Defending the Mask

Royal Reds

"And I thought Dude got anxious," Roy snickers from the steps.

"Oh, shut up." He rolls his eyes as he paces.

He couldn't help himself.

He was excited to see how Evie's trip went.

Did she have fun?

Had everything gone well.

He knew his Aunt well, Snow was every bit as fabulous as Evie, but-

He still couldn't help it.

He wanted to know how it had gone.

Evie had been so psyched. So worried. So excited.

"Princess incoming." Roy snickers.

He turns a smile pulling at his lips at the arriving apple red limo.

"Doug!" Evie calls out excitedly, waving as she steps out, "Roy! I can't believe you guys came out to meet me."

"You can't?" Roy snorts.

"Shut up." He glares as he tries to step on Roy's foot.

"Nuh-uh." Roy sticks his tongue out.

He rolls his eyes, "Are you planning to be useful or just acting peanut gallery?"

"Yeah, yeah." Roy waves him off before he walks over towards Evie, "Your bags, my lady," He bows flamboyantly.

Evie's face lights up with the prettiest smile before the trunk pops open.

"What?" Roy blinks before he turns to Evie, flabbergasted, "You left with- and now it's-"

Evie's eyes narrow before she walks over to Roy and attacks him with her handkerchief, "Do not judge my luggage!" She accents each word with a whip of the red and gold fabric.

Roy chuckles, "Right, of course, Princess," as he waves Evie away. "Got it. No comments from us lowly peasants."

"Don't act like a heathen, and I won't beat you with silk." Evie's eyes tease.

"Lolz," Roy grins, "So much wrong with that statement. Starting with-"

"I know-" Evie frowns as she inspects her handkerchief, "I could have snagged it on one of the metal spikes, not that it's a bad look for you, but what was I thinking?"

"Question of the-"

"I will murder you," He glares.

"I don't believe you." Roy grins, "Anymore. Admit it, I've grown on you-" He sticks out his tongue.

"Yeah, like a-" He glares

"Boys." Evie bats her eyes as she wraps her arm around his.

He can't help the smile or the way he settles at her touch, and as much as he wished he could help the soft hi-ho, the smiles it brought to her lips was worth it.

"There's my dwarf," She titters as she rests her head against his arm for a moment before she twists and tilts her head up to kiss his cheek. "I missed you too."

He nods in silent agreement.

It was why Roy was teasing him so much. He'd been wound up all weekend.

Not even CoD had helped, not that Roy had been any better.

They both kept checking their phones, waiting for texts, wanting to know their friends were okay.

It was their first trip.

First stay with new parents.

That's all it was, but it had been enough to make them nervous.