Grey

Chapter 2 - Joy

Deceit wasn't expecting making a doll of himself to be hard. He was very wrong.
Not that it was actually difficult, but he couldn't bring himself to actually put an effort into making the doll look good. He laid on the floor on his back, adorned in bright yellow smiley face pajama pants and a loose black tee shirt. He sighs as he stared up at the doll he held in his hands. It's seams were loose and sloppy, stuffing poking out. The eyes were slightly lopsided, one already in the process of falling out. Despite getting out mounds of sequins for scales, he never bothered to sew them on. The doll hardly looked like him.

"Oh Joy, what should I do?" Deceit signed, his hands falling to the floor, the doll of him tumbling out of his hands. The large plush snake he referred to as Joy lay across his stomach, and unsurprisingly, remained silent.

"I know, I know. I can do better. I know that. I just... not with me. Not with mine" he pulled Joys face close to his own, holding her large plushie heads in the air. The rest of her piled on the floor, the plushie snake in her entirety longer then Deceit himself.

"What if I start on one of the others? Huh, Joy? I know I thought I'd never actually make theirs but... It would be a fun challenge. I know they'd just love it " Sarcasm dripped off of Deceits words. They could never ever see these dolls. He'd never live it down. He'd be in the grey forever.

"You are the best, Joy, you know that?" Deceit laughed to himself, sitting up and hugging Joy close. "You're all I need. Screw everyone else. At least you listen to me. And you're a snake! What more could I even ask for?" He sighed, pressing his face against the careful detailing of Joy's faces.

"Well," Deceit stood up, still hugging Joy close against him, "who should I work on first?" Deceit dragged him and joy across the room, rummaging through materials. "Anxiety is going to be the hardest, and he really hates me. The past is hard to forget. So, not him. Not yet."

"What about Roman? That's his name right?"

"Why? Why not! He took me ssseriously at least! For a little while that is! Better than the rest of them! At least he lissstened!" Deceit dropped Joy, shaking in anger. Tears suddenly threatened to spill. Why wouldn't anyone ever listen to him!

Then he stopped.

"Oh, oh goodness. I'm sorry Joy, so so sorry. You deserve so much better than that. I don't know what came over me." He sat down on the floor, running his hand over Joys body.
"Emotions are a funny thing, aren't they? They hurt the most when you claim you don't need them". Despite his calm tone of voice, tears began to trickle down. "I just wish they'd listen. You know, I see them sometimes, and how they treat each other?.. it was never like that with them." Deceit sat in silence for a while, letting his tears fall. Eventually, he rubbed his eyes.

"Let's make Roman's plush. He seemed upset. 'The one and lonely' I think he said?" Deceit pulled himself back to his feet, gathering vibrant crimson and glittering gold for the prince himself.