Virgil shrugged. "I don't know." He admitted. "I guess I could try stay but..." Virgil trailed off and shrugged again. "I'm not sure, Princey."

Roman smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Virgil looked up at the sky, dullish grey clouds floating over the stars. It looked like it was going to rain.

"I'm glad I met you, Vee." Roman said.

"You've already said that, Princey." Virgil said with a small, fond smile.

"I know." Roman said, shrugging. "But I'll say it again because it's true." Virgil laughed.

"You're odd, Princey." Virgil said. "In a good way." Roman laughed.

"In what way?" He asked. Virgil shrugged.

"I'm not sure." He said. "You're nothing like how I thought a prince would be."

"How did you think I would be as a prince?" Roman asked. Virgil shrugged again.

"I can't honestly remember. Um..." Virgil ran his free hand through his hair. "I think I thought you'd be pompous. Pristine. Spoilt, definitely spoilt."

"Well, am I not?" Roman asked. "I would say I'm spoilt, I've got the whole kingdom at my beck and call."

"Yeah, true. But you don't act it." Virgil said. "You just don't act like how I thought a prince would act."

Roman laughed. "I suppose I'll take that as a compliment." He said. "You're odd too, you know."

Virgil laughed through his nose. "Don't I know it." He said. "But go on. I said how you're odd, how'm I odd?"

Now Roman shrugged. "The way you talk, your ideals. By all evidence, you're a servant but you don't talk like one."

Virgil laughed. "Oh, thank you." He said sarcastically. Roman nudged him.

"Hey, I'm serious." Roman said. "You talk like someone of noble blood. Re says you could've just picked it up from the 'beastly family' you work from but it doesn't sound taught. The inflictions you put on some words, the words you use, even..." Roman trailed off, like he was collecting his thoughts. "You're just odd, Vee, that's all." He said eventually.

Virgil laughed under his breath. "Thank, Princey." And now it was sincere. "I was expecting something much, much worse."

"What were you expecting?" Roman asked. "If-"

"I don't mind your asking, Princey." Virgil assured. He let out a little sigh. "I guess I was expecting some correlation to the Devil."

"Why on Earth would you expect that?" Roman asked. The question should've sounded accusing and prying but, somehow, it didn't. "You're the kindest person I've ever met, why would you expect that from anyone?"

Virgil smiled down at his feet. "Thanks, Princey." He said quietly. He sighed a little. "Ever since I was a kid, people - well, a person - have been calling me 'Little Devil'." He said, putting air-quotes around the nickname. "They said it was because my black hair is proof of my black soul, which is a correlation to the Devil himself." Virgil sighed a little again. "Not the best nickname to grow up with as a child."

"Vee, I am so sorry." Roman said. "I am so, so sorry that ever happened to you."

Virgil shrugged and slipped his hand out of Roman's, hugging his elbows. "What does it matter whether someone's sorry or not?" He asked. "It's already happened and it's going to keep happening until I can get my house back."

"I'm going to help you." Roman promised. "I'm going to do everything in my power to help you, I promise."

Virgil smiled a small, slightly bitter smile but said nothing.

Well, that's dismal.
Bye,
Blaize