melodie-de-sirena:

Feferi waited behind the curtain for Kanaya. She was clueless to the damage she had done to both Sollux and Kanaya with her little seductive walk. Sure she could be be sultry and seductive but it was usually when she was luring sailors. This time she did it purely by mistake. Although she did display a little smirk.

Feferi spun around when she heard Kanaya coming in giggling. Why was she laughing? She gave her a confused look for a minute before giggling a bit herself. 

“So how does the measuring thing work exactly?” Feferi asked. “Do you need me to take off Sollux’s shirt. I feel a little guilty that he’s shirtless.” Even though she would take it off if Kanaya asked her too she really didn’t want to. She liked the feeling of wearing Sollux’s shirt. The feel of the cotton rubbing on her thighs combined with the subtle scent of him made her daydream and blush ever so slightly.

Kanaya turned to Feferi and smiled at the look on her face. Kanaya was not blind; she knew that look very well. The way Feferi blushed and clinged to Sollux’s shirt…it screamed of a crush.

Oh crud. It finally sunk in Kanaya’s head that Feferi was not wearing any drawers under the large shirt. She would nee to make her some as well. She stood there for a second, staring intently at the floor; it would be the first time someone wore Kanaya’s clothes. “You don’t need to remove the shirt Feferi, I can simply measure you over it. I would not want you to be completely naked. It’s a little chilly today.”

She picked up her measuring tape and extended it, giving Feferi a warm smile before walking towards and asking her to extend her arms.

.

the-illustrious-illusionist:

After being pulled inside, he was distinctly more uncomfortable, and just nodded politely at Kanaya, shoving his hands In his pockets. At least it was a hell of a lot warmer inside the caravan. He ducked his head a bit and hunched his shoulders and watched Kanaya watching Feferi. He quirked a brow but didn’t comment on he gesture, though found it a little more than just simply amusing.

Listening to the two talk, he opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by the pretty mermaid. She was definitely catching on to walking. The gentle sway that came with natural poise was caught by his eyes and he swallowed a bit, even straightened his spine a little bit. Jesus. “U-uh-” He stuttered. “Right. Yeah, go ahead. Sure.”

Just don’t go feeling up his gi-

Wait, what.

Really, if the boy’s adam’s apple moved any faster when he swallowed, it’s going to pop out of his throat. Kanaya silently laughed, but only silently because it wasn’t like she herself was invulnerable to the mermaid’s charm. Kanaya was feminine herself, but her hips did not sway, or hypnotize like Feferi’s. Oh no, the mermaid was quickly becoming more and more seductive, and yet her dried hair framed her face in a way that made her look more innocent.

They were so caught up in the moment of Feferi’s swaying hips, that suddenly Sollux and Kanaya were by themselves while Feferi stepped behind the curtain. Looking up at the magician, Kanaya smiled and reached up to pat his shoulder.

“Don’t worry Sollux. I’ll be sure to gentle.”

She winked at him and stepped behind the curtain while giggling.

(Source: melodie-de-sirena)

Sollux: Where’s your shoes?

the-illustrious-illusionist:

juggling-fashionista:

Her eyes opened a bit in disbelief at the mention of his nightmares. It wasn’t like Sollux to mention them, so they must be effecting him strongly. Her concern and the pit in her stomach only grew as he lowered his voice and looked around.

She gulped at his words, and noticed the way he was playing with his suspenders. Out of reflex, she reached out and fixed them when they twisted at he played with them. “That is exactly how I am feeling. Like someone is keeping an eye on us. Keeping us in place in some way….”

Letting go of Sollux’s suspenders, Kanaya stuck her hands inside her pockets and touched her lipstick. It had been her mother’s, and during moments of unease touching it made her feel better. “I never liked this dirty carnival, but I also don’t want anything bad to happen to it. After all, a lot of good people depend on it.”

Pulling his hands away from his suspenders to rest in his pockets, he let her fix them as he frowned and thought on what exactly they were talking about. Strange feelings, bad, dark feelings. Wasn’t that fairly silly? Really, they were both two grown, well-adjusted - er, well, fairly adjusted adults with rational senses. What were they doing talking about instincts and feelings. The more Sollux thought about it the more his headache seemed to bleed back into his skull and he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Well, where else would most of us go? I haven’t got any schooling past the fifth grade myself. I’m not much of a labourer. And there’s folks like Tavros and Vriska who don’t exactly fit in outside of this place.” He gestured around, towards the big top and the crowds lining up at the rides a little far off from where they were standing. “This place is some sort of…sick sanctuary. We’ve either got this, or we’ve got cells.” Institutions. The same sort his mother was…well. He frowned. “Well, ‘cept for you, K-N, and some others, like F-F and E-D, they could back to the sea, and I’m sure any manner of tailor would take you in.” His lip twitched in a half smile. 

Sollux wasn’t actually sure what he would do with no carnival. As much as he longed to be out of here, what was the point? He’d be doomed out there among regular people. He had skills with lights but there were plenty of people in schools that would be considered in any sort of job like that over him, right? Unless he worked backstage at a theatre, and it wasn’t exactly like those places were known for making money. Well, unless it was someplace big in New York or Chicago, but again, who would hire him? Especially in a economical slump?

“But hey, we’re probably just being stupid, I mean seriously, we’re acting like children who need someone to chase monsters out of our closets.”

Her. A tailor. She would have scoffed if she didn’t suddenly  feel like crying.

“It’s not our bodily ailments that keep us here Sollux. We’re somehow connected to this place. I don’t believe we are acting like children. Superstitious, yes. We are making theories out of gut feelings, but why are we having these feelings. And at the same time. Really I do not believe this is a coincidence,”

She sighed loudly, and shifted side to side. It wasn’t like Kanaya to be nervous, and she refused to let the feeling go until like she resolved the problem.

But really what could she do? Even if they pinpointed why they were being neurotic, it wasn’t like she was going to solve anything.

“Oh Sollux, maybe we are just acting silly. Maybe we are sick and tired of this place and our feelings finally caught up to us. Maybe…” she trails off, looking at the direction of the carnival. From far away it looked so pretty as music and laughter flowed out of it. But from the inside…

“Oh I don’t even know what I am saying anymore.”

Feferi: Get some clothes girl!

the-illustrious-illusionist:

melodie-de-sirena:

juggling-fashionista:

Kanaya was in the middle of sewing yet another pointless dress that would sit in the bottom of her closet. Pointless as it was though, this one was a little special; it was a soft magenta color, and it largely inspired by Feferi, since her scales were magenta. But she was nowhere near done, and when she heard a knock on her door, she sighed gratefully. Her frustration with herself had been growing continuously lately, and she had hoped sewing would calm her nerves, but instead it had worsened the situation. 

Oh, but she was not expecting the site before her when she opened her door. A shirtless Sollux with a scaleless, legged, Feferi, who was only wearing what looked liked Sollux’s shirt. She pinched the bridge of her nose; surely she was going insane. Because no way this was happening.

She closed the door, sat back down on the stool she was sitting on, got back up again, paced for a second before walking back to the door and opening it. They were still there. Either this was a strong hallucination, or it was really happening.

The juggler stepped to the side and gestured them inside.”I’m assuming you came for a change of clothes. At least, that’s what I hope you came here for. Because a change of clothing is required rather desperately right now.”

Feferi’s face lit up when Kanaya opened the door, displaying a large grin and wide eyes. “Ah he-” Feferi hadn’t expected for Kanaya to close the door right away. Guess it was more shocking than she had thought it would be. Feferi blinked a couple times. “Uhhhmm Kanaya?”

Feferi was about to knock again when Kanaya opened the door for a second time. “Sorry for startling you, it’s a long story. Ah yea we did! I need some actual human clothes please. As much as I like wearing a shirt skirt I’d rather have something more for me. Please, pretty please.” Feferi stepped into the little trailer and moved towards the side to let Sollux through. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself, she had never been in a human structure before. She didn’t know whether to sit or something else. Feferi chose to just stand in the middle of the room fidgeting her toes.

“It is us, the ragged gremlins you’ve always worried would come for you, K-N.” The skinny man extended his arms and stood straighter as if the pair of them were making some grand entrance, rather than looking like a pair of overgrown urchins begging on the juggler’s doorstep. Was Sollux allowed in? Of course he stepped towards the doorway but stopped before he actually entered. It wasn’t as though he had never been in Kanaya’s caravan before, but those times hadn’t been often and it was still a strange feeling to be in a girl’s quaters. 

But now there were two girls and one of them was wearing his shirt around her wasit and nothing underneath it. If Kanaya was going to be dressing her, then he thought maybe he should sit this one out. Maybe he’d hang out on the stairs or go back to his own caravan. Ah, but then he’d be leaving the mermaid here and what if Kanaya did a shitty job looking after her, well not saying that she would let Feferi fall over herself every which way and get her ass caught but still really she needed a guy like Sollux around he could hold her up and 

Okay, enough of that. Shaking his head to end the mindless train of though, Sollux just figured he wold hang out by the doorway until he was invited in or the door was closed in his face. Either way, he would be able to tell what the answer was from that. “Really, you can’t say no to a poor, pretty gal like F-F, couldya, K-N?” He snickered a bit. “She might catch cold. She ain’t even got a proper pair of sandals for her feet.”

“Really I wasn’t so worried that you little gremlins would come for me eventually, what I really feared was that you would come as badly dressed as you are,” she chuckled, crossing her arms in front of her as she waited for Sollux to enter. “And of course I can’t say no to a pretty face; You know me far too well Sollux.”

Kanaya becomes a little impatient waiting for the tall magician to step inside. But he’s just standing on the doorway looking timid. Rolling her eyes, Kanaya grabs his arm and pulls him inside. And now that all three of them were inside, she could get to work on Feferi.

Feferi was in the middle of the caravan, shuffling on her feet. She also looked a little awkward, which was understandable, considering her new legs and almost nudity. But how amazing was that, Feferi has legs now. And a nice pair at that. Very nice.

… Kanaya ended staring at those bare legs a second too long. Or else she thought she did, because suddenly the caravan was very quiet, forcing the juggler out of her trance.

“Oh, well, I require to measure you Feferi, in a q-quite professional matter, i assure  you,” oh yes Kanaya. Stuttering will most certainly convince everyone that you are not a pervert. She stumbles a bit on her stool and quickly straightens up, clearing her throat.

“There is a curtain over there where we may step behind while I take measurements. Do you mind if I take her for a couple of minutes Sollux?”

Sollux: Where’s your shoes?

the-illustrious-illusionist:

juggling-fashionista:

the-illustrious-illusionist:

In a more coherent part of Sollux’s mind, he thought about how he might be able to repay her. Maybe with thread or a new thumb finger prick thing. What were they called? Thumbles? Tumbles? Thimbles? Something like that. Sollux didn’t bother himself with that sort of work. Maybe she’d like a nice cloth. Not like he could ever afford something like that though. Unlike Kanaya, Sollux’s moral conscious was considerably smaller and he wouldn’t find trouble in taking a few coins here and there off of passerbys. His gifts as well as his unfortunate  childhood had made a talented cutpurse of him. 

“Mehnn.” Sollux made a half hearted noise of response when questioned about his current sleep patterns, as well as offering her a similarly half hearted, one-shouldered shrug. “I’ve been sleeping alright, I guess.” Frowning a bit, he rubbed the back of his neck and made a little sound of protest as she began fixing it up. Not like he actually minded, but it was in his nature to grumble and fuss about things. “I prefer to be awake though, if you know what I mean.” 

Rubbing his eyes tiredly once again, like a child, he yawned a bit.  ”The chores aren’t bad. Nothing I can’t handle.” He paused and pulled his suspenders on properly once she was done fixing up his shirt. “What about you? How’ve you been? You’re practically everyone’s nanny. You’ll run yourself ragged trying to watch out for everyone.” He warned, blinking lazily behind his shades before papping her forehead lightly with the bottom of his palm. 

She frowned slightly as she fixed his clothes. Sollux has always been vague, and it wasn’t unusual that he was shrugging off his sleeping pattern. But her frown was because of his next comment. She knew about Sollux’s nightmares, and how they keep him awake at night, or at least tossing and turning. She has never pressured him to talk about them however; she was patient, and if he wanted to talk about them she was always here to listen.

She tucks his shirt in and he pulls his suspenders up, despite all his grumbling about her fussing. She smiles at his question, and was caught off guard by the light pap. Stumbling back a bit, she pouts her lips at him in mock anger. “The only reason I act as if I am everyone’s nanny is because everyone acts as if they need a nanny running around behind them. If I don’t keep an eye out for Vriska, Karkat, and yourself, who would! You would all get in all kinds of trouble, I’m sure,” she huffs and crosses her arms. Deep down she knew they could all very much take care of themselves. They did, after all, come this far without her. But after meeting them, a strong motherly urge awoke in her, making her fret and worry about everyone.

“But aside from that Sollux, have you noticed anything… strange around here? It feels as if the atmosphere around the carnival has… changed,” she put a hand to her chin and looked around, making sure no one could listen in to the conversation. “I have just been feeling different. It’s making me worry more than usual.”

At her question, Sollux slicked his tongue over his teeth as he thought about it, a frown prominent on his lips. It was an odd question for her to ask, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he thought about how to answer. “Funny you should ask, actually.” He muttered a little. “Can’t say I’ve felt anything weird…here, precisely but I mean, I don’t pay attention to a whole lot outside of my caravan.” which was true. Often he was isolated, fixing things with his clever hands or hanging around dark corners watching Feferi swim, or the other’s acts during the night shows. He didn’t often venture into the crowds to mingle or talk with others.

“But I mean, sleeping has gotten a little…more difficult. It’s sorta like…” This sounded stupid, but the way she had asked her question made Sollux feel a bit more comfortable mentioning this. “I can see things in my nightmares. I can’t really remember much when I wake up, but I feel like it has to do with…being here. It’s like I only feel it when I’m asleep.” 

Sollux looked around himself, just as she did, and dropped his voice a little lower, leaning in somewhat as he pushed his glasses up his nose. “Think something’s about to happen? Think someone with their ear to the wall is about to somethin’ terrible, K-N?” He curled his tongue in his mouth and pursed his lips tight before straightening up again. “Y’know, it’s not always been great here, but lately it feels like…” He fiddled with one of his fixed suspenders, holding his shoes a little closer to him. “We’ve all got marks on our backs.”

Her eyes opened a bit in disbelief at the mention of his nightmares. It wasn’t like Sollux to mention them, so they must be effecting him strongly. Her concern and the pit in her stomach only grew as he lowered his voice and looked around.

She gulped at his words, and noticed the way he was playing with his suspenders. Out of reflex, she reached out and fixed them when they twisted at he played with them. “That is exactly how I am feeling. Like someone is keeping an eye on us. Keeping us in place in some way….”

Letting go of Sollux’s suspenders, Kanaya stuck her hands inside her pockets and touched her lipstick. It had been her mother’s, and during moments of unease touching it made her feel better. “I never liked this dirty carnival, but I also don’t want anything bad to happen to it. After all, a lot of good people depend on it.”

Feferi: Legs…

melodie-de-sirena:

the-illustrious-illusionist:

Feeling her press a little closer, probably due to the soft breeze, Sollux glanced down at her for a moment.  She was so short next to him. Not that he wasn’t used to it, everyone was short next to him, except for Gamzee. But the clown practically dwarfed everyone. Still, it wasn’t exactly like Sollux went around holding everyone’s hand, or had them leaning up against him like this. It was a very direct comparison, instead of just judging with his eyes and seeing how far his neck had to tilt downwards.

There would be no issue in tucking her up against him and putting his chin atop her head. Well, in a hypothetical Sense. Er. He would be able to see. Is what. He meant. Not like he was just gunna grab her and hold her and do that or. Anything. Nah. No way. Shaking his head a bit, Sollux swallowed a little thickly. 

“Hey, don’t worry about the money, and don’t worry about paying me back.” He insisted right back at her. “You’re nothing but sweet everyday. Not a whole lot of us are like that. This is just you getting a thumbnail of what you deserve, back.” He nodded defiantly and lifted his head a bit so he could look taller, as if that would make him more authoritative. 

Kanaya’s Caravan was just around the bend, And Sollux tugged Feferi along towards the little thing. His own was cozy enough, but so crowded with light fixtures, cords and old food there was no way he could even think about bringing a lady to see it. Though it’d be nice to have Feferi visit sometime, now that she had mobile kind of land transportation. “That’s K-N’s. We can knock and see if she’s home. If not, we’ll go to T-Z’s.”  

Feferi looked up at Sollux. Just to get her face close to his she would have to be on her tippy toes. She gave him a pout, jutting out her bottom lip. “Fine! But you have to accept this then, no excuses!” Feferi did exactly what she had thought earlier and leaned up towards his faces standing on her toes and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. His cheek was soft compared to his calloused hands, it was nice. Returning to a normal pace Feferi looked away from Sollux to regain her composure and to hide her red face.

She continued to look down at her feet. Right, left, right, left. She’s gotten used to it and doesn’t really need to think about it anymore. She still can’t believe that she has legs. After getting some proper clothes she is most definitely going to stretch them out. Running, and dancing but mostly dancing. She smiled to herself just thinking about moving gracefully to some unknown music.

Feferi was shaken from her thoughts at Sollux’s voice stating that they’ve reached Kanaya’s place. She looked up at the trailer. It was small but quaint, much like Kanaya herself. “Can I knock at her door? I want to see her face when she sees my legs. Well that is if she’s home.” Feferi headed towards the door but still hadn’t made the effort to let Sollux’s hand go.

Kanaya was in the middle of sewing yet another pointless dress that would sit in the bottom of her closet. Pointless as it was though, this one was a little special; it was a soft magenta color, and it largely inspired by Feferi, since her scales were magenta. But she was nowhere near done, and when she heard a knock on her door, she sighed gratefully. Her frustration with herself had been growing continuously lately, and she had hoped sewing would calm her nerves, but instead it had worsened the situation. 

Oh, but she was not expecting the site before her when she opened her door. A shirtless Sollux with a scaleless, legged, Feferi, who was only wearing what looked liked Sollux’s shirt. She pinched the bridge of her nose; surely she was going insane. Because no way this was happening.

She closed the door, sat back down on the stool she was sitting on, got back up again, paced for a second before walking back to the door and opening it. They were still there. Either this was a strong hallucination, or it was really happening.

The juggler stepped to the side and gestured them inside.”I’m assuming you came for a change of clothes. At least, that’s what I hope you came here for. Because a change of clothing is required rather desperately right now.”

Sollux: Where’s your shoes?

the-illustrious-illusionist:

juggling-fashionista:

It seems that the usual headaches were plaguing Sollux again. Kanaya frowned slightly. She wish she could do something for him, but regrettably, she lacked the funds to buy him any medicine. She refused to steal, but maybe she’ll make an exception, and pickpocket someone in the carnival that just so happened to have aspirin on them.

But on the other hand, she was glad she was able to help with his shoes. An Irish man had once thought her how to fix all kinds of shoes, from boots to heels, and Sollux’s shoes were easy to fix. She fixed that back that of course had been crushed (did men just not know how to put on a pair of shoes?) she shined them, patched up the sole, and amazingly, they looked as good as new.

“Oh yes, that was me knocking earlier, but please don’t worry about it. I understand that we all have to get a good amount of sleep, after all, working in a carnival is tiring not to mention that you do extra chores with the lighting and the merpeople,” she chuckled lighty. The little groggy show he had put on for her was cute too. She merely smiles when he compliments her.

In the end, she couldn’t resist herself and reached out to fix his shirt, buttoning his shirt correctly and tucking it in. “Speaking of sleep, have you been sleeping well?”

In a more coherent part of Sollux’s mind, he thought about how e might be able to repay her. Maybe with thread or a new thumb finger prick thing. What were they called? Thumbles? Tumbles? Thimbles? Something like that. Sollux didn’t bother himself with that sort of work. Maybe she’d like a nice cloth. Not like he could ever afford something like that though. Unlike Kanaya, Sollux’s moral conscious was considerably smaller and he wouldn’t find trouble in taking a few coins here and there off of passerbys. His gifts as well as his unfortunate  childhood had made a talented cutpurse of him. 

“Mehnn.” Sollux made a half hearted noise of response when questioned about his current sleep patterns, as well as offering her a similarly half hearted, one-shouldered shrug. “I’ve been sleeping alright, I guess.” Frowning a bit, he rubbed the back of his neck and made a little sound of protest as she began fixing it up. Not like he actually minded, but it was in his nature to grumble and fuss about things. “I prefer to be awake though, if you know what I mean.” 

Rubbing his eyes tiredly once again, like a child, he yawned a bit.  ”The chores aren’t bad. Nothing I can’t handle.” He paused and pulled his suspenders on properly once she was done fixing up his shirt. “What about you? How’ve you been? You’re practically everyone’s nanny. You’ll run yourself ragged trying to watch out for everyone.” He warned, blinking lazily behind his shades before papping her forehead lightly with the bottom of his palm. 

She frowned slightly as she fixed his clothes. Sollux has always been vague, and it wasn’t unusual that he was shrugging off his sleeping pattern. But her frown was because of his next comment. She knew about Sollux’s nightmares, and how they keep him awake at night, or at least tossing and turning. She has never pressured him to talk about them however; she was patient, and if he wanted to talk about them she was always here to listen.

She tucks his shirt in and he pulls his suspenders up, despite all his grumbling about her fussing. She smiles at his question, and was caught off guard by the light pap. Stumbling back a bit, she pouts her lips at him in mock anger. “The only reason I act as if I am everyone’s nanny is because everyone acts as if they need a nanny running around behind them. If I don’t keep an eye out for Vriska, Karkat, and yourself, who would! You would all get in all kinds of trouble, I’m sure,” she huffs and crosses her arms. Deep down she knew they could all very much take care of themselves. They did, after all, come this far without her. But after meeting them, a strong motherly urge awoke in her, making her fret and worry about everyone.

“But aside from that Sollux, have you noticed anything… strange around here? It feels as if the atmosphere around the carnival has… changed,” she put a hand to her chin and looked around, making sure no one could listen in to the conversation. “I have just been feeling different. It’s making me worry more than usual.”

Sollux: Where’s your shoes?

the-illustrious-illusionist:

juggling-fashionista:

the-illustrious-illusionist:

Walking around in a lazy shuffle, Sollux kept his eyes on the ground as he rubbed the front of his head. He was nursing the end of a long migraine, one that had put him in bed for the majority of the day. He hadn’t gotten up to do anything, just kept silent in his caravan with a pillow over his head. Any knocks at the door were ignored. Now, however, feeling good enough to at least fetch something to drink, he was wandering about. Still not being able to turn his head side to side comfortably, he pushed his shades further up his nose to blot out the light.

He wasn’t wearing any shoes.

To be fair, it was a consequence of his headache. He was dishevelled completely, his hair more out of place than it normally was, his shirt was untucked from his trousers, buttoned incorrectly. His suspenders hung at his sides. And, of course, he was lacking shoes and socks, his bare feet slipping against the ground. It was uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as he felt he would be with shoes. Of course that probably wouldn’t make that much sense if he was in a rational state of mind, but migraines tended to impair his mental ability to focus on ‘dear god what can I to make this stop’. 

Rubbing his eyes under his glasses with one hand, the back of his neck for the other, he peeked up a bit to see if he was anywhere near a source of water. Fuck. Nope, not at all. He was in behind the big top somewhere, where there was a stash of extra plywood and broken materials. His toes wiggled against the ground, as if anticipating glass to stick up into the skin. Groaning gently, like a frustrated child he ran both his hands through his hair and looked around with bleary vision, wondering which direction he should take. Off towards the carnival itself, maybe?

No way, way to noisy. He wouldn’t be able to take it.

Back to the caravan?

Yeah, back to the caravan. 

Since pivoting around quickly sounded like a very bad idea with how dizzy he was feeling, he shuffled in a slow, lazy circle until he was faced in the direction he came, and headed back off that way again, keeping his eyes to the ground, unaware of anyone that may be in front of him.

Kanaya had knocked on his door several times. Several. But in response all she heard was a groan, and she was pretty sure Sollux simply rolled over and covered his head with his pillow. So she decided to wait by leaning on his caravan, determined to catch him when he woke up. It wasn’t like she could leave anyways, she had his only pair of shoes.

As she leaned into his caravan, and looked towards the carnival, which was now buzzing with the usual hustle and bustle. She closes her eyes eyes for a second, and almost manages to fall asleep standing up until  Sollux almost slams the door into her.

And oh dear God did he look a mess.

She stands up straight, watching him stumble around, looking for something. He walks past her, obviously not noticing her presence. Kanaya chuckles softly, and makes her way towards him. But he turns around slowly, and Kanaya stands still, chuckling again when he bumps into her softly. She reaches up and pets his head, not bothering to fix him so early in the morning. He looked too groggy.

“I fixed your shoes dear. Where were you heading to just now?”

Stepping back in a slight stumble, the thin man blinked groggily before rubbing his eyes again. Man, his head still hurt. At least it hurt a lot less than it had been for hours now. “Ah…” He frowned for a moment, and looked off in a random direction. “Ah…” Her question processed and he pressed the ball of his palm against his forehead, slicking his tongue over his crooked teeth. “Er, I’m thirsty. Sorry- Oh, thanks.” Looking down at the fixed pair of cheap shoes she had in her hand, he reached for them. 

They had been very thin in the soles before, the toes wearing thing and the heel on the left one had been moderately crushed, as he had a tendency to pull the right one on properly, and then just step into the left one. They had become a pair of glorified slippers until he had handed them off to Kanaya for a proper fixing. “I really owe you one, K-N.” He muttered, tiredly.  ”Was that you knocking earlier? Sorry, I probably would’ve answered if I’d known. I thought it was K-K or someone.”

He realized what a mess he must’ve looked like, but there was such a lack of care into fixing himself all he could do was glance down the front of him, his shirt buttoned all wrong and the lot of it.  ”You look nice today.” Not like she didn’t look nice everyday, but still. 

Wasn’t it the right thing to do, to compliment a lady like her? 

It seems that the usual headaches were plaguing Sollux again. Kanaya frowned slightly. She wish she could do something for him, but regrettably, she lacked the funds to buy him any medicine. She refused to steal, but maybe she’ll make an exception, and pickpocket someone in the carnival that just so happened to have aspirin on them.

But on the other hand, she was glad she was able to help with his shoes. An Irish man had once thought her how to fix all kinds of shoes, from boots to heels, and Sollux’s shoes were easy to fix. She fixed that back that of course had been crushed (did men just not know how to put on a pair of shoes?) she shined them, patched up the sole, and amazingly, they looked as good as new.

“Oh yes, that was me knocking earlier, but please don’t worry about it. I understand that we all have to get a good amount of sleep, after all, working in a carnival is tiring not to mention that you do extra chores with the lighting and the merpeople,” she chuckled lighty. The little groggy show he had put on for her was cute too. She merely smiles when he compliments her.

In the end, she couldn’t resist herself and reached out to fix his shirt, buttoning his shirt correctly and tucking it in. “Speaking of sleep, have you been sleeping well?”