Spider

Ronnie tried to focus his blurry eyes on the strange shape on the ceiling. He’d just woken up and was still a little drunk from last night, so it was a struggle to say the least.
A spindly leg came into view. Then another, then another.
The tattooed man yelped and took a few steps backwards, toppling onto the sofa as he looked at the biggest motherfucking spider he’d ever seen in his life.
His eyes locked onto the insect, Ronnie shakily stood up. He was shaking because of the hangover slash drunkenness. Not the spider. Ronnie wasn’t scared of a little spider.
The singer walked forward hesitantly, making for the curtain separating the back lounge from the bunks. ‘I’m not running,’ he mumbled. ‘Just going to get some breakfast. M’not scared.’
Ronnie took another step forward, but an irritated twitch of the daddy-long-legs’ limb sent him stumbling back again, wide eyes not leaving the roof.
‘Okay, I’m fucking out. I’m not about this fucking spider life,’ he said, throwing his arms up and collapsing back onto the couch.

~

‘Ronnie?’ You in here?’ Craig let himself onto the Falling In Reverse bus. He hadn’t seen his best friend since two in the morning, and the rest of guys on tour were already checking out that day’s venue.
‘Ronnie?’ He called again, poking his head in a few bunks. With no luck, he proceeded to the back lounge.
He opened the curtain to see Ronnie. A smile automatically bloomed on his face at seeing his friend.
Said friend was perched on the seat, fingers steepling, intently glaring at the ceiling.
‘Uh...what’s up, buddy?’ Craig asked warily.
‘Nothing, I’m fine,’ Ronnie replied flatly, still staring at the ceiling.
Craig glanced up to Ronnie’s line of sight. The spider was right above the shorter man’s head.
‘Shit, that’s a big spider,’ he laughed.
It was silent for a couple of seconds.
Then Craig put two and two together and a sly look adorned his face.
‘You’re scared of the big spider, aren’t you Ronnie?’
‘No,’ Ronnie immediately growled. ‘I’m just sitting.’
‘Sitting,’ Craig smirked. ‘And just happening to stare in the direction of a spider with a look of terror on your face.’
Ronnie refused to react. Craig laughed and sat down next to his friend, leaning into his shoulder, Ronnie automatically putting an arm around him. ‘How long have you been sitting in the back room?’
Ronnie pursed his lips. ‘Not long. Maybe an hour. Hour and a half.’
Craig let out a cackle. His friend’s jaw set in a familiar look of defiance.
The spider inched towards them slightly. Craig felt Ronnie’s shoulder tense against his back.
‘Ronnie? Do you want me to get rid of the big scary bugly?’
Ronnie shot Craig a look that screamed I will fuck you up. Craig, however, just giggled and stood up, grabbing one of Robert’s precious Avenged Sevenfold shirts off the floor and flicking the spider. Ronnie flinched violently.
Craig bit his lip, figuring out his angles, before flinging his arm in what he hoped was the spider’s general direction, cheering as the bug was crushed beneath his clothed hand.
He swung around, fists pumping the air in victory. Ronnie had visibly relaxed and was standing up, even smiling a little.
‘You’re safe now, Ronnie! I saved you!’ Craig crowed, leaping around the small room.
Ronnie snorted and tackled the other man, wrapping his long arms around his waist, causing them both to topple over onto the couch.
‘If you did anything, you interrupted my...uh, meditation,’ he said pretentiously. ‘Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I’m fucking starving.’
‘Yeah, because you were stuck in here with a huge spider all morning,’ Craig retorted, twisting round in Ronnie’s arm to face him. ‘Face it Radke, I saved your pathetic ass.’
Ronnie let out a forced giggle that sounded more like a scream. ‘I don’t need saving. I am the dark knight.’ Craig rolled his eyes and sat up, pushing Ronnie off him and pulling him up. ‘Starbucks?’
‘Sounds perfect,’ Ronnie grinned, as they walked down the bus. ‘As long as there are no spiders in there.’
Craig rolled his eyes and smiled, taking his best friend’s hand in his own as they stepped outside.