Virgil swung through the trees, Roman always right behind him. Soon, the two were too far into the woods to hear the sounds of the castle. They didn't notice, however, and continued their game.

"You've gotten better, Princey!"

"How much?!"

"Not very!" Virgil smirked back at him. Roman stuck his tongue out in response.

After a few minutes, Virgil noticed the trees were starting to look more familiar. He didn't let the confusion stop him from jumping to the next branch. Roman lunged forward and grabbed at his ankle. The emo quickly climbed up the tree as the other grabbed onto the branch below. Before Roman could catch his breath, Virgil was off again. He didn't think of where he was going, just let his arms carry him wherever they would.

He didn't even notice he was in his treehouse before Roman landed beside him.

"Woah... what is this place?" the prince asked, looking around. "Oh, wait, I know! It's the little treehouse outside the grounds." Virgil's eyes widened as the other reached for a cat plushie. "Aww. Who's this?"

"Don't touch Midnight!!" Virgil lunged forward and grabbed his cat away. Roman held up his hands.

"Woah- sorry... Midnight? Wait... Is this the cat plush you told me about?"

"I-.... uh... no...?"

"Well, why'd you call it Midnight?"

"Seems like a... fitting... name..." Virgil slowly set down the plush.

"Virge..."

"Yes?"

"Is this treehouse yours?"

Virgil froze. "Well, technically, there's no papers on it and it's been out here for more than twenty years so no one really knows and-"

"So, yes."

"... Yeah." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I should've told you sooner. I get it if you don't want to talk to me anymore."

"Why would I not want to talk to you anymore?" Roman tilted his head.

"I mean, this is where I've lived all these years. In a treehouse in the woods..."

"And?"

"... What?'

"Well, you're still Virgil. This doesn't change who you are, which is also the man I fell in love with. It's something you hadn't told me, but... not anything that makes me think less of you. If anything, I love you more."

"But why?"

"You lived out here for so long. By yourself. That takes serious strength. I can't go a day without all of my servants."

"Kinda hard to not go without it when you have to to live."

"Yeah... if you don't mind me asking, what happened...?" Roman sat on the floor of the treehouse.

"What do you mean?"

"... Your parents...? If you're comfortable with telling me-"

"Oh." Virgil froze. "They, um... they're not... with us... anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? There's nothing you could have done."

"I know... It's... more like a sympathy thing." Roman shrugged.

"It's dumb."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"Okay. So-" Roman stopped himself.

"... I've never talked about it." Virgil pulled out a chair from the corner.

"You haven't?"

"Nope." Virgil plopped down in it.

"... Do you want to?"

"Not if you're uncomfortable with people crying around you."

"Of course I'm not. I'm here for you, Virgil," Roman took his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"It just..." Virgil teared up as he let the memories he'd been repressing since that day come back to the front of his mind. "... happened so fast..."

-

A younger Virgil ran through his family's house, the marble floor causing him to slide across it with his warm socks. He giggled and waved his arms around. "Dad! Dad!" the seven year old exclaimed, hugging his stuffed cat close to his chest. "Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?"

His dad turned around, smiling. "How's my favorite little heathen doing?" he asked, saving his work to pay attention to his son. Virgil giggled more.

"Good good good good good!!" He spun around. "I came up with a song!!"

"Really? Well, I would love to hear it!"

"Mhm mhm mhm! Go get Momma!! Then come to the piano room!!" Virgil hugged him and dashed away. He squealed as his puppy chased after him, a small Yorkshire terrier they'd named Athena. Athena barked, causing their two cats to stretch and look up. Both meowed upon seeing Virgil. "Hey, Snowball! Hey, Scary! I'll hug you later!! I made a song!!"

He plopped down on the piano bench and placed his stuffie, Midnight, beside him. "We're gonna show them the song we made," he said to his bird, Green Pea. She whistled along to the Disney steamboat song.

Virgil pressed a key, then another. He began playing the first bit, but stopped after that. "Okay. Where's Momma?"

His mother walked in. An attractive young lady with long, wavy black hair and a sharp face. Her black dress nearly touched the floor, but not quite. When she did smile, her blue eyes shone like a million tiny stars.

Behind her followed his dad. Shorter and stockier, his warm brown hair was always in the same neat hairstyle. He wore a purple button up and black dress pants. He was always smiling, almost as though he were making up for the lack of smiles his wife owned, and brown eyes were constantly filled with curiosity.

"Ready to show us your song, son?"

"Mhm!!" Virgil took a deep breath and started to play. His parents looked on it awe, but then his mother glanced at the window and froze. She gently pulled on her husband's sleeve and nodded toward it. His eyes widened. They stopped Virgil.

"Hey, kiddo," his dad started. "The song sounds wonderful."

"Absolutely. But why don't you go out to the garden for a bit? Tell George we said so." His mom smiled warmly.

"Aww... Can I take Midnight?"

"Sure can!" His dad ruffled his hair. The two leaned down and hugged their son. "We love you."

"So much. Don't ever forget us."

"Of course I won't! You're my mom and dad!! We're gonna be together forever!!"

"Obviously," his mom said tearily. "Go say hi to George."

As Virgil skipped away, unaware of what was happening, his parents stood and looked at each other. "So, this is it," his dad said. Athena slowly transformed into a young woman with choppy brown and black hair, her shorts covered with dirt and tank top torn at the bottom. Scary turned into a man with dark skin and even darker clothes, his eyes a bright green. Snowball's white fur changed into a long coat and tights, and they tied their hair up.

"This is it."

Virgil hopped out into the garden and told George the gardener what happened. His eyes widened and he led the kid out the back gate. A few minutes later, Virgil asked where the smoke was coming from.

He'd figure out late that night that his house had been burned to the ground, his parents inside. The townspeople accused them of being witches, and were infuriated when they couldn't find the kid as well.

George helped him into a treehouse and explained that there was a kid who walked this path everyday to help his parent's farm. All Virgil had to do was say he was an orphan and ask for help. The kid was sweet, so he'd take him back to the farm. Accept help, but don't stay. And don't worry. He'd come back everyday.

-

Patton leaned on the base of the tree, wiping his eyes and fixing his glasses. The treehouse was silent, and he wondered if he'd have to end up punching the heir to the throne. Finally, Roman's voice sounded.

"I'm so sorry, Virgil. That's horrible."

Virgil tearily shrugged. "W-whatever, y'know?"

"They'd... they'd be really proud of you."

"Thanks... I hope..."

"I-... do you need a hug?"

"Please."

Patton sighed and relaxed. After a few seconds, he climbed up to the window. Roman saw him over Virgil's shoulder and smiled. The farmer noticed the prince's eyes were red and his cheeks tear stained.

He crawled into the house and wiped off the books, like usual, then covered Midnight back up with her blanket. Virgil heard movement and looked up, smiling when he saw Patton. "Pat!!"

"It has been so long!" Virgil let go of Roman and flung his arms around Patton.

"Two days, but okay!" Patton hugged him back.

"What have you been up t-" the emo started.

The touching reunion was interrupted by a sweet voice coming from farther in the woods.

"Did I abuse her or show her disdain? Why does she run from me? If I should lose her how shall I regain-?"

Virgil froze dead in his tracks. "Is that...?" he asked quietly.

"The heart she has won from me? Agony, beyond power of speech...

When the one thing you want...

is the only thing out of your reach..."

"T H A T ' S I N T O T H E W O O D S -" Roman started flailing his arms around.

Simultaneously, the two street folk about screamed out shut up, but instead "SSH"-ed him aggressively. Roman stopped and quickly covered his mouth.

"High in her tower she sits by the hour

Maintaining her hair...

Blithe and becoming and frequently humming

A light-hearted air..."

Patton listened closely, then looked at Virgil in confusion. He just shrugged.

"Ah

Agony, far more painful than yours

When you know she would go with you

If there only were doors..."

Roman stopped himself from humming along, instead peeking out the window and looking around for the source. Patton and Virgil immediately pulled him back inside.

"Agony, all the torture they teach

What's as intriguing or half so fatiguing

As what's out of reach?"

"What is wrong with you??" Virgil whispered to Roman.

"That could be someone dangerous!!" Patton warned just loud enough for him to hear. Roman shook his head.

"Am I not sensitive, clever

Well-mannered, considerate

Passionate, charming..."

"No!" he said quietly. "It sounds familiar!"

"You would say a newborn baby's cry sounds familiar, Roman!"

"So? I'm telling you-"

"As kind as I'm handsome

And heir to a throne?"

"I've heard that voice before! Just listen!!"

They stopped and listened some more.

"You are everything maidens could wish for

Then why no

Do I know?

The girl must be mad."

Patton's eyes widened. "Hold on... the way they pronounce their 'i'-s... I've heard that before."

Roman nodded vigorously.

"You know nothing of madness

'Til you're climbing her hair

And you see her up there as you're nearing her

And all the while hearing her-"

Virgil looked between the two. "What is it, mon amour?" questioned the prince.

"I'm probably wrong..."

"Well, tell us anyway, kiddo."

"Ah

Agony, misery, though it's different for each

Always ten steps behind, always ten steps below

And she's just out of reach..."

Virgil thought. "That accent sounds like Logan's."

Patton stopped. "Oh, my god. It does."

"That's what I thought!! Imma go see!!"

"Roman, NO-"

"Agony, that can cut like a knife..."

Roman was already climbing through the trees before the other two could stop him. They had no choice but to follow the prince. He climbed and crouched, listening for where the voice was. Finally, it sang the last line.

"I must have her to wife..."

Roman felt the branch start to give way beneath him. "Uh-oh." He fell down, and a scream came from under him. When he'd opened his eyes, he grinned. "I knew it was you!!"

Logan was being squished under the other, glaring at him. "What are you even- I won't ask. At least it's just you."

Patton and Virgil yelped as they fell onto the others. No one made a move to move, but Patton smiled. "I didn't know you could sing, Lo!!!"