Not Your Typical Insurrection 👑 TnT Duo !!!

ménage

Quackity spends the next few days in recovery. He feels fine by day two, but the idea of dealing with people keeps him in bed. A castle, without the King and Queen? Impossible. Weird.

On the night of the ball, Quackity dresses quite lavishly in an old poet shirt, a dark blue cloth tied around his waist, and dark pants that were hand-me-downs from his father. He keeps his wings hidden.

With great hesitation, he slips his mother's necklace on and hides it beneath his shirt.

Quackity starts for the palace's ballroom with obvious resignation in his pace.

It doesn't take Quackity long to get there- though he nearly gets lost- and the whole time he is terribly uneasy. He tries to find Charlie in the crowd, and after a while of staring, people begin to stare back. The ballroom quiets.

Quackity moves, mechanical in nature, to where Wilbur is standing. Next to the grand throne, overlooking the room. The platform is slightly elevated off the ground, up a small set of stairs. Wilbur has on a dark brown vest that matches his eyes, boots providing him elevation and making him slightly taller than before. He dwarfs Quackity easily, until he bows.

"Your Majesty." Wilbur greets him with a small smile, dropping onto a knee to bow. Quackity blinks. Never in his life has someone bowed for him. A moment of silence passes, and Quackity is made terribly aware of all the people watching them.

He smiles back, awkwardly. "Wilbur. Please, don't bow," and then quieter, "not so low."

Wilbur makes a noise, looking up at Quackity for a moment before rising. "It is only proper. You are the King." He matches Quackity's drop of volume. "There are people watching, yeah?"

Quackity feels the heat of eyes on him, the mass of people behind them. With a twitching hand, he takes his seat on the throne.

The chatter starts up again after what feels like forever, and he sighs

Quackity looks at Wilbur, studying him, and then at the people. He sees no one of interest, so he decides to conversate.

"Hey, Wil? Have you seen Charlie?" He asks, leaning on the arm of the gold plated throne. It presses little patterns of leaves and twirling vines into his skin.

Without looking at him, Wilbur replies. "No."

"Oh." Quackity says, slumping back into his seat.

He's looking for Charlie again when a man approaches them. He's got long, pink hair that catches Quackity's eye, and a mask of some sort of animal skull. His outfit is not too much different from Quackity's.

Quackity blinks. All the years he spent studying the people his father kept in his company, and yet. He just can't place the man.

"My brother," Wilbur says to Quackity, not moving from his spot still.

"Ah- yes. Good to make your acquaintance." Quackity smiles, shifting slightly in his seat. His feet just barely touch the floor from where they hang. He stares hard at the bone mask. "You must be Tommy?"

The man huffs, teasing a smile. "Tommy?"

"This is Techno." Wilbur notes. He grins. "Our soon-to-be war general."

Quackity is forming a response, an argument, when another boy comes tripping up the stairs to the throne. He curses quite loudly, drawing much attention from the assembled crowd.

If the boy notices, he does not care.

"Wilbur!" He shouts, and Quackity notices he is missing a tooth. He's young, and excited. Common characteristics Quackity had noticed often at these revels.

He stops to stand beside Techno, panting, hands on his knees. Quackity looks over at Wilbur, who is frowning, eyes narrowed.

"I thought I told you to stay in your room, Tommy."

Ah. This is Tommy. Somehow, Quackity feels his name suits him much more than it would Techno.

"Well, yeah! But I wanted to attend the party too! It's not fair you and Techno get to have all the fun. I mean, look! The tables are stacked almost roof high with food and alcohol and you expect me to stay in my room?" He talks with his arms, throwing them up and gesturing and whatnot.

"Do you think this is about fun?" Wilbur asks, brow raising. He is rigidly still, the only movement being the tightening of his fists behind his back. "Is what I did to get us here fun?"

Tommy has nothing to say to that. He looks down at the floor, expression dreary and complicated. Quackity wonders if Wilbur always spoke to the boy like this, or if it's just because they were in front of a crowd. Tommy must know Wilbur cares about him, despite his tone.

"Where is father?" Wilbur asks, arms finally dropping from behind his back. Quackity remains looking at him.

Techno snorts. "Looking for Tommy, I assume."

"Take him to his room. If you could find someone to stay with him- a palace guard or something- that would be fantastic, I-"

"Willll! I don't want to stay in my room! Please!?" And then, he turns to Quackity. "Your Royal-ness, sir, can I stay here? Pleaaase?"

Wilbur jumps to say anything before Quackity can even open his mouth. "Tommy, quit bothering our King before he decides to- to punish you. I don't want to see you again tonight, do you understand?" His hand twitches, and he withdraws both arms to cross behind his back again, posture straightening. "We'll discuss this disobedience of yours later."

It's quiet for a second, as if Tommy is debating his response. Clearly, he is hurt.

Quackity draws his hands into his lap. "Hey, kid, why don't you go back to your room, okay? I'll send some food up to you later. But Wilbur is right, it's not.. you shouldn't be here."

"There are kids younger than me here. What makes me different? Why can't I be like them?" Tommy's voice is a quiet whine, his hands coming up to hug his elbows.

"I said we'll discuss this later, Tommy."

Tommy gives his brother another desperate look, like a sad puppy. Techno is so still Quackity has nearly forgotten about him. They both watch as Wilbur waves over a guard.

"Take him to his room. Make sure he doesn't leave."

"Wilbur!" Tommy protests as the guard takes his arm, pulling him away. Quackity notices how the people observe it happening.

Wilbur sighs, and after a moment, looks at Techno. He looked tired, Quackity thinks. Weary, wary. "How is the food?"

Techno cracks a wry smile. "Wonderful." And then he looks to Quackity, who tries not to shrivel under his hard stare too much. "I think you're boring him, Wil."