The Trickster's Test {Prinxiety}

Chapter 21

A/N: I love the-pastel-peach's artstyle so much XD so even though I don't include headers all that often, enjoy! It's really well drawn and even goes along with the chapter

Third Person

Virgil had been wondering ever since his stay on Captain Clemons's ship why exactly people liked spending more time on a boat than solid ground. There would be nothing he could do if he happened to annoy one of the crew members; ships weren't notorious for having spacious rooms, let alone allowing you to completely avoid someone you didn't like. It was incredibly difficult to get time to yourself, and as such people that resigned themselves to this fate had little privacy. Also, if you discovered several days into the journey that your body would rebel in nearly every way possible while on the constantly rocking vessel, there was no way to relieve that stress. Because of these reasons, he would be at least a little amazed if both him and Roman make it to Correo in one piece.

As he would come to learn, they all had their own ways of dealing with the tight quarters and limited solid ground. Even though he was sure that it was easier for them to tolerate their sea-faring life when they had their own rooms and experience, it was still nice to know that he wasn't the only one that felt suffocated from being stuck in one place for too long. So, while Virgil didn't particularly enjoy drinking rum and making a fool of himself by dancing, he could see why the Correans chose to blow off steam by throwing a party out on the water.

Janus had invited them, following it up with quite possibly the most unapologetic apology Virgil had ever heard for the noise if they chose to stay below decks. They had decided, one much more reluctantly than the other, that they had nothing better to do and that a carefree environment would be beneficial. And now Virgil was suffering the consequences of his choice, minimal and as overexaggerated as they may be, watching half-amusedly and half-cringing at the incredibly loud sea shanty that nearly the entire crew was singing. It was clear that at least half of them were intoxicated, a few with particularly green faces well on their way to the sides of the ship.

Some sort of drinking contest that was probably responsible for some of the sailors currently holding onto the railings for dear life as they lost their lunch was being held by the barrels of the night's drink of choice, hearty chanting accompanying the duo that were currently racing to the bottom of their cups. Cheers met the end of each round, most of them too caught up in the fun to be bothered with their friend losing outside of laughing at them for all of eight seconds.

There was even a band, if you could call the mismatched trio with instruments of varying quality one. One had a guitar that had definitely seen better days, but was still more of an actual instrument than the wooden spoon and pots, and the makeshift ruma. At least, Virgil assumed it was supposed to be a ruma with the way it sounded like if a piano was more horn-like, or perhaps a trumpet with keys instead of buttons. Although, instead of a glossy copper or brass for the horn's exterior, it was made of something duller. Together, they had a charming sort of chaotic sound that wouldn't be better suited in any other setting, he decided. From the lantern light and equally cheerful and ungraceful dancing, to the nauseous and half-drowned sailors, it was a wonder to behold.

As yet another crewmen lost their dinner over the side of the ship before immediately jumping back into the fray, Virgil spoke up, "Why did I agree to come up here again?"

"Because there was nothing for me to protect you from in our room and you don't like unnecessarily keeping people near you?" Roman suggested.

"You do that a lot," Virgil observes, looking him over once before turning his attention back to the party.

"Do what?" He tilted his head to the side, resembling a puppy to a nearly concerning amount.

So, he was clueless then, "You bring up protecting me a lot, even though this is literally just your job and there's no reason for you to be this dedicated to it. I'm not going to get you fired if you leave me alone, you know."