The strange thing about people is that they have their varieties that crop up again and again, forming stereotypes. Once these are made, the very same people are the ones who protest against them.
For instance, the stereotype of someone who wears clothes meant for the opposite gender. Immediately, people will say: They are bullied. They are strange. They must be into strange things. They must not be happy with themselves.
Now, the boy who is at this moment walking along the halls of a castle dressed in petticoats and the like defies all such branding for the moment. The Goblin Kingdom is still under the rule of Jareth, the king, who after his rejection by a certain young woman decided to go drinking and ended up with a pair of twin sons. One is a warrior, and the other is to all appearances a princess.
It is just unfortunate that the bar he went to was frequented by demons, he often laughs when he feels displeased with his sons. This isn't often, surprisingly. He's quite good with children.
Nikolai, who insists upon being called Annika, is accepted by the kingdom simply because he is the son of their adored king. His brother, Rueben, has the manners of his father for the most part, and is sworn to protect his brother. They don't really interact with other children.
As such, the Goblin King has made his decision. He will send them to live in the human world with his friend Peter's son, who lives in a big enough house to accommodate the boys. Peter owns a large company that manages actors and as such makes enough money for the boys to live comfortably. As a payoff, the actors might be extremely lucky in the roles offered to them.
Peter had actually spotted Jareth and offered him an acting job, but the king had declined with a laugh, offering to buy the man a drink. Their friendship would last long...after all, Peter wasn't entirely human himself. His son, Lucas, had offered to let the boys stay around at his place and buy them all they desired within a reasonable limit. All there was left to do was break this news to Rueben and Nikolai.
He heard the duo before he saw them, a sort of whining and scuffling accompanied by the sort of voice one might hear from a general on the battlefield.
"NIK. BEHAVE YOURSELF."
"I have plans! Let me go! It was almost finished!"
More scuffling and shouting.
"I DON'T CARE! YOU SHOULD NOT BE KNITTING! AND ESPECIALLY NOT CUTESY LITTLE OWLS!"
"It was a present for Papa!"
Jareth continued listening, amused. Rueben seemed to have dragged Nikolai away from his afternoon activities.
"PAPA? YOU SHOULD CALL HIM FATHER!"
Twirling a crystal sphere between his fingers, Jareth chuckled under his breath, counting. Three...two...one...
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE SOMEONE STUCK A POKER UP MY BACKSIDE, RUEBEN! I'LL CALL HIM PAPA IF I WANT TO!"
"I DON'T SOUND LIKE I HAVE A POKER UP MY ASS!"
"NO, YOU'D BE MORE TOLERABLE IF YOU DID! YOU HAVE SEVERAL UP YOUR ASS!"
Jareth stood, walking to the door to watch in amusement. The twins were now truly scrapping, Rueben tugging Nikolai's hair and Nikolai trying to land a slap on his brother.
"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!"
"KISS MY UN-POKERED BUTT!"
Rueben noticed Jareth and squeaked, dropping the ponytail while Nikolai immediately rushed to fling his arms around the king.
"Papa!"
Jareth ruffled his son's hair briskly. "I thought I told you two that the next time you fought I would tie you together and drop you in a pit."
Rueben looked shamefaced, while his twin giggled before dashing to hug his brother. The older twin started squirming and shrieking, as the other stuck to him like glue.
"Nikolai, enough. I called you two here to talk to you about your departure."
The shorter boy looked up in confusion at the same time as Rueben did. Jareth inwardly laughed, but kept a stern face on the outside.
"You two need to learn how to cope with being around other children. As such, I am sending you to the human world. You will be staying with Peter's son."
Rueben looked horrified, before drawing his dagger and casting it to the ground.
"I refuse!"
Jareth stared at him for a minute before his lips curved upwards. "Fine. Stay here and get married."
Rueben squeaked and dove to pick his dagger up. "Whatever pleases thee, my liege!" He knew exactly who his father would make him marry if he stayed.
Nikolai laughed before tipping his head. "Will we be alright, Papa?"
Jareth raised an eyebrow. "So you are alright with it, Nikolai?"
The boy nodded quickly. "You can get dresses everywhere in the human world! And it would mean I could buy them, and choose them, and buy lots of stuff!"
Jareth sunk his head into his hands. What fine sons he had...one was only going because he did not wish to get married, and the other saw it as some sort of shopping trip. Oh, joy...
...
In the middle of a large city called Victoriana in England, a boy was skipping around a large house that aside from himself was lifeless, fixing things and dusting with a skip in his step. Here and there, you could see bits and pieces of mythological...well, the best word for it was tat - not rubbish, but random enough to be close.
The boy looked like a flamboyant peacock, which didn't suit the slightly Gothic style of the room he was cleaning. His blond hair curled over his shoulders, tied in a little ponytail, and his clothes were tailored to make him look that bit more effeminate. However, the intent in his manner made him seem very serious about the room.
Unless you heard what he was saying.
"God...Jareth, as a bloke, is gorgeous...Not my type, but gorgeous...I can't wait to meet his sons! I bet they're just so cute."
Yes, this was Lucas Winter, son of Peter Winter, who owned the Frost Agency. He had grown up with the Goblin King visiting his father, and as such had a wide interest in the occult. His last boyfriend was a werewolf, who he had simply adored, but who had broken up with him. It was actually, astonishingly, because the flamboyant boy and his ex had realised that they made fantastic friends, but a terrible couple. They still kept in touch, and went to the same school.
However, Lucas hoped that Thomas might fancy one of the twins. Recently, Thomas had been having a terrible time, as he could really only date supernaturals, most of which did not go to their school. The poor darling was becoming increasingly depressed.