#basket starfish

[fishyy-stims]

Basket seastar | source

[samimarkart]

basket star ⭐️

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[indeedgoodman]

Basket Star.

[wikipediapictures]

Basket star

[clnclm]

[natureisthegreatestartist]

What's this? A basket star found in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Bizarre and beautiful!

[pad-wubbo]

Bloodybelly version of my earlier comb jelly sketch (edited in Infinite Painter.)

CC-BY-SA 4.0

[steveseddie]

shootin’ hoops

steddie | rated: t | cw: none | 4,6k | tags: eddie munson lives, but his clumsy ass gets hurt, worried steve, minor injuries, sharing clothes, first kiss

for my stficbingo prompt: “‘m just tired.”

click here to read on ao3

***

Eddie has always known basketball is evil. 

Over the years, he’s been smacked in the back of the head by plenty of basketballs, or smacked elsewhere by the dumb jocks that play the game. Only a few weeks ago, he was being chased by Jason Carver and his band of basketball-playing goons. 

So, basketball. Evil.

Eddie knew this, and somehow, he still agreed to “shoot hoops” with Steve Harrington.

Him! Eddie Munson! Agreeing to play the stupid game where you toss balls into laundry baskets! All because of his stupid crush on a boy.

If any of his friends could see him now, they would kick him out of the band and dethrone him as their Hellfire leader. 

Well, no. First, they would laugh at Eddie- currently starfished on the Harringtons’ basketball court having knocking himself out after the ball he threw missed the hoop completely, slammed against the board and bounced back straight into Eddie’s face.

Then and only then, after laughing themselves into a coughing fit at Eddie’s expense, would they kick him out and dethrone him. Can’t have your fearless leader succumbing to forced conformity or whatever. 

Luckily for Eddie, there’s no one here to witness how the mighty have fallen. 

Well. No one but Steve, the guy he’s pretty sure he’s in love with which is fucking great.

When he agreed to play, after Steve pleaded, pouted and hit Eddie with those deadly puppy eyes, he told himself it wouldn’t be so bad. He’d get to ogle Steve in his tiny little shorts, trick Steve into putting his hands on him to show him the right way to throw a ball and maybe even score a goal and shit and get a proud grin from Steve, maybe even a high five or a hug. 

But all Eddie has managed so far is to sweat through his clothes (Steve’s clothes actually- a pair of basketball shorts and an old Hawkins High swim meet shirt because the long sleeve and the ripped jeans Eddie showed up in weren’t basketball appropriate) and embarrass himself by getting hit square in the face by an evil basketball, probably giving himself a concussion in the process. 

Because- fucking ouch! His head is pounding right now.

Through the ringing in his ears, he hears Steve’s sneakers squeak against the court as he jogs towards him. “Eddie, Jesus Christ!” He gasps, dropping to his knees next to him. “Fuck, man, are you okay?” 

Eddie groans when he hears the concern in Steve’s voice. Fuck, this is so embarrassing. Eddie knows he’s flushing bright red and it’s not because of the midday sun beating down on them. 

“Eddie, come on. Talk to me, man,” Steve urges, slightly shaking Eddie’s shoulder.

“Just leave me here to die,” Eddie mumbles, keeping his eyes tightly shut, partly because moving his face hurts, but also because he doesn’t want to look at Steve right now. 

Steve huffs, shaking Eddie’s shoulder a little more insistently. “Nope, no way. I didn’t drag your ass back from the Upside Down to let you die here. Sit up, come on.” 

He tugs on Eddie’s arm, leaving him no choice but to sit up. Eddie hugs his knees against his chest, still not opening his eyes. He feels one of Steve’s hands settle on his back, holding him up in that position. 

“Good, that’s good,” Steve encourages, rubbing his hand up and down Eddie’s back. Because of that touch, Eddie can feel the flush spreading all the way up to his ears. He squeezes his eyes even tighter, even if it makes his face hurt, but Steve isn’t having it. “Now open your eyes for me.”

Eddie shakes his head, which is a terrible idea because it sends flashes of pain through his head, all the way down to his neck. 

“Come on, Eds, let me look at you,” Steve purrs in a sweet voice that settles deep in Eddie’s lower stomach. Then Steve’s other hand cups his cheek, gently turning his face towards him. “Please,” he says, stroking his thumb over Eddie’s cheek.

And if there’s one thing that today proved is that Eddie can’t say no to a pleading Steve. It’s what got him in this mess in the first place. 

So his eyes flutter open. He has to blink a few times to get rid of the blurriness at the edges of his vision but even then it’s hard to miss Steve’s big, worried eyes when they’re right in front of him. 

“There he is,” Steve exhales softly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a relieved half-smile. “Hi.” 

“H-hey,” Eddie stammers out. His cheeks burn even brighter when he realizes how close their faces are. Steve’s hand rubbing Eddie’s back soothingly while the other one is still cupping his jaw certainly don’t help. 

“Are you okay?” 

Eddie scoffs. “Oh, I’m great! Just wishing the Upside Down would open up and swallow me whole so I can like, die of embarrassment there,” he says, voice dripping with sarcasm. Steve makes an exasperated noise, either because he didn’t get a real answer to his question or because it’s too soon for Eddie to be joking about dying in the Upside Down. Eddie sighs, waving a hand through the air dismissively. “I’m fine, man, just hurt.” 

“Where does it hurt?” 

“My dignity.”

This time the joke does land and it makes Steve snicker. “Since when do you have any?” 

“Ouch. Kicking a man while he’s down, Harrington? Shame on you,” Eddie says with a laugh, which is quickly followed by a wince. “Shit, okay, maybe my dignity isn’t the only thing hurting. My whole head is fucking pounding, I think I hit it against the ground after the ball knocked me down.” 

Steve’s face pulls into a frown and the hand that was on Eddie’s back moves to the back of his head. “You’re not bleeding, thank God, but you could still have a concussion.”

“Of fucking course,” Eddie mutters, resting his head on his knees.

“We can get you something cold or I can drive you to the ER if you’d rather get checked out.”

Eddie starts to shake his head and gets dizzy so he aborts the movement, raising his hand to wave Steve off instead. “No, no ER. Some frozen peas will do the trick, good sir.”

Steve’s lips press into a thin line. “Okay, but if you start talking nonsense, I’m taking you there. I don’t care if you don’t want me to or not.”

Eddie gives him a lazy smirk. “How will you know I’m talking nonsense because of the concussion and not because I’m, you know, me.” 

“I know your kind of nonsense, Munson,” he says with a snort. The words sound almost fond to Eddie’s ears. “Now, let’s get you inside. I’m gonna help you up. Slowly, okay? You might feel dizzy or even like you’re going to throw up so- careful.”

Eddie squints at Steve. “You sure know a shitload about concussions, Harrington.” 

Steve makes a face. “That’s because I’ve had like, three. And surprisingly enough only one of them was Upside Down related.”

“Damn, dude.”

“Yeah, but at least you know I’ll take good care of you.” Steve shrugs. “Okay, come on.”

He stands up in one swift movement and offers both of his hands to Eddie, who grabs them and lets himself be pulled to his feet. As soon as he stands, his vision goes black and he sways forward. He would’ve face-planted if Steve didn’t catch him by his elbows.

“Woah, I got you,” he tells him, breath ghosting over Eddie’s face.

“Just need a minute,” Eddie mumbles, squeezing his eyes, waiting for the world to stop spinning. 

“Take your time,” Steve says, rubbing his thumbs over Eddie’s forearms, which only makes him feel more dizzy. 

When he opens his eyes, Steve’s face is right there again and he gets lost in his hazel eyes for a few more seconds before he feels ready to move. “Okay, I’m good.”

Steve nods, letting go of his arms but staying close to Eddie as he starts walking towards the house, just in case. They walk past the evil basketball and Eddie glares at it. He thinks about kicking it, just to give it a taste of its own medicine, but knowing his luck, the ball would probably bounce against the wall and hit Eddie again, so he just ignores it. 

In the kitchen, Steve heads for the freezer while Eddie flops down on a chair and folds his arms over the table, letting his head rest over them.

He jumps when he suddenly feels something cold press against the back of his head. “Motherfucker!” When he looks up, Steve is giving him a sheepish smile and holding a bag of frozen peas in his hand. “Dick,” Eddie says, snatching the peas from his hand and pressing them against the back of his head. He still flinches, but at least he’s prepared this time. 

“Is that better?” 

Eddie makes a noncommittal sound. The cold helps with the throbbing, but his head still feels like it was put through the wringer.

“Do you think you’ll be okay if I take a quick shower?” Steve asks. Eddie glances at him, who’s eyeing him back warily and biting his lip, probably worried about leaving him unsupervised. 

“I think I’ll live, man,” Eddie says with a snort.  

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” He stands up to leave but hesitates. “Call if you need anything.” 

Eddie can’t help it, he smirks up at him. “You’re gonna come to my rescue dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel? I might call you just to see that.” 

Steve’s cheeks flare the brightest Eddie’s ever seen. “Never mind, you can die,” he says with no heat at all before turning around and leaving Eddie alone in the kitchen. 

This time when Eddie laughs it doesn’t make his head hurt nearly as much, which means that the frozen peas might be helping. He presses the bag against his face next, trying to dull the throbbing there as well. He sits there at the kitchen table, moving the frozen peas back and forth from his face to the back of his head until he starts getting tired and his eyelids start feeling a little heavy. 

He drops his head on his arms again and instantly starts to doze off. Eddie knows he shouldn’t, not if he has a concussion, but he’s tired, and taking a nap right now sounds so good-

But just as he’s about to, Steve’s voice drags him away from the brink of sleep. “Eddie, hey, Eds.” 

Eddie burrows further into his arms, trying to ignore Steve who shakes his shoulder a little frantically. “Eddie?” 

“I’m fine,” Eddie mutters, twisting his head to the side, towards Steve, but keeping his eyes closed. “‘m just tired. Want to take a nap.”

“Uh, yeah, no. No sleeping while concussed,” Steve says in that bitchy tone of his. “Eds, come on.” When Eddie doesn’t respond, Steve nearly growls. “Eddie Munson, I will drag your ass to the ER if you don’t open your eyes right now.” 

“Fuck, you’re bossy,” Eddie huffs, but he opens his eyes, giving Steve a look that’s supposed to say happy?

Steve’s lips press into a thin line. “Well, sorry for not wanting you to die on me again.”

It’s probably not Steve’s intention, but Eddie immediately feels bad. He might not remember a lot of what happened after the hell bats attacked him, but he knows that at some point his heart stopped beating from all the blood he lost and Steve had to perform CPR on him to bring him back. And unlike Eddie, he probably remembers everything about it. It’s not fair that Eddie is making him relive that kind of worry right now. 

So he forces his head up, blinking his eyes a few times so they adjust and apologizes. “Sorry.”

Steve’s face softens almost immediately and he waves Eddie off with a shake of his head. Droplets of water hit Eddie’s face and he notices that Steve’s hair is wet, water steadily dripping to the floor from the few strands that hang over his eyes. Eddie has seen Steve after a shower before but he always dries and styles his hair before coming out of the bathroom which means he skipped his hair routine today, probably so he wouldn’t have to leave Eddie alone longer than necessary. 

“How’s the head?” Steve asks, brushing his hair back with a hand. 

“Hurts but the peas are helping. Or they were. I don’t know where they are now.” Eddie frowns when he realizes he can no longer feel them against the back of his head, they must have fallen to the floor when he started to doze off. Oh well. “How was the shower?” 

Steve snorts. “Quick,” he says. “Do you wanna take one?” 

Eddie wrinkles his nose. “I want to but there’s a big chance that I will fall in the shower and crack my head open if I do.” 

He almost wants to risk it just to get rid of some of the sweat, but then he thinks about falling in the shower and Steve barging in to help him while he’s naked on the floor and quickly changes his mind. There’s only so much embarrassment he can take in a day. 

Steve nods in understanding. “Maybe later then.” He jerks his head toward the door that leads to the living room. “Do you want to move to the couch? Just because you can’t take a nap doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable.” 

“Sure, man.” 

When Steve stands up, Eddie’s eyes end up at the same level as his shirt. Which, thanks to the familiar Black Sabbath logo, Eddie realizes is actually his.

“Is that my shirt?” Eddie asks even if he knows the answer. Steve would never own a Black Sabbath shirt, not to mention Eddie remembers turning his room upside down looking for his the other day only to give up when he couldn’t find it- because it was at Steve’s house apparently. 

Steve looks down at himself and his eyes widen like he’s only realizing now that he’s wearing it. 

“Oh, um, yeah, you left it here the other day. I washed it and left it in my closet to like, give it back to you, but I guess I accidentally grabbed it just now,” Steve explains, running his hand through his hair a few times. 

“Yeah, okay,” Eddie says, big eyes staring up at Steve in his goddamned shirt. 

“Do you- do you want it back?” 

Eddie shakes his head. “Nah, man. It looks better on you.” And it’s true- Steve looks good in Eddie’s clothes. “Besides, it’s only fair,” he adds, gesturing down at himself, still wearing Steve’s swim meet shirt and old basketball shorts. 

Steve chuckles, ducking his head and saying a little shyly, “Well, those look good on you too.” 

Eddie twirls some hair around his finger and tugs it in front of his face to hide his blush. He’s ridiculously bad at accepting compliments, especially when they come from Steve.“

“Okay,” Steve says, remembering why he stood up in the first place. “Come on, to the couch.” 

Standing up doesn’t make Eddie as dizzy this time and he manages to stay on his feet without Steve’s help. Slowly, he drags his feet to the living room and then flops down on the couch, tilting sideways until his head comes in contact with the cushions. 

“No sleeping,” Steve grumbles when he sees Eddie’s eyes start to slip shut. 

“I’m not!” Eddie says, his eyes flying open and finding Steve raising an eyebrow at him. “Okay, maybe I am, but you gotta help me stay awake, man. Put on a movie or something.” 

With a frown, Steve says, “I don’t think you should be staring at screens or any bright lights right now.” Then he perks up. “Wait, I have an idea!” 

And then, without explaining any further, he leaves. 

In his absence, Eddie sighs and burrows his head deeper into the cushions, but before he can even think of taking a nap, Steve comes back. 

“I think I might be having like a concussion-induced hallucination because there’s no way that you, Steve Harrington, actually own a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring,” Eddie says when he sees the worn paperback that Steve is holding in his hand. 

Steve glances down at it. “It’s actually Dustin’s, man. Kid gave it to me forever ago, but I never read it. It’s not really my thing, but it’s yours.”

“It most definitely is, Stevie boy,” Eddie says, “but I don’t think reading will help my head any more than staring into a screen.”

“You won’t be reading, Eds. I’ll read to you,” Steve says with a shrug. “Now, lift your head.” 

Eddie pushes himself from his lying down position so Steve can sit next to him, but before he can sit upright, Steve tsks and pushes his head back down so it’s resting on his lap, the right side of his face coming in contact with the fabric of Steve’s sweatpants. 

Eddie is too stunned to protest or move, but he does subtly pinch himself, a little suspicious that he might’ve slipped into some kind of concussion dream.

With one of his hands, Steve holds the book open and the other finds its way to Eddie’s hair. He’d tied it up in a bun when they started playing, but it’s mostly undone by now. Steve carefully tugs on his hair tie, freeing the rest, so he can run his fingers through the curls.

It sends shivers down Eddie’s spine, makes him feel like he’s going to melt through the couch and into a puddle on the floor. He can’t stop the whiny noise that slips through his lips. 

Steve’s hand freezes. “Did I hurt you?

Embarrassed, Eddie just shakes his head no.

“So this is okay?” Steve asks, scratching his scalp. Eddie just nods, afraid that if he opens his mouth some other embarrassing noise will slip out.

Eddie can hear the smile in his voice when he says, “Good.”

After that, Steve clears his throat and starts reading. 

Eddie quickly realizes that Steve didn’t think his plan through- he heavily underestimated how soothing his voice is, how comfortable his thigh is and how good his hand feels in Eddie’s hair. 

Within minutes, Eddie feels himself starting to doze off again, but before he can, Steve jostles his thigh, the movement waking Eddie up.

“Hey, talk to me so I know you didn’t die.”

Eddie groans, pinching Steve’s leg. “I hate you.”

Steve chuckles softly. “That’ll do.” 

After that Eddie starts to focus on the words that Steve is reading and it makes it a little easier to stay awake, mostly because he can’t help but correct Steve when he starts butchering the names of the characters and locations in ways that Eddie can’t begin to comprehend. It’s not until a snigger slips past Steve’s lips when Eddie tells him that it’s “Bilbo, Steve! Not Bobbin!” that Eddie realizes he must be doing it on purpose so that Eddie will talk to him. 

After a while, Eddie stops feeling sleepy and his head stops hurting as much so, instead of just correcting Steve’s pronunciation, he offers commentary about the book here and there and quotes the book as Steve reads it, which earns him a fond nerd and a playful tug on his hair.

After a few chapters, Steve complains about his voice getting tired, but Eddie isn’t having it, he wants to listen to Steve read some more. 

“You owe me, man,” Eddie says.

Steve snorts. “Me? I’m nursing you back to health, why do I owe you?” 

“Because you made me play with you!”

Eddie can hear Steve’s eye roll. “I didn’t, you could’ve easily said no, Eddie.”

It’s Eddie’s turn to snort because the idea of him saying no to Steve is completely ridiculous. Before he realizes what he’s doing, he blurts out, “Nothing easy about saying no to the guy you have a crush on.” 

Silence falls over them. Steve drops the book on the couch. His other hand freezes in Eddie’s hair. 

“What?” He asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eddie realizes what he just said and his whole body goes rigid. Oh shit, oh fuck.

“Nothing,” he says meekly. 

“No, you said-”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, you did, Eddie,” Steve says, annoyed. Annoyed at him. Eddie bites down on a whimper- this is his worst nightmare, the thing that stopped him in his tracks every time he so much as considered telling Steve how he felt. Suddenly, he can’t keep his head on Steve’s thigh, he can’t bear to have his fingers in his hair. Eddie sits up abruptly, his vision swims, he feels sick. 

“I, I have a concussion, I don’t know what I’m saying,” Eddie mutters, sitting on the far end of the couch, away from Steve.

“Eddie-”

“Steve, please just- Ignore it, please,” Eddie pleads, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands coming up to cover his face. 

“I can’t ignore it-”

Of course he can’t. Your friend having a crush on you isn’t something you can just ignore. God, Eddie really fucked up. 

“Fuck.” He squeezes his palms against his eyes until they hurt. 

The couch dips as Steve moves- is he leaving? Eddie’s heart falls as he wonders, but a moment later, Steve is sitting right next to him, their thighs touching and their arms brushing.

“Eddie, I don’t want to ignore it,” Steve says, and his voice is unbearably soft. He doesn’t sound annoyed anymore, maybe he wasn’t annoyed at all, maybe there’s some truth to what people say about Eddie being dramatic.

“Why?” Eddie asks warily, but God help him, also slightly hopeful. 

Steve scoots even closer, bumping their shoulders together. “The guy I’ve liked for weeks just said he has a crush on me, why would I want to ignore that?”

The words have Eddie whipping his head back to stare at Steve so fast that he goes dizzy. His face pulls into a grimace. “Shit.” 

“You okay?”

Eddie waves him off. “Did you just say you like me? Because if you didn’t, maybe I do need to go to the ER because I’m hearing things,” he says, his wide eyes blinking at Steve.

He gives Eddie a sweet smile. “I did say that. I do like you.”

His eyes go even wider. “Holy shit.”

“Do you like me?” Steve asks, a little shy. “Or was that just the concussion talking?”

A nearly hysterical laugh tumbles over Eddie’s lips. “No, nope, definitely me. Maybe the concussion made me say it, and for a moment there I thought I fucked up, but I meant it, Steve, I like you so much that I ignored everything I stand for to fucking shoot hoops with you. I don’t even care that I got a concussion because of it!”

Instead of smiling like Eddie expects him to, Steve seems troubled. Eddie wonders if maybe he said too much. “What?”

“I know I probably shouldn’t kiss you while you have a concussion,” Steve says, biting his bottom lip and having the nerve to glance at Eddie’s mouth. “But I really want to.”

Eddie’s stomach flip flops and he needs a few seconds to remember how to form words because Steve wants to kiss him! “Ever heard of the expression kiss it better?” He asks, the corners of his mouth pulling up in a smirk.

Steve chuckles. “I don’t think it applies here,” he says, but Eddie can’t help but notice how he’s started leaning in.

“We can still try,” Eddie says, leaning in too, knowing that Steve is about to break. He thinks back on the puppy dog eyes and the pouty lips he gave Eddie when he asked him to play basketball with him and decides to give it a try, batting his eyelashes at Steve and sticking his bottom lip out. “I really want you to kiss me, Steve.”

Steve’s eyes go wide and his breath leaves him in a whoosh, Eddie can feel it against his face. “Fuck, you were right.”

“About?”

“Nothing easy about saying no to the guy you have a crush on,” Steve says, echoing Eddie’s words. 

Eddie starts to laugh, but the sound dies in his throat when Steve cups his cheeks and closes the distance between them, pressing their mouths together. Eddie whines instead, low in his throat, his arms wrapping around Steve’s shoulders and sinking them both back onto the couch. They’re touching in so many places, but Eddie wants more, so he opens his mouth and hopes that Steve takes the invitation. 

And he does- licking the roof of Eddie’s mouth, and angling his head to kiss him deeper. And it’s so good, it’s like nothing Eddie has ever felt, and for a moment, he actually worries that he knocked himself out on the court earlier and this is just some elaborate coma dream. 

But Steve feels so real- his lips against his, his shoulders under Eddie’s hands, the sinful noises that he keeps making. 

Eddie swings his leg over Steve’s lap, straddling him and breaking the kiss for the first time so that he can grin down at him. 

“I think we found another way to make sure I don’t fall asleep,” he says, eyes roaming over Steve- his red bitten lips stretched into a dopey grin, his hooded eyes that keep darting to Eddie’s mouth, the rise and fall of his chest, the exposed collarbone thanks to how worn the collar of Eddie’s shirt is, the mole-covered skin there that’s just begging to be kissed, bitten, marked up. 

“I changed my mind,” Eddie says, picturing what a love bite on Steve’s chest would look like and wanting to get on with it.

Steve’s hands freeze where they came to rest on Eddie’s thighs, his pinkie brushing against the bare skin after his shorts rode up. 

“Are you okay? Does it hurt? Are you dizzy?” He asks, earnest eyes darting over Eddie’s face, looking for any sign that he’s in pain. 

“Not about this,” Eddie says with a little shake of his head that makes his bangs fall over his eyes. He tugs the collar of Steve’s shirt down- his shirt. “I changed my mind about wanting my shirt back.”

Steve’s eyebrows shoot up, his lips tugging up in a smirk. “Well,” he says, voice dropping low, his fingers teasing the hem of the shorts that Eddie is wearing. “As long as you give me my clothes back too.”

Eddie’s heart stutters, warmth pooling low in his stomach. “It’s only fair.” Then he remembers something else. “You know, I could use that shower that I passed on earlier.” 

Steve raises his eyebrow. 

“But I still feel a little dizzy,” Eddie says, putting the back of his hand against his forehead like a fainting maid, waggling his eyebrows at the same time. “Think you can give me a hand?” 

Steve grins. “Yeah, I can do that.”

They both try to stand up at the same time, and Steve almost sends Eddie toppling to the floor but luckily manages to catch him before Eddie ends up with another concussion. 

After that, they make their way upstairs, to Steve’s bathroom, kissing and touching and leaving a trail of clothes behind them. 

Right before Steve closes the bathroom door, Eddie’s eyes catch the basketball shorts Steve just took off of him, discarded on the hallway floor and he thinks- 

Maybe basketball isn’t so evil after all. 

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: starfish

This week's Wet Beast Wednesday is going to be stellar, as we're reaching for the stars and talking about starfish. Also known as sea stars and asteroids, these echinoderms are a classic in tidepools and touch tanks, so much so that many people don't think much about them. If that's you, you're missing a lot, since there's plenty of interesting things to learn about our radially symmetrical brethren.

(Image: a common starfish (Asterias rubens) resting on sand, seen from above. It is a star-shaped animal with five distinct rays connecting at the base. Its body is orangeish, with small white slumps all over its surface. End ID)

Starfish are echinoderms of the class Asteroidea and when I called them our brethren, I wasn't entirely kidding. Echinoderms are duterostomes, the clade of bilaterally symmetrical animals whose anus forms before the mouth while in embryo. Chordates, which include humans, are also duterostomes. This means you are more closely related to starfish than you are to arthropods, molluscs, or various worms. As with the other echinoderms, starfish are radially symmetrical as adults, but bilaterally symmetrical as larvae, indicating that they evolved from bilaterally symmetrical ancestors. Starfish should not be confused with brittle stars and basket stars (which you can read about here), though they do have the same common ancestor.

I know what you're thinking and shame on you. (Image: the granulated starfish (Choriaster granulatus). It has short rays with rounded heads that have vertical slits on the tips. Its body is a reddish-orange with hard markings, but the tips of the rays are a more pale color. End ID)

Starfish consist of a central disc with appendages called arms or rays extending from it. The term ray is often preferred because they are not actually limbs. They are flexible, though, and are used in locomotion and object manipulation. Most species have five rays, but some can have more. The number of rays is usually a multiple of five (and can reach up to 50 in Labidiaster annulatus), but species with other numbers of rays do exist. The underside of the rays are lined with rows of tube feet. These hollow tubes can be filled with water to extend out of the body and are maneuvered with a complex system of muscles. Each tube foot can be individually controlled and a starfish can have hundreds of them. Tube feet are used for locomotion and object manipulation. While the ends are often suction-cup shaped, they attach to objects using chemical adhesives rather than suction. Tube feet are used to drag the starfish forward and they typically will have one ray that points in the direction they are moving, possibly a remnant of their bilaterally symmetrical ancestors having a front end. Starfish typically move fairly slowly, with about 15 cm (6 in) a minute being a typical top speed. There are exceptions, though, with Luidia foliolata being able to reach almost 3 m (9 ft) per minute. Tube feet are also filled with sensory cells to help the starfish examine its environment. The flexible arms also help starfish flip themselves over if they end up upside down.

(Image: a starfish of the order Brisingida. It is orange and has numerous very long and flexible arms that are held up in the water column. The arms are covered with elongated spiny protrusions used to filter feed. End ID)

The central disc contains the mouth at the center that is opened and closed with a sphincter. The moth leads into a short esophagus which leads to a stomach divided into two segments: the larger cardiac stomach and smaller pyloric stomach. In primitive starfish, food is swallowed hole and passed to the cardiac stomach, where digestion begins, then passed to the pyloric stomach where digestion finishes. In most species, however, the cardiac stomach has been adapted to be ejected out through the mouth to engulf prey and begin digesting it outside of the body, passing broken-down food into the internal pyloric stomach. This allows starfish to consume prey considerably larger than they are. Starfish famously can consume bivalves by using their arms and tube feet to pry the shellfish open and eject their stomachs into the shell. Not all starfish are carnivores. Many will feed partially or totally on algae and detritus and some have adapted to be filter feeders that use their rays to catch plankton and carry it to their mouths. Some species use modified pedicellariae to capture small fish and crustaceans. Pedicellariae are pincer-like structures found on the skin of some species of starfish that have a number of uses, including aiding in feeding and removing objects and small animals from the starfish.

(Image: a close-up of the underside of a starfish. On the bottom of each ray is a channel filled with tube feet, which appear as small, reddish tubes with sucker-shaped endings. The channels meet in the middle where the mouth is visible as a small hole. End ID)

Internally, the starfish is supported by an endoskeleton made of honeycomb-like calcite structures called ossicles. Most ossicles fit together to form a protective yet flexible shell on the top of the starfish. Ossicles are often the only parts of a starfish that fossilize, leaving starfish with a sparse fossil record. Beneath the ossicles are the digestive system (which extends into the arms) as well as the nervous system and water vascular system. The nervous system consists of a nerve ring that surrounds the mouth and branches off into radial nerves that run down the rays. A par of nerve nets run under the skin and in the water vascular system. Starfish are known to sense by touch, smell, and chemoreception, and though they do not have eyes, they do have light-sensitive eyespots at the tips of the rays. The water vascular system is used both for circulation and movement. Water is drawn into the body through a modified ossicle called the madreporite and into a series of canals that run through the body. Muscular action can open or close valves leading to the tube arms. This causes the tube arms to either fill with water and extend, or lose water and contract. The water vascular system is also used to dispose of some waste and to circulate oxygen through the body. The circulatory system (consisting of a heart and 3 ring canals) does not circulate oxygen, only nutrients. Starfish hearts beat at an average of 6 times per minute.

(Image: a sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) on the seafloor. It is a large, reddish-orange starfish with a large central disc and 20 long, slender arms. End ID)

The majority of starfish are dioecious, meaning they have separate males and females, but some species are hermaphroditic, either simultaneous (both male and female gonads at the same time) or sequential (will transition from one sex to another). Paired gonads are located at the base of each arm and release gametes through gonopores on the discs. Some species will engage in behavior where a male will climb on top of the female and overlap her arms, then they will release gametes together to maximize the chance of fertilization. Most fertilized eggs are released into the water, but some will be placed under rocks and some species will brood the eggs using species structures. Brooding species have larger eggs with lots of yolk that skip the larval stage and hatch as small adults. Most species hatch into a planktonic larval stage called the scaphularia, which is equivalent to the blastula stage of vertebrate embryo development. The scaphularia then develops into a bipinnaria, which has bands of cillia on its body used for movement and feeding, as well as stubby rays. The next larval stage is the brachiolaria, which has more developed rays and attaches itself to the substrate through a stalk. Up until now, the larva has been bilaterally symmetrical, but this is where that changes via a radical metamorphosis. The body rearranges itself so that the left side of the brachiolara becomes the bottom of the starfish and the right side becomes the top. The body cavities are rearranged into the circulatory and water vascular system while the gut, mouth, and anus rearrange themselves. The starfish is now a tiny (usually 1 millimeter) radially symmetrical adult that drops off of the stalk.

(Image: a starfish's larval development from an egg through an amorphous, tentacled brachiolara larva, and to a half- developed juvenile starfish that has not yet formed distinct rays. End ID)

Starfish are famous for their regenerative ability. A starfish that loses rays to predators can grow them back in a process that can take over a year. In many species, a starfish split in half can regenerate into two complete starfish. There are different types of regeneration and different species are capable of different types. The most common is unidirectional regeneration, where a starfish needs the majority of its disc to regenerate. If it is cut in half, only the the piece with over half of the disc will regenerate. Rarer is disc-dependent bidirectional regeneration. This allows a severed ray with at least part of the disc attached to regenerate into a full starfish. Part of the central disc is needed to provide access to the digestive system and mouth. The rarest and most extensive form is disc-independent bidirectional regeneration. This allows a severed ray with none of the original disc to regenerate a full starfish. The severed arm must rely on stored nutrients until the digestive tract regenerates, so only very healthy limbs will last long enough to do so.

(Image: a red starfish regenerating. It has three large, normal rays ans three very small rays branching off of the disc. End ID)

Regeneration occurs in three stages. The first is the repair stage, where the initial wound is healed and the body prepares to the generation of new tissues. This stage is where the starfish is at its most vulnerable to infection or succumbing to the injury. Next is the early regenerative phase, where undifferentiated cells and body structures move toward the regenerating surface. Finally is the advanced regenerative phase, where massive cell replication and differentiation occurs. During this phase, the new ray will grow as a miniature version of the originals and will gradually enlarge until reaching the adult size. This is a vastly oversimplified explanation of regeneration because most of it is cell biology that goes way over my head. Severed rays regrowing a body are sometimes called comets due to having one ray significantly larger than the others. Some species of starfish will deliberately drop a ray if threatened by a predator. This is called autotomy and relies on the predator favoring the easy meal of the dropped body part over continuing to attack the main body.

(image: a comet starfish attached to a glass tank wall, seen from below. It looks like a normal starfish, but with one disproportionately large ray. End ID

Starfish can use their regenerative powers for asexual reproduction. Certain species will engage in fission, splitting themselves apart so both parts will regrow into a full starfish. Some will split off a large section of disc while others can drop a single ray to regenerate. Fission seems to have evolved independently in multiple lineages and presents differently in different species. Some species will only do it as young, while others will do it their entire life. Some species will rarely do it, while others will drop limbs throughout their lives. In at least once species, only males will split themselves. Females of the species Nepanthia belcheri can split into two males. Asexual reproduction usually occurs in adults, but some species can reproduce as larvae in good conditions, either through fission or budding off clones.

(Image: a chocolate chip starfish (Protoreaster nodosus) on sand. It is a five-rayed, white starfish with multiple prominent black spines surrounded by red skin on its top end. End ID)

Starfish are found in every ocean and from the intertidal zone to the abyssal depths. Because they do not have the ability to regulate their internal salt content, starfish are not found in fresh water and only relatively few of their nearly 2000 species live in brackish water. Being relatively large generalist predators or omnivores generally occupying the middle of the food chain, starfish are often keystone species for their environments. Fun fact: the term keystone species was originally used to describe a starfish. Starfish play a large role in regulating benthic micro- and macro-organism densities while also being a food source for larger animals. Places where starfish have been removed have seen population explosions of bivalves and other prey species that lead to an overall decrease of biodiversity. On the other hand, the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) has seen multiple population explosions due to loss of their predators and are posing a major threat to coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific due to their diet of coral. There are also a few invasive species of starfish. Asterias amurensis is on the list of the world's 100 most invasive species. Echinoderms are sensitive to pollution and some species of starfish are used as a bioindicators of the health of their ecosystems. Starfish are threatened by pollution and habitat loss, but appear to be more resistant to ocean acidification than other species with calcareous skeletons.

(Image: a crown-of-thorns starfish on bleached coral. It is a large, purple starfish with 15 rays covered with spines all over. End ID)

[msvblight]

Species of aliens that are like those basket starfish.

Their bodies grow as a mess of branching strands. Outwards in all directions. No symmetry. Just branches off branches.

Covered in small eye dots, and a bulb in the centre for their mouth and digestive organs.

When interacting with humans they contort and fold themselves into a humanoid shape, looking as if they were made of scribbles

Sort of vibe. Loping about awkwardly in an attempt to be more "comforting" in appearance to humans.

But when they need to move fast they unfurl completely and use their natural movement, which is to tumble and roll and utterly startling speeds. Like living tumbleweed.

[crittercountry00]

Medusa dropped her wig

Basket Starfish

Discover more wonders of the cosmos at Discover Earth

[dancingtotuyo]

drabble. love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears

Woman | Joel Miller x Female Reader

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Chapter Summary: some days, the fear still lingers.

Tags: Joel Miller X Female Reader. Age Gap (13/14 years). HBO Characters. Mostly cannon compliant for show & game. Timeline is changed.

Chapter Warnings: anxiety, panic attack, hurt & comfort

Notes: yeah I saw that picture too and it sparked a bunch of inspiration.

Words: 787

Series Masterlist | Author Masterlist | Playlist

Peace is hard to come by in this world. Even within the protected walls of Jackson, it alludes you with ease, but you manage to find small pockets of it. As your life has changed, as you’ve grown these past couple of years, it’s easier to come by. Joel’s hand in yours on your evening walks. Mornings spent in his arms. Pancake breakfasts with your kids. Ellie’s continued fascination with everything new. The rise and fall of Carter’s chest as he sleeps, limbs spread like a starfish. Willa’s head on your chest. Joel’s soft snores. It’s so easy now, lulling you into a false sense of security. 

It hits you without warning from time to time, the fear of losing everything again. You can be standing in the kitchen laughing at a joke and that little voice echoes that it’s only a matter of time before the hundredth shoe of your life drops. Sometimes you can push it away, diving back into the moment, but not always. 

Joel seems to sense it if he’s around, the tense of your shoulders, the glaze of your eyes, and the way you still. That’s what happens tonight with Carter chatting on at the kitchen table as he colors and Willa cooing contently as she plays with her newly discovered hands in a laundry basket as you chop vegetables. 

Joel’s hand covers yours, guiding you to safely set the knife down. His callused finger traces your hairline from forehead to your ear. “What do you need, Sweetheart?” 

You feel his warmth so close, yet giving you the space you need. Your mouth’s gone dry. You repeat the words in your head. You need to get outside. You need to move. You need to be alone. “Walk,” is all you manage to get out. 

“Alone?”

“Yeah…” 

“Go. I’ve got things covered here.” 

You nod, moving instantly toward the front door. You hear Carter ask where you’re going but you feel far removed from it all. 

Only once you’re at the farthest point from the houses, at the edge of the cattle fields do you slump to the ground, surrendering to the panic in your body. Tears race down your cheeks, chest tightening with each breath as you ride it out. 

The sun is set when you enter your home. Carter is practicing his reading on the couch. He offers you a smile and a hug when you come in. Your body is exhausted, but it helps soothe you. 

“Daddy took Willa upstairs.”

You smile, running your hand over his head and kissing his cheek. “Thank you, buddy.”

He beams at you before returning to his spot on the couch. You’re halfway up the stairs when Joel’s singing greets you, pulling you in like the ocean tide. The room is dim, the only light coming from the open door. 

Joel sits in the rocking chair, his head tipped back against the headrest and eyes close. Willa sleeps soundly against his shoulder as he continues to sing a slowed, softer version of Fleetwood Mac’s Monday Morning. You lean against the door frame, watching them in this quiet moment. You’re not sure when he decided that would be the best lullaby for your infant, but oddly enough, it works. 

You’ve never been able to track down a copy of the band’s self-titled album, and it tugs at your heart to hear it after two decades. Then, Joel makes it to those last few lines of the chorus. 

I don’t mind. I’ll be there if you want me to. No one else that could ever do. 

His voice is so soft, a deep baritone that coats you in warmth everytime you hear it. Accompanied by the slow creaks of the rocker, it tugs you further into the room, closer to him. 

Got to get some peace on my mind. 

You rest your palm on his shoulder. Joel’s eyes flutter open slowly as if he was singing himself to sleep. He offers you an easy smile, free hand wrapping around you, settling against the side of your lower hip. He shifts Willa up on his shoulder more, making room as you slide into his lap, nuzzling into his opposite shoulder. Your legs rest over the arm of the rocker. You are positive you’re cutting off circulation in Joel’s legs, but he never complains. 

You lay a hand over Willa’s back. Joel kisses your forehead as he starts to rock again. The slow creak of the floorboards start again as he sings the chorus over, but this time it feels like he’s singing to you.

I’ll be there if you want me to.

No one else that could ever do.

Got to get some peace on my mind. 

Taglist: @pedrotonin @amyispxnk @joeldjarin @ilovepedro @justagalwhowrites

@missladym1981 @jessthebaker @annieispunk @ashleyfilm @moel-jiller

@eloquentdreamer @lizzie-cakes @hiroikegawa

[wikipediapictures]

Basket star

“A basket star, located in an area known as "Star Wall", near Maori Bay, Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa at a depth of approximately 28m.” - via Wikimedia Commons

[strayflowersstarsandlove]

Fire fire (hwanghyunjin)

"I've always liked to play with fire fire". Fire. If it wasn't for the fact that watching Hyunjin dance gave you the ultimate chills, fire would have been a very fitting word to evoke the burning sensation at the pit of your stomach.

Which you weren't sure was due to just the insane amount of passion and talent he was clearly displaying while running through the dance routine he self choreographed... Or the fact that Yeji was dancing with him. And you. Couldn't. Help. The. Jealousy. What a horrible horrible feeling jealousy is.

You hated it with a burning passion, the same passion you could clearly see in their dancing skills. They weren't even performing yet, just rehearsing at the dance studio, and yet their energy was impeccable, the control over their bodies astounding, they exuded talent. The routine was so intense and electric evrytime they locked eyes you felt just how complicit and in synch they were.

You almost felt like an intruder at some point, like you weren't supposed to be watching something so captivating, borderline intimate. You were so immensely proud of your boyfriend and in true, genuine awe of Yeji's skills, but you just couldn't shake the creeping vile thing tugging at your insides.

"Woah! That was awesome!", Hyunjin shouts, panting and sweating abundantly as he lurches forward to grab his water bottle and theatrically falls to the ground from the exhaustion, his arms and legs spreading apart so he's laying on the floor like a starfish. The song they had been playing on loop throughout rehearsals stops and you  swallow down the uneasiness in your throat: you clap enthusiastically as Yeji bows and giggles bashfully, her bright ginger hair falling messily out of her high ponytail.

She looks lovely, you think. She is beautiful and fit and knows how to move her body so well. "You did a great job, guys. Well done very well done", you say earnestly, as they both thank you and exchange a quick, friendly goodbye hug, "I sincerely apologise but I really got to blast, I have a schedule in less than 20 minutes. Thank you so much for today", Yeji frets adorably, she bows deeply again and then gathers her stuff as she waves you and Hyunjin goodbye, a foot already out the door.

Hyunjin grabs a clean trowel from a wicker basket in the corner and alternates dabbing down his face and his neck to big swigs of water as he slowly recollects and calms down. He sprawls out on the floor next to you, his chest rising and falling quickly as his hand crawls on your lap for you to take it. You smile weakly at him and slightly play with his fingers, now that you're alone with him and the studio is silent, the sound of your own thoughts begins to grow louder, you really have to concentrate to try not to let them prevail over your mouth.

"Is everything okay?". You avert your eyes from your lap where you've been keeping Hyunjin's hand, even though you had long stopped touching him, so caught up in your head you absent mindedly just left him hanging there, your fingers suspended mid air above his own. You nod slightly, not daring to meet his eyes even though you can feel him looking at you, from the corner of your eyes you see him sucking in his cheeks and pouting as he fixes his eyes on your face in either concentration or brooding.

Hyunjin's not one to push you. He will observe you from afar and wait for you to make the first move if you wish to, but he's not going to initiate anything, this much you know. And there were certain times where you appreciated this observing, conscious side of him. You liked how he knew how to read the signs and gave you ample space and time to simmer down in order to eventually approach him. This being one of the times you're glad he isn't pushing you, though his whole demeanor speaks for itself as he's clearly not happy at how you seem to have shut down completely.

To be fair you two hadn't been very talkative the whole morning even while driving to the studio, you knew he had been working so hard to come up with the choreography for Play With Fire, endless were the days where he left at 6 in the morning and came back home at 1am. You also knew he had been practicing with Yeji for the last few weeks. The slimy seed of jealousy had been growing and growing inside of you for days on end now.

"Okay... I'm gonna go over the routine a couple more times and then we can go. You don't have to sit through this again if you don't want to", Hyunjin says lowly, already walking towards the Bluetooth speaker so he can restart the song. Something about his tone sounds a little condescending but a little meek too, and it makes you tick.

You know he's stressed out and overworked and you know you're not acting your best right now but you can't help but feel a mixture of annoyance and hurt. He had asked you to come see him at practice, you didn't just invite yourself over. You had been hesitant too, at first, mostly cause you thought the dance floor was his sacred place and you weren't supposed to invade his space.

When you eventually found out he was going to practice the whole routine with Yeji you had even insisted you weren't so sure it was right for you to be here, possibly meddling with the chemistry and coordination the performance required of them. "I want to be here, Hyunjin. I wouldn't have come in the first place otherwise", you say softly, but he doesn't hear you.

The music booms through the speakers again and he goes back into full performer mode. Somehow managing to dance just as consistently as earlier, if not with even more decisiveness and impactfulness in his movements. All the while remaining gracious, moving fluidly.

Here's something you always admired about him: he moved like water. The definition of fluidity and grace, an undertone of something very dramatic and intentional in the way he contorted his body, in the way the look on his face always matched the vibe and intensity of the song he was dancing to. His body was the show itself, in a way. And you were hypnotized.

This time he ends the routine by dropping on his knees right in front of you, the last act of his performance where he's supposed to snap to his side and point his arms and fingers to Yeji now happening before you, mere inches away from you, his eyes intense and dark as his breathing is labored and his whole body is tense.

You, on the other hand, are awestruck, your eyes wide and dumbfounded at the unexpected ending: "you are really fucking hot for doing that you know?". Your mouth moves before you can even form any other coherent thought and you slap your hand over your mouth while Hyunjin quite literally falls to the floor in high pitched giggles, hands clapping, knees shaking and all.

The tension finally breaks between you two and you laugh just as loudly, shaking you head in disbelief at the words that just came out of your mouth just like that. You fall on your back and hold your stomach from the cramps while Hyunjin crawls over to you and pecks your lips, "thank you, I really needed that", he exclaims, still giggling a little, he pushes back his newly cut red hair, his hand running through the shortened ends out of habit, he presses his forearm to his forehead, trying to dry some of his sweat.

He looks so hot, you weren't lying. You close your eyes and breath out the last of your laughter, your hand reaching for his, this time playing with his fingers with more intention to it, "I'm sorry for being so sulky, I promise I loved seeing you practice", you confess, "you sat through the same routine for over 4 hours, even if you didn't love it anymore, I would have understood that", he replies, his breathing still uneven and fast, "was there any reason for your being sulky? I thought you were mad at me", he adds after taking a swig if his water.

You open your eyes now, forced with the reality of having to fully confess. You pull yourself up a little and bury your face in your hands, "I feel terrible. I was never mad at you I'm just.....", you sigh and drag your hands down your cheeks in an exasperated manner, "I guess seeing you and Yeji dance like that made me feel... Jealous".

The cat's out of the bag and if for a brief second you felt even the tiniest but if relief in telling him, it's immediately followed by the most unnerving frustration at your own self, shame filling you right up.Hyunjin pries your hands away from your face and looks at you with fond eyes. Which is unexpected to say the least.

"Jagi...", he murmurs softly, cupping your cheek in his palm, "you're jealous of Yeji? For real?", he asks patiently, "It's so stupid I know, you guys are both so talented and so professional and you barely even touch while dancing and Yeji is so so lovely and sweet and I feel like a complete idiot". You didn't even mean to cry but fresh teardrops spill out of your eyes regardless. You feel horrible. On the other hand Hyunjin seems touched, sad for you even.

He gently kisses your tear stained cheeks as he tucks your hair behind your ears so they don't stick to your face, "it's not stupid and you're not an idiot. You just care, a lot. I'm sorry you felt like that, me and Yeji go back years and years. We were trainees together, me and Chan hyung used to hang out with her and Ryujin back in the day. As friends, just as friends. She's like a little sister to me".

You nod slightly, reaching for his hands so you can press soft kisses to his wrists and knuckles, "I'm sorry, please forgive me, I trust you, I really do. I just got too invested with how sexy the performance is", you mumble in between sobs, Hyunjin grins at you and coos, "it's okay y/n, it's okay", he slowly guides you down onto the floor, he hovers above your body and ever so gently distributes his weight on top of you.

He kisses your jaw and your neck, cushiony lips pressing on your throat, his damp hair tickles your chin and your faint sobbing mixes with the soft hiccups of your stifled laughs, "see... that's better, jagi, so much better", he murmurs.His heartbeat quickens against your ribcage, kisses become sloppier and hungrier, hands roam underneath your shirt.

Your limbs become tangled in a matter of few minutes, your pants are off, his breath is hot on you, your fingers knotting his hair. Fire. Chills. Fire again. You're burning up with lust now. Whatever trace of sadness and jealousy leaving your soul with every item of clothing that gets removed from your body.

"Hyunj-Hyune... uh" , you hiss as his teeth sink into an especially tender spot on the side of your neck, "what if-uh what if someone walks in?", you manage to ask, pulling at the last fragment of sanity left in you when Hyunjin rolls his hips into you, "door's locked", he replies hastily as he pulls down both his pants and his boxers at once to then reprise his kisses on your very swollen very red mouth, "the place is rented for another hour and half".

It has most definitely been over an hour and half but nobody has come knocking at the door. You and Hyunjin are still laying on the floor, still tagled, still breathless. The heavenly weight of his body and the feeling of him still inside of you are enough to keep you high and exhilarated long after your climax.

You kiss his cheek repeatedly as he pants, hiding in the crook of your neck. "Thank you", you mumble underneath your breath and Hyunjin lifts his head up just a bit, looking at you confusedly in his hazy, messy, wonderful state, "what are you thanking me for? For making love to you?", you giggle and peck his lips, "everything. Just everything. You certainly know how to love me good, really good".  Hyunjin smiles contentedly and readjusts himself right back into you, "no need to thank me. Especially when I'm inside you. There's nothing I won't do for you".

[pad-wubbo]

practiced 3d shape sketching with a comb jelly (and a basket star beneath it)

CC-BY-SA 4.0

[ramona-quinn]

Tummy Time

TW: Trauma, mention of Valentino

Plot: Angel does some tummy time.

Co-written with/credit to: @yourneurodivergentlady

Edited by me

It wasn’t often that Angel regressed to his baby headspace, for he preferred to stay in the older range. Today was a bit different. You see, Angel had a difficult week at work due to Valentino, and he’d regressed particularly young because of it. Husk didn’t mind, though. He always loved taking care of his Angel.

At the moment, said spider was laying on his tummy on the floor. He cooed softly behind his pacifier as he played with a set of dangly plastic keys. Due to Angel’s young headspace, Husk was having him do tummy time.

“You havin’ fun, kiddo?” Husk asked as he patted Angel’s floofy hair.

Angel cooed some more as he reached up to his caregiver.

Husk bent down to kiss his forehead. He pushed some more of Angel’s toys closer to him and sat beside him. The spider reached for an ocean-themed pop-up toy and interacted with it, pushing the buttons and causing the ocean creatures to pop up.

“You like that toy, hmm?” Husk asked.

Angel giggled as he kept playing with the toy of his choice.

Husk smiled. “I’ll take that a yes.”

He watched as Fat Nuggets trotted over and curled up next to Angel. The spider babbled as he petted the pig. Fat Nuggets tucked himself under Angel’s chin and oinked softly.

Husk spotted Angel’s Peek-A-Boo Magenta stuffie. It was one of the spider’s most beloved toys in the world! Magenta was one of his favorite characters from Blue’s Clues, and he loved any shade of pink.

Husk then got an idea.

“Hey, baby, look at Magenta! She wants to play a game with you!” the cat cooed as he took the toy and squeezed its tummy, making her little ears pop up.

Angel squealed joyfully as Magenta played peek-a-boo with him.

Husk did it again.

Angel squealed again, giggling and reaching for the stuffie Husk was holding. He passed it over to the eager baby. The spider struggled to squeeze Magenta’s tummy, causing him to whimper with frustration.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Husk soothed. “Here, let papa show you.”

The cat took the toy back and showed Angel how to squeeze her tummy, then her ears flew up.

Angel cheered up and started giggling once more. Husk handed it back to him and ruffled his hair. Suddenly, Angel dropped his pacifier from his mouth and began to chew on Magenta’s ear.

Husk soon put two and two together and realized the baby was teething.

“Here, let’s get you an alternative,” Husk said as he grabbed a pink, starfish-shaped teether from a teether basket. He gently removed Magenta’s ear from the spider’s mouth and replaced it with the teether. “Toys like Magenta aren’t for chewing, okay? They could break, or you could accidentally tear them up.”

Angel grew sad, worried that his papa was angry with him.

“Hey, I’m not mad, honey…” the cat quickly soothed as he gave Angel’s forehead a kiss. “It’s okay. Please don’t cry.”

Fat Nuggets grunted and snuggled underneath the spider's chin.

Husk noticed Angel's Rainbow Puppy stuffie laying next to some of his toys and picked it up.

The cat began singing Itsy Bitsy Spider as he moved the dog stuffie’s arms, pretending that it was doing the hand movements to said song.

“The Itsy, Bitsy spider climbed up the water spout…” Husk softly sang. “Down came the rain, and washed the spider out.”

Angel looked up at Husk and Rainbow Puppy and started cooing. The cat then booped Angel's nose with the stuffie, causing the spider to cheer up and giggle.

“You wanna hold Rainbow Puppy, bubba?” Husk asked once the song was finished.

Angel responded by petting Rainbow Puppy and babbling around his teether. Husk handed the toy to his baby and patted his head. He looked down at his phone and saw that Angel's tummy time was over.

“Alright. Playtime’s over, now it’s rest time,” Husk cooed as he scooped the baby up from his mat. “Let’s go get you a bottle.”

Angel rested his head on Husk’s shoulder, hugging him as the cat purred. Husk carried him to the kitchen and began to prepare a bottle, softly humming to the baby as he popped it into the warmer.

“Think you’re ready for night-night? We've gotta let the num-nums you've had for lunch do its magic," Husk crooned at he tickled Angel's tummy.

Angel giggled under his papa’s touch and squirmed, popping a thumb in his mouth as he yawned. Husk replaced the digit in Angel’s mouth with a clean pacifier that was sitting in the dish drainer.

The spider suckled on the soother as the bottle heater beeped. Husk removed the bottle from the warmer before checking it on his wrist — it was at a perfect temperature. He walked upstairs while bouncing Angel gently. The baby watched as Fat Nuggets followed them to the nursery. They reached the room and Husk sat in the rocking chair to feed Angel.

“You ready for your milk, kiddo?” Husk asked as he replaced his pacifier with the bottle.

Angel snuggled in his caregiver's embrace as he was fed.

“There we go. Just drink up, baby.” Husk kissed Angel’s forehead and began to rock back and forth. Fat Nuggets rested by the cat’s feet.

The spider yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

Husk set the bottle to the side and sat Angel up on his shoulder, patting his back gently to get any burps out. Angel let out a couple of small burps, and nuzzled his head on Husk’s shoulder.

“Good baby,” Husk cooed. “You ready to go to sleep now?”

Angel’s eyes widened when Husk said “good baby”. It reminded him of work and how Valentino would always say “good boy” whenever he obeyed him. The spider tightened his hug around Husk as tears began to form.

Husk frowned as he patted Angel’s back. “What’s wrong?”

Angel shook his head as he tried his hardest not to cry. Husk soon realized what he’d just said and immediately felt guilty.

“I’m sorry, Angel. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Husk soothed as he continued to rock the little spider. “No one’s here to hurt you, baby. Papa and Nunu are here. We love you.”

Angel sniffled as he continues hugging Husk, afraid that he’s going to let him go.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re okay.”

A few minutes passed by, and Angel slowly calmed down. His tears dried up, and he yawned. Husk placed the pacifier from before his feeding back into his mouth and kissed his knuckles. The cat began to slowly stand up from the rocking chair and headed over to the bedside crib that was next to Husk’s bed. He began to gently lay the baby down when the latter began to whine.

”I’m not going anywhere, baby. You just need to get some rest. It’s naptime,” Husk reassured softly as he gave the spider gentle head pats. Angel yawned as he leaned into Husk’s hand. He closed his eyes, his breathing becoming slower.

Fat Nuggets let out a soft oink as he walked over to the cat and snuffled at his leg. Husk blinked a few times and glanced down. “Oh, sorry. I nearly forgot you, Fat Nuggets.”

Husk bent down and picked the pig up before placing him in the crib with Angel.

“Keep an eye on him, okay?” Husk said as he tucked Fat Nuggets in with Angel. The pig rested next to the spider, snuggling underneath his chin. Husk gave them both a kiss and turned on the bedside crib toy, causing soft music to play. He then walked over to his bookshelf and grabbed himself a book to read.

Husk then returned to the rocking chair and began reading, keeping his promise to Angel that he wasn’t leaving him.