I woke up to the sound of silence. The room was quiet, except for the soft rustling of the wind outside.
As I sat up, I looked around, trying to get my bearings. And then, I saw him.
Vincent was standing by the balcony, his back to me. He was staring out at the night sky, his shoulders tense.
I felt a surge of emotion as I looked at him. He seemed so alone, so lost.
I slowly got up from the chair, my eyes fixed on him. I didn't want to startle him, didn't want to break the spell.
As I approached him, I felt a sense of trepidation. What was he thinking? What was he feeling?
I stopped behind him, my heart pounding in my chest. I looked up at him, trying to see his face.
But he didn't turn around. He just kept staring out at the night sky, his eyes fixed on something in the distance.
I felt a sense of sadness wash over me. He seemed so far away, so unreachable.
But I didn't give up. I took a step closer, my hand reaching out to touch his arm.
As I stood there, my hand on his arm, I felt a sense of anticipation building up inside me. I was waiting for him to turn around, waiting for him to see me.
And then, suddenly, he did.
Vincent turned around, his eyes locking onto mine. But as I looked into his eyes, I felt a pang of disappointment.
His cold expression had returned, his eyes icy and distant. He looked at me as if I was a stranger, as if he didn't know me at all.
I felt a sense of sadness wash over me. I had been hoping that maybe, just maybe, he would see me, really see me. But now, I realized that was just a foolish dream.
Vincent's gaze swept over me, his eyes taking in every detail. But his expression didn't change. He still looked cold, still looked distant.
"What?" he asked, his voice low and rough.
I felt a surge of emotion at the sound of his voice.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I was just... checking on you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Vincent's eyes narrowed. "You don't have to check on me," he said, his voice cold. "I'm fine."
I felt a pang of hurt at his words. But I tried not to show it. Instead, I just nodded, trying to play it cool.
"Okay," I said, my voice neutral. "If you're sure you're fine..."
Vincent's gaze locked onto mine, his eyes glinting with a cold light. "I'm fine," he repeated, his voice dripping with ice.
I felt a shiver run down my spine at the sound of his voice. But I didn't back down. Instead, I just stood there, looking at him, trying to see beyond the cold exterior to the man beneath.
"It's been a while since you've spoken to me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Vincent's expression didn't change. He just looked at me, his eyes cold and distant.
I felt a surge of emotion at his indifference. I took a step closer, my eyes locking onto his.
"Why are you always so cold and distant?" I asked, my voice filled with emotion.
Vincent didn't respond. He just kept looking at me, his expression unchanging.
I felt a spark of anger ignite within me. I raised my voice, my words tumbling out in a rush.
"Why do you always push me away?"
Vincent's eyes narrowed, his gaze flashing with surprise. He was taken aback by my sudden burst of emotion.
I took another step closer, my eyes blazing with intensity. I was determined to get through to him, to break down the walls he had built around himself.
"Why are you always so cold and distant?" I repeated, my voice low and husky.
Vincent's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze burning with a fierce intensity. And then, in a movement that caught me off guard, he reached out and grabbed me by the waist.
He pulled me close.
I stared up at Vincent, my heart pounding in my chest. He gazed back at me, his eyes intense.
"Are you still scared of me?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
I shook my head, my voice firm. "No."
Vincent's gaze never wavered. Then, in a movement that caught me off guard, he tossed me to the edge of the balcony.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, his voice carrying on the wind.
I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yes."
Vincent stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine. "Jump," he whispered.
I hesitated for a moment, my heart racing. Then, with a deep breath, I climbed up onto the edge of the balcony and jumped.
Time seemed to slow as I fell through the air, my face tilted up towards Vincent. Then, just as suddenly, I was wrapped in his arms, his body shielding mine as we plunged into the pool below.
The moonlight illuminated the ripples in the water as we surfaced, Vincent's arms still wrapped tightly around me. He pulled me close, his lips claiming mine in a kiss that left me breathless.
For the first time, I felt like I was seeing the real Vincent - his eyes sparkled with a warmth I had never seen before, and his touch was gentle, almost reverent.
As we broke apart for air, I gazed up at him in wonder. "You look alive," I whispered.
Vincent's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, a small, tentative smile. "Good job, Little de," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion.
We floated there for a moment, the water lapping gently around us. Then, Vincent started to talk, his voice low and husky.
I listened, entranced, feeling like I was seeing him for the first time. I asked him questions, and he answered, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
We laughed together, our voices carrying across the water. We talked about nothing and everything, our conversation flowing easily.
At one point, Vincent started to tease me, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You're so serious all the time, Little de," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "You need to learn to relax."
I playfully splashed water at him, and he ducked, his eyes laughing. "Hey, watch it," he said, his voice filled with mock indignation.
We played like that for a while, our laughter and splashing filling the night air. It was like we were two different people, people who didn't have the weight of the world on our shoulders.
But as the night wore on, I asked the one question I shouldn't have: "What happened? How did you get shot?"
Vincent's expression changed in an instant. His eyes went dark, his face cold. His smile disappeared, replaced by a harsh, unforgiving line.
His voice was rough, low, and menacing. "That's none of your business," he growled, his eyes flashing with anger.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as he pulled away from me, his movements abrupt. The warmth, the laughter, the connection we had shared - it all disappeared in an instant, replaced by a cold, dark fury.
"I'm tired," he muttered, turning away. "I need to go."
I was left standing alone in the pool, the water lapping around my legs. I felt a pang of sadness and anger, my emotions swirling together in a confusing mix.
As I climbed out of the pool, I couldn't help but wonder if I had imagined the whole thing - the connection we had shared, the smile, the laughter. Had it all been just a dream?
I stood there, the moonlight casting a silver glow over the deserted pool area, the only sound the gentle lapping of the water against the sides. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I realized that, once again, Vincent had slipped away from me, leaving me with more questions than answers.