Vince could see the gears turning in the big blonde’s head. He could see the minute, telling changes in expression that someone who didn’t know Cass like he did might have missed. It didn’t make him feel any better; all he saw there was bubbling anger and disgust making him feel more seen, more bare, that he’d ever felt before (even yesterday afternoon.) The sight sent a wave of nausea rocking through the Slytherins’s system and Vincent gave Cass a harrowing look.

For a moment the other’s protest made his heart skip a beat. Was he wrong? Could Cass actually see a future that wasn’t as dangerous as Vince was imagining? His hope had barely managed to set sail before it was shipwrecked, heading to the bottom of the harbor faster than Davey Jones could command it. Change he said. As if what had happened was a catalyst that could have corrupted Cass from his straight and narrow path through life; as if it wasn’t something he innately felt deep, deep within. Vincent realized in that moment that even if Cass might never accept it, this all really had nothing to do with him. It wasn’t his own prowess that had made Cass react biologically, no matter how much Vincent might have liked to think so. It simply didn’t work that way. There was something innately within Cass that made all of what had happened possible, given how commandingly he’d managed with only the slightest bit of guidance. Maybe that was what made this reaction all the worse.

In truth, however, Vincent hadn’t known… He had no way of knowing, really, how Cass would react. He’d just read the signs and hoped for the best. At worst, Cass could have just sucker punched him and Vincent might have found a way to sweet talk his way out of a grave mistake. But instead, they were here because Cass had decidedly not punched him, or even shoved him off. He’d indulged Vince’s whims, and likely as many of his own that he’d never realized before.

“I couldn’t be sure,” Vince snapped icily. “But I’m not the one who—“ the Slytherin paused, abruptly, realizing what he’d been about to say. I’m not the one who stuffed their dick up another man’s ass. Vince bit his tongue, hard, to keep from spitting out the acidity he felt bubbling inside. He didn’t want to force Cass to confront this any more than he was barely struggling to now. (Why, the Slytherin didn’t know. Residual affection perhaps.) He tried again. “I couldn’t be sure until I tried, hoping desperately that my hunch was mistaken, but the retreat was impeccable!” he laughed derisively, a sound full of poison and pain. “I couldn’t have scripted it better myself.”

As the other went on to ruminate on the blasphemy that they’d enacted, Vince felt somewhat justified in what he’d almost said. Mistake. Taken back. Couldn’t look at you. Can’t live with it. Every new admission was another blade, ripping open his intestines and cutting at his entrails. Vincent’s green eyes darkened in a way they never had before; not when he was bullied, not when people blamed him for his fathers mistakes. This was a new kind of darkness, a seed of resent that had settled deep between his lungs. “You’ve said enough, actually,” the Slytherin replied, a multilayered acidity in his tone. Before he could say much else the other was on his feet slamming things and Vincent felt his heart speed up. He knew Cass was reaching a breaking point. He knew the ledge was close and that if he pushed the other over it he might not even make it to Hogwarts on Monday; not in one piece anyway. But the ire in Cass’ tone stroked at something inside of Vince that both appalled and terrified the Slytherin, even as he tried to choke it back down. At Cass’ broken sounding expletive, Vincent took a decided step backwards.

Fear was an abstract concept to him, not one that Vince had ever really associated to Cass. He knew what the big blonde was capable of, but he’d never imagined a situation where he would be stupid enough to turn Cass on himself. Evidently, there was one such and he did not feel inclined to back down, regardless. The fear raised little goosebumps on Vince’s skin even as an excited thrill hummed in his gut. What would Cass do if he went over there and grabbed him, unabashedly, by the balls.

Cass began to pace and Vince sucked in a deep breath. He listened as the inarticulate hatred seeped through Cass’ words and Vince couldn’t help but flinch. Finally, his own voice seemed to reawaken and the Slytherin gave in to his worst impulses.

“I don’t need you to accept me Cassian, we already know the whole world is incapable of that. I do need you to listen, and listen well.” His voice lowered in pitch, dangerously. “I am not a thing to be pitied, or tolerated, a broken toy you can put on a shelf because you’ve kept it for too long and the sentimental value keeps you from discarding of it. Your disgust and hatred will not change anything about this situation, and you’ve made it abundantly clear that you cannot live with our mistake. I will not be the one to force your hand, force you to look at me and feel as sick as I do in this very moment.” He hesitated again and then raised his chin defiantly. A decision had been made. Perhaps he’d made it all along, before ever walking in here. “You ought to take a good look in the mirror tomorrow however, because in my leaving you behind the reality of your reactions does not change. You were the one who finished our rendezvous, and quite spectacularly if I might add. If you can find it within yourself to despise me so much for simply bringing it out, then that’s your cross to bear.”

And with that, Vincent turned on his heel and yanked open the door to the study with much aplomb. He stormed out into the hallway, slamming the door with such a force he was sure the entire house would awaken, but the ringing in his ears was deafening. Red hot fury blinded the Slytherin as he made a beeline for the foyer of the Valenduris house, blatantly brushing past a startled maid who had appeared at the sound. With one impulsive yank on the front door, Vincent grabbed his shoes and stormed out into the cold London street furious at himself for what he’d just done.

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