Scoundrel - Prinxiety [COMPLETED]

Chapter XVI

Roman walked with a purpose, frustration and bitterness in his body language as he reached the ballroom once more. He'd gone out of his way to put himself in an uncomfortable situation to get that key, and all Virgil cared about was the fact that he'd disappeared with someone else, presumably to have sex or something. He huffed angrily, taking a glass off a server's tray.

"What are you doing?" the pirate asked as he came up beside him.

The prince lowered the glass, licking his lips of the residue before turning to him with a glare. "What does it look like? I'm having a drink," he snapped. Virgil looked at him incredulously as he downed the rest of the glass. Swallowing the bitter liquid, he straightened his suit and lifted his chin. "Now that I've had my drink, I'm going back to the inn. Stay here if you want."

Without looking at him, he turned and walked toward the exit. A hand caught his arm. "Hey, what the hell?" the captain snapped, keeping his voice low. Roman raised his eyebrow at him, glancing around; there were already a couple people looking their direction. He released him, huffing in frustration. "What is going on with you? I pissed you off, right?"

"No, what ever gave you that idea?" he responded sarcastically, continuing toward the exit.

Virgil followed along side him; both of them were clearly focused on getting out of a public area. They moved with as much haste they could without looking suspicious or drawing attention to themselves. Once they'd gotten back to their room, the prince headed toward the bathroom to change out of his suit. A hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"Okay, what the hell is this attitude about?" the pirate snapped.

Roman looked at him with a glare. "I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the fact that I went out of my way to put myself in yet another uncomfortable situation, knocked out someone who used to be my friend, all just to find your damn key, and what do I get in return? I get snapped at by the person I did it all for!" he practically yelled at him, breathing heavily. This whole situation was starting to stress him out beyond anything he was used to. The captain opened his mouth to reply, looking shocked, but he cut him off. "You know I could've left?"

There was a sudden and suffocating silence between them as they stared at each other. "I could've just... left," he said softly. He turned his back to him, hugging himself as the words tumbled from his lips. "I could've told James what you did, that I was kidnapped and forced to come here. I could've had you arrested. You would've been sentenced to death..."

The chilling silence continued again as the two of them mentally went down the paths of what might've happened if he had left. The images of the pirate being dragged away flashed though the prince's mind, making a slight panic rise in his chest. He didn't want to see him get hurt.

"Why didn't you?" Virgil asked quietly.

Roman hugged himself tighter, shivering. "I-I don't know..." he breathed, asking that question himself. "I don't know. What did you do to me?"

There was desperation in his voice as he looked at the captain with shimmering eyes. "I should want to get away from you, but I don't. Why don't I want to get away?" he blabbered, tears starting to run down his cheeks. "There's got to be something wrong with me. You kidnapped me! You've threatened me, you've almost gotten me raped and killed, you're this horrible person that steals and kills and takes whatever he wants with no remorse!"

"Yet..." he continued, looking at the pirate with wide, confused eyes. "You've treated me more like a person than anyone else ever has."

Virgil swallowed, looking down as he tried not to let guilt wash over him. He didn't know how to respond to the fact that this prince who supposedly had everything he could ever want didn't get treated like a person by anyone besides himself. Who could possibly treat him like an object?

"You... you feel familiar," Roman said, making him look up quickly in confusion. He was shaking his head as he tried to place the feeling. "It's... it's like I know you."

The captain stared at him, eyes guarded as he took the prince in. "I don't know why, but you just feel familiar," he said, searching as he took a step toward Virgil. "But that doesn't make sense... why do you feel familiar? Why does it feel... right when you touch me, or smile at me? I should know better than to like you. What have you done to me..."

His voice trailed off as he hugged himself tightly, more tears dripping down his cheeks as he let his head hang with hopelessness. Virgil felt a sharp tug at his chest that was hard enough to make him take a couple steps forward and wrap his arms around him. Roman let out a startled gasp as he shushed him softly.

"I haven't done anything to you..." he told him gently. "I've not been manipulating you into feeling some way or another about me."

"How do I know if you're lying?" the prince breathed as he hurried his face into his shoulder.

The pirate chuckled, reaching a hand up to run his fingers through the hair on the back of his head. "I think you know I don't lie, you just wish I did," he murmured with a small smile. "Within five minutes of being in your presence I was telling you I was gay, that I found you attractive. Such things are frown upon to even think let alone say aloud, but out on the sea? Only the water and the wind hears the words I speak, so I've no reason to lie."

"I don't wish you lied," Roman tried to protest.

"Yes you do," he told him firmly, knowingly. "It would be easier to hate me if I wasn't truthful to you."

The prince knew he was right, making him hide his face further into his shoulder. "I can't hate you," he admitted. Virgil smiled though he couldn't see it. "I wish we'd met under better circumstances, rather than this... what even is this? What even am I to you?"

"You're just my Princey," the captain told him, pulling away from their embrace to look him in the eye. There was a small smirk on his face as he continued. "You're this handsome prince I happened to kidnap for advantage, but turns out I'm very fond of you. Despite knowing we've not been around each other very long, I know you're a companion. You're someone I wouldn't mind having by my side."

Roman stared at him breathlessly, cheeks turning red with a blush. That was the nicest thing anyone had ever told him.

He looked down, smiling a little at the ground. "Now come on, hopefully the crew and Luis will have found the amber and sapphire keys by now. We've got to head out to where we're supposed to meet them tomorrow, so we should get some rest," he told him, nodding toward the bed. He then reached up to wipe his cheeks free of the lingering tears. "Not to mention, you look exhausted."

"Gee thanks..." he muttered with a small smile as the pirate laughed a little.

"Not that you look bad, but you really need sleep," Virgil said, pulling him gently by the hand toward the bed. "You're okay with sharing, right?"

Roman nodded tiredly as he was guided to lay down. "As long as you don't try anything," he mumbled.

The pirate chuckled, rounding the bed and slipping under the blankets next to him. A pair of arms wrapped around his middle and a warm body pressed against his back. "I promised you I wouldn't do that," he murmured into his ear. "Just relax. You haven't gotten a good night's sleep since you've been with me."

Roman obeyed, curling into the warmth as he let himself fall asleep, a small content smile on his face.