Set Up. || PURPLEPHONE

Clues

The words cut into Vincent's heart like daggers made of ice.

"You're in love with Vincent, aren't you?"

Oh no. Oh no, oh no. This was bad. Vincent had known that Scott was attracted to him, yes. The way he'd reacted to his touch this morning, the way he'd agreed to kissing him several times. Attracted to him, yes, but in love with him?

He mentally kicked himself. He should have known. He hadn't thought about it, but now that he did, there were so many clues he'd missed. So many...

"Oh ho," Mike said, "You're getting him a drink now, are you, Scott? Be careful, people will start to think you're flirting."
Scott's eyes widened and he sat down hard in the chair.

Scott looked back at him and frowned for a second. Then, out of reasons he didn't quite understand, he said, "No, it's okay. Sorry. I've just had a bad morning."

"Oi!" Scott pulled his hand out of Vincent's grasp, going slightly pink in the face.

Vincent blinked, surprised at Scott's change in attitude towards him; first buying him snacks, now this. He shuffled up next to Scott, pressing his body against him.
"Is it really necessary to b-be that close?" Scott said, his voice sounded slightly strained.

"Yeah, but... what if... I mean, theoretically, I guess, if... every time you looked at someone... another guy... you got butterflies in your stomach? A-and if... if being close to them turned your insides to jelly... and if, every time they say your name, something in side of you flutters..."

"Have you ever seen someone and just... just really wanted to have their lips on yours? Just wanted to kiss them as hard as you could... have their hair running through your fingers..."
"Y-Yeah, I think so... I know what you're talking about..."

Vincent's heart almost stopped beating when he remembered the last, and most damning, piece of evidence. One that Scott had shouted at him from across the room minutes earlier.

"Do you have any idea how painful it is to love someone and know that you can't?! That it's not right?! That you shouldn't?!" His voice rose with every word, until he practically shrieked the final sentence. "Do you know how hard it is when they pretend like they love you back!?"

Oh, gawd.

He hadn't been talking about the girls at all. He'd been talking about himself. And Vincent had not only missed his cue, but broken his heart and betrayed his trust.

Vincent stepped back from the wall quietly. It was a bad idea, coming down to check on Scott. He'd been so sure that what he did was right all along, that Scott deserved the pain he caused him. But now emotions were bubbling up inside him unbidden. Doubt. That was something Vincent didn't feel often, but now he was doubting himself. Doubting his actions. Doubting his choice.

Vincent shook his head to clear his thoughts. What on earth was he talking about?! The reason he did it was to see Scott be hurt. The reason he came down here was to see the amount of pain he caused. Why wasn't he revelling in the idea of breaking Scott's heart? Why wasn't he taking sadistic pleasure out of the way the man cried like a child?

Vincent took a deep breath, and then swore loudly down the corridor. He wasn't used to being out of control of his emotions, and this was uncomfortable. He wanted it to stop. He needed to sort out why and what he was feeling. But for now, he needed to make sure that Boss was right.

Reluctantly, he pressed his ear to the wall again.

--

Scott wiped his eyes, "I'm sorry, Boss. I don't mind if you hate me, I don't care if you fire me. I didn't want you to find out, I'm sorry I lied to you, I didn't even know it for certain myself until when I was shouting it."

Will was a little confronted, having never had children of his own, he was unused to children - or even young adults - searching for security in an older adult. He did know one thing though, which was that Scott had nothing to apologise about. Will had grown up strictly Christian, so naturally he'd always had reservations with homosexuality. He didn't hate them, but... he kept his distance. But it was hard to look at someone like Scott and think that He could possibly hate him. It was hard to look at an innocent kid like that and think that He would want Will to abandon him.

"Hey, Scott..." Will awkwardly patted his back - (is that what you do with kids?) - and looked him in the eyes. "It's alright. I don't hate you and I'm not gonna fire you... Your Dad would never play golf with me again and we need to win the local tournament this year."

Scott managed a weak laugh, wiping his eyes again, "So you mean... you wouldn't mind if I... I..." Scott paused, stumbling over his words, looking as if he was trying hard to force a large obstruction out of his throat. And then, as if he threw the words up, "If I was in love with another man?"

Will blinked for a moment, but quirked his lips in the closest imitation of a smile that their Boss ever gave, "No, Scott. I wouldn't mind. Just try not to start dying your suit rainbow and puttin' flowers in your hair, alright?"

Scott laughed again, more genuinely this time. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Atta' boy," Will said, "Are you alright now?"

"No," Scott said. "Not even close. But I stopped crying, I guess, which is one thing. Thanks."

"Do you mind if I go back out to the Dining Hall?" Will asked. "I want to make sure it hasn't turned into a gay rights debate out there..."

"Go for it," Scott said, with little enthusiasm. "You mind if I stay here a bit longer and get a hold of myself?"

"Go for it," Will threw Scott's words back at him, before standing up. If only it was that easy. With a groan of effort, he got himself onto his feet. "Geez, If there was ever a fire here, it'd take me that long just to get up to get out..." Shaking his head, he walked across to the door - thank goodness there was a proper handle on the inside of this one - and opened it.

Stepping outside, he closed the door behind him and turned.

"Oh," Will said. "Vincent."

Vincent stood there, his white eyes wide and confused, looking about ready to hang himself. But at sight of his Boss, he straightened up, narrowing his eyes into near slits.

"You got nerve glaring at me, son," Will growled, returning his glare despite being slightly shorter. "I've got half a mind to fire you right here and now."

"How is he?" Vincent replied, his voice monotone and emotionless.

"Devastated. Keeps going on about a 'sense of betrayal' and 'hurt' and 'heartbreak'. Guess those things wouldn't mean anything to you."

Vincent didn't reply, just pushed past Will to the door of the safe room.

Will grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him back, having surprising strength for a man of his age. "Don't you even think about it. He needs some time by himself, and if anybody is going to help him right now, it's certainly not going to be you."

Vincent stopped struggling to get out of his Boss' hold. He just stood still and rigid, staring at the safe room door.

"Go home, Vincent," Will said, letting go of his shirt. "That's an order."

Vincent stood still for a moment longer - who knows what he was thinking - and then he turned and left the hallway.