#insectophobia

Y/N, don't you want to hold him? Look how cute he is!

Thinking about how Frank would react to a neighbor whose fear of bugs isn't simply a misunderstood disgust, but one born of genuine trauma.

~~~~

You wince internally and externally at the words. How can he call that thing cute???? the legs, the wings, the horrid biting mandibles and those...God, those freakish bug eyes.

You try to back away, but Frank, seemingly misreading your apprehensions (or, you think, simply disregarding them) pushes closer, trying to grab your hand place the bug inside.

Just for a moment...you'll see it's not so-

STOP IT! STOP!!!

You scream, tearing yourself away and scrubbing at your arms, breath ragged and tears welling up in your eyes as the memory of crawling, biting insects comes back against your will.

DON'T YOU GET THAT I SAID NO?!

That seems to finally get through to Frank, as he stops dead in his tracks, eyes widening as the sudden realization of what they're doing sinks in.

I...

he draws back, setting the bug quickly into the grass and raising both palms in a gesture of peace.

O-ok...we...don't have to...it's alright, we don't...

The thought hadn't even occured to them until too late. You run home, and he doesn't try to call out or follow, frozen in place by a sinking dread. Despite good intentions, he hurt you, and maybe you won't ever want to speak to them again.

He genuinely does feel awful about it, apologizing over and over through mail and in person. Even after all's forgiven, they'll still be cautious around you from here on out, carefully checking that they aren't triggering or overstepping again. A new note is made in his journal about you, simply reading DO NOT PUT BUGS NEAR THEM. NO MATTER WHAT.

non-serious bug pet regressor moodboard bc it makes me happy 🕷🦗🪳🐌🐜

Ewwww. This is parental abuse and ableism.