Sollux sat alone in the nursery with his husktop in his lap as he worked on a code for a new virus. Eridan had remained obstinate over the past couple of weeks insisting that they could figure out a way for them to both survive the impending drone visit. He really hoped his matesprit was right although he highly doubted it, then again he was known for being a pessimist.
He looked over at the eggs that sat in the pool beside him. There were only two months left before they would hatch. He wondered if it would take that long for the drones to arrive so he could at least see if any of his grubs had survived. The Gemini reached out to run his fingers over the smooth surfaces of the shells when his husktop pinged with a new message. He gently touched each egg before withdrawing his hand and looking at his computer screen.
GA: We Are Ready To Stage The Attack. When Would You Be Available?
TA: anytiime'2 good ii gue22
GA: …
GA: You Do Realize That We Will Require Your Presence At The Vantas-Pyrope Hive?
Sollux felt a drop in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't leave his hive that would mean leaving Eridan and the eggs alone. What if the drones came while he was gone and culled Eridan on the spot?
TA: Kanaya ii can't do that ii can't leave eriidan and the egg2.
GA: I Understand That It Is Difficult. Ultimately The Decision Is Up To You. As I Have Mentioned To Eridan, These Are Trying Times And We All Have Difficult Choices To Make.
Sollux stared at the screen for a long moment. He didn't want to not help his friend especially since it was a life or death situation. He also didn't want to leave his matesprit and eggs which could potentially turn into a life or death situation.
TA: how long would iit take?
GA: It Depends On How Well Your Body Handles Blood Loss. You May Lose Quite A Bit Of Blood Doing This And May Require A Bit Of Rest Afterwards.
TA: ii don't care how much blood ii've lo2t ii need two get back here two ED a2 2oon a2 po22iible.
GA :…
GA: Sollux, You Know I Cannot Allow You To Do That.
TA: FUCK! let me talk two eriidan about thii2.
Sollux placed his husktop on the floor beside him and once again looked over at the eggs. "I hope you guyth appreciate how much shit we're going through to keep you thafe," he told them then sighed and stood up. "I'm talking to eggth that can't hear me and might not even be alive," he said to himself. He went to the ablution block where Eridan was taking a shower.
"Sol? Is that you?" Eridan asked from behind the glass of the shower door.
"Yeah I'm in here," Sollux answered as he made his way to the load gaper.
"How are they?" the violet blood asked while lathering his hair.
"Thame ath alwayth," the Gemini said as he relieved himself into the load gaper then flushed and went to the sink to wash his hands. "Eridan?" he called out uncertainly once he was ready to broach the topic.
"What?"
"Kanaya jutht methaged me and told me that they're ready to uthe my blood," he informed his matesprit.
"I suppose that means they're about to go into hidin' then," Eridan said solemnly after a moment. He rinsed his hair and shut off the water when he had finished his shower. Sollux directed his eyes to the high blood once he had opened the glass door to the shower and began toweling off.
"I'm going to have to go to KK and TZ'th hive for them to be able to uthe my blood," Sollux said.
"Well they can't very well use it from here," Eridan replied as he stepped out of the shower.
"Don't you underthtand what that meanth, ED?" Sollux implored. "I'm going to have to leave you and the eggth alone in the hive."
"Yeah I get what it means, Sol," Eridan reassured as he toweled off. He was somewhat confused about why his matesprit seemed so desperate in the situation. Surely he wouldn't be gone for more than a few hours. "As long as you're back before the drones get here I don't see what the problem is."
"The problem ith," Sollux began irritably, "that you don't theem to underthtand that every fiber in my being ith telling me I need to protect you and them and yet you're telling me that it ith perfectly fine to jutht leave you alone in a time of imminent danger." Eridan wrapped the towel around his waist and glared at Sollux for a moment.
"I can take care of myself, you know. I'm not some defenseless fuckin' wriggler," the sea troll defended. "In fact, even if I was a wriggler I'd still be perfectly fine because while you had the leisure of growin' up sittin' at your computer all day fuckin' around I was out killin' other trolls' lusii so that we all wouldn't be killed. You're welcome, by the way."
"I know that you can take care of yourthelf, Eridan," Sollux groaned in exasperation. "It'th jutht- ugh- fine, I'll jutht go," he relented. "I will be coming back ath thoon ath I fucking can though. If you were thtill pregnant there would be no quethtionth athked, no way in hell I would be leaving you alone."
"Well I'm not still pregnant, thank cod, and I'm perfectly capable of defendin' myself and our eggs," Eridan declared then stepped passed Sollux to leave the ablution block and head to their respite block. Sollux followed and remained silent as Eridan dressed. Once all of his clothing was in place, the high blood approached his worried matesprit and wrapped his arms around him.
"Go do what you need to do, Sol," Eridan said quietly. "Me an' the eggs'll still be here when you get back."
Sollux returned the hug and buried his face in the nape of the sea troll's neck taking comfort in his scent. "I'll go let Kanaya know that I'm ready," he sighed.
An hour later the Gemini was approaching the front door of his friends' hive. It would have taken him less time if he hadn't needed to sit with the eggs running his fingers over their shells for nearly long enough to have ever bump and curve memorized. He had also refused to leave until Eridan had actually brought his gun out into the living room and had promised to sit beside it at the ready in case anyone did come to attack.
The sharp scent of fresh blood hit Sollux like a slap in the face when he stood directly in front of the door to rap his knuckles on it. A moment later the door creaked open slightly before being pulled open enough for Kanaya to motion for him to come inside quickly. The smell of blood only got stronger as he stepped inside and it was immediately apparent why. Splatters of teal colored blood dotted the floor and dripped from the walls. It really did look like at least one troll had been culled inside the hive.
"Where'th TZ?" Sollux asked in unease.
"She's over here on the couch," Karkat said nearly startling Sollux as he stood from the couch. The mutant blooded troll came over to where his friend stood to observe the next part of the plan.
"Terezi got a bit… over enthusiastic about making her part look authentic enough," Kanaya stated as she began pulling supplies out of a bag she had brought with her. "I have instructed her to rest for awhile. Please have a seat Sollux," she gestured to a tall chair that had been pulled up to the meal block bar. Sollux glanced over at Karkat who stood with his arms folded and a frown set on his face as he took his seat. He looked down at the supplies laid out on the counter and felt a twinge of nervousness as he saw a packaged needle among them.
"I am going to be taking Karkat and Terezi into the brooding caverns as soon as you and her have recovered from the blood loss," the jade blood explained as she moved Sollux's arm onto the counter and wiped the skin around the fold of his elbow with a sterile soaked piece of cotton. She opened the packaged needle and another package containing a thin spool of clear plastic tubing.
"Tho how exactly are we doing this?" Sollux asked and Karkat wandered back over to the couch to check on his matesprit.
"This needle is hollow," Kanaya said as she attached one end of the plastic tubing to the end of the needle. "When the needle is inserted into your vein the blood will flow through the needle and tube to drain here," she positioned the end of the plastic tube inside a pan. "Make a fist for me," she instructed as she held the needle. Sollux flexed his hand into a fist which he noticed made the vein in his arm more apparent. He looked away when Kanaya brought the needle down to stick him directly in the vein.
"Very good Sollux," she soothed. "We have already started to collect." Against his better judgment he peeked over at his arm to see that the tube was no longer clear but instead a solid yellow as his blood flowed through it. He looked away quickly.
"You will still be able to contact me while I make sure that they stay hidden so please do so when that time comes," the Virgo told the double horned troll as she looked him directly in the eye hoping to get her message across. Sollux understood that she meant when it was time for the eggs to hatch. The unspoken mention of the eggs sent a small jolt of panic through him as he was reminded that he had left his hive and couldn't protect them or Eridan in his current position.
"How much longer ith thith going to take? I need to get back home," Sollux shifted in his seat anxiously although he was mindful of the needle draining blood from his arm.
"Just a bit longer, dear," Kanaya responded calmly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, is helping your friends not get killed that much of an inconvenience for you?" Karkat snapped as he came back over from the couch.
"Fuck off, KK. You aren't the only one at rithk of being culled by the droneth," the Gemini replied hotly.
"What could you and your fucking royal blooded matesprit possibly have to worry about when the drones come, hm?" the Cancer demanded. "What could a perfectly acceptable yellow blood and a troll that is one step below being the fucking ruler of our species have to worry about?" Karkat glared at Sollux as he awaited an answer. The psionic opened his mouth to speak then closed it a few times before he decided on an answer.
"You know what? Fuck it! We all might die anywayth tho I'll jutht tell you," Sollux said angrily. "You know what we have to worry about? That we are in both of each other'th red and black quadranth tho when the droneth come we have to figure out how to flip red to black and fill two pailth fatht enough not to get culled. Of courthe if we manage to pull that part off, there'th alwayth the fact that ED and I have troll eggth in our hive."
"Wait- what?" Karkat asked in confusion. "How did you get troll eggs? Why do you have troll eggs?"
"We have them because they are ours," Sollux explained tensely. "We made them and Eridan laid them. Now we're waiting on them to hatch. Of courthe there'th alwayth the added bonuth of waking up every night not knowing whether or not I'll get to thee my own damn grubth hatch." Karkat stood in open-mouthed shock for a moment as he tried to process what Sollux was telling him.
"How- what-" he stammered before finally finding his words. "That's not even possible! Troll's don't lay eggs, the Mother Grub does which is why we are all in this fucking mess to start with!" he shouted then turned to Kanaya. "Can you talk some sense into him?" he gestured to the Gemini who sat anxiously as his blood continued to drain.
"I am afraid he is telling the truth, Karkat," the jade blood responded calmly and checked the progress of how much blood had drained into the pan. They just about had enough.
"What?" Karkat's eyes widened in disbelief. "You of all trolls actually believe that those two shit for brains had their own eggs?"
"I do," Kanaya nodded. "I helped deliver them into this world."
"You what!"
"You remember that wriggling day party and whenever you would come over to my hive you thaid you thmelled thomething weird?" Sollux questioned.
"Yeah, what about it?" the Cancer raised an eyebrow dubiously.
"ED wath pregnant during those timeth. You were thmelling hith pregnanthy pheremoneth."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Karkat seemed about ready to explode.
"Karkles? What's got your panties in a bunch?" Terezi's voice asked weakly from the couch. Karkat immediately returned to her side to check on how she was doing.
"Oh it's nothing, just Sollux telling me that apparently him and Eridan have somehow defied the laws of biology and laid their own eggs. So, you know, no big deal," he said sarcastically.
"There actually is a perfectly logical biology behind the whole thing," Kanaya told the angry troll as she began removing the needle from Sollux's arm. She taped a wad of gauze over the vein and instructed him to keep his arm bent to apply pressure. "I will explain it all to you while we are in the brooding caverns," she offered.
"Oh good," Karkat rolled his eyes. "At least that way I'll learn something while I'm in hiding so I don't get killed for existing." The mutant blood sat next to Terezi on the couch in a huff and placed the back of his hand on her forehead to see whether she was still clammy feeling or not.
"You should go sit down in the recliner with your feet up Sollux," Kanaya told him sternly. "You look a bit pale and it will help with blood circulation."
"No I'm fine," he said stubbornly. "I need to get back home." He stood from his chair and immediately felt the world begin to spin and darkness began creeping into the edges of his vision. "Fuck!" he hissed.
"Now you really do not look well," Kanaya observed. She held onto the psionic's arm and helped guide him to the recliner and then put his feet up. "I will bring you some juice," she said then retreated to the meal block.
"So is it true, Appleberry?" Terezi asked in intrigue once Sollux began sipping on the juice he was given. "You really have your own eggs?"
"Yeth. Three of them," he confirmed as he tried patting down his pockets for his phone. "I really should text ED. How long hath it been? Fuck, I can't believe I've left them for thith long," he panicked and sent a text to Eridan to make sure everything was okay.
"You know that Eridan is perfectly qualified to protect himself and the eggs," Kanaya reminded him as she carried the pan of yellow blood around to strategically place splatters in various places.
"Holy shit. This is a real thing. You guys are serious about this," Karkat said in surprise as he realized there was no longer a chance his friends were trying to joke with him.
"It'th why I haven't wanted you in my hive for the patht few month'th, dipshit," Sollux sighed. "I'm highly uncomfortable with anyone being around them." He went quiet as he sipped his juice then spoke up again softly, "They might not even be alive anymore."
"What?" Karkat asked in surprise. "What makes you say that?"
"Eridan'th body couldn't handle any low blooded grubth tho we had to terminate them," the Gemini said with difficulty. "Then while he wath laying them one broke and turned out to be a high blood. What if the retht are low bloodth?" his voice was barely above a whisper. The room was quiet save for the sounds of Kanaya pouring the blood out of the pan.
"I bet I could tell you," Terezi spoke up.
"What?" Sollux asked.
"If you let me get near them to give them a good sniff I could probably tell if they're a high blood or not," she explained. "I don't know if you know this or not, but I'm pretty good at sniffing things. Because, you know, I'm blind," she grinned. Karkat groaned at his matesprit's sense of humor.
"You really think you could do that?" Sollux sat up a bit in the recliner.
"I could give it a shot," Terezi shrugged.
"Do you really think you would be able to let her near your eggs, Sollux?" Kanaya asked cautiously. Sollux thought about it for a moment. The thought of anyone other than himself or Eridan anywhere near his eggs nearly made his skin crawl. He wasn't entirely sure he could take it, but he was willing to give it a try just so he could at least know if there was a chance any of his grubs were still alive.
"I could give it a shot," he ended up repeating Terezi's answer with his own lopsided grin.
"I would be interested in seeing these things that you and Fish Face ended up somehow making," Karkat said casually.
"I am just about finished placing the blood. Perhaps once we leave we will stop by Sollux's hive to try this experiment," Kanaya told them as she continued to work.
"That would be good," Sollux said as he felt a bit hopeful that maybe Terezi's plan would work and he could finally know if any of his eggs would hatch. "Hey Kanaya?" he called.
"Yes Sollux?"
"ED and I were talking and we realized we don't really know what the grubth should call uth," he admitted. "We aren't actually luthuth tho that would be weird if they called uth that. It altho didn't theem right for them to jutht call uth by our nameth either. What do you think?"
"That is a good question," Kanaya mused. "I will give it some thought and get back to you on that."
"Thankth."
"I just can't wrap my head around this," Karkat piped up again. "One of my best friends is somehow going to essentially be a lusus. The friend that sits on his ass for days on end without eating or sleeping so that he can make a new computer virus is now going to be responsible for raising grubs into trolls," he ranted. "On top of that, the genetics used to create these grubs come from two of the biggest assholes I know!"
"I must admit, even I am curious to see what sort of offspring result from the combination of you and Eridan's genetics," Kanaya giggled. She finally used up the last of the blood and began to pack her supplies away into her bag. "Is everyone feeling well enough to depart soon?" she asked. Sollux sat up more and put the footrest of the recliner away to determine how he was feeling. He didn't seem to be light headed or dizzy anymore so he gave an affirmative response. Terezi was sitting up fully and the color had returned to her face so she seemed to be doing better as well.
Everyone was on their feet getting their things together for what was to come.
"What should I do with thith juithe?" Sollux asked.
"As much as I hate to say it, I think it would be best if you just left it as is," Kanaya admitted. "It would help make the hive look like its inhabitants were suddenly attacked." Sollux glanced back at the juice cup and felt strange leaving it out at someone else's hive but he understood the reason.
"Are we ready to go?" Kanaya asked. "Did you get everything you needed, Karkat?"
"Yeah, let's just go," the Cancer grumbled. He looked around at his hive wistfully.
"Alright then. We will head to Sollux's hive quickly then go straight to the brooding caverns," the jade blood announced. Sollux took out his phone to send a text to Eridan to let him know he was bringing everyone back to the hive with him. Before he could do that he noticed he had a new text from Eridan. He opened it and nearly forgot how to breathe.
"I think you all need to go ahead to your hiding plathe," the yellow blood finally managed to say.
"What is wrong, Sollux?" Kanaya asked in alarm. Sollux passed her his phone with the text message still on the screen.
CA: i just shot gam i dont knoww wwhat to do