Love is a Three Letter Word [You]

V

Diedrich's life was incredibly fabricated the more Vincent delved into his accounts. Nothing personal, flowery pictures, repeated content under various masks. His friends were face-value, and don't get Vincent started on Aleister. But, who as Diedrich Dalles? The real Diedrich? Vincent came to the conclusion that uncovering such truths would be impossible with that boytoy clinging to him.

So, he did what any logical, reasonable, individual would do and he kidnapped the male and locked him in the basement of the bookstore. Totally normal behavior. No?

"How would you like to die?" Vincent crossed his legs in the chair as he asked the question.

"Who are you?" Aleister squinted at the lights and the glass cage he was in.

"How would you like to die?" he repeated. "Because you obviously can't be trusted to live." Vincent couldn't let him go, even if he was paid off because only one person can keep a secret after a situation like this, and it's the person that did the locking up.

"Are you mad? Let me out of here!" Aleister stood up and started slamming on the glass.

"That isn't going to get you anywhere, the glass is too thick and the walls to this room are soundproof." Vincent folded his hands and sighed. "Are you going to answer my question? I could just murder you in the most violent of- oh..." Vincent smiled feeling his phone vibrate. He'd kidnapped Aleister about twelve hours ago, but kept up posting on his shallow social media. He wasn't dead to the world, not yet, and it seems Diedrich was already getting fed up with his absent boyfriend.

"Oh my, is this a date?" Vincent grinned at the message. "I knew he was too good for you."

Aleister squinted at Vincent. "Oh my God... you were in the car! You fucking psycho! Look, if you want Diedrich, just take him! He doesn't mean anything to me anyway!" Vincent stood up and walked towards the glass. His eyes filled with a cold rage that froze Aleister, causing him to forget all about slamming on the glass as a means of escape.

"He is not property that you can transfer to another. Diedrich is a beautiful man and a talented author. He deserves better than trash like you."

Aleister scoffed. "And you're so much better, you murderer!"

Vincent smiled warmly and walked to the staircase. It was a fabulous thing that he was the only one with the keys down here. He practically ran this bookstore all on his own.

"Wait! You can't leave me here!"

Vincent laughed and began his way up the stairs. "I can, and I will."

...

Vincent took a sip out of the mug and placed it back on the table. Diedrich stared into his cup. "I have a boyfriend."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes, but I think I'm done dealing with his shit so..." Vincent didn't reply. He was too busy applauding internally. "I think it's time for me to try dating apps. Do you know any good ones?"

Vincent blinked exactly three times as the sentence processed in his mind. Mr. Perfect was sitting on the chair across from you and Diedrich wants to use a dating app? What a situation to be in... "I'm a bit old fashioned, I'm afraid," Vincent apologized.

"Yeah, sorry, that was a bit stupid. I didn't want to ask my friends. They'd pick the most booty call of them all."

"What are you into?" Vincent asked.

"Oh, well, I uhm..." Diedrich got flustered and looked down at the mug again.

"It's alright, you know? You can tell me. Or, would you rather I tell you first?" Vincent offered. He didn't wait much longer before just outright saying it. "I'm bisexual."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I never would've guessed. You look so into women."

"I am, and men too. You didn't pick up on that at all?"

"No... not a bit."

"Oh?"

There was a pause but Diedrich opened his mouth again. "I thought you were just being nice but...were you flirting?" Diedrich shook his head. "No, don't answer that, please."

Vincent rested his chin on his hand. "Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes," Vincent smiled. Diedrich was a loveable idiot. "It's alright though if you aren't interested in me. I'll back off." Vincent was a patient man. He'd convince Diedrich eventually.

"No, no, that's not...I'm gay." Yes, honey, he knows. You said you had a boyfriend at the beginning of this conversation and then forgot and got embarrassed and shy about trying to admit you were in a relationship with a man. "And you're very attractive, I'm just... I don't know...I always attract bad ones."

"Your friends would suggest Tindr."

"What?"

"The dating app."

"Oh!" Diedrich got out his phone and looked it up. "Maybe I should just hoe around for a bit..."

Vincent grabbed Diedrich's hands with both of his. "You do what you'd like, but I know who you are, Dee, and even if you don't see the beautiful self that is you, I do." Vincent stood up and walked out. Time to get back to Alester or he'd go hungry. Starving to death was a lame way to die.

...

"Hah! Diedrich doesn't care about himself he uses other people! He likes terrible guys like me! When are you going to see that?!"

"No, he isn't like that. I know who he is, and he isn't like that."

"You don't know a damned thing about him! You really think someone like him is going to like you?!"

Vincent opened the small dual window to place a food item in. Three drinks. He labeled them each carefully. "If you tell me which one is your brand, I'll let you out."

Aleister stared at the drinks. How did Vincent know about his small company? They'd haven't even begun advertising. He didn't tell anyone about it outside of the people that were working with him.

"None of them, you'd never let me out."

"Drink."

"Bu-"

"Drink," a firmness to mask the deadliness within. Vincent was losing patience. The longer this guy was in the cage the likelier it was that someone found him. Aleister picked up the first cup and sipped it. His brain worked overtime trying to solve the puzzle. Hope overcame rationality.

"Cup three?" Vincent raised an eyebrow. "No, uh, cup one? Damnit! I don't know!" He closed his half of the door so Vincent could remove the cups, which he did, shortly after.

"It was all of them. The same drink too," Vincent shook his head. He never made bets he couldn't win. He'd learned that from a guy a while back. 'Always make sure you're safe' he told him. Vincent hasn't found truer words.

"You were wrong about this and you're wrong about Dee," Vincent sighed. "Be sure to tell me how you'd like to die, okay?"

"I'm not wrong, you'll see!" Aleister yelled. "I'm not!"

Vincent refused to listen. He had places to be. "When you wake up and realize that Diedrich isn't a smart poet but a lavish party-goer, don't blame me! He doesn't like people like you! He uses you to make him look better in front of his rich friends! He won't ever love you!"

Vincent turned sharply and slammed his hand down on the glass. The veins on his neck and forehead popped out with minds of their own. His eyes violently raging but once he spoke his voice was calm and silent. "You're testing my patience, Aleister. If you don't tell me how you'd prefer to die, I'll just have to kill you in the most violent way. I don't like crimes of passion. But make no mistake, I snap just like any other human would. Be careful. Watch your tongue."

Aleister fell on his ass, unable to stop his legs from wobbling any further. He watched in silence as Vincent picked up his phone and walked out. The world would never know how to prepare itself for a man as devoted as him.