Cormack Owle
48. The Captain and The Engineer: The Introduction
Author's Note: There is a lot of stigma regarding cannabis (often referred to as "herb" in this story) and it being used as a "drug." Cannabis is a healthy, natural herb with many medicinal benefits. There is a lot of misinformation out there and I encourage you, my crewmates, to do your research.
For people like Vincent, cannabis has the ability to ease chronic pain, silence anxiety, promote restful sleep, and improve overall mental wellness and so much, much more!
"I can't believe how big the warehouse is!" Aiden exclaimed as he sat down once again on the armchair in Vincent's office. "You wouldn't expect it to be all the way up here in the middle of the city sixty floors up!"
He'd just gotten back from being shown around the floors that belonged to Vincent's successful and business-savvy uncle. The warehouse had been nearly as long as Leon's Claw and easily three or four times as wide! The smell coming from some of those crates was so potent that it was comparable to Bernadette's fresh bhang! He was amazed the smell of the herb and extracts didn't carry out into the rest of the building more than it already did! And of course the warehouse led out to the small loading dock that was big enough for one small airship; something that had sparked Aiden's curiosity about something.
"So exactly how large IS your uncle's ship? Didn't you say he had a crew of twenty-four? That dock looked barely big enough to hold Leon's Claw!"
Vincent laughed softly as he finished pouring the boiling water from the kettle into two teacups before him on the desk. He'd decided on a nice, calming chamomile for the both of them while they relaxed for the night together. Once it was done brewing he'd be adding a touch of cream and honey.
"Heh, it's big enough to have a small hangar as well as a cargo bay. In the hangar are two smaller airships; each run by two to three men just like ours but they're smaller and faster. He uses them mostly for transporting cargo to and from the docks," Vincent explained as he wandered back over to the tea station before Aiden and set down the kettle safely in its place. "So 'large,' I'd say, is a fairly accurate term for it. And you're right, by the way. Last I heard it was twenty-four crew members including himself but he's had as many as thirty-six."
"Wow! So what else does he use them for?"
"Hm?"
"The airships. You said 'mostly for transporting cargo.' What else does he use them for?"
There was a pregnant pause before a mischievous smirk tugged at Vincent's lips. He straightened before replying simply, "Joyriding."
"Joyriding?"
"Yes, joyriding!" Vincent reiterated with a nod to indicate he was serious despite that smirk on his face that made Aiden suspect there was more to this than his captain was letting on. Though he supposed it wasn't really his business, he couldn't help but be curious! Vincent turned to walk off towards the shelves nearby behind the phonograph. He began browsing his albums of music; unaware of his friend's gaze lowering to admire the shape of his ass in those pants as he listened.
"When I was big enough to help him man the ships," Vincent reminisced, "he started bringing me aboard and started to teach me the ins and outs first-hand aboard those small ships." He withdrew an album and brushed his hand over the cover as he thought about whether he wanted to play it or not. He decided against it and slid it back into its spot before adding, "Once I got the hang of it, he began to take all of us out for short family trips. The girls would have so much fun getting to fly up in the air. It was always worth seeing their excited smiles." Vincent withdrew another album and then gave an approving nod as he turned with it (Aiden's gaze quickly rose before he was caught staring) and began to head back to the phonograph to set it up. "Once in a while we'd take off for a few days; the whole family."
Aiden could hear the sincerity and tenderness in Vincent's voice as he spoke of his family. He'd seen how sweet and like a concerned big brother he had been to Bernadette. Imagining a teenage Vincent helping to man one of those cargo ships made him smile even more. It helped paint a picture of who Vincent was with his family. And in Aiden's mind, it was a beautiful picture. He leaned against the armrest with a soft smile.
"That sounds like a lot of fun."
"It was!"
Vincent set the record and needle before turning the volume down low. This was one of his most enjoyed albums and he knew exactly what volume setting he wanted for gentle background noise. It would be perfect, he felt, for Aiden's first experience with the herb. And as he turned to head back for his desk, Aiden asked, "What did you pick?" Vincent grinned and held up the album cover. When Aiden tilted his head in slight confusion, Vincent huffed at him and pointed at the name of the musicians before stating, "Allow me to educate you, my unenlightened friend! They are a string quartet! It's my favorite kind of classical music and this happens to be my favorite album by them." Aiden laughed and grinned at Vincent as he walked past him and held his hands up in playful defense. And as Vincent snickered plopped into his chair and moved closer to the desk to begin adding cream and honey to their tea, the music began to play loud enough for Aiden to hear.
It began first with the gentle rhythm of a cello and viola joined in shortly by the violins and quickly began to take Aiden to the feeling of a lazy summer evening; much like he was hoping for while he spent tonight with Vincent. Vincent had told him that smoking the herb would be relaxing and great for listening to music with.
Vincent was already digging into the small bag and dumping the buds into a small glass jar to store them in; meant for sealing the scent and freshness (as he recalled Vincent explaining earlier in the warehouse).
It didn't take Vincent long at all to bring everything over to a small side table next to the desk. Then he began to finely grind up enough herb to fill half of his pipe. It WAS a large bowl after all. He needed to keep his wits about him for Aiden's sake....and honestly Aiden wouldn't need much herb at all for himself. Before Aiden knew it, Vincent was summoning him over!
"H'okay. Bring that chair over. Careful though! There's books under there!"
By the time Aiden had brought the chair over and settled in once again, Vincent was eager and ready to start. He smiled and explained, "You won't need much. Just one puff; maybe two."
"Seriously?"
Vincent grinned and replied, "Seriously. You'll see what I mean. You can expect to cough a bit; especially when you first start out. Don't be afraid of coughing. Once it sets in, you'll likely feel relaxed and a bit spaced out. It also helped put me in a pretty good mood, too."
Aiden eyed the pipe a little skeptically as Vincent reached for a wick. Once lit from the nearby candle he'd lit for this very reason, he sat back and relaxed with a content little sigh in his chair. Then without further ado he brought the pipe to his lips and lit the bowl.
Aiden's eyes focused on the bowl as the herb burned and filled the air with an almost perfume-scented smoke. Vincent inhaled deep and then exhaled slow; savoring the burn and sweetness of the herb. It was impressive how much smoke he'd taken in, Aiden felt. Once Vincent took another hit, he glanced over at Aiden with a small encouraging smile and offered the pipe to him.
"Go ahead. Just inhale for a couple of seconds then breathe it out."
Aiden took the pipe gingerly between his fingers and felt a little awkward. He'd never held one let alone used one before! Vincent had made it look so simple! Yet he found a somewhat comfortable position and brought the tip to his lips...and inhaled from the pipe.
Vincent watched with silent anticipation as Aiden inhaled just a little bit before pausing. Then he exhaled without letting it fully hit his lungs. Vincent smirked a little and instructed, "Nah, not like that. Inhale deep." He demonstrated by pressing his hands to his own abdomen and inhaling deep to show him. "Let it fill your lungs. Try again."
Aiden nodded and obeyed as he pushed past his nerves. This time he managed to inhale deep and properly filled his lungs with smoke! Vincent blinked and watched as Aiden continued to inhale for a solid four seconds (Vincent thought he'd have to tell him to stop!) and then impressively managed to exhale completely as if he'd done this many times before! At first, Vincent thought Aiden wasn't going to cough at all! But as Aiden tried to take his first breath of fresh air, he doubled over and clutched his abdomen as a deep, harsh coughing fit came bursting forth!
"Just let it out," Vincent sympathized as he reached out to take the pipe from Aiden while he coughed and coughed. He waited patiently until about ten seconds later when Aiden finally managed to come up for fresh air and rubbed his chest.
"It's not always like that, is it?" Aiden managed. Vincent shook his head and replied sympathetically, "No, you actually get used to the smoke for the most part. Here, have some tea. It will soothe your throat."
Aiden took the tea once it was offered up and took a small sip. Then a moment later he glanced at him and told Vincent a touch skeptically, "I don't feel anything yet."
"It takes a few minutes!" Vincent laughed as he set the pipe carefully on the small table before them. Then he led by example by smiling and settling back into his chair and sighing contently. "Go ahead and get comfortable. If you don't feel anything after a little bit then we'll take another hit off the pipe." Though Vincent had a feeling that Aiden wouldn't need it after that last one!
And so Aiden did. He smiled back and settled more against the chair with his tea and let his lungs come down from his coughing fit. After a minute he said, "Thank you for explaining it to me. And for letting me try it too." Vincent smiled softly and Aiden could see and feel the sincerity as he said, "Of course. It's my privilege to introduce and guide you through your first time."
"I'm glad it's you."
They smiled at each other for a long moment before Aiden sighed contently and glanced around the room some more to take in everything. Vincent watched his friend's gaze wander as he smiled softly to himself and let himself sink more into his chair. Aiden just had a way about him that set him at ease. The silence was comfortable and he didn't mind it at all. He glanced down towards the table at the pipe and smiled in amusement as he thought about Aiden's skepticism a few moments earlier.
A few seconds passed and he could feel Aiden's eyes on him. His gaze lifted to meet the young man's and he smiled softly. Aiden smiled back though it faded and he wet his lips before he broke the silence between them.
"Would you tell me what happened after I left?"
Vincent's soft smile faded and his gaze tinted with a hint of pain. Yet a second later he was smiling once more in a reassuring manner before shaking his head softly.
"It's nothing to worry about, Aiden. And with this being your first time trying the herb, heavy topics and distractions aren't recommended. Let us just enjoy the music and company, yes?"
And without realizing he was doing it, his tone held a touch of pleading for the topic to be dropped and over with. He...he really did not want this time with Aiden to be marred nor to bring the night down. After all, he had gone out to get high to escape this very reason!
Aiden recognized the sort of smile that Vincent was offering him. Now that he'd seen the beauty of Vincent's genuine smiles and laughs he could tell when they were forced...such as right now. Aiden hadn't been satisfied with Vincent's response but he, too, didn't want to ruin the evening. He knew he needed to trust Vincent that this would be best; especially with an intoxicant in his system. Aiden's brow furrowed slightly in worry despite his own small smile and he tried to let it go; at least for tonight.
"Well...okay. As long as you're sure."
"I'm sure."
Vincent gave him a reassuring, soft smile and led by example as he relaxed more into his chair and closed his eyes. He had to fight back a sigh of relief as he heard Aiden follow suit and get comfortable. Determined to push past this (and praying Aiden really would let it go), Vincent allowed himself to get lost in the music once again. He absolutely did NOT want to think about Damien and those conflicting feelings anymore!
A few more minutes passed before Aiden's eyes opened and he found himself gazing across the way at Vincent. The object of his affection was already blissfully lost in the music and apparently unaware he was being watched. He was even smiling softly as he shifted his head and shoulders to the gentle but catchy beat. It brought a smile to Aiden's face to see Vincent enjoying himself thus. And if he was not mistaken he could even hear Vincent's deep but gentle voice humming along with the melody!
The next musical composition played then the start of another. Vincent had continued to shift and hum along to the music; just letting himself go in a way Aiden had never seen before. It was one of those shining inner-beauty moments of his that Aiden treasured. It was nearly a third of the way into that second track when Vincent's eyes opened and he found himself looking away from the phonograph and....directly into Aiden's entranced eyes. A deep blush blossomed upon Vincent's cheeks and spread down his neck as he looked away with clear embarrassment and turned in his chair slightly.
"I didn't realize- I mean, I forgot where I was for a second! I'm sorry! God, I was- I mean....Bloody Hell!"
Seeing the grin spreading on Aiden's face, Vincent brought his hands up and buried his face in them. Was he going to laugh cruelly at him?! Was he going to tell him he sounded like a squawking seagull and shouldn't quit being a captain to pursue the musical arts?! Would he berate him for ruining the music?! Would he-?!
"Aw Vincent! Actually I think you sounded...well, really nice."
Vincent's panic-inducing thoughts ended abruptly as it registered what Aiden had said. Surprised, Vincent peeked through his fingers at his friend with wide eyes and saw that Aiden was instead looking at him with a soft smile and sincere eyes. It was as if he was determined to show Vincent he wasn't teasing him after all. Vincent came to believe it even more as Aiden launched into more elaboration about how he felt about Vincent's vocal additions to the music.
"Your voice carries a gentle but deep melodic ring to it that pairs well with the rest of the instruments. I can see how much you love this music by how you let yourself- well, for a lack of a better way to explain it, seems like you aren't 'just' listening to music. It's like....like you are somehow experiencing it. I've never seen anyone else get lost in music like that before. Seeing this side of you is a priceless gift."
Well, that was not what Vincent was expecting! He'd lowered his hands and set them in his lap and gently grasped the hem of his shirt as he gazed back at Aiden. Truthfully he was feeling bashful yet very pleased to hear all that! Did Aiden really feel that way about him? He was right! Music really DID mean more to him than he'd ever let on. Had Aiden really figured this out on his own? Well, it shouldn't surprise him, he thought, because Aiden really was an observant, understanding being. It took Vincent nearly ten seconds (to which Aiden held his breath nervously) before he finally found his words again.
"You...have a way with words. Heh, you can be quite eloquent when you want to be."
"Thank you. I have my moments."
"More than you realize, I think."
Feeling pleased with himself, Aiden's soft smile broadened to a grin as he bashfully ran his fingers through his hair with one hand. Vincent bit his lower lip and glanced down at his hands as he gently rubbed them over his thighs. He glanced across the room at the clock to see how long it had been since Aiden had taken his first hit.
"Mm. How are you feeling?"
At Vincent's question, Aiden licked his lips and leaned his head back against the chair. How DID he feel? While Vincent had told him what to expect, he wasn't sure if he was feeling anything. Sure he felt relaxed but it was nearly midnight after all. It was natural to feel like that.
"Relaxed. I'm enjoying the music and company."
"Good. Me, too."
Vincent flashed him a small smile then folded his hands over his abdomen as he reclined just a little more in his chair. He was wanting to smoke some more but Aiden was more important right now. Besides it wouldn't be much longer until Aiden surely would start feeling something. So he'd be patient and smoke with him if he needed more. But damn it all his mouth felt like it was filled with cotton! After a moment, he turned in his chair to retrieve his own teacup. He knew he'd need to make more in a little bit. Once he had it secure in hand he settled back into his chair and sipped gently with a small moan of appreciation.
About fifteen more minutes passed and Vincent was in the middle of pointing out the different instrumental instruments in the music as they listened. He was starting to think maybe Aiden was going to need another hit off the pipe after all. Maybe after he got done explaining?
"...and I love the sounds of the violins here! Oh, and that deep tenor sound there? That's the cello!" Vincent made a demonstration by bodily playing an air cello as if he were part of the quartet, himself. "Combined, that sound just- what's so funny?" Vincent paused and looked surprised as Aiden had suddenly started snickering for some unknown reason! What could be so funny about the cello and violins? It was nearly ten seconds later that Aiden paused long enough to respond.
"Sorry! Sorry, continue!" Aiden snickered again. When he didn't, Aiden elaborated, "I was just imagining how long the cheese slices would be if you ran a big cheese round across the strings rather than the stick thing!"
"....you mean the bow?"
"Yeah, that!"
And suddenly Vincent burst out into a loud eruption of laughter! Oh, he couldn't breathe! Well it seemed like the herb was working its magic on Aiden after all!
---
Next Part:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/53165483108/in/datepo...
To read the rest of the story, here's the album link:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/albums/72157717075565127
***Please note this is a BOY LOVE (BL/yaoi/gay) series. It is a slow burn and rated PG13!***
Special thank you to my husband Vin (Be My Mannequin? Pose Store) for collaborating with me on this series and co-starring as The Captain!
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48. The Captain and The Engineer: The Introduction
Author's Note: There is a lot of stigma regarding cannabis (often referred to as "herb" in this story) and it being used as a "drug." Cannabis is a healthy, natural herb with many medicinal benefits. There is a lot of misinformation out there and I encourage you, my crewmates, to do your research.
For people like Vincent, cannabis has the ability to ease chronic pain, silence anxiety, promote restful sleep, and improve overall mental wellness and so much, much more!
"I can't believe how big the warehouse is!" Aiden exclaimed as he sat down once again on the armchair in Vincent's office. "You wouldn't expect it to be all the way up here in the middle of the city sixty floors up!"
He'd just gotten back from being shown around the floors that belonged to Vincent's successful and business-savvy uncle. The warehouse had been nearly as long as Leon's Claw and easily three or four times as wide! The smell coming from some of those crates was so potent that it was comparable to Bernadette's fresh bhang! He was amazed the smell of the herb and extracts didn't carry out into the rest of the building more than it already did! And of course the warehouse led out to the small loading dock that was big enough for one small airship; something that had sparked Aiden's curiosity about something.
"So exactly how large IS your uncle's ship? Didn't you say he had a crew of twenty-four? That dock looked barely big enough to hold Leon's Claw!"
Vincent laughed softly as he finished pouring the boiling water from the kettle into two teacups before him on the desk. He'd decided on a nice, calming chamomile for the both of them while they relaxed for the night together. Once it was done brewing he'd be adding a touch of cream and honey.
"Heh, it's big enough to have a small hangar as well as a cargo bay. In the hangar are two smaller airships; each run by two to three men just like ours but they're smaller and faster. He uses them mostly for transporting cargo to and from the docks," Vincent explained as he wandered back over to the tea station before Aiden and set down the kettle safely in its place. "So 'large,' I'd say, is a fairly accurate term for it. And you're right, by the way. Last I heard it was twenty-four crew members including himself but he's had as many as thirty-six."
"Wow! So what else does he use them for?"
"Hm?"
"The airships. You said 'mostly for transporting cargo.' What else does he use them for?"
There was a pregnant pause before a mischievous smirk tugged at Vincent's lips. He straightened before replying simply, "Joyriding."
"Joyriding?"
"Yes, joyriding!" Vincent reiterated with a nod to indicate he was serious despite that smirk on his face that made Aiden suspect there was more to this than his captain was letting on. Though he supposed it wasn't really his business, he couldn't help but be curious! Vincent turned to walk off towards the shelves nearby behind the phonograph. He began browsing his albums of music; unaware of his friend's gaze lowering to admire the shape of his ass in those pants as he listened.
"When I was big enough to help him man the ships," Vincent reminisced, "he started bringing me aboard and started to teach me the ins and outs first-hand aboard those small ships." He withdrew an album and brushed his hand over the cover as he thought about whether he wanted to play it or not. He decided against it and slid it back into its spot before adding, "Once I got the hang of it, he began to take all of us out for short family trips. The girls would have so much fun getting to fly up in the air. It was always worth seeing their excited smiles." Vincent withdrew another album and then gave an approving nod as he turned with it (Aiden's gaze quickly rose before he was caught staring) and began to head back to the phonograph to set it up. "Once in a while we'd take off for a few days; the whole family."
Aiden could hear the sincerity and tenderness in Vincent's voice as he spoke of his family. He'd seen how sweet and like a concerned big brother he had been to Bernadette. Imagining a teenage Vincent helping to man one of those cargo ships made him smile even more. It helped paint a picture of who Vincent was with his family. And in Aiden's mind, it was a beautiful picture. He leaned against the armrest with a soft smile.
"That sounds like a lot of fun."
"It was!"
Vincent set the record and needle before turning the volume down low. This was one of his most enjoyed albums and he knew exactly what volume setting he wanted for gentle background noise. It would be perfect, he felt, for Aiden's first experience with the herb. And as he turned to head back for his desk, Aiden asked, "What did you pick?" Vincent grinned and held up the album cover. When Aiden tilted his head in slight confusion, Vincent huffed at him and pointed at the name of the musicians before stating, "Allow me to educate you, my unenlightened friend! They are a string quartet! It's my favorite kind of classical music and this happens to be my favorite album by them." Aiden laughed and grinned at Vincent as he walked past him and held his hands up in playful defense. And as Vincent snickered plopped into his chair and moved closer to the desk to begin adding cream and honey to their tea, the music began to play loud enough for Aiden to hear.
It began first with the gentle rhythm of a cello and viola joined in shortly by the violins and quickly began to take Aiden to the feeling of a lazy summer evening; much like he was hoping for while he spent tonight with Vincent. Vincent had told him that smoking the herb would be relaxing and great for listening to music with.
Vincent was already digging into the small bag and dumping the buds into a small glass jar to store them in; meant for sealing the scent and freshness (as he recalled Vincent explaining earlier in the warehouse).
It didn't take Vincent long at all to bring everything over to a small side table next to the desk. Then he began to finely grind up enough herb to fill half of his pipe. It WAS a large bowl after all. He needed to keep his wits about him for Aiden's sake....and honestly Aiden wouldn't need much herb at all for himself. Before Aiden knew it, Vincent was summoning him over!
"H'okay. Bring that chair over. Careful though! There's books under there!"
By the time Aiden had brought the chair over and settled in once again, Vincent was eager and ready to start. He smiled and explained, "You won't need much. Just one puff; maybe two."
"Seriously?"
Vincent grinned and replied, "Seriously. You'll see what I mean. You can expect to cough a bit; especially when you first start out. Don't be afraid of coughing. Once it sets in, you'll likely feel relaxed and a bit spaced out. It also helped put me in a pretty good mood, too."
Aiden eyed the pipe a little skeptically as Vincent reached for a wick. Once lit from the nearby candle he'd lit for this very reason, he sat back and relaxed with a content little sigh in his chair. Then without further ado he brought the pipe to his lips and lit the bowl.
Aiden's eyes focused on the bowl as the herb burned and filled the air with an almost perfume-scented smoke. Vincent inhaled deep and then exhaled slow; savoring the burn and sweetness of the herb. It was impressive how much smoke he'd taken in, Aiden felt. Once Vincent took another hit, he glanced over at Aiden with a small encouraging smile and offered the pipe to him.
"Go ahead. Just inhale for a couple of seconds then breathe it out."
Aiden took the pipe gingerly between his fingers and felt a little awkward. He'd never held one let alone used one before! Vincent had made it look so simple! Yet he found a somewhat comfortable position and brought the tip to his lips...and inhaled from the pipe.
Vincent watched with silent anticipation as Aiden inhaled just a little bit before pausing. Then he exhaled without letting it fully hit his lungs. Vincent smirked a little and instructed, "Nah, not like that. Inhale deep." He demonstrated by pressing his hands to his own abdomen and inhaling deep to show him. "Let it fill your lungs. Try again."
Aiden nodded and obeyed as he pushed past his nerves. This time he managed to inhale deep and properly filled his lungs with smoke! Vincent blinked and watched as Aiden continued to inhale for a solid four seconds (Vincent thought he'd have to tell him to stop!) and then impressively managed to exhale completely as if he'd done this many times before! At first, Vincent thought Aiden wasn't going to cough at all! But as Aiden tried to take his first breath of fresh air, he doubled over and clutched his abdomen as a deep, harsh coughing fit came bursting forth!
"Just let it out," Vincent sympathized as he reached out to take the pipe from Aiden while he coughed and coughed. He waited patiently until about ten seconds later when Aiden finally managed to come up for fresh air and rubbed his chest.
"It's not always like that, is it?" Aiden managed. Vincent shook his head and replied sympathetically, "No, you actually get used to the smoke for the most part. Here, have some tea. It will soothe your throat."
Aiden took the tea once it was offered up and took a small sip. Then a moment later he glanced at him and told Vincent a touch skeptically, "I don't feel anything yet."
"It takes a few minutes!" Vincent laughed as he set the pipe carefully on the small table before them. Then he led by example by smiling and settling back into his chair and sighing contently. "Go ahead and get comfortable. If you don't feel anything after a little bit then we'll take another hit off the pipe." Though Vincent had a feeling that Aiden wouldn't need it after that last one!
And so Aiden did. He smiled back and settled more against the chair with his tea and let his lungs come down from his coughing fit. After a minute he said, "Thank you for explaining it to me. And for letting me try it too." Vincent smiled softly and Aiden could see and feel the sincerity as he said, "Of course. It's my privilege to introduce and guide you through your first time."
"I'm glad it's you."
They smiled at each other for a long moment before Aiden sighed contently and glanced around the room some more to take in everything. Vincent watched his friend's gaze wander as he smiled softly to himself and let himself sink more into his chair. Aiden just had a way about him that set him at ease. The silence was comfortable and he didn't mind it at all. He glanced down towards the table at the pipe and smiled in amusement as he thought about Aiden's skepticism a few moments earlier.
A few seconds passed and he could feel Aiden's eyes on him. His gaze lifted to meet the young man's and he smiled softly. Aiden smiled back though it faded and he wet his lips before he broke the silence between them.
"Would you tell me what happened after I left?"
Vincent's soft smile faded and his gaze tinted with a hint of pain. Yet a second later he was smiling once more in a reassuring manner before shaking his head softly.
"It's nothing to worry about, Aiden. And with this being your first time trying the herb, heavy topics and distractions aren't recommended. Let us just enjoy the music and company, yes?"
And without realizing he was doing it, his tone held a touch of pleading for the topic to be dropped and over with. He...he really did not want this time with Aiden to be marred nor to bring the night down. After all, he had gone out to get high to escape this very reason!
Aiden recognized the sort of smile that Vincent was offering him. Now that he'd seen the beauty of Vincent's genuine smiles and laughs he could tell when they were forced...such as right now. Aiden hadn't been satisfied with Vincent's response but he, too, didn't want to ruin the evening. He knew he needed to trust Vincent that this would be best; especially with an intoxicant in his system. Aiden's brow furrowed slightly in worry despite his own small smile and he tried to let it go; at least for tonight.
"Well...okay. As long as you're sure."
"I'm sure."
Vincent gave him a reassuring, soft smile and led by example as he relaxed more into his chair and closed his eyes. He had to fight back a sigh of relief as he heard Aiden follow suit and get comfortable. Determined to push past this (and praying Aiden really would let it go), Vincent allowed himself to get lost in the music once again. He absolutely did NOT want to think about Damien and those conflicting feelings anymore!
A few more minutes passed before Aiden's eyes opened and he found himself gazing across the way at Vincent. The object of his affection was already blissfully lost in the music and apparently unaware he was being watched. He was even smiling softly as he shifted his head and shoulders to the gentle but catchy beat. It brought a smile to Aiden's face to see Vincent enjoying himself thus. And if he was not mistaken he could even hear Vincent's deep but gentle voice humming along with the melody!
The next musical composition played then the start of another. Vincent had continued to shift and hum along to the music; just letting himself go in a way Aiden had never seen before. It was one of those shining inner-beauty moments of his that Aiden treasured. It was nearly a third of the way into that second track when Vincent's eyes opened and he found himself looking away from the phonograph and....directly into Aiden's entranced eyes. A deep blush blossomed upon Vincent's cheeks and spread down his neck as he looked away with clear embarrassment and turned in his chair slightly.
"I didn't realize- I mean, I forgot where I was for a second! I'm sorry! God, I was- I mean....Bloody Hell!"
Seeing the grin spreading on Aiden's face, Vincent brought his hands up and buried his face in them. Was he going to laugh cruelly at him?! Was he going to tell him he sounded like a squawking seagull and shouldn't quit being a captain to pursue the musical arts?! Would he berate him for ruining the music?! Would he-?!
"Aw Vincent! Actually I think you sounded...well, really nice."
Vincent's panic-inducing thoughts ended abruptly as it registered what Aiden had said. Surprised, Vincent peeked through his fingers at his friend with wide eyes and saw that Aiden was instead looking at him with a soft smile and sincere eyes. It was as if he was determined to show Vincent he wasn't teasing him after all. Vincent came to believe it even more as Aiden launched into more elaboration about how he felt about Vincent's vocal additions to the music.
"Your voice carries a gentle but deep melodic ring to it that pairs well with the rest of the instruments. I can see how much you love this music by how you let yourself- well, for a lack of a better way to explain it, seems like you aren't 'just' listening to music. It's like....like you are somehow experiencing it. I've never seen anyone else get lost in music like that before. Seeing this side of you is a priceless gift."
Well, that was not what Vincent was expecting! He'd lowered his hands and set them in his lap and gently grasped the hem of his shirt as he gazed back at Aiden. Truthfully he was feeling bashful yet very pleased to hear all that! Did Aiden really feel that way about him? He was right! Music really DID mean more to him than he'd ever let on. Had Aiden really figured this out on his own? Well, it shouldn't surprise him, he thought, because Aiden really was an observant, understanding being. It took Vincent nearly ten seconds (to which Aiden held his breath nervously) before he finally found his words again.
"You...have a way with words. Heh, you can be quite eloquent when you want to be."
"Thank you. I have my moments."
"More than you realize, I think."
Feeling pleased with himself, Aiden's soft smile broadened to a grin as he bashfully ran his fingers through his hair with one hand. Vincent bit his lower lip and glanced down at his hands as he gently rubbed them over his thighs. He glanced across the room at the clock to see how long it had been since Aiden had taken his first hit.
"Mm. How are you feeling?"
At Vincent's question, Aiden licked his lips and leaned his head back against the chair. How DID he feel? While Vincent had told him what to expect, he wasn't sure if he was feeling anything. Sure he felt relaxed but it was nearly midnight after all. It was natural to feel like that.
"Relaxed. I'm enjoying the music and company."
"Good. Me, too."
Vincent flashed him a small smile then folded his hands over his abdomen as he reclined just a little more in his chair. He was wanting to smoke some more but Aiden was more important right now. Besides it wouldn't be much longer until Aiden surely would start feeling something. So he'd be patient and smoke with him if he needed more. But damn it all his mouth felt like it was filled with cotton! After a moment, he turned in his chair to retrieve his own teacup. He knew he'd need to make more in a little bit. Once he had it secure in hand he settled back into his chair and sipped gently with a small moan of appreciation.
About fifteen more minutes passed and Vincent was in the middle of pointing out the different instrumental instruments in the music as they listened. He was starting to think maybe Aiden was going to need another hit off the pipe after all. Maybe after he got done explaining?
"...and I love the sounds of the violins here! Oh, and that deep tenor sound there? That's the cello!" Vincent made a demonstration by bodily playing an air cello as if he were part of the quartet, himself. "Combined, that sound just- what's so funny?" Vincent paused and looked surprised as Aiden had suddenly started snickering for some unknown reason! What could be so funny about the cello and violins? It was nearly ten seconds later that Aiden paused long enough to respond.
"Sorry! Sorry, continue!" Aiden snickered again. When he didn't, Aiden elaborated, "I was just imagining how long the cheese slices would be if you ran a big cheese round across the strings rather than the stick thing!"
"....you mean the bow?"
"Yeah, that!"
And suddenly Vincent burst out into a loud eruption of laughter! Oh, he couldn't breathe! Well it seemed like the herb was working its magic on Aiden after all!
---
Next Part:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/53165483108/in/datepo...
To read the rest of the story, here's the album link:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/albums/72157717075565127
***Please note this is a BOY LOVE (BL/yaoi/gay) series. It is a slow burn and rated PG13!***
Special thank you to my husband Vin (Be My Mannequin? Pose Store) for collaborating with me on this series and co-starring as The Captain!
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