Watchers - 2

"You're rather… bright, but I'm sure we can make the clothes and silver work on you. It'll make you pop in all the right ways, I'm sure." The haedian who'd escorted Xayah to their den said, eyes sparkling as they gave her a toothy grin while looking her over and measuring some spots of her body. "You're smaller than me too by a little bit, but that's nothing some well placed pins can't handle."

When instructed Xayah removed her many pieces of gold jewelry, feeling almost… naked without the weight of it and the sound of it clinking together. Something she was certain wouldn't last long with how the haedian, Eleanor, was digging through their stash of silver to find something that would compliment Xayah's bright colors. 

"The tapestries are incredible," Xayah mused, admiration clear in her voice as she walked over to look at said tapestries and their intricate designs. The beauty of the cosmos laid out on fabric. Constellations and nebula sprawling along the dark canvas and cloth, twinkling and sparkling with whatever magic was imbued within the threads. If she stared at it long enough, it almost seemed like the depictions of the cosmos were… moving. 

"Aren't they? I'm no weaver myself, but I love to just sit and admire the details. It's almost as captivating as the actual stars themselves! I'm one of the painters though, so I can show you more arts if you feel like trying it out." Eleanor mused with a smile as she came out of the closet with an excess of dark silks and heavy fabrics, a pile of intricate pieces of silver jewelry somehow balanced on top. Xayah worried it may all come tumbling down as Eleanor approached, the vayron shifting to go help grab some of it to make her load lighter and easier to manage. An unnecessary worry really, with how Eleanor managed to set everything down without making the stack sway even a little bit.

"Now- stand right over here and don't you move a bit. I don't want to jab you with a pin, afterall." Eleanor instructed, ushering Xayah over to a lightly glowing lantern of sorts. Likely nothing meant for seeing so much as adding to the sparkling of the tapestries near her.

"I'd like to see your paintings," Xayah agreed after a minute, watching her host putt about and around her. The large sections of fabric could easily fit around and compliment Eleanor's much larger frame, but for Xayah? It would be much like a young child playing dress up in their parent's wardrobe. Swimming in fabric and then some. "Are you sure you're okay with giving me some of these clothes? I don't want you to ruin your fabrics to make them fit me."

A right and real worry after Eleanor started marking sections on the cloth with a piece of chalk. Sections to cut off and make smaller to fit Xayah. Which- was that supposed to happen? She was a guest to this clan and this woman's home. Rendering her hosts clothing useless to her host seemed like the opposite of what she should be doing or accepting. But Eleanor waved off her concerns with a light, dismissive sound.

"Don't worry a moment about it, dear. I have more silks than I know what to do with, and I am more than happy to share." Eleanor hummed as she set to work on wrapping and draping the fabric on Xayah, pinning it in place where needed so it wouldn't just fall apart. She had clasps she could secure it to, so the smaller vayron would be able to actually wear it more than just this one time. And hopefully, she'd even be able to run around and do whatever she needed without worry of it somehow coming undone and falling off.

The reassurance from Eleanor helped Xayah relax and actually enjoy being a temporary, living doll to dress up. The fabrics were all so wonderful to the touch, and oh so beautiful and intricate. Eleanor had amazing taste, and an excellent eye for what accent colors to have on the fabrics that would compliment Xayah's natural color palette. The silver jewelry was just the cherry on top of an already wonderful experience. Xayah feeling more and more comfortable by the minute with the heavy fabrics was only added to the moment Eleanor started putting the jewelry on.

Really, it was a mystery who was enjoying the whole process more. The pair were simply two peas in a pod as they made light conversation. Xayah wasn't able to fully appreciate her finished ensemble when Eleanor hurried off to another room in her home with a quick instruction to undress again being tossed behind her.

All of that just to… take it all off again? 

Xayah stared in the direction her host had gone off to for a few seconds before taking everything back off and setting it neatly before her. She had quite a few questions now, her mind swirling with confusion. Which only swirled faster when Eleanor reappeared just as quickly as she left. This time with small pots of glowing… paint?

"This should dry very quickly, but just hold still one more time. It'll be perfect, I promise." Eleanor instructed once again, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she grinned down at Xayah. Offering no explanation for any of the poor vayron's confusion before getting to work.

The sensation of cold, wet paint would've had her skin crawling any other time, but Xayah remained still and closed her eyes when needed. She wasn't sure what exactly Eleanor was painting on her, but the excitement once again proved to be infectious. She wasn't allowed to open her eyes when Eleanor finished either, the haedian instead helping her redress the moment the paint was dry before guiding her over to where she could see her reflection.

"Okay, now… open."

Xayah stared at herself when she opened her eyes, surprised by the glowing white and gold paint that accented her entire body. She could even faintly see the glow through the thick silks! 

"This is incredible," Xayah breathed, a smile growing on her face once more. Eleanor beamed at the compliment, another tiny sound of dismissal leaving her despite her pride. 

"Oh, it's nothing! I just wanted you to look your best. You've got several markings that just needed a little extra to make them pop in the dark, so I simply gave them a coating of glowing paint! Your white markings and those lovely wavy markings of yours." Eleanor explained. 

"I love it. Thank you, Eleanor." Xayah said, focusing on her host now. "Are those paints the ones you mentioned before?"