What was he supposed to be doing again?

Spike eyed the worms in his hand, the fire crab, and the professor's demonstration. He felt deflated, and suddenly highly exposed. He didn't want to be right here the middle where he'd plopped himself down. No, he wanted to be well out on the perimeter, where he wouldn't be tempted to look at Beezus with him.

Oh how Spike felt wounded right now. And that Snake was just twisting the knife and making it worse. Of course Beezus wasn't helping, choosing to be his partner and all.

Where was he again?

Oh yes. He was going to move. There was a little gap by Kurumi, and Spike carefully dragged the fire crab's cage in that direction, pausing to pick up the required cleaning things on the way. "Mind...if I work here?" he asked quietly.

Spike didn't really wait for an answer, already feeling highly conspicuous having moved. It was weird, feeling small and irrelevant AND conspicuous at the same time. He pulled on his dragon hide gloves, and opened the cage door. "Hey little fella," he said, calmly, but without his usual excitement or coaxing. "I'm gonna give you little bath."

He carefully lifted the crab into the bucket, careful to put him in bottom first. Fire was usually the cause of much excitement, but not today. "Aguamenti," he cast, carefully filling up the bucket. "There we go little one, not too cold I hope?"