Fic: The First Five Times {1/1}
The First Five Times.
The first time Eridan talks to Nepeta, it is out of boredom, desperateness, and with a dash of spite. His fingers poise over the correct keys to log into Trollian, then pull away with uncertainty too many times to count. He grumbles to himself about how much he hates things: how much he hates this guest computer, how much he hates the humans, how much he hates magic, and for a moment you'd think he was a taller, ironic version of Karkat.
Than that desperate part kicks in, and he logs in, typing as fast as he fucking can so he doesn't have time to stop himself.
He doesn't log on solely to talk to Nepeta. He logs on because he's lonely, and he's looking for people who aren't busy. He scans the list of trolls who are online, hoping to spot someone he can get a good squeeze out of. Feferi's not online but Sollux is, and he is of good mind to finally confront the dual-horned bastard. He'd like nothing more than to share some blackrom with the lowblooded son of a bitch, but…
-- caligulusAquarium began trolling twinArmageddons at 16:24 --
Eridan stops. He realizes he has a lot to say but no way to convey it. "I hate you, let's be enemies," is not something that's worked out in the past. He feels like a giant tool. Again.
TA: can ii help you?
CA: no nevver mind
Yeah, he's officially a giant tool forever. Eridan sighs, closing out of his chat with Sollux and running a hand through his purple fringe. He takes a moment to refelct on how Feferi told him, "I'm going to stop being your moirail because I think you're ready to do things on your own," and thinks for a moment how selfish of a move that was. He knows nothing outside of Feferi, and he could've kept it that way, shimmy a little red feelings into there, but-but Feferi turned him down. And they are not exactly on speaking terms. He's too pathetic to confront her about being friends again, too. Back to the online list.
Well, there's Gamzee. And the last time he was feeling bad for himself he did talk to Gamzee. But all that earned Eridan was a bad brand of soda that left a terrible taste in his mouth for days. No Gamzee.
Equius is online. He purses his lips together. Equius always makes him feel better, with his "Yes, Highblood," routine that picks up Eridan's spirits. Mm. Who else?
terminallyCapricious
centaursTesticle
arsenicCatnip
carcinoGenecicist
OK, so that's Equius, Nepeta, and Karkat. Equius isn't even a challenge, he'll always get a good ass-kissing session out of him, and he's not in the mood to talk to a blueblooded, sweaty, yesman today. Karkat has been a little iffy since he woke up, and if he's right, he's still a bit shaken up from the conversation he had with Jade and his future self. He doesn't feel like getting barracaded with sarcasm.
His eyebrows furrow. Has he even ever talked to Nepeta?
-- caligulusAquarium began trolling arsenicCatnip at 16:38 --
CA: hey nep
Fuck, what is he doing? Oh yeah. That whole, being a giant tool thing. He knows Nepeta's too nice to ignore him, but he's not nice enough to give her a chance to respond and he's of good mind to log off faster than the speed of light before he gets fully sucked into an actual conversation - who cares if he's the one who initiated it?
AC: :33 < eridan?
AC: :33 < *ac is all 33rs, but she wonders why ca would pick now to sp33k with her.*
Oh yeah, Nepeta does this… RP business. Eridan takes a breath. This is nothing. If it comes down to it, he's sure he can out-RP her. Beat her at her own game.
CA: its nothin important i wwas just wwonderin wwhere the hell you wwere
CA: i saww you talkin to that little wwitch
CA: stupid rose girl fuckin bleww up my computer
Goddamn, he's good. Eridan gives himself a mental pat on the back for that awesome save.
AC: :33 < oh yeah, rose!
AC: :33 < *ac giggles quietly at rose's title of 'little witch'*
AC: :33 < i dont talk to her much but
AC: :33 < hm.
AC :33 < *ac twitches her friendly whiskers in purrplexment. she doesn't quite know how to word what she wants to say*
AC: :33 < well, it was nothing important. i'm fine!
The whole time she talks, Eridan's giving her a grade. She's not particularly annoying. Her text is easier to read than say, Gamzee's, or Tavros's, or Terezi's. You just have to get past the double-mouthed cat face. He sighs. Then again, this is the person Karkat simply refers to as "autistic girl," and he's only talked to her for all of two minutes.
CA: ivve nevver talked to her either really
CA: still bleww up my computer
Fuck, fuck! He quietly curses to himself, hunching over the keyboard. Yeah, that's right Eridan, just keep bitching and complaining, it'll get you all the ladies.
AC: :33 < yeah but what did you do to deserve it?
CA: absolutely nothin
CA: you knoww wwhat
CA: if youre ok i guess thats all that matters so im gonna log off
CA: ill talk to you later nep
AC: :33 < oh, okay!
-- caligulusAquarium ceased trolling arsenicCatnip at 16:51 -
That ended in absolute catastrophe. He will probably never talk to Nepeta again.
The second time Nepeta ever really communicates with Eridan, there is absolutely no reasoning behind it.
Well, maybe a little. But that reasoning is only, "Well, he talked to me, he sounded pretty lonely, I should talk to him." When this reasoning hits her, she is in her room drawing and-Bam! Oh, Eridan. She saves her progress, says goodbye to Terezi, and slips out of her room. CaligulousAquarium is online, but Nepeta figures a face-to-face meeting would be a little better. She figures he needs it.
There's a little sign on his door, the purple waves that signify his sign and blood color. Before knocking, Nepeta smiles at it. She's never actually talked to Eridan, but from what she's heard and seen, he seems fun - amusing. He gets flustered easily, his voice is different and deep and rough, he's tall, a bit of a prick and… all around comical. Nepeta decides to push her luck.
"Mister Sea-A?" She calls, knocking once. "Are you home?"
She hears something topple over, and then Eridan mumbling something she doesn't understand. When he swings the door open, his hair is more frazzled than usual and his glasses are a little crooked on his face.
Eridan has a long face. He does not have particularly large eyes, but Nepeta supposes they're not small either. He's very tall and broad, but more awkward and lanky than Equius or Gamzee. He has a sort of standoffish and cool manner, but this façade is so easy to see through it's almost funny. Nepeta imagines that under this mask is a puddle of uncertainty, and she's OK with that.
"…Nepeta?" His voice is a hairs breath away from cracking, and the way he says it has the girl smiling. It appears she's hit the nail on the head with her guess of him being awkward.
"Yeah," She says, moving to see just what's behind the Aquarius, who leans awkwardly in his doorway, as if trying to cover all of it to hide something from her. "Am I interrupting something?"
He scoffs, trying to play this off as something casual, but there's a shy sort of smile on his face. "Of course not, I just… wasn't expecting you." He looks around, as if to see if anyone is watching, than slowly looks down at Nepeta, questionably. "…Ah."
She has to hold in more laughter at his lack of response. "If I'm not interrupting, let's do something, then!"
It is the most straight-forward thing anyone has ever said to Eridan. He invites her in. Moments later, he's blushing and telling himself she is supposed to be the uncannily straight-forward one here.
Nepeta has no idea what she's supposed to say, but even when this idea hit her she knew she had no real plan of attack. Instead, she's going to simply start this whole thing, like pushing a snowball down a hill, and see where it ends up. She sits on the foot of his bed and looks around, taking in what's there. It looks to her like Eridan tried to make it homey but gave up half way through. Books with no design or cover or title lay everywhere, but Nepeta doesn't touch any of them.
She notices him staring. Or, no, he's not staring, he's just watching. He looks as if he suspects something of her. She smiles.
"Well," he says, with a deep breath. "This is my room. It's very… ah-"
"Nice," she finishes. There's an odd sort of aura that this room gives off - that Eridan gives off - but she certainly can't say she doesn't like it. It's a little odd, but not bad at all.
Eridan remains quiet, guarded, and Nepeta purses her lips together. First she has to earn his trust.
"So, how're things in the Veil for you?"
This is exactly the right thing to say from her part. Eridan sighs dramatically and sits down on the bed with her. He starts with a, "Well, since you asked," and then goes on and on.
He talks with his hands. He gets so into what he's saying sometimes he looks like he wants to jump off the bed and act it out, and Nepeta's never seen so much emotion on his features. Every now and again she'll giggle at something he's said, and that makes him smile in this very awkward sort of way, but it also gives him enough of a push to continue on with vigor.
By the time Eridan has reached the end of his tale(s), he's out of breath. He laughs very, very quietly about how that really got out of hand, didn't it? When Nepeta doesn't respond, he turns to where she has been lying on his bed, listening, to find that she has fallen asleep, and he doesn't know whether to find it offensive or endearing.
Eridan supposes that once a girl has fallen asleep in your bed, you can't simply pretend she doesn't exist. They are at least friends. Nepeta is not a part of any quadrant for him but she's certainly on the list of people he wouldn't mind having a relationship with.
There is only one problem. Eridan is useless.
He would never tell this to anyone, but he is at least honest with himself. Nepeta does not circle around him, she does not place him at the top of her 'favorite persons' list, and while Eridan tells himself this is perfectly normal it still gets him down. He's still not used to not being given whatever he wants. Nepeta already has two moirails - Equius and Terezi, and could easily get a matesprit should she so desire. For example, she talks to Gamzee regularly - even lets him call her "Kitten" and "Miss Kitty." She is one of the few people in the Veil who can even put up with Gamzee and Eridan can much more easily see her with him than with himself-
He groans, flopping onto his bed tiredly. "This is stupid," he grumbles.
He knows he's probably taking this way too fast - because he is stupid and useless and-and this is how he drove Feferi away.
Mm. Feferi. He hasn't thought about Feferi lately. After a moment, he blushes darkly and burrows under his blankets as if he's hiding from the embodiment of embarrassment.
But he's right. This is exactly how he drove off Feferi, by being too overbearing. If he moves too quickly, Nepeta will feel uncomfortable and run off with Gamzee and never spare him a passing glance again. He sighs, depressed. Besides, it wouldn't work out. He is a seadweller and she is from the jungle. A cat and a fish. He really had no luck with any form of relationships, did he? Perhaps he was meant to be forever alone-
-- arsenicCatnip began trolling caligulusAquarium at 11:44 --
AC: :33 < eri!! are you there??
AC: :33 < *ac bounces up and down on ca's bed to wake him up!*
The ping of his computer makes Eridan peak out from under his blankets (OK, it's not his. It's the extra, guest computer, but he's fuckin' using it, no matter how much Karkat bitches at him). He sits up fully, adjusting his glasses, and smiles lightly at the text he reads. Leaving his scarf and cape on the foot of his bed, Eridan walks over to his desk and sits down.
CA: *ca has been awwake and he wwonders wwho let such an obnoxious cat on his bed wwhile he was trying to get his rest*
CA: yes nep im here im awwake
AC: :33 < i thought so! i didn't come get you because I figured you were asl33p, but then I came on to s33 you were online!
AC: :33 < get out of your room why don't you?
Eridan mulls over what he wants to say for a brief moment. On one hand, he doesn't want to seem too forward. On the other hand, Nepeta is more forward than he'd thought she'd be. Plus, he rather enjoys this little game of… cat and mouse they have going on.
Cat puns. First fish puns, now cat puns - what is it with girls and puns?
CA: hmmm if i come out of my room wwhat do i get in return
AC: :33 < what do you m33n?
CA: i could just easily stay in my room all day and sleep
CA: youvve gotta make this wworth my wwhile nep
AC: :33 < oh!
AC: :33 < uh… my company?
He smiles, almost laughs. Nepeta is cute.
CA: ok i guess that wworks
AC: :33 < h33h33!! ok, awesome! i'll find you some food!
Eridan doubts Nepeta is the best cook in the house, but he'll take what he can get. He decides to leave his cape in his room but he is never seen without his scarf, so of course that goes. He saunters into their makeshift kitchen, depression all but forgotten.
"Woah. Yo, Mistah Fish."
Along with everyone else, Eridan has a little bit of a hard time noticing Gamzee. He sort of fades into the background and when he announces his presence it gives Eridan nothing short of a heart attack. He actually comes about two seconds away from screeching but he's pretty much royalty, he tells himself, and he holds it in.
"Gamzee," he manages to sputter out, his hand doing nothing short of clutching his chest in a very comical, dramatic fashion. "What?"
It's hissing and a little pissy, much like everything else about Eridan, but Gamzee doesn't even flinch. This only makes Eridan keep himself on his toes. It's not that he doesn't like Gamzee - he can just never tell what the Capricorn's thinking about.
"You got this, like, spring, man." Gamzee's arms go into the air, waving a little, and he has this sort of grin on his face that makes Eridan want to roll his eyes. "In your step, I mean. You like, score or somethin'…?"
Suspiciously, Eridan's eyebrows pull down, and he looks the Juggalo over. After a brief moment of pursing his lips together and mulling over his thoughts, he answers. "…No. I'm just going downstairs."
"Awesome. I'll go with ya'." In a rather childish manner, Gamzee sticks his arms out in front of him and 'flies on over' to stand behind Eridan. "Go on, man. You are the Gentlemen Fish here. You are the pilot."
"There is no pilot," hisses Eridan, trudging along anyway. "Because there is no plane."
"Uh." Slowly, Gamzee's arms fall to his side as he follows Eridan down the hallway. He holds his head high, stopping with the slouching for only a second, and cocks one eyebrow upward at the Aquarius (whom he has to look down to like this). "It wasn't like a literal plane, bro. It was more like a metaphorical plane. You know what a Metaphor is?"
Eridan scoffs, scowling still as he steps into the kitchen. "Of course I know what a fuckin' metaphor is, I-"
"Woah, hey, is this a miracle or what!" Jumping off the plane, Gamzee ducks his head down so he can wrap Nepeta in a big hug. "'S little Miss Kitten, makin' us lunch."
Nepeta is completely lost in the Capricorn's hug. She giggles into his chest but Gamzee's so big his arms pretty much eat her up, and the worst part is that the two of them fit perfectly like this. The way Nepeta's back arches ever so lightly to meet the taller troll it's like two pieces of a fucking puzzle and it makes Eridan absolutely sick. He's not sure if he was able to suppress the gag that threatens to rise out of his throat.
"Not for everyone," she manages to say, playfully pushing Gamzee away. "It's a one-time deal only. Maybe only for you two!"
At this point Eridan is quite sure he's gritting his teeth and digging his pretty little yellow nails into his palm. Who in the fuck invited Gamzee? Did she invite Gamzee? Well, she certainly failed to mention this to him!
He has to sigh, in an attempt to calm himself down. Perhaps he's looking too far into this. He does have a problem with getting overly-attached to any female that gives him the time of day. And he was just thinking how better Gamzee would be with her. Jegus, he is the moodiest person in this or any universe.
"Mmm…" Gamzee goes back to slumping, looking the room over but certainly not taking any of it in. "Well, if 's just for me and Fishy here, lemme get some scraps or somethin'. 'D be a nice surprise for Tav, yeah?"
"Tavros, mm?" Nepeta smiles genuinely, going back over to their small stove with a bounce in her step. "Well, if it's Tav."
"Sweet! I owe you big time, Kitty." Casually, Gamzee rushes back over to her, hugging her from behind and nearly picking her up off the ground.
Eridan shivers. If he has to watch any more of this disgusting (is it flirting? Or just being Gamzee?) thing, he's sure he's going to promptly empty the contents of his Stomach upon Gamzee's polka-dot pants. Yeah, you can take that to Tav, intrusive fucker.
"Hey, what're you doing?" Eridan is brought out of his thoughts by Nepeta marching up to him and yanking him forward. "Come on, I'm makin' food for you, you gotta tell me what you like!"
There's a low sort of chuckle that fills the room, and for a moment no one thinks it's from Gamzee because it's too devious. He leans back on the countertop, finally giving Nepeta some space, and says with a sort of lazy smile, "Oh, Kitten, I know what he likes."
"What?" Nepeta asks, looking between them. "Seafood?"
"Oh yeah." Gamzee wipes his finger under his nose, and for a second it looks like he is actually smirking at Eridan. "Catfish."
Eridan sputters in what words would sting the most, but then he realizes his face is royal purple and Nepeta is behind him. He tones it down. "You don't eat catfish," he says, evenly.
"Never said you was gonna eat it." With a mock salute, Gamzee gives another odd grin and trips over his own feet a little as he walks off. "Know what Kitten, think I lost my appetite. Power to you for cookin' though."
"Oh." Nepeta stands on her tiptoes, waving after the Capricorn clutching the cookbook in her hand with nothing sort of a death grip. "OK, see you later! I guess." Slowly, she rocks back onto the balls of her feet, her tiny little lips pursing together curiously. "I wonder what that's about."
"He's-He's Gamzee." In a moment of courage, Eridan wraps his arm around her shoulders and turns her around, away from the hallway. "He probably has no idea what the hell he just said."
She giggles. It surprises Eridan how content she seems, standing this way with him, like he's not even there. She even leans on him a little, flipping the book open and flipping through the pages. She asks a little questions, but mostly she's just rambling about what she thinks tastes good. She's looking for a little conformation when she quietly jokes, and she takes the small smile on Eridan's face as a sign to keep going.
Eridan's not sure he could not be smiling like this. It is doubtful, it is somewhat guarded, it is shy. But it is a smile nonetheless. He decides to try and keep it there.
The meetings are normal occurrences. If Nepeta's not simply falling asleep on his bed, then she's making a point to tell him goodnight - exclusively. It's gotten to the point where Nepeta she goes to look in his room if she's misplaced something, and she usually finds it there.
Though, usually, the 'I've lost something' act is just a ploy to get him alone and pick on him.
And Eridan knows that is exactly what she's doing. She's teasing him. She says something she knows will make him flustered, then she's all meow's and purr's and "Ooh, your gills are so cute!" Every little step she makes towards him is her pushing her look and he can't begin to articulate just how much more he wants her to push.
He knows it's a stupid act, and sometimes he feels like a completely and total woman for doing it but he can't seem to stop. Or at least a little boy. He's not a little boy (he tells himself).
But today. No. Today marks the end of this little game. He's getting straight answers and he's not leaving until he gets them. None of this beating around the bush shit. Direct and straight-forward. He's got to stop being such a damn baby, anyway. He's going to march straight into that room of hers, charismatically inquire if she has any red feelings for anyone, and… and…
And if she says flat-out no and giggles he's probably going to sob and mope for sweeps upon sweeps. He can never stress to himself what a massive tool he is.
After much talk with Kanaya about whether or not he should wear the cape, Eridan finally decides to leave it on his bed and sort of drags his feet to Nepeta's room. He's expecting the worse, bracing himself for the letdown - but at the same time he's fantasizing about what would happen if this actually… works.
But God, what're the chances of that?
"Nep," He calls, and it's soft and calming, like calling a cat over to pet it. "Are you in there?"
"Oh, uh. Well, yeah, but-but, just a minute!" Eridan furrows his eyebrows, eyes locked on the door as if willing it to open. Listening quietly, he faintly makes out the sound of near-empty paint cans getting ushered to the side, only making him more curious. He stands his ground.
"Is everything alright-"
"Of course, I just-" The reply comes before Eridan can even finish his sentence, and that just raises his suspicions. "Oof, just cleaning up, or… something like that, yeah."
After a brief moment of purses lips and drawn-down eyebrows, Eridan grips the doorknob with vigor. "Nep, I'm coming in."
"No, really, it's OK, I-"
When he opens the door Nepeta is covered in paint. Red, white, and black paint. Eridan wants to say he's surprised, but he doesn't think he is. He sighs.
"What did you do?"
Nepeta scoffs, pouting as she takes off her coat and lets it fall to the floor. "Nothing! I was… creating."
"Painting?"
She opens her mouth to say something, then stops. "Um. Yeah, let's go with that."
If she thinks he's giving up on this so easily, she's dead wrong. Eridan is Mr. Straight Forward today. "What were you painting?"
"Huh?" Nepeta's head snaps up, her green eyes catlike and wide. "Oh, uh, nothing much, just… had the paint… so…" She trails off, ruffling her own hair and averting Eridan's eyes. He knows he should be prodding her for the reason she is clearly hiding from him, but he can't help but take a moment to notice she looks… good, without the hat and coat.
Nepeta is tiny, thin, but with the coat off, Eridan sees something he hadn't dreamed of seeing. He steps forward, and she squeaks, jumping at his sudden advance. "W-What? I-I swear it was nothing bad stop that-"
"Are these-Are these muscles?"
There is staring contest.
Finally, she hazards, "Yes?"
He glares for a moment. It makes her laugh - only half-nervously. Eventually, she nothing short of grips his arm and pulls him out of her room.
She likes to keep up with the relationships of everyone, she tells him, while washing the paint of her arms. "It's a little like a hobby. Like, who're moirails, who may have red feelings for someone, stuff like that."
So basically, she's shipping the people she lives with. It takes a lot of self-control for Eridan not to laugh at this one. "And you didn't want me to see it?"
Her cheeks flair up, a dusty green across high cheekbones. "It's not yours to look at it! It's like a big wall of secrets!"
Eridan doesn't know where this confidence of his is coming from but he is not saying no to it in the slightest. "Alright," he says, his hands in the air to admit defeat. "I won't pry. ...But I'm still curious."
"Yeah, well." Nepeta gives an almost mischievous grin as she walks past him, damp jacket in her arms. Momentarily, her fingers duck under his chin like she's scratching a cat. "Keep being curious. Hey, will you help me wash this stuff?"
"H-Huh?" He shivers at the affectionate touch, almost loses his balance and topples over, but he remains rooted the ground at her question. "Ah-Sure. But promise me you won't make this sort of mess again."
"You sound like Equius," She says. She widens her smile when she sees his and they simply stand there, idly talking while they fold the (sort of) clean clothes. She makes him share his scarf with her again, but he doesn't mind.
Later, once she's gone back to her room and bid him adieu, he sulks back to his room.
-- grimAuxiliatrix began trolling caligulusAquarium at 12:59 --
GA: I Couldn't Help But Notice You Have No Answer To Your Question
CA: shut up kan
He's just going to give up - he's good at that.
"Hey, Eridan."
I mean, OK, let's say he isn't completely scaring Nepeta off with his forwardness - what about Feferi? What about the whole cat/fish thing? That's still in play, he has to remind himself. How in the hell is this going to work out?
"Come on, wake up."
Besides, he asks himself, Have you noticed she's sort of out of your league?
"Eri…?"
She's sweet to you because she's Nepeta, not because she-
"Eridan, wake up this instant."
His eyes shoot open, but his mind remains foggy. The first thing he notices is Nepeta's face - or rather, her eyes, boring holes into him with that glare. Her lips are parted ever so slightly, with a sort of elegance, and his lips are parted in that 'I just woke up and can't think' sort of fashion.
Their breaths intermingle, and he shivers.
"There you are." She sighs, tucking some of her curly hair behind her ear. "It's almost noon, Mister Grumpy Gills, why do you sleep so late?"
Eridan's mouth is open and he's got words on his tongue, but no sound is coming out. He finds this a little unfair, because he finally knows what he wants to say and he can't say it.
He supposes he doesn't need to say anything. She smiles at him, almost knowingly, and sits on the bed to look at him. "You don't want to get up, do you?"
Eridan has to make the world pause for a second so he can collect himself. He knows he was thinking about a lot of things last night, and he thinks he even dreamt something, but that's not the issue. His temples pulse with the tell-tale signs of a headache, but he manages to keep the pain at bay for enough time to collect his thoughts.
Still, he can't help but think, this is probably wasted effort.
"It's not so much that I don't want to get up," he says, after a deep breath. "I just think it would be stupid to pass up a moment to lay with you for a while."
It is a sleepy sentence from the mouth of a boy - not a man - who just woke up. An overly-dramatic boy that never forgives, forgets, or let's go. A boy who probably only turned to Nepeta because no one else would take him. But the sleepy sentence, from the sleepy boy, is the final push Nepeta needs to decide to show Eridan the picture of him and herself on her little shipping wall.
The first time Eridan talks to Nepeta, it is out of boredom, desperateness, and with a dash of spite. His fingers poise over the correct keys to log into Trollian, then pull away with uncertainty too many times to count. He grumbles to himself about how much he hates things: how much he hates this guest computer, how much he hates the humans, how much he hates magic, and for a moment you'd think he was a taller, ironic version of Karkat.
Than that desperate part kicks in, and he logs in, typing as fast as he fucking can so he doesn't have time to stop himself.
He doesn't log on solely to talk to Nepeta. He logs on because he's lonely, and he's looking for people who aren't busy. He scans the list of trolls who are online, hoping to spot someone he can get a good squeeze out of. Feferi's not online but Sollux is, and he is of good mind to finally confront the dual-horned bastard. He'd like nothing more than to share some blackrom with the lowblooded son of a bitch, but…
-- caligulusAquarium began trolling twinArmageddons at 16:24 --
Eridan stops. He realizes he has a lot to say but no way to convey it. "I hate you, let's be enemies," is not something that's worked out in the past. He feels like a giant tool. Again.
TA: can ii help you?
CA: no nevver mind
Yeah, he's officially a giant tool forever. Eridan sighs, closing out of his chat with Sollux and running a hand through his purple fringe. He takes a moment to refelct on how Feferi told him, "I'm going to stop being your moirail because I think you're ready to do things on your own," and thinks for a moment how selfish of a move that was. He knows nothing outside of Feferi, and he could've kept it that way, shimmy a little red feelings into there, but-but Feferi turned him down. And they are not exactly on speaking terms. He's too pathetic to confront her about being friends again, too. Back to the online list.
Well, there's Gamzee. And the last time he was feeling bad for himself he did talk to Gamzee. But all that earned Eridan was a bad brand of soda that left a terrible taste in his mouth for days. No Gamzee.
Equius is online. He purses his lips together. Equius always makes him feel better, with his "Yes, Highblood," routine that picks up Eridan's spirits. Mm. Who else?
terminallyCapricious
centaursTesticle
arsenicCatnip
carcinoGenecicist
OK, so that's Equius, Nepeta, and Karkat. Equius isn't even a challenge, he'll always get a good ass-kissing session out of him, and he's not in the mood to talk to a blueblooded, sweaty, yesman today. Karkat has been a little iffy since he woke up, and if he's right, he's still a bit shaken up from the conversation he had with Jade and his future self. He doesn't feel like getting barracaded with sarcasm.
His eyebrows furrow. Has he even ever talked to Nepeta?
-- caligulusAquarium began trolling arsenicCatnip at 16:38 --
CA: hey nep
Fuck, what is he doing? Oh yeah. That whole, being a giant tool thing. He knows Nepeta's too nice to ignore him, but he's not nice enough to give her a chance to respond and he's of good mind to log off faster than the speed of light before he gets fully sucked into an actual conversation - who cares if he's the one who initiated it?
AC: :33 < eridan?
AC: :33 < *ac is all 33rs, but she wonders why ca would pick now to sp33k with her.*
Oh yeah, Nepeta does this… RP business. Eridan takes a breath. This is nothing. If it comes down to it, he's sure he can out-RP her. Beat her at her own game.
CA: its nothin important i wwas just wwonderin wwhere the hell you wwere
CA: i saww you talkin to that little wwitch
CA: stupid rose girl fuckin bleww up my computer
Goddamn, he's good. Eridan gives himself a mental pat on the back for that awesome save.
AC: :33 < oh yeah, rose!
AC: :33 < *ac giggles quietly at rose's title of 'little witch'*
AC: :33 < i dont talk to her much but
AC: :33 < hm.
AC :33 < *ac twitches her friendly whiskers in purrplexment. she doesn't quite know how to word what she wants to say*
AC: :33 < well, it was nothing important. i'm fine!
The whole time she talks, Eridan's giving her a grade. She's not particularly annoying. Her text is easier to read than say, Gamzee's, or Tavros's, or Terezi's. You just have to get past the double-mouthed cat face. He sighs. Then again, this is the person Karkat simply refers to as "autistic girl," and he's only talked to her for all of two minutes.
CA: ivve nevver talked to her either really
CA: still bleww up my computer
Fuck, fuck! He quietly curses to himself, hunching over the keyboard. Yeah, that's right Eridan, just keep bitching and complaining, it'll get you all the ladies.
AC: :33 < yeah but what did you do to deserve it?
CA: absolutely nothin
CA: you knoww wwhat
CA: if youre ok i guess thats all that matters so im gonna log off
CA: ill talk to you later nep
AC: :33 < oh, okay!
-- caligulusAquarium ceased trolling arsenicCatnip at 16:51 -
That ended in absolute catastrophe. He will probably never talk to Nepeta again.
The second time Nepeta ever really communicates with Eridan, there is absolutely no reasoning behind it.
Well, maybe a little. But that reasoning is only, "Well, he talked to me, he sounded pretty lonely, I should talk to him." When this reasoning hits her, she is in her room drawing and-Bam! Oh, Eridan. She saves her progress, says goodbye to Terezi, and slips out of her room. CaligulousAquarium is online, but Nepeta figures a face-to-face meeting would be a little better. She figures he needs it.
There's a little sign on his door, the purple waves that signify his sign and blood color. Before knocking, Nepeta smiles at it. She's never actually talked to Eridan, but from what she's heard and seen, he seems fun - amusing. He gets flustered easily, his voice is different and deep and rough, he's tall, a bit of a prick and… all around comical. Nepeta decides to push her luck.
"Mister Sea-A?" She calls, knocking once. "Are you home?"
She hears something topple over, and then Eridan mumbling something she doesn't understand. When he swings the door open, his hair is more frazzled than usual and his glasses are a little crooked on his face.
Eridan has a long face. He does not have particularly large eyes, but Nepeta supposes they're not small either. He's very tall and broad, but more awkward and lanky than Equius or Gamzee. He has a sort of standoffish and cool manner, but this façade is so easy to see through it's almost funny. Nepeta imagines that under this mask is a puddle of uncertainty, and she's OK with that.
"…Nepeta?" His voice is a hairs breath away from cracking, and the way he says it has the girl smiling. It appears she's hit the nail on the head with her guess of him being awkward.
"Yeah," She says, moving to see just what's behind the Aquarius, who leans awkwardly in his doorway, as if trying to cover all of it to hide something from her. "Am I interrupting something?"
He scoffs, trying to play this off as something casual, but there's a shy sort of smile on his face. "Of course not, I just… wasn't expecting you." He looks around, as if to see if anyone is watching, than slowly looks down at Nepeta, questionably. "…Ah."
She has to hold in more laughter at his lack of response. "If I'm not interrupting, let's do something, then!"
It is the most straight-forward thing anyone has ever said to Eridan. He invites her in. Moments later, he's blushing and telling himself she is supposed to be the uncannily straight-forward one here.
Nepeta has no idea what she's supposed to say, but even when this idea hit her she knew she had no real plan of attack. Instead, she's going to simply start this whole thing, like pushing a snowball down a hill, and see where it ends up. She sits on the foot of his bed and looks around, taking in what's there. It looks to her like Eridan tried to make it homey but gave up half way through. Books with no design or cover or title lay everywhere, but Nepeta doesn't touch any of them.
She notices him staring. Or, no, he's not staring, he's just watching. He looks as if he suspects something of her. She smiles.
"Well," he says, with a deep breath. "This is my room. It's very… ah-"
"Nice," she finishes. There's an odd sort of aura that this room gives off - that Eridan gives off - but she certainly can't say she doesn't like it. It's a little odd, but not bad at all.
Eridan remains quiet, guarded, and Nepeta purses her lips together. First she has to earn his trust.
"So, how're things in the Veil for you?"
This is exactly the right thing to say from her part. Eridan sighs dramatically and sits down on the bed with her. He starts with a, "Well, since you asked," and then goes on and on.
He talks with his hands. He gets so into what he's saying sometimes he looks like he wants to jump off the bed and act it out, and Nepeta's never seen so much emotion on his features. Every now and again she'll giggle at something he's said, and that makes him smile in this very awkward sort of way, but it also gives him enough of a push to continue on with vigor.
By the time Eridan has reached the end of his tale(s), he's out of breath. He laughs very, very quietly about how that really got out of hand, didn't it? When Nepeta doesn't respond, he turns to where she has been lying on his bed, listening, to find that she has fallen asleep, and he doesn't know whether to find it offensive or endearing.
Eridan supposes that once a girl has fallen asleep in your bed, you can't simply pretend she doesn't exist. They are at least friends. Nepeta is not a part of any quadrant for him but she's certainly on the list of people he wouldn't mind having a relationship with.
There is only one problem. Eridan is useless.
He would never tell this to anyone, but he is at least honest with himself. Nepeta does not circle around him, she does not place him at the top of her 'favorite persons' list, and while Eridan tells himself this is perfectly normal it still gets him down. He's still not used to not being given whatever he wants. Nepeta already has two moirails - Equius and Terezi, and could easily get a matesprit should she so desire. For example, she talks to Gamzee regularly - even lets him call her "Kitten" and "Miss Kitty." She is one of the few people in the Veil who can even put up with Gamzee and Eridan can much more easily see her with him than with himself-
He groans, flopping onto his bed tiredly. "This is stupid," he grumbles.
He knows he's probably taking this way too fast - because he is stupid and useless and-and this is how he drove Feferi away.
Mm. Feferi. He hasn't thought about Feferi lately. After a moment, he blushes darkly and burrows under his blankets as if he's hiding from the embodiment of embarrassment.
But he's right. This is exactly how he drove off Feferi, by being too overbearing. If he moves too quickly, Nepeta will feel uncomfortable and run off with Gamzee and never spare him a passing glance again. He sighs, depressed. Besides, it wouldn't work out. He is a seadweller and she is from the jungle. A cat and a fish. He really had no luck with any form of relationships, did he? Perhaps he was meant to be forever alone-
-- arsenicCatnip began trolling caligulusAquarium at 11:44 --
AC: :33 < eri!! are you there??
AC: :33 < *ac bounces up and down on ca's bed to wake him up!*
The ping of his computer makes Eridan peak out from under his blankets (OK, it's not his. It's the extra, guest computer, but he's fuckin' using it, no matter how much Karkat bitches at him). He sits up fully, adjusting his glasses, and smiles lightly at the text he reads. Leaving his scarf and cape on the foot of his bed, Eridan walks over to his desk and sits down.
CA: *ca has been awwake and he wwonders wwho let such an obnoxious cat on his bed wwhile he was trying to get his rest*
CA: yes nep im here im awwake
AC: :33 < i thought so! i didn't come get you because I figured you were asl33p, but then I came on to s33 you were online!
AC: :33 < get out of your room why don't you?
Eridan mulls over what he wants to say for a brief moment. On one hand, he doesn't want to seem too forward. On the other hand, Nepeta is more forward than he'd thought she'd be. Plus, he rather enjoys this little game of… cat and mouse they have going on.
Cat puns. First fish puns, now cat puns - what is it with girls and puns?
CA: hmmm if i come out of my room wwhat do i get in return
AC: :33 < what do you m33n?
CA: i could just easily stay in my room all day and sleep
CA: youvve gotta make this wworth my wwhile nep
AC: :33 < oh!
AC: :33 < uh… my company?
He smiles, almost laughs. Nepeta is cute.
CA: ok i guess that wworks
AC: :33 < h33h33!! ok, awesome! i'll find you some food!
Eridan doubts Nepeta is the best cook in the house, but he'll take what he can get. He decides to leave his cape in his room but he is never seen without his scarf, so of course that goes. He saunters into their makeshift kitchen, depression all but forgotten.
"Woah. Yo, Mistah Fish."
Along with everyone else, Eridan has a little bit of a hard time noticing Gamzee. He sort of fades into the background and when he announces his presence it gives Eridan nothing short of a heart attack. He actually comes about two seconds away from screeching but he's pretty much royalty, he tells himself, and he holds it in.
"Gamzee," he manages to sputter out, his hand doing nothing short of clutching his chest in a very comical, dramatic fashion. "What?"
It's hissing and a little pissy, much like everything else about Eridan, but Gamzee doesn't even flinch. This only makes Eridan keep himself on his toes. It's not that he doesn't like Gamzee - he can just never tell what the Capricorn's thinking about.
"You got this, like, spring, man." Gamzee's arms go into the air, waving a little, and he has this sort of grin on his face that makes Eridan want to roll his eyes. "In your step, I mean. You like, score or somethin'…?"
Suspiciously, Eridan's eyebrows pull down, and he looks the Juggalo over. After a brief moment of pursing his lips together and mulling over his thoughts, he answers. "…No. I'm just going downstairs."
"Awesome. I'll go with ya'." In a rather childish manner, Gamzee sticks his arms out in front of him and 'flies on over' to stand behind Eridan. "Go on, man. You are the Gentlemen Fish here. You are the pilot."
"There is no pilot," hisses Eridan, trudging along anyway. "Because there is no plane."
"Uh." Slowly, Gamzee's arms fall to his side as he follows Eridan down the hallway. He holds his head high, stopping with the slouching for only a second, and cocks one eyebrow upward at the Aquarius (whom he has to look down to like this). "It wasn't like a literal plane, bro. It was more like a metaphorical plane. You know what a Metaphor is?"
Eridan scoffs, scowling still as he steps into the kitchen. "Of course I know what a fuckin' metaphor is, I-"
"Woah, hey, is this a miracle or what!" Jumping off the plane, Gamzee ducks his head down so he can wrap Nepeta in a big hug. "'S little Miss Kitten, makin' us lunch."
Nepeta is completely lost in the Capricorn's hug. She giggles into his chest but Gamzee's so big his arms pretty much eat her up, and the worst part is that the two of them fit perfectly like this. The way Nepeta's back arches ever so lightly to meet the taller troll it's like two pieces of a fucking puzzle and it makes Eridan absolutely sick. He's not sure if he was able to suppress the gag that threatens to rise out of his throat.
"Not for everyone," she manages to say, playfully pushing Gamzee away. "It's a one-time deal only. Maybe only for you two!"
At this point Eridan is quite sure he's gritting his teeth and digging his pretty little yellow nails into his palm. Who in the fuck invited Gamzee? Did she invite Gamzee? Well, she certainly failed to mention this to him!
He has to sigh, in an attempt to calm himself down. Perhaps he's looking too far into this. He does have a problem with getting overly-attached to any female that gives him the time of day. And he was just thinking how better Gamzee would be with her. Jegus, he is the moodiest person in this or any universe.
"Mmm…" Gamzee goes back to slumping, looking the room over but certainly not taking any of it in. "Well, if 's just for me and Fishy here, lemme get some scraps or somethin'. 'D be a nice surprise for Tav, yeah?"
"Tavros, mm?" Nepeta smiles genuinely, going back over to their small stove with a bounce in her step. "Well, if it's Tav."
"Sweet! I owe you big time, Kitty." Casually, Gamzee rushes back over to her, hugging her from behind and nearly picking her up off the ground.
Eridan shivers. If he has to watch any more of this disgusting (is it flirting? Or just being Gamzee?) thing, he's sure he's going to promptly empty the contents of his Stomach upon Gamzee's polka-dot pants. Yeah, you can take that to Tav, intrusive fucker.
"Hey, what're you doing?" Eridan is brought out of his thoughts by Nepeta marching up to him and yanking him forward. "Come on, I'm makin' food for you, you gotta tell me what you like!"
There's a low sort of chuckle that fills the room, and for a moment no one thinks it's from Gamzee because it's too devious. He leans back on the countertop, finally giving Nepeta some space, and says with a sort of lazy smile, "Oh, Kitten, I know what he likes."
"What?" Nepeta asks, looking between them. "Seafood?"
"Oh yeah." Gamzee wipes his finger under his nose, and for a second it looks like he is actually smirking at Eridan. "Catfish."
Eridan sputters in what words would sting the most, but then he realizes his face is royal purple and Nepeta is behind him. He tones it down. "You don't eat catfish," he says, evenly.
"Never said you was gonna eat it." With a mock salute, Gamzee gives another odd grin and trips over his own feet a little as he walks off. "Know what Kitten, think I lost my appetite. Power to you for cookin' though."
"Oh." Nepeta stands on her tiptoes, waving after the Capricorn clutching the cookbook in her hand with nothing sort of a death grip. "OK, see you later! I guess." Slowly, she rocks back onto the balls of her feet, her tiny little lips pursing together curiously. "I wonder what that's about."
"He's-He's Gamzee." In a moment of courage, Eridan wraps his arm around her shoulders and turns her around, away from the hallway. "He probably has no idea what the hell he just said."
She giggles. It surprises Eridan how content she seems, standing this way with him, like he's not even there. She even leans on him a little, flipping the book open and flipping through the pages. She asks a little questions, but mostly she's just rambling about what she thinks tastes good. She's looking for a little conformation when she quietly jokes, and she takes the small smile on Eridan's face as a sign to keep going.
Eridan's not sure he could not be smiling like this. It is doubtful, it is somewhat guarded, it is shy. But it is a smile nonetheless. He decides to try and keep it there.
The meetings are normal occurrences. If Nepeta's not simply falling asleep on his bed, then she's making a point to tell him goodnight - exclusively. It's gotten to the point where Nepeta she goes to look in his room if she's misplaced something, and she usually finds it there.
Though, usually, the 'I've lost something' act is just a ploy to get him alone and pick on him.
And Eridan knows that is exactly what she's doing. She's teasing him. She says something she knows will make him flustered, then she's all meow's and purr's and "Ooh, your gills are so cute!" Every little step she makes towards him is her pushing her look and he can't begin to articulate just how much more he wants her to push.
He knows it's a stupid act, and sometimes he feels like a completely and total woman for doing it but he can't seem to stop. Or at least a little boy. He's not a little boy (he tells himself).
But today. No. Today marks the end of this little game. He's getting straight answers and he's not leaving until he gets them. None of this beating around the bush shit. Direct and straight-forward. He's got to stop being such a damn baby, anyway. He's going to march straight into that room of hers, charismatically inquire if she has any red feelings for anyone, and… and…
And if she says flat-out no and giggles he's probably going to sob and mope for sweeps upon sweeps. He can never stress to himself what a massive tool he is.
After much talk with Kanaya about whether or not he should wear the cape, Eridan finally decides to leave it on his bed and sort of drags his feet to Nepeta's room. He's expecting the worse, bracing himself for the letdown - but at the same time he's fantasizing about what would happen if this actually… works.
But God, what're the chances of that?
"Nep," He calls, and it's soft and calming, like calling a cat over to pet it. "Are you in there?"
"Oh, uh. Well, yeah, but-but, just a minute!" Eridan furrows his eyebrows, eyes locked on the door as if willing it to open. Listening quietly, he faintly makes out the sound of near-empty paint cans getting ushered to the side, only making him more curious. He stands his ground.
"Is everything alright-"
"Of course, I just-" The reply comes before Eridan can even finish his sentence, and that just raises his suspicions. "Oof, just cleaning up, or… something like that, yeah."
After a brief moment of purses lips and drawn-down eyebrows, Eridan grips the doorknob with vigor. "Nep, I'm coming in."
"No, really, it's OK, I-"
When he opens the door Nepeta is covered in paint. Red, white, and black paint. Eridan wants to say he's surprised, but he doesn't think he is. He sighs.
"What did you do?"
Nepeta scoffs, pouting as she takes off her coat and lets it fall to the floor. "Nothing! I was… creating."
"Painting?"
She opens her mouth to say something, then stops. "Um. Yeah, let's go with that."
If she thinks he's giving up on this so easily, she's dead wrong. Eridan is Mr. Straight Forward today. "What were you painting?"
"Huh?" Nepeta's head snaps up, her green eyes catlike and wide. "Oh, uh, nothing much, just… had the paint… so…" She trails off, ruffling her own hair and averting Eridan's eyes. He knows he should be prodding her for the reason she is clearly hiding from him, but he can't help but take a moment to notice she looks… good, without the hat and coat.
Nepeta is tiny, thin, but with the coat off, Eridan sees something he hadn't dreamed of seeing. He steps forward, and she squeaks, jumping at his sudden advance. "W-What? I-I swear it was nothing bad stop that-"
"Are these-Are these muscles?"
There is staring contest.
Finally, she hazards, "Yes?"
He glares for a moment. It makes her laugh - only half-nervously. Eventually, she nothing short of grips his arm and pulls him out of her room.
She likes to keep up with the relationships of everyone, she tells him, while washing the paint of her arms. "It's a little like a hobby. Like, who're moirails, who may have red feelings for someone, stuff like that."
So basically, she's shipping the people she lives with. It takes a lot of self-control for Eridan not to laugh at this one. "And you didn't want me to see it?"
Her cheeks flair up, a dusty green across high cheekbones. "It's not yours to look at it! It's like a big wall of secrets!"
Eridan doesn't know where this confidence of his is coming from but he is not saying no to it in the slightest. "Alright," he says, his hands in the air to admit defeat. "I won't pry. ...But I'm still curious."
"Yeah, well." Nepeta gives an almost mischievous grin as she walks past him, damp jacket in her arms. Momentarily, her fingers duck under his chin like she's scratching a cat. "Keep being curious. Hey, will you help me wash this stuff?"
"H-Huh?" He shivers at the affectionate touch, almost loses his balance and topples over, but he remains rooted the ground at her question. "Ah-Sure. But promise me you won't make this sort of mess again."
"You sound like Equius," She says. She widens her smile when she sees his and they simply stand there, idly talking while they fold the (sort of) clean clothes. She makes him share his scarf with her again, but he doesn't mind.
Later, once she's gone back to her room and bid him adieu, he sulks back to his room.
-- grimAuxiliatrix began trolling caligulusAquarium at 12:59 --
GA: I Couldn't Help But Notice You Have No Answer To Your Question
CA: shut up kan
He's just going to give up - he's good at that.
"Hey, Eridan."
I mean, OK, let's say he isn't completely scaring Nepeta off with his forwardness - what about Feferi? What about the whole cat/fish thing? That's still in play, he has to remind himself. How in the hell is this going to work out?
"Come on, wake up."
Besides, he asks himself, Have you noticed she's sort of out of your league?
"Eri…?"
She's sweet to you because she's Nepeta, not because she-
"Eridan, wake up this instant."
His eyes shoot open, but his mind remains foggy. The first thing he notices is Nepeta's face - or rather, her eyes, boring holes into him with that glare. Her lips are parted ever so slightly, with a sort of elegance, and his lips are parted in that 'I just woke up and can't think' sort of fashion.
Their breaths intermingle, and he shivers.
"There you are." She sighs, tucking some of her curly hair behind her ear. "It's almost noon, Mister Grumpy Gills, why do you sleep so late?"
Eridan's mouth is open and he's got words on his tongue, but no sound is coming out. He finds this a little unfair, because he finally knows what he wants to say and he can't say it.
He supposes he doesn't need to say anything. She smiles at him, almost knowingly, and sits on the bed to look at him. "You don't want to get up, do you?"
Eridan has to make the world pause for a second so he can collect himself. He knows he was thinking about a lot of things last night, and he thinks he even dreamt something, but that's not the issue. His temples pulse with the tell-tale signs of a headache, but he manages to keep the pain at bay for enough time to collect his thoughts.
Still, he can't help but think, this is probably wasted effort.
"It's not so much that I don't want to get up," he says, after a deep breath. "I just think it would be stupid to pass up a moment to lay with you for a while."
It is a sleepy sentence from the mouth of a boy - not a man - who just woke up. An overly-dramatic boy that never forgives, forgets, or let's go. A boy who probably only turned to Nepeta because no one else would take him. But the sleepy sentence, from the sleepy boy, is the final push Nepeta needs to decide to show Eridan the picture of him and herself on her little shipping wall.