Decadent Dandy

{ I may have gotten killed just a little bit by life woooooooopsie--

   Upturning his nose at the Kings reasoning for his ‘poor memory, Cortex snorts’. A Game? That’s what he thinks this is now? A Game?! Just how many times does he have to tell this knight he doesn’t know who he is?! This Cortex, Now, In this moment, does know know any knight, let alone a monarch passing themselves off as such!! If there’s anything that’s got him ‘sooooo angry’, it’s these proclamations!! He’s got half a mind to just stun blast this oaf to shut him up; leave him be to go on his merry way home and put this awkward moment behind him!! Actually that’s quite a fine, idea isn’t it~? Ah, but a stun blast would only render this fool just that. Stunned. Frozen in place for just long enough for the mad doctor to escape. Meaning he’d have to deal with him again later down the road. 

   When the gilded man finds a means to explain why Cortex is ‘playing this game’ with him, the doctor raises an eyebrow, shifting his weight onto his other leg. His head lowers as does the knight as he kneels to his level, watching him carefully. 

   This feeling in his chest… The lump in his throat. Why does he feel like he’s about to deeply regret something? 

   Upon the removal of the Knight’s helm, Cortex’s eyes widen in shock, hair drooping in an instant. A small, frightened squeak erupts from his throat. Oh, no. He DOES Recognize him. But not for any of the reasons this man has proclaimed before. No-no… That photo adorned with a kiss-mark. The one in his bedroom with the other strange assortment of items!! With the Teddy Bears and the weird ‘scarf’!! This was the man in that photo!! “GUhhh…” Oh, god… Was this man really his alternate’s… Friend? Accomplice?? …Lover?! NO!! NO!!!! WHO-? WHO IS THIS?!

   As the knight reaches for the doctors shoulders, Cortex slides a foot behind him in a futile attempt to flee, but it’s for naught. He’s pulled in closely, getting an even better look at the man in gold.

   “…Ahhhh…” He whimpers, the sound barely audible. He’s at a loss on what to do right now. He could still stun blast him!! Break free!! Flail and squirm again!! Yell for help, pitiful as that is!! ANYTHING!! Anything at all!! But he can’t move!! For once, HE’S the one who’s stunned. As the knight’s face draws closer, all Neo can do is shut his eyes and endure whatever’s about to happen. “GAH!!” He squeaks again from the first, but by the second one, his eyes are wide open. Staring out into the void. Did… Did he just… Kiss him?! 

   Everything’s in slow motion now. It was almost too much for his poor big brain and small heart to handle!! Wordlessly, Cortex lifts his hands up, using the back of them to gently pry the knight’s own hands off his shoulders. No expression is evident on his face. It’s… Blank. Hands still raised, he takes one step back. Two. Three… Yellow gloves press against his equally yellow cheeks; gently dabbing at them before pulling away for him to stare at his fingertips.

   Gold. Gold lipstick… “…aaaaAAHHHH…!” Now pressing his hand to his temples, Cortex can feel the heat rising to his face. Not from anger. Right now, that’s the last thing he’s feeling. Right now? …He’s feeling confusion. Embarrassment? His throat gets tighter.

   Dragged to an unknown dimension, forced to live with Crash, force to deal with N. Tropy, forced to interact with so many new faces and faces who deemed they knew him… and now this?! Now he’s kissed by some… knightly stranger? Stranger? More whines and groans escape Cortex as he shuts his eyes, rubbing at his temples to try and pretend this isn’t real. That he’s back at the end of the universe, but opening them again to see the knight there tells him everything otherwise. One arm dropping to his side, the doctor wipes at the makeup with his other hand, still staring at him.

   “Guh… If by ‘better’ you mean, Befuddled? Perplexed?! Discombobulated?! Then yes!! I’m ‘Better’.” There’s that biting tone again. Harsher than prior, but it’s less from anger and more an attempt to cover up his uneasiness.

     Every reaction feels a further twisting pain as ever - dagger dug deep and dragging down, gutting him fully, leaving his heart exposed for the world to witness. It’s far too late to hide by now. Far too late to cast aside nauseating emotions. By the time his helm is retrieved by shaken hands, the damage had already been done.

     Pain filled emerald eyes struggle to stray to anywhere but the man cautiously stepping backwards until he’s found himself uncertain on whether to flee or to reach and hope a momentary hold might nullify the pain brewing in his chest.

    It’s with a tight swallow that he finds himself equally as baffled, studying every motion down to the last and yet nothing had made sense.

“ I... I see. ” Eyes finally advert, granting him reprieve and a moment to recompose himself; one swift thumb quick to catch a straying tear before it had left its mark upon reddening skin. He can still fix this... Whatever that ‘this’ was - it was possible. Because a monarch could do anything once their mind had been set on it. Because he’d proved that despite all those years of cruelty and endless mockery, he became a King. He was a King. He still is a King.

“ Then I’ve nothing to worry more on. ” He exhales softly, pushing against the ground, hugging his helmet tightly against his chest, tone swift to lose its prior jovial sway. “ I’ve done my duty as your friend, have I not? ”

     Such magnificent colors! What a beautiful sheen! Absolutely radiant...!

     He really must stop admiring his own reflection in the midst of madness. But how could he? With shimmering “snow” resembling shining diamonds, it was hard not to pause and stare at his own warped reflection here and there; ever the decadent dandy in love with even his own shadow.

     It’s only the very weather itself that keeps him from staying locked in a self-loving trance. The knowledge that his perfect home had been barricaded, combined with frigid winds of which gilded wears and thin fabrics could hardly battle against, wandering the streets was as more a hazard than any other. A horrid crime at that! Must he be condemned to freeze solid and be forever lost amidst this beautiful scenery combating his very own resplendence? No. This simply wouldn’t do.

    There was only so much he could tolerate! It seemed his cries of agony had been answered in the form of dark locks and mysterious demeaner. A blessing dressed just as questionable as any other! No second more does he waste before calling out towards the stranger, a hand raised high, taking careful strides along uneven grounds to lessen the distance.

“ YOU THERE! Charming fellow with the fantastic biceps. Might you help a handsome, sorrow-filled King such as I? ”