, riveted by this small wonder of the world. He extended his hand, placing it on the ground directly in front of the spider, which stiffened its body then slowly began to crawl onto arkin's awaiting palm.

He breathed out a breath he didn't know he was holding and allowed a small smile to take its place.

He lifted his hand slightly higher so he would get a better look. The spider was black and orange, a beautiful contrast. He turned his hand to the creatures will as it climbed the length of his arm, tickling him.

Arkin felt more than heard the heavy door in front of him swing open as a very disgruntled captor of his stood in the doorway, a hand clutching the doorknob tightly.

They locked eyes.

He knew arkin had something of his and arkin had the gut feeling he had done something wrong. He gulped, never taking his eyes off the unmoving man, only feeling as the spiders small hairs prickled his skin as he walked. The collector's boots softly padded the ground as he made his way toward both his properties in a few quick steps.

Arkins eyes went to the spider as he suddenly felt it grow tence. The front legs were reared up in a defensive stance but the thing arkin noticed most was those huge gleaming black fangs poised for a bite.

His heart beat in his ears as he realized tarantulas are poisonous, mentally slapping himself he tried lowering his arm to the ground to gently let the spider off his arm but instead causing it to crawl further up his exposed arm.  

His eyes locked to the tarantula, willing it not to bite him, hearing nothing but his heartbeat in his ears.

A sudden but slow touch to his arm snapped him to his senses; he blinked to look to the black gloved hand gently touching his arm. He let his eyes then travel to the man now crouching close to him with eerie calmness. He didn't think it possible but he became even more afraid. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, death by a poisonous spider or…an equally poisonous killer?  

He looked on in fearful anticipation as the collector's leather clad hand slid tenderly up his arm to block arkin's exposed skin from the treacherous fangs of the threatened tarantula.

They remained like that for what felt like minutes but in all reality was probably only seconds.

Arkin watched as the tarantula slowly abandoned its defenses and continued to crawl neatly onto its owner's calm hand.

The tarantula and the collectors hand were lifted from his skin all together and arkin breathed easier. He pulled back his arm, slowly rubbing it where the tarantula and cool fingertips had been just seconds before, now covered in goose bumps.

He looked on with unmoving, weary eyes as the collector contained the tarantula in his gloved hand and gently pet one of its fuzzy legs as if reassuring it.

He found himself leaning in curiously as he watched mesmerized the proper handling of a small but big threat.  

He glanced up quickly to find the collector staring at him and he in return, stared back, unable to pull away. Neither of them moving or running, barely an arms distance away for the first time without bars to separate them. There was no violence or unspeakable torture, just silence.

A blink of an eye then lips, feverish but soft pressed together in a chaste but desperately needed kiss.

Before arkin was sure he was breathing the collector had vanished with a turn of a heel and the hollow swing of a shutting door. Arkin caught himself before he could give chase.

Hearing the doors automatic lock, he stands in the middle of the room; slowly arkin licks his still burning lips and tastes leather.