An Ampora doesn't cry [Homestuck]

Chapter 4

Eridan wakes up feeling like he slept on concrete. In truth, he mostly fell asleep sitting down, with the weight of three idiots on him. Well, three idiots... It takes him a few minutes to fully recover his senses, to wince at his ankylosed body, to adapt to the sunlight that illuminates Gamzee's -always untidy- living room.

Then he realizes that Sollux isn't there anymore.

He blinks, sweeps the room with his eyes. Some noise comes from the bathroom, the one of running water. Eridan sighs, relieved. Sollux didn't leave, he only takes his shower.

He then lingers his glance on Karkat, who clings to his arm as he would have done it to a plush:

"Mm- nAh... not Nicolas Cage... ! Stop... ! "

Karkat growls, eyebrow furrowed. His dream - or nightmare - seems to outrage him deeply.

Eridan raises an eyebrow, before giving in to a laugh. Hey, he is still half asleep, and anyway nobody can see him, so he can let off some steam, right?

That's what he tells himself, until a movement on his legs startles him. He looks down, looking at Gamzee who he thought was asleep, but who is watching him with sparkling eyes:

" ... Bro, your laugh is adorable."

Eridan nearly chokes. He blushes, growls, gives him a light tap on the head:

"Shut up, you didn't hear anything, there was no laughter."

Gamzee chuckles, sits up slowly:

"I'm really lucky... To be able to hear it like that, when I wake up... a pure miracle~"

He goes to kiss him, but Eridan saw it coming and dodges it slightly. The other boy's lips end on his cheek, which doesn't stop him from feeling embarrassed about it, while Gamzee pouts:

"But... ! "

In response Eridan sticks his tongue out at him. The attitude is immature, he agrees, but again he has the excuse of being badly awake -at least, he tries to convince himself that it's because of that.

Karkat ends up fidgeting, tightening his grip against Eridan:

"Mm...stop...nhg...."

Gamzee finds his smile again, comes to pass a hand in the hair of the smallest, leans to kiss him on the forehead, the temple, then the cheekbone and the corner of the lips:

"Hey little bro, it's time...~"

Karkat blinks slowly, his vision a little blurry. He yawns, rubs his face, recognizes Gamzee's silhouette. It causes him to release Eridan, to stretch his arms out to come and curl up against the taller one:

"...'day... he grumbles.

- Hey, did you sleep well?

- Nah... lame dream..."

Gamzee laughs. He doesn't hide his hilarity, unlike Eridan.

The door of the bathroom opens, Sollux appears, washed, dressed, but his hair still wet that he tries to dry with a towel.

"Hi, he says to the other three. We must be ready in 20 minutes max.

- Yes, yes! Gamzee answers quietly, carrying Karkat without any trouble. We're going to take a shower little heart ?

- Mm... don't call me that... " complains Karkat, who seems to be falling asleep in his arms.

They disappear in their turn in the bathroom