â–ş Verneus and Virgil, swap places in the power dynamic for a day
Virgil awakens as usual. His auburn hair lays like a halo around him, draping across soft silken pillows. Next to him, Verneus groans softly. Virgil looks over, only to freeze. Verneus looks… different. It takes him a moment to place it, but his husband’s long wooden antlers are gone, and his skin has taken on a pinkish color. Virgil bolts upright, only to face his own alien reflection. His skin, normally pale green, is cream-colored and dotted with soft greenish freckles. Adorning his head are two long antlers of dogwood, and behind him are leaflike wings. Verneus awakes, and Virgil’s heart plummets.
“Virgil. Lay back down.” He commands. Virgil doesn’t move. He doesn’t move. But instead of the usual strange tugging of an invisible leash, there is nothing, no consequence for disobedience. “Virgil. Did you fucking hear me?”
“What’s wrong with you?” Finally, Verneus looks at him and pauses. “The hell….”
“Sir, I—I don’t know what happened, I swear, I—“
Verneus tries to slap him, but his hand freezes midair. A soft green glow emanates from a previously unseen script on his neck. Virgil.
“Don’t hurt me. Please.” Virgil manages to squeak out. Verneus’s hand drops as he shoots Virgil a venomous look.
Virgil hesitantly stands, stumbling as he nearly hits his head on the overhead fan. Disoriented, he blinks, realizing he’s now easily above six feet tall. As his husband stands up, he sees that Verneus and him have seemingly traded statures amongst everything else, with Verneus being barely above four feet.
Verneus glares at him, as though everything is Virgil’s fault somehow. The king looked so fragile like this.
They each ended up wearing each other’s clothing, though Verneus complained about how degrading it was the entire time.
Finally, Virgil had enough of it. “Would you please just be quiet for a minute?”
Verneus’s mouth snapped shut, and he glowered up at Virgil.
“I-I’m sorry, I—I’m not used to… to this. You can talk. I’m sorry.”
“Just fix this, for the gods’ sake.” Verneus muttered.
“I already told you, I can’t!”
“Don’t pretend you’re not enjoying this.”
It happened before Virgil could register it. A thin green thread shot from his hand to the inscription on Verneus’s neck, dragging him closer like a leash.
“I don’t enjoy this! I’m not a fucking sadistic bastard like you! I didn’t do this! Can’t you wrap your head around that?!” Virgil snapped.
“Let go of me!” Verneus squirmed in his grip.
“You wouldn’t let go of me!”
After a moment, Verneus finally stopped. “Fine. But don’t think you won’t be punished for this tomorrow.”