HER IMPERIAL SECRET
by savanaugh
A/N: I appreciate all of the follows and favorites, could I get some reviews? I accept criticism!
DISCLAIMER: Homestuck and all related characters, entities, etc. are property of Andrew Hussie.
CHAPTER THREE: SWIM CLASS
Powerful tan legs propel the lean, slim body through heavily chlorinated water. Heavy breathing and the sound of splashing were the only things heard. Arms stretched and pulled, no particular destination in mind, torso twisting left and right.
She took a deep breath and plunged, diving to the bottom of the least shallow section, skimming the bottom tiles with her stomach. The water pressure of eleven feet didn't faze her; it made everyone else's ears pop. She had dived ten times as deep in the past, but in the ocean. The chlorine called for a pair of goggles, for she loved to look at the way things were under water. Everything was so quiet and peaceful; the sounds of the surface muted by the density of hydrogen bonds.
A slight burning in her lungs began; she paid no mind. She could hold her breath for three minutes, and was getting better every week. There was a time when she could hold it much longer… but that was a long time ago, a time she did not want to think about when she was so tranquil. The water felt like home, chemically treated as it was. She closed her eyes and felt the weightless sensation of being underneath the surface. Her hair was constrained by a swim cap; she pulled it off and allowed her long, dark locks to flow around her. That probably looked cool to anyone who might be watching.
Little did she know, someone was. And he was sniggering to his friends.
"Look at that lowwblooded skank, thinkin' she's better than us." he taunted, turning to his cohorts with a grin. They laughed their obligatory laugh, even though nothing was really funny. When Eridan Ampora expected a response, you gave it to him. Or else.
Eridan folded his arms across his rather muscular chest. After all, royalty needed to look the part- powerful, strong, not someone to be messed with. His purple swim trunks fit snugly to his thighs, much to the pleasure of the girls sitting on the other side of the pool, whispering and giggling to each other. Eridan flexed, just to entertain them. Quiet squeals, as usual. It got quite boring after a while.
"Ampora, get your butt in the water!" barked the swim team coach, Mr. Slick. "I ain't getting paid to watch your purple ass get mind-groped by a bunch of broads. Get moving!"
Eridan grinded his teeth. If this guy wasn't in direct communication with the Empress… oh, he'd be paying for his snide remarks one day. Filthy rust blooded asshole piece of shit trash can. "Yes, sir." he muttered, going over to the stairs that led into the shallow end. His lackeys followed obediently.
He grimaced as he took the first step into the water. It was cold.
Feferi surfaced from the deep end around twenty feet away. She looked over to the shallow end and made brief eye contact with Eridan. She turned away, uninterested. This pissed him off.
"I'll showw her," he muttered, getting out of the shallow end and striding quickly to the diving board at the deep end. His posse exchanged glances. Eridan was a terrible swimmer, what the hell was he up to? No one dared say anything because of fear of his caste. They just followed him anxiously.
He swiftly climbed to the top of the ladder, and thoughtlessly (as he usually was) he jumped right into the water. As he plummeted deep in with a splash, satisfaction overcame his being. That ought to show HER.
And then he remembered that he couldn't swim.
He opened his mouth to shout "OH SHIT" before he remembered that he was under fucking water, and chlorine filled his lungs. He flailed about, body beginning its natural fright or flight defense mechanism, except neither would help him out of this predicament. Black spots flashed across his vision as he sank to the bottom of the pool, all the oxygen drained from his lungs.
"Wwhat a retarded way to die," he thought to himself, closing his eyes and letting everything go black.
"Ampora… Ampora, wake the fuck up, if you die that'll be waaaay too much paperwork for me…"
"Oh my god, is he dead?"
"Holy shit, holy shit, oh god, his dad's going to cull us for this…"
"Eridan?"
That last voice was softer than the rest, and dully Eridan thought it sounded like an angel. He despised angels. He groaned. Water spilled out of his mouth in small streams and he coughed hard for a few minutes. When he was finished, he opened his eyes. They stung horribly. His chest hurt. His throat hurt. Everything hurt. And he was looking right into the eyes of a worthless lowblooded girl. He instantly recoiled, and the girl, misinterpreting this as pain, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Can you speak?"
"Get your muddy hands off a me," he growled, voice hoarse. She sighed and shook her head.
"Come on, don't be like that. It's not like I just saved your life or anything."
Eridan felt his cheeks turn bright purple. The girl bit her lip, trying not to smile. That smug bitch. She would hear from his father tonight, that's for sure.
He looked up, blinking. There was Mr. Slick, looking pissed as fuck, and his crew, who were shuffling back and forth on their feet nervously. Then there were the girls who pushed the lowblood scum out of his sight, and began coddling over him.
"Ooh, are you okay Eri-poo? You're not hurt, right? That jump was sooo graceful!"
Eridan knew for a fact he looked like an idiot when he jumped. All these girls were the same- they were trying to get into his pockets of wealth and security.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Piss off, ladies- I'vve got things I need to do."
A little wobbily, he got to his feet, and huffed, straightening his back. He searched for the lowblood girl, and she was staring at him passively from the other side of the pool. He sneered at her before turning around, and haughtily strode off to get changed, his friends hot on his tail.
Feferi touched her lips. He didn't know it, but they had done mouth-to-mouth.
He tasted sweet.