Maybe Something More

Part Four

He was referring to what his grandpa had said, "Oh, just leave the poor boy alone, Chase. He's worried about you, darnit, and doesn't want to leave you until he knows that you'll be okay!".

"Yeah...", Vince's voice came out shakier than Chase had expected, and when he looked up, he saw tears welling up in the former's eyes. "When I saw you hugging your brother without knowing who he was, I was jealous. When I found out that you were sick, I was worried. When you told me that you had a secret, I wanted to know what it was. When I realized that you're a griffin, I was amazed but also even more worried for you. When you came back all bloody and hurt like that... it hurt me to see you hurt...", Vince confessed.

There was silence.

Then, an awkward laugh left his lips. "I guess I'm confessing to you now, huh? I didn't... I know that you don't like me back, at least not romantically, but I suppose I'll still confess. I like you, Chase, I like you a lot. I don't know how it happened between us 'hating' each other and us still being civil around each other on the field. There have been countless times that I've just wanted to tell you, but I didn't because I was worried over what you'd say. There's so many different scenarios that could take place and-".

Chase cut Vince off by placing his hand over Vince's mouth. Vince rambling was adorable, but Chase also wanted to speak.

"I'll be honest. I don't know if I like you, too.", Chase started, and he saw Vince's face totally crumble. "But, I think that's because I also don't know you as a person. Aside from being amazing at soccer — and your sexuality — what else do I really know about you? Practically nothing.", Chase explained. He took a deep breath, "I want to get to know you better, Vince. And, not just the captain of the soccer team. I wanna know Vincent McGuire, the high school student, the one who, in fact, is my co-captain, the one who plays soccer amazingly well yet doesn't want to have a career in athletics, the one who likes me. And, even if we don't end up together, I want to be friends with you. I want to know the person you are, not the person who people think you are.".

Chase saw Vince's face light up with hope, "Really?".

Chase reached over and wiped the tears from Vince's face, making Vince giggle a little. "Yes, really.", he responded.

They stood in silence then, just relishing in the presence of each other. They weren't doing anything physically intimate, like hugging or kissing, yet this felt incredibly intimate to them.

Then, Vince saw Chase's bandages and realized why he was in the bathroom with him in the first place.

"Oh, right! I need to help you change your bandages.", Vince told Chase.

Chase nodded and sat on the edge of the bathtub to remove the bandage on his shin himself.

"Um...", Vince began, and Chase looked up from his task.

"Yeah?", Chase asked.

"Can I...", he trailed off, gesturing to the bandage around Chase's left shin.

Chase sat up and smiled at Vince, "You sure?".

"Yeah... I want to.", Vince nodded in assurance.

"OK, then.", Chase replied.

Vince knelt down and gingerly touched the bandage on the lower half of Chase's left leg. He untied the knot and unwrapped the white bandage. Then, he reapplied the ointment to where the cut was, and tied a new bandage around Chase's leg.

He then reached up to do the one on Chase's right arm, and Chase didn't refuse the help. He honestly appreciated what Vince was doing, and it felt nice to be taken care of for once, not having to take care of someone else. After Vince was done with the bandage on Chase's arm, he reached for the one on Chase's head.

The last one left was the one of Chase's chest.

Chase tried to tell Vince that he would be okay doing that one one his own, but Vince wouldn't have it.

"Let me help you when I can. I couldn't stop you from getting hurt, but I want to at least help you heal.", Vince told him.

So, Chase let him do his thing.

After all of the bandages were done and replaced, Chase realized that he didn't exactly shower.

So, he settled for washing himself with a soft, wet sponge. Vince, thankfully, left the bathroom then, leaving Chase on his own to think over what had happened. 

End of Part Four

So... Chase is hurt and Vince helps him to change his bandages. 

But, more importantly...

VINCE CONFESSED HIS FEELINGS TO CHASE!!!

I think that Chase handled Vince's confession very maturely, and what he said is true. Chase barely knows anything about Vince except for a select few things. He's also hated Vince and been jealous of him ever since he's known him, so that n

I feel like I'm talking as though this isn't my own story, BTW.