Oh my god I'm actually writing again! Sorry for the wait. Things are going to get a lot more complicated for our friends. I hope you enjoy this next revealing chapter. Expect more soon. Maybe even tonight. Who knows? Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty

Eridan perked up when Kanaya sat back down on his bed next to him, her shoulders slumped and her head hanging. Eridan only sighed heavily and fell back onto his bed, and soon she joined him. Together, the friends laid as a melancholy feeling soaked into their bones.

"She didn't say a thing," Kanaya said softly, pulling the tape recorder out of the pocket of her red skirt and placing it on Eridan's chest. "You can listen to the conversation. She doesn't admit it. She just says we can't prove anything, and she's right."

Eridan played the tape over and cursed silently under his breath.

"Terezi can't help us in this situation. She'll be in favor of Vriska even if she claims to be unbiased. They've got that blood pact thing."

"I know-w," Eridan said, his stutter becoming more prominent than it ever had been before. He curled up on his side, his back towards Kanaya as he rubbed his scarf between his fingers like he always did when he got upset. By now, his mother's scent had faded, and even though he was somewhat happy it had, he missed the comfort it brought him.

Kanaya sat up and gently placed her hand on his side. "I know you didn't do this… And Sollux does, too. If it was anyone but Dave, he would believe you right off the bat. I know he would."

"That isn't enough," Eridan said. "He's goin' to believ-ve Dav-ve ov-ver me, an' no matter w-what w-we do there's no w-way w-we can get any proof that she an' Dav-ve w-were behind this."

Kanaya sighed softly and crossed her legs, adjusting her skirt. "Come on, Eridan. Sit up, let's talk."

"I don't w-want to talk!"

"Eridan, sit up."

He groaned and pushed himself up, turning to face her. "Alright, I'm up."

"Listen," she said softly. "We will fix this, alright?"

Eridan only tilted his head down, making his glasses slip down his nose.

Kanaya tilted his chin up to force him to look at her. "Dave wouldn't do something to risk his relationship with John. Vriska was obviously the mastermind behind all of this."

"And you know-w that for certain?"

Kanaya nodded. "I'm the one who got Dave and John together in the first place. They're head over heels for each other. Dave wouldn't just do this unless Vriska either had a really good reason to do that to you, or she was threatening him."

"You know-w w-what the w-worst part is, Kan?" Eridan said, suddenly, pulling his face back so her thin, pale fingers were no longer under his chin.

"What?"

"Dav-ve w-was the last person I kissed, an' I can still taste him… It's like he left some sort of gross residue…"

Kanaya blinked and thought a moment. "I could fix that for you."

"You aren't saying…"

"It'll make you feel better, and I don't mind. I'm much more interested in your ex-girlfriend than I am in any male in the school."

"Does that mean?"

"I'm in the same boat as you? Yes."

"But you're still closeted."

"To everyone but you, Rose and Sollux." Kanaya blushed a bit, looking down.

Eridan smiled wide. "I appreciate you being honest w-with me, Kan."

"Do you want me to fix that disgusting residue or not?"

"If you don't mind, please do."