With an expected reaction Cordelia puffed up her chest ready to protest but just pouted a little before mumbling to herself. "Stingy...." By the end of the night she was going to get him to accept her offer of help. And if not by tonight she would pester him in the morning. Really she was going to bug him till he said yes.

After a few greetings and some conversations she was back to bugging Klaus. This time she got really close to his face so they were a few inches apart and poked his cheek with her finger. "Why won't you let me help you? You seems to disapprove of your chores. We all have them but you seem the most upset about it. But you are really grumpy. So you probably dislike everything..." she said with a little smile happily talking to him even if he didn't respond.

"Not everything. Geez. I do have interests. But everything I like gets taken away and I end up here. Why am I even telling you this?"He stood, almost knocking his water down. "Klaus, your needed out back." He rolled his eyes and moved to the back, finding a stack of dishes. He sighed and looked back at her. "You can help but only because I'm tired and I want to get to bed."

Cordelia scamper a few feet away from the table as the water almost toppled over, she had a stunned look on her pale face. That was way too close. Taking a deep breath she looked over at him then grinned like nothing was wrong. She was glad he talked to her, to her it meant he was warming up to her and one of these days they might actually have a conversation. "Thank you!" Cordelia said with a happy little dance before running to the towels and grinned at him. "I'll dry." She said humming happily. Then she attempted her next quest a conversation."So what are your interests if you don't dislike everything?"

He paused looking at her and lowered his eyes to the sink. He started to wash the dishes. "Well...sleep." He mumbled then frowned. That wasn't a good answer. "Animals. I don't really know." He said, rinsing off the dish and handing it to her. He sunk another plate under water and cleaned it. His eyes felt heavy.

It had been a long day and already he felt tired, even through he was going to miss out on the bonfire and night time treats, he much rather go to sleep and forget for a few hours where he was.

With a smile she looked at him out of respect as she spoke to him. "If that is what you like then you haven't lost everything when you ended up here. We have lots of animals and you always get to sleep. So is it really that bad?" she asked conversationally wanting to get him to talk more. Even though what he was saying was an improvement to the grumpy rudeness.

She took the plates he gave her in hands that were covered in towels like she was afraid of the water. For her she was still full of energy and was humming while she worked rocking back and forth on her feet. Always had to be moving or doing something.

He snorted and almost dropped a plate. " Not really." He said quickly, paying attention to the dishes. outside he could hear cheering and loud laughter. He glared down at the dishes. "Anyway, how I suppose to get sleep with them hooting and hollering?" He said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. He was normally a light sleeper. The urge to tent out in the forest sounded better than getting a few hours of sleep.

Her smiled widened with his reply but she worried for the dish that was almost dropped by his reaction to her question. For his question though she was quite confused. The noise never bothered her but it probably helped she was a heavy sleeper. When her head hit the pillow she was out cold. "Um, how about earplugs? Or you can just join them. Time will fly before you know it and everyone will be off to sleep. Can't stay up all night we have to work." she suggested. Trying to think of ways to make his stay here more pleasant. She wanted him to enjoy it not deal with it.

He ignored her ideas. He finished the plates and wiped his hands. 'Well that's it besides locking up the animals. See you later." He said, walking out of the tent. He walked over to the stables and started to pull the chains through the door and locking the doors shut. He handed the keys to his uncle and decided it was time to zone out and wonder off to dreamland.

Cordelia sighed a little when he left only staying positive over the 'see you later' part. Gave her some hope that she would get to bother him again. Picking up the clean dishes she carried them off to their destined places. Then like the owners nephew she left to her tent to fall asleep. Even though she was humming happily and seemed to be full of energy she wasn't. Plus her hammock bed was feeling really inviting to lay in.

[{Well, I'm going to head off now. Night!}]

Klaus entered his and his uncle's tent and quickly fell onto his bed. He shrugged out of jacket and shirt. The cold breeze caused him to shiver. He crawled into his bed and lay, listening to the rumble of cheers from the gang outside. He sighed, turning onto his side, flipping the pillow over his head.

When Cordelia got into her small tent she took off all her jewelry tossing them into another chest and pulled her hair back before pulling herself up into her bed. She loved the hammock because it allowed her to feel like she was floating like when she was in the water. So sleep came to her quickly even through the commotion outside.

~~~

Even as morning came Cordelia was curled into a ball on her hammock still asleep. Wasn't a morning person and hated waking up only to forget any dream she was having. Someone always had to come wake her up. It always changed too, depended on the first person to notice she wasn't around and then they might do it or yell at someone else too.

Klaus was woke up extra early, nearly having to be pulled from his bed. He sulked behind his uncle, wearing a Japanese style robe. His face even more grim from the day before. "Right now, you are to wake up the slow risers and unlock the animals. Then you can take two hours off. " His uncle turned away to get dressed for the day ahead.

Klaus stood, unsure who wasn't awake and who was. He walked up to the ticket vendor and cracked opened the door. "Who's up and who isn't?" The vendor smiled, he craned his neck out of the box to look around. "Well...It looks like Cordelia is the only one left. Her tent is that way." He nodded and thanked him.

He couldn't believe he had to wake her up. He pulled back her tent and let the sunlight inside. "Hey....Hey! Get up."

Cordelia was still fast asleep in her hammock that gently swung back and forth. In the night she had moved enough that the slit in her skirt exposed her fair skinned legs and her hair was about to fall out of the bun she had it in. Then the most shocking was the calm look on her face, it actually made Cordelia look her actual age of 19 instead of a mere child. The lack of jewelry was a plus too, actually looked on the normal side minus her insane hair color.

So when Klaus yelled at to wake up she only stirred in her sleep mumbling a little, "Go away...." and rolled over onto her other side. Being the deep sleeper she was yelling at her wasn't going to wake her up and if she disliked how she was awoken, there would be revenge. Why people avoided getting her up and seeing as the nephew was new they would all be counting on him.

He sighed, glancing around the room for something that might wake her. He was surprised how she looked, sleeping so peacefully. "Oh come on...I have things to do." He scratched his head. He grinned, untying the top of her hammock. He waited until she fell before bending down to make sure she was awake.

The girl instantly woke when she felt her body fall and then hit the ground, she let out a little hiss. Her eyes never opened though she didn't want to know how did so she wouldn't have to regret her next action. Cordelia being the vengeful person she was literally swung her leg at the person looking over her to kick them anywhere she could reach. Then with that she slowly sat up still unwilling to open her eyes so the bright sun could torture her now.

"Yeah, morning to you too." He said, moving away from her kicking feet. He left the tent, proud of his work and hurried to get the stables unlocked and the animals ready for the show. A sharp tug on the back of his robe made him stop. "What's with the outfit?" It was Barley, the ticket vendor. "Nothing, got work to do." He snapped, ducking away from his grip. He unlocked the stables.

He put his hands on his hips. Two hours to do whatever he wanted. He felt too awake to go back to sleep. He stretched his arms up and yawned. Another day at the circus. He sat down, getting a plate of breakfast and a glass of water. He munched on his food, ignoring the soft chatter all around him.

With a little stretch Cordelia pulled herself up off the floor and fixed her hammock that Klaus had to go and untie. She wasn't going to let him off easily for that one. Now awake she dug through her clothes. This time she wore a halter top that once again left her stomach bare and a skirt that had two slits up the sides so when she walked some skin of both her legs would be revealed. Then she never left without some jewelry, ankle bracelet, arm band, necklace, bracelets. Only difference was Cordelia pulled her hair back in a half up-do.

Walking across the circus ground she got to work in taking care of her pets. Only once did she go to the kitchen to get a piece of toast glancing over at Klaus wondering what he was wearing but went on her way. Cordelia was the type who got her chores done right away then ran off to have fun. In her tent she had pulled off the tarp and was feeding her fish.

"Busy at work I see." One of the acrobats, Amelia, a tall lengthy woman that Cordelia envied. Came to check on the girl and ask for a favor. "Hey Ame!" Cordelia greeted with a big smile before climbing down her ladder to talk to the woman. Only to be asked if she could help with one of Amelia's acts, because Cordelia was quite the gymnast with all her flips and little tricks. As payment Cordelia was able to give her chores of setting up to Amelia.

Soon enough Cordelia sat down next to Klaus and grinned at him snickering. "What are you wearing?" She asked trying to keep a strait face but a smile was curling the corner of her lips.

"A kimono. I'm too tried to get out anything else from my trunk." He mumbled with his mouth full. He glanced up at her. "Never been to Japan?" He asked, picking up another piece of toast. He moved his glass of water closer ot him in case she decided to pour it on him.

He glanced at his uncle and frowned. The man seemed so happy. Yet when he had first heard Klaus was coming he was upset. He knew just how hard it was for people to get used to living on the go. He smiled at Klaus but only got a frown in reply.

He bit into his toast and ignored his uncle's stare. Klaus's father and uncle were twins. After Klaus's father got married and moved away from the circus, his brother was left without hearing from his twin for years until his death. He hadn't even known that Klaus had been born.

Cordelia had no idea what a kimono was she just found what he was wearing amusing in a funny way. Had though more of it as a robe you would wear to bed or after a bath, not as clothing. With a sigh she rested her chin on her hand and looked over at Klaus. "Never. I've been here since I was a child." she said thinking he was on the lucky side. Moving all the time was the only hard part about the circus. "What is it like?" she asked chuckling at how the water moved away from her.

While looking at the young man Cordelia reached over to push the corner of his lip up. She wanted to see if he could actually smile or if his face was in a permanent frown. Even though she had seen him smile for a second, she was wondering if it was just an illusion. And yes Cordelia had no idea of the personal space bubble so touching Klaus after just meeting him wasn't anything new with her. She was planning to force his lips into a smile but he was eating so she didn't attempt it.

Slightly bored she looked over to see his Uncle looking at Klaus so she waved him over wanting him to join them at the table. Not even oblivious to how much the grumpy one would disapprove of it. She just felt bad for the owner that he had to stand so far away.

Klaus batted her hands away. "I don't know...I never went. My dad did." As his uncle came over he slouched down, quickly finishing his glass of water. "Good morning. How are you today Cordelia?" Tomas asked, looking down at his panicky Nephew.

Klaus grabbed his plate and glass and whisked them away to the back. After thinking about his dad it felt strange being around his uncle. After all he had just met the man and already was starting to feel the shock of having to live with him. He watched the two from behind the curtain. It was hard to see his uncle. He was a clone of his deceased father.

Coredlia smiled at Tomas then offered him a chair seeing as Klaus ran away leaving her clueless as to why. The two men were living together so she didn't understand the tension between them. "I'm doing great like usual. How are you?" she asked talking to him now that Klaus disappeared. If she couldn't get him talk she knew his uncle would. They were both use to the circus life and she practically saw Tomas as a family member since she joined the circus at such a young age.

"Great. Bit worried about Klaus though. He's still in shock I suppose." Tomas said, removing his top hat. Klaus got himself another drink and quickly finished it. He walked past them and went outside, going to explore the wild animals.

"You see after his father died, He lost the house and everything else to repay his father's debts. He's a good kid but after suffering from three deaths, I'm not surprised he's a bit...gloomy." Tomas muttered.

Cordelia listened quietly going through many facial expressions, glad to learn more about Klaus. "Don't worry so much Tomas. I believe he will come around sooner or later. I can't believe it is easy loosing everything then having to come live at a traveling Circus. I guess I was lucky you found me at a young age. But I can tell you this he is still able to smile." she spoke with a gentle smile as she crossed her legs. She was trying to figure out what it was like to have someone close to you die. Everyone close to her now was a live and in the very camp. For some reason she wanted Klaus to feel the bond everyone had. How they were a giant family.

"If you don't mind me suggesting you should let him relax for awhile and get use to the.. craziness of this place. I can do his chores for him. He has been complaining about them and you know I don't like when people are gloomy. So smile I'm here to help you. It is my turn to return the kindness you've shown me. The least I could do." she said trying to help, Tomas seemed to be unsure what to do and she didn't mind driving Klaus crazy some more.

Tomas scratched his head. "Well...I had a feeling that was what was bugging him but it is best he knows how to do things. I can't just let him roam around all day. How about this, You can help him with his chores and he'll help with whatever you need him for. Help him meet the others and such."

Klaus stood in front the tigers' cage. He watched them pace back and forth. He sat down in front of the cage. He had only seen tigers once before as a child but never had he been able to sit so close and watch them.

Cordelia chuckled a little. "If you can get him to allow me to help then your idea might work. But every time other then once he has denied my assistance. I'll introduce him to the other normal ones. I don't think he is ready for the others like me. He believes I use something to breath underwater and my tail is a costume." she laughed smiling his reaction when he figured out the truth would be grand. But she stayed seated before she got permission to go and the she would find the young man and give him the wonderful news.