Author'sNote: I just wanted to say thanks for the wonderful review I received, and I wanted to let you guys know I feel so happy that you like my fic. Keep reading, and I'll keep writting!
The day of their next day crashed over Eridan like a tidal wave. Fef still wasn't speaking to him, and it pained him, but in her absence, his friendship with Sol was flourishing. They'd only exchanged a handful of words in the span of a few days, but their sessions always left him feeling much happier. He still wondered what the best way was for him to strike up Fef's heart. He felt bad for Sol, but he didn't love Sol. Not at all like Fef.
He felt his head spinning with confused emotions, hardly even watching where he was going. He was dressed in a rather fetching outfit, casual, yet fancy. With his hands in his pocket, he trotted down the streets, head down, staring blankly at the ground as it passed underfoot. He was going to meet his date-he still felt a little thrill of giddiness everytime he thought about it-right outside the restaurant. Until then, he was alone with his thoughts.
Eridan had spent most of the morning scrolling through Sol's facebook page, trying to get the feel of the dude. He was only able to reaffirm his knowledge that this scrawny kid was a raging nerd, and to glean that he was still friends with that depressing chick, her name was Aradia, apparently. He felt a little twinge of jealousy, as it seemed they hung out a lot. Could Sol still be in love with her? He was not inclined to share.
He knew they broke up, but he never asked why. He didn't want Sol to think he was being obsessive. His camera rocked back and forth as he walked, swinging from a belt around his neck. Eridan liked to consider himself a photographer, and going to the beach may just be the perfect opportunity to snag a few shots, maybe impress Fef back into talking to him. Maybe he could get a few cute shots of Sol. That thought brightened his mood considerably, and added a little spring in his step as he strode down the bustling street.
He could smell the sea long before he could hear it, and heard it long before he could see it, but eventually he came to a halt in front of Cap'n Orphy's Sea Grill, a swanky little bar on the edge of the dock, overlooking the ocean. He waited outside, and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it, and took a long drag, holding it in for a few seconds before unleashing a stream of smoke
He checked his phone. Sol was late again. Then again, so was he. Eridan felt a little nervousness squirm inside of him. Maybe Sol was there was earlier, and got tired of waiting? He shook his head, inhaling another smoking breath. He was just late, he thought firmly.
After the cigarette had been almost burned away to the filter, he dropped it on the ground, and stepped on it, rubbing it into the ground with the heel of his black shoes.
"Those will kill you, you know," He heard the familiar, lispy-soft voice call out to him. Sol came trotting down the street, wearing a pair of blue jeans, and, Eridan squinted, at least a nice shirt.
"Plenty worse things out there," Eridan remarked, looking over at the enterence. He held out his arm like an escort, and Sollux laughed, shaking his head.
"No, I'm paying, I'm the escort, your my bitch," he grinned impishly, and gave Eridan a lopsided smile that made his heart feel constricted in the too-small cage of his chest. He pushed Eridan's arm down, and repeated his motion, holding his own arm out.
Eridan sighed and grabbed onto it, pleasantly surprised to find it so firm underneath his fingers.
"I've been single a long time," He said gravely, looking at Eridan through the corner of his eye. That fucker was teasing him!
"Yeah, I can see why," he rebutted, looking crossly at Sol, a sour expression on his face. Eridan hated being teased.
"Jeez, calm down. I was only kidding. You gotta get that stick out of your ass and learn to have a little fun," he whispered as they were lead through the dark smokey room, past closely packed tables. They were given a table out on the balcony that overlooked the wide stretch of sandy coastline.
It was nice. A single candle was just beginning to burn in a little glass bowl on their table, the white clothe fluttered in the chilly breeze, and the setting sun cast everything into a rosy tint. The ceaseless rise and fall of waves on the beach gave everything a quiet feeling. Eridan could even hear the tiny air bubbles escaping from the sand every time a wave retreated. He took out his camera, and aimed it towards the sea, then stopped.
He caught a glimpse of Sol's face, and couldn't resist. He was leaning his head in one hand, staring out at the waves, the light didn't just touch his face. It framed it, all of it's angles and curves. The shadows deepened, seeming to caress his pale skin.
Click when the nostalgic sound of the shudder, that was kind of unecissary, but he liked the way it sound. Sol's head jerked up, and he looked over at Eridan, a soft pink glow spreading across his cheeks.
"Hey, Freckles, what the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, though there was a hint of humor in his voice.
"You're a model, aren't you? Well, I'll be the paparazzi." he adopted a haughty, highbrow tone. "Work it Dahling, the camera loves you."
Sol snorted into his lap, and only just composed himself in time to order a drink. Eridan followed suit, only in a more dignified manner. He doubted Sol had actually been here before, or if Fef had just suggested it to him.
Fef. . .
Eridan pulled out his cell. No new messages. He sighed, feeling his mood take a dip. He noticed Sollux's expression sour out of the corner of his eye, and sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket.
He was slightly surprised when well-cooked lobster was set down in front of him. When had he ordered? He vaguely remembered being asked what he'd like, but. . . He looked over at Sol who was eagerly downing some sort of calamari dish.
Eridan cracked open his meal, and used a fork to try and separate the meat from it's case. He slipped the sweet, fluffy meat into a little tin of melted butter sauce, and took great care not to drip it over himself as he spooned it into his mouth. He savored the flavors as the melted across his tongue.
Sol looked over at him, a tiny tentacle poking out of his mouth. She smiled, cheeks puffed up with his squidy meal. He slurped noisily, sucking it back into his mouth, and swallowed roughly. Eridan rolled his eyes. He was biting off more than he could chew. Literally.
Conversation was muted all throughout dinner, until they were done, paid for it, leaving their tip on the table, and racing, barefoot, shirts flung into the sand, towards the beach. Eridan watched his date-yet again, he felt a little thrill of excitement-hit the water first. He splashed into the oncoming tide, and cheered.
"I won, eat that fish breath!" Sol teased, having to shout to be heard over the roar of the sea. Eridan redoubled his efforts, and charged the skinny pale boy, half tackling him.
They collapsed into the rolling waves, both taking rather unpleasant shots of seawater up the nose, but laughing like mad men as they tumbled to a halt.
"Eat shit," was his eloquent response.
They stood up, gasping and panting. They looked at each other for a few brief seconds, before Eridan scooped a huge sopping wet pile of sand, and glopped it on his head, watching it slide down the back of his neck.
Sol's mouth opened wide, looking shocked, and pissed. His own arm shot down, and he snaked his fingers deeper into the mucky sand than Eridan had, flinging his heavier purchase at him, smacking him dead in the forehead. Eridan fell back, sputtering.
"Watch the glasses asshole!" he cried out indignantly.
And so it was that a sand war had erupted, the air was alive with grit, and bits of shell. Eridan could almost taste it, and he could sure as hell feel it, sand weighing down his designer pockets. He didn't care. He wasn't even thinking how sandy and unpleasant his walk home would be. In fact, the only thing he was thinking was that: For a skinny guy, Sol could really move. And dodge flying globules of wet sand.
He laughed victoriously as he heard the satisfyingly wet 'plop' of his little projectile making contact with Sollux's skin. He was not victorious for long.
"Gah," He spewed shards of shell and salty soil from his mouth, feeling it in between his teeth. He ran a disgusted tongue over them, spitting up more sand. He glared over at Sollux, who had a guilt expression on his face.
"Sorry bro!" He called out. "But hey, at least it hides your freckles!"
"Why I never. . . That's it, you're a dead man!" He bellowed, charging up the incline of the shoreline, and after his sodding date. Sollux snagged up his artifacts, swiftly jamming his feet into his shoes, and the shirt over his head. He charged up the stairs leading down to the sand, and looked back, grinning.
"I would kiss you goodnight, but I'd rather not get sand in my mouth!" With that, the tall skinny pale kid bolted.
Eridan grumbled to himself, and snatched up his stuff, shook the worst of the sand out of his clothes, and put them on. He stuffed his phone in his pocket, ignoring it, and jogging home, wincing every time he trod on a sharp stone, or shell.
He was bruised and sore, he was tired, he had sand in every conceivable orifice, and some that weren't quite so conceivable, his mouth still tasted foul, he was in dire need of something to drink, and every bit of him felt as though it had been dragged through the pebbly sand. All in all, it was the best second date he'd ever had.
