One Plus One Equals Three (Erisol fanfic)

Chapter 14

            Sollux returned to the nursery to check on Eridan and found the sea troll in the exact same position he had left him in.

"Are you jutht going to lay here with them for the next four month'th?" the yellow blood joked lightly as he sat down beside the shallow pool. Eridan had no response as he continued staring off blankly. Sollux reached out a hand to stroke the shells of the eggs. He was still in awe that he and Eridan were actually able to make them.

"I just miss 'em bein' inside me," Eridan whispered. Sollux's eyes flicked over to his matesprit's face just as the violet tears began to form.

"They'd never hatch if they thtayed in your belly," the Gemini told him as he brushed his fingers over cold wet cheeks to wipe away the tears.

"At least when they were inside me they were safe from my inadequacy," the sea troll lamented.

"Eridan," Sollux pleaded. "The egg breaking wath beyond anyoneth control. You can't blame yourthelf for it." Sollux was simply repeating back what Kanaya had told him to make him feel better because in truth he still felt as though he was to blame for not being able to do something to help get the egg out of Eridan. Silent tears continued to slide down the sea troll's face as he lay hugging the three eggs against his body.

"Thith whole thing hath jutht been thomething that neither of uth wath prepared for and we've been trying our betht to figure it out as we go. It'th been- it'th been very difficult for both of uth," Sollux's brows furrowed as he was forced to think about the decision to sacrifice the low blooded grubs in order to save Eridan. "The only thing we can really do now ith wait and thee what happenth four month'th from now."

Eridan turned his head in the water so that he could get a better look at the troll next to him. He studied the creases in the Gemini's forehead that were caused by the way his brows were pinched together in concern. The lower blood's large double fangs rested over lips that were pulled down into a frown.

"You know somethin' don't you?" Eridan accused.

"What?"

"Usually when shit happens you're always tellin' me it's goin' to be alright but you haven't said that to me this time," Eridan said. Sollux looked like he wanted to say something but he couldn't figure out what exactly to say. "It's because you don't want to lie to me isn't it?" the violet blood continued.

"Eridan-"

"Just tell me what it is," the sea troll said weakly. Sollux remained silent as he worried his bottom lip between his large fangs. He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to relive that terrible moment but he knew he had to tell Eridan.

"The egg that broke," he began slowly. His hands tensed as though he could still feel the stickiness of the blue blood between his fingers. "That egg was a high blood."

Eridan's blood pusher may as well have stopped beating. No words could form in his think pan. All he could do was curl tighter around the three eggs pressed closely against him.

"Kanaya kept telling me that there thtill could be two grubth that will hatch but you know how my think pan workth," Sollux added. He decided not to mention anything about the drones or Feferi yet. Eridan had already been through enough for one night. That day Sollux slept in the shallow pool holding Eridan close against his chest as the sea troll kept as close as possible to their eggs. Sollux could feel Eridan shaking with sobs until his breathing finally evened out and he had cried himself to sleep.