Drider Boyfriend: Jean-Luc (complete)

    When I was first born, I was abandoned just outside the gates of a carnival. I was found by the carousel operator and his wife. They took me in and I was raised inside the carnival, where my family became every single soul inside it.

    My parents, Oshun and Arty, weren't human. Actually, almost everyone who lived and worked in the carnival wasn't human. Mr. Faire, or Grandpa as he preferred to be called, took in the creatures of the world that were abused, neglected, and forgotten, and he gave them a home. My mother was a giraffe spirit who could shapeshift. She was tall and beautiful, and had been rescued years ago after she had been stolen from her home in Africa. My father, Arty, was a Tsuchigumo, who had been abandoned much like I was.

    My Dad was my favorite person in the entire world. He would carry me around in a pouch on his chest during the day when I was little. As I got older, he taught me to juggle. I was always amazed when I watched his two arms become four, then six, and adding more and more balls to toss. He kept his true self hidden through a glamour, but I always loved seeing him in his real form.

    "Am I something too, Dad?" I asked him ages ago.

    He and Mom exchanged wary looks, but eventually, Dad smiled and he stroked my hair. "You, little Ballura, are something unexpected. And in the grand scheme of things, that is something that everyone wants to be."

    I took that to heart, wanting to keep his words true. I trained in the carnival with the acrobats and dancers. I also trained with the clowns and the mimes, where I started developing my character for the carnival. I became a harlequin and performed for the children who came to the carnival. I also helped take care of the younger ones in the carnival as I grew up.

    I was happy with my home and my family. Arty and Oshun were the most amazing parents I ever could have asked for. I may have been abandoned, but it was precisely the fate I was supposed to have. Mr. Faire, or Grandpa, was the most amazing person I would ever come across. I had no idea how one person could have so much love and charity in their heart.

    One day, Mr. Faire comes to our tent with a somewhat stricken look upon his face. He sits down at our table as Mom is serving some of her special hot cocoa. 

    "I don't like that look," Oshun scoffs. "You have something on your mind! You've got deviousness in your eyes." She sets down one of the massive cups of cocoa before him. "Out with it, sir. What the hell brings you here?"

    "I can never be sly with you, Oshun," Mr. Faire chuckles.

    "Don't even try." She points to me. "This one gives me enough of it."

    "Mama!" I gasp.

    "Actually, it's 'this one' I came to see." Mr. Faire replies and gives me a wink.

    I furrow my brow. "Why me?"

    Mr. Faire sips the cocoa and sighs. "I love how you get this the right level of spicy, Oshun. It's wonderful!" He then turns to me again. "Ballura, I've been alerted that in the town we are going to next, I am bringing in a new member to the family."

    "Another one?" Arty tilts his head to the side. 

    Mr. Faire nods. "He was kept in some sort of diabolic zoo for rich people." He makes a disgusted face. "Ruby and Dita were able to track the place down with Robin's help. Robin let loose a few of his crew and freed the zoo."

    "How many are we taking on?" Oshun asks.

    "Most of the critters there have been taken care of. Robin has just asked we take in one poor soul. He's a drider, kind of small and sickly, Robin said. Needs some help coping." He smiles at me. "I thought Ballura would be the perfect one for the job."

    "A drider?" I say with awe. "Like Dad?"

    "A bit different from me, sweetie," Arty chuckles.

    I study Mr. Faire's face for a moment. "What would I have to do?"

    "He needs a friend," Mr. Faire replies. "Someone calm and patient and full of love. He was kept in a cage for so long and used for God knows what." He flinches as if in pain and shakes his head. "I see you with the kids and how much love radiates off of you. Not to mention you're used to the spider type." He smirks at Arty and winks. "If anyone can help him, you can."

    I nod. "I'd like to. I hope I can!" I look down at my cocoa for a moment. "What's his name?"

    "Jean-Luc," Mr. Faire answers. "Robin is bringing him here tomorrow and I've already had Ruby set up a tent for him. We just need to get him acclimated and see if this place is going to be a good fit. I trust you, Ballura."

    The next morning is cold and bleak. Heavy storm clouds are nestled along the horizon and bleeding into the lavender sky of morning. The rumbling threats of thunder beat like the drums of a garage band with it. A truck pulls up to the entrance, and Robin walks around and greets Mr. Faire and me with a handshake.

    "The kid is pretty timid. He doesn't trust most folk." Robin looks me over then turns his attention back to Mr. Faire. "I thought a place with more of his kind would be a better fit than trying to match him to a customer." He opens up the back of the truck and, inside, there is a massive spider web that looks like a spiral. In the center of it, laying in a fetal position, is the small drider, Jean-Luc. 

    "Jean-Luc," Robin steps up into the back and approaches him slowly. "You're home now, kid. I want to introduce you to a dear friend."

    Jean-Luc balls up more. "No. Please, don't make me go."

    Robin sighs. "You can't keep living in cages, Jean-Luc." Robin coaxes him with a gentle voice. "There is a whole world out there. There are a whole bunch of people who are going to look after and care for you."

    "They'll hurt me." Jean-Luc's voice trembles.

    "If anyone ever hurts you, then they will answer to me. Understand?" Robin says gruffly. "You have my protection, as well as Mr. Faire's. You have nothing to fear here."

    Jean-Luc rises slightly from the web. I see his legs are hairy, fluffy actually. Long blue hair falls from his head, cascading down in various curls and corkscrews. His face has a blue band around his eyes, which he has four. Two great big ones then two smaller ones on the side.  His nose is flat and his mouth forms a sharp W shape. As he turns, I see that his abdomen rises up a bit, showing off the bright and beautiful colors there.

    Robin helps him step out of the back of the truck and they stand before us. Mr. Faire offers out his hand and Jean-Luc reaches out a timid palm. His hand shakes as Mr. Faire takes hold of it and he squeezes accordingly.

    "Welcome home, Jean-Luc," Mr. Faire beams. "We're happy to have you here."

    My heart skips a beat and rolls around in my chest as it knocks the breath from me. Jean-Luc is absolutely beautiful and I am already enamored with him.

    "This is Ballura, she's the one who is going to take care of you from now on." Mr. Faire passes Jean-Luc's hand to mine. He cups both hands around ours. "You can trust her completely."

    Jean-Luc looks up at me, blinking slowly as he comes to meet my eyes. He recoils his hand and holds it against his chest. "Is there anyone else?"

    I'm a bit shocked at the rejection and I take a step back. "Is something wrong?" My voice shakes as I speak.

    Jean-Luc turns his head away from me. "I thought you said this place was filled with people like me." He glares at Robin. "And yet, you pair me with a human?"

    "Ballura may be human, but she was raised here. She's one of us," Mr. Faire explains. "I chose her because of her capacity to love and the man who raised her is a Tsuchigumo."

    Jean-Luc cuts his eyes at me. "All humans are the same. I don't care how much kindness they exude. They're all just the same."

    "Maybe the ones you met were," Mr. Faire puts his arm around me. "But here, we are all family and we all care for another. This isn't the same place you came from, I promise you that."

    "I want to go back," Jean-Luc protests to Robin.

    "No, you aren't." Robin arches his brows. "You're staying here, it is the best thing for you to recover."

    "You don't know that!" Jean-Luc spits at him.

    "You stay here, or you go out there." Robin points beyond the gate and to the outside. "Those are your options." He goes back into the truck and drives away before Jean-Luc can argue anything.

    Jean-Luc turns back to us, giving us a dour glare. "Well?" He grumbles.

    I step towards him and hold out my hand. "I'm sorry for whatever happened to you. But I swear, I only want to help you. I want to be your friend."

    "Be more trite!" Jean-Luc slaps my hand away and Mr. Faire rushes forward. He grabs Jean-Luc's hand and holds it up. 

    "Show some respect!" Mr. Faire's voice is low and stern. "Is this how you treat people who want to help you? Who cares about you?"

    "How do I know that?" Jean-Luc tries to pull his hand away. "People have said they've cared before!"

    "Let him go." I push Mr. Faire's arm down. "He's right. We can't just expect him to trust us so readily." I turn and look at Jean-Luc. "I'll show you to your tent. You probably want to rest."

    Jean-Luc glares at me. "I won't trust you," he hisses. "I will NEVER trust you."

    I nod my head and walk ahead to show him to his new quarters. It hurt, I had always been so accepted and welcomed here at the carnival. This is a first for me. Jean-Luc isn't ready to accept or believe anyone here. I can understand that and, while it stings, I'm not offended. He has every right to be angry and hold a grudge.

    "Here," I show him into his tent. "Mess hall is the big yellow tent just down that way." I point then look at him as he stands in the center of his new home. "They serve food all day, whenever you're hungry. And if you need anything, you can ask me and I'll-"

    "Just go away," he grumbles under his breath. "I don't need you for anything. I will never ask for you by name. Leave me alone."

    "Jean-Luc-" I try to start and find the words I could say to comfort him, but I drop it. I sigh and let my shoulders slouch. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "For everything." I step aside and leave him, finding Mr. Faire watching us from a distance.

    "It will take time," he murmurs. "But that is exactly why I came to you for help."

    I swallow back the painful lump in my throat. "I don't know," I whisper. "I don't know if I am enough to help him." I look down at the ground as I twist my hands together. "I don't know what to do, I'm just-"

    Mr. Faire puts his arms around me and hugs me. "You'll know soon enough." He rubs my back. "A love like yours is one in a million." He smiles at me. "If anyone one in this place can reach Jean-Luc, I know for a fact that it is you."

    For a long time, Mr. Faire talks with Jean-Luc. It isn't until dark when he comes out of the tent. After that, Jean-Luc doesn't come out. For a few days, he doesn't budge from the tent. I bring him meals, setting them inside the door without going in or disturbing him. When I return, I find empty dishes waiting for me.

    One day, I go to his tent with the intent of getting him to at least talk to me. "May I come in?" I ask.

    "No," he hisses from inside.

    "Then may I stand out here and talk to you?" I ask.

    It's silent from the inside, no answer at all follows.

    "There's ice cream tonight," I tell him. "We always have a big ice cream party before we start a new show. It's fun and you'll get to meet everyone there before they put on their Glamours." I look up, expecting some sort of reply from within. 

    "If you just gave us a chance, I think you would find you would like it here. Keeping yourself secluded and holed up like this...It won't help anything except make you feel worse. Robin brought you here so we could help you."

    "I won't wear a Glamour. I won't look like one of them," Jean-Luc hisses.

    I open my mouth then close it quickly. I sigh and try to form my thoughts together. "I don't know what happened to you, but I want to. I want to understand why you're so hurt."

    "It's none of your business!" Jean-Luc snarls. "You're one of them. Why would you care anyway?"

    "Because I am not one of them!" I snap. "The people who kept you like that, I'm not them! I never will be. They're horrible people and you have a right to be as angry as you do. I'm angry! No one should ever be treated that way."

    It's silent from inside his tent again and I take a deep, calming breath to settle my nerves. "Mr. Faire created this place for creatures like you. Monsters and fairies and all sorts who have been treated wrong and need a place where they can be loved and call home. You belong here."

    "How can you still be talking?" Jean-Luc's voice cracks.

    I chuckle softly. "My Dad is a Tsuchigumo. He's a spider like you, well, kind of. You both look so different," I murmur. "But he was abandoned. He snuck aboard a ship trying to find food and was accidentally brought to a world that wasn't his own. He was lost and terrified and treated so horribly by those who saw him. Then he was taken in by my grandfather, Lancelot." My throat grows tight as I try to keep from crying.

    "My dad said that had it not been for that one small act of kindness that Lancelot did, he fears he might not be here today." I place my hand on the door to the tent. "I want to be that kindness for you, Jean-Luc. Not because I think I can give it, but because I know you need it. I may be clumsy in how I show it and I may not know what you need, but I am here to give everything I can so that you can find it."

    It goes quiet again and I sniffle, rubbing at my eyes and then wiping my nose.  I start to step away when the tent opens and Jean-Luc stands there. He frowns at me then looks around us. He steps outside the tent.

    "You're annoying," he grumbles. He then crosses his arms against his chest. "But you're not horrible."

    I smile at him and approach. I hold my hand out to him again. "Would you like to go with me then?" I give him a smile.

    Jean-Luc looks at my hand and a slight grimace appears on his face. He reaches out, grasping my hand. His palm is soft and fuzzy and, when he doesn't recoil, I give him a squeeze. Jean-Luc walks up beside me, and while he looks thin and frail, he stands a bit taller than I do.

    "I've never had ice cream." His voice is low and quiet, like he doesn't want anyone else to hear him. "What is it?"

    "It's sweet," I answer. "And cold."

    "I don't like cold," Jean-Luc grumbles. He gives my hand a tight squeeze. "Does it have to be cold?"

    "We can put hot fudge on it?" I smile up at him. "Maybe that will make it better?"

    Jean-Luc scoffs. "If you have to try."

    I walk beside him, holding his hand all the way to the mess tent. Already the tent is filled. The kids have gotten their ice cream and are running around happy and giddy. They share sprinkle facts like inside trading, they share bites and licks and their laughter fills up the tent.

    I glance up to Jean-Luc, seeing his expression is wide and blank. I can't read him until some of the kids come racing up to us.

    "Is this the new guy?" One little centaur girl asks.

    "He's pretty!" Another fae girl gasps in awe. "Look at all his colors!"

    I kneel down and Jean-Luc tries to fight to keep my hand, but it eventually slips free. "This is Jean-Luc, now, he's a little scared so I need you all to treat him very nice, ok?"

    All the kids cheer and agree. 

    "He's never had ice cream before." Once I say this, it's as if all the children have never been so offended in their lives. It's a visceral reaction for them. They grab Jean-Luc's hands and lead him towards the front.

    "We'll show you, Mr. Spider!" They say.

    "Ice cream is the best! You gotta try it!"

    Jean-Luc looks back at me, terrified and confused. I smile and he seems to relax. He slouches so the kids can keep hold of his hands as they drag him towards the front to get his ice cream. I watch as the kids tell him what to get and how to get it. He comes back with a massive ice cream cone covered in sprinkles and cherries and fudge.

    "I'm not sure what to do with this," Jean-Luc grumbles. All the children are looking up expectantly at him.

    "Lick it," I chuckle.

    Jean-Luc scoffs and leans in. Two tongues dart out, lapping up some of the melting goo. His eyes light up and he looks at me in shock. "It's good!"

    The children cheer and I can't stop smiling. Jean-Luc has finally started to heal. 

    Bit by bit, Jean-Luc begins to come out of his shell. He still refuses to take on a Glamour, so during the operating hours of the carnival, he stays hidden away in his room. Even talking about it seems to make him uneasy.

    I know he was kept in some strange zoo where he was put on display, so I know the idea of being placed in a spotlight again makes him uncomfortable. If I had been forced to perform like that against my will, I wouldn't ever want to do it again.

    Yet he still has a curiosity about the place. Whenever we're together, he asks me a lot of questions about everything.

    "What is it you do?" He asks me. "I mean-" he sets down the cup of coffee in his hands and looks around the mess tent. It's late and most everyone has gone to bed or is cleaning up. The kitchen now is only serving small snacks and drinks. "What is your act like?"

    I have a mouthful of crunchy granola and I take a quick drink to wash it down. "Well," I cough because the granola is scratchy. "I work a lot at the front gate. I do the tickets and I help people if they get lost."

    "Is that all?" Jean-Luc furrows his brow. "I thought you performed?"

    "Oh! I do," I say. "Saturdays are where I shine. We hold a special carnival performance for younger kids. We sell discounted tickets and kids come in for free. Mama and I do an act together sometimes, but I mostly work with some of the other clowns and mimes." I take some sugar packets he didn't use and juggle with them.

    "I juggle, I do balloon animals, I dance and all sorts of stuff. I have a balancing act that's a real hit with the kids." I let the sugar packets fall into my hands and set them aside.

    "I would like to see your act." Jean-Luc's smile then vanishes. "I couldn't be seen around the kids like this though." He grimaces and has a harsh look on his face. "I'd have to wear one of Mr. Faire's Glamours."

    "They're not all bad," I murmur. "They allow people like my Dad and even Mr. Faire himself to interact with people and be out in the sun. The Glamours are more than just hiding ourselves from humans. It protects us and allows us to still do the things we love."

    Jean-Luc sighs and shifts the warm coffee mug in his hands. "I just can't imagine myself being or looking like them." He speaks with a dark tone. "I hated them for so long."

    I put my hand around his and he looks up at me, his expression softening. "Sorry. I keep forgetting that you're human too."

    "Humans suck, I ain't mad." I chuckle. 

Jean-Luc laces his fingers with mine and squeezes. "I wish all humans were like you, Ballura," he murmurs. "But…" His voice chokes off and he turns his head away.

"It's ok," I whisper. "Whatever happened to you before, I know I can't erase that. But there are more people like me in the world. People like June and Dita and Ruby, humans who are kind and accepting. They're more common than you think."

"Can we go back?" Jean-Luc whispers. "I want to go to my web."

I nod and smile warmly at him. "Of course." 

As we go outside, he takes hold of my hand again, squeezing it tight as we go back to his tent. As he walks inside, he tugs me along with him. I'm shocked, he's never allowed anyone except my Dad and Mr. Faire into his space all this time. His web looks like a hypnotic spiral and hangs in the back corner of the tent. Everything else seems empty, he has no possessions of his own to decorate or fill it with. I then see, laying on the shelf, there is the napkin from the ice cream party.

Jean-Luc crawls into his web then holds out his hands to me. "Come up."

"Really?" I feel as if my eyes will bug out from my skull. "You'll let me?"

He nods. "Only you. Come on."

I take his hands and he pulls me into his web beside him. I sit back, seeing he has opened the roof of the tent so that the moon and stars shine through.

"I never got to see the sky when I was in my cage," Jean-Luc murmurs as he lays down beside me. "I never got to see the moon like this, so I keep it open."

"You don't have to explain it to me." Nestling down beside him, I find the web feels so silky and nice. "I understand."

We're both quiet for a long time. Jean-Luc lays his head above mine and nuzzles against my hair. He then takes hold of my hands and fidgets with my fingers.

"There were a lot of people who claimed to be nice and kind," he whispers. "They told me they would help me or they would take care of me. Every time I got my hopes up, and every time I was left feeling shattered. They used kindness as an armor around their selfishness. They didn't care about me, they only wanted to use me and what I could give them. I stopped trusting that armor and I just-"

I touch his cheek and sit up. "People like that are cowards. They never deserved you from the beginning."

"I still sometimes think-" his voice trembles. "I still think that you're only wearing that armor. At night, when my mind wanders, those dark voices come up and they nearly convince me you're only using me too."

"You know that's not true, right?" I move in closer to him. "I'm your friend, I care about you and it's as genuine as you can get!" I clasp hold of his hands and press them to my cheeks. "Don't let those dark little voices convince you otherwise. They're lying to you."

Jean-Luc presses his forehead to mine and closes his eyes. He takes a deep, shuddering breath and lets a sob escape. "I'm so scared that this place will hurt me too! And I don't want to be afraid of it."

I wrap my arms around Jean-Luc, the first time we've ever embraced. His thin arms hold me tight and his fingers dig into my sweater. 

"You're loved here." I want to press those words into him. "The kids adore you. Mr. Faire loves you. My Mom and Dad love you too."

"And you?" Jean-Luc whimpers.

"Is there any doubt?" I cup my hand on the back of his head. His hair feels so soft. I never want my fingers to leave it. "You're my best friend, I love with you with all my heart."

Jean-Luc lifts his head, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. The little fuzzy parts on his mouth tickle and the tips of both tongues touch against my skin. 

"Sorry! I just-" Jean-Luc covers his face with his hands. "Sorry," he whimpers.

"It's ok." I brush my hand down his arm. "I'm just surprised is all."

Jean-Luc peeks through his fingers at me. "Is it really?" He drops his hands down. "It became so strong...the feeling."

I cup his cheek and he leans in closer. "It's happening again."

I kiss him first this time and his hands wrap around my waist. He then chuckles and presses his forehead to mine. 

"You're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen," I whisper to him. "I think I fell in love with you at first sight."

"Is it real?" Jean-Luc tangles his fingers in my hair. "Or will it end?"

"I can't promise forever, no matter how much I want to." I give him a soft smile. "But I told you, it is genuine and real."

Jean-Luc sighs with relief and wraps his arms tight around me again. "Stay the night? Please?"

I fall back into the web with him, holding him close. "Of course. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world."

Jean-Luc sighs and snuggles up beside me. His long, thin arms feel warm and soft. His whole body is covered in a fluffy heather gray fur, save for his hair and his brightly colored abdomen. It's like snuggling next to a kitten.

Come morning, I can hear the hustle and bustle outside as everyone is making their way to the mess tent. I get up and rub my eyes.

"What time is it?" I yawn.

Jean-Luc pulls me back down into bed and hugs me tight. "Just a little while longer. Please? I haven't slept like that before."

I giggle and kiss his cheek. "It's Saturday, I have to get ready for my act."

Jean-Luc pouts. "I don't want you to go."

I kiss him and he presses in close. "You'll get me all evening, nothing to pout about." I sit up from the web and stretch. "This was really very comfy." I say as I pat the web.

Jean-Luc climbs down and helps me off it. "Then maybe you'll stay more nights with me?" He asks with a surprisingly sweet voice.

I smirk at him. "Perhaps."

I make a quick run to the mess tent to get something to eat before heading off to the changing room. I get myself ready, putting on my makeup and costume. Already, I can hear the sounds of the kids as they come into the carnival. Soon, the main tent is filled with young kids and their parents.

"Places, all of y' all, places!" Almanzo is the leader of the clowns and takes their shows very seriously. "Ballura! Where the hell are you?"

"Present." I rush forward. "Is something wrong, Sir?"

Almanzo shakes his head. "Minnie woke up with a severe case of morning sickness," he grumbles.

"Oh no, is she ok?" I gasp.

"She's fine, but that means you're going out there alone, kid. Can you handle not having backup today?" Almanzo gives me the stink eye.

"I don't like it but I will," I fidget. Being the opening act is sometimes a stress. You have to warm up the audience and get them happy and excited for the rest of the show. Otherwise, you could tank everything.

"Good," Almanzo slaps me on the back and I glance out at the stage. The stage lights have come on and Mr. Faire has appeared.

As Mr. Faire announces me, I leap out on stage, doing a series of backflips until I'm standing on a small platform. Music starts up and I begin to dance, I swing around on the curtain, climbing up it and releasing a switch that has balloons fall down from the rafters. I then do my juggling routine, having kids come forward to toss balls into the fray. 

I then go into my balancing act, jumping backward onto a ball and rolling around on it. Suddenly the music cuts out and, as I turn to see what's happened, I tumble backward, nearly falling and hitting my head when someone catches me.

For a moment, everything is silent and I look up into dark eyes. His blue hair falls in front of his face and he lifts me back up. "Go with it," he then whispers.

"Jean-Luc?" I gasp.

He's wearing a Glamour and looking mighty handsome too. He looks up at the crowd and, for a moment, I think he might panic.

"This doll's strings have been cut!" He says. "We have to fix her soon!"

The kids all gasp and worry.

"It's ok, we can fix her!" Jean-Luc holds me up and I remain limp. "I need you all to start singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider."

The crowd is quiet, save for some quiet mumbling.

"I need to hear you!" Jean-Luc calls out. He then begins singing and he has the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. Slowly, the crowd starts joining in. I rise up moving as if strings are being reattached. I then jump back up onto the ball and the crowd erupts.

Once the show is over, I race to Jean-Luc, throwing my arms around him. "I can't believe you did this!" I clasp his face between my hands. "You took a Glamour to see my show?"

He kisses me and I hate it doesn't tickle. "I wanted to see it so bad," he says shyly. "I'm glad I did too. I...I had fun out there."

"You did amazing!" I grab hold of his hands. "And your voice!"

He looks aside and smirks. "It was nothing."

"It was not!" I lace my fingers with his. "You have the most beautiful voice I could ever imagine."

Jean-Luc leans in to kiss me again when Mr. Faire lurches out of nowhere. "That was astounding! Such chemistry on stage like I've never seen! And Jean-Luc, my boy!" He cheers excitedly. "Why were you hiding such a magnificent voice?"

Jean-Luc smiles and laughs out of embarrassment. "I didn't even realize."

"I want you two to further develop this puppet act! The kids loved it. I think it could be a real attraction. Do you think you two could come up with something for me by the next move?" He looks at us with expectant puppy eyes.

"I think so," I chuckle.

Mr. Faire claps his hands together. "I cannot wait! You two will become real stars here. I can feel it!"

"Can we leave now?" Jean-Luc whispers.

"Let me get changed and we can." I go backstage, removing the makeup and slipping into my old clothes. I then go with Jean-Luc back to his tent, where he removes the Glamour and shivers.

"So?" I ask. "How did you like it?"

"Barely." He rubs the back of his head. "I wasn't quite sure what to do with my legs." He frowns. "It was very confusing."

I laugh. "No, I mean-" I motion back outside. "The stage."

Jean-Luc sighs. "It was different," he casts his eyes to his web. "Not like before. It felt...warmer there. I didn't feel so alone and scared. When they watched me, it was…" a soft smile spreads across his face. "I didn't hate it."

I wrap my arms around him. "I'm glad. But if you don't feel like doing the act like Mr. Faire said, you don't have to at all."

"If it's with you," he murmurs. "I think I really want to do it." He picks me up and sets me down in the web. "But right now," he climbs up beside me. "I just want to be alone, with you." He brushes his fingers along my cheek and tucks my hair behind my ear.

"You really put all of yourself into your act, don't you?" He leans in, kissing my cheek and neck.

My stomach does flip flops and I nod. "Yeah, I, uhm...I try to-" my voice fades out as his kisses go lower. He tugs down the collar of my shirt, nibbling slightly on the curve of my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I sigh.

"The feeling," he says. "Is it ok?"

I nod and grunt, letting him move to the other side of my neck. His hands move up my shirt, going over my stomach and chest. He gently kneads at my breasts and he pulls back. His tongues lick at the corner of his mouth and he kisses me. I moan softly and tangle my fingers in his hair. 

He tugs up my shirt and kisses down my chest and belly. My breath shudders as his soft hands trail down my body. He lifts me up further on the web then lifts my hips, taking off my shorts and panties. Jean-Luc trails kisses down my stomach and thighs, and his eyes flick up to me.

"I can stop here," he whispers. "I didn't mean to go this far, but I-" he swallows and casts his eyes down. "I feel like I need you right now."

"It's ok," I coax. "I need you too." I spread open my thighs and reach my hand down between them. Already, I'm excited and wet from his kisses and touch. I open myself up, showing him my arousal.

"Oh, wow, I see." He inches in closer to me. 

I slide my fingers up and down my slit. I then lift my fingers and Jean-Luc licks them clean. His eyes then flash up to me again, searching for approval. I nod and lean back, letting him nuzzle to my belly.

I gasp when I feel his tongues, both of them slipping and swirling around. They slip inside me and I flex, tightening a bit around him. It feels so strange, but so good at the same time. He kisses and nibbles, making the heat in my gut grow into a raging fire.

"You're getting so wet." Jean-Luc licks his chops and rises from between my thighs. "You really do need me, don't you?"

My legs are trembling a bit and I smile up at him. "Maybe." I look down his body, seeing that at the base of his torso is a long, curved shaft. I sit up, running my fingers along it. It's a brilliant sapphire blue, fading into purple at the base. The tip is pointed and flaring out into a bulge that tapers down into ridges.

Jean-Luc whimpers as I touch. He then suddenly grabs my hands and binds them with his web above my head. "Sorry, I just can't-" he trembles. "Please...Let me do all the touching?"

I look up at my hands then at him. "If this will make you feel comfortable."

He nods shakily. "It will. Trust me, uhm-" he takes a deep breath and lifts my hips up. "I know you won't hurt me." I feel his shaft rub up my thigh.

"I know, it's ok." I moan as his cock slides along my slit. "I don't mind being a little...tied up," I giggle. I then grunt as the tip of his cock ruts against me.

"I don't want it to always be like this." Jean-Luc moans as he starts to slip inside. "But just this once-" his voice chokes off as he eases deeper inside. He groans and ruts, closing his eyes as he completely gives in.

He stretches me slightly and the curve of him rubs all the right spots. I let out a pleasured gasp and roll my head back onto the web.

Jean-Luc grinds inside me, rubbing himself against the spot that makes my toes curl in the best possible way.

"I've never felt like this," Jean-Luc sputters. He rolls his hips, dipping out before shoving back inside hard.

I cry out, throwing my head back as my arms strain against the web.

His hand pets down my body. "Do you feel it?"

I moan out loud. "Oh, God...Oh, yes!"

A dark chuckle leaves Jean-Luc's throat. "You really feel it." He moves faster, shaking the web as he does. "You're mine, right?" He moans. "Oh-" his voice shakes. "I can feel all of you."

I gaze up at him, awed by the look on his beautiful face. I squeeze around him, wanting more. He thrusts harder, deeper and my legs begin to ache. I cry out, letting the deep pleasure course through me. Jean-Luc snarls and grunts, rutting himself hard inside me. Each jab makes me quiver and lose myself. Each thrust of his hips moves me and melts me.

Inside me, his release is thick and warm. His cock trembles and, each time, a little more spills. His seed dribbles down the strands of the web and along my thighs. I moan and pant, going limp as Jean-Luc pulls out. He unbinds my hands, but I still can't move.

"Let me look at you." Jean-Luc's hands roam my body, making me shiver. Every cell of me is sensitive and electrified. "You're so beautiful." He lays down on top of me, kissing me and holding me dear.

"So are you," I smile. "Every inch."

"Be careful, love," he whispers. "I don't require much recovery. Now that I know what I can do to you, I may have a hard time holding back."

"Don't tease a girl now," I giggle. I let him lay his head upon my chest. "Just rest now. Enjoy these blissful moments."

"I will," he murmurs. "For as long as I live."