Disclamer: Gundam Seed and all its characters are copyright their respected owners, but I'd hope everyone knows that by now.

The spider

Underrated pilot of the Archangel, Arnold Neumann approached his quarters with a tired sigh. Grateful for Mr.LaFlaga's offer to pilot the ship for a bit, since Neumann was the only one really qualified to officially pilot the Archangel, he had been at the helm almost constantly. Given that they were now in the open ocean he had actually offered to let others try out the helm, telling them it wasn't very hard when in reality Neumann just wanted to go to sleep. In the end only Tolle took up the offer, Captain Ramius had banned Natarle, saying she would probably ram the ship into an enemy vessel, and then banned herself, saying she would end up backing the ship into the only island out here.

Speaking of Natarle…

Arnold let her name linger in his mind as he entered his cabin. She was supposed to meet him here after her own shift ends, but until then he had some time to himself. He couldn't wait to see her, and memories of the first time they met at the academy rolled around his head as he lay in his bunk. It was during outdoor combat training, Arnold had been separated from his team when Natarle literally leaped from a tree, easily overpowering poor Neumann and pinning him to the ground. To this day he remembers the sheer ferocity in those clear violet eyes, he's been smitten ever since.

He lets out a sigh and looks over to his clock. There's still some time until she's off, so he begins to think of what they can do when she does arrive. Go for a walk around the Archangel, grab something to eat, just stay here and talk. Whatever it was he would be just glad to be near her, and Neumann thought himself to be the luckiest guy in the world right now. Not many people got to see their combat commander when she wasn't all growly and serious in the face of battle, so Neumann cherished every second when he could see her smile, and on the rare occasion even make her laugh.

How he wished he could just run down the halls screaming out his feelings, telling everyone about their relationship and rub it in their faces that he was brave enough to challenge the ice queen of the Badgiruel family. But no, firstly it was way to early in their relationship to even consider such a thing, and secondly Natarle would probably have Neumann wearing his own ass for a hat before breaking him in two and have his corpse 'mysteriously' disappear. Neumann giggled to himself yes his Natarle can be scary at times but that's one of the reasons he liked her.

Sighing again from his thoughts, he turns over in his bunk in an attempt to get more comfortable. As he settles in though, something just out of his peripheral vision catches his attention. Slowly turning his head over he sees it. Instead of the fluffy white of his pillow, he's greeted with something big, black and hairy. Turning his head some more to get a better look at it, Neumann sees he's sharing his pillow with the biggest spider he's ever seen in his entire life. We're talking the ones you see on the covers of nature magazines, as big as your fist, fangs of death and generally just freaky all around. And here it was sitting next to Arnold's head as comfy as can be.

Frozen in his spot, Neumann stopped breathing. He didn't know what to do, if he moved it might jump on him, if he didn't it might jump on him anyway. The spider helped, only having to move one of its eight spindly hairy legs ever so slightly causing Neumann to literally fly out of his bed ungracefully, screaming and hollering in the process. "YEEAAARRGH!" He yelled out, scratching wildly at his body as an itchy creepy feeling coursed through him.

He reached for his pistol in a nearby drawer and pointed it at the spider. No! He can't fire his weapon on the ship, not only would his superiors tear him a new one but he would wreck his bunk as well! He returned his pistol and grabbed a pen. No! He couldn't stab it, what if he missed and it jumped up his arm instead! He dropped the pen and took off his boot. No! He couldn't smash it on his bunk! Gunk and spider guts would splatter everywhere and soak into his pillow! He would never be able to sleep in here again.

Arnold began to panic now, there was a freaking giant tarantula on his bed and Arnold had no idea how to deal with it. Thinking maybe if he got it on the floor he could stomp it, but every time Arnold's hands even came close to the pillow the spider would raise its two front legs in defense showing off its fangs in the process.

"Gyah!" Neumann tried again, and again the legs were raised in defiance. "Gyah!!!"

Suddenly a knock at his door grabbed his attention. "Oh crap!" He swore, that must be Natarle, he couldn't let her see this thing in here she'd freak out! "Uh, hold on a sec!" He wracked his brain trying to think of something; maybe he could just toss the sheets over it for now then deal with it later. No, that's no good what if it gets lost somewhere in his cabin that would be even worse then anything.

"Arnold, everything ok in there?" Natarle's voice from outside asked.

"Uh… uuuuuh…." He didn't know what to say and in doing so took to long to respond. Natarle took this opportunity to open the door manually and enter his quarters.

"What's up with you? You sound kind of edgy." She says as she enters, seeing the flustered look on Neumann's face only stirs her curiosity. "Ensign. What's wrong?" She put on her commanding voice. Neumann couldn't resist, that deep resonating powerful tone made him weak in the knees.

Shaking it off, he manages a mock smile as his body blocks her view from the 'other' guest in his room. "Just promise me you won't scream." Natarle merely shrugs, wondering what the heck he could mean. Neumann then moves out the way allowing Natarle a good view of the spider that's still sitting quite comfortably on Arnold's pillow.

"Oh wow, how did this little guy get in here of all places?" She says, as she gets a bit closer. "He must have come in off the supplies from Orb."

Arnold is a bit surprised by her reaction, or lack of one considering this is a big nasty looking tarantula we're talking about. Anyone else would have run out the door screaming, well… anyone who suffered from the usual case of arachnophobia which obviously she did not. Arnold cringed, as she was actually getting closer to it, the spindly front legs rising up in a warning.

"C-careful!" He said as she was actually reaching out for it. He didn't know if she was crazy or what, but it had him wanting to pull his hair out. Her right hand slowly and carefully reaching around behind it, while her right slid closer to the front… and the fangs. Unblinking violet eyes never leaving the eight black beady ones. "For the love of… oh please be careful!"

Her left hand close enough, her right slowly tapped the fuzzy round abdomen causing the spider to walk forward… right into her palm of all places. Natarle then stood up spider in hand and turned to Arnold, who looked like he wanted to faint right now. "Crisis solved." She said calmly as the large arachnid began to slowly crawl up her arm; she guides it back down gently.

"Heh, well good to know it's not poisonous eh?" Neumann stated, still a little freaked out and astonished that she was allowing the tarantula to walk all over her hand.

"All spiders are poisonous." She said flatly.

Arnold's face blanched. "Oh… ok. And you're holding it."

"You have a container of any sort?" She asked him, and Arnold wasted no time digging through some drawers and trash until he found a clear empty water jug. Knowing what she wanted it for he punctured a few holes in the top before handing it to her.

"In you go." She says as she guides the spider into the jug. "Well, we can't exactly turn around and return him to Orb, so I guess you just got yourself a new pet." She places the Jug on the nearby desk then takes a seat on Arnold's bunk.

"Joy…" He replies not hesitating to join her by her side. They sit in silence looking at the spider as it explores its plastic surroundings. Arnold can't help it, and every so often steals a glance at his beautiful superior sitting next to him.

"What are you going to name him?" She asks.

The question catches him off guard. "What? Oh… I dunno. What would you call him? If it's even a him come to think of it."

Natarle paused for a moment in thought, and then leaned closer to the container and examined the spider thoroughly. "It kinda reminds me of that wierd Kuzzey kid, with those beady little eyes."

Arnold couldn't hold it in and let out a laugh. She was right now that he looked closer; it did look a bit like Kuzzey. "Kuzzey it is then, though I don't think we should tell him."

"Good idea, he may start crying."

Arnold let out another laugh, he couldn't tell if she was being serious or just being mean, but either way she was smiling, he was laughing and he loved every second of it. Arnold couldn't believe that only a few people will ever see this side of her, it was almost tragic. There was so much more to this woman then just being the perfect soldier, but no one ever took the time to look past her icy exterior.

"Hey Nat?" He says softly, gently sliding his hand over hers. Instead of soft skin that would be expected her hands are surprisingly rough and calloused. Years of military service are to blame for that, but his are the same having gone through similar training and the same battles. "Thanks."

She smiles, blushing slightly from the warmth of his hand on hers. "Anytime."

"Um, and Nat…" He wants to add something but it looks like he's having trouble getting it out. He squeezes her hand just a little and she moves in closer, a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" She asks concerned at the sudden distant look he was suddenly wearing.

"Nothing." Is all he says before he pulls her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist and claiming her lips with his own. Eyes wide, she resists at first due to sudden surprise of his actions, but soon she is lost in the moment and allows him to pull her in closer, and finally down into the bunk.

So far, there are only rumors floating around the ship about their relationship. Many are quickly put to rest seeing as how no one has witnessed the two bridge officers together in anyway. There's only one soul on board that knows the truth, and he's not speaking.

He can only sit and watch with is eight little beady eyes, legs raised defiantly, and just a little bit annoyed at the two who've so unfairly usurped his place on the softest pillow he's ever felt in his entire life.

My first ever pairing one shot. You can all blame Kookith, she inspired me and that may just be a dangerous thing to do XD