One Plus One Equals Three (Erisol fanfic)

Chapter 19

            After nearly an entire night of discussion, Eridan sat at his desk in front of his computer screen as he video called Kanaya on Trollian. Sollux remained anxiously nearby as the connection dialed and he felt his stomach clench when the jade blood answered.

"Eridan? Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly, most likely due to the hour he was calling.

"Kan, Sol an' I have made a decision about the drones an' we wanted to tell you in person. Well, as in person as we could," Eridan started out getting right to the point.

"I am listening," she pressed. The sea troll glanced over at the nearby psionic and worried his lower lip between his sharp teeth before turning back to the screen.

"We have decided that if- when- the drones come to our hive we want you to take the eggs," Eridan said as steadily as he could. "Should any a' them hatch we feel that you would be their best bet for survival."

"Oh," Kanaya seemed stunned.

"We know you kind of have a lot on your plate right now," Sollux cut in coming to stand behind his matesprit and be in view of the camera. "I mean, you don't have to agree to thith if you don't want but ED and I..." he trailed off as he thought about what was to come.

"We don't reckon we'll be makin' it out of our drone visit alive," Eridan finished the thought. "There's just no way we can fill both pails in time an' I refuse to pail with anyone else," the sea troll cast a glance over at Sollux as he remembered the yellow blood's offer of self sacrifice so that Eridan could fill the caliginous pail with Vriska.

"I see," Kanaya said as she processed the weight of what was being said. "Well, as you know, I have been quite enthralled from the beginning of this unexpected phenomenon. I would have no problem raising your wigglers for you should the need arise. It is true that it is somewhat of a task keeping Karkat and Terezi hidden, but they are fully capable of caring for themselves otherwise which is why my hands are not too full to take on caring for wigglers." A look of subdued relief was apparent on both Eridan and Sollux's faces. "That being said, I do hope that the need for me to foster your offspring never arises," the jade blood added solemnly.

"We do too, Kan," Eridan agreed.

The nights went on in agonizing uncertainty. Eridan and Sollux had nearly reverted back to their constant checking in on the eggs that they had done the first few weeks after they had been laid. This time simply peeking in on them wasn't sufficient. A careful inspection of the surface of the shells had to be done each time one of them entered the nursery to check for signs of hatching. A message was sent to the group chat from Nepeta informing everyone that the drones had been to visit her. She was fine but the troll that lived a short walk away from her had been culled. Eridan and Sollux pailed frequently, never knowing how much time they had left together.

Eridan decided he had put off catching bugs for the nursery long enough and went outside to spend a few hours collecting them. He had managed to get two jars filled when suddenly Sollux burst out of the hive in a flurry of psionics.

"ED!" the yellow blood shouted breathlessly. "It'th cracked- there'th a crack!"

"What are you goin' on about?" Eridan asked and looked over to where his matesprit was in the doorway of the hive nearly bouncing in excitement.

"One of the eggth! It lookth like it'th hatching!"

"What? Right now?" Eridan grabbed his jars and ran over to where Sollux was. The psionic led him quickly back to the nursery and Eridan set the jars of bugs down on the floor before eagerly going over to where the eggs sat in their pool of water. Sure enough, the smooth rock colored surface of one of the eggs had a small webbing of cracks near the larger end of it. The sea troll looked back over to Sollux. "Are we sure this is it? It's not broken or anything?"