Hey guys. Sorry I've taken a while. I've been trying to write my own novel, and I guess inspiration hasn't been coming when it comes to any of my stories. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you like it, review! Tell me what you think! Enjoy.

Cronus hadn't been too bothered with Vriska's behavior. It had started to become a normal thing much to his displeasure, but now it wasn't too much of a surprise. After Eridan had left him at the pool, Cronus put his guitar in the living room and went to the office. Darren had been on his laptop working on a new assignment, and when he heard Cronus come in, he shut the computer and turned in his chair.

"What's up, Cronus?"

Cronus sat down on the couch and sighed heavily. "V-Wriska ran ov-wer Eridan's Elder V-Wand model."

Darren's happy attitude completely dropped. "You're kidding. You have to be kidding."

"I'm not!"

Darren groaned and leaned back in his chair, and then he leaned and rested his head in the palm of his hand. Cronus looked his father over. He was very tired looking, and his face was covered in black stubble. His hair wasn't even gelled back like it normally was, and the signature dark Ampora curls were covering his face.

"That was his last birthday gift before his mother left us," Darren muttered, blue-grey eyes mourning and exhausted. Cronus nodded slowly.

It was no secret from any of the boys that their mother hadn't died like Darren had originally told the boys. She had left them to go try her luck in Vegas, and all three men knew how that ended for her, and they didn't discuss it. But before she had her drinking problem, she and Eridan got along very well. Jolene Ampora was no stranger to the youngest son, and she in fact favored him over Cronus, which was why Eridan had been showered in Harry Potter merchandise and never got in trouble. It never did help that Eridan was a total suck-up to Jolene, either, but it also never helped that Cronus had been a very troublesome child. But none of that mattered anymore, because it had been three years since any of them had heard from Jolene Ampora, and they all knew that was for the best.

"I know-v," Cronus said, slumping over and resting his elbows on his knees. "He v-was really upset about it."

"He always was your mother's favorite," Darren said, cracking a small smile. "Should we replace it?"

"No," Eridan said, standing in the doorway. He sat down on the couch next to Cronus. "I'v-ve meant to get rid of it for a long time."

"That's your most prized possession," Darren said in disbelief.

Eridan shook his head. "W-Was. I w-was thinkin' w-while I w-was doin' homew-work, an' I'v-ve decided that it w-was a good thing that V-Vris broke it. I don't need to be holdin' on to that anymore. None of us do."

The three Ampora men were quiet for a moment. The silence hung in the air and seemed to drown Cronus, but he soon broke it by managing to choke out, "I'm going to go finish my homev-work."

Eridan got up. "I'v-ve got to talk to V-Vris. I'll see you tomorrow-w mornin'. Night Dad. Night Cro."

"Night, Eridan," Darren said softly. Cronus watched Eridan leave before he said goodnight to his father and headed upstairs. He sighed and went through his phone, looking for someone to call when he knew he should have been finishing his homework. He figured it could wait until after he spoke to someone.

"Hello, Kankri Vantas speaking. How may I help you?"

"V-Wow-v. V-When you ansv-wer, you sound like you v-work for a tech company," Cronus said with a smirk.

"Oh, it's you. I should have figured. You always seem to crawl into my business like the slimy little slug you are," Kankri said. Cronus could tell he was irritated more so than usual.

"Did you and Karkat fight or something?" Cronus asked. "You sound upset."

"Why would I tell you? And if you want me to give the phone to Porrim, it's no problem. She's right across the hall, though you have her number so I don't get why you're calling me, especially at this hour."

"It's only eight!"

"Eight o' two, which means the call time is cut here. Listen, if you really want to talk to me, then I'll get on Skype or something. I just can't be on the phone, and if anyone asks, we're working on a project."

"Wow, I didn't know you were such a rebellious little shit," Cronus said with a slight smirk, pulling his laptop out from under his bed and turning it on. "What's your username?"

"I'll add you, don't worry about it. Porrim's already messaged it to me," Kankri said. "And please, refrain from using such triggering language."

"Sorry, chief," Cronus said. "I guess you guys work fast, huh?" He was already accepting the friend request Kankri had sent him.

"You could say that," Kankri said. "Talk to you in a moment."

Cronus hung up right as he answered Kankri's video call, and the two looked at each other a moment. Cronus realized how awful he looked in his white tee shirt and with his curls wild and crazy. Kankri chuckled at him, which made Cronus glare in irritation as he said, "Shut up, Kankri! I shov-wered after my jog this afternoon and I nev-wer v-went back out. I'm not going to put in gel just for you."

"How unfortunate," Kankri said with a sarcastic smirk.

"Shut up," Cronus growled again.

"I'm not going to shut up, Cronus. You called me for a reason. What is it?"

Cronus sighed. "I just needed someone to talk to and my flirting isn't up to par so I can't talk to Porrim."

"Well, don't I feel special," Kankri scoffed. "I guess I'll pity you and entertain your particularly dense mind."

"You don't need to be rude about it."

"I don't, but I like to tease you," Kankri said, tilting his head thoughtfully. "So, what were you thinking for this little conversation you're so keen on having?"

"Hold up a second, Kankri. I'm not going to talk to you if you keep being such a little prick about it," Cronus said, leaning back in his chair. "Did something happen?"

Kankri tilted his head the other way and his dark brown hair fell into his eyes. "Not really, no. The girls have a friend over."

"A friend?"

"Their mother, Denise," he said. "Denise Maryam. She looks exactly like Kanaya, and almost nothing like Porrim. I guess Porrim takes after their father."

"And v-where is he?"

"Dead."

Cronus's slight smile dropped. "Oh."

"War kills people, Cronus," Kankri said. "It's not something we can avoid, you know."

Cronus raised an eyebrow. "No trigger v-warning on that? No long rant? Obv-wiously, something is v-wrong."

"It's late at night, Cronus. I'm tired and I have homework to do. Don't you have to worry about Vriska killing your brother or something?"

"Don't joke about that, you little shit," Cronus said automatically. He stopped a moment and shook his head, observing Kankri's surprised look. "Sorry, I just—"

"You're protective about your brother. I can understand that. Despite how rude and negative he is, I'm the same way about Karkat." Kankri sighed a bit and shrugged his shoulders.

"Karkat and Eridan seem to get along v-well," Cronus said with a smile. "If you tv-wo v-want to come ov-wer tomorrov-w after school, you're v-welcome to. Dad never cares and I don't really care v-what Melisa thinks."

Kankri's lips turned up in a slight smile. "That sounds like fun."

"Then tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Kankri said, smiling. He pulled over a text book and began to read through it. "Have you done the math homework yet?"

"I'm not v-wery good at math," Cronus said, pulling his history textbook out of his backpack and holding it in his lap. "I'm better at history."

"Karkat told me that your brother is pretty good at history," Kankri said.

"Eridan's a lot more passionate about it. I'm just good at it because it's all memorization," Cronus admitted.

"It's good to have a passion," Kankri said. "What's yours?"

"My passion? Are you serious?"

"Very."

Cronus sighed. "Music."

Kankri nodded.

"V-What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"I don't really have one," Kankri said slowly. "I mean, I'm pretty good at lecturing and such, but I haven't found something I really enjoy."

"You don't enjoy telling us ev-werything there is to know-v about dryer lint?"

"I do, but it's not like that's something I can do with my life," Kankri said. "Let's stop talking about it. I'll help you do your math homework."

"Oh, thanks," Cronus said. Kankri maybe wasn't as bad as Cronus thought, and he was actually excited that the short boy with the bright red sweater he wore every day was coming over to hang out.