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“Hey, Rody.”
“Yeah, Vincent?”
“Do you ever think we were made for more than this?”
The breeze flying past them, children on their bicycles–laughing happily.
A sound familiar, yet so detached all the same.
Clouds in the sky, waving hello, and who was Vincent, if not to wave back?
A summer he’d once dreaded, now something that he looked forward to year round. Because that’s when he got to see… Him.
The stupid and lovable idiot, with a laugh so cloying it could get one sick, and a smile so heart fluttering–those eyes, shining, even in the dark. Just being in his presence got Vincent’s heart turning and pounding in his chest. A nauseating sensation of butterflies would always run through him.
Love, affection… Something he’d never had the privilege to feel until now, with Rody’s soft gaze, and firm touches, he felt reformed. He felt like something more than he was.
Maybe that’s why he’d asked a question like that; because when he was with Rody, he felt like he could do anything.
“Made for… more than this? What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you dreamt of anything more than this domestic lifestyle? You could be someone who sails the seas, someone who travels around the world–seeing and learning new things everyday. I don’t understand why you’d want to stay in a bland town like this.”
“Well that’s easy!”
“...?”
“Because you’re here, Vince! Sure, doing all that stuff would be pretty fun, but what’s the point of traveling the world if you’re not there with me? Till death do us part, means death do us part, man!”
“...Oh.”
What a silly notion. Because Vincent was here? What did that even mean? It wasn’t like Rody cared enough to stick around solely for him, he probably had a second reason he just didn’t want to reveal.
But even then… Vincent couldn’t say that his heart hadn’t skipped a beat when Rody had spoken. It always did, really. No matter what he said.
“What about you, Vince? Are those your goals?”
“Not in the slightest.”
Vincent paused for a moment, hesitating.
“...I share your sentiment, Rody. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere you aren’t.”
“Aw… Come on, you don’t really mean that!”
“What, are you saying I’m a liar? You think I would lie about something as trivial as that?”
“N-no! Of course not! What’s up with you and twisting my words…?”
“Makes it easier to manipulate you, that way.”
Rody could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
Rody playfully punched Vince’s shoulder, feigning sadness. (Although it was obvious he was exaggerating.)
“Why are you such a bully? You’re so mean to me, Vince!” Rody said dramatically as he draped himself over Vincent.
“Maybe I wouldn’t be so mean if you weren’t so easy to bully.” Vince replied jokingly as he pushed Rody off of him. Too close… Way too close. Vincent despised emotion–especially his own, and he didn’t want Rody to know that his actions actually affected him.
“Grhh… Well, whatever. Not like I care, anyway…”
“Hm… Suspicious.”
“You just shut your mouth, alright!? This conversation is over!” Rody whined, hitting Vincent’s arm gently–but unfortunately for him, if you put a picture of Vincent and then a tree twig next to each other, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference; so it hurt. …Just a bit.
“Ow, ow–okay, Rody… I get it. You can stop hitting me now, ow–”
“Whoops… Sorry, Vince.”
“...Not forgiven.”
“Vinceee! Don’t be like that! Come on…”
Annoying Rody… Annoying, over energetic, stupid, cute Rody.
Seriously, why’d he have to be so likable? If he wasn’t, Vincent would have definitely fired him by now.
Actually, why had Vincent hired him in the first place? He had a horrible job record, and he was also fairly horrible at his current job… The things people did for love, really…
Rody abruptly stopped shaking Vince, falling silent.
“You have really pretty eyes.” Rody blurted out, not even realizing that he’d said it out loud.
Vincent turned pink, heart picking up.
“What…?”
“Ah–sorry! I didn’t mean to say that, uhm… It is true though. You do have pretty eyes.”
Vincent was at a loss for words. His eyes? Pretty? He didn’t even know how Rody had gotten the idea of putting him and pretty together in the first place. He wasn’t all that attractive…
Then again, hadn’t Rody said something about him “getting all the ladies”? That must mean he found him to be at least slightly pleasing to look at.
He hadn’t thought much of the comment, but after Rody had said that–it was certainly on his mind now.
“Sorry was that… Too weird?”
“Compliment me again.”
“Huh…?”
Vincent leaned forward, grabbing Rody by the collar of his shirt–faces only mere inches away.
“Compliment me again.” Vincent breathed out, eyes filled with nothing but adoration and passion. Vincent was almost trembling, with the pure love bursting out of his heart–daring him to lean closer, to finally seal those lips with his own.
Rody was shocked silent, face so red you could mistake it for a strawberry. He didn’t know what to do, what to say… His mind wasn’t even properly functioning right now–not when Vince was so close…
“You’re… Cute.” Rody whispered out, daring to lean just a bit closer.
“You’re cute, and pretty, and the most confusing person I’ve ever met. You get annoyed at the strangest thing, and you have the most beautiful laugh, and know that every grin you send my way, my heart skips a beat… It always shocks me that you even willingly associate with me, considering what a good person you are. While I’m just… Me. You are the one I admire most, Vince. And you’ll always be the one I admire most, the one that… If I could, I’d spend all my life with. There’s so many feelings I have for you, but I’m not sure if I can even put them into words and–”
“Rody.”
“Mm…?”
“Can I kiss you?”
“...Yes.”
The word could barely be spoken before Vince was already over him, lips crashing together gently, yet so desperately that you’d think the two of them would die if they were not locked together.
Unspoken words flew through the air, the symphony of the nearby church met by deaf ears, yet it seemed the symphony only added to the intensity of their feelings.
Rody’s lips were soft, unlike what Vincent was expecting.
Vincent was glad. Vincent was glad they were different, because he wanted to figure out everything about Rody–he wanted to know his darkest secrets, his deepest feelings. Everything Rody had to offer, Vincent would take. And in return, he’d give himself up to him in the same way.
Two lovesick dogs, deprived of these quiet moments for so long. A dream to hold someone in your arms, a dream to one day be loved the same way you loved others.
Maybe fairy tales didn’t come true, but Vince surely felt his becoming true.
Sparks flying through the air, as Vincent’s hair tangled in Rody’s soft, beautiful hair. Rody holding him in the same way.
Closer. Vincent wanted to be closer. No, he needed to be closer–so close that you wouldn’t be able to differentiate them from each other. He wanted to get under his skin, to be closer than anyone ever could… If it took his death, so be it. His own life didn’t matter, as long as he’d know that he’d be with Rody until the day he died.
Did Rody share a similar sentiment? He wondered.
Someone as pure as him, as innocent… So much so that Vincent wanted to be his undoing, he wanted Rody to unravel in his arm. He wanted to feel that guilt, that pain as Rody would sob in his arms. He wanted to feel everything for Rody.
Now that, Vincent knew that Rody didn’t share that sentiment. He was a far too good person for it.
A good person… How had a good person like him ended up with Vince? Vincent truly did want to feel hatred for himself right now, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Not when Rody was this close, this… Easy. He didn’t want to waste the opportunity. He wanted to devour him.
Vincent pressed his teeth against Rody’s, clashing gently–Rody flinched, but he didn’t back away. No, he only pulled him closer.
Vincent bit down on his lip, but he didn’t back away.
Vincent held him so tight it must hurt, but he didn’t back away.
No matter what he did, they were stuck to each other like glue. The pure passion in the moment driving away all senses of logic or hesitation. Just like it should be…
Who cared about logic when Rody fucking Lamoree was making out with him?
Exactly, no one!
Vincent didn’t want the moment to end, and for once, Vincent knew that Rody held the same sentiment.
“Vincent–” Rody whispered out, breaking the kiss to pepper kisses down Vincent’s neck.
“W-what are you doing…?” Vincent said nervously, although the words were hard to get out when his vocal chords were on the verge of breaking out of pure excited anxiety. Seriously, if this went on any longer, Vincent would probably have a heart attack.
The things he did for love…
“Loving you.” Rody replied softly, a gentle smile present on his face.
Stupid Rody and his stupid smartass answers…
“...As if I can’t do that too.” Vince replied, knocking Rody over and beginning to aggressively kiss and bite at his neck.
“Ow!--Vince… Kisses aren’t supposed to hurttt! Stop ittt!”
“No.”
And just like he said, Vincent continued to affectionately nibble at Rody’s neck. He tasted like nothing, but his smell was enough to drive him mad.
Damn it… Had Rody purposefully bought lemon-scented soap after he told Rody his favorite food was lemons? It’s like he was asking him to bite him. It really didn’t make sense why he was getting all upset now…
“You’re the worst date ever! I’m breaking up with you!” Rody whined.
“...We’re… Dating?” Vincent paused, unaware of how his eyes were currently shining. He looked like a kid learning that he had superpowers, with how he was gleaming…
“Aren’t… We? I mean, we’ve never really talked about our relationship besides… Boss and employee–not really.”
There was silence for a while, both in deep thought.
“I’d… Like to be… More than that. If it’s possible, I mean. I understand if you wouldn’t want to have such a title for… Me.”
“Wha–what are you talking about!? I thought that the reason you hadn’t said anything was because… Was because you thought I wasn’t good enough to be your boyfriend!”
Huh…?
“...What are you talking about?”
“I mean–our class differences… Don’t you get embarrassed when you’re with me? I’ve seen that paper in your office… I know people don’t think I’m a good waiter. But you, Vince? You’re so coolheaded, so… Proper. You know how to handle any situation, you know how to handle any person. …I’ve always admired that about you. I wish I could get along with people as easily as you do.”
“You… Stupid!”
“Huh…?”
“You really think… You really think that I’m coolheaded? That I can “easily get along with people”? Rody, have you even met me? I’m the most awkward person I know! Every single relationship I’ve had in the past has ended in disaster. I’m not good… At caring for people. I can’t be a shoulder to cry on, I don’t know how to! I’m one of the most socially awkward people I know! Sure, maybe I’m good at handling customers, but a customer service smile is a lot different then forming legitimate bonds with others! That’s why… I envy you, Rody. You’re relaxed, fun, you don’t even try and you… You naturally draw people in, you endear them. Everyone’s always afraid of me because of how I present myself… But you tried to see me for who I really was and…”
“Vincent…”
“And you’re really stupid.”
“Wha–”
“You’re stupid. You’re so stupid. You’re infuriating! I hate the way you look at me, like I’m just another person in your life. I hate how you like everyone, like it’s so easy to not automatically despise everyone who dares breathe near you! I don’t want to be just another person in your life, I don’t want to be a passing memory… I want you to despise me, I want you to hate me. I just–ugh! I wish I was special to you! I wish you weren’t so lovable, to the point I’ve fallen this deeply in love with you!”
Both of them fell silent, but it wasn’t awkward. It felt… Normal, natural. Like the shared silence in the company of a friend, of a dearest friend who meant more than anything to you in the world.
And truly, Rody meant more than anything to Vince.
“...Guess I should take back the coolheaded comment. Mr. Negative Nancy over here… Really, you should think better of yourself.” Rody joked, falling flat onto the ground, that happy smile slipped onto his face once again.
“Seriously, that’s what you chose to focus on? I can not understand for the life of me how I fell in love with you.” Vincent huffed back, laying right beside Rody, closing his eyes.
“That’s why you like me, isn’t it?”
“...?”
“Opposites attract, and such. The parts you admire of me are the parts I admire of you! We’re one and the same, just in different ways. Who knows, maybe we’re not as different as we think.”
“Speaking of attraction… You do like me, don’t you Vince?”
When Vincent opened his eyes, the breath was taken out of him.
That familiar auburn hair, being tussled in the wind, those green eyes that seemed to glimmer in the light, that smile that would certainly enchant cupid themselves.
He had dimples when he smiled wide enough, how had he not noticed that until now?
Such… A pretty person.
“If I answered now… I don’t think I’d be able to stop talking.”
“Well then, talk. I like your voice, anyway.”
“Stupid, of course you do…”
And so, he pulled him in for a kiss.
…Stupid Rody and his smartass mouth.