The smell of Jacob’s cooking wafts throughout the apartment. Kam feels hungry before walking into the kitchen to see what his culinary student roommate is concocting for them. Asa and Jacob talk about who between them stands the best chance against Kam at Titanfall, but over their pointless discussion (Kam will beat them both at once) and the sizzling of sausage, Kam hears the podcast playing and his mood sours.

“Dude,” Kam explodes into the kitchen. “Turn that shit off.”

“Morning princess,” Jacob responds. “What’s so-”

The host’s words silence him. “-evidence in the toxic serial murders still has yet to lead to any sort of lead. Crime experts still call them the perfect crimes but we’re here to-” Kam confiscates Jacob’s phone and swaps it to a morning coffee playlist playing light jazz.

Jacob puts his hands up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. It was just a true crime podcast talking about a bunch of stuff.” 

“Yea, fuck off,” Kam fumes, but then sniffs the air. He bumps elbows with his roommate, forgiving him quickly.

“Hey, I’m ok with it,” Asa announces. “It was so long ago. My foster's were super chill anyway.” He sets his coffee down and lays back on the couch. 

When Asa’s parents were murdered, the police and experts called Asa’s nonchalance a symptom of shock. When the murders continued every few months, Asa had come to Kam exhausted and crying. These became known as the toxic murders, named after the toxin found in the victim’s bodies. They still remain unsolved. 

Kam still remembers it as the only time where Asa needed him more than he needed Asa. 

“Nah, I should know better,” Jacob says. “You eating anything this time, Asa?”

Asa pokes his head over the top of the couch and winks at Kam. “Nah. Strict diet.”

Kam feels a flush rise in his cheeks. He ignores Jacob asking how many sausages he wants and stares down at Asa. He seems human enough: his chest rises and falls steadily. He squirms in the couch, getting comfortable. A thin line of olive skin reveals itself as his tank top rises just above his waist. Kam’s heart beats harder in his chest. The image of thick arachnid legs sprouting out of Asa’s back and sides implants in his brain

“Take off your shirt,” Kam orders.

“Take me on a date first before ordering my clothes off.” Asa rolls his eyes. “So uncouth.”

“You don’t even know what that means.”

“Kam’s behavior is uncouth, like that of a dog in heat. There. Used it in a sentence.”

Kam jumps onto the couch. He raises his hands like a child about to say ‘boo.’ He feels he must know: Is Asa human or a monster? “Last chance.”

Asa pouts. “Don’t wanna.” 

“Your funeral.” Kam tackles him on the couch. Asa feigns at putting up a fight. It still takes a minute of playful jabs and blocks for Kam to finally land a hand on the hem of Asa’s top. He lifts. 

“Oh, fuck.” It’s been awhile since Kam had seen Asa shirtless. His abs and chest are chiseled. His pecs stretch out as he leans back, and the well defined lines of his abs bend along with his body. Asa breathes steadily. His rising chest touches Kam’s hands and he shivers. His body is that of a star athlete even if his role is sitting in the goalie box. Asa let Kam win this battle. 

Kam remembers why he did this. He glances at Asa’s sides and ribs. There are no tears or bumps. There are no holes for retracting legs. Asa grabs Kam’s hand and places it on his bare chest while giving Kam a knowing smile. 

“Hey there,” Asa says, but not to Kam.

Jacob stands behind the two boys holding up a hot pan. “Look, I tolerate you two going into ‘best friends ignoring the world’ mode, but stripping each other on the public couch is a little much.”

“He was just checking if I had tits or not,” Asa jabs. Kam blushes and puts Asa’s top back down. 

Jacob rolls his eyes. “Breakfast’s ready. Eat, be merry, and tell me what you think. I’m cooking this for an exam in a few weeks.”

Kam pulls Asa up, and whispers into Asa’s ear. “We’re going to the spot after I eat.”

Asa smiles a toothy grin. Kam swears that his head is playing tricks on him; were those incisors and canines, or spider fangs?

-

Kam walks Asa to their college’s lakeside path. The end of the path leads to a secluded park, but their destination, ‘the spot,’  is only midway to the park. A singular bench is nestled between two tree lines. It overlooks the lake with the edge of a dock visible on the right side and the end of the path’s park far on the left side, but is relatively hidden from morning joggers.

Asa spoke up as soon as he sat down. “So is there something stuck in my teeth? You’ve been staring at my mouth all morning. Really, you’ve been generally weird today.”

Kam gives him a confused and surprised look. “I’ve been weird? How aren’t you being weird? When I saw you in my dreams, that was you, right?”

“Yup.

“And you’re a freaking spider.”

Asa ponders with his hand on his chin, but shakes his head as if he threw away a thought. “I told you, Kam. I'm a Dream Eater. I eat your dreams. I eat your nightmares."