The next day at lunch, Dave and Eridan were perfectly content to chat in a corner of the table together, laughing away without a care, while Sollux and Karkat whispered concernedly down the other end of the table. The others sat between them awkwardly, glancing from pair to pair, but there was notably one empty space - Rose had disappeared somewhere.

"Okay, okay, okay, get this," Dave chuckled, a wide smirk on his face. Eridan stifled a giggle. "This fuckin bitch, alright, literally had no filter. Like. What a hoe? She came up to me, and was like," and here he put on a ridiculously high voice that made Eridan snort into his hands, "Excuse me young man, but I saw you kiss that boy over there, and I'd like you to know that I think you're going to hell."

Eridan could hardly pull himself together enough to reply. "It's true, I w-was the," a snort, "I w-was the hell."

"Shut up dude, I'm telling a story here, god. So I'm staring at this ratch-ass suburban mom, right? And just sorta, yknow, flick down my shades? And like, she freaks out, devil child, spawn of satan, heard it all before, and like fuckin runs away before I even get a chance to deliver some witty one liner and make everyone applaud and get a shit ton of notes and reblogs on tumblr." Dave slammed a hand down on the table, his smirk turning into a wide grin at the tears forming in Eridans eyes as his body shook from laughing. "I'm fuckin pissed! I need more followers! Validate me, god damn it!"

"That newer happened, Dawe. Shut your mouth."

"I'm hurt and offended that you dont believe me, Eridan. I thought we had a connection. I'm sick of all these lies."

"I'm sick of all these fake-ass tumblr stories. You made that up for notes."

"I sure did!"

They dissolved into chortling again, Eridan feeling free as a bird. Dave was maybe one of the only people besides Sollux who made him feel so unrestrainedly happy, and he was enjoying every second. Was this what positive friendships felt like?

Speaking of Sollux, he was down the other end of the table conversing quietly and much less jovially with Daves boyfriend.

"Tho, you think theyre gonna be alright?" he asked, watching Eridan snicker and giggle and feeling his cheeks flush slightly. God, he was so cute.

Karkat nodded decisively. "We'll anonymously tip off the cops, and Eridan will be fine. Look at him. Hes having fun! With Dave, no less. Never thought that'd be a particularly close friendship." He turned to Sollux with a scowl. "They messaged me loads on tumblr last night, pretending to be some of you guys. It was fucking annoying."

Sollux smiled rather wistfully, eyes still trained on Eridans face, now full-on crying with laughter. The sight stirred something in his chest, pulled his lips into a dopey smile, crinkled the corner of his eyes, and Karkat poked his cheek rather violently.

"Hey, fuckface. You in there?"

"Look at how happy they are," Sollux whispered in return, and Karkat turned to see. Despite Jade and Johns conversing heads in the way, Sol and Karkat had almost entirely clear views to their respective boyfriends, and for a few minutes just sat and watched them talk and laugh, similar loved-up expressions on their faces. After a moment, John and Jade noticed, twisting round to talk to them and leave Dave and Eridan to their laughter.

"You guys are so in love," John commented, batting his eyelashes jokingly. Karkat reached out and smacked him lightly around the head, just hard enough to warrant a joking hey! and John rubbing his head with a playful glare.

"It's adorable!" Jade added, green eyes sparkling. "For a while I thought Dave would never find love."

Dave paused in his rambling for a second to glare ineffectually from behind his shades. "I fucking heard that, Harley!" he yelled playfully at her turned back, and she twisted around to blow him a kiss, which he caught and immediately threw on the floor. She stuck her tongue out and swivelled back round, Dave immediately jumping back into his tirade about something or other. Something about weeaboos and Club Penguin.

"Yeah, well, the assholes kind of endearing. Sometimes." Karkat replied disgruntledly, but the blush spreading across his cheeks gave away his true feelings. John giggled and snorted, poking Karkats red cheeks playfully.

"And don't think you're any better, mister!" Jade directed to Sollux, laughing lightheartedly. Sollux scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Like I would ever thhow thuch bathic human emotionth. I am robot. Hear me beep. Beeep." Sollux deadpanned, earning laughs all around, but the gooey, mushy, loved-up look in his eyes spoke otherwise.

There was a soft throat-clearing from behind them, and everyone paused in their conversations to pause and twist or just look at who was there. Even Dave and Eridan stopped telling stories and jokes and looked to see who dared interrupt them.

There stood Rose, a sparkle in her heavily-made-up eyes and a wide smile on her face, clinging to the arm of a much taller girl, who wore a faint smile. The taller girl had short, dark hair and perfect makeup, and her skin was dark, Indian. She waved a slight hello, her cheeks flushing at the feel of so many eyes on her, until Rose stepped in to save her.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my... friend. Kanaya." she said smoothly, smiling up at Kanaya, who smiled back.

Before anyone could say anything, Dave cupped his hands around his mouth. "Ha! Gaaaaay!"

Rose sent him a sharp warning look. "Yes, thank you, David. I trust yours and Karkats relationship has been prospering well?" There were laughs at that, until John jumped up to introduce himself and get the ball rolling. The only one who didn't get up was Eridan, too busy staring at Kanaya. He knew her.

To be fair, he hadn't seen her since elementary school, when he had been Veronica and she... she had been Aarush, the quiet Indian boy who seemed to prefer beautiful outfits and makeup to kicking a soccer ball around with the other boys. They had been good friends, once upon a time, very good friends, until the day Eridan snapped and showed Feferi over in the school yard. She had gotten scratches all over her hands and cried, and Kanaya had stepped in.

When Eridan was Veronica, as a little kid, he always had a twig he carried around, painted white with the help of his older brother (who made fun of him the whole time, but wouldn't let him do it alone), and he called it his magic science w-wand, and it was one of his most favourite things in the whole world, and he had been holding it when he shoved Feferi over on the playground that one day. So, naturally, when Kanaya found out, she went berserk - even as Aarush, she had been hugely protective of all her friends, and despite her and Feferi not having a massively close bond, she still wanted to let Eridan know about how mad she was. So she snapped his wand.

He went crazy, punched her in the stomach while sobbing, but she just punched him right back and left him reeling. Neither really apologized for it, either, and when Kanaya moved away before middle school, Eridan was only a little sad to see her go. He had only vaguely heard of her transition to a girl called Kanaya, thanks to gossip circulating around those who went to Eridans elementary. He had never really believed it - after all, how many kids like him could there be? - but here now, studying Kanaya's face, he could still tell that she used to be his best friend. She had the same warm green eyes that Aarush did.

Kanaya appeared to be having a similar revelation with Eridan, but she seemed much more confused, perfect eyebrows drawn together. After the hellos and introductions died down, she blinked slowly and tilted her head. ".. Veronica?"

Eridan flinched at the name, drew in on himself and flushed. "It's.. It's Eridan, actually.." There was a moment of awkward silence, before Kanaya's eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh! Goodness! Well, hello there, Eridan. It's been... a while."

"I suppose it has?"

Both trailed off, averting their eyes awkwardly, while their friends glanced between them, frowning.

"Kanaya, you know Eridan?" Rose asked mildly, raising an eyebrow. "For that matter, Eridan, you know Kanaya?"

"Indeed." Kanaya pulled out a chair as she spoke, sitting across from John and next to Karkat as Rose sat across from Jade, next to Eridan. "We were elementary school best friends, at least until a rather large argument created a rift between us. I moved away shortly afterward, and we lost touch. But now I have returned to my hometown, so I suppose we can put petty arguments behind us."

Eridan scrunched up his nose. "W-well, w-we did not talk for months before you left."

"It was hardly months, Vero- Eridan. Apologies."

"It's, um, its okay.." He trailed off, offering an awkward smile, which Kanaya returned in kind, before turning toward Dave, seemingly in an attempt to escape awkward conversation, and the blond was all too happy to fulfil his request.

However, the topic was anything but what Eridan wanted to talk about. "So, what's up with the new chick calling you Veronica?" Dave asked, not unkindly, but it made Eridans stomach twist.

"It's a.. Personal reason."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Are you trans?"

"I." Well, that was unexpected, and it showed in Eridans face, his mouth a perfect little o. Dave chuckled.

"I'll take that as a yes. I ain't judging, bro. My brothers boyfriend is trans, and yeah saying like oh I know someone whos whatever doesn't necessarily mean you're down and chill with said whatever but I really am chill with it."

"W-well. I. Thank you?"

Dave chuckled again. "You're very welcome. Now, about that gay puffle-"

Author's Notes:

Subtle hints at trans Jake? Fluffy boyfriend admiration? Trans Kanaya? Yeah, this chapter is like 90% self-indulgent plotless shit and like I always say: treat yo self
I was going to hav trans kanaya anyway but hey