Author's Notes:

I'm really sorry this took so long to update aaaa

Eridan hummed in happiness as he reached over for another book. He was at the top of the ladder in their library, collecting books for his homework and that he had been meaning to read for a while, thoughts of Sollux on his mind as he pushed the wheeled ladder around the shelves and leaned out farther than was probably safe. To his knowledge, he was home alone, so he was perfectly happy to lean out in an attempt to reach a book just out of his reach, on a shelf just past where the ladder rail stopped. His other arm was full of books already, but he knew he could do this, so he bit his tongue and leaned out further, fingers almost brushing the spine. Just a little further...

"So."

Letting out a yelp, Eridan jolted the ladder and immediately felt himself going off balance. He grabbed instinctively at the book, managing to grab it, but then he could feel himself slipping off the rung he was barely standing on, and before he knew it he was falling through the air and thudding hard onto the unforgiving stone floor. His head swam, and it took a few minutes and an adjustment of his glasses to recognise that his father was standing disapprovingly above him, having just watched him fall from the top of the library ladder and smash into the ground, holding twelve books - now thirteen - and then lie on the floor like a weakling.

Eridan squeaked and stood up as fast as he could, fighting the bile that rose in his throat and the fuzziness that rose in his head and eyes. "Yes, father?" he managed, brushing himself down and scooping up the books now scattered across the floor.

Dualscar was an intimidating man, whether he was trying to be or not. He wore crisp suits all the time - Eridan couldn't think of a single time he had seen him out of one - and his face was cold, and screamed ruthless. The harsh, raised scars that inspired his nickname certainly increased the ruthless look. His black hair was slicked back in the same style as both of his sons, and he currently had his arms folded, staring down at his youngest son with a cold expression that told Eridan this wasn't going to be a friendly conversation. Then again, when were they ever?

"About your boyfriend." Dualscar continued, face twisting at the word boyfriend, as though he physically had to spit it out. Eridan sighed and finished collecting his books, holding them close to his chest and facing his father properly, never meeting his gaze. Dualscar didnt like his sons making eye contact with him. It felt like a challenge, and usually ended in trouble.

"Yes, father? W-what about him?"

"I don't like him. One bit."

Eridan let out a carefully calculated breath. One wrong move here could ruin a lot of things. "You don't, father?"

"Don't be insolent. No, Veronica, I don't. He's far too brash, and far too disrespectful of his superiors. Particularly for a commoner."

"W-well, for w-what its w-worth, father, I think he's rather lowely."

Dualscar's eyes flashed with anger, and Eridan tried to brace himself for the hit he was sure was coming, but it never did. "Your opinion is worth nothing. You should know that by now."

Blinking in surprise that he hadn't been hit like he expected, Eridan lowered his head and looked at his feet. "Yes, father."

"I dont want you talking to him again. Ever. And I will know."

Head snapping up, Eridan met his father's gaze for the first time in years - immediately a mistake, he could tell by his father's eyes narrowing and sparking with fury. "W-what?!" His second mistake. No politeness, no submissive tone, just pure angry shock that made his father straighten up even further and stare down at his son furiously.

"You heard me. No more."

"You can't do that!"

"I most certainly can. Be glad I am in a benevolent mood, or you would be thoroughly punished for your insolence. Goodbye."

And with that, Dualscar swept out of the library, leaving Eridan staring after him in shock and anger. There was a hint of relief there, too, given the fact that he hadn't been hit like he expected, and had actually got off scot-free injury wise. That was a first. His head was swimming, sure, and every inch of his body ached from the fall, but the thing was that the fall hadn't been inflicted by his father. Well, technically it had indirectly been caused, but it was probably inevitable anyway.

But just what the hell was he supposed to tell Sollux? My dad hates you so now I guess I have to hate you, sorry. Sollux would just be offended. Or... he'd propose a solution. He was a coder after all. Didn't they just work around problems until the code ran smoothly?

A smile danced across Eridans lips, something that never normally happened after a conversation with his father - he was normally crying. He wondered if Sollux knew Romeo and Juliet.

caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]
CA: hey
TA: hey.
TA: two what do ii owe the plea2ure?
CA: bad newws
TA: well that ii2nt plea2ure at all.
CA: you sayin the wword pleasure makes me more uncomfortable than id havve thought
TA: whoop2 2orry.
TA: 2o what happened? do ii need two punch a biitch?
CA: i wwish you could
CA: its about my father
TA: do ii need two come over?
CA: that's probably an awwful idea
CA: he hates you
CA: like he borderline despises you
CA: might havve evven passed the line at this point
CA: wwhoosh there he goes
CA: along wwith my hopes an dreams
TA: you talk two kk two much.
TA: anyway iim u2ed two people hatiing me.
TA: iit2 cool.
CA: wwell it wwould be fine if it wwerent for the fact that hes banned me from talkin to you
TA: 2o?
TA: we'll romeo and juliiet thii2 2hiit.
CA: oh so you do knoww it
TA: what?
CA: nothin
TA: diid you thiink ii wouldnt know romeo and juliiet?
TA: iim offended ed.
CA: no!
CA: i
CA: im sorry
TA: whoa hey.
TA: iim not actually offended iit2 fiine.
CA: oh
TA: man your dad2 really fucked you up ha2nt he?
CA: wwell i suppose so
TA: you gotta do 2omethiing about iit.
CA: wwhat??
CA: i cant do anythin
CA: do you knoww howw tight his grip on basically everythin is?
CA: almost as tight as kars brothers chastity belt
TA: good one.
TA: no but 2eriiou2ly.
TA: you cant ju2t let hiim control you.
CA: i get youre wworried but you think if i could i wwouldnt havve done somethin by noww
TA: no offen2e but you dont really 2eem liike the kiind of guy two take actiion wiithout beeiing told two.
CA: hey!
CA: ill havve you knoww im perfectly capable a takin action by myself
CA: im just scared outta my wwits by my father
CA: besides wwe're gettin off topic
CA: wwe're meant to be talkin about howw wwe're gonna get past my father's apparent despisal of you
TA: alriight iill let iit go for now but dont thiink iim lettiing thii2 go forever.
TA: al2o ii dont thiink de2pii2al ii2 a word.
CA: it so is
CA: google it
TA: 2ure.
TA: 2ee? (de2pii2al)
CA: wwell a course its not gonna showw up if you type it wwith your dumb typin style
TA: liike your2 ii2 any better.
TA: but fine.
TA:
TA: waiit no ii dont want two.
CA: you looked it up an realised im right didnt you
TA: no 2hut up.
CA: the great sollux captor has been bested
CA:i kneww it  (despisal. (dɪˈspaɪzəl) contempt; the act of despising; scorn.)
TA: alriight fiine ii wa2 wrong.
TA: happy now?
CA: vvery
TA: be2iide2 iive got 2omethiing (how two not be a 2mug diick) ii thiink you could benefiit from 2earchiing.
CA: dont be a sore loser sol
CA: ANYWWAY
CA: wwe keep gettin off track
CA: because some people (obnoxious bee fuckers) are sore losers
TA: hypocriite.
TA: but youre riight.
TA: liike ii 2aiid.
TA: about the date on friiday.
TA: a22umiing that2 2tiill happeniing?
CA: a course
CA: im not gonna just abandon ya
CA: i wwanna go on the date just as much as im hopin you do
TA: well at lea2t that make2 two of u2.
TA: where are we goiing two go?
CA: i dont knoww but you knoww wwhat
TA: what?
CA: fuck it
CA: ivve been dealin wwith my father's anger for years noww i can deal wwith a little more
CA: plus i wwanna get out a the house right noww
CA: do you mind if i come ovver to yours
CA: and wwe like
CA: just fuckin go on a date noww
TA: now there2 an offer ii cant refu2e.
TA: eriidan ampora (obnoxiou2ly cute bag of hot diick2) 2neakiing two my hou2e?
TA: ble22 up.
CA: im swwooning
CA: sollux captor (the cutest bee fucker you evver kneww) has accepted my request
TA: iim 2o glad we both thiink each other ii2 the be2t.
CA: nevver before has someone made me swwoon quite this much
TA: wa2 that 2arca2m?
CA: maybe
TA: your a diick.
CA: *youre. and <3
TA: yeah yeah.
CA: oh god wwas that too forwward
CA: sorry
TA: 2top worryiing.
TA: <3
TA: now get over here 2o ii can 2ort out thii2 me22 of confu2iing feeliing2 and emotiion2 ii call a braiin.
CA: can do
caligulasAquarium [CA] ceased trolling twinArmageddons [TA]
TA: nerd.

Eridan grinned and shoved his phone into his back pocket, leaving the pile of books on the library table and making his way to sneak out. Fuck his father. Fuck being scared all the time. Fuck rules.

He had a date to attend.

Author's Notes:

This fic is a lil all over the place
Eridan's and Sollux's current relationship is floating between friends and boyfriends, they both wanna be boyfriends but there's a few problems:
-Sol doesn't wanna admit it
-Eridan's trash family
-yeah mainly just those two
So they just kinda flip between jokingly making fun of one another and being affectionate