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hso2012_r3s4Summary: Sollux hates stuck-up pricks like Eridan. It takes the warmth of a spring weekend and the relaxing waves of the sea to make him realize that he may have misjudged him.
Characters: Eridan Ampora, Sollux Captor, Feferi Peixes
Ships: Eridan<3Sollux
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Your name is Sollux Captor, and you’re really sick of stuck-up douchebags.
Like that guy. Look at him, with his cardigan, and his skintight pants, and his boots. It’s 72 degrees out and he’s wearing a cardigan. Really? He’s such a fucking asshole, with his swept back hair (and who the fuck puts a streak of purple in their hair?), and those stupid hipster glasses (you bet he doesn’t even need them). You hate guys like him, and you hate him specifically.
“Guess who?!?”
It seems that someone has placed their tiny little hands over your eyes from behind and is excitedly chirping a greeting via silly guessing games. You know exactly who it is, so you play with her by acting thoughtful.
“Gee, I have absolutely no idea who could possibly be behind me right now,” you respond. She giggles and nudges you in the back.
“Go on, guess!” she insists, and she doesn’t even make an effort to disguise her voice. You roll your eyes, but it’s in an endearing sort of way.
“Could it be Feferi?” you ask as if you’ve made some stunning discovery.
Feferi spins you around and beams at you. “You got it!” she laughs, pulling you into a hug. You return the hug and lean back, lifting her off the ground a few inches, causing her to emit a tiny shriek.
“Put me down, put me down!” she squeals, and you oblige, grinning at her. She looks lovely as ever, with her hair falling in long dark ringlets, complimenting her Mediterranean skin tone. She’s wearing a light sundress in shades of pink and green and blue, and she’s pretty much the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.
“So, hey! My stepdad decided we should celebrate Memorial Day weekend by taking the boat out on the water for the first time of the season, and he invited us to come stay for the weekend and go boating. Do you want to come?” Feferi asks in a hopeful tone.
You do a quick mental scan to see if you have any plans for this weekend or Memorial Day, and when you find that the answer is no, you shrug and nod. “Sure, why not? Sounds fun.” Classes just ended for the year, and you’re staying in the city all summer, so it might be nice to escape for a weekend.
She lets out an excited squeak and claps her hands together.
“Awesome! It’s gonna be a blast. Mom just bought us a jetski, and we’re gonna have a barbeque on the beach, and there’s enough room for all of us to sleep on the boat and it’ll be so much better with you there!”
You’re smiling and nodding along until a thought occurs to you, and your smile turns into a slight grimace. “Will your stepbrother be there?”
Feferi fixes you with a look and swats lightly at your arm. “Of course he will, you silly, it’s his dad’s boat and he’s my brother, you think we’d just leave him home?”
If only. You stop yourself from saying anything mean, but you can’t help the sigh that escapes your lips, and the look on Feferi’s face softens slightly.
“Honestly Sollux, Eridan’s really not that bad if you give him a chance. You’ve never seen the other side of him, the side he shows when he’s with his family and the people he’s close to. He can be really sweet when he wants to be!”
You raise an eyebrow skeptically.
“No, really! He’s wonderful, you’ll see!”
Speak of the devil, he’s approaching now, and from the looks of it he’s on a mission to prove Feferi wrong. “Come on Fef, we’ve got places to be,” he sniffs, his nose upturned, and he’s not even bothering to glance in your direction, like he’s too good to look at a commoner like you. As if you’re beneath him.
Feferi, as always, tries to remain positive. “Eridan, Sollux is coming with us on the boat this weekend. Isn’t that great?”
He spares you a quick look now, and he seems less than pleased. “Lovely,” he drawls, though the tone of his voice and the expression on his face tells you that it’s anything but.
“Oh, it will be,” you assure him, plastering an obviously false smile to your face. He narrows his eyes at you, but doesn’t respond, instead turning to Feferi.
“You sure about this guy, Fef?” he scowls, crossing his arms over his chest.
She frowns at him. “Eridan, be nice. Sollux is a good friend, and we’re going to have a great time together, you included!”
He gives her a disbelieving look, but she returns her determined glare, and he sighs and drops his arms to his sides. “Very well princess, whatever you say. Now can we get goin’ or what?”
She smiles apologetically at you and grabs his arm. “See you later, Sollux!”
“Later, FF,” you reply, waving as they walk away. You proceed to have very mixed thoughts about the coming weekend.
--------------------
To call the structure in front of you a “boat” would be an understatement. The word “yacht” is probably a million times more accurate. But when you say this aloud, Feferi just laughs and tells you to stop being silly.
“Come on, let me show you around!” she says, grabbing your hand and leading you on board.
Eridan is standing on the dock behind you, with overly large sunglasses and a sour expression. He looks thoroughly uncomfortable in his blue and white striped tank top and shorts, his pale skin exposed to the rays of the sun. You have very low hopes for Feferi’s promise.
“Coming, Eridan?” Feferi calls over her shoulder.
You can’t see his eyes behind the shades, but he’s probably rolling them. “Yeah, whatever.” He climbs over onto the back of the boat, and you really wish he wasn’t here to spoil everything with his attitude.
“Shoes off!” Feferi insists, and you both do as she says. She shows you the back of the boat, which is pretty much just an open platform with chairs and benches and a big cooler stuffed with drinks. A ladder leads up to the top level, with the wheel and all the equipment to actually drive the boat.
As she takes you back down, intending to go inside, Eridan’s dad calls him over. He’s on the dock doing something with ropes and says he needs his son’s help. You’re not expecting him to comply; you’re expecting some sort of snotty refusal. But he goes over without a word, silently doing as his dad says.
His father is a large and frankly, sort of intimidating man, tall and muscular, with a harder and tougher version of Eridan’s face. As they work, Mr. Ampora makes a really terrible pun—from what you’ve heard, he’s got an awful sense of humor—but Eridan cracks a smile, and you’re pretty sure it’s the first one you’ve ever seen from him.
Feferi tugs you inside before you can see anything else. The area you’re standing in is set up like some sort of living room or sitting room, complete with a fancy couch and a TV and a nice coffee table. Just past it is a fully stocked kitchen area, and a booth-like table on the other side.
She leads you down some steps, showing you a tiny bathroom. Just past it is two sets of bunk beds, and at the end of the hallway is what she calls the captain’s cabin, a room that is 90% made up of a fancily dressed queen-sized bed.
Her smile is just slightly mischievous as she looks at you. “This is where my parents sleep, and technically we’re not allowed in here. But…” She points up to the ceiling at what appears to be a skylight, but actually turns out to be closer to a trap door. “Come on!” she laughs, pushing it open and climbing up and out of it. You smile and follow her, emerging into the bright sunlight on the front of the boat.
“Okay, that’s pretty cool,” you admit as you pull your legs out and squint, letting your eyes re-adjust to the light. The bow itself is bare of any sort of furniture, just a sloped surface that’s pretty perfect for lying back and relaxing on.
Which is exactly what you do, until a few minutes later when Mr. Ampora gets the boat moving. Within the harbor, he has to drive slowly, but once you pass a certain point, he picks up the speed significantly, and Feferi pulls you up into a sitting position. The wind blows your hair back, and hers is flying everywhere as she excitedly points things out to you.
Before you know it, the boat is anchored in the middle of a wide expanse of water, several others spread out across the area. You can’t help but notice that this one is the largest.
Feferi grins at you. “You did bring a swimsuit, right?”
Her tone is just the slightest bit ominous. You wonder what you’re in for today.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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As it turns out, you’re in for quite a bit. And as you’re dragged around, you notice something…strange.
It happens slowly, but it definitely happens. You don’t know how or why, but layer by layer, Eridan becomes a different person. The chilly demeanor he wears melts under the warm rays of sunlight, and he smiles, laughs even, taking Feferi’s teasing as the jokes they are rather than a personal offense. The haughty air about him is replaced by one of contented relaxation, and you’re surprised to admit that you were wrong.
Everything you never bothered to learn about him seems to come out now, and you feel like a bit of a jerk for judging only what was on the surface. He still seems reluctant to interact with you, but it occurs to you that what you assumed to be a superiority complex might just be an unfortunate case of social anxiety.
You watch in amusement as he picks Feferi up and tries to toss her in the water, and she shrieks and flails so much that she manages to tip him over and pull him in with her. They surface, laughing like fools, and beckon you to join them, so you smile and jump in as well. Feferi proceeds to flip about like a dolphin, and Eridan, apparently an experienced swimmer, tries to teach you the butterfly stroke. You fail miserably.
When they decide to take the new jetski out for a spin, Feferi’s mother warns you that it’s not built for three. By now, several other boats owned by their parents’ friends have pulled up alongside theirs, and she’s sitting in a chair chatting with a few other adults, looking exceedingly elegant even in just a bathing suit. She’s even more intimidating than Eridan’s father, so you don’t question her, urging Eridan and Feferi to go ahead, as long as you get to take a ride when they’re done.
It doesn’t take too long for them to return, and when they do, Feferi hops off the back, a huge grin on her face.
It turns out you need a boating license to drive a jetski, and of the two of them, only Eridan officially has one. Feferi makes a face and tells you it’s a fluke, and that she’ll have hers by next month. But that still means that the only way you get to try it out is by pressing yourself up against Eridan the whole time.
He looks at you uncertainly, and you shrug. You really wanna try it out, and it’s best not to overthink this or make it awkward, so you climb on behind him without comment and wave at Feferi as he slowly pulls away.
“You gotta wrap your arms around my waist,” he says without looking over his shoulder. If you didn’t know any better, you’d almost think he sounds embarrassed. ‘It’s no big deal,’ you tell yourself casually and do as he says. His skin is wet and slippery, and you continue to tell yourself that this isn’t uncomfortable at all as you scoot forward and press your chest fully to his back for maximum stability.
“It’s gonna get rough, so—” and then he speeds up, and the motor is so loud that you suddenly can’t hear him, but you think it was something to the effect of, “hold on tight.”
It seems the Ampora-Peixes family has a fondness for understatement. You fly off the seat multiple times and are nearly thrown from the craft at least twice, but even as you’re soaked to the bone with freezing water after a particularly bad turn, you have to admit that it’s fucking awesome. You press your cheek to Eridan’s back and let out a giddy laugh, and you can’t hear his laughter but you can feel it.
Upon returning, Feferi informs you that it’s lunchtime, and hands each of you a premade sandwich before you even have the chance to towel off. The three of you escape the adults and eat out on the bow, chatting aimlessly about school and life and your plans for after college and the type of creatures you imagine might be living under the dark water.
After lunch you lay back on your towels and take a relaxing afternoon nap, splayed out like lions on a rock in the sun, rocked into unconsciousness by the motion of the boat. But it seems like only minutes have passed when you’re being shaken awake, and it’s time for the next adventure.
Dinner comes a few hours later, and it’s a process as everyone gets towed out to the nearest beach, where nearly every boating family has gathered like it’s some giant semi-planned party. People are grilling burgers and chicken and corn on the cob, and there’s potato salad and pasta salad and watermelon and ice cream and every sort of barbeque food you can think of, and you feel immensely content as you partake in all of it.
When everyone finishes eating, Feferi leans against you with a happy sigh. “I’m so glad you’re here, Sollux.”
A smile crosses your face, and you nod. “Me too, FF.” Eridan is looking at you with the most vague smile on his face, but when you turn your head and make eye contact, he turns away. You think maybe, secretly, he agrees.
--------------------
Night falls, and you’re on the boat again. Everyone is sitting around the back of the boat exchanging ridiculous stories, except for one lone figure sitting out on the bow of the boat. You look questioningly at Feferi, and she smiles a little smile and nods her head in that direction, so you excuse yourself from the group and make your way out there.
It’s not quite summer yet, so when the sun went down it stole the warmth from the air, leaving behind a chilly breeze. He’s got nothing but his tank top and shorts, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them like he’s trying to be his own blanket, so you bring him one of your dark green sweatshirts and hold it out like a peace offering.
Eridan looks up at you and smiles gratefully, accepting your peace offering and pulling it over his windswept hair. You take a seat next to him, and for a moment, you’re both quiet.
You don’t ask him why he left the group, because you can definitely understand the need for solitude. Instead, you ask, “What are you doing?”
He points up at the sky, and you look up to see a wide array of stars, more than you’re accustomed to seeing. There’s significantly less light pollution out here, so everything is crisper and clearer.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he says softly.
You nod, watching the stars. “Too bad most people don’t get to see it like this,” you comment, and your gaze falls to him. He returns it briefly before looking back up.
“Maybe they’re not lookin’ hard enough,” he counters. You wonder if that was a direct jab at you, and hope it wasn’t.
“Maybe,” you acknowledge, nodding. “Or maybe the stars shouldn’t hide so much. Maybe they should shine to their full potential.”
Neither one of you is talking about stars anymore, that much is clear. He sighs lightly and looks down at the water, resting his chin on his knees.
“Why do you hide, Eridan?”
“I don’t,” he says stubbornly, and that’s pretty much a blatant lie, so you fix him with a look and he huffs. “I don’t mean to, I’m not tryin’ to win the award for world class douchebaggery, it’s just…”
He trails off uncertainly. “Not like anyone gives two shits about me anyway,” he finishes in a low voice, still looking away.
You take a long look at him, at the boy you misjudged so badly, and you feel the need to make it up to him. There’s something else behind that, something about the way his face lights up when he gives you a genuine smile, but you don’t focus on that right now. “Well, that’s not very nice. I may not be much, but I’m certainly not no one.”
He finally looks at you and holds your gaze, and you try to convey that you’re serious. After what seems like forever of staring at you, he smiles, and you convince yourself that the way your stomach just flipped was from the motion of the boat.
“Okay,” he says simply. “I’ll keep that in mind.” That’s all there is to it. A simple acknowledgement of your words, accompanied by the smile that still hasn’t faded. You smile back.
He lies back against the boat, and you follow suit. “Do you know anything about constellations?” you ask, and he lights up. The arm that isn’t lightly pressed against yours is lifted up and he begins pointing them out to you, telling you the names and stories behind each one, and you let the gentle waves and the soothing sound of his voice lull you into a deep state of contentment.
Characters: Eridan Ampora, Sollux Captor, Feferi Peixes
Ships: Eridan<3Sollux
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Category Two:
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Your name is Sollux Captor, and you’re really sick of stuck-up douchebags.
Like that guy. Look at him, with his cardigan, and his skintight pants, and his boots. It’s 72 degrees out and he’s wearing a cardigan. Really? He’s such a fucking asshole, with his swept back hair (and who the fuck puts a streak of purple in their hair?), and those stupid hipster glasses (you bet he doesn’t even need them). You hate guys like him, and you hate him specifically.
“Guess who?!?”
It seems that someone has placed their tiny little hands over your eyes from behind and is excitedly chirping a greeting via silly guessing games. You know exactly who it is, so you play with her by acting thoughtful.
“Gee, I have absolutely no idea who could possibly be behind me right now,” you respond. She giggles and nudges you in the back.
“Go on, guess!” she insists, and she doesn’t even make an effort to disguise her voice. You roll your eyes, but it’s in an endearing sort of way.
“Could it be Feferi?” you ask as if you’ve made some stunning discovery.
Feferi spins you around and beams at you. “You got it!” she laughs, pulling you into a hug. You return the hug and lean back, lifting her off the ground a few inches, causing her to emit a tiny shriek.
“Put me down, put me down!” she squeals, and you oblige, grinning at her. She looks lovely as ever, with her hair falling in long dark ringlets, complimenting her Mediterranean skin tone. She’s wearing a light sundress in shades of pink and green and blue, and she’s pretty much the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.
“So, hey! My stepdad decided we should celebrate Memorial Day weekend by taking the boat out on the water for the first time of the season, and he invited us to come stay for the weekend and go boating. Do you want to come?” Feferi asks in a hopeful tone.
You do a quick mental scan to see if you have any plans for this weekend or Memorial Day, and when you find that the answer is no, you shrug and nod. “Sure, why not? Sounds fun.” Classes just ended for the year, and you’re staying in the city all summer, so it might be nice to escape for a weekend.
She lets out an excited squeak and claps her hands together.
“Awesome! It’s gonna be a blast. Mom just bought us a jetski, and we’re gonna have a barbeque on the beach, and there’s enough room for all of us to sleep on the boat and it’ll be so much better with you there!”
You’re smiling and nodding along until a thought occurs to you, and your smile turns into a slight grimace. “Will your stepbrother be there?”
Feferi fixes you with a look and swats lightly at your arm. “Of course he will, you silly, it’s his dad’s boat and he’s my brother, you think we’d just leave him home?”
If only. You stop yourself from saying anything mean, but you can’t help the sigh that escapes your lips, and the look on Feferi’s face softens slightly.
“Honestly Sollux, Eridan’s really not that bad if you give him a chance. You’ve never seen the other side of him, the side he shows when he’s with his family and the people he’s close to. He can be really sweet when he wants to be!”
You raise an eyebrow skeptically.
“No, really! He’s wonderful, you’ll see!”
Speak of the devil, he’s approaching now, and from the looks of it he’s on a mission to prove Feferi wrong. “Come on Fef, we’ve got places to be,” he sniffs, his nose upturned, and he’s not even bothering to glance in your direction, like he’s too good to look at a commoner like you. As if you’re beneath him.
Feferi, as always, tries to remain positive. “Eridan, Sollux is coming with us on the boat this weekend. Isn’t that great?”
He spares you a quick look now, and he seems less than pleased. “Lovely,” he drawls, though the tone of his voice and the expression on his face tells you that it’s anything but.
“Oh, it will be,” you assure him, plastering an obviously false smile to your face. He narrows his eyes at you, but doesn’t respond, instead turning to Feferi.
“You sure about this guy, Fef?” he scowls, crossing his arms over his chest.
She frowns at him. “Eridan, be nice. Sollux is a good friend, and we’re going to have a great time together, you included!”
He gives her a disbelieving look, but she returns her determined glare, and he sighs and drops his arms to his sides. “Very well princess, whatever you say. Now can we get goin’ or what?”
She smiles apologetically at you and grabs his arm. “See you later, Sollux!”
“Later, FF,” you reply, waving as they walk away. You proceed to have very mixed thoughts about the coming weekend.
--------------------
To call the structure in front of you a “boat” would be an understatement. The word “yacht” is probably a million times more accurate. But when you say this aloud, Feferi just laughs and tells you to stop being silly.
“Come on, let me show you around!” she says, grabbing your hand and leading you on board.
Eridan is standing on the dock behind you, with overly large sunglasses and a sour expression. He looks thoroughly uncomfortable in his blue and white striped tank top and shorts, his pale skin exposed to the rays of the sun. You have very low hopes for Feferi’s promise.
“Coming, Eridan?” Feferi calls over her shoulder.
You can’t see his eyes behind the shades, but he’s probably rolling them. “Yeah, whatever.” He climbs over onto the back of the boat, and you really wish he wasn’t here to spoil everything with his attitude.
“Shoes off!” Feferi insists, and you both do as she says. She shows you the back of the boat, which is pretty much just an open platform with chairs and benches and a big cooler stuffed with drinks. A ladder leads up to the top level, with the wheel and all the equipment to actually drive the boat.
As she takes you back down, intending to go inside, Eridan’s dad calls him over. He’s on the dock doing something with ropes and says he needs his son’s help. You’re not expecting him to comply; you’re expecting some sort of snotty refusal. But he goes over without a word, silently doing as his dad says.
His father is a large and frankly, sort of intimidating man, tall and muscular, with a harder and tougher version of Eridan’s face. As they work, Mr. Ampora makes a really terrible pun—from what you’ve heard, he’s got an awful sense of humor—but Eridan cracks a smile, and you’re pretty sure it’s the first one you’ve ever seen from him.
Feferi tugs you inside before you can see anything else. The area you’re standing in is set up like some sort of living room or sitting room, complete with a fancy couch and a TV and a nice coffee table. Just past it is a fully stocked kitchen area, and a booth-like table on the other side.
She leads you down some steps, showing you a tiny bathroom. Just past it is two sets of bunk beds, and at the end of the hallway is what she calls the captain’s cabin, a room that is 90% made up of a fancily dressed queen-sized bed.
Her smile is just slightly mischievous as she looks at you. “This is where my parents sleep, and technically we’re not allowed in here. But…” She points up to the ceiling at what appears to be a skylight, but actually turns out to be closer to a trap door. “Come on!” she laughs, pushing it open and climbing up and out of it. You smile and follow her, emerging into the bright sunlight on the front of the boat.
“Okay, that’s pretty cool,” you admit as you pull your legs out and squint, letting your eyes re-adjust to the light. The bow itself is bare of any sort of furniture, just a sloped surface that’s pretty perfect for lying back and relaxing on.
Which is exactly what you do, until a few minutes later when Mr. Ampora gets the boat moving. Within the harbor, he has to drive slowly, but once you pass a certain point, he picks up the speed significantly, and Feferi pulls you up into a sitting position. The wind blows your hair back, and hers is flying everywhere as she excitedly points things out to you.
Before you know it, the boat is anchored in the middle of a wide expanse of water, several others spread out across the area. You can’t help but notice that this one is the largest.
Feferi grins at you. “You did bring a swimsuit, right?”
Her tone is just the slightest bit ominous. You wonder what you’re in for today.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As it turns out, you’re in for quite a bit. And as you’re dragged around, you notice something…strange.
It happens slowly, but it definitely happens. You don’t know how or why, but layer by layer, Eridan becomes a different person. The chilly demeanor he wears melts under the warm rays of sunlight, and he smiles, laughs even, taking Feferi’s teasing as the jokes they are rather than a personal offense. The haughty air about him is replaced by one of contented relaxation, and you’re surprised to admit that you were wrong.
Everything you never bothered to learn about him seems to come out now, and you feel like a bit of a jerk for judging only what was on the surface. He still seems reluctant to interact with you, but it occurs to you that what you assumed to be a superiority complex might just be an unfortunate case of social anxiety.
You watch in amusement as he picks Feferi up and tries to toss her in the water, and she shrieks and flails so much that she manages to tip him over and pull him in with her. They surface, laughing like fools, and beckon you to join them, so you smile and jump in as well. Feferi proceeds to flip about like a dolphin, and Eridan, apparently an experienced swimmer, tries to teach you the butterfly stroke. You fail miserably.
When they decide to take the new jetski out for a spin, Feferi’s mother warns you that it’s not built for three. By now, several other boats owned by their parents’ friends have pulled up alongside theirs, and she’s sitting in a chair chatting with a few other adults, looking exceedingly elegant even in just a bathing suit. She’s even more intimidating than Eridan’s father, so you don’t question her, urging Eridan and Feferi to go ahead, as long as you get to take a ride when they’re done.
It doesn’t take too long for them to return, and when they do, Feferi hops off the back, a huge grin on her face.
It turns out you need a boating license to drive a jetski, and of the two of them, only Eridan officially has one. Feferi makes a face and tells you it’s a fluke, and that she’ll have hers by next month. But that still means that the only way you get to try it out is by pressing yourself up against Eridan the whole time.
He looks at you uncertainly, and you shrug. You really wanna try it out, and it’s best not to overthink this or make it awkward, so you climb on behind him without comment and wave at Feferi as he slowly pulls away.
“You gotta wrap your arms around my waist,” he says without looking over his shoulder. If you didn’t know any better, you’d almost think he sounds embarrassed. ‘It’s no big deal,’ you tell yourself casually and do as he says. His skin is wet and slippery, and you continue to tell yourself that this isn’t uncomfortable at all as you scoot forward and press your chest fully to his back for maximum stability.
“It’s gonna get rough, so—” and then he speeds up, and the motor is so loud that you suddenly can’t hear him, but you think it was something to the effect of, “hold on tight.”
It seems the Ampora-Peixes family has a fondness for understatement. You fly off the seat multiple times and are nearly thrown from the craft at least twice, but even as you’re soaked to the bone with freezing water after a particularly bad turn, you have to admit that it’s fucking awesome. You press your cheek to Eridan’s back and let out a giddy laugh, and you can’t hear his laughter but you can feel it.
Upon returning, Feferi informs you that it’s lunchtime, and hands each of you a premade sandwich before you even have the chance to towel off. The three of you escape the adults and eat out on the bow, chatting aimlessly about school and life and your plans for after college and the type of creatures you imagine might be living under the dark water.
After lunch you lay back on your towels and take a relaxing afternoon nap, splayed out like lions on a rock in the sun, rocked into unconsciousness by the motion of the boat. But it seems like only minutes have passed when you’re being shaken awake, and it’s time for the next adventure.
Dinner comes a few hours later, and it’s a process as everyone gets towed out to the nearest beach, where nearly every boating family has gathered like it’s some giant semi-planned party. People are grilling burgers and chicken and corn on the cob, and there’s potato salad and pasta salad and watermelon and ice cream and every sort of barbeque food you can think of, and you feel immensely content as you partake in all of it.
When everyone finishes eating, Feferi leans against you with a happy sigh. “I’m so glad you’re here, Sollux.”
A smile crosses your face, and you nod. “Me too, FF.” Eridan is looking at you with the most vague smile on his face, but when you turn your head and make eye contact, he turns away. You think maybe, secretly, he agrees.
--------------------
Night falls, and you’re on the boat again. Everyone is sitting around the back of the boat exchanging ridiculous stories, except for one lone figure sitting out on the bow of the boat. You look questioningly at Feferi, and she smiles a little smile and nods her head in that direction, so you excuse yourself from the group and make your way out there.
It’s not quite summer yet, so when the sun went down it stole the warmth from the air, leaving behind a chilly breeze. He’s got nothing but his tank top and shorts, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them like he’s trying to be his own blanket, so you bring him one of your dark green sweatshirts and hold it out like a peace offering.
Eridan looks up at you and smiles gratefully, accepting your peace offering and pulling it over his windswept hair. You take a seat next to him, and for a moment, you’re both quiet.
You don’t ask him why he left the group, because you can definitely understand the need for solitude. Instead, you ask, “What are you doing?”
He points up at the sky, and you look up to see a wide array of stars, more than you’re accustomed to seeing. There’s significantly less light pollution out here, so everything is crisper and clearer.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he says softly.
You nod, watching the stars. “Too bad most people don’t get to see it like this,” you comment, and your gaze falls to him. He returns it briefly before looking back up.
“Maybe they’re not lookin’ hard enough,” he counters. You wonder if that was a direct jab at you, and hope it wasn’t.
“Maybe,” you acknowledge, nodding. “Or maybe the stars shouldn’t hide so much. Maybe they should shine to their full potential.”
Neither one of you is talking about stars anymore, that much is clear. He sighs lightly and looks down at the water, resting his chin on his knees.
“Why do you hide, Eridan?”
“I don’t,” he says stubbornly, and that’s pretty much a blatant lie, so you fix him with a look and he huffs. “I don’t mean to, I’m not tryin’ to win the award for world class douchebaggery, it’s just…”
He trails off uncertainly. “Not like anyone gives two shits about me anyway,” he finishes in a low voice, still looking away.
You take a long look at him, at the boy you misjudged so badly, and you feel the need to make it up to him. There’s something else behind that, something about the way his face lights up when he gives you a genuine smile, but you don’t focus on that right now. “Well, that’s not very nice. I may not be much, but I’m certainly not no one.”
He finally looks at you and holds your gaze, and you try to convey that you’re serious. After what seems like forever of staring at you, he smiles, and you convince yourself that the way your stomach just flipped was from the motion of the boat.
“Okay,” he says simply. “I’ll keep that in mind.” That’s all there is to it. A simple acknowledgement of your words, accompanied by the smile that still hasn’t faded. You smile back.
He lies back against the boat, and you follow suit. “Do you know anything about constellations?” you ask, and he lights up. The arm that isn’t lightly pressed against yours is lifted up and he begins pointing them out to you, telling you the names and stories behind each one, and you let the gentle waves and the soothing sound of his voice lull you into a deep state of contentment.
