"That book of yours must be an excellent read if it has you laughing so." Equius combed his dark hair over his shoulder and peered over her side to examine its cover.
Aradia laughed, showing him the title, "It's actually not. It's terrible! It's like the author actively tried to avoid knowing anything about Vodou or any of its variations while trying to write this drivel! It's horrible in the funniest ways."
She marked her page with a ribbon and flipped to an earlier chapter. "Okay, it was somewhere around...here! You see? The main antagonist is using dolls to 'consort with dark gods,' which isn't how Vodou works iat all./i Voodoo is principally monotheistic with a number of loa, and...really, if the author had even ionce/i thought to do any research, they'd have realized what a load this whole premise is."
His eyebrows knit in confusion at the text, "It seems preposterous to write about a subject one knows little about. The dark arts seem like a subject not many should delve into though."
Aradia looked up at Equius, vaguely amused. It was a cool, cloudy day, and she was comfortably close to him, her hip brushing against his as they sat on the cold stone steps leading up to the university center.
Only a few days ago, the two had had a delightful date, a lovely tour of the local stables and a pleasant but casual dinner, complete with awkward first kisses and improving second-through-tenth ones (before she had lost count); Aradia had arrived back at her dorm with the strangely pleasant smell of Equius on her sweater and a giddy flutter in her heart. The day after, the two had run into one another in the cafeteria and exchanged pleasantries, but sadly neither had much time to talk. This had been their first chance to spend time together, a chance but fortuitous meeting, and both were making use of it.
"'Dark arts?' Seriously? Vodou's a religion, not some black magic practice, not to mention one of the more fun-sounding ones. It's pretty fascinating, really."
"Fascinating how? They are a den of those who sacrifice animals in the name of a heathen god." Equius spoke matter-of-factly, peering under the edge of his sunglasses.
"...You sure you didn't read chapter three? 'Cause you're just as wrong as the author is." She shook her head with a chuckle, "Don't believe the bad press; it's like saying that every Sunday, Catholics actually drink human blood for communion. It's just insulting, really. Hilariously inaccurate and insulting."
Equius held his tongue, instead making a noncommittal grunt and looking off to the side, "Organized religion is extremely daunting at times. Are you yourself Christian?"
"Agnostic-ish. I believe in lots of things including something after death, but if there's a god, they're probably pretty cool and just want us to all get along and not be jerks. I haven't really found a church with that as their mission statement, though...but I love learning about religions; you can tell a lot about a culture by their death rituals!" she beamed.
Death rituals. Well this certainly didn't come up on the first date and he wasn't exactly sure how to deal with it, "Such a strange, quixotic topic." Instead he cautiously slid a large hand around her shoulder, pressing her closer to him in an effort to keep the peace.
Aradia cuddled up against him, setting the book aside. "Not so very. Funerary customs are something every culture has, and they're fascinating, anthropologically speaking, and sometimes the most useful archeological evidence we can find are from buried remains and funeral trappings. I think you have to be comfortable with the topic if you have any interest in archeology or anthropology, you know?" She nuzzled against his chest.
He nodded absently, having hardly heard her words due to his rising bodily temperature. He took a deep breath and as smoothly as possible, tried to rub at his forehead with his sleeve. Curses! He thought, she kept having this effect on him. In spite of hints that she did not mind his perspiration or his scent, it remained an issue in his mind. What if today was when she decided to complain? Oh goodness, shit, fuck, and all of the stupid misfortune! A quivering hand rested upon the top of her head, beginning to stroke her thick, floral scented hair.
Aradia smiled, tilting her head into his hand, as her arm wrapped around his waist. She blushed just a little, her voice hesitant as she spoke, "Hey, Equius? I was wondering, are you doing anything Saturday?"
He looked skyward for a moment, "I don't believe I am."
She pressed just a little closer, now nuzzling into his shoulder, "Would you be interested in another date?"
He went somewhat stiff, his mind racing as he fought urge to dislodge himself and to gather her closer all at once, "I most certainly would. This time I'll personally extract you myself from your dorm room so punctuality will not be an issue."
"Deal! And I chose the last date, you can choose this one. How's that for fair?" She shifted, squeezing her arm around him. She hoped that she wasn't coming on too strong, but maybe being a little forward would be okay, in the end.
"I'm not sure of what we could do as of yet, but I assure you I'll have something in mind by then." He flexed his arm slightly.
"No pressure! I'd just like to spend more time with you, you know? Keep getting to know you." She smiled, shyly glancing away, "And...if you happened to text or stop by the shop when it's slow, it'd brighten my evening."
"Your implication that I have foresight to predict your shop's vacancy is amusing." He grinned, "I'll see what I can do."
"Most weeknight evenings, but hey, if you don't feel like taking a chance, text or call and I can tell you," Aradia grinned, "Not like I mind a handsome guy calling me."
He returned her smile and leaned in, pressing an impulsive kiss to her lips. Equius wasn't nearly as stiff as he had been on their date, but he could stand to be just a bit looser.
She met his lips with enthusiasm, as she laid one hand behind the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. She shifted to kneel, facing him, as she pressed closer.
Surprised by her boldness, he kissed her once again, eyes shutting tighter. She was holding him tightly to her, and kissing him so lasciviously in a public setting! With his strength he could easily have pulled away, but oh how he enjoyed the vigor she had in her.
A moment later, he could feel his phone buzz in his pocket. A low, gripping guitar strum began as well as he withdrew his phone; it was time for his class. He sighed harshly, "I must go to class now."
"Aw..." she pouted, and pulled him back down for another brief kiss. "Have a good class, okay?"
He nodded with a quirk of his lips, "I'll see you later." He ran a hand through his hair and stood up, easily lifting his toolbox and messenger bag before descending the stairs.
Aradia waved and watched him go. She picked up her book, but after a few moments of staring distractedly at the page, she gave up and put the book away. She pulled out her phone; she had a while to go before work, and she hadn't talked to Sollux in a couple days, couldn't hurt to check in, right?
hey s0llux whats up?
i havent heard fr0m y0u in a while
been bu2y got my friiend ff over here and were gettiing down iif you know what ii mean.
Aradia rolled her eyes and snickered.
iif y0u were really getting d0wn to shenanigans y0u w0uldnt have b0thered t0 answer
i was w0ndering if y0u wanted t0 hang 0ut but if y0ure busy i understand
fuck aa ii wa2 talking about N64!
you want to flaiil around on the control2 and fall off raiinbow road with ff and me be my gue2t.
y0ur fault f0r using l0aded statements
are y0u in y0ur d0rm 0r in the game r00m?
game room becau2e ff wanted me two go out2iide and wouldnt let me 2ay no 2o we compromii2ed.
c00l
i will be up in a m0ment
y0u can intr0duce me t0 y0ur 0bvi0usly awes0me friend
you guy2 wiill get iit on liike donkey kong and hiis 2iigniifiicantly le22er but 2tiill ob2ervant predece22or.
Aradia pulled on her backpack and started walking.
duly n0ted and 0n my way
Aradia rounded a corner and walked down to the basement of the university center. Inside the building, she walked down the hallway towards the game room door, hearing a female voice laughing and chanting. As she entered the room, she saw Sollux sitting on a couch in front of a big TV, controller in hand, as a slender blonde conducted a victory dance around the couch. "Ooooh yeah! Burrrrrn! I won I won I wooon! I won I won I wooon! Who's the best? Fef's the best! 'Cause Fef's the one that wooon!"
"Oh hey, sup Aradia." He pointed to the blonde dancing around the couch, "See this little orchestrated affront to my manliness? That's all your doing."
Aradia waved and came over, tossing her bag to the side of the couch. "I find that hard to believe, I've been trying to get some even-handed humility into you for years." She watched as the other girl did a delicate pirouette and finished with a squeal.
"Hey! You're Aradia, right? I'm Feferi!" Feferi grabbed Aradia's hand and shook it, grinning widely, "I just served Sollux's butt to him, wanna help me kick his butt again?"
"No, you happened to win because I fell off the damn map because Aradia texted me!"
Aradia flopped down onto the couch next to Sollux, picking up a controller, "Then you probably will kick both our butts on the next round, right?"
Feferi vaulted over the couch, landing neatly on Sollux's other side, picking her controller back up. "Let's do this!"
"Of course I am," he said, as if such was as obvious a fact as saying the sun rose in the morning. Naturally, when the round started, he got the extra boost that jabbed him ahead into first almost immediately.
Aradia and Yoshi followed soon after, with Princess Peach-feri hot on her heels. "Aww yeah, eat red shells! Pyew Pyew Pyew!" Feferi laughed.
Sollux played such that it was almost borderline cheating; driving faster than Wario should've been able to and hoarding his green shells and perfectly aiming them.
A well-timed mushroom brought Feferi neck-and-neck with Sollux for a little while, while the Yoshimobile trailed in third, Aradia muttering about the rotten uselessness of banana peels.
Sollux happened to get a single green shell right before crossing the finish line, adding insult to injury as he shot it at Feferi's Peach as he finished in first. He sat back with a smirk.
Feferi pouted as Aradia made her way to the finish line, "I almost had you! It was really close! I was thiiiiiis close to beating you, so even you have to admit I'm getting pretty good!" Feferi said, matter-of-factly.
"Close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades; there is no try in MarioKart." Sollux stood up and walked around to the other side of the couch, "You guys can play if you want, I'm through for now."
Feferi tossed the controller aside, "Nah, two hours is enough for me."
Aradia set her own controller aside. "You guys have been busy, huh?"
Feferi tucked her legs underneath herself, smiling broadly, "Yeah, I never played before today! And I just HAD to get Sollux out of his room, you know?"
"Yeah, she's filled her contractual obligation to make me see daylight."
Aradia leaned over, talking past Sollux, "Bribery sometimes works, too. Remember that Solluxes need to be fed and walked every day, no matter how much they complain about it."
Sollux picked up a nearby newspaper and rolled it, "And Aradias need to be taught manners." He bopped her lightly on the head.
She shoved him lightly, "Hey! Jerk. You're one to talk about manners!" She looked over at Feferi while she jabbed her finger towards Sollux, "Do you know, I had my first date in months on Thursday, and this guy here, who's been like a brother to me since childhood, never even asked how it went? There I was, all excited over my date, I don't think he even wished me luck! Didn't check in, nothing!"
Sollux eyes widened for a moment as he realized that she was absolutely right. He felt like crap, no, like whatever lies beneath crap, aspiring to one day rise up in the ranks the natural order of being a bad friend to someday be crap. "Shit, I'm sorry, I kept forgetting to ask. Been busy."
"To busy for your friend?" Feferi snorted and smacked Sollux lightly in the back of the head. "Not cool, Sollux, not cool."
Sollux sighed and threw the paper aside, rearranging himself in front of Aradia at exaggerated rapt attention, "Well then, go on, tell me all about your expedition."
She threw her head back with a melodramatic flair, the back of her hand pressed to her forehead, "No, no, you have new friends, and must not trifle himself with the day-to-day comings and goings of his old forgotten friend." She failed to supress a snicker as she squirmed in her seat, getting more comfortable, "Anyway, it's no fun gushing over the details with someone who isn't actually interested. The short version: I like him a lot and we're going out again on Saturday."
"Nice. Don't forget underwear." Sollux stood straight again, flipping through the other N64 games at his disposal in the club room.
"Such a charmer, isn't he?" Aradia rolled her eyes and gestured towards Sollux, and Feferi shrugged.
At that moment a gaggle of freshman girls in cat ears and hot topic shirts grouped inside the room, all talking loudly. Sollux's cheek twitched, edging his way out of the room and looking at the other girls to follow.
Feferi grabbed her backpack and jacket and Aradia picked up her bag, and both girls followed Sollux, chatting quietly amongst themselves.
"Ugh, how did I know that was going to happen? Seriously, that's why I never go there in the first place, bunch of stupid weeaboos and their Avenue Q references and-" He cut himself off with a shudder, slouching as he walked, ignoring the two girls' quiet conversation.
"Maybe because the game room is fun and other people like fun?" Feferi offered, before turning back to Aradia, speaking quietly. "He sounds like a looker! How long did you say it was?"
Sollux halted dead in his tracks, spinning around and gaping wide-eyed at Aradia, i"What?"/i
Both girls stopped and looked at him, and Aradia grew bright red, blurting out, "HAIR! Shoulder-blades! I mean, his hair, it hangs below his shoulder-blades. Like, about here?" She turned, picking up her own ponytail, and demonstrated on her own back.
"Ooooh! I would braid him. I would braid him SO HARD!" Feferi giggled. "Oh, by the way, we're friends now, and I'm going to braid you sometime."
Sollux grinned, "It's a jungle in there, might find bones."
"You buy ione pair/i of femur-motif hairsticks, and suddenly you have a reputation..." Aradia sighed, shaking her head.
Feferi turned to Sollux, grinning, "I like her!"
"So you've said. You guys are kind of alike, so it makes sense."
Feferi giggled and hooked an arm around Aradia, "Are we now? Sweet! I'm taking you home and keeping you."
"Have her back by Saturday or her date might be concerned." Sollux pointed, "See? I listen."
Aradia blew a raspberry at him as Feferi was already fussing, wrist-deep, in her bushy ponytail. "Fluffy!"
Aradia giggled as Feferi fluffed and played with her hair, shrugging to Sollux. She then remembered, "Oh! Hey Sollux, I meant to ask you: your bathroom-buddy, he's a photographer, right? Nepeta wants to get some artist portraits for her site."
"Hmm?" He suddenly recalled the thousands of pictures he had on his computer through the shared folder he had set up a while back, "Oh yeah, haven't really seen any of his stuff, though."
Feferi propped her chin on Aradia's shoulder, hugging her from the back. "Eridan's really good! I can see if he can fit you in sometime."
Feferi pulled out her phone and flipped open to a photo portfolio. "Here, I have some of his stuff."
Aradia looked down at the phone, "Hey, these are really good!" She looked over at Sollux, "This guy is really talented! I think I'll get my portraits done, too, if I can afford it."
Sollux walked back over and examined the pictures as well. He recognized the view of one of landscapes as the view from approximately from their building. He had a different angle, but it was clearly from their area of campus. There was a girl there with long, black hair staring back directly into the camera, prevalent smirk with shark-like teeth. There was also a picture of Feferi, neck arched, shadows cast just so across her face and eyes. Wow, Eridan knew what he was doing.
Feferi pulled herself off of Aradia's back fussed with her phone. Aradia turned to Sollux, "Think you can hook me up?"
Feferi called over, "On it. texting him now."
"It's cool to see you get along with her, I thought you might." He stretched slightly, "Oh right, my mom said hi."
"Oh, say hi for me the next time she calls!" Aradia turned to Feferi, "His mom calls, he never calls her."
Feferi nodded, looking a little distracted. "He's not answering. I'll be back in a few, I'm gonna try to call him." She walked a few yards away.
Aradia stood next to Sollux, watching her go. "She's nice! What's her major, art? She looks model-y."
"Crazy enough, she's a nursing student." He looked down at her with a grin, "Doesn't seem like it, does it?"
"Ahhh," she smiled, nodding. "You know your mom's going to try to get you to marry her, right?"
"Already has. She called yesterday and wouldn't shut up about finding a nice girl for some reason. I can't possibly be getting that old, can I?" He scratched at his hair.
Aradia chuckled, putting an arm around Sollux and offering a side-hug. "We're 19. I'm sure your mom just wants you to find someone who makes you happy, and...she didn't have good luck with that, you know? So she's bound to be a little messed up about it."
He nodded, "Yeah, it's just... I don't know, lately it's just been constant. It's kind of stressful."
"No kidding. I mentioned Equius yesterday when I called Mom and, get this, Dad already wants to meet his father." She gave another comforting squeeze. "I know she really just wants you to be happy. I do, too." Aradia's phone chimed, "Crapsickles. I've got to get going to work. Tell Feferi I had to go and give her my screen name, will you?"
"Sure, I'll talk to you later."
Aradia walked off along the path, waving to Feferi as she passed her. Sollux was doing fine; Aradia smiled to herself. All these new friends must be good for him, while he was as grumpy as ever, something about him seemed more relaxed, almost like a new man. Plus, she had a new friend herself, and with any luck, Equius might get in contact with her after class. She smiled to herself, a fresh bounce in her step and ready to take on whatever her shift threw at her.
