Summer before junior year of college / Age 20...
Vincent never thought he'd willingly walk into Esther's flower shop as a customer.
The small bell by the door chimes when he enters the floral paradise. The environment is peaceful and smells like a crisp meadow, but that doesn't distract from the brown-haired boy with a white flower tucked behind his ear as he sits on the counter with a poetry book in his hands.
"I don't think you are supposed to be doing that on the job," Vincent teases.
Asher's eyes peek up, a gentle smile painting his face when he sees Vincent.
"Well, I'm not a worker so technically, I can do whatever I want," he grins. "That's what happens when the Gaines family is smitten with you."
Vincent laughs, going in to give Asher a fist bump that he happily accepts. "How have you been? You look happy."
"I've been great," Asher says genuinely. "College has been kind of tough, but I'm getting by."
"Hard English classes?" Vincent guesses.
"That and a worrisome dad breathing down my neck," he giggles, but Vincent can tell that the comment about Oliver is lighthearted. "How has college life been treating you so far? Wait, what are you studying again?"
"I didn't tell you?" Vincent smiles.
Asher shakes his head.
"Education," Vincent answers.
"Oh my god!" Asher gasps. "Really?!"
Vincent nods with a small chuckle, expecting exactly that reaction from the person who made him realize that he wanted to be a teacher one day.
Honestly speaking, it's surprising to Vincent that he wants to have a profession that is dedicated to helping people. He would've never imagined it. If anything, he always expected a job where he'd be so far away from social interaction that it's considered unhealthy. However, after tutoring every single one of his friends at some point in high school—Asher taking up the majority of his time—he realized that he does enjoy sharing knowledge. Nothing is more rewarding than watching someone just light up at understanding a concept, especially someone as expressive as Asher.
Asher turns smug and crosses his arms. "I should get all the credit for helping you realize your dream job."
"You didn't do shit," Vincent scoffs, rolling his eyes, even though Asher is right.
"Mhmmmmm," he hums cheekily.
"Shut your fucking mouth," Vincent mutters lightheartedly. "You've gotten ballsy over the years."
Asher flashes Vincent a bright but innocent smile. Despite Vincent's hard exterior, he is proud of the person that Leo's boyfriend has grown into after all his hardships.
"Why are you here anyway?" Asher asks curiously, swinging his legs back and forth.
"I need flowers."
Asher just looks at him for a second. "You need flowers?" he repeats in amusement.
"Just get me some damn flowers and don't ask questions."
Asher snorts, "But you, Vincent Russell, need flowers? What could you possibly need flowers for?"
"Where's your fucking boyfriend?" Vincent sighs.
Asher laughs before calling out, "Leo?!"
"Yeah, gorgeous?!" says a voice from the back.
"This customer is giving me crap!"
Within a matter of seconds, stomping footsteps can be heard. The back room door swings open, and Leo Gaines comes storming out with an incomplete vase of flowers preoccupying his hands.
"Who the fu—" Leo finally sees his boyfriend's smiling face as well as Vincent standing beside him with a smirk. "Oh, it's just you."
"Yeah, good to see you too, golden boy," Vincent chuckles, greeting his friend with a quick side hug. He then looks Leo up and down, taking in the small green apron that doesn't even come close to covering his muscles and the mess of flowers tangled in his hair. Vincent grins, "I don't think I'll ever get used to this look."
"Oh, shut up. I already get enough crap from my college team," Leo mutters lightheartedly.
"Come here, Leo," Asher whispers.
Leo instantly listens to Asher's soft command and steps close to his boyfriend. Asher's eyes crinkle up fondly as he picks each flower out of Leo's honey-brown locks. Leo takes Asher by surprise when he kisses the corner of his mouth, and Vincent can't help but laugh as Asher's cheeks turn rosy.
"Guys, I'm still standing right here," Vincent says, playfully shaking his head.
"And?" Leo retorts, smugly wrapping his arms around Asher and setting his chin on top of his head, causing the shorter boy to giggle. "Why are you here?"
"I can't pop in and say hi?"
"Vincent, you never do that," Leo deadpans. "We usually have to drag you out of the house."
"Yeah, yeah," Vincent waves him off with a quick hand gesture. "I need some flowers."
"What?" Leo says, stunned. He peeks over Asher's shoulder to make eye contact with his boyfriend to see if he also understands how bizarre the request is.
"Trust me, I know," Asher laughs before narrowing his eyes at Vincent. "Is it for a girl?"
Leo bursts out laughing, "Please, it's Vincent we are talking about. He doesn't have a single romantic bone in his body."
Honestly, none of Vincent and Hayden's close friends know about their relationship. Vincent was very open to letting the world know about them, but for whatever reason, Hayden doesn't want to tell anyone they are close to. Vincent has asked his boyfriend for a reason why he wants to conceal their relationship, but Hayden always brushes it off and changes the subject. Nonetheless, even if his boyfriend is hiding something, Vincent loves him enough to respect his decision.
As for the reason why he's at the flower shop: he is heading over to Hayden's house in a bit so that they can finally tell his dad that they are dating. Although Vincent has known Scott for almost a decade, it feels wrong to show up empty-handed when they are going to announce something so important. Vincent also doesn't peg Scott as a flower person, but it's the best idea he's got.
"Hey, I didn't come here for you to rip into me, dickheads," Vincent scoffs. "Now just give me some flowers."
"You have to say pretty please," Asher beams.
Vincent sighs, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. "Pretty fucking please."
"Alright," Leo laughs. "What can I get you then?"
Vincent shrugs, "Flowers."
"Okay...do you know what kind?"
"Ones that look good."
"Oh gosh," Asher snorts behind his hand, receiving a glare from Vincent.
"Do you have a color in mind?" Leo offers, trying to help his clueless friend.
"Nope."
"Damn, this customer really was giving you crap," Leo laughs, playfully nudging Asher.
Vincent sighs, "Just give me whatever that is." Vincent points to the vase of flowers that Leo was carrying when he came out here.
"Lilies?" Leo questions in amusement. For someone as smart as Vincent, he has zero knowledge on the most basic of flowers.
"I think it's about time I give you tutoring lessons," Asher teases.
Vincent ignores their comments before saying, "Yeah, just give me a whole bunch of Lilies. That'll do."
"Okay," Leo responds, going to the back to start arranging a bouquet.
Asher hops off the counter and starts manning the register. He easily rings Vincent up before tossing him a sly smile.
"I'll give you a discount if you tell me what they are for," Ash reasons.
"Nice try," Vincent chuckles, handing Asher some cash.
"Boo," Asher pouts, handing Vincent his change just in time for Leo to come out with a colorful arrangement of fresh flowers.
Leo gives Vincent the bouquet, and Vincent nods gratefully. He waves goodbye to the pair.
"Good luck with whatever suspicious activity is going down!" Asher calls out cheerfully, causing Leo to bark out a laugh.
Vincent exits the shop with a middle finger in the air for the two lovebirds.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Vincent would never admit this to his boyfriend, but his apartment looks like a tornado ransacked the place because he couldn't find the proper outfit to impress him. After finally settling on a button-up, some slacks, and doing his hair the way that Hayden likes it most, he is standing on the doorstep of the Williams household.
God, the sappy-ass things he has to do when he is dating someone.
He smooths his eyebrows before finally ringing the doorbell. Within a matter of seconds, the door opens to Hayden's smiling face. However, what Vincent doesn't expect is for Hayden to burst out laughing.
"What?" Vincent scoffs harshly.
"Are you wearing—pfffftt," he snorts, placing his hands on his knees. "A damn bow tie?!"
Vincent knew he made the wrong decision.
"Then hold this, dipshit," Vincent demands, shoving the bouquet of Lilies into his chest and leaving him barely enough time to catch the delicate flowers.
Hayden watches in amusement as his grumpy boyfriend rips the bow tie off his neck and carelessly throws it in the bushes. He swiftly pulls a back-up tie out of his pocket and huffs as he tries to wrestle it onto his neck.
Hayden glances down at the flowers in his hands and says, "Oh, we are soooooo not turning into Asher and Leo."
"They aren't for you," Vincent bites back.
Hayden notices the aggression in Vincent's tone, which is strange because Vincent never raises his voice at Hayden and Hayden usually loves the soft side that comes out of his boyfriend that is only reserved for him.
Hayden observes the deep furrow in Vincent's brow as he accidentally puts a knot at the end of the tie and starts cussing up a storm. Vincent is fidgety and keeps soothing his hands down his slacks like his palms won't stop sweating.
Hayden's eyes widen in realization.
He's nervous.
Vincent isn't the most expressive person out there, so Hayden knows that he gets defensive when something doesn't go his way or he wants to cover up a different feeling.
Hayden sets the flowers on one of the porch chairs before striding over to his boyfriend.
"Picked the wrong fucking shirt," Vincent mutters, getting angrier by the second. "Took too long—now the flowers are dying. There's a goddamn stain on—"
"Vinny," Hayden breathes softly.
Vincent doesn't even hear him as he continues to mess with the tie.
"Vinny," Hayden repeats, placing his hands over Vincent's.
Vincent finally pauses, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before he finally looks at Hayden.
Hayden gives him an encouraging smile before gently prying the hideous tie out of his boyfriend's hands. He sweetly tucks a hair behind his ear and tosses the tie aside.
"It's kind of cute when you're nervous," Hayden chuckles, popping the collar of Vincent's shirt which happens to be his favorite color.
"Shut the fuck up."
Hayden smiles wider at the comment while unbuttoning the top two buttons of his boyfriend's shirt because prim and proper has never fitted Vincent.
"What's got you so shaken up?" Hayden whispers.
"I don't want you to experience what I did," Vincent says, almost inaudibly.
"What do you mean?" Hayden prompts.
"I can't watch you get hurt if your dad doesn't approve," Vincent admits honestly. "I just...want to leave the best impression possible so that there is zero chance of me being the reason why you are left disappointed."
"I never thought I would see the day that Vincent Russell isn't using his brain," Hayden smiles, stepping forward to hug Vincent. Vincent only reciprocates the affection with a simple hand on Hayden's lower back, but it's phenomenal progress for the boy who never thought he'd give his heart to someone else. "Vinny, my dad has known you for years. Not only that, but he literally loves you. What could possibly go wrong? Besides, my dad already knows that I'm pansexual."
"To be fair, I think everyone has had suspicions about you not being straight," Vincent teases, finally feeling at ease.
"What?!" Hayden gasps. "I concealed it so well!"
"You have admitted to wanting to kiss everyone in the friend group," Vincent says with a little laugh.
"I never—"
"Multiple times," Vincent continues.
Hayden huffs playfully before placing a little peck on Vincent's lips. He then pinches Vincent's cheeks, causing the latter to scowl.
"But my little honey bunny is my favorite," he coos just to piss off Vincent.
Vincent shoves Hayden away from him before picking up the flowers and strutting into the home like he owns the place, but truthfully, the place is his second home. Hayden skips in behind him with gleeful laughter.
Vincent spots Scott whipping something up in the kitchen, and Scott turns around at the pair of footsteps.
Like father like son, Scott also cracks up with laughter when he takes in Vincent's attire. Although it's a little better due to Hayden's small adjustments, it's still so un-Vincent-like that's it laughable.
"What the hell are you wearing?" Scott laughs. "And why are you holding flowers?"
Vincent glares at the man, but Scott is used to the ravenette's moodiness by now.
"I hate both of you," Vincent says shortly.
"You look like a youth pastor," Scott continues, adding salt to the wound.
"Oh my god, Dad!" Hayden exclaims. "You are so right!"
Vincent sighs, "I might as well just have shown up in no clothes."
Scott chuckles before turning his back to add more ingredients to the aromatic pot.
"I would like that," Hayden whispers cheekily, putting his hand on Vincent's ass.
"Behave yourself," Vincent whispers back harshly, elbowing Hayden in the side before walking into the kitchen.
Hayden stays in his spot, watching Vincent's backside because wow, his boyfriend looks good in those pants. However, when Scott turns around, Hayden death drops to the floor at the idea of being caught.
Scott rolls his eyes, knowing that this is normal behavior for his son. He then openly greets Vincent.
"Hey, kid," Scott grins, patting Vincent hard on the back. "How have you been?"
"Good, good," Vincent says honestly before presenting the flowers. "Uh...these are for you actually."
Scott chuckles in disbelief but gratefully accepts the bouquet. "What for?"
"Just...thanks for everything."
Scott grins, putting a hand on Vincent's shoulder.
"I'm so proud of you," he begins. "And just know that you can ask me for anything. I know that you have been on your own for a while, but you are like my second son. You're welcome for dinner anytime."
Vincent nods, exuding gratitude. He then makes his way over to the living room that is out of sight. His boyfriend is already waiting with a soft smile, overhearing his dad and Vincent's conversation.
"Doing okay?" Hayden questions.
Vincent takes a seat on the ground next to Hayden. Hayden instantly scoots closer, throwing his legs over Vincent's lap. Vincent cautiously peeks over his shoulder for a quick second to make sure that Scott is still preoccupied before putting his hand on the back of Hayden's head and kissing him silly.
"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, boys!" Scott announces, breaking Hayden and Vincent's hidden little kiss.
"I'm doing great," Vincent confesses. "And I think we will be okay."
"Told you so," Hayden sings, his head falling to Vincent's shoulder comfortably.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
By the time dinner is ready, the three guys are gathered around the dinner table. Lively conversation is evident in the home, but Hayden and Vincent keep glancing at each other, waiting to see who is going to be the first to break the news.
Scott suddenly puts his silverware down, interlocks his hands on the tabletop, and looks at Hayden and Vincent expectantly.
"Dad, is something wrong?" Hayden asks curiously.
"Let me guess," he begins with a smirk. "You two want to finally tell me that you are together."
Vincent opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. As for Hayden, he resorts to saying something stupid out of response.
"What does together mean?"
"You are dating, son," Scott deadpans.
"Dating," Hayden mumbles, looking about the room to find something more interesting. "I don't know what dating is. Is that like an unknown animal or something?"
"Hayden," Vincent smiles, trying to pull Hayden from his defense mechanic, the same way Hayden helped Vincent out of his funk earlier.
"You two really thought I wouldn't figure it out?" Scott says playfully. "You think I wouldn't find it suspicious when Hayden doesn't come home with a girl every month?"
"Dad," Hayden groans.
"What? It's the truth," Scott shrugs. "What has it been now? Over a year?"
"Unfortunately," Vincent jokingly murmurs.
Hayden looks at him unimpressed but immediately perks up when he realizes something.
"In that case..." Hayden chimes.
He instantly pops up from his chair and shamelessly plants himself on Vincent's lap. Vincent throws his hands in the air with mild disappointment before letting them listlessly fall at his side, knowing that nothing is going to get Hayden to move. Vincent thinks that the brain cell that houses embarrassment got lost somewhere in his boyfriend's head.
"Aren't we just the cutest?" Hayden beams, wrapping an arm around Vincent's neck. "You can take our cheesy couple photos now!"
Scott chuckles, "Vincent looks like he wants to kill you."
"I do—"
Hayden slaps a hand over Vincent's mouth, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Well, I think this goes without saying," Scott starts. "But I couldn't think of anyone better to contain my train wreck of a son."
"I'm the conductor," Hayden snaps back. "Choo choo bitch. That fashionable conductor hat has my name written all over it."
"Anyways," Scott muses. "I'm glad to see that everything worked out in the end. It's nice to see you happy after you have been pining for what feels like fifty years."
"Dad! You are totally blowing my cover!" Hayden exclaims.
"Yeah, yeah," Scott waves him off. "What I'm trying to say is, Vincent, thank you for making my son feel like he is finally worth something."
"He shouldn't need me to realize that," Vincent responds thoughtfully.
Hayden grabs Vincent's arms, wrapping them around his midsection. Hayden happily sinks into Vincent's strong embrace.
"Okay, my one request is please don't have sex while I'm in the house," Scott reasons.
"Dea—"
"We can just use a gag," Hayden shrugs. "It'll be like we aren't even here."
Vincent sighs and rests his forehead against Hayden's shoulder, not knowing how he is supposed to look Scott in the eyes after a comment like that.
Before anyone can get a chance to respond, Vincent's phone starts buzzing in his pocket.
"Oooh, a hidden vibrator?" Hayden grins.
Vincent instantly pinches Hayden's hips to get him off his lap. He grabs his phone from his pocket and glances at the caller.
"Um, I gotta take this," Vincent says distractedly as he walks toward the back door. "Scott, please control your fucking son by the time I get back."
"I've been trying to do that for twenty years!" Vincent hears Scott call out right before he exits the house.
He paces on the patio for a few seconds before finally answering the call from his dad.
"Hello?"
"Are Vance and Valerie around?" Vincent instantly counters.
"No, sorry," Kane replies. "They are at the park with your mom."
"If I'm not her son, then she's not my mother," Vincent snaps back harsher than he intends to.
"Sorry," Kane replies uneasily before an awkward silence fills the space between them. "Have you been... doing okay?"
"Yep," Vincent answers shortly, wanting this conversation to end if his siblings aren't involved because although Kane is trying to extend an olive branch, it's not enough, especially with how secure Vincent is in his life right now.
"...What's been going on?" Kane further pushes.
"Just came out to my boyfriend's dad," Vincent replies, not trying to sugarcoat anything.
"You...what?" Kane repeats in genuine confusion that Vincent mistakes as mock cluelessness.
"You heard me correctly," Vincent sighs, rolling his eyes.
"You're dating someone?"
Vincent's eyes narrow in confusion and he says, "Wait...she didn't tell you?"
"Who didn't tell me what?"
"When you were in the hospital, Ana found out that Hayden and I were dating," Vincent explains.
"Oh..."
The tension between Vincent and his dad is briefly interrupted when Hayden creeps outside. Hayden gives Vincent a shy smile and Vincent extends his arm as a small invitation. Hayden steps into Vincent's arm and rests his head on his shoulder, so he can hear the phone call as well, but Vincent doesn't mind.
"If you don't have anything to say, then I'm going to go," Vincent sighs.
"Wait..." Kane counters. "It's just a lot to think about."
Vincent rolls his eyes. "There isn't anything to think about, Dad. It's my relationship; not yours."
"Well, I won't pretend it's normal. I mean, I don't like it one bit, but I also won't pretend that just because I disagree with it, you aren't my son," Kane explains, taking a deep breath. "I just...I really am thinking about you, Vincent. But if someone is watching over you, then yeah, I do feel a little bit better. If he makes you happy, then that's not anything I can change. I really am wishing you well, son."
"Okay," Vincent responds, not knowing what else to say because a 'thank you' isn't even close to being on the tip of his tongue.
"And I think I can sneak Valerie and Vance out for a few hours this weekend," Kane offers. "I'm really sorry that all this drama has separated you three."
"I appreciate that," Vincent grins, excited to hang out with his siblings as opposed to only seeing them for five seconds before they are ripped away from him by his mother.
"Well...I should probably get going. Make sure you tell...y-your boyfriend hi for me," Kane stutters, but Vincent appreciates the gesture nonetheless. "I miss you. Just...let me know if you want to meet up at any time."
"Okay," Vincent says again before hanging up the phone.
He should be happy about the offer but truthfully, he's still angry for the part that Kane played in shoving him out of his life and leaving him to fend for himself.
"You okay, Vinny?" Hayden whispers after a few moments of silence. The pair stares out into the distance that is illuminated by the full moon.
"More than okay," Vincent manages honestly. "You wanna take Vance and Valerie out with me this weekend?"
"Really?" Hayden lights up at the proposal because Vincent hasn't seen his siblings in weeks and still wants to include him. Besides, Hayden really does love the twins like they are his own family.
"Of course," Vincent says. "They adore you."
"Just like you do," Hayden replies smugly, kissing just under Vincent's jaw.
"How do you find a way to ruin every goddamn moment?" Vincent scoffs half-heartedly, loving how silly his other half can be.
"My dad is putting on a movie soon," Hayden informs, trailing his fingers down Vincent's arm as he changes the subject. "He is even making some popcorn for us."
"That's nice," Vincent breathes, but Hayden can hear a different undertone in his voice.
Hayden waits patiently for Vincent to say what's on his mind.
"I love you," Vincent says softly.
Hayden's head snaps up because although they have muttered the famous three-word phrase to each other before, Vincent has never been the first to say it. But after all Vincent has been through, he can confidently say that Hayden is a constant, and he deserves to be shown how important he is.
"I love you too," Hayden beams.
"I really do," Vincent repeats. "I know I don't say it enough."
"That's okay."
"Whenever I envision the future, I see your dumbass next to me, so don't think for one second that I don't value you," Vincent says, not making eye contact with his boyfriend.
"You are my biggest role model, Vinny."
"What the fuck?" Vincent says shortly, breaking up the sweet moment with his humorous shock. "Why? Are you okay in the head?"
Hayden lets out a loud laugh before saying, "But seriously. I've always struggled to shake off what people thought about me and focused too much on those who didn't even believe in me, but since we started dating, I feel safe to be me. I see how strong you are and it makes me strive to want to be like you.
It's strange to feel this confident, but if you have my back, why should I worry about anything else?"
"You shouldn't," Vincent says.
"I know that now," Hayden claims before saying, "Now I want you to feed me popcorn like the smoking hot man I am. Oh, and I want my bedtime kisses."
"Pick one or the other," Vincent muses, shaking his head.
"Fine," Hayden huffs. "This better be the best damn popcorn of my life. I want each piece coated in cinnamon and paprika before you feed it to me."
"First off, I'm not your fucking chef. Second off, you are literally disgusting. Third off, I'm sick of talking to your ass so let's get inside and watch this movie before you are stuck clinging to me for the rest of the night, even though I'm pretty sure I unfortunately can't escape it."
"Okay, okay," Hayden pouts, shuffling his feet like a punished child before he smirks up at Vincent and innocently peeks through his eyelashes. "I love you, though."
Vincent rolls his eyes before giving Hayden a small kiss on the cheek to shut him up.
"Look, you even got a little bonus," Vincent scoffs before grabbing a smiley Hayden by the arm and pulling him into his second home.