Hero agreed.

It sure took him a while to, as he tried to keep himself straight-faced. But no, he turned redder than he had ever before and he hid his face behind his hands before answering Noah. The spider was patient for an answer, but was clearly nervous and flustered too. He sighed, "When?"

Noah scratched the back of his head anxiously, "Well, we could go now, I guess. O-Only if you want to, though!"

Hero just smiled softly, "Then lead the way."

○

It was still dark, but Hero could tell that the sun would rise soon. It was extremely late for spiders, nocturnal creatures, to be out and he was a little concerned. Sure, Noah could adapt to it because of his human side but he really did not want it to have to come to that. They had made it to upper ground, and Noah had a hand placed on his back, gently weaving them through trees and greenery.

The spider was still purring, albeit a little softer. Hero encouraged him a little more, pressing up against him again. He ducked his head to tuck it under Noah's chin, and he could feel the rumbling of Noah's throat against his head. Living in the clan made Hero more accepting to spider traditions and greetings. If a spider was feeling down he would praise them up and make them feel proud of themselves. Angry spiders just needed a quick show of dominance to help them calm down, so Hero had sparred some and let them win. Pride and superiority were everything to spiders. Cave spiders were oddly affectionate as well so he had a few pups cuddle against his stomach. Noah was puzzled why his human friend had spider babies all over him.

Hero stopped when the familiar smell of spider had grown faint. Noah halted as well, patiently waiting for Hero to be ready to move again. The white-eyed man just looked around and took note of the trees and greenery. He turned to Noah with a worried look, "Why here? You told me that after this border is vampire territory."

Noah looked calm despite warning Hero multiple times about vampires. Noah was almost done teaching Hero about the the entire territory until he came to vampires. Hero did not believe him at first until they saw a passing one feeding on a doe. They stayed in their territory, and all they got was a snarl of warning. Vampires were extremely territorial and could take down any creature by draining their blood. Vampires were made purely of blood and inheritance, so there was no way any victim could turn into one unless they were both consenting. Vampire magic and all that bullshit.

Noah just smiled, in that way Hero hated. You know, that... 'I feel like I know what I'm doing but I truly don't' smile? Yeah. That. Hero does not like that. He sees that way too much on Noah's face for his comfort. The spider just rubbed his nose in Hero's hair, a soothing action,  and laughed, "Don't worry, Princess. You have me around."

Hero rolled his eyes and scoffed, "I can defend myself thank you very much."

The spider just hummed and said seriously, "Really though, you'll be fine. Vampires don't really like coming to the borders, they treat us like a disease or something."

Hero purred and sighed, "Alright then. We have to be careful though."

Slowly, the two stepped into vampire territory. The cave scent of spiders disappeared and was replaced with a copper smelling scent, blood. Hero was still paranoid so he wrapped his hands around Noah's wrist. He made sure they were touching at all times so Hero could teleport them away if they see trouble. Noah was sniffing around, twisting and turning corners. He seemed really eager to bring Hero to the place. The two had almost tripped over a root at least twice.

After getting out of the dense forest, Hero could see a plain grass in between a few trees ahead of them. It did not seem very big, but Noah had brightened up once he saw it. He ran forward with Hero at his side and burst past the trees.

Hero found himself standing on a high cliff overlooking a beautiful star illuminated meadow. There was a lake with a clear and stunning reflection of the moon and stars. Far away, Hero could see the beginnings of another forest, and a marshland up ahead. Hero turned his head, and his heart soared at the lights in the distance. His childhood village, his home. He could see the other borders of the spider territory there as well. Various creatures roamed around at night, a hissing spider somewhere, a groaning zombie and the occasional skeleton just lingering. Horses rested in the meadow below and the wind blew Hero's hair from his face.

He breathed in deeply, and exhaled. Noah just watched him get amazed, while he himself was in awe of the beauty of his friend. Hero felt alive being surrounded by his element and on instinct, he waved his hands. The air had picked up around them and swiveled among the trees as Hero guided it. Noah's gaze went from the white-eyed man to his work as Hero carried leaves along the wind. Hero released his hold on the element and the breeze was back again, the leaves in the air just drifting down slowly. Hero walked forward, towards the edge of the cliff. Noah's smile faltered and he was quick to catch him if he were to fall.

Hero stopped right at the end and looked down. Noah's outstretched hand fell. He kept telling himself that Hero would be fine. The man had discovered he could fly a few days ago. Slowly, he joined Hero's side and stared down as well. It was extremely high up, and one wrong step could have them both tumbling. They both knew of the trust between them though. They trusted each other to sleep next to each other. Hero could not get a wink because of his nightmares, but he had found out that he would do fine if there was someone next to him. Noah had accepted Hero's nervous offer quickly that day.

Hero sat down, his legs tucked underneath him. Noah had joined him with his legs dangling off the ledge. He was still staring at the view. Noah was still staring at his view. He looked pretty with his hair flying behind him. It had grown over the months, and was almost to his shoulders. Reluctantly, Noah reached out to caress the golden brown locks. Hero invited him, leaning towards his hand. Noah broke the silence, "Promise me you won't cut your hair for as long as I live?"

Hero laughed, "You really like my hair long?"

The spider purred, "Preferably. It's up to you though."

The white-eyed man just sighed and leaned his tired head on Noah's shoulder. The spider's hands felt so relaxing in his hair. He could sleep right then and there. He muttered under his breath, "Then I promise."

Noah turned to look down at him. Hero met his eyes and grinned. The spider returned his own smirk. They were just smiling at each other before they broke into laughter. They always laughed when they had no idea what to say. The laughter had ended as fast as it had begun and Noah just sullen all of a sudden. He sighed, "I wanted to tell you about my past. You've already told me yours and I guessed it was unfair."

Hero straightened up. "Hey, you really don't have to if you don't want to. I just told you because I felt like you needed to know."

Noah looked at him knowingly. His fingers ran up and down Hero's childhood scars. They had stayed in the den together for that entire day. They just asked each other dumb questions until it went deep. Hero opened up even more about his past, and his family. The spider had fumed when Hero shakily told him about his father. Noah learnt every one of Hero's old friends' names. Dianne, Peter, Ivan, Kaleb and so much more. Hero told him of the rebellion, and his part in it. He told him about the assassination mission, and Noah was pissed when Hero described what had happened between the Russian general and him.

He left out the Derrek parts.

He lied and said that his powers had gone overdrive and made him go insane for a while, and he murdered. Hero did not get any flashbacks with Noah. Noah had listened attentively and that was the same night they started sleeping next to each other because Hero was afraid of the nightmares.

Noah spoke up, "Then, I really want to as well. You deserve to know as much as my clan does."

"Alright," Hero whispered.

The two just huddled closer in the cold and Noah began.

○

My mother had died when she gave birth to me. Something about blood loss. My father wasn't there either, but he had a good reason.

My mother was kidnapped. She was kidnapped from her husband, my father, and taken away to a facility. She was used as an experiment and scientists would jab and poke at her each and every day until they got a worthy result. I was told all of this but other people who knew my mother when she was alive.

Her name was Genevieve. Her number was S-077. She was really sweet to everyone else at the facility. She stopped being sweet after the scientists got a result out of her.

During on the experiments, they had touched her belly quite roughly and she grew. She glowed and grew until she broke the restraints they had on her. In her place, was a mix of both types of Minecraftian spiders. The scientists had cheered at first, because she was the first to ever stay alive. But her instincts were wild and she killed them. She was put in solitary until she shifted back and was calm.

She passed out and they ran some tests on her. She was pregnant. With me. That was what triggered her into shifting, protecting me. They did not abort me, nor did they kill her. They wanted to see whether the spider blood would be hereditary. So, they took good care of her. They gave her proper food, a place to spin webs and build a bed, even proper clothes. But, she would lash at anyone who approached her. A pregnant spider were always defensive no matter what. She was no longer sweet as her nice traits were dominated with fierce protective spider instincts.

Then she went into labor, and had me. She died that day too. My birthday, November 19, my mother's death date.

I was experiment S-078. I was born an experiment. The others bad put aside their fear of my late mother to take care of me. When they brought me out to meet other experiments when I was six or so, I met Hugo. Experiment C-141. He was abandoned in the street as a newborn baby so the facility took him in. He was almost about to die and in an effort to keep him alive they gave him creeper DNA. It worked.

We grew up together. I enjoyed my time there until harsher experiments started. They wanted to tame me, so they could use me.

I never let them. My instincts were made to be pure alpha, to be dominating like my mother. I would break out of restraints and claw at them with every chance I got. They gave me the name Sebastian back there, and I thought my mother had asked for it.

She never did. She had always wanted me to be a Noah so I got everyone to call me that. Sebastian eventually became my middle name. I found my last name one night when the power from all the sorcerer experiments had shut down. Scientists tried to maintain us, but most of us managed to escape. I was running frantically and found myself in a room of drawers. Out of curiosity I found my mother's and my experiment reports. My mother's full name was Genevieve Molly Arache. Her previous last name was Ambers. I wanted to have a piece of my father with me so I took my father's last name. It was also the first time I saw my mother. They had pictures.

She was so pretty. She was not dark-skinned like me, so I guess my father was. She had my facial features though, with her spider eyes and sharp chin. She had my black hair, and she had a couple of freckles too. She was slender and just so pretty.

I have the images with me, back in the nest. Maybe I'll show it to you later.

Anyways, when I escaped, I could not find Hugo. I was on my own. Surviving in the wild was so difficult and passing human travelers thought I would rob them. The only people who accepted me was a clan of cave spiders. Here. This territory. My territory.

I shifted to gain their attention, and they accepted me. I was at the lowest of their clan, though, but at least scraps of food were something. They caught me changing forms once. Alpha was pissed and she would not even look at me. Her cave spider instincts won over because her kind were supposed to be understanding. I was still accepted, but everyone was afraid and cautious around me. It was harder to go up the ranks as well, but I managed. I learnt how to be a proper spider, how to hunt, to fight and to speak. It took some time but I was soon one rank below Alpha.

I challenged her.

She was getting old and I wanted to run the clan. My regular spider instincts won over, as I valued superiority as well. We fought wildly, and she was years experienced than me. However, I slipped when trying claw her cheek and sliced her eyes. I really had no meant to. But, since she was blind, she yielded. She was the elder you saw earlier.

I was a young alpha, and many spiders had tried to take advantage of that. They thought I would be inexperienced and easy to persuade, but I proved then wrong. Many have challenged me and left being the lowest rank of the clan. Spiders tried to swing me over with the promise of multiple mates, and I just found them stupid. Took me a while once again, but I managed to be respected like a spider, a true alpha.

Then I expanded my clan to regular spiders as well, as for having their blood, I understood them. My clan protested at first but gave in eventually. We started accepting loners who wanted homes and even gave shelter to those who were migrating. Those who wanted to stay, could stay. With each new clanmate I expanded the territory, and when I was venturing possible territory I found a cabin.

I was terrified at first, seeing other humans after a long time. To be honest, I wanted to drive them out so I could have my desired territory, but then I saw you.

I remember it, you were walking with a female, Dianne, right? You smelled peculiar and acted odd. No human venture this deep in the forest. I decided to observe you, so I did for the next few days. I practically memorized your scent, and would track you if I picked it up. One day I found you writing by the shore, and I was actually up in a tree watching.

I saw that you had made friends with one of the resident mermaids, so I talked to her. Why do you look so betrayed? Hah, well I made her promise not to tell you.

You left your notebook and we started writing. You know the rest until you left because of the... Guards, right? Yeah.

When I found the cabin empty I felt a little upset. It had been nice having a human friend. There was just something about you though, that told me I had to find you again. I told my concerns to my clan and most of them were supportive. Helena, an escape from the facility who stumbled into our clan, promised to take care of the clan when I was gone. She was very capable, so I left her to it.

I found a blue blanket in the cabin with your scent, so I had it with me when I started traveling. Your scent was... Extremely strong. I could never lose it. Your trail kept going though, and sometimes I stopped at villages to rest. Then, I started hearing gunshots at one village, and heard a few screaming. When I went to look out a window, you were there! You were there, looking older, more mature, more fiercer and more pr- Um, more stronger and I admired you for a second.

Until I realized you were running down the alley holding a gun with people in black robes behind you. I was spooked at first, but you only took down the Russians. I lost track of you in the village, and when I asked some of the people who dressed like you, they just gave me a look. Some of them threatened me and said it was none of my business. I eventually found out that you had left the village as fast as you came to go to another one. I was back to the trail again.

And I passed the walls and went into the North. I rested in a forest next to a huge building, and I caught your scent. It was fresh and strong. I followed it over to the building and into your garden. You never came out but I was so sure, so I stayed in the forest. I established who was the leader among other spiders, and told them of my clan. Some started traveling there, seeking peace. It was nice, I hunted and learnt how to fight alone. Had a few slips here and there and learnt how to avoid and dismantle bear traps.

One night where lightning streaked across the sky and rain fell, I stayed in my shelter. I heard gunshots again as well, and stayed low and cautious. Then, I heard someone yell together with the thunder. I smelled blood too, and lots of it. My ears picked up muffled screams and my nose caught the scent of the one person I was looking for. Knowing for sure it was you, I tried to find you. And I did, you were trapped in those bear traps and you looked... Different. You had more scars than the last time I saw you, and there was this eerie vibe around you, that warned me not to approach you. I did however, and I found that your eyes had went to a fierce glowing white.

The rest is history.

○

Hero was staring up at him in awe. He looked down at his foot, remembering the ugly scars on that foot. A hand on his thigh caught his attention, and looked up. Noah was rather close to him, his head ducked so they were at eye level. The hand on his thigh went to hold his hand, and Hero gasped. Noah just smiled warmly, and Hero returned it with a sweet one. Noah just bent forward to connect their heads, how spiders show their affections and respect for one another. He whispered, his fingers tightening around Hero's.

"I just brought you here today to tell you that I..."

Noah's eyes met Hero's. The two could not see the beautiful sunrise over the forest. The sunlight highlighted their skin, and they both admired how the sun complimented each other's skin. Noah started again.

"T-That I-"

How cute.