DISCLAIMER: I own no rights to the Mighty Boosh or the characters. I basically own nothing in this story. XD
A/N: Hi guys, thanks for reading and please leave a review to tell me what'cha thought. Thanks.
SUMMARY: He never crimps, that's what worries Howard the most. He's not Vince anymore, he's anyone but, but Howard doesn't care because he can fix him
TITLE: He Never Crimps
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He never crimps, that's what worries Howard the most. He's not Vince anymore, he's anyone but, but Howard doesn't care because he can fix him. He's sitting silently in the corner, knees pulled up to his chest in a feeble attempt to hide away from the rest of the world but that's okay, he doesn't want the world to see him anyway. His confidence has completely shattered and now he's now too afraid to go to the Topshop 50% off sale. Howard sits next to him and he looks up, mascara lines clearly sliding down his cheeks as the solidified tears leave tracks down his porcelain cheeks.
"Vince, what's wrong?" Howard comfortingly places a hand on his shoulder but Vince flinches out of the way because he's afraid of anyone touching him now. Howard crinkles his nose with thought and leans over, pulling Vince back to his original position. "Vince look at me, what is wrong?" He can't speak. Memories of that night are still haunting him and unfortunately so are the bruises. He remains unspoken, pulling his t-shirt up to reveal his angular frame which is tainted by scattered bruises and cuts. He knows he cannot fix them, he cannot reverse time and be there for him and what's worse? He knows that this is all because he just wouldn't go out that night. Howard continues to make cups of tea and continues to play jazz at night in his and Vince's shared room whilst Vince is in the lounge but he knows, that old life they used to share is now just a remote fantasy and he cannot bring that back. Vince meanwhile flashes back to that time when his world crumbled like stale Rivita in his dreams. He tries to block that part of his life out but he can't.
"Hey gorgeous, is your husband at home?" The taunting voices of drunken ramblers keep on rushing in his head as he too stumbles drunkenly down the streets.
"What? No, I don't have a husband thanks and besides, if I did he'd be watching the geography channel right now like he always does on Saturday nights with Lester Cornflake." Vince speaks like the drunken man knows exactly who Lester is but he has no idea. The last thing Vince remembers is being thrown onto a wall and feeling the blood from his slightly cracked head wound fall down his cheeks. The last thing Vince will remember about that night is screaming Howard's name into the night.
He jolts up in his bed and pants before looking lover at Howard who is reading Global Explorer. He chuckles at the distant expression which is showing that there is something remotely interesting in that particular issue. Howard brings himself back to reality and looks over the book and smiles at Vince.
"Alright little man?" Again, he is hidden by his book but Vince doesn't mind. He simply nods, fully aware of the fact Howard cannot see him but his voice is still croaky from last night but one. "Vince, are you okay?" Again, he wordlessly nods and closes his eyes again. When day breaks, Howard is first up. He opens his eyes and blinks until Vince comes into clear vision and no longer is a blurry figure in a blurry piece of furniture. He smiles at the distance on his face and wonders just what it is he dreams about but he is not dreaming, he is having a nightmare which he simply can't wake from because when he does wake, he is faced by the same problems. Two hours later, Vince emerges out of his room wearing nothing but a thin Rolling Stones t-shirt and some jeans with converse. He doesn't see the point in getting ready in a morning so he just throws on whatever he can find.
"Morning." His voice is croaky and Howard realises this but not why. "Have you… had breakfast yet?" He has to take occasional pauses as he speaks because his throat is just that dry that he cannot speak.
"Umm no, Vince why is your voice so croaky?" He remains unspoken again, refusing to meet Howard's eyes. He accidentally leans on his biggest bruise and yelps in pain, Howard rushing to his aid, being the protective best friend. "Vince!" Howard screams but Vince ignores the strangled wail and focuses on keeping that night a secret because he knows how hurt Howard would be if he found out. "Christ Vince what happened?" Howard asks as Vince's shirt is pulled a little up as he tries to wriggle from his friend's grasp.
"Nothin' Howard just leave it will ya?" His voice is croaky, low and hurt by the questions he knows he cannot answer.
"No Vince, tell me what happened!" He is now shouting for the truth but it is inevitable, it's killing Vince inside.
"It was on Saturday night when I went out. I was walking back and these guys they… they attacked me, I blacked out and I don't know what happened from then on." Howard is so close to tears that Vince himself wants to burst out into uncontrollable tears himself. "I wanted to tell you but it… it was difficult." Vince is almost in tears; Howard takes it upon himself to be the rock, to be the strong one.
"Shh, it's alright. You're okay now and nothing else matters." He breaks the strict no touching barriers and pulls Vince into his arms because he may be hurting inside but Vince needs him more than ever and he cannot take those chances anymore to ruin it all.
"I'm no sorry Howard, I tried so hard to ward them off but I couldn't. I kept shouting you Howard, I kept screaming but you never came." Vince sounds desperate, desperate for forgiveness, for help but he can't seem to find it among the many thorns in his life.
"It's okay Vince, you have nothing to apologise for but I do. If I'd known, I'd have come and I'd have done something I promise." Vince nods into Howard's collar bone and reluctantly pulls away, making Howard meet his blue eyes.
"Howard, do you love me?" It's a question that he doesn't even need to think about anymore because he knows the answer off the top of his head.
"Yes, more than anything I love you. When I said it in the Tundra, yeah I didn't mean it. We were dying but now… I mean it more than anything." Vince's hair is now in Howard's face as he pulls him closer and clings to him for dear sweet life. He smiles against his friend's collar bone and yawns. He's shattered, he hardly slept last night so Howard stands up and helps him up too. "Let's get you to bed."
And that night, with the moon accentuating his face, Vince sleeps all though the night with Howard watching over him the whole time. When he's around, nothing back is ever going to happen to Vince again, once was bad enough and Howard is not prepared to let that happen again.
A/N: Well, what did you think? Hope you liked it. :D