Midnight Sparkle

Chapter 6

The next morning Adrian stands outside his apartment with Sebastian with all of his stuff strewn over the pavement. There isn't much of it, he feels like he should have more and it's mostly clothes anyway. Does he really not own anything in his own apartment? He doesn't even have a bag or suitcase to keep it all together. He shivers in the biting morning chill. Desperate to escape the cold he periodically checks his phone. 5 am, pre sunrise. Vincent is so evil for arranging a pickup this time but he wanted everything done before his sons wake up so he can introduce them to Adrian. That's his excuse anyway, Adrian suspects he's just a bastard. He grabs his pink blankie from atop the clothes pile and wraps it around his shoulders like a cape. He's in a toasty cocoon now, perfect.

A freshly-buffed black limousine rolls up in front of them (a pretty standard car for this area) and a gruff-voiced chauffeur helps Adrian and Sebastian load up the back, casting occasional death glares at them. "I don't think he approves of you," Sebastian whispers in Adrian's ear, both of them losing themselves in silent laughter over this random hater of theirs. They wonder if he knows Adrian's profession. 

The chauffeur gives them a more intense death glare at that and Sebastian shuts up immediately. "He 'eard you," Adrian mouths, shaking with repressed giggles. 

"Well, off you go," Sebastian hugs him. "Invite me over as soon as you can, I cannot wait to see this mansion!" 

"I will, don' you worry," Adrian promises and he means it. 

The ride is silent, Adrian thankful for the visor separating him and the driver. There's a small bottle of wine and snacks in the door pocket but he doesn't know if he's allowed them, so leaves them alone. Besides Vincent seems like the kind of person to spy on anyone using his car and he keeps looking around for hidden security cameras. He just sits there like a statue until they arrive at the manor and Vincent is standing at the front gate waiting for him. His hair is perfect and his suit is pressed. How can he be so put together at this time in the morning? 

Between them they carry in all of Adrian's stuff and he's warned to be quiet because 'the kids are sleeping'. Adrian knows Vincent has two sons, twins he thinks, but knows nothing about them. "Wha' are their names?" he asks. 

"Ciel and Vincent Junior," Vincent explains. "We only planned for one, so didn't have another name planned and named the second twin after myself," 

Adrian chuckles, but realises something. "We? So they're your biological children..." he had assumed Vincent had adopted or something. He doesn't even know this man's sexuality! He should never have just assumed Vincent is gay, he wouldn't be the first 'totally not gay' guy to have been a patron of Midnight Sparkle. He feels like such an idiot. So he could be bi, pan, grey ace, homoflexible, heteroflexible. The possibilities are endless. 

"Yes... my wife tragically died in a fire..." Vincent trails off, staring at a random spot in the staircase and memorising the woodgrain pattern. He should know every inch of this house after all. "My son Ciel also lost his eye then," 

"Tha's 'orrible..." Adrian coughs awkwardly, leaning in and giving Vincent a side-hug that's even more awkward. 

"Yes, well. It's not the time to talk about such unpleasantness," Vincent firmly reminds himself. He doesn't cry, he seems incapable. The man speaks about everything in such a detached way Adrian wouldn't be surprised if he has no emotions whatsoever. He doesn't know how to feel about that, if their emotional connection is unequal. 

Vincent attends to waking up the twins as Adrian goes down to the kitchen under the main house. The chef is standing by the counter and gives him a long stare as he stands in the doorway. The man looks intimidating, like one of the guys who'd have bullied Adrian at school. Of course they all stopped once he broke their fingers. But the chef just grins widely. "Ah, you're the Master's new boyfriend!" he announces in a friendly tone. He walks up, sticking out a hand to introduce himself. Adrian instinctively flinches but then takes the offered hand. "I'm Baldroy, the manor's chef,"