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.
"Yes I am..." Shancai spoke to Willow who blinked for a couple of seconds before turning to Vinny.
"Are you having a sleepover?" The nature elemental spoke, "I'm hurt I wasn't invited" she added as he made a dramatic pose, Shancai rubbed his temple while Vinny chuckled.
"We're not...we were just talking" The cameraman spoke to Willow.
"We should have one, all three of us!" The nature elemental spoke, her exhaustion disappearing.
"I wouldn't want to intrude and this is your brothers' room" Vinny spoke, as he looked towards the prince who was putting his hair back in the bonnet.
"It is fine with me...as long as someone actually sleeps" Shancai spoke as he looked towards Willow who smiled sheepishly.
"I'll sleep I swear!" Willow laughed out as she closed the door.
"Alright then" Vinny spoke as he smiled, Shancai nodded in agreement.
"Shanni! Please I am begging you can we make a blanket fort!" Willow begged her brother.
"Seriously?" Shancai sighed, the nature elemental nodded desperately.
"He wants it" Willow spoke as he pointed to Vinny who was silently laughing at the two siblings.
"Fine fine..." The prince answered, Willow immediately jumped towards the bed and grabbed the pillows and blankets.
"Help me you two" she spoke, the two nodded and did as they were told. Setting the blankets and pillows in ways that made a roof and and soft makeshift floor bed. It took around 10 minutes and then they laid in it.
"I haven't been able to convince Shancai to do this since we were kids" Willow told Vinny as she relaxed in the blanket fort.
"That's because it's childish" Shancai spoke.
"Childish? This will never become childish!" Vinny laughed out, he really enjoyed their company, Willow was the perfect amount of fun and childish while Shancai was the perfect amount of mature and serious.
"See? Even he gets it!" Willow said to her brother who rolled his eyes playfully. "Admit it! You're having fun!" She begged her brother.
"Alright..." Shancai sighed, "Maybe I am enjoying this a little bit" he added.
"A little bit?" Vinny teased as he laid on his side and stared at Shancai.
"Maybe a lot..." the prince looked at Vinny and corrected himself.
"Yes you are!" Willow laughed before she playfully ruffled her brothers' hair, only to have her hand knocked away.
"This is the best I've felt in a while..." Vinny sighed as he relaxed onto his back.
"With the whole Enji thing?" Willow asked.
"Yea...you two really make me feel better..." the cameraman sighed.
"Well I knocked two birds with one stone!" Willow teased Vinny and Shancai, "You're both so moody" she laughed.
"Yes yes..." Shancai sighed as he bit back a smile, "Now sleep...mother doesn't like us staying up" he added.
"Correction...she doesn't like you staying up" Willow spoke, "Me and Vinny are fine" she added.
"Yea, I slept before" the cameraman teased Shancai.
"Well if we don't sleep then how would we be able to show Vinny around the kingdom tomorrow" The prince spoke, clearly knowing his sister well. Willow put her hand up to retort, but stayed silent.
"Fine, you win!" She laughed out as she playfully punched her brother.
"Who's turning off the light...?" Vinny asked.
"Shanni..." Willow instantly spoke, Shancai looked at his sister, before sighing and getting up then turning off the light and laying back down.
"Now we sleep..." Willow yawned as she rolled to her side, the other two nodded and Vinny hugged a spare pillow. "Night everyone..." she added.
"Goodnight..." Shancai spoke in response.
"Night..." the cameraman yawned in response.
Silence filled the room, it was a comforting silence...the sound of the wind gently howling from outside as it entered the room and gently hit against their bodies. Willow was first to fall asleep her soft breathing, then it was Vinny and finally Shancai...
Vinny liked this...he liked this kingdom...he liked everyone he's met here...they make him feel safe...
(MY FAVOURITE TRIO....these three are meant to be a sibling trio and I absolutely fucking love them...)
