I should have edited this more, but I did not so besides spelling errors I did not do any proof reading of this chapter. I guess I should say you should be lucky I even put it up today since I was supposed to be editing my essay for my writing-123 class but instead wrote this. I don't think I will post up any more new chapters for a while so please don't order me around with it (AKA This is such a wonderful story, please please please update etc..). I have these stupid things called finals coming up, but of course if you do want to leave a long detailed review feel free to do so.~Angie
Chapter 11
Back at the mansion, Sollux escapes to the confinements of his room and surrounds himself in coding projects and school work until the fancy intercom thing that was installed in his room turns on and one of the chefs or whoever the person was called him down to dinner. Groaning he detaches himself from his pile of blankets and cords and slowly gets out of bed. Somehow managing it without breaking or crashing anything. Smirking to himself he makes sure that his brother heard the call before making it out of his room and slowly downstairs to the dining room that was for casual dinner, or whatever it was called. Basically speaking the dining room that they had dinner at when it was not a special occasion. Personally speaking Sollux hated the whole thing. What difference did it make in which dinning room they had dinner?
Shaking the confusing thoughts out of his head he sits down in his usual seat across from Mituna, next to Eridan, or at least where the blonde would sit if he was there. He looks around with a blank expression on his face, watching the witch and his father come in. A moment later Feferi strolls in and takes a seat next to Mituna, and instantly starts talking about a new marine animal she just learned about and why it was amazing. Or something close to that, Sollux wasn't really paying any close attention to anyone. Simply waiting for the servers to bring out the food so he could quickly eat it and then retreat back into his room.
A few minutes pass without the show of the blonde haired hottie and then some more. After a while the witch sighs loudly, most likely for show than anything else and orders Sollux to go and get him. Muttering something under his breath about slitting her fucking throat he reluctantly gets up and slowly climbs the stairs to the third floor and then down the hall to the room that he hoped was Eridan's. He awkwardly knocks on it and when he does not hear a reply he quickly opens it, momentarily blinded by the bright violet purple that hits his eyes. The previous thought may or may not be an exaggeration. Just kidding it was, but seriously the whole room was purple. Purple walls, purple drapes over the windows, purple carpet, purple everything. Except for small odds and ends here and there that held other colors but that is besides the point. Raising his eyebrow he quietly enters the room and looks around it. Quickly noting wizard things such as wands and capes laying around as well as a few posters featuring Harry Potter. He smirks at the others obsession, not because it was too nerdy, but because it was kinda, cute? Yeah whatever he came here to find Eridan, not obsess with his things. Though he would have to tease the other about it later.
Looking around the room one more time he sighs noting the others absence but stops in the doorway when he hears the sound of the water that he somehow did not notice earlier shut off. Furrowing his eyebrows he slowly walks to what he assumed was the bathroom door, careful to stay quiet. Moments later he hears a muffled gasp. His curiosity getting the best of him he hesitantly places his hand on the doorknob and gives it a firm twist. Slightly surprised that the door was unlocked. As quietly as he can he opens the door and gets introduced to a thick stream of steamy air, his glasses fogging up almost instantly. Cursing them silently to himself he slips into the small room and closes the door. He was a bit surprised that the other had not called out to him for intruding, but the thought quickly disappears as he hears another pained gasp. He quickly walks toward the sound, one hand wiping at the fog on his glasses.
Finally getting them to a point where he could somewhat make out his surroundings he has to bite down on his tongue to keep from gasping in shock. In front of him, sitting on the closed toilet, leaning his body forward so that his top half was over the bathtub was the familiar blond haired teen. His back was facing Sollux but it did not stop him from seeing the others hands. In his right hand, his fingers were grasped around a thin metal object, the size of a penknife. At second glance, Sollux realized that it was exactly that. The Blonds other hand, his left, was hanging over the edge of the bathtub, two thin red cuts crisscrossing his skin. Both of them bubbling with fresh blood, dripping down into the bathtub with soft muffled drips. Sollux's eyes widen at the scene in front of him. It was way too familiar. Of course it was a different sharp object involved but that was besides the point.
In slow motion he watches the teen take the blade away from his skin, just to raise it up again to the top of his arm. The tip just barely sinking into his tanned skin. Almost on instinct Sollux moves forwards, his fingers grasping the small weapon and pulls it out of the others grasp. Without realizing what he is doing, he pins the other to the wall, not realizing that the other was screaming from shock until the penknife was lying on the other side of the bathroom. He blinks slowly, his bicolored eyes staring into the scared shitless ones that belonged to Eridan. Slowly he takes a step back. Subconsciously realizing that the other was naked but before he can take a look, the other has wrapped a towel around himself, his scream now a hollow whimper. Running his hand through his moist hair thanks to the humid steamy air, Sollux takes a step back. After seeing the abuse that the other took earlier that day the last thing he needed was to threaten him.
Taking a deep breath he opens his eyes and once again meets the others grey ones. He actually looked scared, and when Sollux moved his hand he flinched. Like actually literally flinched. Sollux sighs and steps away from him towards the door. His eyes looking down at the others hand, realizing that he was hiding it by holding the towel behind him.
"ED I know you cut yourthelf, thhit, can you tell me why?" He watched the other shake his head, muttering how he had no idea what he was talking about. Rolling his eyes, Sollux opens the door under the fancy purple sink. Pulling out a few bandages and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He watches the others eyes widen in surprise, even though they were really wide from fear so Sollux had no idea how that was possible and since it wasn't very important at the moment he slowly walked over to the other and made him sit back down on the closed toilet seat.
Slowly he reaches for the other left hand, making sure his movements are slow and careful. Taking hold of his upper arm he slowly pulls it towards him, feeling the others muscles tense at the touch. Pouring some of the rubbing alcohol into a clean rag he starts washing away the blood that had stopped flowing in a rapid pace and had already started to dry out and cake along his arm. Softly blowing on the wounds to ease the stinging pain that the cursed liquid brought to the other he slowly washes away the blood and then starts bandaging it. Careful to make it tight, but not too tight so that it would not cut off the blood flow to his hand. When he's done, he helps the other to his feet, and to his bed, helping the other lay down. Walking over the the fancy intercoms thing he contacts the family downstairs and informs them that Eridan is sick and can't come down. Asking if their dinners could be brought up.
When he's done he walks back over to the purple bed and sits down on the edge, noticing that the other had pulled on a pair of purple, how shocking, pajamas. When the server comes up with the tray of food, Sollux takes it and then closes the door. Sitting back down on the others bed he sets the tray down on the blondes laps and then picks up his plate. Not bothering with the hundreds, note the exaggeration, pieces of silverware. Balancing the plate on the palm of his hand he watches the other eat, glancing at him occasionally with a look of fear and worry. The comfortable silence between them slowly turning into an awkward one.
"Sol, can you just hit me already? Or make a rude remark? Or even insult me by callin me a fuckin emo cuttin freak and punch me already." Sollux shakes his head, setting his partially eaten plate of food on the ground.
"Thorry aththhole I can't do that. If I do I will be a fucking hypocrite." His words must have surprised the other cause he stops his fork full of food mid air and stares at him. After a short while he shakes his head and puts the tray on the nightstand, covering his head with a fluffy purple pillow. Sollux sighs and moves closer to him, his skinny hand ruffling his blonde hair.
"I'm theriouth ED, I can thhow you the thcarth if you don't believe me." He watches the other get out from under the pillow and look at him, an unreadable expression on his face. Sollux sighs and pulls up one of his hoodie sleeves. His fingers pulling at the skin to emphasize the cross crossing of thin faded scars covering the underside of his arm. Eridan stares at his hand for a moment, then looks up. His violet grey eyes looking deeply into Sollux's blue and mahogany ones.
"Wwhy did you do it?" Sollux sighs at the question, laying down next to the blonde on top of the purple comforter.
"Becauthe of Thhit that wath going on."
"Howw did you stop?"
"Mituna caught me cutting, and then inthead of telling thomeone like he thould have, he went and tried it himthelf. We ended up taking him to the hothpital and Dad wath very mad at me. I got grounded for a whole year becauthe of it. Tho yeah, I can't really make fun of you for it cauthe I did the thame thhit." Eridan nods in understanding, a comfortable silence settling over them. After a while, Sollux breaks it again.
"Hey ED?"
"Hm?"
"Can you promithe me that you won't do it again?" The other sighs, and after a moment finally nods. Confirming his promise. They enter another comfortable silence, just laying there looking into each others eyes. Silently, Sollux vows to protect the other teen. Even if he had to get into dozens more fights with the jocks. Even if he was called shitty names at school cause frankly he did not notice them. Years of ignoring them has taught him how. Not even spider bitch could make him break his vow.
He slowly reaches his hand forward, cupping the others cheek. Smiling he slowly leans in. Just as their lips were about to brush against each other the door slams open and a certain twin skips stops dead in his tracks, the shocked look on his face quickly turning into an all knowing grin. Shit.
"Tholluxth and Eridan thitting in the tree K-i-eth-eth-i-n-g! Firtht cometh love. Then cometh marriage. Then cometh baby in the baby carriage, Thucking hith thumb, wetting his pantth, doing the hula, hula dance!" Sollux laughs at his brother and sits up, watching the blonde turn away and hide his face from embarrassment.
"Tuna, guyth cant have kidth."
"Yeth they can, dad ha uth." Sollux laughs and rolls his eyes.
"Alright, whatever you thay Tuna, whatever you thay."He quickly gets up from the bed and after ruffling Eridan's hair one last time gets the tray and piles it with the dirty plates. Walking out the room with it, followed by a grinning Mituna. Taking the tray down to the kitchen he then goes back upstairs. A small smile on his lips. In his room he surrounds himself with coding, and after a few hours heads to bed. A certain Ampora on his mind as he slips into a black abyss that he called sleep.