Black Lotus [Vintaker]

Chapter Ten

"We got you a proper outfit this time," William gestured to the clothes in the dressing room. They'd gotten his character design down pat. All Vincent had to do was make his dramatic appearance and turn on his Heart Radius again. Ugh, that damned thing, he wished he never downloaded it in the first place. 

"Right." 

"So you know what you're going to do for tonight?" William clarified for the fiftieth time. 

"Yes, darling, he knows, shush," Grell grabbed William's arm and dragged him out. "Let the boy change." 

The door closed and Vincent stared at the pile of clothes. He muttered a few complaints and took off his shirt. The door opened again and he stood, stone still, wondering who the fuck would walk into a room without knocking first. His question was quickly answered. 

"I just wanted to- oh," Adrian blinked and started closing the door. "I'm so sorry." 

"It's fine," Vincent sighed. "I'm going to need help with the makeup anyway so just come in," he motioned with his hand and started taking off his pants. Adrian glanced around the room awkwardly. He was made quite aware of the skintight outfit he was wearing and became embarrassed for an entirely different reason. He ran his hand through his long hair and tried to slick it back in a way that would make it stay. Adrian wasn't exactly in his own character yet. 

"You-" Vincent pointed at Adrian but closed his mouth. 

"Me?" Adrian pointed at himself. 

"You, uh," Vincent finished buttoning up the shirt he had on and then finished the vest right after. He inhaled and exhaled but his personality hadn't quite erased itself yet. "You're a fucking idiot for keeping your eyes covered all of the time, don't you know that's just going to cause nearsightedness?" he frowned, more upset with himself than Adrian. "No, sorry, that's not really what I meant-" he sighed. Vincent shut his mouth and just continued the final touches to his costume. He glared at himself in the mirror and then glared at the makeup and mask. 

"Are you nervous?" Adrian asked. 

"Nervous? What would I have to be nervous about?" 

"It's the first time you've been on a stage since you were younger...I just thought maybe..." Adrian looked at his hands, feeling stupid. 

"Sorry," Vincent muttered an apology. "I'm being an asshole, like usual." 

"I don't think you're an asshole." 

"Well, you should, because I am." Vincent stared at the makeup again and then decided he was just going to go without it. He would be wearing a mask over half of his face anyway. Now all he had to do was turn on his Heart Radius again or something so they could measure how much people loved him. He wasn't paying attention to that part of the plan. 

Adrian watched as he turned his Heart Radius back on but for some reason it didn't click inside his brain that the reason it didn't go off the first time was because Vincent had paused it. Now that it was being turned on again, he totally didn't think about the fact that he would set it off. And so, the silence between them was cut off by the noise of the app. 

"You..." Vincent looked down at his phone. "Like me?" 

Adrian, now frozen stiff and full of fear, took a step back and was fully prepared to make a run for it. Vincent slammed his hand down on the door, pushing it down, and Adrian was pressed up against it. He stared down at Vincent and his eyes threatened to shed tears. He was rapidly thinking of ways to apologize when Vincent opened his mouth just to close it again. He was processing something. 

"Why?" he asked. 

"Why?" 

"Why do you like me? I could understand Lau, he is attracted to everything that moves. Diedrich hasn't even known anyone else so of course he'd think he likes me. And strangers only judge on appearances or aesthetic but...why...why would you like me? I've been nothing but rude to you at Black Lotus and-" 

"Because I do."

"What?"

"Because I do. I like you. There isn't really a reason. I just do?" Adrian laughed awkwardly and really wished he could disappear. "It's not really about how you look or how you act. I just like you. There is something about you that draws me to you and...I'm not very good with words. I'msosorry!" Adrian moved his hands to try and cover his face and Vincent grabbed his collar and pulled him down. He smashed their lips together and kissed him right there. Adrian melted into it, not sure why it was happening, and decided not to think too much more about it. 

The absence of lips against his made him feel lonely but Adrian knew they had to go on stage eventually. "You didn't even see my result..." Adrian muttered, moving his hand to grab his phone. 

Vincent placed his hand over the phone before Adrian could unlock the screen to check. He then pushed Adrian from the door. As he made his exit he spoke simply, with confidence, "I don't need a fucking app to tell me what I want." And Adrian looked down after watching Vincent's back leave in the distance of the hallway. 

Someone loves you! - Heart Radius Notification

"Well shit," Adrian blinked, wondering if it was real, and then took a screenshot for safekeeping.