Chapter Text
For just a moment, brief but delightful, the claustrophobic alley was filled with silence. Vincent smiled to himself, hands shaking with excitement, as his eyes gazed at the corpse at his feet. Just where that man was supposed to be.
There goes another one.
And the blood rushed through his body, perfectly intoxicating, and breathing was getting harder and harder as he ran a hand lazily through his hair. God, everything was slightly blurry in the heat of the moment. And amidst the furor, he spotted a silhouette on the other end of the alley.
A person — what else would it be? — staring right at him, or perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him again. And the figure ran towards him, panting almost as if it had been looking for him this whole time. Something took over him, perhaps even more primal than the purest form of terror. What was he supposed to do, flee? No, that would make him even more suspicious. But he would definitely be recognized, with how much traction he had gotten, and the bloodstains would be undoubtedly hard to explain.
The figure stopped abruptly, a sigh leaving its lips before falling to the floor with a loud thud. A tall figure showed itself from behind, and they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Darkness covered the other man conveniently, and Vincent wondered if it did him as well. He could see some traits, if he squinted his eyes hard enough. Piercing hazel eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses stared at his as though they could see right through his soul.
A laugh interrupted his thoughts, silky and without a trace of mockery, as if the stranger had everything under control. And perhaps he did – at least more that Vincent did, anyways, which wasn’t hard to do.
— My, my, what a coincidence! — the voice was raspy, but something in it screamed danger — I trust this funny little encounter will be no more than that, hm?
Realization hit him like a truck. He had heard that voice before, somewhere. His car was filled with it to the brim, his office hours were spent with that voice dancing on his ear with the softest of moves. He knew something was off, he just couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. That man had captivated him with a mere two sentences.
He took a step, daring and quick, and his gaze met that of his opponent. Blood painted the man’s dark skin in a delightful mix of colours only the best artists could dream of, a smile greeting him with the warmest of gestures. Vincent felt his right eye twitch, his words get colder and die on his lips before they could even be said.
— Of course. — he gave the reply, but his voice seemed distant, almost as if it wasn’t his to begin. He cleared his throat — Of course. The name’s Vincent.
God, he was stupid. His presentation was met with a laugh. Cold, calculated.
— Good! — the man replied, a smirk crossing his lips, chocolatey and so tempting Vincent could almost taste them.
He blinked, and silence filled the alley for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. Vincent took in every detail of the man — not quite a stranger, not quite an acquaintance —, the way his glasses framed his golden eyes, how his dark hair twirled with playful elegance, how his smile widened with every passing second, a vulture looking at a cat; two predators in very different sizes. He was in front of a power he had not seen before. One that made him feel small. That made him feel hungry, lustful, that left him wishing for an influence like his.
That was the moment Vincent knew. That man had to be his. He needed to know him, to work with him and find out every secret, every trait. Yes. That would make him a star, that would make him shine even more, even brighter.
— What’s– Uh, what’s your name? — what a pathetic voice he let out, for a man with such grandiose plans.
— You know, I am in quite a hurry. — the man’s voice was almost giggling. Two corpses on their feet, and he seemed as carefree as ever.
— Oh, yeah. Me too, actually. — was he making a fool of himself? — I– Uh. Fancy a coffee later? I know a place…
Vincent didn’t quite finish the sentence, the words lingered in the air for longer than expected. The stranger’s eye twitched, or so he thought. His voice came snarky, and he couldn’t tell whether the man was laughing at him.
— Haha. We will see, dear!
He hated to admit it, but the way he giggled made his heart skip a beat. Vincent smiled and placed his hand on the man's shoulder.
— Great, then! There’s this coffee place on the street back there, and I uh– I think it’s a really good place. Yeah. I can get you a coffee. You know, since I’m the one asking you out. Not– not in that way–
— Ha! Ha! — a laugh with a slight hint of annoyance cut Vincent off — Do you ever shut up?
Vincent felt his eye twitch, his smile faltering for just a second. He opened his mouth, trying to think of a smart response, one that would show him just how quick his wit was and that way he would shut him up and–
— Now, come on, don’t make that face. Put on a smile, dear, and stay quiet. You are much more bearable like that. — the man put a finger over his dark lips, still tracing a smile, and God, Vincent would’ve licked it clean of blood without a second thought.
Silence filled the space between the two, and the smile of the tanned man showed a tooth or two more. His canines were strong, slightly larger than usual, and Vincent felt himself taking a step back, almost as if he was going to be eaten by that man. He no longer felt like just a smaller predator. He felt like the prey.
— Good. Now, be a darling and clean this mess. Pull yourself together. I will see you at the cafe.
The man gave Vincent a delicate bow that made his complaints die before they could even be said. He stared for a horribly long time, that made his shoulders shudder and his knees weak. God, he was being pathetic. But he couldn’t care less. He had a date – no, more like an appointment – with the most charming man he had ever laid eyes on. His luck just didn't seem to end, did it?