Set Backs. || PURPLEPHONE

Better Out Than In.

"So!" Robin said, looking at Vincent and Scott, "You two work together?" She looked over at Boss, "Are they good workers?"

"They get the job done," William replied, nodding approvingly.

"Oh, good," Robin grinned, looking back at Vincent, "So good to know out little boy is socializing with the right kind of people..."

"And have you gotten yourself a girl yet?" Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're twenty-six now, you know. You should be thinking about children."

"A-Ah... Y-Yeah, no. I-I'm..." Scott grinned uneasily, the nerves he felt as clear as day on his face, "D-Definitely thinking about it."

Andrew looked satisfied, "So you have a girlfriend?"

"Um..." Scott froze up, glancing at Linda, "I... kind of? I mean..."

"What he means, Dad," Linda drawled, winking at Scott, "Is can you stop going over it for once? Geez. We have one good dinner with the family, and you're all 'well Scott, why the hell aren't you a great-grandparent by now?'" She rolled her eyes, "Honestly."

"Well, you're not getting any younger either, sweetie," Robin reminded her. "It's time you thought about a more permanent partner, too..."

"Oh come on. There was David, and Connor and Xavier," Linda held up her fingers, "Matthew, Samuel, Tyler. Oh, and who was the last one? Umm..."

"You broke up with him a week ago," Scott frowned.

"So? I can't be expected to remember everything."

Vincent laughed, "I like that style. I'm a bit like that with my b-" He corrected himself, "Girlfriends. I mean, they were all great, but..."

"Oh no," Scott mumbled, "Now you've done it."

Vincent froze, confused. Oh no. The last thing he wanted to do was offend Scott's parents just before Scott told them they were dating. He looked over at Scott's parents, who were staring at him intently.

"It looks to me," Robin said, "That you both could do with some settling down."

"Find a partner who has similar interests," Andrew's gaze flicked from Linda to Vincent.

The pieces clicked in place. Vincent's eyes widened, "Oh! Oh, no. I'm taken. I'm very much taken. And... I'm really serious about this one."

He felt Scott stiffen slightly beside him, but he said nothing, just continued to eat his dinner. Vincent could feel Boss' eyes burning into him, too, so he turned to Linda, who was sitting opposite him.

"Trust me, Linda. One day you're going to meet someone, and you're going to get that feeling that you've gotten so many times before. The tingling in your heart. But then you'll get to know that person, and you discover that... they're amazing, and kind, and funny, and cute, and... perfect. And you realise that that feeling isn't going away. That it's growing more and more and more with each day that passes with them by your side. And one day, when you see that person look at you, with those beautiful big brown eyes and that adorable lopsided grin... You'll realise that... you really care about them, and want them to be happy... no matter what."

He paused abruptly. Woah, Vincent. Where'd all that come from? He realised everyone was staring at him, and blinked around at everyone.

Linda had a smug grin on her face, "Well. Your girlfriend is one lucky chick."

Vincent glanced at Scott, who was staring wide-eyed at his plate, trying desperately to hide the fact that he was blushing terribly. He stood up abruptly, "I-I'm going to get drinks. A-Anyone want one?"

"Yeah, sure," Linda said, and Boss chimed in as well.

Scott stood up and walked into the kitchen. Immediately, he slumped against the fridge. Oh my gawd. Did he really mean that? Did he /really/ mean that?! His heart threatened to tear out of his chest at the rate it was thumping. Vincent's words played through his mind over and over again. Perfect. Beautiful. Funny. Adorable. He'd looked so sincere when he'd said it. If only Scott could tell him he felt all the same way towards him, too.

Slowly, he regained his composure. He turned around and looked in the fridge for drinks. What he found was Fanta. Scott rolled his eyes, Mom still thinks we're five years old. But he pulled out the drinks, walking back to the table and passing them out to each person before returning to his seat.

"So," Robin smiled at Scott from across the table, "What's this 'big news' that Linda was talking about, hmm?"

Scott's eyes snapped open, he looked around at everyone and realised they'd all finished their dinner. Oh no.

Scott swallowed. Everything. Every moment. It all came down to this. He opened his mouth... and nothing came out. It was like someone had tied a rope around his neck and was strangling him. He glanced at Linda. She gave him a double thumbs up. He looked at Boss. He nodded his head slightly and gave that half-smile Scott knew so well.

Suddenly, Vincent had grabbed his hand under the table and was holding it tightly. Scott looked at him, but he was looking elsewhere as if he didn't know a thing about what Scott was about to say.

Scott was filled with... something. He wasn't sure if it was love, confidence, adrenaline or the Fanta, but suddenly all the pressure was lifted from his throat.

He looked at Robin, "Mom. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never got to tell you this when I was younger. I'm sorry that I never got the guts to tell you about my anxiety and depression, that you had to find out after my nervous breakdown... I'm sorry I never got to tell you what caused it," He dragged his eyes over to his Dad. He couldn't look him in the eyes. More, talked to the table, "D-Dad. I... I'm so, so sorry. All you've ever been talking about since we were seventeen is how much you wanted... wanted grandkids... a-and..." Scott choked back a sob, his eyes brimming with tears, "I-I know... how much you... you wanted me to... b-be that good son, that has a great wife and a huge f-family, a-and now... now I'll never be able to give that to you because I'm..." Tears fell from his eyes onto the table, and those two words fell out of his mouth, "I'm gay."