Plop.

Eridan looked down at his sneakers. They were covered in his favorite ice cream that he had just spilled onto them. It was the one time Seahorse-dad had taken him anywhere and he had wasted the blue moon treat that was paid for by his lusus. At first he was mad at himself, but then the purple tears sprang from his face like a faucet as he realized he'd ruined the whole day.

The two and a half sweep old ran to his lusus and buried his face into the white of his back. "I'm sorry!" he blubbered. "I dropped my," the young troll paused and sniffled. "My ice cream!"

Seahorse-dad's eyes burned red in fury and slapped the little troll with his tail. "Errrriiidan!" He whinnied. "You're a terrrrrible wwriggler! If you don't pay me back I swwear I'll take all your fayyyyygo awway!"

"Aww come on! Howw am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't knoww, nor do I care! Noww get going!" Seahorse-dad turned slapping him again, and went away.

"Great, howw on Alternia am I gonna find fivve bloondollars?" The young high blood carped. He sighed and got down on his hands and knees, beginning to crawl around in search of spare change.

Approximately fifteen minutes later he had exactly two pennies, a button, bottle cap and a pair of car keys. Eventually as he was crawling around he came to a pair of mismatched shoes. One was white and the other was black and both were polished so clean that Eridan could see his own reflection in them. His eyes trailed up the black slacks of the person and all the way to the glaring face of a yellow blood. His narrow eyes that were colored as 3D glasses would be weren't the only things that gave his blood color away. The boy had two sets of pointy horns poking though his thick black hair that nearly covered his eyes in choppy bangs, making the boy look like he hadn't bothered brushing it.

"Hey, what are you doiing down there moron?" he asked in a snarl. In his hand was five dollars, ready to buy his favorite ice cream, butter pecan.

"Wwhat's it to you jerk?" Eridan stood and puffed out his chest to be brave, even though he was about five inches shorter than the other kid.

"You look 2o 2tupiid ju2t crawliing around down there! II want two know why."

"Wwell mister lisp, FYI I'm finding fivve bloondollars to pay back my lusus for my ice cream."

This kid was really getting on the prince's nerves. He didn't like how this low blood was disrespecting him.

"Lii2ten up you fii2hfaced freak, no one make2 fun of my lii2p! E2peciially not you, and II 2wear iif II'm ever 2tupiid enough two fiind out what the mind honey doe2, II'll u2e iit2 power on YOU!" The kid poked him in the chest so he fell down. Eridan was normally perfectly collected and commanding, but he'd been so upset with Seahorsedad and a few other things in his life, that getting pushed around by a low blood sent him over the edge and wet purple tears trickled down his face as the boy yelled at him.

The mustard-blood troll stopped yelling and Eridan felt him put something in his hand.

"Wwhat?" he said, looking into his palm.

There was a five bloondollar bill in it, the edges torn a little, but still a five bloondollar bill.

"My name'2 2ollux." The kid said plainly as his lusus, a giant two-headed bi-clops took his hand and began to walk away.

Eridan blinked, not processing this for a moment, then stood and shouted after him, "Thank you! My name's-" But the strange troll, Sollux, was already lost in the crowd outside.

Staring into the soft peaks and ripples of the oddly colored ice cream had brought back his first memory of his supposed arch-enemy. Such a nice gesture was the first of him, yet Eridan now knew how much he hated Sollux. Or at least how much everyone thought he hated him. However upon thinking over the matter night after sleepless night, Eridan couldn't ignore that he didn't really completely hate the presence of the Gemini.

He did hate the fact of how much of a prick he was, and he hated how often Sollux poked fun at him, and he really hated when he flirted with Feferi, and he really, really, really hated when Sollux would paint his lusus pink and steal all his Faygo while he slept.

Now he watched him from across the ice cream parlor, sitting by himself in a plush polyester booth eating blue moon once again. There was Sollux, spooning mouthful after mouthful of butter pecan ice cream into his mouth and tying cherry steams in knots with his double tongues for the entertainment of Aradia, Karkat, Gamzee, and to Eridan's dismay, Feferi. He'd say something funny and she would laugh, and Eridan would feel a knife of angst stab through his chest. He wished they'd see him and invite him over.

The Aquarius sighed and mixed his spoon around his bowl, making the treat inside become soupy and unappetizing. He thought about how Equius would have sat by him had he been here, but it would've been out of respect for a high blood and that was all. What Eridan wanted was a relationship like the humans had; something passionate and genuine, not kindly fake. He longed for someone to…oh what was that word the humans used? Love, yes that was it. Yet everywhere he went, everyone seemed to taunt him and disrespect him.

It wasn't like he was ugly, he knew that much. He looked at his reflection in the silver spoon, studying himself. His eyes were the nicest shade of orange juice with pitch black pupils that had shiny violet streaks decorating them. No it wasn't his eyes that deflected people. His fins were long, graceful, not torn anywhere with lovely light purple accents along them. No not his fins. His skin was clear and smooth and the perfect shade of ash after a crisp biting fire. It certainly wasn't his skin. His eyes fell to his mouth in the reflection and he observed his pearly shark-like teeth and slightly orchid colored tongue. They looked as lovely as ever. But as he thought about it, he realized perhaps his personality could use an inspection.

However he didn't dwell on the thought, as he was busy staring at the other trolls. He wondered what they were talking about. He wondered if they were talking about him…

"Oh my Gog, what ii2 that freak doiing?" Sollux asked, looking over at Eridan at the table in front of his.

Feferi stopped her giggling, laughing about something Karkat had said just a moment ago. "Aw come on now Sollux, be nice to )(im!"

Karkat turned and looked at Eridan, who was licking his teeth out in the reflection of the spoon he was holding. "AHAHAHAHA! WHAT IS HE DOING?" He laughed so hard red tears streamed down his face, even though it wasn't that funny because, as we all know, once you start laughing with friends it's hard to stop.

"KK you are 2o 2tupiid. Anyway2, 2orry Feferii, diidn't mean two up2et. How can II make iit up two you?" The Gemini gave a double lick with his tongues into his ice cream.

"Well….Valentine's Day is coming up…" She began, fluttering her eyes Sollux's way.

He chuckled at how flirtatious she was being and gave a wicked grin. "Yeah we can defiiniitely go 2omewhere! Ju2t tell me where and when!"

"O)( Dear, you thoug)(t I was talking about me. No, I'm having a single ladies nig)(t wit)( Aradia, Vriska and Jade, sorry. W)(at I was going to say was, please take

–Eridan on a pity date."

A spew of butter pecan ice cream sprayed out of Sollux's mouth and into Gamzee's hair. Of course, the juggalo barely noticed and continued to flirt-text with Tavros as he sucked on a pineapple milkshake.

"WHAT? Oh my Gog, you gotta bee kiiddiing FF!"

"Nope. Glub! )(e needs to get out of the )(ouse. You know all )(e's been doing lately is lying around drinking Faygo and crying. )(e's being totally un-cool and mopes around! I )(ate seeing him like that. PL-E-E-E-E-EAS-E?"

"No way!"

"Will you do it for me?"

"…" Sollux knew he couldn't say no to the fish queen's big round eyes that were tinted pale pink and shined so beautifully. "Fiine…" he groaned. "But thii2 ii2 a piity date, got iit?"

Feferi squealed in delight and hugged Sollux. "Oh glub! T)(ank you Sollux! I know –Eridan will be so )(appy!" She paused when the male troll continued to sit, unmoving. "Well? Aren't you going to go ask )(im?"

"Whoa waiit, riight now? But, KK and GZ and you and AA are all gonna watch me…"

"So?"

"Well…."

"WHAT SOLLUX, YOU WANT IT TO BE PRIVATE? WILL THAT BE MORE ROMANTIC?" Karkat snickered, bursting into more laughs.

"2hut up you iidiiot! II'll go do iit riight now!" The yellow blood pushed out his chair angrily and stormed over to Eridan, grumbling under his breath, 'he better not turn me down.'

Eridan glanced over at the table again, seeing Sollux storming towards him. Oh great, what had done this time to upset the 'all mighty low blood' this time?

"Wwhat do you wwant noww? I ain't doin' nothin' wwrong," he scowled and continued stirring his ice cream soup.

"2hut up, II'm not here two chew you out. You know, not yet anyway… But that'2 not why I'm here," Sollux grabbed a handful of his own hair and tugged slightly, rubbing his sweaty palm against the cloth of his jeans. Gog, why was he even nervous? If fishbreath said no he'd be happy! Yet he still got a sickening feeling in his stomach of, 'what if I'm rejected?'

"Then wwhat do you wwant? I'm tryin' to enjoy my glubbin' ice cream and you're botherin' the heck outta' me," he took another stab into the blue goop and stirred vigorously.

"II ju2t wanted two uh, you know 2ee iif you were doiing anythiing thii2 2aturday."

Eridan paused his stirring, dragging his eyes from it to meet Sollux's lenses. "Just wwhat are you sayin'? Besides, it's none of your…Beeswwax." He smirked at his own wordplay.

"Well that'2 okay, II diidn't even need two a2k that becau2e II know you aren't doiing anythiing anyway2. 2o a2 II wa2 2aying, the human2 have thii2 holiiday or 2omethiing and II wa2 wonderiing iif maybee you and II could uh…"

The sea dweller knew all about what was coming up on Saturday. It was the dreadful human holiday, Valentine's day. It was the day that Eridan would normally curl up in a ball on his bed and sulk. What was Sollux doing talking to him about that particular day?

"If wwe could wwhat?"

Sollux's cheeks dusted light yellow. "Well II got the2e moviie tiicket2 2o….do you want two go or not?"

"Go wwith wwho? It's not like a got any lady I'm swweet on or anyfin."

"Wiith me 2tupiid!" Sollux shouted in his face, grabbing one of his fins tight. "Who el2e would you po22iibly go wiith?"

"Gettin' a little rough there Sol," Eridan groaned as Sollux tightened his grip on the high blood's fin, poking his nails into the soft lavender flesh.

"Ju2t… JU2T 2AY YE2 AND II'LL LET GO!"

"All right all right fin, fin! I'll go wwith you, just let go!"

Sollux released his death grip and flicked the Aquarius' nose.

"Bee at the moviie2 at eiight, II don't liike iit when people are late for thiing2." With that the yellow blood turned the dish of blue soup over onto Eridan's pants and ran off to follow the other trolls out the shiny chrome door.

But Eridan didn't notice the sticky liquid seeping into his blue and purple striped slacks or the tiny trickle of blood dripping down his fin or the soft pain in his nose. He was too busy daydreaming about how perfect Saturday was going to be, how he'd start out with the hard outer shell of Sol and work his way to the soft sweet center. He'd take his hand and interlock their fingers and sway back and forth with the low blood, they'd become matesprits by the end of the film and they'd share a soft kiss beneath the dark theater ceiling.

As he thought of how the night would go on after that, he leaned against the table with a dreamy glassy look beneath his silky eyelashes and thick chunky glasses, taking his chin with his hand and resting his elbow against the tabletop edge.

"Dà High blood. Your pants. They are soaked." The cool collected voice of Equius ripped Eridan from his fantasy and he glanced upward at the tall ripped troll.

"Oh dear Cod, I had no idea, thanks Eq." He got a few napkins and wiped it away, realizing that the dessert had stained his pants and it looked as if he had wet himself. "Hey Eq, you knoww I didn't do this on purpose right? It wwas Sol."

Not liking being put on the spot, the blue blood squirmed in place and uncomfortably said, "I. Did not assume what you thought…"

"O-Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to put you in an awwkwward position or anyfin. Just, oh nevver mind." Eridan pushed past the iron pumping sweat covered troll and stepped out of the ice cream parlor, onto the warm streets of Alternia. He ripped off his scarf and tied it around his waist. It was far too thin to cover up the stain and he scoffed, taking it off and tying his cape around his waist next. The long piece of fabric made him look like he was wearing a skirt so that was out of the question. Well he wasn't planning on going anywhere but home next, and it was so warm in the sunset since Alternia was such a tropical planet…so he removed his shirt and tied it around his waist.

Not long after he jogged down the long stretched out path to his hive, he saw Sollux running back the way he'd come.

"Sol, wwhat are you doin'?"

"Why doe2 iit matter two y-" The yellow blood's voice caught in his throat as his sightless eyes sensed the way Eridan looked. 'Oh my Gog he'2 hot.' He thought to himself. If only he could just touch all those perfectly chiseled muscles beneath that steamy ashen skin. Wait, what on Alternia was he thinking? Oh Gog, he was being a pervert! "II'm ju2t gettiing my 2pare hu2ktop. II left iit iin the 2hop. No biig deal." The Gemini continued down the road, trying not to say what he was thinking, telling himself it wasn't true. However he couldn't keep it in.

"II can't waiit four tomorrow Eriidan!" He told himself he was lying. Yet he knew that it was the cold truth and he found himself dreaming up many insane visions of Eridan holding his hand and interlocking their fingers and sharing a passionate kiss under the dark theater roof. Sollux shook his head, as if that would make the dreams go away and he continued running back to the parlor.

Once he got there, the store was already locked up and closed. He muttered a foul curse word beneath his breath and began to text Karkat.

- They clo2ed! L

-HAHA NOW WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

-II don't know, maybee II'll get 2ome extra 2leep or 2omethiing…

-HOW COME? SO YOU CAN DREAM OF YOUR DATE WITH FISHBREATH? ;D HAHAHA YOU AND THAT RETARDED SEA MONKEY, I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING ABOUT IT!

-no II don't plan on doiing that at all. Ew, that'2 ju2t gro22.

-I KNOW YOU'LL END UP LOVING HIM; IT'LL HAPPEN TO ANYONE ON VALENTINE'S DAY. IT'S A STRANGE HUMAN HOLIDAY, I'M TELLING YOU.

-Ye2 you know that becau2e of Dave and John, am II riight?

For some reason Karkat discontinued the conversation after that. Sollux smirked, knowing he had gotten to his best friend and rolled his shoulders back, stretching for his long walk back to his hive.

On his way along the dirt path, he found a long striped strip of cloth. It was soft as a cloud and had intricate patterns weaving through each knit. The thing seemed so familiar, but Sollux couldn't figure out where he'd seen this before. Then he remembered where he'd seen this before. It was Eridan's scarf! No wonder he didn't recognize it, it was always wrapped around that fish head's neck! He began to feel a little concerned that the high blood was somewhere without it. Of course, him being cold without it wasn't a concern obviously, however the thought of the way he would look without it did give him concern. It concerned him that there was a little red feeling tugging at the pit of his stomach and he sent a punch into the folds of his chubbiness.

Wait.

His stomach was flabby. Eridan's body looked so much better than his. The thought that Eridan could be so much hotter than him made Sollux's self esteem drop into negative numbers.

Since he couldn't do anything on his husktop, he decided to work out. First thing first, he'd jog to his house. By the time he got to his hive however he was so exhausted that he collapsed into his sopor slime and fell asleep, beginning to dream.

At about 3:30 in the morning, Sollux woke up in cold sweats. Oh Gog, why was he such a pervert? His dream had been so wrong! It was him, Eridan and…..oh why did he dream these things? He rubbed his arms and fingered the fabric of the scarf. As he became lost in the sweet smell of it there was a tap on his window. Then another, louder tap.

"Sol, open up I knoww you havve my scarf!" Eridan shouted from outside.

Sollux strode over to the window and opened it.

"Givve me my scarf you thief!"

"II diidn't take your 2tupid 2carf, II found lyiing iin the road. II wa2 gonna giive iit two you twomorrow, but for 2ome rea2on you 2eem two need iit now." Sollux looked angrily up at Eridan and shoved the sopor slime covered piece of cloth in his face. "2o ju2t take iit and let me 2leep!"

The window shut tight in front of Eridan's face and he stepped down from its sill, fingering his scarf. It was soaked with slime, which meant Sol had slept with it. Come to think of it, Sollux was in pajamas. Purple crept over the sea dweller's cheeks as he kept thinking over and over of Sollux, standing there shouting in nothing but bumblebee boxers dripping green slime. Oh Cod, he was going to go home and draw until Saturday all of that troll, so he'd have something to look at when the nights got especially lonely. Not creepy drawings of course, just a few headshots, a yellow blood hand holding a purple fined one perhaps…

Saturday,

Oh Cod, what was he going to wear? Eridan knew very well that Sollux probably wouldn't care what he was wearing, as long as the date was over soon. Yet he wanted to look especially nice, because this was his one and only chance to impress Sol, so it had to be perfect. He gelled up his hair like usual and polished his glasses, slipping him onto the bridge of his nose. After examining them he decided simply not to wear them even if he couldn't see. Sure he'd be as blind as Terezi when they were watching the movie, but all that mattered was that he was with Sol.

He grabbed something from the top of his dresser and threw on his cape, leaving his scarf behind in the wash and slid down the staircase railing on his slippery violet sneakers.

"I'M GOIN' OUT SEAHORSE-DAD! I'LL BE BACK LATER, I PROMISE!"

"Errrridan wwhy do you think I wwould wwant you back?" His lusus called after him as the hipster slid out the back door. He hit the ground running so he wouldn't be late like Sol said he didn't like.

Since he was in such great shape, he was able to run all the way there without stopping to catch his breath and was barely tired when he got to the theater, exactly seven and a half minutes before Sollux had said to be there.

Eridan nervously stood at the entrance, blindly looking around for his date. Soon he heard Sollux shouting at him.

"What the heck are you doiing over there fii2hface?" Sollux spit out nastily. "Get over here 2o II can greet you properly!"

Eagerly, the high blood stumbled over to the low blood and presented him with what he'd grabbed from his dresser top.

Sollux stared into the gift blankly in surprise.

"D-Do you like them?"

"Of cour2e but, where diid you even fiind the2e? They aren't iin 2ea2on…"

"I'm a high blood, I havve my wways…" Eridan said slyly.

The techie ran his hands over the petals of all three of his zodiac flowers. There were beautiful pink azaleas, pale lavender lilacs and sweet smelling lily-of-the-valleys all wrapped in red tinfoil with a yellow bow.

"I'm sorry it's such a girly present…I wwasn't shore wwhat to get you…"

"No…iit'2 okay, really II liike them…even iif they are giirly," a pang of guilt struck Sollux as he realized he hadn't gotten anything for Eridan. Wait, why did he even care? He turned his eyebrows down and scowled. "Well, let'2 get thii2 over with…" And he roughly grabbed Eridan's hand, pulling him into the dark crowded theater.

The snack bar for humans made them want to throw up.

"Who would even buy 2omethiing from that awful place!? Diid you 2ee what they were puttiing theiir popcorn iin?" Sollux exclaimed, rummaging through his pockets for a better snack.

"Oh Cod don't evven mention it!" Eridan gagged, pulling a bag of brightly colored objects and a tin of clams from a pocket in his cape.

"What are tho2e thiing2?" The Gemini pointed to the baggie Eridan was digging through as he bit into a piece of honeycomb.

"These? They're just pearls."

"You eat them?"

"Cod no! You suck on the candy coating and then spit out the pearl." Eridan purposely failed to mention that e was searching for a golden pearl, which grants one wish.

"Can II try one?"

"I suppose…" The aquatic troll handed him a yellow pearl and lead him into the screening of Titanic.

Eventually the movie began and Eridan was down to three candy covered pearls. He got a pink one, a black one and…a white one. He didn't get a gold pearl. His one chance to be with Sol, and it had slipped off his tongue, dropping into a pile of all the wrong wealth and riches.

"Hey Eriidan?" Sollux whispered to him.

He gave a heavy sigh of defeat and nodded, "Yeah? Wwhat's up?"

"Here'2 your pearl back," His warm hand pressed the tiny sphere into the Aquarius' palm. However he didn't pull his hand away after that. He simply left his hand there, then after a few quiet moments, laced each finger into Eridan's own digits.

The high blood smiled to himself, hoping that he didn't need the golden pearl after all, maybe everything would turn out fine without any magic. As their warm-blooded skin rubbed against each other he felt all his dire feelings dissolve into the yellow blood's hand.

"Sol?" His lips moved in a gentle pattern, touching each other softly, then parting impatiently in such a way that hypnotized the smaller troll.

"Oh, uh 2orry II ju2t uh… 2orry," the worry returned as his hand slipped from the other's. It was like a rose had been born and died in seconds. And Eridan was letting it happen.

"No Sol, I didn't mind, I…"

The rose exploded in bloom, the petals shining as the mouths touched and the purple hand slid fingertips across the gentle yellow cheek. A caress here, a lick on the lips, and a push away.

"N-no Eriidan…" Sollux felt Eridan's heart racing beneath his palm. "II never wanted thii2…II diidn't even want two bee wiith you twoday. Thii2 ii2, THII2 II2 JU2T A PIITY DATE!" The low blood threw his gift on the sticky soda-covered, popcorn littered floor and darted out the door, the petals falling around his sneakered feet and soaking up disgusting things you'd find beneath your shoes. Orchid's tears wet the lilies and azaleas and the lilacs like morning dew.

His gaze was squinted, blurred yellow and his pace was that of a sprint. He could feel Eridan's heart splitting in his chest as he said such words, beneath his chest, heavy with tears and tight with angst. His footfalls hit the ground hard, his worn out mis-matched dress shoes slamming hard against the pavement and road, soaking up water from puddles and dirtying from mud.

Soon Sollux was in the safety of his home, and he felt the red, red rose withering inside him, thirsty for not water, but Eridan's touch. He collapsed into his slime, spilling some onto the honey encrusted floor of his bedroom. Yellow tears melded with the green goop and turned the same color John turned when he was sick, the same way Sollux was feeling now. His chubby stomach felt like someone had punched him in the gut after eating a week supply of greasy human food, and so he cried. He cried for Eridan to follow him and tell him he forgave him. To get the chance to apologize.

"II mii22 you, II want you, II'm red for you." Sollux murmured at first. Then he realized just a whisper wouldn't be heard, and so he said it louder and louder until it was a battle cry, and a truth that could be shouted anywhere.

"Eriidan….plea2e come back…" He said to anyone listening.

"Wwell if you wwanted me you could'vve just said so," A voice told him. However it was nothing more than that. A silly voice in his head that told him lies, things he wanted to hear so desperately, but never could.

A pity date. Sollux pitied him. That was all. So it was all a great big joke on the seadweller just like it always was, just to get his hopes up and crashing down his self-esteem until it was less than nothing. Just like how he was feeling now. Less than nothing.

Eridan swept across his room, his cape billowing around his ankles as Seahorse-dad shouted at him from downstairs.

"ERRRRRRIDAN WWHERE HAVVE YOU BEEN? I'VVE BEEN WWORRIED ALL DAY!"

"I'vve been out, and since wwhen do you evven care?" Eridan spat at him. His lusus' white head poked into his door and he swam over, sitting next to him on his plush violet couch. He put a fin on Eridan's shoulder.

"Errrrrridan, you knoww I don't entirely hate you right? Evven though you can be difficult at times you'll always be my troll to take care of, no matter howw much you piss me off. Noww, wwhat happened?"

With a deep breath the amethyst blood let loose everything that had happened, including all his feelings.

"WWell it sounds to me like you really like this lowwblood. I think you should go after him. Tell him wwhat you told me about your feelings and carp, force him to be red for you, y'knoww, use some of that High blood charm. And for Gog's sake fill a pail wwith this troll so wwe don't havve a problem wwith the mother grub again!"

"Seahorse-Dad!" Eridan whined, embarrassed by his remark.

"Wwhat, you really need to because last time the mother grub-"

"Don't talk about it dad!" he carped again.

"Son, go to this troll's hivve and talk to him. And please, bring a pail. I know you havve a closet of them."

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!"

"Wwell, this is an order."

With that, the conversation was closed and the seahorse lusus threw a bucket on the aquatic troll's head and shoved him out the door shouting, "You aren't allowwed back in until that is ovverflowwing!"

As he walked the dirt road to Sollux's hive, Eridan threw the disgusting thing in the bushes and shoved his hands in his pockets, kicking up rocks and wondering what he would say to his potential matesprit.

The sky seemed far too clear for such a dreary day; it should've been raining heavily. Sure Eridan was really red feeling, but Sol obviously wasn't planning on returning those feelings. High blood charm, Seahorse-dad had said. Eridan wasn't quite sure what that was, however he had heard stories of High bloods falling in love with low bloods and when the peasants refused their love, the royals were able to force redness in their counterpart's hearts.

Now that he thought about it he realized he had seen that before. That silly brown-blood with the obscenely over-sized horns and wheelchair, Eridan could never remember his name. Either his situation with Gamzee and Vriska fighting over his matespritship was that very magic, or the cripple was simply very submissive. For the first time, Eridan felt compassion for that low blood, whatever his name was, because Sol was in a similar situation. Perhaps he shouldn't use any magic or wizardry with the mustard blood, in fear of him becoming like, oh what was his name?

Suddenly the violet blood snapped out of his train of thought as it ran off the tracks and crashed into the front door of Sollux's hive.

He didn't bother knocking, simply swung the door open. There were a few streaks of yellow along the walls, and the curtains lay in the shadows of the lightless hive, shredded and also a bit yellow.

Eridan swept down the halls, suddenly becoming quite concerned with all the yellow he was seeing. There was honey dripping from cracked jars along the walls of honeycombs, empty of any bees. Once at the end of the hall, the orchid blood froze in place as the door in front of him creaked open and a staircase appeared before him. More yellow droplets led up the stone steps and Eridan followed them carefully and quickly, gripping onto the wrought iron railing all the way to the top.

The only thing at the top of the steep steps was another door, it was sizzling with red and blues smoke, as if someone had fried it. It disintegrated when he touched it, opening up a portal to the outside. The night was black and blue with a hint of lavender, swirling with misty clouds heavy with rain. The trail of yellow drops flowed from a white body lying on the stone ceiling. The body had yellow blood, a red eye and a blue one. But that's where the similarities between the body and Sollux ended. This body was bulky, with two spherical heads and a large round white belly, leading off to a tail, which flickered in the wind slightly. Eridan ran his hand down the side of the creature, picking up some blood along the way, letting it slide down through his fingers.

It was Bi-clops dad. He had been killed obviously, he had a large gash across the middle of him and his intestines were spilled along the dusty roof.

"Sol?" Eridan called meekly, hoping so much and hard that his ex-potential matesprit was still very much alive. "Sol wwhere are you!?" He asked again, panic rising in his voice and mind.

The wind blowing through his hair was his only response.

He bolted down the stairs, all through the house looking for him. Then he realized there was only one place he would be. The heavy handled door creaked harshly as the terrified sea dweller entered Sollux's bedroom. His heart beat in his ears like a drummer boy marching into war and he flipped the light switch.

Nothing.

When no light went on, Eridan pulled his phone from his pocket and used his flashlight app to look around the dark room. There was more yellow liquid around here, and it mixed with the honey and splattered across the walls, all leading to inside Sol's bed of slime.

Slowly, Eridan inched over and flashed his light inside, bracing for the worst. But it was simply a sleeping troll, stripped down to bumble bee boxers with dried tears around the glasses framing his eyes.

"Oh Cod," The highblood prince murmured to himself. Sollux didn't even know his hive had been robbed and that his lusus had been killed. As he turned around to creep away and let the other sleep, he heard slime dripping down onto the ground.

The light flicked on.

Eridan bit his tongue and turned around to face the, without a doubt, furious yellow blood behind him. He felt a softening within his heart as he gazed upon the small pudgy form of the Mage, his smooth chest and slight pot-belly seemed nearly cute to Eridan, and was enhanced by the little quiver of his lower lip in a pout and his soft red and blue eyes.

"II thought II woke up," Sollux said sleepily, brushing slime from his hair.

"…Wwhat?"

"II thought II woke up, but II gue22 II'm 2tiil a2leep…"

Sollux became wide awake when Eridan wrapped his long muscular arms around him in a tight hug.

"You aren't dreaming Sol."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because silly…I lovve you."

The yellow blood stayed silent.

"II love you two…"

The four simple words broke Eridan beyond repair and he began to kiss Sollux up and down, from his chubby belly to the top of his head and over his doubled horns. The techie would have loved to give him a positive response, but he broke too, beginning to cry harshly.

"N-No Eriidan, II don't de2erve thii2…"

"But wwhy not? I wwant to givve you evverything, and you just wwon't let me. You say you lovve me and you're pushing me awway noww! Please Sol I just…" He put Sollux's smaller inner horn in his mouth and sucked at it, sending bright yellow across his cheeks.

"Come on Sol, please just-"

"You don't under2tand Eriidan, II-"

"No Sol, YOU don't understand. I wwant you and-"

"II kiilled Bii-clop2 dad."

"…Ww-Wwhat?"

"He came down2taiir2 and II wa2 2o pi22ed at my2elf about you and he wa2 ju2t bugging me wiith all hii2 growliing crap and, and II ju2t…2tabbed hiim, and he wa2 dead and…II dragged hiim up2taiir2…" The yellow tears sprang up again like water from a well and seeped down his face, splattering against the floor.

"Sol you…..you really…?"

"I 2wear II diidn't want two but…GOG II JU2T BRIING DOOM TWO EVERYTHIING DON'T II?"

"Wwell wwhy shouldn't you? You are the Mage of doom aren't you?"

"Well ye2 but….you 2aw the door diidn't you? II diid that. II 2hot iit, even with my gla22e2 on! IIf II get two clo2e two you II miight end up kiillliing you. II ju2t can't control my power2 yet…"

"Perhaps if you died you'd be able to control them a bit better."

"WAIIT WHAT?"

Eridan gave a signature wicked grin and shoved Sollux to the ground, crawling over him and pinning him so the Mage was face down.

"Hey, what ii2 wrong with you!? Get off of me!"

"Sol just listen, if you can't control your powwers, wwhy not die and control them better?"

"You aren't makiing any 2en2e fii2hface!"

"Wwhat I'm getting at, is wwhy not become god-tier?"

"IIt'2 not that ea2y Eriidan. II'd need two go on 2ome 2ort of adventure for a certain purpo2e and diie heroiically."

"Wwell then you're going to havve to stay here and let me fill your quadrant."

Sollux paused his squirming to turn his head at Eridan.

"What? Are you 2eriiou2?"

"Of course if you let me, I might havve to fill somefin' else wwith you…~"

It took Sol a moment to process what he meant and the second he did his face ignited in bright mustard coloring, making Eridan laugh for a creepily long time.

"YOU PERVERT WHAT THE HECK II2 YOU PROBLEM?"

Eridan rolled off of him and brought him into his lap, kissing his cheek.

"Wwell Sol, someone's yelloww… anywwavves, I'm only teasin' you, no need to be so annoyed."

"Yeah no need two bee 2o creepy eiither…Why are you 2tiil here?"

"Do you wwant me to leavve?"

"Of cour2e not! But II mean, II dumped you beautiiful pre2ent and KIILLED my own lu2u2! But you're 2tiill here….why?"

"I wwon't leavve you evver…I'm far too red…" He whispered in his ear, beginning to lick at his horns again.

"Nnn, Eridan I-" Sollux yelped as Eridan bit lightly it. "Ow…"

"Shh…Happy VVhalentine's Day Sol."