Chapter 6

It has been almost a whole week since the move. In fact it would be exactly 7 days the next day and Sollux had been really busy the past couple days. Constantly multitasking between coding, going out into town in his own private limo to get things for himself (the fact that he has his very own limo and driver still shocked him every time he thought of it and he would end up pinching himself to make sure it wasn't a dream.), said things that he bought were mostly electronics. He ended up covering half his room with technology and about a hundred cords that connected everything together. Basically making his room a death trap to anyone clumsy who can't keep keep themselves from tripping over their own two feet which for some reason made him think of Gamzee, but those thoughts go besides the point.

Along with getting used to his new family, hearing the constant plans for the wedding which was in two days, which also happened to be thanksgiving day and texting and calling his friends back in New York, Sollux found himself getting distant from his twin. He did not mean for it to happen, it just did. He still laughed and talked to him, but as the week progressed he had refused to go skateboard or play games or do any activity with him for that matter. Unconvincingly stating that he was busy and ignoring the hurt look he received.

Not only that but without the nicotine that he would always burn into his system he had found himself more anxious and growing less and less patient with everything. The first three days were really hard on him so he locked himself up in his room and coded nonstop. The coding a said earlier had a calming effect on him and it was the only thing he could do without snapping. Even his medication wasn't working as well as it should have when it came to his bipolarity. After his computer shopping spree he stayed the rest of the time in his bedroom, taking only bathroom breaks and going to sleep when he could not keep his eyes open for a second longer. His whole body craved the toxic venom. His body screaming for him to give in but he could not find a way to satisfy the demand since when he did go shopping or out the house the driver, who also served as his body guard watched his every move and sneakily buying a pack would be impossible. So he kept locking himself in and coded some more. Even after almost a week he still kept getting strong craving episodes but they have started to get easier, or at least thats what he kept making himself think to ease his mind away from the addictive drug.

Still it hurt him to think about his ignorance towards his brother, so when his twin came in for about the twentieth time that morning to try and beg him to go outside with him, he shuts off his laptop with his new hacking project that he had been working on, forgets about his stupid craving, and grabs his black and yellow board. Not before throwing on some decent clothes of course.

On the way to the private paved garden that Tuna had taken the privilege of exploring the past couple days on his own with his beloved skateboard the two ended up passing past one of the pools. Sollux quickly spotted a certain blonde someone in the water with a bright flash of purple streaked bangs. He stops for a moment to admire the others almost completely naked body. Enjoying the view of the water glistening of the others skin as he swam laps around the pool. He had spoken to the other once in his stay here so far and the conversation was a short exchange of profanities and dislikes for each other. Sollux discovered that the other had a stutter when it came to w's and v's and concluded that those were the reasons the other did not talk unless it was absolutely necessary. He does not stay there drooling that way for long cause a skinny hand grabs his and pulls him away from the beautiful sight. He pouts, grimacing at his brothers knowing grin.

After reaching Mituna's new favorite spot they spend the next hour skating around the paved garden showing off tricks and generally having a good time. Well it was more like Mituna showing off his tricks and Sollux applauding him since his brother even in his special state of mind was a way better skater than he was or ever hoped to be. It would be a lie if he said anything otherwise. They ended up laughing about random not really funny jokes and talking about random things that had almost no meaning. For the first time since moving into the mansion, Sollux actually feels like he is enjoying life again. Silently he yells at himself for not going skating with his brother earlier.

After a while the two stop to catch their breaths and end up sitting under a huge willow tree. Small rays of the San Diego sun filtering through the leaves and reflecting off the perfect green grass in random patters. Sollux was beginning to regret wearing his usual grey jeans and hoodie which happened to be blue and red this time. Even though he was usually inseparable with his hoodies he pulls down his zipper, then eventually starts shrugging the comfortable yet uncomfortable in the heat item of clothing off. Taking it off he reveals a plain black tee shirt which was also not the greatest wear for the hot weather but he doesn't really care and leans his back against the tree trunk. His brother's head on his lap. His calloused fingers gently untangling the crazy dandelion locks of black hair that belonged to his brother. HIs thoughts traveling all over the place in his mind as his focus fades from the world and enters a place void or reality.

"I don't like Cronuth."

His brother's voice snaps his attention back from the depths of his thoughts and his hand that was stroking the others hair falters for a second. He thinks back on the name and remembers that's it's Eridan's older greaser brother who had come back from college for thanksgiving break whom he had not yet talked to from his avoiding of humanity but only seen during his short time at dinner which he was forced to attend. From what he could see, the asshole flirted with anything that had two legs and could talk and he could definitely see why his brother would dislike him. Even without conversing with the other he already had a dislike towards him from just they way he had seen him act. What a narcissistic bitch.

"I'm thorry. What about FF and her thithter? Meenah I think?"

The other nods to show that he got the brown haired girls name right. She and Cronus went to the same college and were fairly close to each other. At least from what Sollux had heard and seen.

"Feferi ith really nithe. Thhe introduthed me to one of her betht friendth who'th thithter is altho a thkateboarder and we have thkated together a couple timeth. Thhe always callth me radical and laughth a lot. Thhe hath black hair and pretty blue green eyeth..." Sollux stops paying attention to his brother as the other keeps rambling about the skater girl. Secretly singing 'Ooo somebody's got a crush.' in his mind. A teasing grin on his lips.

His attention snaps back when the other gets up quickly and pulls his long hair away from his face so that he could stare into Sollux's eyes. Sollux flinches slightly under the narrowed glare like gazegaze.

"Tholluth are you lithening to me?"

Sollux sighs and shakes his head no. "Thorry Tuna, my mind ith dithtracted with thingth."

"It'th ok. It mutht be really fucking hard for you. That'th why I got you thith." Sollux raises his eyebrows in confusion sitting up a bit as the other gets up and pulls a small box out of his pocket. Sollux's mind going blank at the sight of a pack of what looked like expensive cigs passed to him by his brother. He quickly grabs it and opens it up, his panic rising slightly as he notices a couple missing. If he had not taken his meds earlier he had no clue what he would have done but since he did he calmly gets up and stares at his brother.

"Where the actual fuck did you get thethe?" the other laughs and sits down on the ground. Hugging his skateboard to his chest.

"I thtole them." Wait. What?

"From?"

"Cronuth. He was being an athhole tho I thtole them and you looked bad and I know you thmoke tho I am giving them you. I am not thtupid." Sollux sighs loudly and sits back down.

"I never said you were. Did you have any?" HIs voice rings with concern and something else.

The other shakes his head no, his usual grin back on his face. Hair covering his eyes. Sollux sighs in relief and leans his back against the tree once more. He knew that his brother had a hard time lying, especially to him. It hurt him to know that the other knew and probably had for a long time but it was good to know that his twin was not as stupid as him and did not get himself into the shit. He was also relieved to know that someone in his family knew about his lewd actions. It almost felt like a heavy weight he was not aware he had was lifted from his brother pulls him into a hug and presses his face into the crook of his neck. Smiling the troubled teen runs his hand through the others long tangled knots of hair.

"Tho about thith girl you like, I would like to meet her."

He opens the pack that he still had in his hand and pulls out a stick, silently asking his brother for approval before digging around his his jean pocket and pulling out a lighter. Flicking the flame on he lights it watching his brother from the corner of his eye. Taking a quick drag he watches his brother's nose scrunch up at the smell and he crawls away. "Ok I will introduthe you two. Actually thhe is coming over today with her blind twin thither, even though they don't look the thame and thith other girl who loveth catth and thinks every couple is cute, to hang out with Feferi. Don't tell her that I like her." He makes a desperate face that make Sollux laugh before he takes another drag. Suddenly feeling more calm and at ease.

"Don't worry Tuna I won't thay a word." His brother grins and pulls him into another hug, then pulling away quickly, glaring at the cigarette. "It thinkth!" Sollux laughs nodding his head. "Yeah I know. It'th a bad thmelly thing that ith bad for you and you mutht never try. Maketh you want it really badly and when yo dont have it maketh you go crathy.." Mituna laughs and Sollux puts the used cig out. Pocketing the end to throw away later.

Standing up he gets his board and the two start heading back to the mansion. Maneuvering though mazes of hedges and fancy flower beds. On the way they meet up with Feferi and her three friends wo start giggling and waving at them. One of the girls has short red hair and red glasses covering her blind eyes, and introduced herself as Terezi. She ends up trying to lick his red hoodie claiming that it smelled delicious and that red was the best tasting color. Secretly Sollux decides that she is slightly insane but laughs at her attempts anyways. Her fraternal twin sister has longer black hair but shares a similar pair of red glasses as her sister. Though she wears them for prescription and not blindness and in her hands he holds a teal themed skateboard. She takes Mituna's hand and the two skate away making a knowing grin form on Sollux's lips. The last girl is a short girl in a green trench coat despite the heat and sprouts a blue cat hail and a cat faced beanie on her was with cute little cat ears. Her short black hair sticking out from beneath it and Sollux cannot help but think that her obsession with cats is really adorable. It reminds him of his brothers obsession with bees, and Feferi's well known obsession with sea creatures. Even their use of fish and cat pun was adorable. Which he also finds a little ironic how they were really close friends since one was a fish and the other a cat and cats eat fish. Get it? yeah nevermind.

He ends up spending the rest of the day with his brother, soon to be sister and her friends. At one point he spots Eridan looking at them from afar with a look of jealousy and something that looked like a sketchbook in his hands but disappears as soon as Sollux spots him. He does not give the hot blonde much thought and ends up laughing and talking about random girly things. When Mituna and Latula skate off he ends up listening to Nepeta the cute cat girl squeal over how cute of a couple they made and even though her hopeless romantic trait would annoy some he had dealt and was best friends with one so he just played along. Secretly he did agree with her though.