"Aa, are you thure you're okay?" Sollux asked as she boiled a few roots in hot water for breakfast. She didn't look quite well, she was pale and her eyes seemed swollen. She was obviously unwell, perhaps sick from trotting around in the dirt so long without any moonlight. Aradia used to love the dirt; she was completely enamored with exhuming and resurrecting the fossils from generations before. It was a hobby of hers to examine the bones and burial sights of things long since dead. Trotting around in dirt was not an issue, maybe she was not sleeping well? It had been a few edgy days with the male sea-dweller's persistence.

"I'm fine Sollux," she smiled softly; "I'm just tired."

"Hey," he touched her shoulder softly, turning her to face him. Her eyes that used to be so bright and adoring were now straining and secretive. He tried to understand the motive behind such a glaze but alas could not. His duality was far too harsh, even on his perception of others. He pulled her into a gentle hug, rubbing her back, "It'th been tho long thince I've theen you thmile, thmile for real. Aa, your thmile ain't ath carefree ath it uthed to be,"

He cupped her chin, rubbing her jaw line softly with his thumb. He felt himself straining as well; consorting with the Heiress and consorting with his matesprit in just as red a fashion. Did she know? He knew, the guilt was something they both shared.

"Sollux," she spoke softly, easing away from him, "I…I know about what's been going on…Between you and Feferi,"

"Aa," he started softly, as if to try and atone for his distance with his words.

"No, don't speak," she smiled softly, "I understand,"

"What?" he was taken aback.

"I…I just feel that we've been growing apart for some time now," she started, keeping her smile and sweet disposition up, "I'd like you to be happy Sollux, I'd like you to be with Feferi,"

Sollux honestly did not know what to say, or think. He adored Feferi, he was starting to feel quite flushed for her. Aradia had always been there for him though, they had history. This was entirely too eerie.

"I'd still like to be friends though," she told him, "I'm okay with it, I really am. With our short life-spans we should enjoy our relationships,"

"Aa…" he started, slowly reaching forward in order to hug her. She seemed distressed, she needed to be held, she needed to be solaced. The voices in his head were screaming at him, oh it was too much to take.

"Shhh," she touched his face softly, "Go on, I know you want to be with her. Please, go and be happy with her,"

No wonder her eyes were swollen, she was trying not to cry. She gently eased away from, distracting herself with the boiling roots. Sollux stood there for a moment, stunned, before turning away himself. He didn't want to act without thinking about it first, that's what often led to him acting out or coming off too strongly. He needed to balance himself out. He felt terribly guilty for his infidelity, but at the same time, he didn't feel guilty at all. Aradia seemed to be taking it all in stride, or was she? They had been rather distant lately, maybe she was troubled by the whole situation? Was it a personal matter? Was it about the blue blood that had attacked them? Or, he gulped, was she involved with Eridan? He did see the seadweller leave her tent the day before, of course he was half asleep when he did, maybe he had been dreaming?

His head was starting to hurt as possibilities rushed into his head, he needed to calm down and talk to someone about this. Hopefully, Feferi wouldn't mind speaking to him about this upsetting situation. He didn't like impressing his bipolar disorder on her; it was often what led to trouble in his relationships.

Aradia sighed sadly as she stared into her herb box, nothing but miniscule petals remained. She had hoped that rationing her medicinal flowers would've made them last longer, alas they did not. This was it, her death was certain; it was only a matter of time. She closed the box and set it aside into her satchel, she leaned against the box she had set up at the end of the tent. She could die happy knowing that she would not be seen as a burden to Sollux; that his infidelity did not bother her, that he could move on and still be happy with the Heiress. She didn't want to be a burden to him, it was the last thing she wanted.

"Ar," Eridan poked his head in the tent, "Howw are you feelin'?"

"Hm?" she cooed idly, "I'm fine, I haven't had an attack today. Hopefully they'll subside until we breach the border,"

"Oh," Eridan commented idly as he entered the tent, holding something behind his back, "They're the red ones, right? I mean, those are the flowwers by the rivver right?"

"Well, in common sense, I suppose you could say that," Aradia nodded, "So yes, they are…Why?"

He placed a bag on the ground matt, "I kinda headed up to the surface,"

"W-What?" Aradia asked softly, it pained her throat to raise her voice above a gentle hum, "You know that's dangerous!"

"I was under the wwater the wwhole damn time. Look, just take a coddamn look and check if they're wwhat you need," Eridan pouted with a bit of offense. Honestly, he would have lashed out at her audacity to question him if not for Karkat's influence. She was a rather kind troll and much more tolerable that Sollux. The red hue of her blood was also quite nostalgic, the fragile state of her being-mutilated by disease-it were as if Karkat's soul was shining through her flesh. It was tempting, to say the very least. He felt a small twinge of blush reach his cheeks as he recalled how adorable Karkat was; how grouchy and adorable he was when he visited him in his dank, dirty cell. He crawled closer toward Aradia as she opened the bag, awing at the assortment of herbal flowers he had gathered for her. This would be just enough to get her through the rest of the trip, if rationed equally of course.

"Oh, Eridan, this is positively the kindest thing ever done for me since my moirail-" Eridan gently brushed his lips up against hers, imagining Karkat in her place. He was well aware it was not his matesprit; the energy permeating around the situation was vibrating with Karkat's memory. He pulled away a moment later, it was a light, chaste kiss; it wasn't that he was afraid of contracting the Devourance; he just didn't want to push anything too deep.

"…" Aradia gave him a blank, shocked stare.

"Um…I guess, I'll go noww," he edged out of the tent.

"Um…Y-you too," she breathed, watching him leave without blinking.

Aradia considered her options that day as she lied awake, pondering on the kiss the prince had placed upon her lips. She knew that she was being used, that he didn't actually see her. Rather, he saw Karkat through her deep red blood; its semblance to the plasma of his mutant beloved enticed him. He was lonesome and longed to be besides his mutant beloved again. Likewise, she was lonesome as well. She was dying and did not even allow her matesprit to solace her with the absence of her moirail. Eridan knew this; she was going to die alone just as she wanted. Alas, even knowing that, he had the bravery to go and retrieve the flowers by the banks of the river they followed. The gesture was quite touching.

Considering the situation, she supposed it would not hurt anyone to get involved with the prince if that is what they both wished. He would not see her, she would not see him; only their significant other. Eridan was being unfaithful if he truly desired to be with her for a little while, but then again she'd be dead before they'd reach Karkat. All she knew was that she was alone and was going to die alone, the least she wanted was a connection with someone departed from their lover by means of a tragic possession. Just as this disease possessed her, a diseased troll possessed Karkat.