An Irishman and a Spider

"There has to be something I can make for dinner." Lia mumbled to herself with a sigh as her brown eyes swiftly scanned over the contents of her refrigerator. The more she looked the more dismay quickly filled her face at the lack of groceries in the barely working object. Money had been extra tight this month due to her hours being cut back at DiMartino's. With the unfortunate and tragic event of a bombing occuring in Kansas City, news had quickly spread throughout the rest of the states. The citizens of Boston had been immediately reluctant to be in a large crowds, fearful an event would occur here next. With less people coming out their houses, that obviously meant less business.

Her usual busy shifts had been unusually calmer and quieter, something Lia had discovered to be detrimental to her own income. Admittedly a part of her had also been afraid to go most places, but seeing as she had been the only person to support herself, Lia was in no position to miss work. She was barely maintaining her rundown apartment in an equally rundown part of Boston. With estranged parents and dreams of being a veterinarian coming to a crashing halt, the last few years had been less than kind to the small girl. Still Lia had done her best to make do, determined to keep herself afloat without any help from the people who 'raised' her.

Was there more rats than there should be at an apartment complex? Yes. Did hot water come and go to her disliking? Sure. Did her neighbors to the right of her have nightly domestic disputes? You betcha. Maybe her circumstances were less than ideal, but Lia tried her hardest to look at the bright side. She still had electricity and more importantly, she had her best friend Mariah. Also, the Irish community had been pretty nice to her despite being an outsider. Anything was better than the neglect she'd received back home.

"Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, a burger will appear." Lia mumbled again in a hopeful tone, shutting her eyes as tightly as she could, giving all the imagination she had to manifest a bacon cheeseburger before her. Risking popping a blood vessel, the small girl let out an angry yell before slamming the door shut in defeat. "Damn it. Top ramen it is...again."

Exhaling another a sigh her petite frame walked over to the kitchen cupboard to retrieve the sodium riddled food staple. Her mind still grieving the loss of the imaginary cheeseburger, this week was just going to have to stretch as much as it could. Lia had been too distracted to fully look inside. Had she properly done so, she perhaps would've noticed the very large arachnid on top of the shrimp flavored package.

Turning her attention to the package, it was in that very moment all of Boston could hear the piercing scream of Lia Carter. Blood immediately running cold with hairs stick up all over her body, horror filled her brown eyes as they stared directly at the wolf spider in front of her. The many legs of it slightly twitching in response, eliciting another yell from her to which the girl had quickly chucked the package of ramen across the apartment.

"I'm gonna die!" She shrieked while her mind went into fight or flight mode, rarely had it ever been 'fight.' In her mind there was only one option to take, Lia's feet had already made their way to the door. Practically sprinting down a hallway that's seen better days, Lia panted as she halted at the last door to the left. Her small fist pounding against the door with heavy pants, beads of sweat forming at her hairline.

"Jesus Christ Con, I'm fuckin' comin.' Lia heard the familiar voice shout from the opposite side of the door with footsteps approaching closer and closer. "How bout ye stop forgettin' ye key at home ye fuckin' knobhead." He added while the door's lock had been undone and opened, revealing a lanky and cranky Murphy. A tiniest of a gasp left the girl's lips studying his slightly disheveled brown hair making a dangerous combo with intense blue eyes. Murphy and his fraternal twin brother Conor were a cut above the rest of the Irish community. The two meat packing plant employees who swore, drank and chain smoked religiously radiated an usual allure about them. They were nothing like the typical douchebags of Boston. Lia did not know much about her neighbors except three things: they worked at the meat packing plant after immigrating from Ireland several years ago, McGinty's bar was their second home, and nobody could deny they were both extremely attractive.

There had been many rumors circulating the MacManus brothers, but Lia chalked it up to nothing but trash. The few times she had crossed paths by them they had always been relatively kind to her, despite their mildly intimidating appearances. They couldn't be that bad if the Irish community had respected and spoke fondly of the two. Murphy's eyes had filled with confusion realizing it was not his twin knocking annoyingly at the door.

"Lia? Is something wrong, ye alright?" His Irish accent questioned noticing her panting.

"TheresabigbigspiderinmyapartmentcanyoupleasehelpmekillitbeforeIendupmurdered."

"Uhh, can ye repeat t'at lass?"

"There's a really big spider in my apartment, would you please kill it for me?" Lia requested clasping her hands together.

"You need me ta kill...a spider?" Murphy clarified still confused.

"Yes, a terrifying ugly hairy spider. Please help me?" Lia pleaded.

"S-sure..." Murphy answered in hesitation but gave a small nod before closing the door, never one to deny a woman asking for help. Lia gratefully walked beside him back to her apartment, tensing up at the thought of having to go back in there. It was reasonable to just throw the whole apartment away, right?

"Ye really ran out ye apartment because of a spider?" The brunette Irishman mused at her fearful body language.

"Not just 'a' spider, this spider is monstrous. What if it's really poisonous, oh god." The small girl pondered creating more fear in her mind at the thought of being bit.

"Aye, take it easy t'ere lass. I'll give a look at it okay?" Murphy assured as they reached her apartment door.

"Okay...thank you Murphy. Please don't die though." You're too hot to die.

"I'm sure I'll survive, have ye met ta hairy spider called Rocco? Now where is it?" He inquired looking around the kitchen. Lia bit her lip while staring at the floor absentmindedly while running a hand through her dark tresses.

"Uhh...I don't exactly know."

"Ye don't know?" Murphy replied with a raised eyebrow. A part of him began to question whether his tiny neighbor was slowly losing her mind.

"Well you see, alls I was trying to do was make myself some soup and not starve, when that rude ass spider decided to place his ugly ass on the package. So I sort of just chucked the soup somewhere." Lia explained throwing her hands out towards the living room.

"I see..."

"Did I mention I have really bad arachnophobia?" She stated with a nervous laugh.

"I wouldn't have ever guessed lass. Just stay here and let me see if I can find it alright?" Murphy answered in attempt to calm to her down.

"Okay." Lia answered while she watched the Irishman walk towards the small living room and bedroom. His blue eyes carefully examining every nook and cranny in search of the spider. The muscles of his arms flexing with each movement he made moving objects aside. Lia bit her lip again trying her best to not stare at him too much, which was rather painfully difficult.

"Hmm...where are ye?" She heard Murphy huff in mild frustration before walking further towards the bathroom. Lia inhaled a sharp nervous breath at the fact that Murphy MacManus was actually in her apartment, something she never thought would be possible. Sure she could admit deep down she had an immense crush on him (who didn't) but she wasn't naive enough to think he could ever like her back. Him and his spiky haired brother were far too out of her league, she had seen the few pretty women they've been spotted with at McGinty's. As much as it would be heaven to even spend one hour with Murphy, Lia knew better to get her hopes up by conjuring up imaginary scenarios with the Irishman.

"As if Murphy would ever be interested in a potato like me." She mumbled under her breath coming back to reality. All she would have to keep as a memory was that Murphy had been a nice enough neighbor to deal with her irrational antics, nothing more.

"T'ere ye are lil' bastard," Murphy exclaimed from the bathroom before the sound of a bang could promptly be heard. Lia couldn't resist the urge to cringe at the thought of the spider being crushed in her bathroom. After a few seconds of shuffling noises, the Irishman had returned to where she stood with a balled tissue paper in his hand. Lia felt herself freeze up again and unable to tear her eyes away from it.

"I got him Lia, ye can breathe now." Murphy assured once more signifying the spider was no longer. Relief immediately washing over when he tossed the tissue paper into her trash can.

"Thank you Murphy, you saved my life." She sighed gratefully.

"Ye know I thought Conor was a sissy when it came to bugs...but ye take ta cake here."

"Hey it's not like I wanted a spider with a side of ramen for dinner." Lia retorted causing the Irishman to playfully roll his eyes.

Murphy noted in amusement at the eccentric behavior of his neighbor.

"I can't help it if I have severe arachnophobia okay?!"

"Well luckily I was home t'en." Murphy replied giving a smirk. Lia felt flutters in her stomach at how much more intense his blue eyes looked when he was being sassy, head tilted giving a better look at the tattoo on the side of his neck followed by the rosary he wore all the time. Him being this close to her had allowed her to really study the striking features of Murphy MacManus. Suddenly Lia felt the flutters turn to a pang of sadness not wanting him to leave just yet.

"Yeah why are you home by yourself anyways? Where's Conor?" Lia inquired in curiosity realizing the other brother was unnaturally absent. She was pretty sure in her short time of living at the apartments she had never seen them apart.

"Contrary ta popular belief, I do enjoy time away from me cunt of a twin brudder." Murphy clarified simply, eliciting a giggle from the girl causing her to put a hand over her mouth.

"Fair enough." Lia agreed with a light smile. "Well thank you again for helping me out...I'm sorry if I overreacted a bit."

"Just a tad." Murphy teased. "But it's fine, I don't mind. Of all times I've had to help a neighbor, this is probably my favorite."

"Glad I could amuse you." Lia retorted creating another smirk from Murphy. A brief period of silence lingered between the two of them, both unsure of what to say next.

"Well if ye need me help again, ye know where I'm at. Have a good night lass, and don't let ta bedbugs bite."

"Oh real funny."

"I'm just messin' with ye I promise." Murphy chuckled with a shit eating grin as they both made their way the door. "Goodnight Lia." He added waving his hand at her.

"Goodnight Murphy." Lia replied softly waving her hand back at him. Murphy gave one last smile before he began making his way back to his own apartment. A sigh of disappointment left the small girl's lips after she closed the door behind her, her mind replaying the events that had just occurred.

Her daydreaming rudely interrupted by knocking on her door. Lia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she carefully reopened her door.

"Yes Murphy?" Lia asked in surprised to see him back in her doorway. A gasp escaped her mouth as Murphy suddenly leaned in towards her, his light facial hair brushing against her jaw. Lia tensed up when had felt his breath on her ear.

"By ta way lass, ye should know us Irish very much love potatoes." He had whispered into her ear and gently kissed the apple of her caramel cheek completely catching her off guard. Lia's mouth fell open speechless pondering if what just happened was a figment of her imagination. The shock instantly turning to horror at the realization Murphy had heard what she said earlier, her cheeks now tinted with red.

"Come down to McGinty's tomorrow night, ye know if ye want to." Murphy suggested with a wink, saying nothing else as he once again left her doorway to head back home. Lia's eyes remained glued on him until he was no longer in her sight. She closed her door again and rested her back against it, slowly sliding downwards until her bottom met the cold floor. A small smile soon forming at the corners of her lips.

"Huh." She whispered in astonishment at how her night eventually turned out. The flutters returned to her stomach while Lia began to self reflect. In a way Lia could now be indebted to the grotesque ramen guarding spider.

How ironic was it that her biggest fear... might've just been her wingman.