"Mama! Spider!"

Vash frowned. "Alex, you know mommy doesn't like being called-"

"Spider! Spider, Mama!" The toddler waved a clenched fist excitedly.

Meryl glared at Knives. "Did you-"

"Alas, no," Knives grinned.

"Mama!" Alex was nearing hysterics.

Meryl sighed. "OK, honey, let's go." She knelt down to pick him up.

"No! Mama spider!" Alex shook his fist angrily in her face.

Meryl's heart sank. She knew it was a mistake to let Knives baby-sit, even for a few minutes.

"Alex, honey, listen. It's not nice to call mommy a-"

"Spider!" cried Alex gleefully, and dropped his spider on Meryl's head.

A/N: Reality inspires again. Luckily I got a terrified wolf spider, not a stink bug or black widow.