The Sanctuary's beginning (book II)

Memories PT1️⃣

(Back before they were rescued, a year of being trapped and experimented on)
Arachne
I walk back over to the leaky pipe from the ceiling and wet the rag I'm holding. I cough hard before slowly making my way back over to the corner where my friend is waiting and our little belongings lay. I sit next to his head where he lays curled up, shivering yet boiling. It's called a "fever" as he puts it. I wipe down more of his skin as he groans in pain. My eyes tear up as he rolls over again trying to get comfortable.
"A-Aeolus, w-what's happening?!"
"W-what did I tell you?" He grits out and scratches at his cheek. "Call me Ash." I pout and look at his skin.
"Will you tell me what's wrong with you?" He gulps and slowly shifts. My eyes widen as he pulls himself up and leans between my open legs. He winced as he laid his back against my chest. My heart pace picks up as he grabs my hands and lay them on his chest and stomach; a hand on each.
"This doesn't hurt you, does it?" I shake my head and watch as he grabs my fingers and laces them with his. He points our nails down and push before dragging them down. He groans and arches his back as they go down. I gasp,
"S-stop you're gonna hurt yourself!" He stops and lays his head against my shoulder,
"No... no I won't." I look down and see no marks. I make a noise of confusion as I look back at him.
"I'm a snake, Arachne. I'm more snake than human." I look back into his gold eyes with slit pupils. "Y-you've seen my snake attributes."
"And you've seen mine." He nods then lays still as I wipe his sweaty forehead with the rag.
"And there's still things you don't know. Things we don't know about each other." I nod,
"A-and though, we've only known each other for a year... this is one of the things that I didn't think to bring up."
"What is it?" He looks back up at me before looking down. I watch as he sits back up and puts his arms above his head so they're laying on his back. I watch with wide eyes as he begins to scratch his back before a light film begins to move. He whimpers loudly as he begins to desperately pull at that film. I gasp as he pulls up the skin before slowly leaning back against me. He pants harshly as he squeezes my hand and looks up at me.
"I shed... much like a real snake and I feel pain with it much like a human would." I kiss his sweaty head,
"It's like a sunburn." He scoffs up a laugh,
"A really really rea~ly bad one yes. Will you help me?" I nod and use my long black nails to get a hold of the skin, well the dead skin, and begin to pull. He groans and starts peeling the parts I can't get to. My heart clenches as I watch tears roll down his cheeks.

Ash lays against me wrapped in my arms and spider legs as he sleeps. After hours or peeling we managed to get all the old skin off and his fever immediately calmed. He was exhausted by the end of it and didn't want me to separate from him. Since he was asleep it was my turn to keep watch. We usually take turns sleeping unless we know that the people are gone. They bring us food once time a day if that and is gone until after a week or two and come back to take one of us away. The other is left alone for days on end wondering if the other will even return and if they'll be next. Aeolus's tail tightens and coils around us. That's really our only source of heat and comforting. We have a few thin blankets but mostly use those as pillows or carpeting. Aeolus exhales against my neck before he hums. I hum back and lay my hands flat against his bare shoulders. They never give us new clothing. They only let us wear the thin, worn out ones we have now. They gave us a pack of 20 when we first got here. We wash them with the leaky pipe when needed. Aeolus lifts his head and looks at me sleepily. I give a small smile as we stare at each other.
"Thank you." He croaks, "for being here with me."
"Not like I have much of a choice." He scoffs and shakes his head,
"I don't mean you being here holding me, I mean you being here helping me and talking to me and comforting me and-,"
"And what?"
"And making me fall in love with you." I gulp as he finishes his sentence.
"Arachne, I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but-," we both freeze as we hear footsteps....