Book of One-Sh!ts

[Vincent x The Undertaker] (The Shape of Water AU) Love at First Swim

If I were to tell you the relationship they had, I'm not sure you'd believe me. How could you? Do you believe in creatures you haven't seen before? Do you believe in the unthinkable? I don't think you do, but I'll tell you anyway. Because, this is a story that must be told. It is a thing that cannot be undone, despite the many people that wish to pretend it never took place. But, it did happen. I did see it. So, if but for a moment, you open your mind to the unthinkable, you imagine the impossible, and you place your ideals to the side and take my word as truth, then, and only then, will you be able to understand the story I am about to tell.

Vincent Phantomhive had taken many risks to get the job he currently had. He'd jumped through many hoops and begged many people. He didn't care that he had to dress up as a girl. Money is money. He was a maid. He was fine with being a maid, even if it meant he had to pretend to be mute. He couldn't speak, because if he did speak they'd realize he wasn't a woman. They'd fire him. No one can say what horrible things would happen if he was discovered. This job was the only one he was able to keep; he wouldn't let it slip through his fingers under any circumstances.

At least, that's what he thought.

However, the day comes to many individuals when they realize the mindset they had, the choices they made, couldn't be permanent. The same is true for Vincent. He was cleaning a certain area, with his best friend coworker, like he usually did, only to have his world changed forever. He stopped and he stared as the scientists rolled in a giant hunk of metal. It was filled with water and contained a being of some sort. Although Vincent couldn't see the being, he knew it was there, he felt it. He was drawn to it. He wanted to touch it, to free it, to make it happy at all costs. He didn't understand why he felt this way, he just did. Now, he didn't know what to do about his emotions. He didn't know how to help the creature he thought he'd seen.

"Victoria," his coworker whispered, "stop gawking at the equipment and get to work before someone notices you aren't cleaning!" The brilliantly red-headed individual warned. Her name was Angelina Dalles. She had known Vincent for a long time, well, she had known his female counterpart Victoria for a long time. Angelina still hadn't realized, after all of these years cleaning by him, that he wasn't a woman.

'I'm sorry,' Vincent signed. Over the years he'd learned sign language, and Angelina learned right along with him, since she was the only one who could speak for him. Angelina was his voice, even though she barely knew a thing about Vincent. But that didn't matter, Vincent was thankful for a friend like her.

The two quickly finished up what little cleaning they had left to do. Neither of them wanted to stay too much longer in a room filled with powerful men that hated their existence. Angelina and Vincent pushed the carts of cleaning supplies to the nearest bathroom and began to clean something else. At least they were free of that room, for now. The two ignored the screaming that echoed in the halls. It's origin was quite possibly the room they'd previously cleaned. They didn't want to think about the crimes people committed against humanity, or species themselves, in this place. No good was going to come out of thinking of these things. No good at all. They knew their place. They cleaned; that was it. Nothing more; nothing less.

"Sometimes I just can't get over the stuff that goes down in this place," Angelina began. "Don't get me wrong, Victoria, I love that I earn money and everything but I do wish I'd found a better work environment. Don't you?"

Vincent nodded and continued cleaning the urinals. How many jobs had he applied for? He didn't remember. He needed the money and he has a job now, that's all that matters. Unfortunately, everyone needs money to survive. His apartment wasn't much but at least it was a roof over his head. Besides, he did have a nice neighbor and they'd grown very close over the years.