Right, I'm sorry about this one. It's riddled with grammatical mistakes and it took so long because I'm really trying to get a kind of accent for Eridan? But I'm not really familiar with them as I am from Taiwan, so I've had to do a bit of research. I'm finding writing in English both harder and more difficult, but if you find something off, please just comment in the review and I will get back as soon as possible! I'd also like to thank you, I got far more follows than I could ever anticipate and even a favourite! Anyway I will shut up now please enjoy!
Only an idiot quits a 70k per annum job. That's what they told him. Especially when he announced he would be paid half of that. And then when he had announced it'd be over 300 miles from his family they had simply risen in uproar. But in all honesty, it suited him. He'd always felt his family were on his back. About his life choices, not having a girlfriend, not being married, not having a family. Eridan also found his job dull, overly demanding and overpaid. He had too much money, nothing to do with it and found his life had no value. So he quit, found a random place on the map and looked for jobs. He'd found one pretty quick, a independent computer game company, seemed ideal. He'd forwarded his credentials, written a letter and the next thing he knew, he was hired. He sold his house, bought a massive studio flat. It was looking pretty bare so far but he'd ordered a big load of stuff and really wanted to personalise the place.
His first day of work had gone well too. The atmosphere was pretty lay back, his computer was top of the range and he even had a flat screen on the wall. More than he had expected.
The biggest shock of all however was when he discovered his ex-girlfriend was working under him. He'd thought it would have been awkward, considering how it ended, but she was surprisingly cheerful. Even going as far to invite him for a drink later with a few others. He agreed, feeling he could at least make a few friends. And that was how he ended up swirling a gin and tonic morosely as the guy opposite got blind drunk.
He'd got changed before he'd arrived, choosing a sweater and scarf rather than the grey suit he wore for work, they'd settled down in good spirits (all apart from Equius who had shook his hand them communicated in a series of grunts) Feferi and her boyfriend Sollux were in good spirits. Eridan learnt that Fef was a designer now and her boyfriend was a programmer. He was friendly at first, but no sooner had he finished his first Jack Daniel's and Coke than he slipped into a depressive state. The conversation and vibe faded away with him, Feferi becoming increasingly more concerned with Sollux and Eridan's pocket feeling increasingly lighter.
"Aw, Sol you really should stop drinking…" Feferi spoke to him softly and hesitantly, trying to place her arm around him. He sat up slightly, shrugging her off, inaudibly muttering:
"No."
Eridan raised an eyebrow, frowning slightly, an odd relationship to say in the least.
"Can someone take a cab with him, I don't trust him to be alone..." Feferi enquired sweetly, looking around at everyone."
"Bicycle" Sollux muttered to the table.
"What?" Feferi enquired, Sollux simply muttered in return. Eridan raised a second eyebrow, chuckling slightly at the idiot before him.
"I'm guessin' he means he brought his bike so he can't use a taxi, yea? Where you livin' kid?"
Eridan waited for Sollux to respond, but surprisingly Equius did in response.
"He lives a few blocks south of here. By the bus station."
Eridan smiled,
"Well it just so happens that's where I'm currently residin'. I'll bring him home and walk the bike or whatever."
"Oh… Ok, great." Feferi was surprised for a moment, then smiled warmly, illuminating her cheeks which had become flushed by the alcohol. She hugged him, kissing him once on the cheek. "Thanks" she muttered into his ear, "Means a lot to me."
"No problem Fef" Eridan wrapped his scarf around his neck and shrugged on his jacket. "Nice meetin' ya Equius. He grasped the man's hand firmly for a second, before breaking away and sliding a hand under the shoulders of the weedy man.
"C'mon Sol, time to go."
Sollux muttered something that might have been 'Don't call me that' but was lost in a jumble of tongue and lisp.
They'd made it half way back when all of a sudden Sollux stopped dead in the middle of the street.
"Eridan." He said seriously.
"Yes…?" Eridan replied, trying to pull the guy along by the sleeve while pushing his bike.
Sollux pulled away, stumbling slightly has he tripped over his own mismatched shoes.
"You're a massive asshole." Eridan was confused and hurt for a second, trying to think what he could have done.
"Um, can I ask what has brought you to this conclusion."
"Don't think I didn't see you." Sollux snapped back. "I saw you staring a Fef, and the way you acted around her. Well don't even try." Eridan began laughing, turning around to look into his deep hazel eyes.
"Don't sorry, Sol. Chill… I, err… As they say ain't swingin' that way." Sollux frowned in for a moment before opening his mouth to form an 'O' shape.
The silence hung heavily around them, pressing upon them. Eridan debated his next words for a moment, but they came rushing out of his mouth.
"It ain't exactly lookin' like you n' Fef are doin' too good at the moment anyway, though."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sollux snapped, his slurring suddenly down to a minimal.
"Well I'll hope you'll forgive me for sayin' so, but the pair of you were lookin' kinda distant from each other. She didn't even wanna take a ride home with you."
Sollux was dumbfounded. He stared at the taller male, lost for speech. Eridan realised he probably had got himself into a bit of a situation and tried to back track.
"I'm not try'na be offensive or nothin'. It's just that the pair of you just seem to pull away from each other a bit, you know? I'm just getting' the feelin' neither of you are too comfortable with it…"
"Well you are being offensive. So if you'll-" He closed his mouth, very obviously fighting the need to burp. "If you'll excuse me, I live up here, so bye." He began to wander off the main road onto a dimly lit street. Eridan laughed as he watched the man nearly fall into some metal bins of rubbish.
"Don't be goin' anywhere too fast, I live here too."
"You fucking what!" Sollux's usually pale face blushed with anger. "You won't the fucker who moved in opposite me where you?"
"Hey, watch you're fuckin' language. But damn right I was." Eridan couldn't understand why Sollux was getting so pissed. It wasn't as if he'd said anything really that offensive.
"For fucks… I'm just out of here. Fuck off now." Stumbling through the surprisingly still open glass doors of his apartment block, nearly managing to fall off the first step. Eridan stood watching as he disappeared out of sigh. He smiled to himself, something about Sollux Captor had captivated his attention, he wasn't quite sure what yet.
He noted he still had the bike in his hands. Chuckling he brought it in through the narrow door to his house and left it in the corridor, making a mental note to return it tomorrow. Perhaps he'd also bring some painkillers. Kid was sure gonna have a nasty hang over.
