Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You came,” James whispered, as in disbelief it was really Keith standing in his doorway, dressed as close as he ever got to formal.

“Of course I came,” Keith huffed, pulling James out into the hallway and into a kiss.

“What? Not keen on ditching me on my birthday a second time?” James teased back, still held in Keith’s arms.

“Am I ever living that down?” Keith whined.

“Depends on how tonight goes.” James kissed Keith on the cheek and pulled away, leading him by the hand outside the Garrison. The desert air was just beginning to cool with the setting sun. It painted the cloudless sky a crimson red.

Chapter Text

“Do I… need to feed it while you’re gone?” Julian asked, staring at the fuzzy, eight-legged creature before him on the table. His face twisted with concern.

“She only eats once a week, and I already fed her. You just need to top off her water dish and make sure the environmental controls don’t crap out on us,” Miles shouted in response from the other room, softening his voice as he walked past Julian to place a final shirt in his luggage.

“Shouldn’t you be the one in charge of that last bit?” Julian teased.

“Oh no,” Miles asserted, “I’m gone for the week, and Keiko was very clear-no work. Speaking of, I need to go meet her and the kids at the airlock. She’ll take my head off if I’m late again.”

“Anything else I need to know to care for my patient?” Julian glanced back to the table where Christina’s enclosure sat. She had scurried off into her burrow and was nowhere to be seen. He’d never been afraid of spiders, per say, but he couldn’t say he was too fond of an animal that had both fangs and the ability to shoot tiny spears at his eyes.

“That should be it. Thanks again Julian.” Miles clapped his friend on the back and, with a swoosh of the door, left Julian alone with the tarantula.

He squatted down to be eye-level with the enclosure, placing his arms on the table and trying to catch sight of the creature. After a few moments she cautiously poked her first two legs out of her burrow, investigating the source of the vibrations.

“Computer,” Julian called, “how do tarantulas navigate?”

“Specify?” she chimed back.

Julian sighed. “How does this tarantula navigate?”

“Christina is a female Brachypelma hamorii, commonly known as the Mexican redknee tarantula. This species navigates primarily by sensing vibrations.”

“Of course he programmed that response,” Julian chuckled to himself.

Out of curiosity, he began drumming his fingers on the table, prompting Christina to move further out of her retreat. Once fully emerged, she began waving her front two legs in an attempt to feel out the source of the noise. Julian had to admit, the creature’s curiosity was endearing.

”Well… I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for a drink, Christina,” he said, as he rose to return to his duties.

He chuckled to himself as the doors to the O’Brian household closed behind him. It would be nice having a drinking buddy while Miles was gone, even if she did have eight legs.