Ocean Kisses

Shoes

Tango's POV:

I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched Zed attempt to navigate the slippery linoleum floor, slipping and sliding like a freshly-born foal. I thought he was exaggerating when he said the floor was his enemy, but seeing him struggle... yeah, he wasn't kidding.

Impulse was trying to guide him from one side while Skizz was on the other, but no matter how much they tried, Zed would end up on his butt or clutching their arms like a lifeline. He wasn't even attempting to be graceful about it-he was just holding on for dear life, like if he let go, he'd fall into some abyss.

"Alright, Zed, one more step and I swear you'll end up on your face," I teased, trying to keep my own balance as we shuffled through the store.

Skizz grinned. "Yeah, he's like a baby giraffe on roller skates. This is hilarious."

Zed shot a look at him, clearly offended but too caught up in his struggle to argue. "I can hear you, you know."

"I don't know, Zed. I'm kinda loving this," Impulse chimed in, grinning. "It's like having a personal rollercoaster ride that doesn't move, and we get to be your safety net."

"I'm not a ride," Zed huffed, clearly embarrassed but trying his best not to fall. We made our way through the store, the whole group now in full support mode-one of us on each side, guiding him like he was an elderly relative on a morning stroll. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Zed had a tendency to overreact to things, but having him wrapped up in this little cocoon of support was... comforting, in a way. It made me feel like we were all in this together.

Eventually, we reached the shoe aisle, where I could see his eyes widen, either in excitement or dread-I couldn't tell.

"Alright, Zed, time to pick out some shoes. No more sliding around," I said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "You're gonna rock these."

Zed hesitated but eventually nodded, his arms still linked with ours like we were guiding a child. "I don't know... do these shoes come with a guarantee? Like a 'no more falling on my face' promise?"

Skizz leaned in with a mischievous grin. "I think they do, actually. Just pick the ones that look the most stylish. They'll help you look less... uh, dangerous on the floor."

Zed shot him a glare, but it was clear he was warming up to the idea of finding something that might help him stay upright. As much as he acted like he was being dragged into this, he definitely wasn't turning back now.

Impulse, ever the optimist, nudged him gently. "C'mon, Zed. You got this. You're going to make it out of this aisle unscathed. And who knows, maybe we can start a new trend with you in your shiny new shoes."

Zed snorted softly. "A trend? Me? In shoes? Yeah, sure."

It wasn't much longer before we finally found something that Zed could walk in without turning into a human-sized slip-and-slide. As much as he pretended to resist, the minute he tried the shoes on, he looked a little more confident. Maybe it wasn't all about the linoleum after all.

"See? You're doing it," I said, giving him a thumbs-up. "Not so bad, right?"

Zed didn't say anything for a moment, but I saw the slight smirk tug at his lips. "I guess you were right. No more sliding for me."

"Good thing," Skizz added, "Otherwise we might have to put a bell on you. Warn the people in the aisle that a crash is coming."

Zed laughed, and for the first time since we walked in, he seemed... genuinely happy. Maybe not the confident "I'm the king of the world" happy, but it was progress. And honestly, that was all we could ask for.