Sick of Me Sick of You

by royalDelirium

Summary:

Secrets, misunderstandings, and learning more every day, such is life with friends and enemies. First impressions are key, but hey you can learn more when you give someone a chance.

Chapter 1

Karkat had warned him, the small romance expert had told him exactly what he would face. Eridan hadn’t listened; he had been high with confidence. Now the young male sat staring at withering flowers, his heart torn in half.

The last words she had spoken to him rang clear in his head, echoing. “I need to get ready for my date; I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch!”

Today was supposed to be his day! This was supposed to be the day he asked Feferi Peixes to be his girlfriend.

He had it all planned perfectly. He would call her to make sure she was in her apartment and ask to come over for a moment. He had bought some Roses, red as can be meant to be symbolic, as well as a few Amazon Lilies; they were one of her favorite flowers after all. He would come to her apartment and ring the doorbell.

He didn’t plan a speech or what to say, that would have ruined it, no it had to come from his heart. He had many feelings trapped in his heart; it shouldn’t be that hard to translate them into words. After all he did have a lot to say to Kar when the short tempered male would actually sit down and listen for more than two minutes.

It had been the perfect plan; he even ran it by Kar. Of course that was where the trouble probably started. The other male straight up told him that though the plan was semi-romantic it would never work on Fef. He said she was a girl who didn’t go with the flow and would be more wooed by something completely unique. What did he know? He wasn’t her best friend; he hadn’t been with her since childhood!

Disregarding Kar’s critique Eridan called Fef. She told him he couldn’t come over she was busy getting ready for a date tonight, a legit date, with someone who wasn’t Eridan.

Thus Eridan Ampora’s state of heart break, finally the male stood up and took the flowers throwing them in the trash and storming off to take a relaxing bath.

~*~*~

Eridan sat alone at a table in the quaint coffee house café that he had agreed to meet Fef in for lunch. It was Saturday at ten after eleven and the girl had yet to show. It felt like forever, but that was probably because he had arrived fifteen minutes early. So he sat alone, with a cup of warm tea, waiting for his friend to arrive.

“Eridan!” that beautiful voice called out through the room causing the young male to look up.

There she stood at the entrance to the café waving at him. Her wild dark brown hair was curling around her waist, flowing with each motion of her arms. She skipped over to the seat across from him and took her seat.

“Were you waiting long?” she questioned after she settled into her seat. The earrings she was wearing caught the light and glittered catching the young male’s eye, he smiled when he noticed that they were a pair he had bought for her a little while back.

Eridan quickly shook his head, “not really, I got here early anyways.” He gestured to his drink, “Would you like me to get you something?”

The female smiled softly, “no I plan on eating after this with Sollux.”

That caused the smile to fall right off Eridan’s lips, “Sollux?” he questioned, “who is Sollux?”

“Oh, he’s the guy who took me out last night!” she chirped in response. “When my computer wasn’t working last week Aradia suggested I contact her friend who could fix it. He came over and we ended up talking for longer than it took him to fix the laptop.”

Her whole face seemed to light up as she spoke about him; it just caused a dark cloud to hover over Eridan’s head. He had never even met the guy but he sounded like a loser.

“Oh he’s going to pick me up here, so you can meet him!”

He stopped stewing when he heard those words. He would get to meet the asshole who was stealing the girl of his dreams? He didn’t know how to feel about this. On one hand he’d get his chance to thoroughly judge the other male, but on the other he’d have to actually be in the same vicinity as him.

“When will he be here?” Eridan asked as he thought over the possibilities.

“Eleven thirty,” she answered as she pulled out her cell phone to check the time, “so in ten or so minutes.”

A scowl became present on his lips again; it seemed Feferi had planned on their time together being short this afternoon.

Suddenly the girl clapped her hands catching Eridan’s attention. “I almost forgot, what did you want last night?”

Eridan balked at the question. He wasn’t prepared for that question to come up. He had nearly forgotten that she would probably ask about it. Now seriously wasn’t the time to bring up that subject, he wouldn’t even stand a chance.

“It wasn’t anything important,” he said trying to wave it off quickly.

Feferi gave him a worried look, “even so I want to hear what you had to say!”

“No really,” Eridan flailed around in his mind grasping for anything that could change the subject, “what did you do on your date last night anyways?”

It worked, her face lit up and she went off explaining how her night had been. She told him how they went very traditional with the date. She spoke of dinner at a quaint out of the way diner. She told him all about the cute movie they had gone to see, it had been a comedy and they both enjoyed it despite the bad acting.

It had worked getting her off the awkward topic Eridan didn’t want to talk about, but it had been a bad idea. Every word that spilled from her lips made Eridan all the more irritated. Eventually he just began to tune her out and he looked out at other people.

A guy just walked into the building, he was standing in the doorway looking around like he was lost. His hair stuck out awkwardly from the side of his head in a way that surprisingly looked natural. His clothes didn’t really match; he didn’t have a sense of fashion at all, especially with those glasses. But, Eridan did have to admit that guy was attractive in his own way, very attractive.

“What are you looking at?”

Feferi’s question snapped him out of his dazed staring. He turned to look at the girl who was now turning around in her seat to try to figure out what he was staring at. Eridan flustered a bit, hoping she wouldn’t figure he was checking out another guy.

“OH Sollux!” Feferi called out waving to someone. Eridan looked over and all color drained from his face. The cute guy who had been in the doorway was making his way to their table. Feferi stood up to greet him with a hug. “Eridan this is Sollux! Sollux this is my friend Eridan!”

There was only one word to describe that moment, shit.

Chapter 2

Sollux Captor was sure this was the place Feferi had told him to meet her, but where was she? He had passed this little place several times before, never walking in or even really stopping. Now as he stood in the doorway looking for his friend he realized it was actually quite nice in here. Quiet and not full of people, unlike most places around campus.

He was not here to experiment with new places to get away from things though, he came here to meet his friend and go out to lunch. His eyes looked over everyone trying to find the girl with the wild hair. Her hair was as untamable as her personality, but it also helped in locating her.

His eyes caught someone who obviously wasn’t Feferi instead. This was a male near the corner of the store blatantly staring at Sollux. A strange guy, he was decked out in a scarf even though it really wasn’t cold enough for it. It probably was a fashion statement like those hipsters on the internet. He also had a violet streak running through his light brown hair.

Motion in front of the staring hipster brought Sollux’s attention away from the male and he saw Feferi peek out of the booth. The girl broke out into a huge smile and called out to him waving him over.

He nodded in her direction to inform her that he had indeed seen her before he walked over them. The other guy was still staring at him, but instead of being in interest it had turned into a glare. Sollux raised an eyebrow at the stranger in response as he approached Feferi.

“Hey Feferi,” he said standing next to his friend.

“Sollux,” she chirped in response standing up and hugging him. “Sollux, this is my friend Eridan. Eridan, this is Sollux, I was just telling you about him.”

The tall male raised an eyebrow at the girl. He figured she would have been speaking about him, but he wondered what she had been saying.  He ignored this thought; he’d ask her later when he wasn’t being glared at.

He turned his gaze to the male, Eridan, and nodded. Now that he was up close he could see that this guy was no internet hipster. This guy was a rich boy who liked flaunting his wealth. His clothes all seemed name brand and he wore an ungodly amount of jewelry. None of the items were feminine in the least, but it still reminded the computer nerd of a girlish show of status.

Even if the other wasn’t trying to be friendly, it seemed, Sollux was at least going to be polite. The well off boy was one of Feferi’s friends after all. “Good to meet you,” he said avoiding words with any “s” sort of sounds.

He offered his hand for the other to shake. For a moment he thought that the other would just leave him hanging out there. But after a moment of glaring, Eridan took it begrudgingly and with a sneer said, “Same to you.” They dropped each other’s hands as if they very touch hurt.

Sollux turned back to look at Feferi and gave her a smile. “You wanted to go out to lunch, right?” he asked making sure their plans were still on.

“Of course!” she chirped.

With a glance at Eridan, Sollux asked, “do you want to join?”

The brunette’s glare shifted into shocked confusion, there was definitely suspicion in those eyes. He parts his lips to answer when he is cut off by a screech.

The boys jump and look over in the direction of the noise. There stood Feferi with her dress soaked in liquid and one of the waitresses apologizing profusely.

“I am so sorry ma’am!”

“It is fine,” she responds waving it off with an awkward chuckle, “accidents happen.”

Eridan shocks everyone by slamming his fists on the table, “it is not ok Fef! This commoner ruined your outfit! She should pay for it.”

“Eridan Ampora!” the young female scolds narrowing her eyes at him. “It was an accident, they happen. You should apologize to her for being so rude!”

The boy frowns deep and sits back down, refusing to say anything else. His friend sighed as she apologized for him to the waitress, assuring her it was no trouble.

“Sollux, I should head back home and shower and change out of these clothes. I’m sorry,” Feferi said. “Can we reschedule lunch for another day?”

“Of course FF,” he replied giving her another smile, “would you like me to walk you back to your apartment?”

“Oh no! That’s fine, I’ll tell Aradia you said hello!”

With those words she gathered her bag and headed out of the café leaving her friends behind.

As soon as she was gone the boy behind Sollux spoke up, “I don’t like you.”

He turned and looked over his shoulder at the male sitting there. His eyebrow raised and he took the seat across from the guy who obviously didn’t like him. He ignored the sneer and said, “I really couldn’t tell with all that glaring you gave me.”

“I don’t see why she chose you over me,” Eridan spat out, “what made her like you?”

It took a moment, but everything came together and it made a smirk cross his lips. Sollux realized exactly why the friend of Feferi didn’t like him. The boy liked the female. He thought that Feferi was dating him.

“Maybe it’s because I am nice and don’t act like an asshole to complete strangers,” he replied not bothering to avoid the sounds that were fucked up by his speech impediment.

A shocked look crossed Eridan’s face before he said, “you have a lisp!”

“Thank you Captain Obvious,” was the reply Sollux had, basically quoting his best friend.

This apparently was seriously funny to the rich boy. He started cracking up, laughter spilling out from his lips. It annoyed Sollux, but at the same time… interested him. Normally he’d punch anyone who laughed at his lisp, seeing as assholes did it all the time, but he was held back by the image of Eridan laughing.

The other male showed his emotions all over his face. He lit up with laughter, his eyes crinkled shut and his smiles spread wide with the laughs spilling out of it. It made him seem, adorable.

Sollux stood up and walked over to Eridan’s side of the table. The other’s laughter stopped as he saw the other standing there. Slowly leaning down he stared into the blue eyes hidden behind thick rimmed glasses through his dual-colored lenses.

“Just letting you know,” he leaned in closer as he spoke and watched as Eridan’s breath hitched in his throat, “I am not dating FF.” He watched the shock roll over Eridan’s eyes. “Good luck lover boy.”

With those words he straightened up and turned walking away. He relished the broken noise he heard escape the strange boy’s throat before he was gone.

Being friends with Feferi was turning out to be even more fun than he had expected.

Chapter 3

Fumes of anger rolled off of the Ampora heir as he stalked through campus. Today was just not his day. He had forgotten about the exam in his British Empire course and had to wing it. Of course he was naturally good at that subject matter, but it still annoyed him to no end. Also Vriska Serket decided it was her duty to irritate him further by shoving his relationship problems back in his face. To add to the pile of problems, Feferi hadn’t contacted him since she left him alone with the loser. Thus his frustration was mounting and he wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around at the moment.

He spied Karkat sitting at one of the tables littered around campus. The short boy was alone, reading a book and running a hand through his messy mop of black hair… perfect. Strolling over to the table he threw his stuff on top of it and sat across from the other.

Karkat looked up to glare at him his amber eyes burning with annoyance, “who said you could sit here? You got rejected didn’t you? I warned you that asking her out was a bad idea, didn’t I.”

“I didn’t get rejected, I never asked her out,” Eridan said scowling.

This was replied with a quirk of an eyebrow. “You were dead set on asking her out, with your brainless stubborn determination, what happened?”

“She had a date,” the taller male grumbled setting his chin against the table. His eyes locked on a peddle sitting on the table as he continued to mumble. “Today has been one of the worst Mondays in a long time.”

Eridan looked up at Karkat. The small irritated male had the bored look on his face. One eyebrow was quirked slightly though. He rested his cheek against his fist. For those that knew him understood that it meant he was listening and was just waiting for the speaker to get on with the story.

So he did just that going into great detail. He had just arrived at the part about Vriska when another voice cut him off. “Speaking of Vriska, her boy has been asking about you KK.”

The college student would know that lisp anywhere even though he had only heard it once before. He looked over his shoulder and standing there was the asshole he had met over the weekend, standing there with bad posture. He was still wearing those red and blue glasses; they hid his eye color from the world. His clothing choice hadn’t changed either; they’d probably been picked up for a dollar at some thrift store.

“He’s been bothering Dave to get me to ask why you haven’t been hanging out with him. He misses you KK.” The smirk could be heard in Sollux’s voice as he took the seat next to the other boy. His eyes fell on Eridan, “I didn’t know you two were acquainted.”

Karkat scowls at Sollux, “I help him with his problems.” His answer was offhand as he quickly switches back to the first subject, “you can tell John that I am far too busy to put up with his pointless time wasting.”

“Tell him yourself,” Sollux said.

The pair bantered back and forth in a friendly way that Eridan only saw Karkat do with a few people. Karkat was a bit selective as to who he became close to. Seeing the pair interact he could tell they were friends and probably close friends.

It made him curious about whom Sollux was. This guy seemed to have too many friends in common with him. He knew Karkat and Feferi. He had some friendship with Feferi’s roommate too.

“Fine, I’ll text him or something later,” Karkat grumbled throwing his hands into the air.

“You’ll get the Egbert off my back Karkitty?” another voice says approaching the group.

A blonde haired male was standing directly behind the grumpy one, his eyes covered by dark shades. The smaller male’s hackles were raised like a cat; he spun around to glare at the new comer.

 The other had a poker face as he picked up Karkat’s bag and began to walk off with it. A strangled noise of protest erupted from him as he stormed after the other.

Eridan followed them with his eyes for a moment before Sollux grabbed his attention. “His name is Dave Strider, he’s my roommate.”

Looking back at the man who was leaning on his hand like he was the hottest thing in the universe caused a scowl to take residence back on his face. “I never asked.”

“You look like you wanted to know,” was the response he got as the other pulled out his cell phone.

There was a silence between them for several moments. It was awkward, tense, and thick. It was only a matter of time before Eridan began fidgeting. He didn’t want to be the first one to leave. That felt like losing and he was not a loser.

One of the questions he’s been thinking about since he first met Sollux settled on his tongue. Running his tongue over his teeth to quell the urge, he thought about the question, turning it over and over in his head. He finally spit it out, willing to do anything to break the silence. “Why did you tell me that you and Fef aren’t dating?”

He could see the outline of the eyes behind the dual colored lenses glance up at him. He paused in whatever he had been doing, studying the male before him. Those eyes didn’t waver; they seemed to peer from behind those lenses and into his soul. It was unnerving to say the least, especially since Eridan didn’t even know what color they were.

After an agonizing moment the other spoke his lisp hindering things in a way he ignored, “you like FF. That much is obvious. Might as well tell you that the guy you think she’s dating isn’t actually dating her. That way you can ask her out and get rejected yourself.” He went back to looking at his phone after he had said that.

Eridan is left blinking for a moment before what the other said catches up to him. “How do you know she would reject me?”

“You’re one of her best friends; you can’t measure up to what she wants in life. You two aren’t made for each other. You know it.” Sollux shoved his phone back in his pocket. “Besides, what you think you feel for her isn’t what you actually feel for her.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Eridan slammed a hand on the table, “You don’t even know us, her, at all! Where do you get the nerve to say such things? She just doesn’t understand yet. She is my perfect match and I am her perfect match, simple as that.”

A rise of the thin shoulders in front of him gave way to the calm, “I am just trying to give you some advice.”

“And why would you want to give me advice anyways?” Eridan asked suspiciously, folding his arms and looking down his nose at the other. His eyes narrowed regarding the male in front of him with a grain of salt.

“Maybe since I went through the same thing I might just want to pass on some helpful advice.” Sollux stood up and slung his back pack back over his shoulder. He studied the other again for a moment, giving him a sort of twice over. “You’re a cute face, but a bad personality, such a sad mix.”

And then… he was gone.

Chapter 4

Sollux set his can of carbonate beverage on the counter as he waited for the noodles to finish heating up. Cup of noodles for dinner sounded like a perfect plan for the college student.

He had a paper due in his stupid literature class. That one class was really cutting into his time. Although it could be his fault for holding off on some of those lower division credits instead of getting them out of the way when he had been a freshman. No one could blame him though, those classes were boring.

It sucked that he was required to take general education classes anyways. If he had cared about history or art or literature then he would have majored in those subjects instead. No, he didn’t care, but now he was being forced to pay to take those stupid subjects. Thankfully it was only a few lower division credits, but shit did they take up time and effort he didn’t want to give up.

The timer on the microwave beeped at him and he quickly retrieved the feast. As he was blowing on it to cool it down his ears caught the sound of the key in lock and door opening. His roommate was back.

“Is that noodles I smell?”

The cool dude stood in the doorway giving Sollux an intense soul piercing stare. Well that was a lie; he was just staring, nothing cool or intense about it all. In fact it was fairly lame since he knew that Dave was staring at the food.

“There’s still some in there if that’s what you’re hinting at,” Sollux said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Dave went to pull out his own dinner. “Karkat raged at me to make sure you actually ate healthy food,” he replied offhandedly. “His claws were out and everything. Your dining habits brushed his fur the wrong way. Now you’ve left me to sooth the beast all by myself. Some flat mate you are.”

“KK can worry about himself,” Sollux said pointedly and started eating again.

The conversation, which hadn’t been much of one was anyways, was shut up by the male starting to eat. Dave just went and fixed up his own meal before heading off to do whatever he had planned for that night, which appeared to be something around the apartment.

Dinner was a quick deal and Sollux headed back into his room to finish up that paper quickly. He sat back in front of his computer, pulling up the word document back up when he saw someone was pestering him. He opened up the chat client and saw it was his childhood best friend, Aradia. He pushed off the paper in order to answer.

 

apocalypseArisen [AA] began pestering twinArmageddons [TA] 

AA: do you have a minute???
TA: 2ure, ii2 2omethiing wrong AA?
TA: oh and how ii2 FF?
TA: 2he never told me iif everythiing wa2 ok after 2aturday’2 iinciident
AA: she was fine
AA: she came back wet and upset about missing lunch
AA: but no harm done
AA: oh and she was upset how eridan reacted
AA: speaking of him
AA: he is what i wanted to talk about!!
TA: he’2 an a22, what about hiim?
AA: he keeps bothering feferi about you
AA: a few hours ago he called and spent a full thirty minutes complaining about you!!
AA: what did you do to him??
TA: nothiing ju2t 2poke wiith hiim like u2ual. he’2 got a 2tiick up hii2 a22 farther than 2triider’2.
TA: but ii wa2 at lea2t ciiviil.
AA: you usually get along with people like that sollux
AA: i am sure you can be friends with him!!
AA: it would make feferi happy if you could be friends with him
AA: wont you at least try??
TA: ii don’t get along wiith people liike that AA.
AA: oh yes you do
AA: youre friends with karkat and dave!
AA: you always say how annoying they are
AA: but we know how much you love them!!
AA: dont try to deny it sollux!!!
TA: they are different KK ha2 been my friiend forever and dave ii2 a different 2tory.
AA: they still count!
AA: just try to be his friend Sollux
AA: please for feferi and me???
AA: he needs more friends in life
TA: he 2eemed liike he wa2 friiend2 wiith KK earliier today, fiine ii’ll ju2t try two 2tay niice.
TA: ii wa2 planniing on that anyway2.
TA: but don’t expect two much.
AA: thank you sollux!!
AA: i will see you later

apocalypseArisen [AA] ceased pestering twinArmageddons [TA]

 

Sollux leaned back in his chair staring at the chat window after Aradia left. She wanted him to be friends with Eridan. He was sure FF asked her to talk to him.

It seemed like getting along with that guy would be an impossible feat. The other was determined to hate him from the deepest depths of his soul. His hate would come no matter what the computer science major did. First he had stolen FF away, but even when that had been cleared up he still was an obnoxious asshole. He just couldn’t get a break.

With a shake of his head, Sollux closed the chat client and went back to working on his paper. Words blurred as he just poured them out. He was basically bullshitting this paper anyways. It wasn’t a big portion of the grade anyways, as long as he got a good grade on the tests and the big final paper he would do fine.

It still took too much time, but he finished the five page requirement. He went back to read it over, not really caring, but doing so for being able to tell people that he did proof read.

His eyes were skimming the words when a single word popped out at him; it wasn’t supposed to be there. “Eridan” was in the middle of a sentence in the middle of a paragraph. Sollux sat there and stared at the name before cursing and deleting it. He went back over everything to make sure he didn’t make that mistake anywhere else in the paper.

He was lucky as that was the only instance in the paper. He quickly saved and printed it, scowling to himself. He spent the next few minutes trying to figure out why he would put that name anywhere by accident. What was his subconscious thinking?

Finally Sollux pulled out his cell phone and sent a quick text to Feferi. As soon as it was sent he put his phone on his desk and walked away, needing to cool down and knowing the perfect cool kid to help him with that.

 

From: Sollux Captor
To: Feferi Peixes
Sent: April 8, 10:29pm
FF, could you send me eridan’s number?

Chapter 5

Eridan nearly jumped out of his skin as his cell vibrated in his pocket. He had been expecting the text, but he still wasn’t used to the feel of his phone going off. For the past few day he had been receiving texts from an unknown number and whoever it was wouldn’t give up their name.

From: Unknown Number
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 8, 11:22pm
hey, smile for me

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Unknown Number
Sent: April 8, 11:37pm
wwhat?! wwho is this? 

From: Unknown Number
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 8, 11:39pm
iit doesn’t matter, you should 2miile though. 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Unknown Number
Sent: April 8, 11:42pm
wwhy should i smile for you?! i don’t evven knoww wwho you are

From: Unknown Number
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 8, 11:45pm
look ii am trying two cheer you up. who i am doesn’t matter.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Unknown Number
Sent: April 8, 11:46pm
cheer me up? wwhy wwould you do that! 

From: Unknown Number
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 8, 11:52pm
iif you are just going two question iit then ii won’t try anymore. obviously you don’t want it. 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Unknown Number
Sent: April 8, 11:54pm
hey wwait! thanks. 

From: Unknown Number
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 9, 12:02am
…. you’re welcome. 

xxx-xxx-xxxx saved to phone as wwho is this?! 

Since that first little conversation the anonymous number has texted him at least once a day. The other person was a bit of an asshole, but really nice. Whoever it was only got snippy if Eridan tried to find out whom they were.

So the male stopped blatantly asking about the other person and resorted to accepting the other as an anon and trying to squeeze as much information out of them as possible.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the message that was waiting for him.

To: Eridan Ampora
From: kind stranger
Sent: April 13, 2:11pm
you should smiile riight now 

Eridan let a small smile grace his lips at the message. His smile didn’t go unnoticed by the company he was in though. 

“Did you get a text Eridan?”

He quickly looked up shoving his phone in his pocket. Feferi was leaning in to look at him, as well as probably see what the text said. “Yeah, it was nothing though,” he replied the smile staying firmly on his face.

Today he was out with a few people shopping at the mall. Feferi had invited him to join her and her roommate Aradia to go pick up some new outfits since summer was rapidly approaching. He gladly agreed to come. There was only one bad thing about the whole trip, another person came along and it just happened to be Sollux Captor. 

He had grown an even deeper distaste for the computer nerd than he had before. The other seemed to be everywhere now that he noticed him. He knew nearly every acquaintance that Eridan held, even the people he had distaste for such as Vriska. It was obnoxious.

Feferi spoke of him often now and cut her time short with him to go run off with her new friend. If Sollux hadn’t said that they weren’t dating, well… the way they acted around each other was too friendly for his tastes.

When Feferi moved out of his face Eridan noticed that Sollux was staring at him. The smile feel from his face before the scowl that took its place was replaced by a smirk.

“What are you staring at commoner? I know my face is gorgeous, but you should take a picture, it will last longer,” Eridan said goading Sollux.

Sollux quickly countered not even blinking, “well it is true your face isn’t getting any better, but I don’t need to take a picture. I can just open any hipster blog and find the original you stole that style from.”

“Please, my style is always an Ampora original.” Eridan sneered as he gave Sollux a once over, “where did yours come from, ‘when nerds attack’?”

“FF chose this jacket for me herself and the pants were a gift from AA. Of course you wouldn’t understand since you don’t have friends who like you enough to buy you gifts.”

Eridan could hear Feferi and Aradia telling them to cool it and stop fighting, but he wasn’t going to back down from some lower class freak. “I’m not poor enough that I have to have friends buy me shit.”

“I don’t spend an entire month’s earnings on stupid things like clothes! At least I have friends who are willing to help!”

Eridan was grasping straws now, he didn’t know enough about Sollux to properly berate him. “Friends are all you have, even if they are only friends with you because they pity you. I bet you’re even adopted, no one could love someone like you.”

He had been expecting more words thrown back at him. He hadn’t expected to see a fist come flying into his cheek. He barely had time to move and not get a severely bruised cheek. Eridan fell back onto the ground and looked up as Sollux towered over him.

“You know nothing,” he spat out before turning and storming away from the bewildered man.

Aradia called after him quickly following and Feferi stayed behind with Eridan. She delivered a quick slap to the back of his head and he whined calling foul.

“How could you say that to him Eridan? I am so disappointed in you!” she scolded frowning deeply at him. She said a few more things before hurrying in the direction Aradia and Sollux had gone.

The young male sat on the floor extremely confused and a bit hurt. Slowly he pulled out his phone and sent a text. 

To: kind stranger
From: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 13, 2:38pm
i could use a smile right noww

Chapter 6

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 13, 2:38pm
i could use a smile right noww 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 15, 11:00pm
did something happen you didn’t text me yesterday 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 16, 9:43am
are you alright? 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 16, 11:03am
ok i am wworried. you didn’t get hurt or anythin right? 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 17, 1:29am
i did something to upset didn’t i. i am sorry wwhatevver i did 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 17, 7:14pm
i am sorry i wwill stop trying to find out wwho you are i promise 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 18, 6:42pm
i miss you i nevver thought i wwould get so attached so fast. i am really sorry be ok please text me back 

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 19, 10:00am
hey, smile right now

His hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he walked through campus towards where he knew Eridan would be. Sollux had a frown set on his face as he moved. His mind kept flickering back to the texts the rich boy had sent him, not knowing it was him. It was blatantly obvious that the other was craving attention. If not just from the texts and how he looked around campus, then from how Feferi complained about the other being depressed.

Sollux knew now that Eridan didn’t mean anything by his words on Saturday, but it still stung. He knew the stupid male didn’t know what sort of minefield he had stepped on with the offhanded comment during the fight.

Aradia and Feferi had tried to convince him to forgive the ignorant rich boy, but it hadn’t worked until the text he had received in the morning.

He stood a few feet behind Eridan once he had found him. He pulled out his cell phone and typed a quick text. 

From: Sollux Captor
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 19, 11:49pm
hey ampora, smiile for me 

Sollux watched as Eridan nearly jumped out of his skin from watch he assumed was the text message. The other slowly pulled out his cell phone and gasped audibly. With a chuckle Sol made his way to the bench his target sat at.

He took a seat at the other end of the bench glancing at the other student out of the corner of his eye. Sollux was waiting until Eridan looked up at him. The male glanced up after a moment and the smile that had been caressing the corners of his lips vanished. He scooted to the other end of the bench regarding Sollux warily.

A deep breath was taken in before he spoke, “I am sorry about hitting you.” Obviously Eridan hadn’t expected that, his eyes widened. It was only momentarily though. He had opened his mouth to say something, but Sollux stopped him. “Ok listen; I am adopted so you’re stupid comment was a really fucking low blow.”

That silenced whatever he had been going to say and his mouth snapped shut. The wealthier male stared at his counterpart for a moment before looking forward and saying, “sorry.”

An awkward silence descended between them, thick and uncomfortable. The computer student could only handle so much. He got what he came here for. He never expected to make friends with Eridan; the other hated him too deeply for that. He didn’t really want to be friends with the other anyways. He just didn’t like the way things were sitting with him, it had driven him stir crazy.

He came, he apologized, and now he was free to leave. Sollux made a move to stand up when the familiar voice asked something.

“Why?”

With a glance over at Eridan he saw that somehow they had gotten closer to each other, or was it just not so much tension and animosity between them. He gave a questioning hum and Eridan’s eyes darted up to look into his.

“Why did you come to tell me that?”

After a couple of blinks Sollux answered, “I was convinced you deserve it.” After he said that he stood up stretching even though he hadn’t been there more than possibly ten minutes. “Well, see you around.”

He gave a little wave and walked off. As he was walking away he pulled out his cell phone. There was a response waiting for him.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor
Sent: April 19, 12:03pm
you texted back!

He gave a little chuckle at it before typing out his reply.

From: Sollux Captor
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 19, 12:14pm
2orry. just wanted two see you smiile.

He checked his other texts, the one from KK and the one from Dave. Neither of them were very important so he pocketed the phone without responding and headed towards the girl’s apartment.

It only took him a few minutes to walk there. Seconds after he gave the door a knock it was thrown open and he received an armful of bubbly female.

“Oh thank you Sollux!” was squealed into his ear.

“Hello to you too FF, what am I being thanked for?” Sollux questioned with a chuckle.

She released her hold on him and pulled him into her home. “I just received a call from Eridan and he sounded so much better!” She started, “he said you came to tell him sorry and he sounded happy about it.”

The only male in the apartment gave an awkward smile. “He tells you everything doesn’t he. That was fast, I was just there.” He looked over to the other female who was walking over to the pair; she gave him an approving smile.

“You made him happy Sollux! Really I can’t thank you enough,” Feferi continued hugging him again.

The male let out another awkward laugh, not knowing how to handle her happiness at his actions. “Um, no problem FF.”

Chapter 7

 Eridan Ampora sat across from Feferi Peixes nibbling on the pastry he had in front of him. This was the first time in weeks that they two of them had spent time alone together.

It felt good to be able to talk to her face to face just the two of them, he had missed it. Whenever they had been together other people had been around, mostly Aradia or Sollux. Now though that they were alone it felt like things were right. But it wasn’t the same as before.

Eridan noticed it, that the way he reacted to Feferi was different. Before she was the center of his thoughts and he would hone in on her as soon as she was in the vicinity. That had changed now. He still was deeply connected to her, but his heart didn’t flutter in her presence.

It was a painful to be realizing, but Eridan decided not to think on it anymore. Somewhere in the past few weeks he had given up the thought of ever dating her. When he realized he hadn’t really even been thinking about it, the young male resigned his thoughts.

“It’s been awesome seeing you Eridan!” Feferi said drawing him out of his thoughts.

He glanced back up at the female. She was smiling at him, the smile he had become so used to. “Same to you Fef,” he replied.

“No really! It feels like it’s been so long since we hung out just us two. I was missing you; you’re one of my best friends!”

The male chuckled at her pout, she never would change. “You are my best friend Fef, I missed you too.”

Feferi opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. She proceeded to pull out her phone, presumably receiving a text message. Her eyes widened. “Oh no!” she exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Eridan asked suddenly concerned.

“I am late to meet Aradia for the movie we agreed to see!” the female looked up from her cell, “I’m sorry Eridan! I got so wrapped up in our conversation.”

The elder of the two waved it off, “it’s alright Fef.”

“I’m sorry to run off so fast, but Aradia finished lunch with Sollux nearly half an hour ago and has been waiting for me!”

At the sound of that guy’s name Eridan remembered something he had wanted to ask. “That’s fine. Go on and hurry off, we’ll meet up again another day. Oh, could you send me Sol’s phone number later?”

 The young woman stopped in her packing up to look at him. “You want Sollux’s number?” The shock was written all over her face. Eridan just nodded and it was like someone put the sun in her smile when it made its way across her lips. “Of course I will send it to you!”

She dropped everything and dug her phone out of her pocket quickly texting him the number. She skipped over to his side of the table and flung her arms around his neck.

“Thank you Eridan!” she let go of him and gathered up her stuff again, “I will see you later!” With those words she hurried out of the little café.

The male watched her leave and once she was out of sight pulled out his phone and looked at the number she sent him.

From: Fef
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: April 29, 1:12pm
Here is Sollux’s number xxx-xxx-xxxx 

The last week after the apology moment the pair had gotten along a little better. They still fought like cats and dogs, but it was almost a friendly thing. Sometimes they hit sore spots and someone got a bruise, but they were getting better at avoiding those subjects. 

It was almost endearing. Sollux paid him attention most of the time. Even when he was being ignored by the computer geek it was in a way that wasn’t the same as everyone else.

Eridan felt that something was developing between him and that former stranger. Even if Sollux Captor didn’t feel the same way yet, he was going to work on this relationship.

Looking at the number it seemed sort of familiar, but he didn’t think anything of it as he highlighted it. He moved to save it, but an error came up on his phone.

Contact already in use.

“What?” Eridan mumbled to himself.

He quickly went flipping through his contacts to see if somehow he had Sollux added to his phone. He didn’t find the other male’s name in his phone, but his eyes were caught by one contact.

Friendly Stranger
xxx-xxx-xxxx

He stared at the number and then opened Fef’s text again. The two numbers were the same. He went back to the contact and his thumb hovered over the talk button.

He had been wondering who the stranger that texted him and made his day was. He had been driven crazy about it. But he promised to not try to find out who he or she was anymore.

What if it had been Sollux the whole time? What did that mean?

In a surge Eridan pressed the call button. Holding the phone up to his ear everything else around him seemed to stop. He couldn’t hear anything but that ringing. After far too long the phone picked up and he heard that familiar lisping voice.

“Yes? What is it?” there was a pause and the man on the other side of the phone huffed, “Dave if that’s you I am already on my way so chill out and stop bothering me.”

Eridan gasped and let out a squeak of the other person’s name before quickly hanging up.

He dropped his phone on the table in front of him staring at it. It had been Sollux Captor on the end. That means Sollux had been the one texting him all this time.

Picking up the phone again he edited the contact, changing the name “Friendly Stranger” to “Sol”. He put his phone back down and rested his forehead on the table.

This was too much and he really didn’t know how to deal with this. Everything was swarming in his head, buzzing around; he needed someone to talk to.

Standing up he called up the one person he knew who would listen and tell him shit as it is. Well the one person besides Fef who was busy at the moment.

“Hey Kar, can I come over?”

Chapter 8

The dial tone buzzed in his ear after a moment and Sollux pulled the phone away to give it a look as if it had called him instead of whoever had been on the other end. He had answered it expecting Dave or KK to be calling about something or other, but whoever was on the other end had been silent before squeaking his name. Whoever it had been was weird.

The skinny male looked at the caller id and nearly dropped the phone. Thankfully his technology attached fingers would never let him do that. Still the name that was displayed in glowing letters was an intense shock. It read the name of the one person he wasn’t expecting, Eridan Ampora.

Breath caught in his throat and he spun around ready to run… somewhere. It was a knee jerk reaction. But he stopped when his brain caught up to his body. With the ability to think restored Sol realized that he really didn’t have anywhere to run to. What was he going to do run to Eridan? What would he say anyways? It wasn’t as if he could say anything.

Obviously Eridan knew who was texting him now. Sollux had no idea how the other male was going to take it. There’s the high likelihood that he’ll be pissed. But there also is the chance he’ll take it well… but would it bring awkwardness to their relationship, whatever the fuck the relationship is anyways. They aren’t really friends, but not enemies either. It’s already awkward enough as is. He really didn’t know which situation would be more stressful.

Letting a groan escape he pocketed the cell phone and continued to head back home. Maybe a good working spree would break this nausea welling inside him. He had homework he could work on, or he could work on some free time codes to sell. If it came down he could make a new virus and get some fun out of it.

Along the walk back he ducked into the Starbucks and picked up a coffee. A strong coffee, filled with caffeine and sugar. The way his head was blowing things up, he’d end up in some all night coding spree to stop thinking, he’d probably forget to eat too. Dave would probably fix that whenever he got home from his own job.

Finally the young male made it to his apartment complex. Fourth floor, eighth room on the right, he jammed the key into the lock and swung the door open.

Slipping off his shoes in the doorway he headed back towards his room. He was nearly there, when he got stopped. Something, or more like someone, grabbed the back collar of his shirt and pulled him away from his sanctuary.

“Woah, what’s the hurry? Did someone drop ice down your pants bro?” the quirked voice of the other male that lived in this apartment said.

“Let me go Strider,” Sollux replied exaggerating his lisp on the other’s name.

A chuckle came from behind him, “not until you tell me what fire was set to your ass.”

“I’m going to spend the night working on my codes,” Sollux gave up, “it’s really not any of your business.”

“Oh it is my business when I’m going to be the one forcing sustenance down your throat,” the smirk could be heard in the deep undertones of his voice. “I have to keep you nourished. I can’t have a dead roommate; I’d be the one to take the fall. I couldn’t handle the harsh life behind bars. You know I would drop the soap and then shit would go down. My ass is sacred and I can’t have it being defiled like a virgin by filthy guys. Gross dude, seriously gross, fuck that.”

A chuckle couldn’t help but be ripped from the young computer nerd’s lips, “Dave shut up.”

“That would be a no can do, at least until you start talking.”

Sollux turned and looked back at the barely taller male, “why not?”

Even from behind the shades it was easy to see one of those eyebrows raise. “You left here ready to go have an awesome time with one of your chicks and happier than I’d seen you in months,” Dave started explaining, “then you come back like someone shit all over your day and the hounds of hell were at your heels.”

Everything was silent between them for several long moments. Sollux was waiting to see if Dave’s resolve would break, but he already knew that it wouldn’t.

The younger Strider had a strong will when he wanted to. He also didn’t back down when it came down to the safety of his friends, which somehow Sollux had gotten himself classified as.

“So he found out,” he said breaking the silence. Dave’s face blank as it seemed, told him to go on. “The guy I’ve been texting, he found out it was me. It’s a stressful situation.”

The hand that had been attached to his collar released and his shirt fluttered back into place. That hand moved up and ruffled his hair in an obnoxious fashion that was surprisingly comforting.

“You’re coming out with me tonight.”

That was all that Dave said before walking off to his room. The air was one full of finality and Sollux couldn’t help but groan.

The resident “cool kid” was right though. Going out with Dave would get his mind off of the problems. Granted he’d probably lose his entire mind for the night anyways with the amount of alcohol he was likely to consume.

This was probably even better. Now he wouldn’t even have the chance to think about why this was affecting him so much. Why would anything to do with Eridan really bother him? Besides the rich boy asshole saying stupid shit again, but that was just ‘cause the idiot didn’t know the limits. He should even care what Eridan thought of him.

Fuck that train of thought.

“Hey Dave, you’d better tell KK you’re kidnapping me for the night then!” he shouted in the direction of Dave’s room before heading into his room to get ready.

You can’t wear everyday clothes to a club if you can’t pull it off right.

Chapter 9

Eridan pounded his fist against the wooden door a few days before shuffling in place. He was nervous enough as is, his nerves frayed at the ends and expanding with cracks to his core; he really didn’t like waiting either.

Just beyond the door he heard a crash followed by a screech that sounded distinctly like a noise Karkat would make. There was more of a roaring mass of noise before silence. In that silence the door opened.

In the doorway stood the very tall other resident of that apartment, Gamzee Makara. His lazy eyes looked down at Eridan, with almost a hint of sizing him up, but that might just be the intimidating height speaking.

The side of his lips quirked, “hey there brother, Karkat said you’d be coming over.”

He stepped aside and held the door open for the smaller male to come in. The door shut behind him and Gamzee stepped around him heading back towards where his room was.

“Gamzee, I told you to get that mass of clutter out of the living room! Don’t waste our space with your mess like you waste your miniscule amount of brain cells.”

That venom filled voice pulls Eridan’s attention from the giant towards the midget. Karkat stood glaring at his roommate, the scowl constantly present on his face.

The taller male just gave a lazy smile and said, “I don’t have anywhere else to put them.”

“Then throw them in one of the piles you already have in that stink infested shit hole you call a room. I will dump them in the trash if they aren’t gone by tonight.” Karkat turned his attention towards his guest. “What are you standing there for, get your well fed ass in here, you obviously came for something.”

Eridan quickly scurried in and followed Karkat towards his room. Insults were a sign of affection, ok not really, that’s just the way Karkat operated.

Once he was inside the safety of the room he took the computer chair and spun it around so he would be facing his friend who had taken his seat on the bed.

“Alright, you came here needing to spill the feelings in your guts, so spill,” Karkat said.

Eridan shifted in his seat for a moment before saying, “Sol has been texting me.”

Karkat’s eyebrows raised slightly, “Sol as in Sollux?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t supposed to know it though,” he explains. “He’s been texting me without letting me know who he was and he’d freak out any time I tried to figure out who he was.”

The cell phone was pulled out from his pocket and opened to a few of the texts. Eridan had locked them to his phone. He handed it over to Karkat to read them. A very confused look came over the smaller male as he read the messages.

“I asked Fef for his number today when I had lunch with her. When I went to put it in my phone, it didn’t work,” he took the phone back. “I called the number for the stranger and Sol picked up.”

Everything went silent between them. Eridan just bathed in his own thoughts, stewing over what had just transpired. All he did was allow the sound of Sol’s voice coming from the cellular device to play in his head over and over.

Finally Karkat broke the silence, “so what?”

The attention of the wealthier boy snapped to his friend. The scowl had returned and there wasn’t a trace of confusion on his face. “What?” he asked fumbling over the word, shocked at the other’s reaction.

“So what,” he repeated, “Sollux was texting you and not being a complete asshole by doing so. In fact he was being a nice in a way that rarely happens especially when you pissed on his shit before. Why is that fact bothering you?”

Eridan made a gaping fish face before snapping his jaw shut and retorting with, “because it’s Sol!”

“Do you hate Sollux? Obviously not if you’ve given him a nickname, you only give nicknames to your friends. So why is this bothering you?”

Before an answer could be given Karkat’s phone rang. Some band Eridan didn’t recognize played as the other fished the phone out of his pocket. He took the moment the other was on the phone to think, while still catching one side of the conversation.

“What do you want prick?” “You’re doing what? Has your cerebral cortex started malfunctioning, what would even make you amuse the idea that this would be good at all?!” “He’s what?” “Are all the idiots reacting as if their worlds are coming to a detestable end today?”

Eridan noticed that Karkat’s eyes were boring into him as if seeing into his soul. It was unnerving in all sorts of ways.

“Fine, I’ll be there, don’t you let him get swept away by any greedy loose handed guy or I will hang you out to dry!” “Don’t call me that, insufferable prick!”

The phone was hung up and stuffed back into the denim confines. All the attention was put back on Eridan.

“What bothers you about Sollux being the person texting you? Why does Sollux being nice to you? Why would you bring it to me?” Karkat stands up, “think about it Eridan.”

The smaller male walks out of the room yelling at his roommate some more, leaving Eridan to his thoughts for the time being.

He knew he didn’t hate Sollux, and it was now pretty obvious he wasn’t hated either. He wasn’t particularly upset about being lied too now that he thought about it. The texts had started coming in when he really felt he hated Sol for stealing Fef away.

Why was he upset that it was Sol?

He didn’t want to admit it. The text had made him happy, indescribably so. Whoever had been texting him was important to him. He might even say he had been starting to like them.

Was it that he didn’t want this developing crush to be on someone he was only starting to like?

He did have to admit that the other male was attractive. He even thought so when he had first met him. Also now knowing that it was Sol made the texts make even more sense. It made them more real.

Eridan stood up and went over to where he heard Karkat and Gamzee. He walked in on what he assumed was the smaller male wrestling a shirt onto the other. The both stopped and looked at him when they noticed his presence.

“I might like him,” he finally said.

He was answered with an eye roll, “well no duh.” Karkat went back to clothing his roommate. “We’re heading out to make sure the computer dork doesn’t melt his mind and get in a shit ton of trouble tonight.” Karkat stood back up and gave Eridan a death threatening glare, “but if you hurt him I swear I will hang you by your intestines.”

Suddenly his mouth was dry as he swallowed back the fear that welled there. Hopefully this wasn’t the wrong decision.

Chapter 10

Sollux Captor leaned against the far wall of the club watching the dancers on the floor. He had a drink thick with alcohol in his hand, this being maybe the third or fourth, he couldn’t remember. It was weak and left him tipsy, not drunk yet though.

He had come here after being dragged out by Dave. The other would not let him spend the night coding in the safety of his room. So he was pulled along, willingly, to forget his problems. It wasn’t really working well. Thus here he was bored and annoyed out of his mind waiting for Dave to be done so they could go home.

The music lulled and Sollux looked back up to where Dave usually was rooted and noticed that they cool kid wasn’t there. The brown haired boy looked around when someone tapped him on his shoulder. He looked to his left and saw Dave. After living with him for months Sollux had gotten to the point where he could almost read his near blank expressions… Dave was irritated.

“You will get out there and dance, the next song is yours.” The words were final and Dave headed back to his place. Sollux knew he couldn’t argue with his ride home and roommate so he forced himself off the wall and went out into the crowd.

Weaving into the crowd as the beat picked up again, the smaller male joined the dancers, if they could be called that as it was more like a giant orgy with their clothes on. After the initial awkwardness he began to let go and go with the flow. It was the same way he had met Dave about a year and a half ago. Who would have thought he would end up living with the man who taught him to grind to the beat.

He was alone in the crowd yet moving with it. Everything began picking up, pulling him in. Slowly he started to lose himself in the music. Even though music wasn’t his thing, Sollux could appreciate a good beat. His hips swayed in what could only be called a sexy way, his body had a bit of a bounce to it, and his arms were active moving slowly in contrast to the rest of him.

Still even moving to the sound as he was, Sollux did not expect the feeling of hands on his hips and for someone to press right up against his back. He nearly jumped in shock, but he knew Dave was watching and he would scold the smaller boy and probably get into a rant about keeping cool. So Captor allowed his captor to dance with him. Thankfully the other was a pretty skilled dancer. Together the pair moved to the sick beats that filled the club. It seemed to be slow, but it must have been very fast for normal speed, but the strangers arms wormed around Sollux’s waist to pull him closer.

There came the perfect moment and the stranger spun Sollux around and he had a chance to stare up at the other dancer and he was shocked to see Eridan. He wiggled trying to escape; he wasn’t ready to face this yet. But he stopped when he noticed he wasn’t getting anywhere, the other male’s grip on him was too strong.

Now the pair was pressed chest to chest and groin to groin grounding against one another. Sollux found it… arousing.

Eridan leaned in and spoke into the other’s ear, “dance with me.” The breath slid across his ear in a sensational way. His body was super charged and soon his mind was occupied only with this other man and the friction he could feel between them.

They slid against each other, to the beat, but in their own little world. Every worry he had previously had faded away as the body heat, arousal, and alcohol began to do their work.

Electricity ran between the pair, turning them into two magnets, attracted. Their bodies were already fitted perfectly to one another. The only place where air was able to flow between them was their faces. Slowly that distance closed each male flickering between gazing into the other’s eyes and glancing at the parted lips.

Dry chapped lips met slightly moist ones sliding clumsily together. There was a careful testing of the waters for a moment before everything exploded. Each male pressing his lips tighter to his counterparts, tongue peaked out from behind teeth running across each other, brushing lips.

Eridan let out a soft moan which sent a shiver down Sollux’s spine. They pulled apart to catch a moment of breath. The tipsy one of the pair leaned back in taking the bottom lip between his teeth and tugging lightly. He relished in the feeling of the other arching into him.

By now the beginnings of hard-ons were forming. The music back to lull again and Eridan pulled back, stepping away, but pulling Sollux with him. They slid through the crowd making their way to the outer edges of the throngs of people.

Captor groaned as he was pushed up against one of the walls. The warm body of the one he was lusting after pressed up against him. They didn’t lock lips again, but basked in the pressure between them, breath mingling together. Sollux knew he could easily switch how this was, but he really didn’t want to.

Finally Eridan spoke, “your place or mine.”

~*~*~

The initial feeling of warmth faded away as Sollux began to wake and a cold settled around him. A shiver ran up and down his spine as he opened his eyes to discover the reason he felt so cold. The reason was clear he was alone.

Despite the way he had acted the brunette had been far from intoxicated the previous night. Despite having sex with a person he would have never expected to sleep with Captor had been completely aware of his actions. So why was he surprised that Eridan Ampora was gone when he awoke?

Slowly he sat up ignoring the feeling in his lower back and looked around. There was some blood on the sheets, probably from when Ampora had bitten him; he probably should get that fixed up. In fact he should probably clean himself off, he was a mess.

All thoughts of cleaning left his mind as he spied a folded piece of paper that he clearly remembers not being there the night before. Carefully he reached over and plucked it off the bedside table and then flicked it open.

I had to go. It was signed with his name

Anger boiled up in the young man’s veins. What did that asshole think he was? A whore? Sollux was suddenly willing to bet money that’s the only reason he came on to him last night. In fact he was shocked that the other didn’t leave any money.

Or maybe this was a way to get back at him for everything. There was the possibility Eridan hated him that much he had to get revenge.

He was enraged… and incredibly depressed. Really did he think he was going to get lucky that way? All his luck ran out when he met Dave, he used it all to meet his roommate. Fuck that shit.

Chapter 11

Monday morning Eridan wandered around campus looking for a certain computer nerd. On Saturday night he had the time of his life. Everything about that night was strong in his memories. The way Sollux had felt against him, it had been more than he had ever expected.

It had been something wonderful; Eridan would probably never forget it. But when Sunday morning had rolled around the wealthier boy fled the apartment he had woken up in. He needed to think.

It had only been a few hours before he met up with Sollux that he realized the possibility of liking the male. So he left in the morning and spent all of Sunday thinking about things. By the evening he had come to the conclusion that he really did like the other male. Everything about him was frustratingly endearing. Even Feferi, who had gotten a nice long earful of Eridan’s rant, told him that all the signs pointed to him liking the other male.

He hadn’t been really expecting it, but his heart had been waiting to see if Sollux would call or text at least. He figured the other wouldn’t, it really wasn’t the computer nerd’s character to do that. It still gnawed at his spirit slightly.

Now the question burned in his mind, did Sollux like him back? Karkat informed Eridan that his friend did indeed swing both ways, so that wasn’t a hindering factor. But did he even have a chance?

No matter how that question burned him, the young male decided he wasn’t going to back down from this. His feelings towards the other male were more intense than anything he had felt before and he wouldn’t let go of that, not yet.

No matter what the answer to his questions were, when he saw Sollux sitting there in the middle of the campus, alone, his feet immediately took him to the other’s side. He was messing around on his laptop in the midst of the falling leaves of autumn on campus. It was a breath taking sight.

“Hey Sol,” he said as he approached the other.

When Sollux looked up, his eyes partially covered by the tinted glasses, Eridan felt his heart stop. He watched what he believed to be shock run through the other’s eyes. He felt hope soar in his very being.

It didn’t last long. Almost immediately after Sol had looked up at him the other male quickly shut his laptop and stuffed it in his bag moving as quickly as possible to get away.

Eridan moved to stop him and received a well aimed punch directly to the stomach. Any hope he had felt was all crushed, shattered, and destroyed by the words that left Sollux’s pale lips. “You’re an asshole.”

The force of the punch had caused Eridan to curl in on himself a bit. He stood there shocked as he watched Sollux storm off. He could barely even register what had just happened much less understand it.

Just his luck, as he’s recovering from the pain the student heard his name screeched by a familiar voice. Looking off to the side the sight of Karkat storming towards him fills his vision. He barely has time to jump back before the smaller male takes a swipe at him.

He moves to take another swipe when he is held back by the tall blonde Eridan recognized as Sollux’s roommate.

“I should kill you right now!” The yelling brought his attention back to the friend who would appear to be angry at him.

“What did I do?” he questioned frantically.

Karkat scowled, “you’re a floor licking traitor. I gave you assistance and you just wasted it! I should rip your throat out right now. Strider let go of me!”

Luckily for him Dave kept his grip on the fiery ball of fury, an arm wrapped around his waist and the other holding his arm. Of course Eridan didn’t really trust the other either, so he backed away slowly.

“No really Kar, what did I do?” he questioned.

He stopped struggling after letting out a noise of rage and just stiffed against the male holding him. “Do you know what you did? Why the ever loving fuck would leave him after that? You worthless piece of rotting meat, you have no clue what you caused with that do you?”

The words flowed fast from the other’s lips and it took a moment to catch them. “Leave him? You mean Sol?”

“Who else would I be talking about?” Karkat said as he snarled at Eridan, “you treat him like he’s some whore you could pick up at any club. Was that what you wanted from him all along?”

“Wait, Sol was hurt by me leaving in the morning?” he quickly asked, his eyes widening slightly.

The question seemed to disarm the furious kitten. He froze and then his pissed expression shifted to a curious one, still angry though. “You didn’t even figure that out? Who in their right minds would leave after sleeping with someone unless it was a one night stand?”

“A one night,” Eridan balked at the thought, “it wasn’t!”

A chuckle came from the third member of their group and it drew everyone’s attention to him. The blond released his grip on Karkat in favor of wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “You really are an idiot aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

Eridan gasped and opened his mouth to retort that statement, but was cut off by Karkat. “You sleep with someone then leave in the morning without saying anything, that’s a douche move. No wonder Sollux hates you now, trust me wrong move.”

Thinking about it now… it probably was not the best idea he ever had. “What do I do?”

“Give up,” was Karkat’s immediate answer as he was trying to get out of the Strider’s hold.

“Try to woo him,” was the other’s response.

The slightly lost young man decided to listen to the blonde’s advice. “How do I woo him?”

The two stopped awkwardly fighting each other to look back at him. They both stared at him, or he assumed so since he could only see one pair of eyes as the other pair was hidden. Finally Karkat spoke up, “prove to him that you like him. You already got off on the wrong foot, but if you can prove to him that you really mean it, he might give you a chance.”

“Good luck,” Dave said a bit of a smirk teasing at his lips, “skinny boy is a hard one to win the trust of. You are in for a long ride.”

Chapter 12

The past week had been intensely frustrating for Sollux Captor. He had to change his normal patterns all to avoid the most annoying male in the entire world. He really didn’t want to see that one Eridan Ampora.

The events of the prior weekend had weighed heavily on shoulders on Sunday and even on Monday morning when he woke up. He really hadn’t wanted to go to his classes that day, but Dave basically dragged him to campus on Monday. The blonde was not going to stand for his roommate spending the week mopping. Instead he spent the day on campus trying to pretend nothing had happened.

That is until Eridan was right in front of him. Anger rose inside of Sollux as his eyes came to rest on the asshole that dared come up to him during the school day. He couldn’t help himself, but to deliver that blow and those words.

Even though he had tried to avoid it he saw the look he was given, he saw that look on the other’s face. Eridan looked like his heart was torn out from his chest. The very look on his face made Sollux’s own heart stop beating and break in half. It was horrible.

But then he remembered exactly what the imbecile had done to him and his resolve strengthened. He wouldn’t even try to deal with this shit.

He hadn’t expected what came next though. Eridan Ampora apparently didn’t give up.

The rest of Monday, Sollux’s phone blew up with random texts from the other male. He refused to read any of them and ended up asking the blind girl to delete them for him. That night he had the number blocked and that ended that.

On Tuesday the game was stepped up. Somehow Eridan had found out his entire schedule and was everywhere all day asking him to go on a date. He had been standing outside every single class; thankfully he only had two classes. He was at the usual café. He was in every single spot of respite. By the end of the day Sollux had camped out at home.

On Wednesday he had successfully avoided seeing the other face to face, by walking the most round-a-bout ways to his classes and arriving just before they started, but the other sent AA after him. She handed him a note.

One lens is red
The other is blue
Let me be your prince
and I will never wrong you

There was only one person who that could be from. Letting out a growl he crumbled it in his fist and shoved it in his pocket to be thrown away. Though somehow if he was divulging the truth he would have to admit it never made it to the trash.

Thursday was the last straw for Sollux; he had been paranoid about running in to Eridan all day. He had basically been on his toes through every class, yet the other hadn’t shown up. He was tired and getting stressed out by all this.

He had been starting to think he finally got the other to back down, for some reason that made him even more upset and he couldn’t understand it. Finally he returned home but was in for a shock. Taped to the door were two flowers, a large sunflower and a smaller red tulip.

He stood there staring at the door until he heard the voice of Terezi Pyrope. Ripping the flowers off the door he shoved them into her hands, saying something about giving them to the guy she liked before he sped off from his home.

Even there wasn’t safe anymore, he had to go to the one place he could get away and think about everything, FF and AA’s place. The girl’s hadn’t been all that surprised at his sudden arrival and invited him in. Almost immediately he relaxed. But their lack of shock should have clued him in that something was going on. It hadn’t, so he had been blindsided when Feferi brought up the topic.

“Sollux maybe you should give him a chance,” she said.

It effectively cut off the rambling he had been performing the moment before. Quite literally in the middle of a word Sollux stopped and looked up at her.

“What?” he questioned.

“Maybe you should give Eridan a chance,” she repeated, “he’s really serious about this. I’ve never seen him so serious about anyone before. Even when he was dating Vriska in high school he hadn’t been this serious.”

The words bounced off of him, the only thing he could say was, “he dated Vriska?”

“Yes, but that’s not what we are talking about. Sollux, can’t you just give him a chance? I know he’s hard to deal with sometimes, but he really likes you.”

He quickly shook his head, “there’s no way he likes me. He got what he wanted already and I’m not giving it to him again. Besides who would like me, they’d have to be out of their minds.”

As he said the words a gentle hand ruffled his hair. A glance to the side revealed Aradia giving him a soft smile. “He really does like you,” she said, “just think about it ok?”

She stood up after her words and led the other girl away. AA knew him best and knew he needed time to think. So think he did. He questioned everything.

Why was Eridan doing all of this? Was there something more he wasn’t seeing? Should he give the other a chance? Everyone else seemed to think he should, even Dave and KK were agreeing on that. Why would the other like him anyways? Most importantly though, how did he feel about Eridan?

That last question stumped him. He sat there deep in thought; he didn’t notice someone approach him. He didn’t notice as the couch next to him dipped. He didn’t notice anything until soft lips pressed against his cheek causing him to jolt right out of his skin.

His head snapped violently to the side and he leapt back deeper into the couch. His eyes caught the familiar tuff of purple hair and he knew exactly who was sitting next to him, the very object of his thoughts.

Before he could react his wrists were snagged and he was shoved against the couch, pinned down by a warm body. At first he struggled but quickly realized Eridan was stronger than he seemed. Sure Sollux could easily over power him, but that would take a will that he didn’t possess at the moment.

He gave up the struggled and said, “what do you want?”

“You never said no,” was the reply he received after a moment of silence.

“What?”

“You never said no to my question,” Eridan repeated. It was obvious what he was talking about, and it was even more obvious that he wouldn’t leave until he got the answer.

The pair stared each other down, if someone walked in it would have seemed like a battle of wills, but that wasn’t what was happening. Eridan, sure, was showing his iron will on this subject, but Sollux, he was looking for any crack in that will. He was looking for any sign that this was a joke, he found none.

The automatic answer of no hovered on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it, instead words that Eridan probably never expected passed his lips.

“Fine, just one and it better be good.”

Chapter 13

He checked and double checked himself in the mirror adjusting the scarf wrapped around his neck. This night had to be perfect; he had been given a shot at winning Sollux Captors heart and he was not going to let this pass him by. His plans had been made as he tailored them to Sollux’s tastes. He had asked everyone for help, he really wanted this to go well.

It had been a bit of a shock to his system to discover while asking around that Aradia had been Sol’s girlfriend in high school. She had given some really good advice. Also Karkat and Dave had a little bit too much insight, it had been unsettling.

After checking himself over once more, Eridan grabbed his keys and headed out. Sol’s apartment was only a few minutes away so he arrived a bit ahead of time. The butterflies in his stomach wouldn’t let him sit there and wait so he headed up.

When the door was answered it wasn’t Sollux, but instead his roommate. The blank stare that Dave gave everyone was unnerving on normal occasions, today it was worse seeing as he was already unnerved. Somehow when the corners of his lips twitched into a smirk it didn’t help.

“Hey Captor the Prince is here,” the blond called out into the apartment as he ushered Eridan into the apartment shutting the door behind them.

“Shut up Strider!”

A chuckle came from the other male and he turned his attention to Eridan. “The dork will be out soon,” he said slinging an arm around the slightly shorter male’s shoulders. “But before he does I’m going to make it clear that if you mess this up Vantas has no qualms about kicking your ass.” The arm removed itself and Dave started walking away, “oh and I have no problem joining him.”

Eridan kept a wary eye on him as he left and went into a room. He had gotten a few threats since beginning his pursuit of Sollux; really that guy didn’t know how many people cared about him. It was unnecessary though, since the plan was to not let this night go to waste.

While waiting for Sollux, he took a look around the apartment. It was smaller than his and filled with wires everywhere. It couldn’t really be called dirty, but it was cluttered.

Before he could think much more on it, the man he had been waiting on came out. The first thing Eridan noticed is that Sollux wasn’t wearing those dual colored lens, instead he was wearing regular frames. They looked really nice on him, but he seemed less comfortable with them on.

“What are you staring at?” Sollux asked with a slight sneer.

“You look,” he paused for a second, “nice.”

“What was that pause for?”

Eridan covered it by not responding and looking away, “you ready to go?”

He watched Sollux pat his pockets, probably making sure he had everything, “yeah let’s get this over.”

With those words the pair left the apartment and headed out to the car. Some of his confidence wavered at the words. He figured Sollux would have a negative outlook going into the date, but hearing it straight from the source killed off that hope. But, as soon as they reached the car a drive to make this change Sol’s mind came over him. He would make this the best date ever.

When someone makes a goal like that, usually the universe likes to bite them for it. Unfortunately Eridan felt that bite.

“It’s closed,” Sollux said.

The pair stood in front of the large building that was filled with aquatic life for the public viewing. Except on Sunday evenings it would seem, since the building was dark and fairly vacant at the moment. Eridan was staring in blatant shock while Sollux had his arms folded over his chest, not amused.

The shock faded after a moment and Eridan stalked off from the building heading back to his car. His date followed after him.

“Did you not check to see if it would be open?”

He refused to answer the question. Of course he hadn’t checked, he expected things to just fall into place once he had made the plans. Sollux stopped trying to get Eridan to talk after being ignored.

The pair clambered back into the car and it was silent as Eridan attempted to figure out where to go from there. His plans had been blown out of the water, now he had make things up as he went along.

“How about a movie?” he finally asks risking a glance at Sollux.

He was shocked to find the other’s eyes were locked on him, as if he had been staring. “I am pretty sure there’s nothing good playing right now, but we can go look anyways.”

The pessimist over there wasn’t going to get to him. A nervous smile spread across his face and he said, “We just got to be hopeful.”

Quickly he turned on his car and set out for the nearest cinema. He could feel those eyes on the side of his face; it took intense willpower to not look over. The staring was unnerving almost as much as the Strider’s stare is. It seemed that he learned something from living with that blonde.

Upon arrival Eridan practically scrambled to get out of the vehicle. It was as if the very air had been filled with electricity, it was intense.

Sollux didn’t seem to have the same problem. He slid out of the car and his hands found safety in his pockets. Everything about him screamed casual. It was almost infuriating that he didn’t seem to be affected by whatever just happened.

Shaking it off the pair walked to the front of the cinema and looked up at the screen that showed all the movies playing. Eyes narrowed at the lit up words.

All of the frustration welled up in Eridan at that moment. Finally he snapped, “Fuck that shit!”

“How articulate,” Sollux said.

“First that damned aquarium didn’t have the decency to be open and now the film industry doesn’t have anything worth seeing out? Is the whole world against me?”

After the short bout of yelling the upset male threw his arms around his date and just buried his face in the neck of the other. The suddenly captured man froze and tried to squirm out of the embrace. After realizing he wasn’t going he let out a sigh of defeat, patting him awkwardly.

Chapter 14

Sollux leaned on his palm watching Eridan drink the water he ordered. The other closed his eyes every time he took a drink; it was an irritatingly fascinating habit.

After the breakdown the hipster weirdo had they agreed to just go get food. They clambered back into the car and Eridan said he knew a place that for sure would be open. Thankfully it was. A small family run restaurant, Sollux was glad this was the sort of place they came; he had expected the other male to pick some sort of expensive place. This was much more comfortable.

Eridan put the glass down and opened his eyes to see those dual colored eyes staring right at him. It sent a jolt up his spine. “What are you staring at?”

“You drink like a weird ass,” Eridan opened his mouth to retort, but Sollux continued, “It’s sort of cute… in some strange way.”

He looked down at his glass with his lips pressed thin for a moment. "Yes, well, just because you drink water weird doesn't make it so for me. I drink it completely normally."

“You close your eyes like you’re savoring the water, it’s just water.”

That shut him up and gave him a chance to take a drink of his soda, using a straw like it should be. He kept his eyes on the other the whole time, it seemed to unnerve him.

“So do you have any other plans that are doomed to fail?” Sollux asked raising an eyebrow.

It was amusing how visually Eridan’s defenses went up at the comment. Those blue eyes sparked and hardened, his jaw set tight, and a frown covered his lips. “Well maybe if someone had accepted this date sooner we would have been able to do something.”

The smirk that had been forming on Sollux’s lips dropped quickly and he turned to look away from his date. This reaction caused Eridan’s defenses to drop as well. An awkward silence settled around them.

Finally the one who didn’t want this from the beginning broke the silence, “why?”

“Why what?” Eridan questioned.

A sneer crossed the pale chapped lips, “you know what I’m asking. Why did you ask me on this date? Why were you so persistent?”

At these questions the other looked off to the side, “why not?”

“Look if you’re doing this to get in my pants again,” Sollux started giving his date a look so intense it could only be called a death glare.

“No!” Eridan shouted other people turned to look at the pair. “No,” he said quieter this time, “that’s not it, I never…” he paused taking a breath. “Look I’m sorry about that; I wasn’t using you or anything like that. Besides, that was my first time.”

A soft red hue came over his cheeks and the other male sat there staring at him with slightly wide eyes. There was shock written all over his face. “That was your…”

The rest of his sentence never was said as the waitress chose that moment to place their food in front of them. A whole new level of awkward settled around them.

They began eating in silence. Sollux noticed after a few minutes that the other was eyeing his food and that his own had hardly been touched.

“Don’t you like it?” he asked pointing to Eridan’s fish dish.

The other flinched a bit, probably not expecting the question. “Oh its fine, just cooked a bit too much,” he said quickly moving to take another bite.

“You can have some of my stake if you want,” Sollux said after watching the other fumble around with eating. He pushed the plate towards him.

Eridan gave him a confused look to which he responded with a shrug and another nudge of the plate towards the other. The food was gratefully accepted. After this the silence returned, but it was comfortable.

When the check was placed on their table the blue eyed boy went to fetch his wallet. But a horrified look crossed his face, “fuck. You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me.”

Sollux looked up confused, “what?” His only response was the other’s head dropping onto the table with a thud. “Dude, what’s wrong?”

The answer was mumbled into the table and he couldn’t catch it so he asked again. Slowly Eridan picked his head up and gave the other a devastated look, “I left my fuckin’ wallet at home.”

A look of understanding spread through the dual colored eyes and he pulled out his own wallet. “I got it then.”

The meal was paid for and they got out of there as fast as possible. They didn’t even need to discuss it; the date was definitely over at that point, time to go home.

Sollux noticed Eridan glancing at him all throughout the car ride back to his apartment, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He was busy thinking. All too soon they reached the complex and Eridan insisted that he walk his date to his door.

Standing outside the door they both froze. What now?

Glancing over at the man he allowed to grace his presence and take him out on a date, Sollux noticed things. Those eyes were downcast and he was wringing his hands. It was obvious; he was waiting to be rejected.

Before Sol could speak the other spoke first, “this date was a disaster.”

Trying to speak again Captor was cut off yet again, this time by loud music suddenly blasting from inside the apartment. He spun around to scream at Dave when he suddenly recognized the song. He couldn’t help but laugh.

It seemed everyone was setting him up. Turning back around he saw Eridan’s confused look. He motioned for them to listen, the song played and he kept chuckling at random moments. He watched as insight came to his date and those dark blue eyes widened.

As soon as the song ended Sollux leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Eridan’s cheek. “I had fun; we should do it again sometime.”

Chapter 15

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 8, 11:03am
hey sol, do you wwanna eat lunch together?

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 8, 11:41am
2ure ii gue22, a2 long a2 we eat on campu2.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 8, 11:42am
meet me in the student center.

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 9, 5:00pm
come out2iide, ii am waiitiing.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 9, 5:03pm
come up here and pick me up like a gentleman!

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 9, 5:03pm
get down here or ii wiill driive off and leave you here alone. date canceled, you don’t want that do you?

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 9:26pm
hey sol, wwhy do you text wweiird?

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 9:31pm
diid you 2eriiou2ly text me that que2tiion? ii could a2k you the 2ame thing. ii 2ee tho2e doubled ‘w’2.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 9:33pm
wwell yours is wweirder! wwhat is wwith those 2s and doubled ‘i’s?

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 9:47pm
iif you have two a2k you aren’t 2mart enough two under2tand.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 9:48pm
hey!!!!!

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 9:54pm
what’2 your major?

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 9:57pm
huh? history, wwhy?

From: Sollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 10:18pm
fiinal2 are next week 2houldn’t you be 2tudyiing.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: Sollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 10:29pm
i wwill… next wweek.

From: 2ollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 10:55pm
2lacker.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: 2ollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 10:56pm
am not. are you studying, is that wwhy you take so long to respond?

From: 2ollux Captor <3
To: Eridan Ampora
Sent: May 10, 11:12pm
nope. ii don’t need two 2tudy, ii am playiing 2ome game2.

From: Eridan Ampora
To: 2ollux Captor <3
Sent: May 10, 11:13pm
asshole

The week of finals, it is hell to any student. There are far too many pointless tests; they keep a person up for hours. They cram so many useless facts into the cranium that will never be remembered.

Eridan had just finished up his last exam and was heading over to Fef’s place. She invited him over to celebrate the end of a long week. That would have been enough to get him to come, but she brought up that Sollux would be there.

The pair had been together in a sense for nearly two weeks now. Sure nothing was official, like no one said anything about dating or anything, but it was close enough. They ate together at least once a day and they spent more time in each other’s presence than they ever thought they would. Also there was quite a lot of kissing involved. Every kind of kiss was open game from extremely sloppy make outs which robbed people passing of their virgin eyes to simple pecks on the lips.

Sollux had even slept over at Eridan’s place twice. They didn’t do anything, but still it was nice to wake up next to a warm body even if it wasn’t specifically full on cuddling.

But the last week was a bit more straining on them, with the finals. They still saw each other and ate together, but it was shorter since they had odd hours for tests or needed to study. In fact today Eridan hadn’t caught even the slightest glance of the other.

He sighed as he let himself into the apartment. Feferi had given him her key saying both Aradia and herself would be out when he arrived and to just return it to the proper place when he got there.

He strolled in and dropped his bag by the entrance. He looked up and let out a surprised noise when he saw he wasn’t alone. Draped across the couch was the familiar body of Sollux. Slowly Eridan approached him and noticed he wasn’t wearing glasses and his eyes were closed.

He was asleep, he was seriously asleep! Eridan couldn't believe he actually stumbled upon the computer nerd sleeping. Except... he frozen by this revelation, mostly due to the fact he was stunned by how calm and peaceful the other male looked like this.

Eridan moved closer leaning over to get a better look. There was a small part in Sollux's lips were soft breath escaped him. His hair was slightly mused from a day of work. His eyes had no wrinkles or marks around them. His eyebrows were relaxed. Everything about the other was mesmerizing to Eridan. It was almost arousing. He knew the other was attractive, but this was something more entirely. The other looked absolutely perfect like this.

Eridan placed a hand on the back of the couch and leaned in closer to look behind the other's glasses. He got so close he could feel the breath on his face. It drew his gaze to those lips again, pink soft lips. It was only a moment before Eridan placed the gentlest of kisses on those lips.

Chapter 16

Sollux began to stir as he felt something warm brushing against his lips. With a breath in a well known smell invaded his senses. His hand shot up and held the kisser in place as he opened his eyes.

He could not get over how close to purple blue his eyes were. Especially with how wide they were at the moment from the shock of Sollux waking up. He leaned his head in to give the other a proper kiss, moving his lips against the others smoothly enjoying the warm electricity coursing through his veins.

After a moment he pulled back a bit letting his fingers slide through Eridan's hair and across his cheek. "That's how you wake someone up with a kiss." His fingers moved to slide over the other's lips once, pressing against them as he ran the finger over them.

Sollux chuckled at shocked look that was on Eridan’s face. He slowly sat up and stretched. “Where are FF and AA?”

“What was that?” Eridan said instead of answering the question.

“What?”

“That kiss, what was that?”

Sollux gave the other male a confused look, but ignored the question. He leaned in and gave another quick kiss. Before either of them had a chance to speak again the front door opened.

“We’re back,” Feferi’s exclaimed in her cheery voice.

“Welcome back,” Sollux called back standing up.

“Is Eridan,” she started as she entered the room, “oh Eridan you are here!” The other male straightened up and took his rightful place at Sollux’s side. “Since you both are here, would you mind helping me set up?”

“Sure FF,” Sollux said, “but first let me borrow Eridan.”

She nodded and made a shooing motion to them. He chuckled and grabbed the other’s hand and pulled him back towards the bedrooms. They entered Aradia’s room and Sollux shut the door behind him.

“Sol, what are we doing in here?” Eridan demanded.

The other put his finger to his lips before going and digging through the female’s closet. After a moment he came out with a single purple orchid.

He held the flower out to Eridan. The history major carefully took the flower and noticed the note hanging from the stem.

ii am not good wiith thii2
2o eriidan
be miine?
-Sol

~*~*~

Karkat scowled as he watched his friends engage in sloppy make outs. He moved to head over and yell at the new couple for their public display of affection, which was quite frankly sickening to watch (but wow Sollux really did like this one). Until he was stopped by fingers threading through his belt loops, pulling him back to a warm chest.

He looked up to yell at whatever idiot decided to intervene, but ended up scowling as he saw those stupid dorky sunglasses. Of course it would be that worthless asshole to stop him. He opens his mouth to yell at the other when the pain in the ass spoke first.

"You weren't thinking of bothering them now were you."

Being the Strider he didn't give Karkat a chance to answer, instead he took a hand into his and led the grump away from the couple. Karkat didn't go easily, but at least he didn't bother Sollux and Eridan when the geek boy was finally looking happy, happier than they had ever seen him be.

Dave dragged Karkat deeper into the party seeking out the blind girl who would definitely help him distract the other. The other couple would have enough troubles; least he could do is stop the walking tornado from bothering them.