His mouth hurt. His chest burned. Terezi was squeezing his wrist so hard he was sure she was going to rip it off shortly.

They had made it to the carnival.

Everyone who was there was young, and that wasn't just because all the adult trolls were not on the planet. It was because it was for wrigglers. Karkat was sure they were the oldest ones there.

"Shit, Terezi, I don't like it here," he said grimly, as she hauled him forward. "Everyone is a fucking wart on the face of a hideous beast. They ooze puss and lick it up. Also they are staring at your shirt, not that you can tell."

She ignored him and managed to tighten her grip. He flinched and scowled even deeper.

But he could see why she liked it there. It was colourful, and even without that it had a range of smells. Most of them were horrible and disgusting, but if he was blind maybe he'd appreciate it more.

Terezi stopped so suddenly he almost crashed into her. Finally, she dropped his arm, and he rubbed his wrist gently. His eyes wandered up.

They were at a bench.

"The fuck? You dragged me all the way here to sit on a bench?" he spat.

"Stupid nubby. You are stupid. Wait here like a good wriggler while I get something." She forced him down on the bench, smacking the side of his head with her cane. "Don't go anywhere."

"Whatever. If you're not back soon I will just fucking leave you here," he replied, watching her carefully. The statement seemed to amuse her, as the sides of her mouth pulled upwards. He gave a small tug on her shirt sleeve.

"Did you really have to fucking wear my shirt here?"

"Yes!"

She spun around, wandering off into a crowd of wrigglers. He watched her go for a moment, then looked upwards. The sky was positively boring. But he'd rather watch it then have to look at any of the fucks watching him.

They hadn't talked much on the way over, and Karkat almost regretted it. He really did want to get a proper answer out of her. There had to be some way to get her to understand. Fuck, he didn't just pity her. Why was it so hard to get across?

His chest hurt.

There was a thump on the bench beside him. He looked over.

"Terezi, what the fuck is that?"

She was holding a giant bag of tri coloured...something. It looked like clouds, but more idiotic.

"It's cotton candy! We must start our wonderful time here with a delicious treat! Hehehe."

She began to tear the bag open with her claws. He rolled his eyes. "I am not eating carnival food. I am only here to-"

She stabbed his cheek with a piece.

"That wasn't my fucking mouth-"

That time she got it.

He decided not to chew it, but it didn't matter. It melted on his tongue anyway. It was almost too sweet. It was pure sugar. It wasn't the worst thing he had ever eaten, but on principle there had to be complaints.

"Tere-"

Fuck, he really should have seen a second piece coming. At least he could eat it quickly. It would have been romantic if it wasn't so damn frustrating.

He watched her this time, and was able to wrestle the bag from her hands when she seemed a bit more distracted than usual.

"Stop feeding me," he snapped.

"But nubby, it's delicious!" she replied cheerfully. "I am having fun!"

"I bet you are, you damn sadist," he muttered. She leaned over casually, grabbing the bag of cotton candy, but was unable to pull it from him. She frowned.

"Nubby, I want to eat it too you know."

He kept his grip firm. It wasn't often he could bother her back.

However, all the bothering was cut very short, as Terezi decided the obvious best fucking solution was to start hitting him. With her cane. Right between his horns.

"Shit, where in your empty pan did you decide this was going to be the best course of action?" he shouted, trying to shield his head. She just smacked his arms instead.

"You're hogging the cotton candy."

He should just throttle her then and there. Fuck romance. Instead, he muttered one of his favourite swears, and held out the cotton candy.

Terezi hit him again.

"Take the gogdamn shitass candy!" he shoved it against her chest. "Gog, I keep forgetting you're blind."

She snatched the package, and began eating. He could tell she was being wary of him. As if he was going to try and take the shit again. It wasn't even that delicious. Fuck, why was he even here?

"Nubby."

He glanced back over at Terezi. She was offering him another piece.

"Whatever, Terezi. Whatever," he grumbled, taking it from her. Might as well just eat the shit and get it over with.

He leaned back on the bench, closing his eyes. Okay, so the day wasn't starting that well. Fuck, maybe it would improve.

He felt her grab his wrist again. Time to get dragged around again, he supposed.

At first, they wandered through all the stalls, as Terezi got happier with everything she passed. She would ramble about the colours, and the smells, and he would scowl and swear a few replies. But she seemed more excited then usual. Her whole face would light up.

"Nubby, let's go feed some animals!" she declared, stopping in the middle of her walking. "I'm sure some of them don't bite, so don't worry your stupid tiny pan about it!"

"Why would I want to feed some fucking asswipe lice covered wriggler animals?" he spat back, but he didn't resist as much when she began to pull him again.

The pens were a bit small, and there were a few wrigglers and assholes wandering around. Terezi was already against the fence, having abandoned his wrist. She was grinning and pointing.

Karkat glanced around, seeing the box of decaying meat that was used to feed some of the animals. He grabbed a few pieces, making his way back over to Terezi.

"Nubby, thanks!" she said, hopping the fence. She reached back, grabbing a piece with a bit of effort. "Just wait, leader! I will show you how to tame vicious meatdeer."

Meatdeer were not that vicious, but he decided to not point that out. Terezi was smart. She knew. She looked ridiculous, waiting patiently, as the meatdeer came up and sniffed the hunk of gog knew what in her hand.

The stupid animal of course ate it. He didn't have enough braincells to figure out that it was probably meatdeer it was eating. Gog, animals were stupid fucks.

"Karkat, c'mon! Don't be such a douche."

"I am not a douche. I am so fucking awesome that meatdeer flee at my very scent."

In reality, he just didn't want to risk getting bitten. Terezi frowned, coming back over to the fence.

"Nubby, you are stupid."

"Terezi, you are a smelly bitch."

She grinned, feeling his shoulders. He raised an eyebrow. What the fuck did she think she was doing, just feeling him up from across a fence?

If only. She grabbed him under his arms, and hauled him forward. His legs awkwardly hit the fence as she pulled him over it, and he landed in a heap.

"Terezi, you asshole!"

She laughed. "Feed them with me!"

Argh, whatever. She placed the food back in his hand, and he waited. Maybe if he just did this, he could go back.

The meatdeer were hideous. And stupid. One walked up, sniffed the food, and Karkat silently prayed it would just eat the food and not his hand.

Thankfully, his hand was spared. Terezi patted the creature on the head, muttering something idiotic.

Okay, it wasn't that horrible.

Terezi's mood was infectious. Like some kind of horrible disease. Karkat almost found himself smiling as they cornered a pricklebeast, in an attempt to see exactly how prickley they were. The answer was very, but thankfully Terezi figured that one out and nursed a small cut quietly.

Afterwards, they wandered away from the animals, and to some stalls. It was stupid. Terezi couldn't play shooting games well, because she was fucking blind. But they still let her like idiots, and she insisted on trying every single one. Karkat only played a few, and only because he feared for his limbs.

It wasn't fun.

He collected a stupid stuffed crab for hitting a leaf frog with a beansack. The idiotic thing was red.

"Here, Terezi. You can have this piece of fuck."

She turned, mouth full of another pile of cotton candy. She swallowed. "You won me something, nubby? How sweet!"

"No, Terezi, I did not fucking win it for you. I was forced to take it from that pan demented clerk after playing your idiotic wriggler vomit games."

She took the plushie, grinning. "I will dub him Sir Candy McGrump."

A smile tugged at his mouth. No. He did not smile. He only scowled and scowled more. But he guessed it didn't matter so much. Terezi couldn't see, after all.

"Enjoy," he muttered. She pinched his cheek.

"I will, nubby! Don't worry."

Fuck, when had it even gotten so late? Had he really wasted a day letting Terezi drag him around wrigglers? He hadn't even noticed most of the time passing. He wasn't sure Terezi had either.

"Hey, asshole. Sit," he gestured to a bench. Terezi paused, sniffing around, but soon nodded. She plopped down on it with a delighted smile on her face.

"Sit with me, nubby." It wasn't a question.

"Give me a minute. Just don't move your ass."

There was one thing he knew she was waiting for, too. Really, it was a puzzle why she hadn't bought it before and forced it down his throat. Maybe she was too excited to remember. Or maybe she wanted him to get them.

"How can I help-"

"Give me two fucking candy apples if your pathetic pan can process that request."

That was always the best way to order food. Swearing at people.

The dipwad took long enough to hand them over. He wandered his way back to the bench. The carnival had a lot fewer wrigglers now. Their lusus had probably brought them back home by then.

Terezi was playing with the crab. She looked up as he approached.

"Nubby, did you-"

"Have a fucking candy apple."

He held out the treat, and she placed Sir Candy McGrump to the side. She took the candy apple, and took a bite. He settled down next to her.

"Try it, nubby!"

He eyed the piece of candy in his hands. He never thought he'd ever eat something quite that fucking red. But it did look good.

No, fuck. He couldn't surrender that easily.

He glanced over at Terezi. She was watching him, as well as she could. Fuck. Fucking shit ass, he couldn't make her wait.

He took a bite.

Gogdamnit, it was delicious.

She giggled. "You like it?"

"Fuck off. Shut up. Crawl into a hole and rot there, and then I will use your flesh to feed meatdeer."

"So, yes."

He didn't reply, and took another bite. Terezi practically inhaled hers, and was back to playing with the crab before he was even half finished. At least she was happy.

He was picking pieces out of his teeth when she spoke again.

"Hey, nubby!"

"Yeah?"

"Are carnivals still for wrigglers and assholes?"

She was mocking him. She knew he had enjoyed himself that day. The smile crept over his face again.

"Yeah, they still fucking are. Nothing has changed. If anything, coming today just proved my point. Congratulations, Terezi. You succeeded in proving I am smart today."

"Stupid."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He didn't even give a shit she had never answered him. It almost didn't matter anymore. It was enough they'd had a day together.

"Nubby, you're being awfully nice," she sounded a bit wary.

"Don't get used to it. I must have gotten fucking sick from being around these idiots all day."

The laughter again. He curled his fingers over her one hand. They should get back to his hive or something, but fuck if he was moving yet. He had actually enjoyed himself. The hive wasn't going anywhere.