As the world started spinning, and Jade slowly opened her eyes. All she could think of was the throbbing headache she had, how it pierced her head, the ringing in her ears nauseatingly loud. What happened? She blinked her eyes roughly, trying to get a sense of where she was. She could only see fuzzy shapes, the white light of her surroundings too intense for her eyes to fully open. She groaned at the light.

"So, you're finally up" Jades eyes widened as she tried to place the speaker, trying to ignore the increased throbbing in her head by the light. As her eyes registered the figure walking towards her, the memory flooded back.

"Eridan" She snarled, quickly realizing that he had stopped her. She took a quick analysis of her surroundings. She was tied to a chair by electrical cords, their frayed ends a tangle of copper wire. She was in the middle of the control room, the only surviving monitor flickering different windows. Both her hands and feet were tied to the chair, and nothing was close enough around her for her to reach.

However, she was always prepared. Even for a situation as unlikely as this. The heel of her boot held a small knife, and if she could reach it she could easily break through the chords. She would just have to distract him long enough to get at it.

Finally, she looked at her captor. Eridan had a smug look on his face, but it was laced in pain. Her eyes quickly glanced down at his injured arm, he had tied some ripped window curtains around it, yet that was quickly stained a deep violet. It looked like the bullet had hit a major artery, and as he walked closer she noticed that he never moved it, either from the pain or the fact that she may have severed his nerve cells. Either way, it would be easy to overpower him once she was free of the chords.

She finally turned her gaze towards his eyes. They were hazy from pain and determination. Never breaking her stare, she slowly cracked her neck and sat up, glaring at him in the process.

"You're a fool if you think you can break through my security codes" Eridan scoffed at that, averting his eyes from her piercing stare.

"I never said I could" Now it was Jades turn to scoff.

"Then you must be an idiot to lose your arm to a useless act such as this" Eridan turned around, but avoided her eyes, glaring at the space beside her head.

"I'm not an idiot" Jade tilted her head, and smiled at him mockingly. As she did so she arched her back down, her hand inching towards her boot.

"I'm sorry. I must have been mistaken. You're an idiot and a coward. You can't even look me in the eyes. Such a sorry sight that I was overpowered by the likes of you. It was most likely a lucky break, a onetime occurrence" Eridan threw a haughty glare at Jade and came menacingly close.

"You think I'm a coward? The same person that brought you down? Do you even realize the position you're in, human?" He was close to her face now as he snarled in disgust, his eyes burning with rage. As he was speaking she had reached the edge of her boot and her fingertips barely brushed the handle of the knife. She smiled calmly, which seemed to only make him more furious.

"As I said before, a onetime occurrence. Besides, if you were really to bring me down you would have killed me. The only reason I can think of why you didn't kill me is simple…" She leaned closer to his face, sneering dangerously.

"…You're a coward" As she said those words her hand reached the knife, and she gripped it tightly. She watched as Eridans face went through a range of emotions. Anger, sorrow, determination, then… something she didn't recognize. Before she knew what was happening Eridan's face broke the distance as he roughly overtook her lips, his sharp teeth piercing her skin, his tongue begging entrance, then forcing its way in. Jade quickly revolted, but since her hands were tied all she could do was struggle, then as Eridans tongue roughly made its way into her mouth, a wriggling muscle of wrath, she bit down hard.

Needless to say, Eridan quickly pulled away, now with a bleeding tongue and a confused and hurt look on his face.

"What the HELL was THAT?!" Jade angrily yelled, confused and disgusted all at once. She began to wipe her mouth on her shoulder, horrified at what had just happened. Eridan regained his composure, calmly glaring at her.

"What do you mean?! Weren't you flirting me into a black rom?!" Jade was taken aback.

"What? WHAT? NO!" She remembered what that was from her training, a weird romantic relationship that involved hate.

"I'm a human! We don't do that kind of romance! I legitimately hate you! Like, not in a romantic way!" Eridan looked shocked, then saddened. Suddenly, a door hissed open from the other side of the room.

XXXXX

As Sollux walked in he didn't realize the situation that had just unfolded. The white door slid shut behind him and he made his way over to Eridan and a human. Both had fallen silent upon his arrival, and watched as he walked over. Sollux usually wouldn't care about their reaction to his presence, but he instantly narrowed onto some details.

One, Eridan was madly blushing a deep purple, which was unusual.

Two, the human captive had both red blood from her own skin, but also purple blood around her mouth.

Three- well, no, Sollux only ever needed two, and he quickly pieced the scene together.

He turned his head towards the still blushing fishboy, and his lip turned up in disgust.

"You were making out with a human? Groth Eridan. I knew you were dethperate, but not that dethperate" Eridan remained silent, and a flag rose in Sollux's mind. The girl spoke up.

"It's not like I wanted to, he just came onto me without any warning!" Sollux's eyes narrowed and he turned his gaze to the sea dweller once again.

"You were hate thnogging her?!" Sollux quickly spun Eridan around and gripped the collar of his stupid looking wetsuit, meeting the purple tinted trolls eyes. Sollux's eyes flashed a dangerous red and blue. Eridan looked meekly at Sollux, stuttering as he spoke.

"I…I didn't mean to… I just…" before Eridan could stumble out any more useless excuses Sollux was pressing his lips fiercely against Eridans, hating the way their mouths meshed so perfectly together. He broke the kiss and dropped Eridan to the floor.

"You unfaithful bathtard. Gog I mithed you tho much" Eridan looked surprised, then relieved.

"I thought that since we hadn't spoken in such a long time you didn't hate me anymore. I'm so relieved that-"

"Thhut up, I need to get to work. Ith thith the only monitor left?" He gestured to the surviving monitor, and Eridan nodded his head. Sollux made his way over and got to work. Let's see, he needed to break through the firewalls, back up his viruses…

It had only been a few minutes into Sollux's work, and Eridan was already bored. He leaned over Sollux's chair, watching him as he worked. He was so relieved their black quadrant was saved. He should have never thought of Jade that way. Once he realized that there was nothing interesting to watch he began poking Sollux's head randomly. The troll growled, and his eyes grew red and blue, sparks peppering the air around them.

"Whoa Sol, I know you hate me but I wasn't that annoying" Sollux swiveled his chair around, knocking Eridans arms off.

"You know, if you keep a captive you need to make thure they thtay captive" Jade was suspended in the air by red and blue tendrils of energy, her hand gripping a small knife probably meant for Eridan. She scowled at her failed attempt for revenge. Eridan walked under her and plucked the knife from her hands, inspecting it shortly before throwing it absently across the room.

"There ith ductape on the thip. Tie her up there" There was a popping sound from the lights and Jade fell to the ground, unconscious.

As Eridan gathered the limp girl into his arms Sollux observed the care he used.

"Why didn't you kill her?" Eridan looked at him, surprised by his blunt question.

"Um" Eridan pursed his lips in thought, then shrugged.

"I guess the idea never occurred to me" With that he left the room, leaving Sollux alone.

"Hmm…"

XXXXX

Jade awoke for the second time that day with a throbbing headache. She didn't hesitate to snap open her eyes and panicked when she was met by Eridans face inches from her own. Not again. Eridan glanced at her alarmed expression before going back to what he was doing.

Which was duct taping her.

To a pole.

In a room she didn't recognize.

How can this be happening again?

Eridan soon finished and he stood up, his form menacingly tall now that she was huddled on the ground. He had done a good job, she couldn't move at all, and she had no more hidden knifes.

"Where am I?" Eridan knelt down, leveling his eyes with hers.

"Doesn't matter. Actually, you don't have to worry about anything anymore. Why? You can't do anything to change your situation. You're done. Game over. We win." A sick feeling resounded at his words, yet Jade didn't let him faze her.

"There is always something to be done" Eridan tilted his head with an amused look.

"Just face your miserable future. Sollux, our master hacker, has broken into the headquarters of everything that is against us. There is nothing you, or anyone, can do to oppose us now" Eridan smiled, his sharp teeth sending a shudder down her spine.

She finally let her instincts catch up to her, and allowed herself to realize the gravity of her situation. A predatory alien had captured her and let one of the most powerful hackers into the database of everything that could stop them. Eridan was right, they were done for. And she was the one who let everyone down.

There was one thing she had to know now. Even though she said he was a coward it was just to get inside his head. It wasn't the truth.

"Why didn't you kill me?" At this Eridans toothy grin grew larger.

"You're my prize"

XXXXX

A/N Well… this was a very unusual chapter. I'm not sure if I like it, so I would love feedback.

For one, was it too boring to have just one event as opposed to my usual switching around? Or did you prefer it this way?

Two, I introduced a potentially unusual pairing. I just want to experiment with unusual shipping, yet I will keep some obvious ones. (AKA black EriSol) And if the foreshadowing wasn't clear please excuse this question. Granted I basically just gave it away. I just want to get some input, you know?

And as usual, any overall comments would be greatly appreciated! Thank you to Angryanimeperv64 for reviewing my last chapter!

Thanks for reading! :P