๓ครợยгค๔є

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

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"Thanks Damian!" Belle called after him as he turned to leave the room, realizing she hadn't actually asked him to make food, but more so just told him what to make. That wasn't really her place, nor was it something she wanted to do. She considered Damian a friend and didn't want him to feel like she was ordering him around or anything silly like that. She was just focused on getting Vincent healed up. Once that was out of the way, she turned back to Vince, watching him knock back the glass of water before he reluctantly followed her instructions and laid back down. She frowned slightly as she shifted continuously to try to get comfortable, seemingly unable to find a spot that worked for him. Once he finally stopped moving though, she scooted her hair forward, her eyes scanning over his bruised and broken body.

She checked the stitches she had used to sew him back together last night, sighing gently at the memory of just how bad he was. It was a really scary time for her, actually probably one of the most terrifying moments she'd experienced as a nurse. She'd seen people so close to death before, but never someone she cared about this much. She looked up at him when he asked if she would watch something with him after this, smiling gently at him. It was obvious by the look on her face that she was thinking about something - but she wouldn't tell him just how worried she had been for him. She was his nurse and although it was her job to keep him alive and well, it wasn't her job to worry.

"Only if you wash up first and promise not to strain yourself too much. But yea, I'd like that. Maybe it'll keep you from going crazy on bed rest." she said with a smile, laughing lightly. Finishing inspecting his wounds, she nodded her head at him in approval. "I want to redress these wounds after you clean up, but you didn't manage to tear any stitches out, so that's good." she said approvingly, standing and pushing her chair away from the bed. "I'll get the bath started for you. Get undressed and wrap yourself in a towel carefully in the mean time." she said, stepping away from him and going into the bathroom, returning for a moment to hand him a towel before disappearing again. She ran the water until the temperature and the water level was perfect, making sure the mats were secure on the floor so he wouldn't have any chance of slipping up. She then stood and walked back into his room to see if he was ready or if he needed any help.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

Vincent gave her a smile when she agreed to a movie with him. At least that was one victory in his book for the day. While he might have been severely injured and unable to really get around - it was a miracle alone that he was able to get up this early - he at least was having a chance to have a sorta-date with the girl he had a thing for since she first met him. If he hadn't been so hurt, he might have made the mistake of kissing her.

With her giving him the clear for not breaking any stitches, he sat back up and grabbed a towel after it had been handed to him. He only really had his boxer shorts to shed before he was naked as his Ryder costume had been the only thing he'd been wearing the night he'd been hit. With his towel wrapped around his waist, he sat back down though and looked at the cigarette that had barely been lit up. He bit his lip as he felt his need for it grow, but he shook his head, doing his best to ignore it for now. It was going to be hard enough to heal up without him needing to smoke every ten minutes. Even if he crashed hard at being on bed rest, he promised himself he wouldn't get to be a pack-a-day smoker.

When she came back to get him, he stood up off the bed and walked without her help, but he looked to be feeling worse and worse the longer he was on his feet. Still, he made it to the bathroom on his own and closed the door behind him before losing the robe and sinking into the deep claw foot tub. He gave a loud sigh and pulled his eyebrows tightly together as he just let himself soak in the water, letting tense and damaged muscles relax a little more than they had been. It also gave him a chance to get the nasty feeling out of his hair and shave so he returned to his smooth skin like before. While he was there, he also opted to brush his teeth in the bathtub. It was an experience he hadn't tried since he was ten, but he decided it was a good idea once more.

After almost an hour, he finally prompted himself to leave the cool water as it wasn't doing him any good for any longer to lay in the cold water. He had started to stiffen up again. With the towel he'd used around his waist, he dried his hair and dabbed his skin free of water. With a fresh towel, he came out of the bathroom clean and grabbed underwear, jeans, and a long sleeve. Under his towel, he slipped on the red boxer briefs to ditch his towel. After getting his jeans on - something that was a bit of a struggle from his swollen knees. After fighting it for a while, he fought back out of them and opted for more baggy and soft pajama pants with Spider-Man on them.

He carried his black long sleeve back to the bed so she could wrap his wounds again. Though he was still managing to get around on his own, he seemed to be having a harder time walking as his knees started feeling the effects of being smashed. He didn't know why it took so long to settle in, but it was starting to really hurt him bad enough that walking was being marked off the list as things he wanted to do. "I feel like I'm getting worse the longer I'm up and about," he admitted quietly, not wanting to but having to. "My legs hurt so much to stand on and walking feels like explosions of pain in my knee."

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

Seeing that Vince was ready to go when she walked back into the room, she went to help him get up, but was denied the ability to help him with anything beyond that. He was obviously beyond determined to walk on his own. She shook her head and smiled gently as he closed the door to the bathroom behind him. "Just yell if you need anything. I'll be right here." she called from outside the door. She then walked over to her purse and pulled out her phone, calling the hospital while she waited for him to be done. If Vince was paying attention at all, he would hear raised voices and Belle trying to keep her cool while she worked with the hospital to adjust her shifts. She was trying to switch around her shifts at least for the remainder of this week so she could be here to watch over him during the day. This meant taking the graveyard shifts for most of the week, which wasn't her favorite or the best choice, but she did what she had to do.

Once her schedule was all figured out and the argument with the hospital staff that never seemed to want to work with her was over, she settled down into a comfy chair in the corner, dozing off while she waited. She hadn't even realized she was that tired, but worrying and taking care of someone had a rather exhausting effect on her. She didn't wake up until Vincent spoke, saying something about how he was getting worse and his legs hurt. "Hm?" she mumbled groggily, running her hand through her hair before a blush spread across her cheeks. "I totally just fell asleep." she admitted out loud, a bit embarrassed. She looked over to Vince then, realizing he was waiting on her to dress his wounds. "I'm sorry." she said gently, laughing a bit nervously in an attempt to shake it off. Since when was she the type to fall asleep on the job after she had actually gotten a full night's sleep?

Moving on from her own shock at falling asleep, she dressed Vince's wounds, finally replying to what he had said about his legs. "Unfortunately you really have a lot of damage, especially to your knees. It's going to take some time before you can walk comfortably again. You'll get there though as long as you rest enough." she said, trying to be reassuring. She then smiled gently at him, giving him a gently squeeze on his arm where he wasn't actually injured. "I promise, it'll get easier sooner than you think. For now though, what do you want to watch?" she asked, standing and flipping through the collection of dvd's he had.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

Vincent gave her a grateful smile at her when she squeezed his arm, feeling himself wanting to just fall into her, but he held back. Instead he turned to play with his pillows to make a comfortable fortress for the two of them to watch his large TV that was mounted to the wall at the foot of his bed. When she inquired about which movie to watch, he just shrugged. "I'm not sure. Part of me wants an action story, but I feel like I'll get to jealous. Comedy makes me laugh which hurts right now. And honestly, I don't have any romantic movies to consider at the moment... How about Indiana Jones? That's a good action and I don't think there'll be any Nazis I feel the urge to run off and beat up. How's that? I'm good with either the first or third one," he informed her.

Just as he moved to stand again, Damian came in the room with movie snacks and a tan milk shake of some kind. Vincent raised an eyebrow at this, but the butler handed it to him before he could doubt the idea of it. "It's chocolate and peanut butter. It's full of vitamins and protein so it should help you to feel better," he informed his master.

"Would you like to stay and watch a movie?"

The color startled Damian as he hadn't been asked on such a thing in a while. It wasn't that he doubted the bond that Vincent and he had been forming, but it was just weird to him. The trouble young adult almost seemed at peace finally as he struggled with the aftermath of nearly dying. He even seemed to regain an innocence that he was sure hadn't existed in a very, very long time. With the collection of scars that the young master had when he showed up for the first time, he knew that he'd been street fighting for a lot longer than since his mother had died. It was surreal to see him be normal and kind for a change. Still, he couldn't. He had his own plans to tend to, if Vincent gave him the clear.

"Actually, I have other plans. That is if you'll approve of being left on your own for a bit."

Vincent's face seemed to drop a bit out of the childish glee, but he didn't appear entirely crushed. "Yeah, go for it. Everyone needs a vacation," he agreed with a smile though it felt a little strained. He drank from his shake and gave an approving nod to the other as he held his drink, but he saw the hesitation in Damian's face. It prompted a huff from the young man before he seemed to shoo him. "Go, have fun for once, Damian. You've past since earned it. Get before I change my mind."

Damian smiled and thanked Vincent before he left, leaving the other feeling a little crushed about being denied a "family" movie night. The idea made him bite his lip as he realized he was truly still hunting for that ideal American Family that he felt he never had from being raised solely by his mother. He hated having that sensation again after having spent so many years on his own. Trying to ignore it, he went back to sipping at his shake while he leaned back against his headboard.

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

Belle was grateful when he brief moment of falling asleep had been ignored, Vince simply resorting to answering her question about movies instead. She listened to him as she flipped through his collection, taking into account what he was saying and trying to find the movie that would suit both of them perfectly. Comedy definitely wasn't a good idea because laughing would definitely hurt him and she knew he was right when he said action wasn't the best bet either. When he mentioned Indiana Jones however, she considered this for a moment, finding the first one quickly. "Let's watch the first one, it's been a while since I've seen it." she said with a smile, picking the dvd out and opening the case, crouching down to slide it into the dvd player.

She turned when Damian walked in the room carrying a tray of food and a shake, smiling at him for a moment before returning her attention to the dvd player. She listened to them speak, smiling gently to herself as she got the movie ready when Vince asked if Damian wanted to join. She turned back to face them, remote in hand and the starter screen for Indiana Jones on the screen at the ready. She had turned just in time to catch the way Vince's face fell when Damian said that he couldn't stay and that he had other plans to attend to, dismissing Damian. She said bye to Damian and walked back over to where Vincent sat on his bed, debating for a moment whether she should sit on her chair or his bed. She had seen him arranging the pillows however and took a seat next to him, but not too close. She did still work for him, despite them being friendly, and it had to remain a professional relationship.

Once seated, she turn to Vincent, saying "You ready to start-" but paused, seeing that something was obviously bothering him. She placed the remote down in her lap, turning her body slightly so she was facing him more. He had seemed upset when Damian said that he couldn't stay. Maybe it was something to do with that? "What's wrong?" she asked blatantly, concern threading through her voice as she watched him patiently, her light blue eyes scanning his deep green ones. He had to know by now that not much got past her and that she wasn't one to really just let things go. She wanted to know what was upsetting him, but at the same time she wouldn't ask again. It would just bother her that she could do nothing to help and the movie would probably be less enjoyable for the both of them.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

Vincent pulled the bowl of popcorn over to himself to sit between them. He laid back against his headboard so he was still sitting up slightly so he could sip at his shake still. He was staring blankly at his TV When Belle asked about starting it finally, he nodded to her, but didn't really look her way. He just played with the shake he was given. With a heavy sigh, he put the drink down and fought into a long sleeve as he felt the cold return to him.

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about it, Belle. It's just old issues resurfacing, that's all," he assured her while snuggling back into his bed. He tried shifting to get comfortable again, but once again he was denied the pleasure of being comfortable. Instead of getting ready for a movie, he felt the need to smoke rise up again and his hunger die down. Putting his shake on his nightstand, he sunk into the bed deeper, rubbing his face as he growled. "And I'm having an incredibly difficult time not smoking right now. I haven't felt this needy over it in a while," he added. While he felt the need to smoke, it was also something he didn't want anything to do with. He had managed to lower the need to smoke down to only having one before he went to sleep for the day. Now he was having it after he woke up, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. The collection of everything made him just want to stick a gun in his mouth.

"I don't know what to do Belle. Within twenty four hours, I feel like my whole progress has been shot. I want to smoke, I'm remembering how hard it was for Mom to raise me on her own, the stupid mistakes I made, getting laid up in the hospital so badly they thought I was gone for... It's all coming back and all I feel is guilt and deep rooted depression."

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

When Vincent nodded in response to starting the movie, but didn't actually look at her, refocusing his attention on putting a shirt on instead, she sighed gently, setting the remote down. She turned her body to face him, running a hand through her hair as she waited for him to answer her question. When he said he was fine, telling her not to worry about it and that it was just old issues resurfacing, she raised an eyebrow at him, not quite believing that he was okay. "Alright, if you insist." she said quietly, leaning back against the wall as he readjusted himself. "But I'm here to listen if you do want to talk." she added quietly, hitting the play button on the remote to get the movie started. The volume was quieter than it probably needed to be if they were only going to focus on the movie and not talk about anything else, but when he spoke up again, she had a feeling that she didn't need to worry about that.

"It's probably because you've been focusing so hard on your training that it's overshadowed your desire to smoke. Plus, you've been in such a routine that breaking it can lead to you craving them more again." she said softly in reply to his comment about smoking. "Just keep in mind that although it might feel good to get rid of the craving once you smoke, it's just going to set you back in the long run. And you've been doing really well." she said reassuringly, a smile playing across her lips.

What he said next made the smile fall from her face however, his tone causing concern to flood her eyes and the corners of her mouth to turn downwards ever so slightly. She scooted close to him and took his hand reassuringly, giving it a squeeze before she released it, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. "I'm so sorry this is bringing up so many bad memories for you and is making you feel this way. You had a pretty traumatic experience." she started, leaning close to him as her way of letting him know she was there to comfort him. "Unfortunately sometimes experiences like this kind of cause people to look back on things they're unhappy with or revert to old habits. You could've lost your life Vince and no matter how much it sucks, it makes sense that you're feeling this way. You're progress hasn' been shot, you just have to take a moment to put yourself back together." she said softly, giving him a reassuring smile. "If you want to talk about anything you're going through, I'm right here. I don't know why you feel so guilty or sad and I will never pressure you to tell me about it, but it could help to get it off your chest." she said gently, watching him carefully with her concerned blue eyes. She searched his dark green ones for a response, not knowing how much her words were actually helping.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

Vincent listened to what she said without looking at her as he had covered his face with his arm. As she tried to rationalize how he felt, he just shook his head. In how she explained it, it made total sense. Yet, it still refused to be comprehended as making sense. He looked at her as she offered herself as someone to talk to about it and it made him bite his lip. There was a lot about his past he had kept quiet for a long time. Bringing them up now wasn't something he wanted, but it was putting such a heavy weight on his chest right then, he was feeling like he was being suffocated as he laid on the bed. Though that was just another part of his imagination, it felt real enough to make his breathing pick up.

Giving up on hiding, he nodded to her, deciding it best if he simply told her what was wrong. "When I was growing up, my mom fought to make ends meet. She was an artist and I was a kid that she hadn't expected to have anytime soon. After finding herself pregnant with me though, she left my dad to the west coast to put as much distance between them as possible. While they loved each other, she didn't want me to grow up rich as he had. She wanted me humble. While I was that, it also put me in a bad position growing up.

"I became a hired muscle for little gangs initially, then it advanced into something big enough where I was being traded almost twice a week. That made enemies. But, while I was getting beaten up almost every day for betraying my 'friends', I was helping Mom pay for things she needed to - this eventually included her doctors bills.

"I was leaving my graduation ceremony when I saw a girl getting harassed in the parking lot, so I intervened. I found out that she was an ex of mine and had agreed to use herself as bait to get me on my own without my bat. So, I was carved up, beaten up, and so close to death that I barely even was able to dial 911. When I woke up, it was almost two weeks later. I'd broken my leg, my arm, wrist, and hand. My ribs were shattered, I fractured my skull, broke my nose, and had several surgeries to deal with my massive internal bleeding. In the end, it cost more than we had in savings and Mom didn't have the money for treatment anymore. About six months later, she died from a brain tumor."

Vincent swallowed hard as he held back his sobs as tears rolled down his face from under his arm. His body shook as he kept himself from vocalizing his tears and instead gritted his teeth together. It took a while, but he managed to speak again. "After that, I started smoking. I started drinking a lot. I ditched my acceptance letter to Oxford and opened up a mechanic shop, trying to go straight in her absence. Two years later, I got a letter from Damian saying Dad died too. I hated the b*****d at the time for what I thought was him leaving my mom. But, I forgave him when I understood and I've lived here ever since with Damian trying to get me to clean up my act..."

Though the story ended on a happier note, Vincent didn't seem relieved by it at all. If anything, he felt far more distressed. His entire body was tense now as he tried to dry his tear, but they kept silently falling down his face, soaking the collar of his shirt. "Sorry," he apologized as he wiped his face with his sleeve, the attempt pointless as more tears still fell. "I shouldn't have said anything."

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

Belle watched Vince carefully as he seemed to refuse to look at her, burying his face in his arm. She didn't know anything about his past or what he could've gone through in his life, so she felt like she was walking on eggshells, not wanting to say the wrong thing or potentially upset him. When he finally looked at her, biting his lip and looking completely distraught, her face fell even more, feeling helpless to be able to make him feel better. She knew how to physically heal him, but this was a whole different kind of wound.

When he nodded, finally starting to talk, she moved close to him, listening intently. Listening to what he said about how his mother had taken him away from his father, wanting him to grow up humble, she nodded gently. She got the idea of why his mother had done it, but it seemed almost cruel to take a child away from his father and a man away from his son. No, it definitely seemed cruel. His mother must have had some sort of bad experience with that type of wealth though, so she pushed this thought from her mind, listening to what came next. Hearing that Vince used to be hired muscle for gangs and that he was getting beaten up almost daily, her heart ached for him. To do something like that and risk your own physical and even mental health just to help out his mother was not an easy task and was incredibly brave of him.

The story that came next, basically of his attempted murder, made Belle take his hand gently, tracing circles with her thumb over the top of his hand. She only held it lightly however, wanting to let him know she was there and that she wanted to comfort him, but so that he could take his hand away if he wanted to. She let him cry then, releasing his hand so he could wipe his tears and rubbing his back gently, trying to get him to breathe again. He seemed to be fighting his tears so hard, so she just rubbed his back and waited for him to settle down again, letting him get it out. She continued to rub his back gently when he started speaking again, biting her lip hearing everything that happened after his mother had passed away. She knew what it was like to lose your mother, but to lose her in a way like Vincent lost his, she couldn't even imagine.

When he finally finished speaking, tears still streaming down his face as he apologized, she immediately wrapped him in a hug, squeezing him gently so that she wouldn't hurt him. Releasing him, she said "No, no, no.. please don't apologize. I'm so glad you were able to get that off your chest. You never need to apologize to me for wanting to talk about anything, ok?" She smiled reassuringly before speaking again, saying "I wish I knew exactly what to say to make this all better, Vince, I really do. But the most important thing is that you cannot blame yourself for what happened to your mother." Her voice was soft and gentle and she only paused for a moment before speaking again. "You were doing everything you could to try to make things easier for her. And unfortunately that meant getting involved in some bad things, with some people who took things way too far. But none of that is your fault, ok? I am so so sorry that you lost your mother, I know how that feels. You're in a much better place now though and you're doing so well, I know it hurts and it's hard, but you can't go back to that. She wouldn't want that for you. She wouldn't want to see you hurt like that. For her and for you, we're going to get you through this." she said softly, taking his hand again and squeezing it tight. She didn't know how much of what she had said was actually helpful or if it was all just confusing, but she wasn't always the best in these types of situations, so she was doing everything in her power to try to help him. She could only hope that it was working.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

He gritted his teeth as he laid next to her, trying to soak in and rationalize what she was saying. Though he understood where she was coming from, he simply couldn't figure out how to apply it to himself. All he felt was sorrow upon sorrow. The only thing he had found refuge in, had been taken away when he had gotten this beat up. He could only hope that this wouldn't lead to a lengthy recovery, but as he felt like he was constantly finding new wounds, new ailments, he knew it would be. This would be something he wouldn't just casually walk off as a beating. There was a chance that this would be something that haunted him for the rest of his life because of how badly he'd been damaged. He might end up waking up every morning to pills, fighting off the urge to smoke more because he couldn't get around as easily, and maybe slipping back into drinking - something he hadn't touched an ounce of since he had started training.

This was a giant disaster he wasn't sure he could recover from.

"I know everything you are saying is true, this is just a lot more than I'm use to having to deal with and I'm terrified. I haven't been this bad in so long and I'm so restricted. I just don't want to fall back on what I've done wrong in the past. This is suppose to be a new start for me, a Cinderella story," Vincent said before he shook his head. "I'll be okay, I just need to sort this out. You can start the movie if you want."

He sunk back down against his pillows and let out a painful groan, trying to shift and get comfortable again in the usually soft bedding. He had to spend a good minute just adjusting it around so he could sit up at least enough to see the TV. Vincent let out a long breath of air, and just tried to calm down from the emotional attack he had.

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

Belle released him from her grasp, her hand falling free from his and shifting away from him slightly. She didn't feel like her trying to physically comfort him was doing any good and she was worried that she might just be making him feel uncomfortable instead. She sat in silence as she waited for his response, leaning up against the pillows he had situated behind their heads and listening to the sound of his teeth grinding. She felt like she was doing an absolutely terrible job or making him feel better, but she honestly wasn't sure what else she could do. He had been through so much in his life, there wasn't anything that she could say to make the past better. She'd have to focus on the future then. Even if he was injured now, he still had a whole life ahead of him. And if he had been able to be successful despite so many other injuries, he would have to work to push past these as well.

When he finally spoke up, saying that he didn't doubt her, but that he was scared, she watched him with gentle blue eyes. She was worried about him and how he was going to deal with these extensive injuries. He already seemed so defeated. Maybe not by his words, but just by the tone in his voice and the expression on his face. Despite him saying that she could start the movie, she shook her head, not quite ready to let this drop. "It's still a new start, Vince. This is just a bit of a setback, but you'll be able to work through it. Unfortunately things don't always come easily. And you won't be alone either. I'll be here and so will Damian. We're not going to let you fall back to that place." she said gently, turning to look at him, but not trying to comfort him physically again. She wished she knew what to say to make him believe her and to make him understand that everything was going to be okay. She could only continue to tell him that she was going to be here for him and then follow through with her promises.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

Vincent looked over to her when she finished speaking and let out another heavy sigh. It was still painful to think of, but he knew what she said to be true. If he just allowed himself to heal, he could. If he let himself to fall back, it would increase the severity. He reasonably knew that, but it was going to take a lot more than him just reasoning for him to accept it as that. Falling down was a lot more daunting when the ledges were slippery and the floor beneath was made of thin glass.

"I know, Belle. It's just going to take a lot more will than I think I have in me right now. But I'm extremely thankful that I have to two of you. I know without it, this would be a certain death."

--X--

Just like Belle had promised, Vincent had managed to nearly entirely recover within a short two month span. It had been a rough ride as he did pick up his smoking badly as he needed one when he got up, when he went to bed, and any time his pain killers started wearing off. Whenever he was left alone for an extended period of time though, he got worse as to where he would almost smoke back to back his cigarettes. Figuring he needed a companion, Vincent agreed to getting an animal of some kind to keep him company. In the end, he came home with a white husky puppy he named Gypsy and his smoking habits managed to dwindle as she never left his side.

However - like Damian warned - he was still struggling to get around. Shortly after he'd been able to run, he had taken it back up as he couldn't spend so much time on the couch. Since Gypsy was so little and rambunctious herself, they fit together awfully perfect. It quickly lead to Vincent having to take his painkillers just to get out of bed in the morning and sleep at night. In turn, made him a little more bitter from hurting so much. If he didn't work out though, he was depressed - even with the little dog's attempts to cheer him up as she always slept curled up against him.

Unfortunately, his morning was no different. He woke up to Gypsy tearing at his pants that he had slept in, tugging him by his waist band. As this was a routine he had grown use to in a month, he woke up when prompted. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes as he grabbed the pain killers off his nightstand. He took only one in hopes that it would be enough to keep on his feet for at least a few hours. He'd been trying to reduce the amount he had been using in hopes that he could wean himself. However, his cigarette still followed it as he got out of bed, snarling as his knees popped at just standing.

Gypsy kept dancing around his feet as he walked, yapping out of her wants for breakfast and to go outside. He opened up the door for her to run down the marble tile, her toenails clicking and scratching it as she scurried to the door - beating her master by long shot. "Outside isn't going anywhere, Gypsy," he huffed before taking a heavy drag as he crossed the room to the door to let her out. However, upon opening the door, he saw Belle pulling into the drive way. He swore under his breath because that meant he had slept in too late - again - and wasn't going to be able to finish his smoke. Also meant he had to grab Gypsy before Belle had to narrowly dodge the daring pup.

He put his smoke out on the ashtray he had left out from the night before and then ran after the dog, limping as he still favored his side that had been struck. He grabbed the daft dog and then stepped back to let her come in the driveway. He rubbed the dog's ears to sooth her, but she just seemed set on wiggling out of his grasp. So, the moment Belle was out of the car, he released her, letting his pup run up and great the nurse as she did every morning.

"Good morning," he told her with a tired smile, never seeming to have entirely recovered his bubbly personality since his last brush with death. "I didn't think you would be coming this way so soon again."

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

As the next two months passed, Belle was by Vince's side as much as she possibly could be. Work had picked up and things at the hospital were changing, so she was busier than ever. She was giving up sleep to help Vince though, her determination to get him back on his feet actually knocking her off her's a bit. She never let him know how exhausted she was though. Under eye concealer did wonders in that department. His progress had been so good that she didn't want anything to keep him from getting better. He had enough on his mind and enough to work on that she didn't want him worried about her too. They had become closer over these past two months as well, with Belle working extra hours and spending more of her free time outside of just being paid at the mansion. Vincent wasn't just a client anymore, but a really good friend and someone that she would do just about anything for.

When she pulled into the driveway to the mansion that morning, she couldn't help but grin at the scene that unfolded before her. Vince's new pup, Gypsy, seemed to love to escape his grasp and run anywhere and everywhere. This morning it was out in the driveway, followed by Vince limping out behind her and scooping her up in his arms. Belle finished pulling into the driveway, parking her car and turning the key in the ignition to calm the roar of the engine. Stepping out, she shut the door behind her and was instantly greeted by the pup. Crouching down to her level, she scooped up the excited puppy in her arms, laughing gently as she was greeted with Gypsy licking her face.

"Morning." she said between giggles, laughing as the excited puppy wiggled in her grasp and continued trying to lick her. She put the squirming puppy back down and raised an eyebrow at Vince when he said that he didn't think she would be coming his way so soon. "I'm here the same time I have been every morning. What, did I interrupt your morning smoke?" she said with a grin, winking at him and brushing by him and walking in the front door. "Morning Damian!" she called out, her voice echoing across the walls in the mansion. She wasn't sure where he was, but she was sure that she would be heard. She then spun on her heels and looked back at Damian, Gypsy running around excitedly between them. The pup never seemed to run out of energy. "How're you feeling today?" she asked gently, ignoring the strand of hair that had fallen out of place from spinning around to face him.

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[Unbreakable Justice]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAll the broken pieces left unglued
xxx → Should never find their way
xxxxxxx into the hands of x( x s o m e o n e x )x like you !

He gave a genuine smile this time. "Something like that. I guess I just have been sleeping in a lot more than I've been use to doing. You seem to appear faster when I sleep more." He lingered outside for a little longer as he waited for Gypsy to finish her own morning routine - including chasing the few squirrels who were still daring enough to be on the same property as her. In no time though, she bolted past Vincent to harass the pair that had met in the foyer.

"I'm doing well, thank you, Miss O'Dear. The master is becoming a handful again so I must admit I'm getting a little more worn down," he said with a gentle smile on his face before he looked past to see Vincent giving him a gesture to knock it off over what he'd been doing when she wasn't there. The butler took the hint and continued the conversation elsewhere. "How are you fairing? Between him and work, you must be getting exhausted. Just remember, if you ever need a paid vacation, feel free to ask for it."

"I'm going to go make coffee," Vincent said to no one in particular as he left the room for the kitchen, staring up on making a fresh, full pot. Normally he made only made a half pot as he usually didn't need to be too awake, but today he was feeling especially tired so he opted for the full pot experience.

「 I'M IN THE DARK... 」xxxxxxxxxx

 

[VVanderIust]

ＳＡＲＡＢＥＬＬＥ ＦＡＹ Ｏ' ＤＥＡＲ

……………………………………………………………………

Belle grinned at him when he said he'd been sleeping more than usual and that made it seem like she got here faster. She knew he had been sleeping a lot in order to recover from his injuries and still train, but it was still a bit amusing that he didn't realize how much time had passed. Amusing, yet also kind of worrisome. It had been two months, she wasn't sure when he was going to get back into routine. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Belle let her thoughts drift from Vince as Damian made himself known. She smiled at the older man, enjoying talking with him. She had become close with him as well over the past two months, maybe even more so than Vince considering how often Vince slept. Hearing Damian say that he was beginning to feel worn down, considering that Vince was being a handful again, she glanced over her shoulder to see the culprit walking in. He shot Damian a look that told him to change subjects and a smile flickered across her lips before she looked back to Damian. She didn't mind that he didn't want Damian to talk any more about his own exhaustion or about Vince being a handful. She'd find out what she needed to know somehow. "Well, like I've told you a million times before, rest is key. So don't forget about it." she said gently, turning to face Damian again with that slight smile resting on her lips.

When Damian asked how she was doing however, saying that she could always take a paid vacation if she needed it, she just raised an eyebrow at him. He should know very well by now that she wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Especially not until Vince was doing much better. "Thank you, Damian, I appreciate it. But I'm doing okay, just a bit tired." she said gently, cursing herself mentally when a yawn crossed her lips right after she had finished speaking. She gave Damian a look as to tell him not to say anything else about her exhaustion. He was allowed to notice and ask about her, but she didn't need Vince worried.

She then nodded to him and followed after Vince in the kitchen, leaning against the counter as he started brewing a pot of coffee. "Better be a cup in there for me." she said with a grin, leaning heavily forward on the counter and watching him. "How're you feeling? Any improvements?" she asked curiously, her eyes scanning over him as he moved to see if she could notice any hitches in his movements.

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