[CLOSED/OPEN] No words can heal a broken heart

[chronomancer]

Characters: [AU1] Eridan Ampora & [AU1] Equius Zahhak; Eridan Ampora and YOU.
Setting: Meadow floor (closed/backdated to the January event), Floor 64 (open/current)
Format: Starting with action but I'll match you.
Summary: Two logs for the price of one, lmao so I don't flood the comm: closing up aged up shenanigans, Equius is displeased and Eridan is about to learn just how much. Also back in real time, Eridan finds a deliciously tempting slice of home.
Warnings: Violence and swearing for the Equius log. Eridan being actually honest and pathetic and stupid, for the open one.

[Closed: Meadow floor.]

[He wasn't tired so much as he was trying to hibernate. He wasn't entirely sure trolls, undead or otherwise, actually did the whole hibernation shtick, but he could at least try. Save up his energy. Make his last feeding last. He was pretty sure things didn't really work that way but he was lazy and this was a good enough excuse. So there he is, as long as he is, lying on his back and sunbathing in the meadow without a care in the world.

Not that he didn't have cares. He had a lot of them, actually. But if he started thinking about all of them he'd probably implode. Or go on a rampage. Or both. Really, it was for the best of everyone involved, if he just laid there, soaking up sunlight and carefully thinking of nothing in particular.]

[Open: Desert floor.]

[It's so familiar it hurts, really. The heat, the sand, the occasional blast of wind. It's probably a bad idea to head out, and given the last few terrible ideas he's indulged lately, mostly as a result of the experiment last month, Eridan resists the urge to go.

But he wants to, dear god, he wants to so bad.

He's curled up on the sandy floor, barely two steps off the staircase, staring aimlessly at the distance and quietly drowning in nostalgia. He's never really stopped to sit down and miss life before the Game... but now he does and the wave of homesickness is almost entirely too much to handle.]

Comments

[caliginous]

[Karkat had been keeping an eye on everyone since the strange aging event that had occured, so he was no stranger to the current upsets amongst his group of acquaintances. It was almost funny -- normally, Karkat would be the center of such scandels as if it were expected of him.

But not this time.

He leans over Eridan to look him more readily in the eyes.]

Or you could look at it as being a favor.

[He can't help but smirk a little.]

[chronomancer]

[Eridan snorts sharply, holding onto Karkat's gaze for a moment before looking away, back to the sandy horizon.]

Yeah, no. Tried that, got told it was a supremely fucking stupid idea.

[He sneers, though it's more aimed at himself than anything else.]

Contrary to popular belief, I do try to learn from my mistakes. For all the fuckin' good it does anyway.

[caliginous]

[He barks a laugh when Eridan looks away and straightens up himself, nudging the other troll's back with his knee.]

'Bout time you figured it out.

[Pot, meet kettle. He shrugs and moves to the side of Eridan without sitting down, stuffing both hands in his pockets.]

I think Serket left a pair of legs in the freezer, if you need a steady supply. Might be kinda old though.

[chronomancer]

Ha, ha, ha, you're hysterical.

[Except not really. But hey, Eridan's deadpan is one of those things that should be almost reassuringly familiar by now.]

[caliginous]

Hey, its an option. Or did Strider already volunteer her services?

[chronomancer]

[Eridan squints up at Karkat.]

...are you trying to imply something here?

[caliginous]

[Karkat can't stop from sporfling.]

Dunno Ampora, are you into exotic species?

[chronomancer]

Dunno, but I am suddenly feeling very into shoving fistfuls of sand up your nook.

[Don't mind him if he kind of fingers the sand a bit thoughtfully here.]

[caliginous]

[Karkat wisely ceases leaning his knee against Eridan's back and takes a step to the side. He's still sporfling as he moves, biting his tongue to try and stop himself.]

Sick bastard. Watch it, you'll make her jealous.

[chronomancer]

[Eridan looks over his shoulder up at Karkat, just so he can see him roll his eyes.]

Hysterical, Kar, fucking dying here.

[caliginous]

[Once he relaxes his chuckles, Karkat gives him a look and a small roll of his own eyes.]

Did someone stuff a fistful of sand in your nook? Ligthen up.

[Please. Everything is awkward enough with everyone else, he doesn't say.]

[chronomancer]

[Eridan considers his answer.]

...nah, just put all my rants about future me into perspective.

[Shudder.]

[caliginous]

[To that, Karkat can't say much. Thought future-Karkat hadn't been a complete surprise, it was still unsettling. He seemed to be taking it better than most of the inhabitants. Maybe it was a sign that he had been here too long.]

Shit changes. Last I checked, we were all slated to be dead in the future.

[He adjusts his blazer uncomfortably, cracking his neck in the process.]

No point in thinking about it.

[chronomancer]

...I suppose you're right.

[There's a pause and then he sighs.]

Then again, you tend to be. It's very infuriating.

[Take the fucking olive branch, asshole.]

[caliginous]

[That admission causes him to turn and stare at Eridan a little suspiciously, trying to figure out if he was hearing things or if the other troll was messing with him.]

Yeah. Well.

[Awkward. When was the last time someone actually admitted that? He runs a hand through his hair and looks away, messaging the tips of his nubs.]

Ok.

[chronomancer]

[Eridan snorts a very short laugh and rubs his face with a hand.]

You're welcome.

[caliginous]

[Karkat snorts as well, though more out of indignation than anything else.]

Tch.

[Eventually his arms would fall back to a fold.]

Whatever. It ain't always a trip, being right all the time.

[chronomancer]

Considering the shit you're usually right about? Yeah, I guess it's not.

[There's a small pause.]

You're still a bulge-sucking son of a bitch, though.

[caliginous]

And you're still a sandmunching spineless nooklicker.

[Karkat pompously flips his bangs aside with one hand]

[chronomancer]

[Eridan snorts.]

Well, the fucking sand won't munch itself.

[Nor will the nooks lick themselves, he doesn't add. Because he's being polite. Honest.]

[caliginous]

So are you munching it or fisting it, make up your fuckin' pan already.

[The little voice in the back of his head is telling him to quit now, but the flash of his fangs suggests otherwise. Gotta have that last word.]

[chronomancer]

I'm a versatile troll.

[Eridan's mock prim voice is a terrible idea and he knows it. He gives Karkat an almost demure look.]

So I don't have a problem switching as necessary.

[caliginous]

[Terrible idea is right. Rather than answer verbally, Karkat reaches down and pushes at Eridan's face to chastise him for his tone. He won't look down when he does it -- he can feel that fake look he's giving him.

It makes his skin crawl.]

Of course you are.

[chronomancer]

[Eridan lets Karkat push at him, before he reaches out for a leg, trying half-heartedly to topple the cerulean on top of him.]

You make it sound like it's a bad thing.

[caliginous]

[Karkat blinks and glances down at Eridan, hands still stuffed in his pockets. He leans a little to ensure he doesn't go over without a good tug.]

I don't make it sound like anything.