Snake x Duke x Anxiety a.k.a Deceit x Remus x Virgil. Poly dark sides.

Also huge apologies to Pengi11 for being such a horrible person. Please send them lots of love 💜💛💚💜💛💚 I am writing this majorly so that they don't have to be mad at me anymore. I tried really really hard on this so I hope this makes up for what I have done.

The Marci Gras Color ship Heck yass.

STORYTIME!

The prince was to choose a bride to marry tonight. It was supposed to be something out of a fairy tale: a Cinderella story. At least, that was what Virgil's Mother; the Queen's expected to happen tonight. What had actually happened was to her horror and to the delight of crown prince Virgil of Nohr.

The tale begins at the beginning of the night at the ball. Countless women of noble backgrounds from all across the kingdom bowed before Virgil, desperate to marry him and become the queen of the kingdom. Virgil was extremely bored, not even bothering to give verbal acknowledgements to some. They were quite boring. He sighed, feeling no reason for why he should be here. Once the last guest was presented to him, he left the place where he was told to stand and decided to join the bell wearing a purple and black feathered masquerade mask. He changed his outfit to seem like one of the original nobles and he blended into the crowd just as they noticed that he disappeared.

"THE PRINCE IS GONE!!!" 

One middle aged woman shrieked above the quiet orchestra, beginning the madness. Virgil snickered under his breath, the short twink-sized prince blending in perfectly with the surrounding people. Nobody cared that he was the only man in a mask, they were too busy worrying about where he supposedly fled to. The only thing lingering in the back of his mind was how scared his mother was to find him missing. He'll turn up later, no worries, but it still plagued his mind.

Virigl was dancing around, waltzing with men and women alike because he personally doesn't have a preference between either, and found himself in the arms of a rather well built man. Why were they dancing in crisis? His mother assured the guests the guards would find him and she urged them to keep having a wonderful night. Back to Mr. Attractive over here. He had a bushy mustache and broad shoulders. He was quite handsome and his hair had a single silver streak running through the fringe in the front. His chocolate eyes sparkled like fire agate and Virgil felt his face flush underneath his mask. His sleek emerald clothed and slightly off demeanor had Virgil charmed. 

"Ooh, how fun! Had I known this was a masquerade ball I would have brought the mask I had crafted myself and a very fine hat! Of course the blood would have to be wiped from it, but it would make for a fine costume noneoftheless!"

"A fine hat? Are you by chance a hatter fine sir?"

"Oh yes! A very fine hatter! The best hatter in the entire red kingdom! My ancestors have made hats for the royalty of this kingdom and the white kingdom for ages! Though since the evil queen of hearts my family had been banished from the castle. It is nice to have one of my lineage back in the castle, even if that purpose is not for hattering but for dancing. Dancing is my third favorite hobby."

"Third? I suspect as you put it 'hattering' would be your favorite. What's your second favorite hobby?"

"Why, if I told you I'd have to kill you good sir! You are a joy to dance with! Just try not to be so self conscious of your feet. It's quite rude to keep looking down and being anxious when you dance with someone. Until we meet again!"

Virgil was spun around and thrust into the arms of another extremely attractive man before he could process the face of that man leaving his sight. His face was already flushed under his mask, with that sentence and the suave disposition of his new dance partner his blush only intensified. This man wore yellow gloves and a dark yellow coat, no white clothing on his body. His entire aesthetic was black and yellow  demanding attention and breaking out the Moreno natural tones of his skin, eyes, and hair. His left eye had suffered from some accident and was covered with a black eyepatch. His smile was charming and made Virgil melt in his grasp. He was much taller than the man adorned in green. This man guided him through every step and used his hand to keep his eyes off his own feet. Jeez, Virgil was too awkward a dancer for his own good, but he was having fun and that is what matters.

"My dear, keep your eyes on me. I want to try and see their beauty through the mask but you are too worried about your own performance. If you are doing horrible, I wouldn't tell you anyways, so just relax and have a fun night with me~"

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you good sir?"

"And you're quite the adorable little boy. I see you have just finished waltzing with Remus. Honestly he can be such a chore. He is quite mad as you'd say. I'm surprised he isn't a court jester with the way he talks and moves. ...You hadn't met Remus nor I before have you?"

"No, I'm afraid not. I apologize if that is a bad thing."

"Ha Ha, you need to relax. You're too awkward for your own good. It's just that we are quite the renowned characters within the capitol. Remus for his job as a hatter, and I for my impressive magical skills. I'm afraid our time dancing together is up, but if you ever see me again please do not hesitate to see me. I'd love to get to know you more, Masquerade Boy~"

Virigl was spun once again and made contact with a woman, which meant he had to lead the dance this time. Over his shoulder and in the corner of his eye the emerald and the golden man had managed to end up together for the last round of this particular waltz. Virgil pursed his lips, hardly paying attention to his feet and only being interrupted by his thoughts when the woman before him yelped and he accidentally stomped on her toes. He apologized profusely, but she assured him she was okay. The music stopped and everyone dispersed to make merry. Virgil had to go and see those two men again.

Virgil pushed througn the crowd with such a haste that a small spill of wine stained his hair. He didn't mind. Sneaking under and around people was one of the many perks of being a skinny and short boy. He had finally found the two sipping wine and having a laugh together, secluded from the rest of them party. The emerald man noticed him first, waving with a huge grin. The golden man rolled his eyes at the informal behavior of his comerade.

"It seems our little mouse had come back to us after all, Deceit! That means you owe me twenty picrats whenever we leave the ball."

"Damn. I thought you were socially inept, which made me lose a bet. I assure you, it's rare when I lose a bet."

"Deceit is quite the gambler, little mouse! Ha ha!"

The golden man gave the emerald man two large golden coins, each worth ten picrats. The emerald man eagerly shoved them into the pocket of his coat. Virgil smiled weakly, having a wonderful time. He was then thrust forward into the arms of the golden man when a portly woman accidentally bumped into him. Was it the same woman who shrieked before? He didn't care. He just felt his blood go cold when he felt his mask fall off and he looked up to see a shocked expression in the golden man's singular eye. Virgil confirmed that the woman who bumped into him and the woman who shrieked before were one in the same when she shrieked yet again:

"I FOUND THE PRINCE!!! HE IS RIGHT HERE!!!"

Virgil felt the tears of shame sting in his eyes. He ducked his head and sprinted towards one of the doors leading to the outside garden from the ballroom. Guards and nobles alike chased after him, however he was too limber and deft for them to catch. He jumped onto a wall and began to scale it once in the garden, knowing the garden like the back of his own hand. He jumped on every loose brick he could and scrabbled to get to a hidden passageway he had created to get back through the eastern wing and go to the roof. He never once did look back, but he left a trail of tears behind him.

He climbed up to an impossible height on the roof and gazed up at an empty moon, the stars twinkling with all their might to compensate for the lack of moonbeams. Virgil wiped his eyes and ruined the makeup he worked hard to put on, even though he wore a mask. His mask was gone and he looked down and noticed his left shoe was missing. Go figure. Virgil grumbled as the kicked the other one off with hostility and heated it into the most of the castle from the roof. He turned around and walked towards the back of the castle, sitting down and staring at the garden. Those fools looking for him. They couldn't find a prince who didn't want to be found.

Everything was so perfect until that woman ruined it. He had found two attractive men to dance with and had learned their names. Or so he thought. The emerald one was named Remus and the yellowed one had a peculiar name. Was his true name Deceit. Virigl sighed and let tears stream down his face along with his black eyeliner and mascara. Who cared how ugly he looks now? Nobody is going to see him. He shall refuse to budge until this blasted ball is over. He doesn't even care.

"I told you we'd find him up here! I am much more clever than you give me credit for, Deceit!"

That voice... Virgil whipped his head to the right and saw Remus moving a tile in the roof and jumping up, landing in his feet. He stretched an arm out through the hole he made and lifted Deceit up. The emerald and golden men were here. The tile was replaced in the roof and they both turned to the dishelved prince who had been hugging his knees and weeping like a child. They both had frowns on their faces. They didn't move. Deceit was the first to speak. 

"That was quite a show in there, Prince Virgil. You sure left the crowd... satisfied."

"Yeah right. I know you're lying. I just don't want to get married to some stranger like mom insists. She wants me to marry a woman i don't even know! I just... It's too much and I'm so young. Is it wrong for me to try and fall in Love first?"

Virgil sniffled, feeling a slight burden off his chest. He had never told anyone of that before, so why did he say it to these two strangers? They hardly felt like strangers. They felt like they were... Virigl didn't know. Virgil just knew he trusted them without having any reason to. Remus, the emerald man, walked forward and sat next to Virgil on his left, wrapping an arm over his shoulders. 

"I have an idea. Why don't you show your mother who's boss and leave for a few days? Show her that you are a strong independent prince who doesn't need to follow her rules! You can stay with me and Dee over there!"

"Because that plan would definitely show the queen exactly what Virgil needs to convey. Brilliant work Remus. 100 IQ."

"Gods, Deceit, you don't have to be so sassy with me I'm just trying to help our little mouse out here!"

Virgil pursed his lips, thinking about Remus's proposition. Running away for a few days doesn't sound too bad. Just escaping off into the night not to be seen again for a few days. That would teach mom to try and tell him what to do. But he loves his mom. He doesn't want her to worry about him. That would eat him away from the inside through there the entire time he was gone. She must be worried sick about him. Virgil needs to talk to his mother somehow, but he does want to run away for a few days. Run away with Remus and Deceit. Okay, his mind is made up.

"Wait for me by the gates. I'm running away."

Without another word, Virgil stood up and ran to the side of the roof, jumping off and landing into the hedges of the garden. The garden staff can fix the indention. Virgil ran into the castle, around the ballroom, and went to his mother's Chambers where he found her weeping, just like he had. She was alone. Perfect. Virgil walked up to her slowly, trying not to be awkward or cry in the middle of talking to her. When she lifted her head and saw him, she took her only son into a warm and loving embrace.

"Virgil! I was worried sick! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why would you-"

"Mama, I'm running away for a few days. I don't want you to worry about Me. I know you'd be just like this if I didn't tell you. I don't need you to baby me or come looking for me or send Knights with me."

"Virgil, don't you have any idea how dangerous-"

"I know, but it's time for me to grow up and learn how to be a man. Being out there for a few days will help me, Mama. I promise."

Virgil placed his hand on the side of his mother's face, wiping away a tear that fell. She sighed, knowing her son was so stubborn when he had his mind made up. She weakly nodded and Virgil turned to leave. The queen did nothing. She just stood there and watched him climb out of a window down the corridor so he woudlnt Be caught. She smiled and wiped away another tear. He was becoming just like his father, wasn't he? The queen didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Virgil took nothing with him and he ran for the gates, hopping it quickly to jump right between Remus and Deceit. He did what he had to and got what he wanted. He looked between the two.

"Come on now, let's go."

And off they went. So in a way, The Queen got what she wanted. She got a Cinderella story for her son. He lost his shoe and his mask at the ball and the two men who became his princes charming went to search for him. Virgil was happy with these two and would only grow happier. The mad hatter and the tricky magician have captured the young prince of the red kingdom's heart. 

Virigl got his happy ending, and that is where our story shall end.

2500 Words

Jordan I hope this serves as much of an apology as it needs to be. As you can see by word count alone I really did do my best to make it up to you for being such a bad friend and a bad prompt swap author. I may be indecisive about prompts and not be in a good mental place right now, I still want you to be happy. That's what Is most important.

Advice for today? Own up to your actions and take responsibility. I think that speaks for itself.

Internet hugs and blow kisses!

~Eva