Prinxiety Oneshots 2

-Steampunk Slums-

A crowded marketplace. Perfect location to pick pockets. It's not the most noble job but it gets food on the table and a roof over my head. Just keep dreaming, one day Butterfly and I will find a better home. For now, taking is what's necessary

Coins. Easy. Few cents can go into savings. Jewelry. More pricey but people can notice. Watches. Gold standard. Every thief targets watches. Other valuables can be sold or traded. Making no ruckus, I successfully stole from unsuspecting people and head over to the underground so that I can turn in what I took

Right near the river was a manhole leading to Thieves Den, a hub for all pickpocketers. I go down the hole and walk through a tunnel, eventually leading to the Den itself. I present the value to Janus, our leader, so that he can look over what I stole

<Janus>
Got any new loot, I presume?

{Roman}
Hopefully. Is there anything good?

<Janus>
I'll be generous. Keep the watch, Prince. You and your precious Butterfly need it

{Roman}
Really? Thank you, Sir! I'll be forever in your debt

<Janus>
The compliment is noted, Prince. You may go now

I nod and start my way back to the slums, the place I unfortunately call home

<Janus>
Oh, and Prince?

I turn to face Janus

<Janus>
You may want to head back to the dump we call the slums quickly today, a little birdie told me that there's some news for you

I nod and thank Janus, going to the poorest place in the city. Opening the old wooden planks fashioned to make a door, I see my Butterfly looking worried. I join him on the stained and ripped scrap of carpet placed on the floor because we don't have any seating

{Roman}
What's wrong, Butterfly?

¥Virgil¥
Did you steal again?

{Roman}
...yes

¥Virgil¥
Ro, it's not right

{Roman}
I know it's not, but it's the only way I know how to get a roof over our heads and food on the table. Janus was generous enough to give us a watch today, one step closer to get out of this dump

¥Virgil¥
Still! You promised me that you wouldn't, especially now that we're going to be parents!

{Roman}
Parents? Did they-

¥Virgil¥
Yes, they did go through finally. Hopefully everything gets sorted out so that we can adopt

{Roman}
I don't want our future child to live here, it's no place to raise kids. There's no heating, clean water, or power, barely enough space and enough food for all of us. Stealing is the only way I know how to get our ticket out of here, your factory job pays you practically nothing because your boss takes away your rightful payment just so they can add it to their own wealth. It's not fair, Butterfly

¥Virgil¥
I wish we could change the way the world is, Ro. But we can't. We're not powerful enough to turn peoples heads

{Roman}
We can, Riots and speeches will be inspiring. They'll get people to join

¥Virgil¥
But it's dangerous and you might get caught and arrested, you know that destroying machinery is now punishable by death Ro. It's safer to continue with our lives rather then starting revolutions

{Roman}
I want to make you happy, that includes a better life for us. If I can please Janus then we'll soon be somewhere other than here. Don't come to the factory anymore, you don't receive your rightful payment and it's slowly damaging your hands, Butterfly

I said, squeezing Virgil's bruised, calloused, and dirty hands from working in the textile industry. Virgil slowly nods, I bring him over to my lap so that he's sitting on it and hug him close

The following day, I was back in the streets pickpocketing strangers. I stole 3 watches, 2 rings, and a few coins. I then hurried to the Den so that Janus could critique my stolen valuables

<Janus>
Keep a watch and the rings, Prince. Selling the watches I let you keep will help jumpstart 2 tickets out of the dump. Find the Antiquities shop near the Apothecary, sell the watches there

I nod and thank him, going to the slums so that I can collect the previous watches Janus let me keep. I loosen one of the old floorboards, retrieving the things Janus let me keep over the years since I started working for him. I find an old bag that Virgil brought home from the factory, stuffing the watches in it

I then go to a small section of the house, seeing if Virgil was taking a nap in our hand-me down bed. It was empty, Virgil was at the factory then even though he'll be penniless when his shift is over. Leaving the house, I go to the Antiquities Shop so that I can earn some money from the watches

The Shop was eccentric and cluttered, more older items were either broken, cracked, or have layers upon layers of mold, dust, rust, or other substances. My worn shoes stepped on broken shards of either glass or ceramic, probably once pieces of windows or vases. The counter had a rusty register on it, a case underneath held smaller items that couldn't fit in the mess. I rung a bell and placed the watches on the counter

An old man wearing goggles and a ragged blue tie appears from behind the counter, startling me. My feet get cut as I stumbled back as I got spooked

|Old Man|
Welcome to my shop, young man! Did I scare ya? Anyway, whatcha got to trade?

I gestured towards the watches that I stole, the Old Man lifts his goggles down so that he can take a better look at the watches after picking them up

|Old Man|
Sterling Silver, no signs of damage, Mother of Pearl clock face. Ya got yourself some real genuine beauties, young man! Now, what do I have in return for these precious things

The Old Man rummaged though his mess, either looking for a particular item or just finding an item that he thinks that I might like

|Old Man|
Come here, young man. Let's see what I have for you in return

I hesitantly went over to the counter, trying to avoid the shards on the floor

|Old Man|
Some bottles, a letter opener, hair pomade, a handkerchief, and extra coins for you, young man. Visit the Apothecary next door for your feet, tell them I sent you

The Old Man winks at me then sends me next door so that I can get my feet healed. I place the items from the Old Man into the factory bag then find the owner of the Apothecary, telling them about my feet and the Old Man

They send me off with extra medicine and bandages after my feet got healed. They also noticed my dehydration and lack of food so I was given some clean water and a package of food to last for 3 days

I returned to the house, seeing Virgil trying to sew some fabric together. His eyes looked very heavy and had dark circles underneath them. His hands were more bruised, dirty, and calloused. I set my bag down, going to Virgil and taking away his sewing supplies. He tried to get them back but I took them from him

¥Virgil¥
Ro, why did you take away my supplies? I was making some clothes for our future child

{Roman}
You need to sleep Butterfly, you're about too anyway since your eyes are super heavy along with having dark circles underneath them

I helped Virgil stand, bringing him to our room. I lay myself and himself down, Virgil immediately closes his eyes. I smile and run my fingers though his hair, going to sleep a little bit later