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The brisk morning breeze blew through the curtains of their bellhome, as the warm light was slowly rising from the small, open window. It reflected on the surfaces, shining brightly on the golden and wooden coatings. The soft, sweet tune coming from the bells beneath was the needed sign that for most of the bugs, the day had already begun. The rays fell delicately on Lace’s eyelids and the upcoming noise reached her ears as she stirred in her sleep, mentally cursing Hornet for always being the first living being to wake up in the whole kingdom of Pharloom.
She huffs, covering her head with the blanket they shared. There was no sound of light steps, no sound of the pen sliding meticulously across the paper, and neither the sound of gentle breathing waiting to be heard between those thick walls. No warmth waiting to be felt against her own cold, silken shell either. Hornet had left her alone again.
This time, she scoffs with nuisance as she sits up on their bed, straight layers of silk falling on her shoulders. She lets her sight wander around the chamber, hoping to knowledge something different in her surroundings that would keep her occupied for the morning. Maybe Hornet had bought something new, or maybe she had carelessly forgotten some tools to lay down on her desk for Lace to fidget with. Her diary with her notes were long forsaken, since Lace went reading through them now a countless of times, finding the new entrances rather boring.
Weeks had passed since she abandoned her mother to decay in the abyss, and yet she had to learn how to live without the constant feeling of being watched. But how can somebody blame her? Spending centuries with the constant struggle of pretending to be the perfect daughter could only bring damage to her brain, if she even had one in the first place. Her whole life had been nothing more than a disappointing play, just to find out there was no one left to watch and no one left to cheer. No one left to hear her sing, no one left to laugh at her sarcasm. At the end of it, she was the only actress standing on the stage, bowing to a phantom audience.
That was once everything she had: the jokes, the melodies, the fighting. She’d spent her days up in the Citadel singing, fencing, annoying and occasionally slaughtering every pilgrim who got in her way. For Mother’s sake, she thought. How would they, impure and naive things, dare to speak or even challenge the most pure and beautiful creation of their own and entire kingdom. The “Mad Spun” child was above them, so perfect that could’ve been shattered with just a stare. Or maybe, just maybe, Lace felt so below them, that she wouldn’t accept it. She didn’t deserve to be seen as a bug being wiling to walk among them as one of their kind. She was so much more and so much less at the same time. She pitied them in the same equal way she envied them.
All those bugs had something in common, a soul tied to a purpose, and she had none. Long will be the path that refrains her from considering herself an object, a mere doll. Heaven would fall if she ever dared to say something like that in front of Hornet again. That cursed little spider of hers, not only forced Lace to get out from her yet to be written fate in the void, but also had the audacity to make her doubt those firm and dull opinions she had previously formed about her stagnant, aimless existence. And now, an harder task got served on her plate: learn how to live… with someone else.
Lace’s life changed drastically within minutes and bearing with the consequences of it never brought this much distress, she could well handle physical pain, but mental? She never had a proper answer. Years spent by being spoiled, used to have everything for herself and Mother only, severed with a statement that Hornet calls “sharing”. The bed of white roses was no longer hers, getting replaced by a mattress comfortable and soft enough for Lace to turn a blind eye on it… The cold yet calming mornings got substituted by the almost mesmerising sound of Hornet’s subtle breathing. Even her meals, her evenings, and eventually sparring sessions were shared. Lace hated it, her private life being twisted and morbed into something so unroyal.
However, when their claws accidentally brushed against each other in the middle of the night, Lace could feel the silk threads from where her heart was supposed to be, stir. Perhaps it was loathing, perhaps it was hassle. Or rather, she wished and faked that would be the cause.
Hornet was following her own plan: her intentions were clear since soon. She’d help Pharloom to get back on it’s own feet, and once that was taken care of, she’d go back to her own home: Hallownest. She once promised Lace that she wouldn’t leave her behind: The bellhome will be hers, she’ll leave some silk spools for Lace to mend herself, and she’ll come back to visit once in a while. Lace hated it as well, of course, but she’d never admit it because of her pride.
In the meanwhile, Lace kept herself busy by running errands, granting some requests around the Bellway. It wasn’t easy at first, yielding herself to other bugs wishes, but if she truly wanted to improve her reputation, there was no other choice. It quite surprised her to notice the difference between some bugs hostility against some other bugs kindness, both displayed in subtle ways. Dirty looks and forced smiles, against concerned eyes and supportive caresses. Perhaps it wasn’t kindness, just shame. Something that whispers “I don’t believe in you, and yet…”
“…Here we are” Lace murmured to herself, as she adjusted her hair in its usual fashion and looking at herself in the mirror she begged Hornet to buy. The spider was so stubborn about it, spitting words such as “I do not require such useless tool”, but Lace could notice the glances she’d throw at the reflective surface before heading off, causing the fencer to smile wide with pride. She was positive that Hornet could tell as well, but never complained about it.
The silken doll huffed again as she got ready, today was one of those morning where she got left alone with her thoughts to overthink. However, with her brand new free will, she’d distract herself from the burden of it all and get to work. Just as she reached for the door handle, gentle knocks landed from the other side. The door cracks open, revealing Hornet, now standing right in front of Lace.
“Oh, so you have waken.” She says firmly, surpassing the pale one’s figure to get in. She heads over to her desk, freeing the pockets of her cloak from whatever junk she just bought… or stole.
“Right, and was about head out as well…” Lace rumbled under her breath, closing the door and slowly approaching Hornet’s silhouette “…But now something else is piquing my curiosity.” She continues, humming, eyes wandering through the appealing random stuff between the hunter’s claws. Hornet proceeds to ignore her words while organising those metal looking objects. Maybe her intention was to build more of those “Cogfly” things, or so Lace thought.
“Today, Frey’s business offered some quite unusual-looking products… She affirmed of not being aware of their provenance.”
“And that was not enough to plant the seed of doubt in your mind, I guess…” Lace says reluctantly, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“What if you bought something explosive…?” She wonders, taking a closer look.
“I am highly confident that Frey would not allow anything of that genre in her shop.” Hornet argues “But she did sell me items with instructions left to read.”
“Mind if I take a look…?” Lace asks without waiting for an answer, taking a small, black box in her claws. She plays with it between her silky fingers, before opening it and revealing some sort of really bright, red paint. A sweet scent flew up to her nostrils. Next to it a smaller compartment, hiding a tiny, soft brush in it.
“Is this… Some sort of paint? However, the brush is too small… You can’t really draw anything with it!” Lace claims, taking a closer glance.
“I suppose it is a different kind from the ones I have bought prior.” Hornet finally spoke, before lowering one of her claws in a pocket of the red cloak.
“…Here, I suppose you can read its usage.” The spider states, not daring to lift her gaze up from whatever tool she was playing with, offering a piece of paper to Lace. She takes it in her claws as she sighs, before opening the little envelope to mentally read the foreign object’s description.
“…Its own scope is to embellish a bug being facial features… It’s supposed to be drawn around the mouth opening…” Intrigued by its description, Lace walks up to their mirror and traces what were supposed to be her lips with her claws.
“They are small… So that is why the brush is so little…” She thinks, before quickly turning towards the working spider.
“Spider, dear! Would you mind to assist me in this task?” She asks loudly, trying to get the red one’s attention.
“I have urgent concerns to take care of, child.” She answers resolutely, looking at the metal pieces while writing on her notes the passages she had previously done.
“Oh, now… It will take us a few seconds, nothing more I promise… Pretty please?” Lace hums on the last two words, tilting her head from side to side “…Fine.” Hornet sighs after a while, letting the pen drop on the page she was signing on.
With a bright smile, Lace hops on their bed, kneeling on the mattress, as she handles the little box to Hornet while waiting for her to take her seat. The spider reads the instructions first, sitting beside her on the mattress, with a leg hanging on the side just like she does on the benches she finds in the wild.
“So you want me to draw this red paint… Around your mouth?” She wonders, an uncertain look was hidden beneath her mask. Lace nods quickly, taking the spider’s claw into hers and bringing it to her face. With it, she gently traces on her own lips.
The sudden contact made the spider shiver and the silken being pretends not to notice. But the abrupt reaction from Hornet made her tremble with anticipation, and something unnatural was very clear in her mind: she wanted to see more of it. To let the spider’s guard finally down, freeing her from the numbness her white mask showed.
“As you can sense… There is two small bumps around my mouth opening, up and down… I suppose that’s where it goes.” Lace whispers, and even if there is no breath coming out from her, she could see some hesitation in the hunter’s movements.
“I… believe you supposed well.” Hornet gulps, retracting her claw from Lace’s weak grip and taking the small brush instead. “So… Let us begin.” The spider says, digging the pointy tip in the red, thick liquid. She doesn’t take much, unsure of wherever this action would go, and begins to draw on the fencer’s bottom lip. The movement is slow, uncertain, and somehow warm, soft. Hornet keeps the line clean by keeping her claw steady, maintaining the balance thanks to Lace’s chin.
The pale child looks down to her claw, eyes firm on her movements, if she truly had an heart it would be bursting in her silken chest, eating her whole. Hornet’s dedication was oddly surprising, since she expected the spider to use a total brute force. She then shifts her main focus from Hornet’s strokes to her eyes, white clouds meeting black voids. The amount of attention received from the kingdom’s saviour made her feral. She was a well behaved princess no longer, and could finally give a voice to those sinful thoughts that lurked on her mind for ages.
Seeing the child’s eyes to swift made Hornet retract her claw, as if holding Lace’s face started to suddenly burn. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears, and it made Hornet sweat coldly. The sudden realisation made her feel like she was sinking into the abyss all over again, a fall without an end. And if there was, it would have been destructive.
“…We are done with the bottom lip, let’s get to the upper one.” Hornet murmurs under her breath, her claw making an unnoticeable twitch, before dipping the brush into the liquid once again. Lace kept her form steady as she closed her eyes for the second part. Hornet takes a deep breath, before returning to her work. Lace’s closed eyes gave her a reason to let her guard down for a brief second, maybe she could feel her tension and decided to give her a break. However, that would have been way out of her character.
“How much time do you have left?” Lace suddenly asks, causing Hornet to draw a red line out of place. She curses under her breath, before lowering her head defeated.
“Well, if you stayed still, I would have finished… Now that you spoke, I have to readjust.” The hunter affirms, drifting her thoughts away for the moment as she cleans the red line at Lace’s lip corner.
However, her claw lingers for a moment longer, noticing how the fencer’s lips felt softer than the rest of her face against her touch. Her heart skipped a beat as a sigh got stuck in her throat.
It has been decades since Hornet had took a mate. The wish to lay with another is a natural instinct, but the latest death had left her in agony for ages, and so, she made an hurtful decision: she’d build this thick, big wall around her heart, so that no one could ever get in. But at the same time, she couldn’t get out. Loneliness had become a must, a law, not a choice. She wouldn’t let anyone else get in her way, seeing feelings and carnal desires as a weakness and as a curse against both her hunter and wyrm self. Perhaps, a hole was made, by the most fragile and yet stronger opponent she has ever met, and she was peeking right through it. This time, it was different. Lace could actually keep up with her aging as long as she stayed by her side. Hope was the first word that came up in her mind. But to accept the love from and for someone else, was going to be a sorrowful way back. Maybe a thought for some other time.
“We are done.” Hornet suddenly spits, taking her claw off Lace’s mouth and turning her head. She felt like her face was about to set on fire. She lets the box with the lipstick fall into the covers of their bed as she got up, her legs feeling like jelly under her waist. She had to cool down as soon as possible, before the silk being could ever notice and even bully her about it.
Lace gets up from their bed joyfully, turning towards the mirror and looking at herself, intensely. A blank expression fell on her face like a veil, but Hornet could still notice. “I expect better, in all honesty…” She sighs, turning towards the spider. “What do you think, spider dear?” She then asks, a playful smile growing on her now red painted lips. However, Hornet would not respond, her gaze lingering on the spa as if it had grown legs.
And so, an evil plan formed into Lace’s brain. She quietly shifts closer to her spider, avoiding any sound to not wake her from her trance, and quickly places a kiss into Hornet’s mask side. She rapidly wonders where she gathered the courage to do so, but now she was too deep in her scheme. Hornet drew away as if Lace had just slapped her with all of her strength, then placed a hand on the spot Lace left a very visible red mark.
“Wha…?” She mumbles, the words dying on her lips.
“Just testing it, dear! Nothing more… Oh, oh my dearest silk! Spider, your mask!” Lace exclaimed, her voice at the top of her lungs, as she stared to laugh uncontrollably.
“What about it?!” Hornet asks frenetically, marching up to the mirror. She has never been so glad to have bought it before. Maybe Lace wasn’t so wrong after all.
“Ugh…” a moan of discomfort left her throat as she looked at the mark, trying to clean it roughly with the back of her claw.
“Oh dear spider, you are only making it worse!” Lace keeps laughing as she gets closer, her plan far from over.
And so, she wraps her arms around Hornet’s torso, leaning and staring to kiss the hunter’s mask all over, leaving red marks all around it, red waves crushing against the hard, white bone. Hornet tries to push her away with her claws, but her strength was unwillingly too weak. Instead, she stumbles backward, falling into the smoothness of their mattress. The silk being’s arms clung strictly around the spider’s chest as she fell on top of her, non-stopping with what she was sure was going to be her masterpiece: Hornet’s mask covered in red kiss-marks, as the half weaver being was far too embarrassed to push her away and at war with her own self.
They only stopped when the other sound to be heard, other than the smacking of Lace’s lips, was of a rather hard object falling onto the ground. They both looked over, still linked to each other, as they watched the small black box smashing on the floor, breaking in half and spilling all of the red liquid.
“Aw, you broke it…” Lace sighs disappointed, a frown growing on her face. As Hornet took a good look at her, she noticed the lipstick was all smudged over her cheeks and chin. It rose a smile and a quiet laugh from her lips, all hidden behind her now coloured mask.
“If nothing, you broke it… This would not have happened if you did not jump on me” She says eagerly, hoping to obtain a specific reaction from the fencer. And she did.
“I-I would not say that I ‘jumped’ on you- You stumbled backwards! Maybe if you stayed still, I would have tortured you better…” Lace stutters with an offended look on her face, embarrassment crushing her like a wave. “Now I won’t be able to use it anymore…”
The sudden sadness in the silken being voice made Hornet’s heart flutter, as she sighs and reaches for the other’s mellow face with her claw, trying to scrub away the red patches.
“Despair not, pale child… I will buy you another one.”