Never Knew I Needed

Friends on the Other Side

Y/n stood off to the side of the prince, trying to push away the men that were crowding around her, unlike Prince Naveen, who was soaking up the attention from his female admirers. He played for one of the little boys, who danced along.

"Ashidanza!" he exclaimed, dancing along with him.

When Y/n finally got away from the men, she groaned at first, seeing Naveen playing around again, but softening at the little boy.

"Sire!" A small lady came running to him with their bags, ruining the moment she had tried to insert herself in. "I've been looking for you and Princess Y/n everywhere!"

"What a coincidence, Laura." His accent was much different from Y/n's as a native Maldonian. "I have been avoiding you everywhere."

She tried to push him along. "We're going to be late for the masquerade!"

Naveen grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled Y/n close to him. "Listen, listen! It's jazz! It was born here! It's beautiful, no?" He looked flirtatiously at the girls who were fawning and giggling over him.

Y/n tried to get out of his grasp. "Yeah, whatever. Now let me go!"

"Oh, come, dance with me, sister!" He spun her around.

"Naveen, stop! We have to go if we're going to make it on time." Her eyes narrowed at him. "Remember. I don't marry this guy, you lose your freedom."

"Precisely!" Laura exclaimed. "Now, if we hurry, we can still -"

"Dance with me, fat lady!" Naveen grabbed Laura and began to dance with her next. "Stay loose, Laura!"

"Oh my gosh, Naveen, that's enough." Y/n grabbed at his arm, but he caught her hand and spun her around.

"Come on, now. Pick up your feet!"

Laura stopped and held him in place. "We're supposed to be at the La Bouff estate by now!"

"Yes, yes, yes, but first, I buy everyone here a drink."

They all cheered as Y/n whispered, "Bruh, you broke."

Laura also dropped her voice. Leaning in, she whispered, "At this point, you have three choices. Woo and marry a rich girl, have your sister marry off for you, or...GET A JOB."

He sighed, giving in when he saw a man shoveling manure. "Alright. Fine. But first we DANCE!" He grabbed onto them both again.

"No, this is idiocy!" Laura yelled one the music, tripping over her feet and falling headfirst into a tuba.

"NaveeEEEEEEEN! LET ME GO. NOW!"

"Alright, alright." He let go of her and she brushed off her clothes as he went to check on Laura. Turning his head, he said, "But I must say, for someone who does not use her feet, you are very light on them."

"Shut up." She tugged at the tuba, trying to get Laura out, while Naveen made fun of her.

"And you! It's perfect! You finally got into the music. Do you get my joke? Because your head...it's in a tuba."

"GET ME OUT!"

"Alright. Hold on, one..." He grabbed hold of her and pulled in the opposite direction that Y/n was pulling the tuba. She came flying out, knocking them all over, the tuba falling onto the princes.

"Ow. Tuba. Heavy."

Instead of helping one of her saviors, Laura stood and brushed herself off. "How degrading! I've never been so humiliated!"

Naveen took the tuba off of his sister and brought her to her feet. "You're fine. Walk it off."

"Ladies! Gentleman!" they heard from the alleyway. A dark, lanky man walked out. "Enchanté. A tip of the hat from Dr. Facilier." He did indeed tip his hat and passed them a card. "How y'all doin'?"