Rena
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I held onto her as she shook with fear. I couldn't understand it, she had seemed so confident. I couldn't believe she was like this all because of a robotic arachnid. I had no idea she had arachnaphobia. I was a little taller than her. Her head was resting on my chest she was so scared.

"Its ok nothing to worry about its gone now", I reassured. She mumbled something incoherent. "Let's go home I think we're done for today", I said clapsing my hand around her's, "You need some rest".

We arrived home. She was some what less shaken than she had been at the lab. I looked at her searching for an explanation. She noticed me staring and finally spoke.

"I suppose you'd like to know why I had that reaction". "That would be much appreciated", I replied leaning forward. "I have arachnaphobia", she said simply. "That was pretty clear", I said rolling my eyes, "Why do you have it". "I-", she said choking up, "My family they-". I took her hand, "What happened? You can tell me".

"My father studied spiders", she started, "I used to love them more than anything in the world". "He was working on how to genetically engineer them", she continued brushing off a tear, "So they wouldn't go extinct". My creator had mentioned something of the sort. "Everything was going according to plan until-", her voice broke, "Until they developed an unknown disease". "He was bitten and it spread, it had become airborne", she said as tears rolled down her cheeks, "I was taken away to- to be safe". "My mother and my older sister caught the disease", she said, "They died every family member I went to claimed I was bad luck". "They treated me like trash", she continued, practically sobbing, "I've never ever gotten close to a spider ever since".

"I'm so sorry", I said and I meant it, "I had no idea". She tried to rub away her tears to no avail. "Its ok", I said pulling her hand away from her face, "You don't need to hide". She looked at me, "How could you even understand". "I guess I'm more human than I thought", I shrugged, "This is about you", I took her hand, "Not me". She smiled through her tears, "Thanks I really needed this". I smiled, "I'm here for you", I hugged her. Why am I doing this. It doesn't feel like sympathy or even pity. She gazed into my eyes, she must feel it too. She held my face in her hands. Her eyes raked across my face landing on my lips then she kissed me...and I kissed back. And I don't regret it.