A/N: AKA: In which Eridan takes turns playing priest with his imaginary boyfriend. It's kind of sad, really, how Eridan thinks that Sollux is actually there. Also, have some implied-but-not-clearly-stated Erisol blackrom. Because I'm ERISOL TRASH I ADMIT TO IT ALL
There were times when he would doubt his own sanity.
Eridan giggled as he counted the amount of grist he had gotten from his last kill, the blood an odd, warm and sticky liquid painting his lips- making him snicker as he drew a thumb across his mouth. He often found himself doing this as an odd getaway, a coping method of sorts. He remembered that before the angels took rescued him, he would try to talk to the imps. They never talked back to him, though. They always hissed, tried to attack him- and oh no, Eridan couldn't be having that. He had been oh so very cold back those days, so cold…. it had felt as if he had ice circulating in his veins instead of blood. So at least the imps were good for something- at least blood stayed warm for a little while.
But he was sane. Insane people didn't think about their own insanity, after all. But then again… sane people didn't talk to people that weren't really there FeferiKarkatKanayaSollux. They were there, though, weren't they? Yes… Yes, they were. He wasn't crazy. He was not crazy. So maybe he talked and argued with himself from time to time (both inside his head and out), but that didn't make him insane. It didn't exactly make him sane, either, but he would happily gloss over that fact with a grain of salt.
He shifted his gaze as the grist flickered, disappearing automatically. He stared intently at the chair of the confession box before Sollux flickered into existence. The captor was a frequent visitor of the church, since he had so many things to repent for. "Confe22 me," he said sullenly, the door shutting as he sat down. See? He wasn't crazy- Sollux had to be there for the door to shut (it wasn't the breeze caused by his wings, it wasn't). Eridan switched into a different set of clothes, donning a pair of pitch black pants, a violet button up shirt (the thought that it was the exact shade of his blood made him laugh), and a white cape embroidered with gold that barely covered his wings. The angels had helped him alchemize all of it- they had said that it made him look rather becoming (who was he to question the angels? They were never wrong, never never never). They told him that it looked regal, almost holy (at that, they snickered due to the irony).
"Confe22 me." The voice repeated, sounding equally as dull as the first time he had asked (ordered). Eridan rolled his eyes, walking over to the confession box as he slid open the small window. "Eriidan…" The voice rasped, almost surreal and ghost-like and barely corporeal in nature (but he was there, he was there and no one could tell him otherwise). "Forgiive me, for II have 2iinned." The Ampora agreed readily, a gleeful smirk on his face. He nodded as a sign to go on, though Sollux couldn't see him. The other troll continued, nonetheless. "II have enviied Zahhak. II had experienced lu2t for AA, though my 2oul wa2 chaiined two FF at the tiime." Eridan scowled, though he had already expected as much. Cheating bastard. Feferi deserved better than trash like him. "II…" Oh, was he still going? Eridan stilled, remaining silent as he waited for the next confession. "II felt wrath when KK made you bled and cry. Only II can do that two you, no one el2e." He hissed irritably.
Eridan blinked curiously, wondering if Sollux was serious about what he was saying. "You're pathetic…" He muttered scathingly, noting the way that Sollux stilled in the confession cell. "Confess me." Eridan commanded, opening the door to the box. Sollux was already gone, sitting in the chair that Eridan had previously occupied. The Ampora sat in the chair, closing the door and drawing in a shuddering breath. His shoulders sagged as he began to speak. "Forgivve me, for I have sinned." How many times had he done this with Sollux already? He remembered seeing and hearing the other troll countless times in the chapel, trading secrets like fiduspawn cards. It was always with a placid resignation that they spoke, jeering each other only once or twice in their grim exchanges. "I knew wwrath…" Blood dripped from his lips as he spoke. "Wwhen I killed the imps." Sollux frowned, as if Eridan had said something wrong. (But how could he still see Sollux? Wasn't he out of the box? Why whywhywhywhy-). The seatroll could only roll his eyes. "Okay, fine. Havve it your wway, you little bitch." He sighed, speaking in a mocking tone as he opened his mouth again. "I knew wwrath wwhen I mutilated those imps." He said. The Captor snorted, muttering something under his breath. "I felt relief wwhen Sollux spoke and I couldn't hear the bullshit comin outta his mouth for once," he remarked sarcastically. There was no response to his taunt. Eridan waited stubbornly, not about to take back what he had said because he upset the other troll. Really, it wasn't even all that offensive, was it? He bit his tongue stubbornly as he waited for a reply. "Sol?" He finally asked, wondering if he had really offended the Captor. Eridan sighed, getting out of the confession box slowly. Sollux wasn't there. "You left me again," he stated, walking over to the chair. His footsteps echoed in the chapel, the click clack of his shoes rebounding off the whitewashed walls. "You promised that you wwouldn't leavve again." He muttered bitterly.
A slight breeze blew through the desolate planet, a whispering, hollow sound floating on the wind. Eridan trailed his fingers over the chair, feeling the cold wood against his fingers. He tapped a claw against the backrest of the chair, a sneer curling on his lips. "You ran from me." He hissed, narrowing his eyes at the empty chair. It made him angry, so irrationally angry at the fact that Sollux of all trolls had left him. "Wwhy did you leavve?" He asked angrily, his claws digging into the wood of the chair in his fury. "Wwhy did you leavve?!" He demanded from the chair, digging his nails into the wood and pulling downwards- leaving dark, angry scratches on the furniture. "Wwhy? Wwhy wwhy wwhy wwhywwhywwhywwhy?!" The violetblood's voice nearly rose an entire octave, translucent tears of frustration beading in his eyes. "WWHY?!" He shrieked, nearly falling to his knees as he broke the chair into splinters by pressing down too hard with his hand. "I…" he whimpered, his anger seemingly dissipating as he sat in front of the rubble. "Wwhy did you go?" He asked slowly, hopelessly.
The wind blew again, and Eridan could have sworn that he heard a voice riding on it. "2orry…" He looked down at the splintered mess that was the remnants of the mahogany chair, which Sollux had been sitting on earlier. Eridan stood, sweeping into the confession box quickly. He sat down on the chair, and he suddenly felt very sick. It was cold and crowded in small space, and his wings suddenly seemed to feel too large.
"Confess me."
"I experienced wwrath wwhen my bastard of a friend left me to rot in this hell hole."
"…Sorry for my foul language, father."
"I felt envy when Sollux was allowed to leavve this treacherous place, yet he didn't bother to take me wwith him."
"I experienced regret wwhen I made him leave."
"…That isn't a sin?"
"Then…"
"Wwhy does it hurt me so much?"