Chapter Text
It was only five o’clock in the evening, but the sky was already almost completely dark. Eridan stared out the window, a sullen expression on his face. He longed for summer, when light lasted longer in the evenings, when he could swim for hours in the cool ocean waters overlooked by his family’s beach manor. But instead, he was stuck with October’s biting winds and leafless trees. If he tried to go swimming in the freezing waters, all he’d get was the flu. The more Eridan stared out at the darkening courtyard of the castle, the more he dreaded going out, especially for something as pointless as visiting a soup kitchen.
“Please, Eridan?” asked his fiancé, Feferi, with her best puppy dog face. “Pretty please?” She spoke with emphasis on her E’s, and looked at him with pleading eyes. Eridan huffed in annoyance and shook his head.
As much as he huffed and puffed, Eridan didn’t really mind being stuck with Feferi. He would have been in love with her even if they hadn’t been betrothed since birth. In addition to being the only heir to the throne of a wealthy kingdom, she was gorgeous. Glossy, wavy hair that cascaded down her back, smooth, unblemished skin, toned body from spending lots of time swimming...her looks alone turned heads wherever she went. She was fairly smart, funny, and friendly. She was also kind (almost too kind, in Eridan’s opinion.
He didn’t mind so much when it was just talk, watching her speak passionately about something she cared about. But when Feferi’s kindness and radical ideas meant that he had to leave the warm castle to walk through freezing weather just to visit a few filthy peasants, Eridan was less easy to persuade.
“Fef, I don’t want to go,” Eridan whined, tearing his gaze away from the window to frown at her. “Can’t you just go by yourself?”
“You know Father doesn’t let me walk outside alone at night,” Feferi reminded him, tugging on Eridan’s fancy purple cape. He knew he didn’t have to wear it here, where people knew his noble status, but he liked the way it hung on his shoulders. In his opinion, it made him look very regal.
“Just this once,” she added, leaning in close to him. Her bright eyes shone as her lips turned down in the tiniest of pouts. Eridan’s face flushed. He only looked at her for a second before he felt himself give in. “Oh, fine. But just this once.”
Feferi beamed at him and bounded away to get her coat. Eridan adjusted his glasses and tightened his scarf around his neck before following her.
One bitterly cold walk and fifteen minutes later, the two of them stood before a small, gray building behind a church. A paper sign taped to the door read “Soup kitchen: Staff Entrance.” Eridan looked at her sourly, wishing himself anywhere but there. Feferi just smiled encouragingly before pushing open the door.
At least it’s warmer in here, Eridan thought as his eyes swept the small entry room. Coats hung on a rack of hangers pushed against the wall. He smelled some sort of stew, and heard the distant clatter and clink of cutlery. “Let’s go to the kitchen first,” Feferi suggested, already hanging up her coat next to the others. “We can introduce ourselves and talk to the person in charge.” She seemed completely unfazed by the fact that none of the other coats hanging there were designer, or at the very least new. Eridan kept his cape on. He made a small huffing sound, already disliking this place, but followed her.
Feferi pushed open one of the swinging double doors to the kitchen, and the two of them walked into a room full of other teenagers. It grew suddenly quiet when the group stopped laughing and talking to stare at the newcomers.
“Hello,” Feferi chirped. “I’m Feferi, and this is Eridan. We just stopped by to--”
“Printheth Feferi?” asked a lanky kid in glasses and a yellow t-shirt that read ‘Beenary Code’ in bold black lettering. Eridan tried not to smirk when he heard the lisp.
“Yes, that’s me,” she answered, blushing slightly. Eridan knew how much she hated being addressed as ‘princess’ by strangers. “Anyway, um, we just decided to drop by to see how things are going in the kingdom, and…stuff,” she bit her lip, and Eridan sized up the lispy boy, unconsciously frowning. Who does this peasant think he is, flustering Fef like that? “Can we speak to the person in charge?” she finished quickly, and Eridan narrowed his eyes as he noticed the blush that had crept over her cheeks.
“That would be me,” said the lispy kid. “I’m Thollux.”
“Sollux?” Feferi asked cautiously, unsure of whether it was his real name or a product of his speech problem.
“Yeah. Thorry, jutht thith thtupid lithp.” Sollux was blushing now too.
“Eridan Ampora,” Eridan interrupted, having grown impatient with waiting to be introduced. He nodded at Sollux. “So, this is all your idea? How’d you get all this organized by yourself? How old are you, anyway?” Eridan cringed internally at his slightly stuttered w’s. It wasn’t making him sound any cooler than Sollux.
“Theventeen,” said Sollux, and Eridan nodded. They were the same age, just like he had guessed. “I’m a leader at my local church’th youth group, tho I do a lot of volunteer work.” Feferi’s face practically lit up at this statement, and Eridan sighed to himself. Now she’d be completely focused on Sollux and her plans to save the world from poverty for the rest of the evening. He might as well be one of the plates, for all the attention Feferi would give him. “Now that the pathtor knowth I’m truthtworthy, I have the freedom to do thingth like thith more often.”
Eridan watched with mild irritation as Sollux saw Feferi’s excitement and turned his focus to her. “Rethently, I’ve been able to…” Eridan walked away. The other two were too engrossed in their conversation to notice or care.
The wall between the kitchen and dining hall was only waist high, with a counter for plates and cutlery on top. Eridan could see across the dining hall. It was full of folding tables and chairs, where groups of people of all ages were eating food from Styrofoam bowls with plastic forks. He wrinkled his nose as he walked in, looking around for a place to sit by himself. He found an empty seat at a table in the corner, fiddling with his scarf as he watched Feferi laugh with Sollux from a distance. A minute or two later, he felt someone watching him. He turned around to see a girl on the other side of the table, half hidden in shadow, quietly eating and occasionally glancing at him. Her gaze lingered on his formal cape, and he glared at her. “What do you want?” Eridan demanded.
“Nothing,” the girl replied calmly. “I was just eating when you sat down here to sulk.” Eridan wasn’t sure whether she was making fun of him or not, so he assumed she was and balled his fists.
The girl’s hair was about the length of Feferi’s, but instead of the well-kept waves, it was a tangled mess of curls and knots, tucked behind her ears so it didn’t hang in her food. Her nails on the hand holding the plastic fork were dirty and uneven. Eridan wondered in mild disgust if she even knew how to wash her hands.
She wore a plain, dirty red t-shirt with sleeves that are frayed and torn. Eridan couldn’t see her legs or feet under the table, but he assumed they were just as filthy.
“I see you’ve met Sollux.” Her voice had a hollow resonance, most detectable in the way she pronounced her O’s.
“You mean lispy?” Eridan sneered, shooting another angry glance at Sollux, who was still chatting about God knew what to Feferi.
The girl kept her solemn expression, but Eridan detected a hint of disapproval in her eyes. “You shouldn’t make fun of him. He doesn’t have to do this. He helps a lot of people.” Eridan wanted to slap her for daring to talk back like that. How dare she disapprove of him. She was a filthy homeless peasant, he was going to be the king one day!
“He shouldn’t have to do this,” Eridan spat. “If people like you would get a fuckin’ job to buy your own food--”
“I do have a job,” the girl interrupts him, taking another bite of stew. She doesn’t look fazed at all, and it only makes Eridan more annoyed with her. If he insulted her, she should feel insulted. “I’m paid next to nothing, and I only come here when I’m completely broke and would drop dead without a meal. My parents are dead and I have no family. Would you suggest I turn to prostitution or the drug market to make money?”
Eridan opened his mouth and closed it. Normally, he would have shot right back, but her words bothered him. The idea of her selling her body made Eridan feel sad, and he wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe it was the way her eyes seemed deep and sad as she watched everyone else eat and talk. Maybe it was the way her small hand brought her food to her lips slowly, savoring it like it was the last thing she’d ever taste.
Unsure why he felt that way, Eridan pushed the thought from his mind and back to the topic at hand. She was somewhat intelligent, apparently. Maybe he had misjudged her. “What’s your name?” he asked.
“Aradia Megido,” she replied, sticking out a hand. Eridan didn’t take it. She rolled her eyes. “I’m not carrying any life threatening diseases, and no fleas, as far as I know.”
“Eridan Ampora,” He responded, wrinkling his nose and reluctantly shaking her hand. He then wiped his own hand on a napkin, just to be safe. “So where do you live?” he asked.
A spark of something unidentifiable flashed in her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak, but it was quickly extinguished as she shrugged. “Wherever I can sleep peacefully,” Aradia answered nonchalantly. “My parents died three years ago. I’ve been on my own ever since.”
So she’s been fending for herself. Eridan felt a grudging respect until he reminded himself that she was the lowest of the low. She didn’t deserve his respect!
“I like your hair,” Aradia added, and Eridan tried his best not to beam at the compliment. She was referring to the streak he dyed purple a month ago. She was the first person to compliment it. In fact, she was the first person not to call it ugly.
“Thanks,” Eridan nodded coolly, as if this were a compliment he got all the time, and adjusted his glasses. He saw the ghost of a smile cross her face, and disappear just as quickly. Aradia was staring at something just behind him. Before he could turn to see who it is, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Feferi sat down on the chair next to his. “Are you talking about his hair?” She asked, a grin on her face. “I hate it. Feferi Peixes, by the way.” Feferi waves at Aradia and ruffles Eridan’s hair.
“Hey, cut it out!” He snapped, smoothing it back down. Feferi just giggled, and Sollux chuckled as he moved to sit next to Aradia.
“Aradia Megido,” she replied from across the table, and Sollux leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek. She blushed and pushed him away gently, eyes on the floor. “Stop it,” she mumbled, but Eridan could see her tiny smile, and apparently Sollux could too, because he put an arm around her and grinned.
“Aradia’th my girlfriend,” Sollux said proudly, and Aradia blushed even more. Eridan almost felt sorry for her. “We’ve been together for a few month now.” Sollux verbally tripped over the word ‘months’ and Eridan fixed his scarf to hide his smirk.
“That’s so sweet!” Feferi gushed, and Eridan waited for her to say something about their betrothal. He was surprised, confused, and a little annoyed when she didn’t.
“Well, it’s getting late. We should probably be getting home,” she added, grabbing Eridan’s hand and standing up. “But it was great meeting you all! We’ll be sure to come back tomorrow!” Eridan started to protest, but Feferi stepped on his foot and he quieted down.
“Bye, Feferi!” Sollux smiled, and she giggled as she waved goodbye to him. Eridan scowled at the ground.
“Bye,” Aradia added, much quieter than her boyfriend had.
The whole walk home, Feferi went on and on about how wonderful and interesting Sollux was. Eridan glared at the ground and kicked a stone as they made their way through darkened streets to her family’s looming castle.
“So, who’s that Aradia girl you were talking to?” Feferi asked, only after she had finally exhausted the topic of Sollux.
Eridan shrugged. “Just some peasant. She’s homeless and orphaned.” Feferi gasped, and immediately started talking about how terrible that must be for her, the poor girl, and how bad things were for people like her in the kingdom. Eridan tried to listen to her, he really did, but soon tuned her out entirely.
Before he knew it, they had reached the castle. It was a huge stone building, complete with battlements and high towers. To be honest, Eridan preferred his family’s manor by the ocean, but he and his parents were staying here until the wedding. It was just a few weeks away. Eridan still had a hard time believing it.
Once inside, Feferi and Eridan have to go separate ways to get to their bedrooms. When Eridan first moved into the castle, Feferi’s father had made it clear that they were only allowed in each other’s rooms during daylight hours, and even then, they had to keep the door open.
They stood there awkwardly for a moment, Eridan trying to gather up the courage to do something other than say ‘good night’.
“See you tomorrow, Eridan,” Feferi smiled.
“Right! Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.” At the last second, he stepped forward to kiss her, but she backed away, cheeks red. She didn’t look at him.
“Uh, yes! Bye!” She nodded and hurried off to her room.
Eridan stood there for a moment, frozen in his tracks and blushing furiously. He had finally gotten the courage to do something besides hand-holding and awkward hugging, and Feferi had completely rejected him. Rejected him! He turned around and dragged his feet back to his room. It was just a kiss, Eridan thought. Not like I tried to feel her up. We’re getting married in less than a month, for God’s sake! She should be able to at least kiss me.
Eridan brushed his teeth and stared into the bathroom mirror for a few minutes, feeling sorry for himself. He climbed into bed and took off his glasses, putting them next to a glass of water on his bedside table. His cape was hung in the closet, and his clothes were draped over the back of a chair (he was in too bad of a mood to put them all the way away). He switched off the bedside lamp and turned over in bed, wondering why Feferi wasn’t as crazy for him as he was for her, and dreading going back to the soup kitchen again.