The Unfortunate Circumstance Called Reincarnation (A Homestuck Earth C fanfic)

Chapter 11 - The Unfortunate Circumstance Of Eridan's Crushed Expectations

Reader: Be CB

Oh creators. Where the fuck is your son???

Reader Worry About Mother Dearest Later Please This Is My Story

"Youre Back"

Rose nodded, leading Eridan around and toward you. She nudged his back slightly toward you, as if to make him walk, but he was frozen on the spot. You weren't even sure he was looking at you- more like through you. You grimaced, crouching down to his level as Rose pulled out her phone. You had spent the entire morning trying to prepare for this, and in your idealized situation, he had at least been able to speak to you. Without him to instigate conversation, you found yourself lost for any form of greeting, and eventually, you settled on what finally came to mind.

"It Seems Like Half A Lifetime Since I Last Saw You" You offered, only for his expression to shift to mortified. You weren't certain what was wrong for a moment, before the realization struck you like a beam to the stomach, and you tensed up slightly. Of course he was upset about that. Who wouldn't be? "That Is To Say I Cant Say I Expected To See You Running About" He was clearly on the edge of either tears or sickness, and looked torn between them. Rose put a hand on your back, staring down at you with a critical gaze that made you cringe. Her expression read clear: She would offer to speak for you again, but it would be odd when you were face to face with Eridan, who made an odd sound in the back of his throat. "I" You paused. "I Am Trying To Say That I Did Not Expect You To Return" You offered, and though he didn't look any sicker, he had a sort of anticipation to him that was far worse than the illness. You weren't sure what it was about it, but it was almost as if he had accepted what wasn't to come.

"yeah" It sound awfully choked, and your brow twitched down in concern. You had forced yourself to leave your lipstick on the dresser today, and it was a good thing, too, as you had subconsciously tried to decaptchalogue it. "Lets Head Inside" You nodded toward the door, left ajar, deciding to let him walk on his own. Something about your expression must have frightened him, though, because he walked ahead of you, fiddling with the bottom of his shirt. You sat down at the table as he awkwardly waited by the door, gesturing to the seat across from you. Rose had followed you, and was, for whatever reason, holding her phone up. Eridan sat down, and you could see the hesitance in the way he moved. His breathing hitched often, and he blinked away tears frequently. You couldn't possibly see what he was thinking, to make him react this way, but it couldn't be anything good.

He avoided eye contact. He refused to look at you and you had to resist the surge of anxiety coming over you. You knew it was your fault he was like this. You knew he hadn't had the help you had, and you couldn't help but think that you would have kept him from getting it if you'd known about him when you were just a bit younger. He eventually spoke up, and his tone wobbled even moreso than was usual for him, more stormy than wavy. "wwhatd you evven wwant me for" You could hear the beginning of a sob at the end, and it was poorly kept silent. His fins were pinned back hard, which you recognized as submission of a sort, though you couldn't place which. You really weren't an expert on the matter, despite the seadwelling grubs you had reared over the years. You had to wipe your eyes yourself, though you passed it off as adjusting your hair absentmindedly. You weren't sure what, exactly, made you want to hide it, but the urge was overwhelming. And besides, you could see him doing the same.

"Is It So Bad To Want To See You" Your tone came out a bit harsher than expected. That wasn't really the reason, you'd rather stay a mile away from him if you could. "Though I Must Say This Isnt What I Came To Expect From You You Havent Commented On My Ashen Quadrant Even Once" You had hoped for a laugh of sorts, though you knew he weren't the type, silence at worst. Instead, he almost seemed to whimper, as though your words were a threat, though you couldn't possibly see how they could be. Eventually, he spoke again.

"if youre gonna off me just do it already no need to drag this out longer than it oughta be"

You were stunned, and you could nearly feel bile rising to the back of your throat. You forced it back down, staring at him with wide eyes, though you couldn't pretend the latter was unusual. "What" When you didn't get a response, you spoke again. "Why Would I" You trailed off. "You Didnt Honestly Think That That I Would Go To This Fucking Effort To Get You Here" You felt your temper rising slightly, and tempered it slightly before speaking again. "That I Would Go Through All This Shit Just To Have You Culled" Although you didn't sound calmer, you certainly felt it, and it showed in your posture too. "cant imagine wwhy else youd wwant me here" You honestly couldn't believe him. After so long, he couldn't comprehend something so simple? Your anger dissolved into horror. It was your fault. What had he seen you as for all these years- sweeps- centuries? Time in the bubbles to time spent here, perhaps even adding up to millennia.

Perhaps you were overthinking it. There was no way he could spend all this time thinking of you and yet, after so long, after so fucking long he was stupid enough to think he was coming here to die. You could feel tears, but you honestly couldn't care less. He'd expected you to hate him for that long, and you should have, and yet somehow, you found yourself unable to hate him entirely. Despite your mutual deaths, and his killing Feferi, and his threatening to join Jack, it had been so long, and you...

You had to admit it.

"I Missed You"

Something in him seemed to click, but immediately slid out of place again.

"you shouldnt"

"I Know"

"wwhy"

"That Is What I Dont Know"

"Did You Miss Me"

He was silent. Perhaps the question was a bit loaded, but you felt you needed to know.

"Eridan Did You Miss Me"