Title: In Her Shoes
Author: Schlitzie Ramone
Fandom: Freaks (1932)
Character/Pairing: Venus/Elvira Snow
Rating: PG/Teen and Up Audiences
Challenge/Prompt:
slashthedrabble #384: John Denver's Greatest Hits: Perhaps Love
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 400
Date Written: 27 January, 2016
Summary: Elvira (aka Pinhead Zip) literally stands in the shoes of Venus the animal trainer, and a connection forms between them…
Jenny Lee had wanted to curl up in her bunk and take a nap that afternoon, so her sister Elvira decided to take a walk by herself. She felt like she wanted to look her best that day, so she put on her loveliest dress. It was made from rose-pink muslin and was trimmed with ruffles and lace.
Elvira smiled at herself in the mirror as she fastened a matching ribbon around her top-knot, then slipped out of the wagon she shared with Madame Tetrallini, the circus owner, Jenny Lee and fellow carnival performer Schlitzie.
Passing the wagon where Venus lived, Elvira noticed that the animal trainer had left a pair of shoes on the top step, lovely patent leather ankle-boots with high heels, the ones she usually wore in the ring for her performances. Elvira tiptoed up and pulled off her own Mary Jane shoes, then slid her dainty little feet into the boots. Of course they were much too large for Elvira - but wearing them made the sideshow star giggle and blush, as if they had suddenly given her a sensuality and grace that she had not been aware of before. Just like the glorious Venus, she of the golden locks and dazzling smile who caught the eye and captured the hearts of so many men who beheld her. Elvira did not care so much for attracting male attention, but she would have liked Venus to smile at her, too. Venus was so exquisite - she was not only wonderful to look at, she was good and kind and never mocked Elvira and her companions the way the Rollo Brothers and rude members of the audience often did.
Perhaps love itself was in that radiant smile.
Hearing footsteps, Elvira looked up to see Venus standing beside her. And she was smiling, although looking a little puzzled, as she asked, “Why are you wearing my boots, Elvira? You have your own dear little shoes that fit you so much better!”
“I want to be pretty, too,” Elvira said softly, and Venus blushed as Elvira had before, seeing the admiration in the smaller woman’s eyes and melting at the innocence of her adoration, so much sweeter than men’s leering glances and catcalls.
“You’re much more than pretty, Elvira. You are beautiful,” whispered Venus, and bent to kiss her, not on the cheek as she often did, but gently on the lips.