I'm barely through the door when my mother's hand is flying towards me, the impact on my cheek ringing through the air. I stagger a little, unprepared for the slap, one hand flying up to cover my stinging face. "Where the hell have you been!? Do you have any idea what time it is? Not only do I get a call saying you skipped school, but then you're out all night without any explanation or asking permission? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Her voice is shrill in my ears, and I look around quickly for my dad. A pit opens up in the bottom of my stomach when I realize that my dad's at work right now. I only see a flash of blue and black as Aranea slinks off to her room, a book in her hand. Vriska's sitting on the couch, ignoring everything and watching her movie without a care. I don't see Eridan and I wonder if he's hiding in his room like Aranea. I don't get the chance to check before my mother hits me again, yelling at me to pay attention to her. This time I yelp slightly at the pain and this seems to appease her a little, enough that she doesn't raise her hand for a third strike. "Are you going to answer me now, or do I need to smack the truth out of you?"

I don't want to deal with her temper, or the fact that I can smell the alcohol on her. But it's either me, or one of my siblings I guess. Someone always ends up on the wrong end of her anger, but I'd rather have her take it out on than one of my younger siblings. "I had to go help a friend on the other side of town. They-" Another strike, this time a punch to my stomach and I bend over wheezing as the air in my lungs flies away. She pulls me up by my hair and her face is an ugly snarl when she forces me to look at her.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" She hisses, the fumes from her mouth making me gag as spittle rains on my face. Fear is starting to set in because I don't think I've ever seen her this furious before, and it takes all of my willpower not to shove her away from me. "I'm not, I swear!" Of course I'm lying to her. I don't want to know what she'd do if she found out what I really did yesterday. Honestly I would half expect her to finish what Kurloz had interrupted, and that really isn't a theory I want to test at the moment.

I get lucky then, as she's raising her fist to punch me again, the door opening to let my father inside. No one moves for a heartbeat and then he's yanking me out of my mother's grip, shoving me towards the hallway and getting in her face again about her actions. I don't stay to listen, literally running for my room and slamming the door behind me. I can still hear them as I turn to face the bed, and my little brother. And while I thought my parents fighting was enough of a problem to deal with today, the red lines tracing their way down Eridan's arm show that someone up there thinks other-wise.

"Eridan, what the hell are you doing!?" I hiss, grabbing his arm and pulling it away from the bloodied knife in his hands. The blade clatters across our plastic tiled floor as he looks up at me with dazed eyes, and one look at them tells me that not only was he indulging in his habit, but he's higher than a kite to boot. I don't dare sneak him out to the hospital, but it's ok because the cuts don't look to deep. They're just faint scratches, and not as bad as some I've seen on him. I do sneak out to the bathroom, snatching the first aid kit then returning to Eridan's side, cleaning and bandaging his cuts.

He just sits there, watching his blood trickle to the floor and I find myself wishing I didn't have a brother, or two sisters to look after when I hear the sound of breaking glass again. With dad always working, and mom always a violent, drunken wreck, I was the one who took care of my siblings. If it weren't for them I'd have taken off a long time ago, but I don't dare abandon them.

It's later when my mom has passed out, and Eridan is sleeping off his high, that I'm curled up in my bed, trying unsuccessfully to read my history book. I'm bored seconds in, but I know I have to pass this class if I want to graduate. My phone buzzes unexpectedly, and I practically leap upon the distraction, shutting the book and grabbing the device from my pocket. It's a text, from a number I don't recognize, and I frown as I flip the cell open and select 'read now'.

Hey there :o)

I blink, wondering who could have sent me the text, and what is up with the little face at the end. Then I remember who I left my phone number for, only a couple hours ago.
Kurloz?

Yeah, it's me. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important :o)

I can feel a smile curving my lips, though I'm not sure why as I settle back into my pillows, book pushed aside and forgotten for the time being. It would only figure that he'd use a strange face for his signature I suppose, but I don't mind it.

Nah, you didn't interrupt anyfin. Sorry I couldn't stay longer.

That's alright, I'm sure your family was worried about you :o)

I guess you could say that. My mom wvasn't exactly pleased wvith me being out all night.

Oh. Did I get you into trouble, taking you to my place? :o(

I blink for a second, wondering why the face had changed. Was it not really his signature, but something he put at the end of every message? Ok, that was a little weird. Not that I had a right to complain with my v and w quirk, as well as the occasional fish pun.

No it's fine, you didn't do anyfin wvrong. You do remember you savwed my life, right?

Heh. Right. So what are you up to? :o)

Nofin much, just studying for my history class. Wvhat about you?

Just making some salsa :o)

Salsa?

Salsa :o)

Wvhy are you making Salsa?

I found myself craving some chips, but store bought salsa just doesn't taste right and you never really know where it's been. So I make my own from scratch :o)

Wvowv. That's pretty impressivwe actually.

Thanks. Do you cook at all? :o)

Nah. I'm not exactly good at cooking, to say the least. Nevwer really bothered to learn…

You never learned how to cook? :o(

Nope.

Well, if you want to come over again sometime, I'd be happy to teach you some stuff :o)

Um, sure. Wvhen did you havwe in mind?

You free now? :o)

I wvish. I still havwe to finish this chapter in my history book and wvrite an essay.

Aw well alright :o(

The little frown at the end of his message makes a bit of guilt twist in my stomach and I bite my lip, leaning over the bed to look at Eridan on the bottom bunk. He's sleeping, almost peacefully, and I sigh as I straighten up. I can't just leave my brother by himself when he's like this. After a few nightmares I've had, I'm afraid that if I leave him alone in this state he won't be alive when I get back. My phone buzzes again and I jump, not expecting the sudden vibration in my hand. Laughing at myself I open it back up to see the text.

How about tomorrow, around one? I have some stuff to take care of in the morning so I won't be home until then, but I we can do lunch :o)

Yeah, that's fine. So I'll sea you then?

Yeah. See you tomorrow :o)

I close my phone, smirking just slightly as I turned back to my history book. It only occurs to me an hour later that Kurloz' invitations sounded suspiciously like a date.