13 years ago.
After graduating from high school, Vincent hadn't talked to Rody in two months, and it was at that point that the former realized it might have been for the best.
With Vincent moving away for university and Rody remaining in their hometown to work, it was a given that contact between them would be scarce. And that is exactly what Vincent sought.
Vincent wanted to forget about Rody. He wanted to forget about his laughter, his hair, the warmth of his hands, the way his eyes would crinkle at the corners when he smiled. He wanted to forget his voice, his gentleness, his scent.
Not because Rody had done anything wrong. But simply because that would be the easy thing to do. It was his chance to bury the filthy feelings sprouting from within his heart and lock them away so nobody could ever see them.
Moving away to another city for his studies meant a new life. A new place, and subsequently, new people.
Vincent wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him so bad. Wanted to tell him how much he aches for him. How much Rody occupies his every thought. How nobody has ever been able to move his heart; no woman, no man. Just him.
In a perfect reality, Vincent would have confessed his forbidden feelings of admiration and love, and he would have the ability to explore what it meant for the both of them.
In a perfect reality, Rody would feel the same. He would soothe Vincent's worries and tell him that he loves him, too.
But Rody was far too focused on his girlfriend to ever pay any attention to Vincent. He knew Rody would never see him in such a light. Not when he thought homosexual people were disgusting deviants that stray from the path of god, and that he'd never willingly be around one of them.
It pained Vincent so badly. It hurt. All his being burned for a person who didn't have the ability to feel the same or even try to understand his feelings. He wanted to die every time Rody rambled on about his very first girlfriend, a girl whose name he no longer even remembers, the gifts he'd want to get her, the fact he wanted to marry her despite the fact that relationship ended up being extremely short-lived.
It was a terrifying realization.
Rody would never feel the same for him.
Not only that, but he would hate Vincent for everything he is.
And so when Vincent saw the golden opportunity to run away, he did. He couldn't stand being around Rody any longer knowing that he would always have to hide this part of himself from him. That he'd never get to touch him in a way that felt like more.
So Vincent ran.
He got himself new friends. And he got himself a girlfriend he felt nothing for just to prove to himself that there was a part of him somewhere that liked women.
There was not.
It was December, Vincent recalls. He had come back home to visit family during the holidays.
As Vincent walked down the almost empty street toward his parents' house, in his own little world, he caught glimpse of another person's figure, which was heading toward his direction. A familiar figure, one which he could mistake for no other in the world.
Rody.
It was Rody.
Their eyes met as they walked past each other. Rody saw him and his blood ran cold. Torn between wanting to love him and wanting to forget him.
YOU ARE READING
The Death of Our Innocence (Dead Plate Swap AU)
Fanfiction[𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙋𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙀𝘿]+[𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘃𝗲] Two childhood best friends turned into strangers reunite thirteen years later, under unfortunate conditions. Rody once a carefree and rowdy teenager, had taken life seriously and became a businessman. A...
