Chapter Text
It was an ordinary day in Westhelm after the war. Citizens kept themselves busy with countless chores. Gathering freshly grown crops, baking delicious meals, or working on new projects to further expand the glory of their country.
That left Emperor Schpood with very few tasks on his to-do list. Thanks to the beautiful weather and a light schedule, his very first order after breakfast was to take a walk through the main streets. There was no way he would let such a bright, sunny day pass without enjoying it.
5pyder, of course, became the unfortunate victim of that decision. As Schpood’s right hand, it was his sworn duty to ensure the emperor’s safety. Anyone else in his place would have been thrilled at the chance to stroll peacefully through the capital on such a fine day, following their mighty ruler just a few steps behind. But 5pyder was not just anybody…
Like most of Westhelm’s population, 5pyder was only partially human. He was a cave-spider hybrid. His traits — both external and internal — usually caused no trouble, and were often more helpful than harmful. While his heritage gave him resilience to heat, it did little against the blinding sunlight.
His many eyes simply weren’t built for it.
As he stepped outside to fulfill his duty, 5pyder had to squeeze shut most of his eight eyes, squinting through just two. The distorted vision was uncomfortable, but the alternative, the sharp pain of sunlight stabbing into his sensitive eyes, was far worse.
For the first ten minutes, the walk passed in quiet appreciation of Westhelm’s scenery.
Then Schpood finally spoke. At first, 5pyder barely paid attention to the words — simple small talk with passing citizens, the occasional comment on the weather — but instead focused on the sound of his ruler’s voice. To him, it was music. His enhanced hearing, another hybrid trait, made Schpood’s voice even clearer and more beautiful to him. He often thanked his ancestors for that gift.
…Alright, yes. By now it was obvious: 5pyder had a bit of a crush on the emperor. And honestly, could you blame him? Schpood was more than a great leader! He was well spoken, honest in his intentions, sometimes rough but often funny, and, on top of all that, unbelievably handsome. It wasn’t unusual for citizens to harbor feelings for him. But for someone like 5pyder, who spent nearly every waking hour at Schpood’s side, it was only natural that he got caught in this web of feelings more so than others.
Lost in thought and squinting through distorted vision, 5pyder was abruptly reminded of his surroundings when his head collided with a streetlamp.
He stumbled to the ground, rubbing his forehead as he instinctively opened his other eyes, only to regret it immediately when the sunlight poured in. His discomfort was interrupted by a familiar sound: a not-so-quiet chuckle.
“5pyder, what are you doing?”
Those simple words made him freeze, all eyes snapping wide open in shock not cearing for the sun any longer. He had just made a complete fool of himself — smacking into something as obvious as a streetlamp — right in front of Emperor Schpood. A furious blush spread across his cheeks and neck as he scrambled for an excuse.
“Shut up! It's nothing. Just– the sun is strong today and because of that I can't see shit!”
The giggles only grow stronger at that
“Oh, yeahhh! I forgot spider hybrids don’t handle sunlight well. Sorry dude, didn’t realize it would affect you this much.”
As he spoke, Schpood crouched close, the smirk still so very present on his face. That sight only deepened 5pyder’s blush.
“At first I thought you were blinded by my sheer beauty, but I suppose the sun is a better excuse.”
Schpood extended a hand toward his face — not quite touching, but close enough that 5pyder could feel the warmth of it.
“You sure you didn’t pop one of your eyes? That looked like a pretty nasty hit, Spidey.”
Spidey. That was new. And if 5pyder’s blush had only reached his neck before, now his entire torso felt aflame.
“Yes, i'm fine. One street lamp isn't enough to kill me.”
That answer seemed to satisfy Schpood.
“Good. Then get your ass off the pavement! We’re heading back to the castle. Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand on the way so you don’t run into anything else.” He ended the statement with a stupid looking wink.
Before 5pyder’s brain had time to process what was happening, Schpood had already pulled him to his feet and led him away.
The emperor might not have given much thought to their joined hands, but to 5pyder? In Ish’s good name, it was all he could think about.