Overwhelmed

Chapter 69

As Vinny finished getting dressed he wondered if Shancai was still awake. He hesitated for a moment before leaving the room and going over to the princes' room. The cameraman stared at the closed door before taking a deep breathe and gently knocking.

He heard some rustling from inside the room and the door opened, Shancai was awake. "Is something wrong?" The prince questioned, there was no annoyance in his voice.

"Just wanted to check if you were up..." Vinny spoke awkwardly, Shancai nodded in understanding before moving to the side offering Vinny to enter the room, "A-are you sure?" The cameraman questioned, the prince nodded. He didn't talk much, unlike Willow they were like polar opposites, but they were both likeable.

The cameraman entered the room and looked around, it was more decorated than his room, which made sense he was in a guest room. Vinny noticed that Shancai had a shit ton of hair products, some organised while others just put on the dressing table. The prince pointed for Vinny to sit on the bed, which he did.

"Did you bathe well?" The prince questioned as he went to the dressing table and took off the bonnet, placing it to the side, he made sure to hold up his hair so it doesn't reach the ground. Vinny pulled out the dagger and began fidgeting with it.

"Yea...it was really relaxing...how about you?" Vinny responded, as he watched the prince start to put other products on his hair, Vinny suspected that Shancai didn't put them in before, because he had to make sure the cameraman didn't die in the bathtub.

"It was well...do you like your hair?" Shancai questioned once more, he didn't seem the best at conversing with others.

"Yep, it's nice, I was gonna get a haircut later this week...but then I ended up here and it just slipped off my mind..." Vinny chuckled awkwardly, the prince nodded in acknowledgment and continued fixing his hair. "You're hair's really nice..." Vinny blurted out without thinking.

Shancai paused for a moment, "Thank you..." he finally spoke up, cussing Vinny to let out a shaky breathe he didn't even know he was holding.

"Do people normally compliment your looks?" The cameraman hesitantly asked.

"Occasionally...not necessarily my body marks, but mostly my hair and eyes..." Shancai answered.

"R-right...so your body marks...not the vitiligo, the patterned ones...where are they from?" Vinny asked.

"I am...unsure, my mother said I was born with them...I've never really...believed it..." Shancai replied, his voice becoming quieter as he looked at his arm covered in those patterned marks.

"Should I not ask these questions? I don't wanna press on if you're uncomfortable..." Vinny spoke as he looked at the prince worriedly.

"You are free to do so...it's not often I'm questioned about myself" Shancai spoke as he looked at Vinny.

"Alright...you don't have to answer everything if you don't want to" Vinny spoke before taking a deep breathe, "Was it...hard growing up with those marks? I don't know much about the kingdom and it's people...but back in Ninjago people are really judgy..."he asked.

"It was...though I had a friend, he assured me of everything...and he was the closest I've ever been with someone I wasn't related to.... Shancai confessed, the cameraman looked at him curiously.

"What happened?" Vinny asked.

"He...disappeared..." Shancai sighed as his eyes flicked down to the dagger that was in the cameramans' hand.

"Oh..." Vinny spoke, he was about to say something, but was cut off by the door opening.

"Are you seriously still awake...?" A familiar tired voice spoke as the two turned their attention to the door. Willow...wearing a shirt and shorts as she rubbed her eye from exhaustion.