In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 39

A/N: rip Chase's sleep schedule. Shorter update, but hopefully this chapter makes up for Vince's lack of brain cells in the last chapter. Vince seems to get smarter with alcohol in his system, don't ask how or why LOL. Let me know what you think! Almost everything has been revealed about Vince's reasoning, but there's a little more that will be revealed later, just thought I'd let y'all know. Don't forget to comment, vote, follow, etc. Enjoy!

Chapter 39

Vince's POV

It took nearly an hour for Simon to calm down enough to move from the couch. It was like a flip switched off and he jumped away and ran to the bathroom like he hadn't been clutching to my shirt for the past hour. And despite keeping his head down, I didn't miss the way his face was red and puffy from the crying or how his hands were shaking violently.

And then when I thought he had spent too long in there, and wondered if I needed to check on him like I'd done with Xavier for a week after his incident, he stepped out, speed walking to the bed and burying himself into the sheets.

I knew it was wrong, cruel even, to not answer him. But I couldn't. I mean where was I even supposed to begin? I wasn't sure I could even begin to explain myself without it sounding like actual rubbish.

It wasn't that I didn't want to tell him, no, I really did want to. It's just I've spent sixteen years trying to make sense of it all, even trying to forget about it, and all of a sudden Simon waltzes right in and demands all the answers from me.

Chase was right though, I was never good at dealing with things under pressure. And I just wasn't prepared mentally to say it aloud, to voice my reasoning that even a two-year-old could tell was stupid. Any of those pathetic excuses I had or even imagined were foolish.

And a part of me feared what Simon's reaction would be if I had managed to spill everything.

But if I had, maybe it would've been better that way. If he were to leave based on what I said, it'd be better than this stupid situation we were in. It'd be like how I envisioned, what I wanted in the first place. Or was it?

I sighed angrily, before grabbing my phone and texting Chase about meeting up downstairs in the bar. He replied with, seriously? It's 1 am. I work tomorrow.

I sent a mad face emoji and now, to which he sent an eye-roll emoji and fine back.

---

I was two beers and a couple of shots in when Chase finally showed up. He had arrived in some joggers and a basic tee, looking exhausted as always. He yawned before plopping himself down in the barstool. "What is all this about?"

I took another shot, wishing it would just kick in already. "Why couldn't I say it?"

"What?" He grabbed a bottle from the rack.

"Simon asked me why I did it," I mumbled before downing another shot. "And I couldn't answer."

He took a sip of the beer, before responding in his doctor tone, "why do you think you couldn't answer?"

"That's why I'm asking you," I groaned. I reached for a beer bottle, but Chase pushed it to the side.

"Why did you do it, Vince?"

I snatched the bottle from him before glaring at him. "You know why."

"Not all of it." He frowned, taking another sip. "Why do you think you did it?"

"Stop sounding like a therapy session."

"This isn't a therapy session."

I grumbled before taking a shot. "It sure seems like it."