Good 'ol Curry – Then please, show a little respect and not call me that again please
GDeNofa – At that point I was running out of questions…
A Shade – Thank you
Mike Schmidt – Thanks a bunch, yo!
Guest – Update is here
writerreader13 – Sorry I didn't right much about Vincent working but I'm just trying to skip anything that's irrelevant
"You got fired?!"
Vincent shrugged dismissively as Crystal stared at him whilst they made their way to the funeral.
"Yeah, just after I finished last night's shift," he said.
"For what?" Crystal looked beyond confused and…suspicious?
"General lack of professionalism," Vincent sighed "Odour."
"Odour? I don't want to know."
Vincent laughed at the way Crystal's nose wrinkled and grinned whilst pausing for the traffic lights.
"Is that all?"
"Hm?" Vincent glanced at Crystal who looked very uncertain.
"Is that all?" she repeated "You're not hiding something from me, are you?"
"Never, I would never hide anything from you, cupcake."
And for the first time Vincent saw, Crystal didn't look convinced at all. Had he pushed her naivety a bit too far this time? She rarely questioned him, will this be the day where she pulls back the curtain to see the truth he worked so hard to hide? His heart nearly stopped. Surely not.
"I see," the albino murmured as she focused on the road ahead.
Vincent felt nervous as his throat clenched and he began moving with the traffic. If she did find out then would that mean she'd leave him? He can't be sent to court again for being accused of the same crime so on that front he was fine. However Vincent was struggling to think of a life without Crystal there. He would be alone again, probably turn to alcohol again, maybe he would…murder again. Something prickled the back of his neck and he nearly slammed his foot on the accelerator only to be brought back to his senses by the sounds of other car horns and he took in a deep breath to follow the traffic. The journey was silent, eerily silent and it wasn't until Crystal spoke when they stopped at the morgue. Crystal blinked in confusion and Vincent shrugged.
"You would prefer seeing him without the crowd of tears, grief and mourning, wouldn't you?" he said and Crystal looked torn.
She stared at him, opening and closing her mouth before he switched the engine off.
"Come on, funeral starts in an hour and they'll come to collect his body soon before, won't they?"
Crystal's eyes watered as he stepped out and she followed him closely, like a girl clinging onto a stranger who promised to help her find her mother. Vincent let her cling onto his hand as he asked to see Jasper's body at the counter and with the sneaky slip of a couple of bills, the couple stood in front of Jasper's lifeless form. Vincent hugged Crystal tightly as she gripped his arms.
"Cremation or burial?" he whispered.
"Burial, to burn his body like this…"
Crystal hiccupped and gripped his arms tighter. Vincent kissed her head whilst rocking her back and forth.
"How old was he again?" he asked.
"Sixteen."
Vincent blinked in alarm and stared at the body.
"He looks a lot younger than sixteen," he commented and Crystal sobbed harder which prompted him to rock her more and sooth her with gentle kisses.
"He wanted to grow up and study art," she hiccupped "He always loved drawing, he spent most of his life in that room, just drawing and painting…"
Vincent felt Crystal turn in his arms and bury her face into his chest and sob more into his shirt. Vincent hugged her whilst staring at Jasper's body. Sixteen years old, that was how old Crystal was when they met. If things had gone differently…would it have been Crystal in that coffin? Crystal let out a startled gasp when suddenly he hugged her tighter, burying his nose into her peach scented hair to try and drive out any distressing thoughts.
"Vincent…?"
"Let it out, Crissie, I'm here so just let it out."
Crystal's eyes were burning but she was more concerned about Vincent's arms practically crushing her.
"Vincent, are you alright?" she asked as she placed a hand between them to attempt pushing them apart but it didn't work.
"Crissie, do you want to sit anywhere in particular for the service?" Vincent asked "If you want, we can sneak in and sit at the back so you have some space from the others. Or we could sit at the front so you can have closure and if you want to cry then cry. Just don't hold it in."
Crystal leaned her side of her head on his chest and listened to his elevated heartbeat with a frown.
"Vincent, are you feeling alright?" she asked again as he stroked her hair, chin resting on the top of her head.
Vincent didn't answer for a moment but before he could open his mouth, the doors opened.
"Crystal?"
Alarm bells rung in Crystal's head as she turned and saw her father standing by the doors, ready to take Jasper's body to the funeral service.
"Who's this?" he asked slowly as Vincent let her go.
"This is…uh, this is…" Crystal bit her lip as she looked up at Vincent.
"Mike," Vincent grinned before extending his hand "My condolences, no parent should ever have to bury a child."
Mr Griffin looked sombre but accepted the hand with a grim smile.
"Thank you, it hasn't been easy for us," he said with a nod and Vincent wrapped an arm around Crystal's shoulders to hug her gently.
"My family suffered the loss of five children," Vincent grimaced.
"I'm so sorry to hear," Mr Griffin looked overwhelmed "Your wife must be devastated."
Vincent laughed dryly.
"No, no," he shook his head "No, they weren't my children."
Crystal's vision of Vincent being a dad had her cringe slightly as Mr Griffin blinked in surprise. She caught Vincent's look and it sent shivers down her spine.
"No, my mother kept having stillbirths after I was born," he explained "She just didn't take care of herself and my father was always too busy at work."
He squeezed Crystal's shoulder and Crystal felt dread crawling up her back. His tone seemed off, was this a grudge.
"So I understand Crystal's position to bury siblings," he continued "I suppose in a way, it was kinder for us to bury the babies rather than watch them grow up with dreams and hope, only to be cut down so cruelly."
Crystal reached out and squeezed her arm around Vincent's torso. Mr Griffin nodded before sighing.
"Well, Jade's just outside, taking Cinnamon out for a walk before coming to help move Jasper's body…"
"Jade's here?!" Crystal exclaimed and the alarm bells went off louder "With Cinnamon?!"
"Cute name," Vincent grinned and Mr Griffin smiled a little with a nod "What breed?"
"Cinnamon is her a hundred and ten pound German Shepard who is about two feet and three inches tall!" Crystal hissed and Vincent frowned.
"Are you trying to scare me, Crissie?" he grinned and Mr Griffin raised an eyebrow.
"Crissie…?" he said and Crystal swallowed harshly.
"Um…"
There was vicious barking as Jade brought Cinnamon in and Vincent blinked at how large the aggressive looking dog was.
"Crystal!" Jade said in that authoritarian tone she had adopted from being in the military "What are you doing here? Who's he? Why is he so close to you?"
Cinnamon growled and Vincent narrowed his eyes at her.
"My, what a bark," he drawled "Beautiful coat though."
Jade made Cinnamon lie down at her feet and she eyed him warily. Crystal wrapped her arm around Vincent's and swallowed.
"Jade, this is M-Mike," she said and Vincent grinned "He…uh, he lives in my neighbourhood and we met when I was waitressing at Freddy F-Fazbear's one shift…"
Well it wasn't a complete lie. Jade sized Vincent up and sneered.
"On friendly terms, are we?" she asked slowly.
"Jade please, he was kind enough to listen to me when Jasper passed away and drive me here, just leave him alone."
"He drove you here?!" Jade barked which set Cinnamon off again "You got into a stranger's car?!"
"He's not a stranger!" Crystal exclaimed as Vincent held up a hand in surrender when Jade glared at him furiously.
"Wait a minute," Mr Griffin said as he pointed to Vincent "I know you."
"No you don't!" Crystal exclaimed a little higher and gave him a pleading look.
Mr Griffin studied her look, the look that pleaded for him to be ignorant for this time and talk later. He nodded firmly before asking Jade to put Cinnamon in the car and gave Vincent a stern look.
"See you later, Mike," he said with a slightly venomous tone to Vincent's other name and nodded for them to leave before the others came to take Jasper's body away.
Crystal dragged Vincent out hurriedly as he stepped to the side and Vincent smiled.
"Lovely family."
He winced as Crystal thumped him on the shoulder.
It was chilly even though the sun was out for the day. Crystal and Vincent huddled themselves together on a bench as the visitors circled Jasper's grave, mourning, grieving and shaking their heads empathetically, expressing their disappointment about having to die so young. Crystal sought shelter in his coat as he tucked her head under his chin, hugging her tightly.
"Vincent…" she whispered softly.
"Yes, cupcake?" Vincent replied.
Crystal fiddled with the purple scarf that was wrapped around both their necks as they continued to seek warmth from one another.
"You…wouldn't hurt me, would you?"
Vincent blinked in alarm as he looked down at her.
"Never," he said firmly "Never, why do you ask?"
Crystal looked up at him and Vincent saw fear.
"…Just wondering."
"Just wondering?" Vincent echoed "Crystal, only a sick person would ever think of hurting you."
"A sick person like you?"
Vincent snapped his head to the side and glared at the little boy in the distance, watching them.
"Good," Crystal murmured softly, not noticing his sudden movement "Make sure to convince my father that because he's coming over."
Vincent looked up and sure enough, the bulky figure of Mr Griffin was walking over to them. Vincent pressed Crystal closer to him. A sudden image of her dead body, bloodied, bruised and cut up made him tighten his grip. He didn't want to ever to that to anyone again. Ever. Vincent nodded to himself. The past was no longer a concern, what mattered was the future.
"Crystal…"
They looked up at Mr Griffin who stood in front of them.
"Could you leave us for a moment, sweetheart?" he asked.
"I think Crystal can stay if it's to talk about me, sir," Vincent purred as he put on his charismatic charm "What you want to talk about does involve her, correct?"
Crystal shifted as Vincent held her closer so she was on his lap and shifted to the side.
"Come, join us," he said and Mr Griffin hesitated before sitting down next to them.
Crystal blushed as she leaned against him. Vincent cradled her head into his neck and smiled at Mr Griffin.
"Sir, we are very serious in this relationship," he said and Mr Griffin stiffened.
"You are much older than her," he said with a hardened tone "And a murderer."
"Accused murderer, sir, there was no evidence to incriminate me," Vincent corrected him "The jury said I didn't murder those children and I most certainly didn't."
Vincent affectionately kissed Crystal's head and held back a smirk at the way Mr Griffin's knuckles turned white.
"Father," Crystal murmured "Vincent is a good man."
"What do you work as?" Mr Griffin asked.
"Looking for employment," Vincent replied.
"How long have you been together for?"
Crystal looked away as Vincent ran a hand through her hair.
"Six years."
"Six years?!" Mr Griffin boomed "Crystal!"
"It just sort of happened!" Crystal squeaked as she burrowed herself more into Vincent's coat "All we've ever done is kissed!"
"That's true, sir," Vincent nodded at Mr Griffin's furious look "I would never do anything to make Crissie upset."
"Dating a minor, you should be behind bars!"
"Father, please!" Crystal hissed as she caught Jade's suspicious look from afar.
"Sir, I am very much in love with your daughter."
Crystal blushed brightly as Vincent smiled wistfully.
"We have a sixteen year gap between us," he nodded "But let's be honest, you and your wife have a larger gap, right?"
Mr Griffin fell silent as he clenched his fists again. Vincent looked solemn suddenly.
"Believe me when I say that I would rather die than to see Crystal get hurt."
"Vincent…" Crystal whispered.
"It's true, Crissie," Vincent hugged her tighter "It's true. I promise you."
Crystal shifted with that adorable blush still on her cheeks. Mr Griffin set his jaw before standing, muttering something about considering their relationship and leaving them to hug each other tightly. Crystal didn't know why, but there was something haunting in Vincent's words.
In the next chapter…
"Stay overnight?! Won't it be dangerous?"
"…too. I…"
"Follow me, see a nightmare in action…"