Creepy Crawlies
Disclaimer - Don't own them, just writing so maybe I can stop thinking about this!
Summary - Sherlock gets a new pet. For science!
A/N - I saw a picture of a tarantula and immediately pictured these two talking about them. Sorry! It's short because spiders are just… -shivers-
"Sherlock, we need to talk about the- OH MY GOD!" Watson, who had been walking into the living area from the kitchen holding files, stopped dead in her tracks, files to her chest. "What is that THING doing on the floor?!" She asked, in a shouted whisper.
"This 'thing' is a Haplopelma lividum, or a 'Cobalt Blue Tarantula'. Such a beautiful creature." He stated matter-of-factly, as the spider climbed over his outstretched hands.
"Fine. What is the 'Cobalt Blue Tarantula' doing in our HOUSE?" Still irritated and still clearly terrified, Watson kept her distance.
"She is here for research purposes."
"I see. And, is there a reason why she is out of her box, cage, whatever?" Stepping a bit closer, arms still tightly clutching the files to her chest.
"I'm surprised at you, Watson, she's only an arachnid!" He looked up, held the hand containing the five-inch, bright blue-legged, spider.
"Sherlock, if you value our partnership at ALL, you will put that eight-legged creature back in its cage!" She practically stamped her foot on the ground as she shouted in a terrified tone.
"I will not. Watson, you know I value our friendship more than anything in this world, but I implore you to come closer and have another look. I'll keep her away from you but you cannot let your fear dictate your actions; what if we have a case involving spiders? Hmm? What then? Are you going to scream like a child and call for Detective Bell to rescue you?" He spoke with increasing fervor, clearly not ready to concede.
She stood still for a moment, tightening and untightening her hands on the files. Slowly, she took a step towards him; this wasn't just about the spider, this was about trust. She wasn't sure she trusted him not to toss the hairy thing on her for his own amusement; he had a strange sense of humor sometimes. Finally, she took a deep breath and walked over to him, still standing a good foot and a half away, just in case.
"Thank you. Now, really look at her. See how deep blue she is? The males, much like that of our own species, take on a duller appearance after they reach maturity while the females...well, you can see, they stay the most brilliant shade of blue." He was looking back and forth between Watson's clearly uncomfortable face and the spider, still perched in his hand.
"Sherlock?" She asked tentatively.
"Yes, Watson?" Still staring at the spider.
"Will you please put the arachnid away now?" She stepped a bit closer to him, trying to keep her voice and hands steady.
"I suppose I can; she seems rather bored with my hand anyway." He slowly tipped his hand into the terrarium sitting on the end table and the bright blue spider scuttled over to the hollowed out piece of log in the corner.
Once the spider was safe in the glass cage, Watson relaxed a bit; she was still clutching the files, but she walked over to the end table and leaned in next to Sherlock to get a better look.
"I guess, up close and inside a cage, she really is quite pretty…" She said quietly, finally dropping her hands from her chest.
Kneeling down next to the cage, Sherlock broke his gaze from the spider and turned it to Watson, who was still staring into the habitat.
"I've found that there are some things that one must take the time to view up close, and truly get to know, in order to see the beauty that is most obvious to others." He could see that she had stopped watching the spider, staring instead at her hands. "Actually, you taught me that, Watson." He finished quietly. She looked up at him briefly, and then they both turned their attention back to the spider as she was making her way further into the shelter of the log.
"You know, males have a much shorter lifespan than females. I think it's to due with the females being so rude." He joked, standing up.
"Is that so?" Straightening up beside him, smiling to acknowledge the moment that had passed previously.
"Indeed; poor souls, cursed to endure the female wiles in silence." He put the lid on the terrarium and walked quickly out of the room and into the kitchen. Watson shook her head, laughing to herself.
"Tea?" He called out from the kitchen.
"Please." She answered, tapping once on the glass walls of the spider cage and leaving the room to join him.
-fin