While you probably could have been better at predicting just how bad Vincent's behavior would be during work hours, it still shocked you somewhat that he didn't try anything even though there were loads of people hanging around.
He may have pulled you into a closet once, but he hadn't done anything like that again all day, and hopefully he wouldn't ever again.
Especially with potential witnesses.
The two of you ran into each other frequently, sharing no interaction beyond just uncomfortable eye contact (from your side) and rare rubbing of shoulders in passing (from his side) but being that there were no issues in the restaurant that demanded your presence, and being that Vincent was keeping himself under control, it made for a pretty normal day.
You were super happy about that.
About halfway through your shift, you were hanging out near a room labeled 'Kids Cove' in bright crayola colors, trying to see what all the children were making a fuss over inside since they were climbing over one another and pulling their arms back as if plucking away at some unseen object.
But, what a twist, Vincent came up to you, disrupting your peace, and you would've back handed him if it weren't for his immediate command.
"It's time for you to take a lunch break."
You were caught a bit off guard.
You had no idea you were allowed breaks, but then again, it's not as if you were expected to starve.
It was a bit silly, but in your defense, this was your first full day on the job.
"Where?"
"There's a lounge area next to the kitchen. Employees only. Grab something from the buffet table and take a moment to rest up. You've been on your feet all day after all."
At the end of his statement, your eyes screwed up a bit at him.
His expression wasn't animated in the slightest, which was quite the contrast to all your other encounters. His eyes weren't incredibly playful, and he wasn't wearing that nauseating grin.
In hindsight it might have helped your sanity if you were less paranoid about him.
But it was all survival instinct, so you didn't particularly mind... To an extent.
However, there was a small detail that you couldn't stop thinking about.
The employees only place.
That seemed rreeaalllyyy suspicious.
And you automatically figured out why.
If it really was time for your lunch, then you could assume that it wasn't anyone else's time.
Therefore, if you went there to eat...
You would be alone.
This would have made you excited on any other occasion; you loved eating alone, big groups full of unknown people made you nervous, unless you were with your closest friends of course.
But not this time.
True, Vincent was supposed to be on duty if you were on break, but judging by his behavior and his little concern for his job, you could easily guess he would leave to find you.
This time, there was no doubt in your mind that this was a set up, a trap.
A trap to get you alone with him out of the eyes of the public.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, you shrugged and said,
"Okay then, dude."
Before proceeding down your designated path.
You forced yourself to not turn around and steal a glance with Purple.
There was no way that you were going to tell him you weren't eating at the designated area.
He'd be expecting you to be there.
Plus if you did tell him, he'd probably demand you go there or where you would be planning to eat.
And if you didn't, he'd follow you even more closely, and then you would never have any real peace and quiet.
After heading over to the buffet and maneuvering around the bustling customers, you managed to grab a plate and stack it with various food items before venturing off to the lounge.
You were going to check to make sure your suspicions were right.
You decided that as long as there was at least one other person eating in there, you would settle.
If not... Well you'd improvise.
Upon reaching it, you popped your head in quietly, but found that it was entirely empty save for some discarded silverware.
Such a change in atmosphere it was, too.
The only audio was the television, but even then the reception was too bad to make out any actual words, and the pictures were mostly clogged with eerie red static.
Looking down, you saw that there was a great big spill on the floor.
'Hmm, someone should clean that up... Eh I'll do it after my break.'
"Welp, that's that, time to find a new place to eat."
You closed the door and headed down the hallway, rreeeaaalllyy hoping this time that you weren't being watched or followed.
To your misfortune and annoyance, you heard foot steps behind you coming quickly.
Turning around with your plate, you watched him approach you.
He did not look happy, but he didn't look upset or angry either, just confused and curious.
"(Y/N), where are you going? The lounge is right there, you just passed it."
Yep, defiantly a trap.
You came up with an excuse quickly, not wanting to look suspicious.
"Um I know that, thank you, but you don't need to worry that purple head of yours, I know what I'm doing, ok?"
Before you could turn around or say anything else, his hands flew up to your shoulders and held onto them tightly.
Since your hands were busy holding your plate, you couldn't remove them.
"Vincent let go or I'll kick you"
You told him sternly.
"Where. Are. You. Going."
He said, his tone low and serious, his grip tightening.
You heeled him in the shin and he let go with a painful groan.
"Stop doing that!"
He seethed, hugging his leg.
"Look, I don't know why you care so much, but I'm just going to the ladies room, ok? So stop being so freakin concerned and worry about your own life you stalker! It needs some serious modifications if you know what I mean."
You then promptly turned around with a 'humph' before heading in the direction of the bathroom.
You were going in that direction, but you decided it was too risky to eat there.
He could corner you there just as easily as the lounge.
Your stomach was growling with hunger as you tried to find a hidden but flexible location to eat.
You were almost considering eating at an open table, but you knew you could possibly get in trouble with Boss about that.
Instead, you decided that you would just lean on the wall facing the animatronics on stage.
You might as well have a show as you eat, and you were just going to have to deal with eating with one hand.
It was pizza after all.
You ate quickly in silence in an undisturbed atmosphere... Well, that might not be completely true.
There were kids running about everywhere and screaming.
But it was worth it.
You also swore you heard Vincent cross by the room, trying to look for you no doubt.
You smiled as you snuggled into your corner and continued to eat.
Once you were done, you threw your planet away and headed off to continue your job.
Suddenly, you remembered the spill on the floor when you had entered the lounge.
Stopping at the bathrooms to go get some paper towels, you went back to the lounge, to find it was just the same with how you left it.
You turned on the lights, knelt down, and started cleaning the spill on the floor,
You were just about to run out of towels when suddenly the door slammed shut behind you.
You shot your head up straight to see the one and only Vincent.
He suavely passed you without a word and plopped into a chair in front of a little coffee table. His mouth pursed in a self-satisfied manner.
"What are you doing in here?!"
You demanded, not bothering to look up at him.
The purple man legs rested on the surface of the coffee table disrespectingly, cradling his face mindlessly on the chair arms.
'Yea just sit there butt face, don't mind me I'm just cleaning up a giant spill and don't need help whatsoever.'
You thought to yourself.
"I was looking for you, you said you be in the bathroom. I guess I missed you. As for why I'm here, I'm just taking my break."
"Ok stalker much? And that's bulshavic, we can't both get breaks at the same time... can we?"
'Even though I'm technically done with mine...'
"Sure we can. I'm allowed to take mine whenever I please."
You rolled your eyes like you expected this answer.
"Oooofffffff course you do, why would I expect anything different. Well then, Mr. Smarty-pants, who's out there watching the customers?"
"No one."
Your head jerked up. "No one?!"
"Did I stutter? You should learn to relax more, helper. Let me enjoy the view."
You threw down the damp towel in your hand and shook a fist at him.
That nickname irked you, but not like the last thing he said.
"I can't believe you right now! You sound like doing your job is a pleasure and a right instead of... Well, work and a privilege! As well as a responsibility! You have no passion man! Not like Scott does at least. Also, the only view you're ever gonna get is my fist in your face!"
He snickered before shaking his head with a smirk.
"You might be right
(Y/N), I'm not very passionate about this place..."
His eyes lit up as he stared at you again, licking his lips.
"But I am passionate about something~"
Upon hearing this, you fake-vomited, before reaching another towel and continuing your work.
"I'm just going to ignore that."
You continued working, but him just sitting there like a lazy butt was starting to get to you.
"Hey, could you either help me out with this or get lost?!"
You asked, not liking that he was just sitting there and watching you.
He didn't even have any food, so he didn't even need to be there.
"Nope"
That was the only response you got.
After a long stare of disbelief, it became apparent to you that he wasn't leaving, and there was nothing you could really do to make him leave without going over and physically touching him.
Sure you could kick his butt out the door, but that would call for unnecessary violence, and you didn't have it in you.
You had the option to complain to someone higher in command, but felt it would only serve to make you look worse since Vincent was already an obvious problem and somehow got away with it every single time.
With disdain, you attempted to continue doing your chore.
Vincent's eyes never tore off you.
It was more than just a little distracting, but you learned to ignore it.
You chose to say nothing to him, hoping and praying he'd do the same.
Maybe he would get bored and leave.
Unlikely, but hope was all you had.
You were just about done, the spill almost completely clean.
Now you just had to throw away the towels.
The silence was interrupted, however, by your own cry when you moved your legs to stand, only to be pricked in the thigh by something sharp.
Vincent's smile weakened at the corners, his brow cocking.
"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"
With gritted teeth, you wove through your pocket of your Steven Universe jeans where the cause of pain seemed to be hiding.
You managed to pull out a sewing needle, holding it at your face, turning it over between your fingers.
"Ouch, how in the world did this get in there? Must have been left there by the cosplayer-"
Vincent had abruptly jumped from the table, backing away in horror. The smugness on his face had been eradicated completely.
Your brow lifted.
"Uh...Vincent?"
"Throw that thing away. Now,"
He said, pointing at it. It almost looked like he was trembling.
Your eyes moved from him, to the needle, and then back to him.
"Dude relax, it's just a needle. Its not going to kill you. It's clean too, in case you're germaphobic."
Heh germaphobic
"Don't sass me (Y/N)! Just get rid of it! I hate needles. I hate them more than anything!"
Instead of obeying, you stayed right where you were.
You gaped at him before turning into a large smile, a devious thought playing in your mind.
"Oh do you now?"
With that, you hopped up from the ground and began slashing it around for the feel of it, before pointing it towards him like a weapon of catastrophic proportions.
You tried out your best Holo-Pearl voice:
"Do you wish to engage in combat?"
Vincent gasped.
"Stop it! That's not funny!"
But you refused, hoping you could use it to get him out the door.
"Oho wow. This is embarrassing," You said, chuckling. "Who would've known a silly little needle would be the big bad Vincent's kryptonite! En garde tho villein!"
Vincent backed up as you taunted him. He growled.
"(Y/N), I mean it, if you don't put that thing down right now, you're going to regret it!"
You tossed the needle in the air for fun.
"Uh I don't think so, not unless you grab those damp towels and throw them away. Also don't bother me ever again. Or else I'll kill you with this very needle."
Obviously, you didn't mean it. You felt bad whenever you swatted a fly, or crushed an ant.
Plus, as you stated before, you could go to jail.
With epic needle in hand, you walked over to the door.
Before you opened it however, you heard his slightly shaking but serious voice.
"You may know my one weakness now, but I can make one promise to you,
(Y/N)."
You didn't prompt him to answer, just raised an eye brow skeptically, so he did it for you.
"I'll bed you before either one of us has a chance to kill the other."
You had to use all your strength to keep it all in; you just wanted to laugh and strangle him at the same time.
"Good luck with that Bucko!"
Good ol' Grunkle Stan.
You opened the door, casting one last glance at him while pointing to the still wadded up towels of the floor before closing it with slam.
You watched that door from a distance, not trusting him to do what you had asked of him.
He remained in there for a bit before finally heading out the door.
You saw him shaking his wet fingers and letting out a low growl before slamming it dramatically and walking off, probably to the restroom to dry his hands.
Your back hit the wall and you sighed, smiling slightly.
How you were going to survive this job was beyond you.
But at least you knew his weakness now.
Next time you came to work, you'd bring more needles.
Lots and lots of needles.
Reviews and Criticism are always appreciated!