Sometimes when it rains, it pours. And it certainly has been on me and a few people close to me, and I wish I could find more time to write.
Fair warning, once Sollux leans close to Eridan's ear, there's two paragraphs of gross food descriptions. I hope you enjoy the chapter that has been half written for just, oh so long.
I hope you're all well, thank you so much for the lovely comments, I get so flustered but I hope I can keep you all entertained with the rewrite until we get to the dramatic changes and fun new stuff! Thank you for reading c:
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That morning marked the third day in a row that Sollux had woken up early of his own volition, but something devilish had gripped him, and fuelled him with a motivation he hadn't felt in a hot minute.
Hoisting his pyjama bottoms up as they sagged on his hips, Sollux made his way across the hallway, passing his friend's closed bedroom doors and the bathroom, and headed downstairs to the lounge; he heard voices coming from the kitchen before he even opened the door, and knew that they must both be inside.
"Morning." Sollux said as he let himself in.
Pausing mid-sentence, Karkat turned his attention towards him, "that's the third time this week you've gotten up this early on a day you could've slept in," he pointed a teaspoon at him accusingly, "did you shit the bed?"
"Obviously," Sollux snagged a triangle of toast off Karkat's plate, and took a huge bite out of it before holding it aloft as though considering stapling it to the ceiling, "can I have this?"
"Oh, I knew moving in with a pair of bigfoot would bite me in the ass, but I thought that you'd have at least gotten a basic grasp of decency by now, you shit heel." The short man glowered up at him while shoving a new piece of bread into the toaster, "what are you even doing up, anyway? Fuck off back to bed, and make the most of your morning off, stop rubbing my hardworking nose in your good fortune."
"Can't, going out." Helping himself to the other half of his slice of pilfered toast, Sollux hoped that Karkat would leave it at that, but he knew that wasn't going to happen.
Karkat scrunched up his nose in a mock display of confusion, "plans asides from work, coding, and the inevitable lonely late night full to the brim with self-resentment and flagellation?" He turned to the other man in the kitchen, and scoffed, "suddenly Sollux is Mister Popular now, can you believe it Gamzee?"
Gamzee nodded from his place by the oven, the only person Sollux had ever met that made him feel short; he was all limbs, but he held himself with a slow grace that made his large hands seem impossibly gentle. Face devoid of its occasional paint, Gamzee gave a lax smile, "popularity is a fleeting thing, brother, we all get our fifteen minutes in that spotlight, but it's how you choose to up and use it that matters," he dipped his dark hands into a pair of blue oven mitts shaped like trout, and pulled open the oven door, momentarily releasing the full unbridled chocolatey heat of hell itself right into his own face as he peered in at a pan of brownies, "maybe our Sol-bro has a new friend, and they're out spreading the good vibes to the public and making the whole world shine with the warmth of their relationship."
"You couldn't be further off if you tried, GZ," Sollux interrupted, "I just have plans, that's all."
Hoping to keep it at that, he was annoyed when Karkat saw fit to butt in again, "as though we're supposed to pretend like it's not suspicious that you're choosing to go out?" He said, "did you suddenly manage to get through every single game humanity has ever created?"
"No, just the best ones." Sollux said, folding his arms defensively, "Barbie Horse Adventures really were a wild ride, KK, but she taught me that sometimes we all need to try and find greener pastures."
Karkat remained where he was, glaring suspiciously as though trying to yank the information he wanted right out of Sollux's head using nothing but his eyes, when a shrill bell rang between them; Gamzee removed the tray of brownies from the oven, and the room was filled with a decadently savoury smell. Karkat pointed at the other, "sarcasm aside, what's going on? I'm not about to search your room for your fluffy diary to find out your shady dealings, but you'd tell me if something was up, right?"
Sollux resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but only because he'd yet to put sunglasses on; it was hard to take his best friend's attitude seriously when he was dramatic about quite literally everything.
"Okay, the truth is I'm selling my body for meth." When Karkat looked as though he was going to break his own rule of No-Slapsies at the dinner table, Sollux sighed, "I'm just going out, KK, for walks, you know, like a regular person. Don't make it weird."
Leaving his best friend to think about that for a moment, Sollux thought back on the day before, and doubled down on his decision to fake the phonecall with his friend; Karkat would have freaked out if he knew about Eridan.
"Fine, fair enough," Karkat said, furiously buttering his fresh toast, "but if you're up to something weird, and I see your ass on Crimewatch, I'm locking the doors and watching through the window with a glass of wine while you try and convince me to open the door before you get your shit kicked in by a brigade of hogs."
Sollux finished his stolen breakfast, and eyed up the brownies cooling on the counter, a plan formulating in his mind, "hey GZ, what's the story with those bad boys? Home or work?"
"Work, my brother, but if you're after some of that good home-baked nourishment I can up and make some more while the ovens at that perfect temperature." Gamzee said, before making a move towards the pile of dirty dishes soaking in the sink.
"No, that's way too much effort, don't worry," Sollux began rooting through the cupboard, and grabbed a big bag of crisps, "I just wanted a snack, but it's all good, thanks."
As he made his way past his friends, Sollux tried not to smile at the image in his head, but it was no use, it had been years since he had seen Eridan's face twisted in disgust and the thought tickled him.
Karkat, of course, noticed, "wait, what's so funny? Gamzee he's smiling, something is up!" He shouted through the door after him, "I'll find out, you little shit! Mark my words, you'll tell me eventually!"
Usually it was hard to find the energy to get ready in the mornings; every single day started with a laundry-list of things already waiting to be done just as the bare minimum, and sometimes that felt like a mammoth task. Today was different though, but to tell the truth, the whole week had been different; procrastinating hadn't even crossed his mind, and Sollux only stopped to put on a video as background noise as he started to get ready, instead of the usual hours of distraction.
It really had been a long time since he had felt this kind of motivation, and as he scrolled through a playlist, Sollux realised that the last time had probably been back when he was with Aradia. Flinching at her sudden intrusion on his morning, he tapped a random video and used the volume to try and push thoughts of her from his head.
Sollux threw on a shirt, a baggy hoodie, jeans, and a pair of mismatched converse; one white, one black, because who had the time to find a full set of shoes when there was so many activities to get on with? Once his teeth were brushed, and hair somewhat neatened at least as far as smoothing down the parts that were sticking out at odd angles, Sollux threw on a pair of sunglasses and made his way back downstairs, ignoring Karkat's jeering as he was forced to go through the kitchen to leave.
Grinning to himself, and glad to finally be away from the madness, Sollux breathed a sigh of relief and put his headphones in, allowing the music to carry his mood and his pace as he began the short trek into town.
The library itself was quiet, and as Sollux made his way over to the chairs in the corner, he searched for his quarry as subtly as he could using the corner of his eye, but asides from a couple of random patrons, the building was deserted.
With no other choice presenting itself, Sollux flopped down on the chair next to the ugly blue armchair that Eridan seemed to like so much, and began distracting himself with his phone while he waited. It didn't work as well as he'd have liked though, as the atmosphere of silence invited contemplation, and Sollux's mind took it upon itself to needle him with questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers to.
What was it he was looking for in both instigating and exacerbating every interaction with Eridan? Was it really a productive use of his short time on this planet to torture someone who barely even cared that he existed into starting a fistfight? And why was this the first thing he'd had the motivation to do in forever?
The only answer that Sollux bothered to entertain was that spite was one hell of a motivator, and that the early mornings would soon all be worth it.
Or at least, it would be, once the arrogant hipster arrived and reacted like a pissed off puffer fish.
An hour passed, and Sollux huffed as he began growing bored of playing on his phone. There was still no sign of Eridan, and he was starting to think that maybe he wouldn't come today.
A thought twisted through his mind like the roots of a weed. He'd scared him off. He'd wasted the opportunity to really get under his nemesis' skin on the most frivolous shit and didn't even get the chance to really explore his creative side, and now he'd never see Eridan again.
The thick blanket of disappointment dulled his arguments for the contrary, and Sollux couldn't believe so little had been enough to deter the other given everything they'd once put each other through.
Fortunately, the feeling didn't have enough time to make itself at home before Eridan strolled in, and Sollux felt a burden lighten on his chest when he began marching over.
"This is a new low." Eridan remarked, folding his arms once he was in front of him, "comfortable?"
"Very," Sollux said, smiling despite himself, "what fairytale are you reading today?"
Eridan rolled his weird purple eyes, and turned away, "says the person I'm still not convinced knows how to read."
As the hipster stomped his way over to the bookshelves, and began searching through them, Sollux didn't take his eyes off him; Eridan was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans that clung to his shapely legs, glossy purple boots, and a short plum jacket that couldn't possibly be warm enough for the chilly day regardless of the striped blue scarf that spilled from the front.
Sollux tilted his head and tried to imagine a waterfall of blue plumage from Eridan's back, because it was the only thing the prissy little peacock was missing.
Finally Eridan returned with a book, and Sollux had to quickly look down at his phone and begin scrolling before he flopped onto the big blue monstrosity next to him.
"Couldn't you at least pretend to read a book?" Eridan asked from his ugly blue throne, and eyeing up Sollux with a frown, "when in Rome do as the Romans do, an' all that."
"Not in Rome though, are we?" Sollux said, purposefully ignorant.
Eridan stared at him for a moment before turning his attention to his own book, after a moment bringing his knees up and crossing his legs.
Still pretending to be amused by his screen, Sollux checked the time, and decided to wait a few minutes to allow the other to relax before enacting his fiendish scheme. Eridan however, seemed to be waiting for something to happen, and he continued to glance over and glare every so often, but eventually accepted Sollux's continued presence, like a pigeon on a bench.
But it wasn't Eridan who Sollux was waiting for a signal from; he stared over the top of his phone, anticipation stirring in the bottoms of his feet, as Aranea finally walked around her desk to push a full trolley of books away from the counter and down one of the hallways.
Without missing a beat, Sollux reached into his backpack, and gently pulled open the family-sized bag of crisps he'd brought with him, and pulled out a few before cramming them into his mouth.
Eridan looked over, shocked, "did you forget to have breakfast or somethin'?"
Nodding his way through the mouthful, Sollux reloaded and began eating slowly until Eridan turned back to his book with a squeamish sneer.
Sollux leant as close as he could to Eridan's ear. He felt the other bristle in anticipation, and then the smell of spiced wine washed over him, and he was breathing deeply enough to coat the insides of his lungs with the sweet—Sollux shook his head of the thought, then opened his mouth wide with a loud smack. When Eridan flinched, Sollux felt a wave of rapturous glee roll over every dopamine receptor in his brain, and he began open-mouth chewing his way through his crunchy mouthful until it was a thick mush, at which point he decided that it needed some texture, and he crammed in another handful of crisps and continued to cham with slack-jawed abandon.
Eridan turned to look at him with disgust clear across his face, and Sollux was immediately reminded of the time he and Mituna had found a swollen carton of cloudy milk on the pavement one hot summer day as children, and they had both agreed that popping it couldn't possibly be a bad idea.
It was precisely the expression he had been hoping for, and burned the image to memory to enjoy at his leisure.
"Oh, sorry," Sollux dug another handful out of the bag with moist fingers, and offered it kindly, "did you want some?"
In an instant Eridan was writhing away diagonally out of the armchair like a cat avoiding a cucumber, "absolutely not!" his words rushed out of him in a horrified whisper, "what is wrong with you?"
Not wanting to waste, Sollux shrugged as he began eating the declined crisps from his own fist like an enthusiastic horse, "rude."
"You're not even supposed to eat in here, let alone chew that revoltin' mess right beside my head like you're a pig at a trough!" The hipster was red. From the tips of his ears down to the collar of his shirt, like an angry blood blister; he stood, towering over Sollux and pointing a finger at him accusingly, "I can't believe I would ever think you're… you are the least respectful person I have ever had the displeasure a' knowin', an' you have never known a day's betterment in your life, you will always be this revoltin' little—"
"Mister Ampora!"
The colour immediately drained from Eridan's face, and they both looked over towards the desk. Aranea had returned, and her hands were on her hips, "this is a library, please keep your voice down!"
Sollux swallowed as he quickly shoved the wrappers deep into his backpack, and was thankful for his quick reactions when he was already wiping his greasy hands on his trousers when Eridan spun round to flap at him.
"But, I w-was only tryin' to stop him from—" The Aquarius' face dropped as his eyes searched for the hidden evidence, "but, he had, he w-was…"
Sollux simply looked up innocently, raising empty hands in a show of confusion, "I wuh-was what?"
Finding nothing, Eridan blinked owlishly as he suddenly realised his slip-up, and the flushed cheeks returned as his lips became a thin line.
"Mister Ampora you will need to show more respect to the other patrons, or I will be forced to ask you to leave." Aranea's voice left no room for argument.
Sollux felt like he was on cloud 9, and grinned wickedly; they were back on even ground again, just like the good old days, "yeah, mister Ampora, show some more respect." He willed the other man to play nice until Aranea had left them again, so they could continue their spat, but his hopes were crushed as he watched Eridan give up.
With a sigh, Eridan's frame sagged, and he leant down to pick up his messenger bag, and pulled it over his shoulder as he turned to walk away, "just… forget it. I think I'm done for the day."
The disappointment Sollux felt was tangible; Eridan had barely been there long enough to make the trip any fun at all, and before Sollux even realised he was doing it, his hand was raised to stop the other from leaving.
Before his fingers could make contact, Sollux's instincts caught him; spending a single second longer than necessary in Eridan's presence sounded nothing short of a nightmare, especially when that meant more time looking at his stupid gobshite face.
And that was something Sollux definitely didn't want to do.
Right?
Before he could fully form his argument of only wanting to see that dickhead more in order to torture him, and obviously nothing else, Eridan disappeared through the doors, and Sollux realised that the only thing preventing him from calling out was the fact he was biting his lip.
Confusion warped his mood, and when a text from Karkat popped up on his screen, Sollux took the initiative to push those thoughts deep down where they couldn't bother him anymore.
He just didn't like the guy, that's all.
That had to be all.