A few weeks went by without Sollux hearing anything significant from Eridan. Perhaps a text here or there, but usually it was only some kind of greeting. Occasionally, Sollux would be able to hold a short conversation with Eridan. When Sollux saw that Eridan still used his typing quirk, he had to fight a snort; after all, he had no room to laugh. He still used his own.

Sollux didn't exactly feel guilty about not paying that much attention to Eridan. He was more preoccupied with work than anything else. Now that John was back from one of his "heir-ly trips," as he had dubbed them, Karkat was spending more time with him than with Sollux.

Whatever. It's Karkat's life.

Sollux didn't worry too much when he didn't hear from Eridan for a few days, either. Until he received a rather disturbing text at around one in the morning while he was working.

sol i catn do tihs anmyore

A chill spread throughout Sollux's body. Do what? And why was Eridan spelling like he was drunk? His phone made another noise before he could type a reply.

it hurst to brethe

What was he talking about?

eriidan, where the hell are you?

i dot n knoww

That wasn't a good sign.

are you out2iide 2omewhere?

i thnik so

It was a start.

ed, ii'm comiing two fiind you. don't go anywhere.

Sollux grabbed his car keys with a scowl etched deeply into his face. He couldn't believe this. What had Eridan gotten himself into now?

He didn't have to drive for long before he found Eridan, sitting in a crumpled heap beneath a high, arched stone bridge. Sollux stepped out of his car and slammed the door, storming over to him.

"How come both times I've found you, you've been drinking and crying? Please enlighten me, as I'm fucking curious as all hell. And why do you look like you've been thrown in traffic?"

Eridan let out a tiny whimper in response. He took in a shaky breath, but it was just drowned out by more sobs.

"Wait. Don't tell me. Don't fucking tell me. You were going to jump off this bridge, weren't you?"

Eridan shook his head. "Was thinkin' about it, though."

Sollux dragged Eridan up by the collar of his shirt, looking him eye to rage-filled eye and baring his teeth.

"What the hell did I tell you to do, Eridan? I told you to call me if you needed anything! This constitutes as you needing something!"

"I—" He was cut off by a tearful hiccup. "I did, though. I asked for your help."

"Yeah, you're lucky I was fucking awake! What am I supposed to do with you now, because I sure as hell am not leaving you alone like this. Come on, in the car. We'll talk about this once I get you somewhere warm."

Sollux helped Eridan into the passenger seat, then crossed over to the driver's seat, pausing for a moment before getting in. In the light of his car, Sollux could see that Eridan truly looked like a wreck. There were heavy circles under his puffy, bloodshot eyes and his hair was tangled, probably from him pulling at it while crying or something. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Just… take a deep breath, Eridan," he muttered as he got in. "I'm not going to let you do anything stupid."

Eridan obliged, whimpering a bit as Sollux drove to his apartment building. They didn't say much during the short ride; Sollux was furious and Eridan was just trying to stop the waterworks. When they reached his building, Sollux got out and helped Eridan out of the car. He fell straight to his knees.

"Oh, for crying— fine," Sollux sighed. He knelt down beside Eridan and slid one arm beneath his legs and the other around his shoulders, lifting him up bridal-style to carry him up the stairs. Eridan's eyelids drooped and eventually closed, his breathing slowing from shaky, ragged sobs to gentle snoring. Sollux, in spite of his anger, thought the scenario was rather cute, and let a small smile form on his face.

"You're just a damn princess, aren't you," he whispered softly. He set Eridan down on his couch and then sat down himself, pulling his head into his lap and playing with his hair. Sollux admittedly found this rather nice; it was soothing to his newest friend and to himself as well. "Yes, you're a sad, lonely princess. All you want is a friend, and that's the only thing you never got.

"You know," Sollux muttered, starting on a tangent, "I always sort of envied you. You always seemed to have it all: money, reputation, power… But now I'm starting to see that maybe we aren't so different after all. I mean, sure, I've got Karkat, but lately he's been so preoccupied with Egbert that he hasn't even bothered to give me the time of day." He chuckled weakly. "Sometimes I don't know what to do with Karkat, y'know? He just pisses me off so badly sometimes that I don't know if I should yell back at him or be the more mature troll and stay quiet."

Sollux continued babbling to Eridan's sleeping figure, spilling everything that he couldn't tell Karkat, everything his computers wouldn't understand. It felt good to just be able to talk about little things to someone and not be judged. He realized how much he truly needed a figure like that in his life, instead of someone who was constantly ripping into him. Sollux loved Karkat like a best friend and a brother, but nothing more.

"S-Sol…"

Sollux looked down at the other troll. Was Eridan dreaming about him?

"Don't leave, please," he muttered in his sleep, "I have to tell you… come back…"

Definitely dreaming about him. But what about? And tell him what?

"Relax, you big baby, I'm not going anywhere." Sollux knew Eridan probably couldn't hear him, but he talked to him anyway. "You know, this is the second time I've saved your life, you raving douche. So you had better be grateful."

Eridan flipped onto his side and clung to Sollux's shirt with both of his hands, burying his face into his stomach. Sollux glared at him briefly, about to shove him away, but his look softened, and instead he patted Eridan's head gently.

"Yeah, yeah, it's okay. You're going to be just fine."

Eridan whimpered quietly and snuggled closer to him. Sollux rolled his eyes a bit when he began snoring again, a small smile on his face. Snoring was better than crying, at least.

"Good talk." He leaned over Eridan and pressed his hand against his back, hugging him close. Sollux was glad to just have someone nearby— even if that someone was Eridan Ampora. "Yeah. Eridan, you've got something to live for, I promise. So do me a favor and put the booze down. There's more to life than alcohol, and if that's the only thing that's making you hang on, then… I'm sorry. No one should have to feel that empty, not even you."

Especially not you.

Sollux let his own eyes slide closed as he hunched over Eridan, falling into an unrestful slumber.

—-

In his dream, Sollux was floating in an empty void, lacking any emotion or perception of time and space. He heard mumbling from afar in a very distinct accent. His brain pieced words together; "alone," "abandon," "die." Each word was like a knife that was being plunged into his heart. He watched grim scenes take place behind his eyes, hearing frantic shrieking echo off of the walls of his mind and seeing violet blood spattered everywhere. The images swirled in his head as he continued listening to the murmured sounds.

One word was stuck in his during the entire dream; it was painted in the blood on the canvas that the void had created multiple times, it rang in his ears and was carved into his heart.

Eridan.