Vincent woke on the morning of his 15th birthday feeling better than he had in a long time. Part of it was that, also being Valentine's day, he could allow the old saints day to allow people to forget that it was also his birthday. He was not one who liked the attention of a birthday and had asked that it not be acknowledged by too many people. The question was always; would that be respected. As it turned out, it was and he had gone through the school day as if it were any other. Now, after school, he wanted only to go home and spend some time with Fiona before Darcy got off of work and they had a nice dinner and a movie to celebrate.
Fiona had slipped Vincent various morose Valentine's during the day, including a heart shaped picture of a human heart, but was leaving his birthday stuff until the end, since he didn't want other people bugging him with it at school. She met him at the doors and kissed him once again with her rebel against the Hallmark bullshit black lipstick "If I leave a mark you can just tell people I was sucking your soul out of your body. Hello Minstrel...did you have a good day so far? I really wanted to bring you cupid's head in a bag but the cold storage in this building is sadly lacking."
Vincent accepted the kiss and laughs. "I tell them you make sure it's long gone. But I don't mind a bit being marked.." he nods. "So far, so good." he admits. "But I really just want to go home and relax." he grins and waves at Addison as she goes past towards her home.
Fiona grinned at Addy and blew a kiss. Addy knew the deal with Vincent wanting discretion about the b word. But she dare not say it that way to her knee pad gifting smart mouthed bestie. She took Vincent's hand and walked with him "You're the boss today Birthday Boy." She walked with him to his apartment, since that was the plan. His gift was safely tucked in her backpack.
Vincent walks with her. "Yes, but no one knows." he rubs his hands together. "I hide behind that crazy diapered baby, who runs around shooting people all day while I celebrate in peace." he laughs and opens his door when they get to it, dropping his bag and taking off his coat and shoes. He looks around and, as always, the curtains are drawn.
Fiona takes off her outdoor stuff too and slips into the bathroom and washes off the black lipstick. She walks out with a wash cloth and comes at Vincent with it "Ok I'm over this.." She grins "Is Darcy still at work for a bit?"
Hours fly by like minutes and they scramble a little as they hear Darcy’s key in the lock. Fiona is shifting and trying to move off Vincent’s lap but her foot gets stuck. The door opens and Darcy walks in as Fiona is still half on top of him and laughs nervously "I totally lost my pen in the couch...can you believe it?"
Darcy just looks at them both and shakes her head "Uh huh...I'll be in the kitchen...not looking...while you find that....."
Vincent can't scramble too much and effectively gets tangled in Fiona. "Hey Darcy mom." he basically has to lay on the couch and think cold thoughts. "Um .. how was work?" he knows they've been busted making out on the couch before, but he always has the same reaction. Darcy really IS like a mom to him.
Fiona moves to sit very politely with her legs crossed and her hands in her lap now, listening to the conversation.
Darcy moved around the kitchen, putting groceries away "Ugh...slow day, data entry....not much to tell...Do you kids want tacos or kebabs? I have stuff for either..."
Vincent flips himself over so fast its as if he's been like that all day. He peers over the couch and into the kitchen. "Kebabs, please." he requests. "And points for not cooking even though technically it's my day to cook." he smiles.
Darcy happily starts setting up to make kebabs "It's your birthday....no cooking for you. I don't think I have to twist Fiona's arm to sit on your lap and stop you if you try." She teases and looks at Fiona.
Fiona blushes but nods "Agreed. But while he's behaving, can I help Darcy?"
Darcy smiles "Sure, come here and chop some things for the salad Fi."
Just then, there's a knock at the door. Darcy looks puzzled and then goes to answer. It's her twin sister, Marianne, decked to the nines and perfectly made up. She's holding a gift bag and beaming like she's about to burst into song in a Broadway musical.
"Mari?" Darcy laughs and hugs her "Did you come all this way for Vincent's birthday?"
Marianne steps in "Well yes....Hi Vinnie..." She waggles her fingers "But not for the whole night, just a drop in. I kinda have a date....or am surprising one." She says with a wink and then looks in the kitchen "Oh! The girlfriend! Hi Fiona! I'm Aunt Mari!"
Vincent laughs and finally is able to sit on the couch as Fi starts moving, touching his hand to hers as she passes. He looks at the door, also and smiles to see Mari there. "Wow!" he hops the couch and goes to give her a hug. "Well you surprised me. I know, I'm an antisocial hermit." he nods at Mari's introduction. She had beaten him to it.
Marianne hugs Vincent with her perfuming upper body and laughs "She's as pretty a your pictures."
Fiona blushes a little and laughs "Hi and thank you. It's nice to meet you."
Darcy steps back and then hands Fiona a bag of tomatoes, a knife and a cutting board "Washed and diced please. Mari, who's this date you're surprising?"
Marianne evades the question and thrusts the bag out to Vincent's chest "Presents! I remember how you liked the clothes at Christmas so I'm a one trick pony now." Inside is a nice mottled knit hooded sweater and a pair of matching socks.
Vincent smiles. "Yea. She makes me look good." he says of Fiona and takes the bag, looking inside. "Nice." he holds he sweater up and then reaches in for the socks, holding them up like a trophy. "SOCKS! I love socks!!" he embraced his Dobbyness before Dobby even existed. He hugs Mari and looks curious. "But yea .... who you dating? Someone in Alexandra?" since the island wasn't really a place someone just 'Dropped by'.
Marianne sighs and looks at Darcy "Well it's a little awkward but I may as well tell you now. I've had some dates with Sam, your friend from work. He's the sweetest guy I've met in years. I was going to just order two glasses of red wine and text him to meet me at that Mariner's hotel bar...."
Darcy drops the next cutting board she's taken out looking at Mari incredulously "You mean Sam...Wright? He's not just my friend from work...he's my closest friend from work.....how long has this been going on?!"
Fiona's mouth forms an O and she just quietly dices. Awkward.
Vincent gapes a second before he grasps his new socks and sweater. "I ..... think I need to hang these up ...." he says awkwardly, heading for his room. He was having a hard time picturing Mari with Sam Wright.
Marianna sighs at Darcy "Oh come on Darc....I dunno since the holidays..."
Darcy picks up the cutting board and then exhales loudly at her sister.
Fiona keeps cutting and wishes she had socks to put away too.
Vincent puts the things away and comes back in the room, wandering into the kitchen and stealing a tomato and a kiss from Fiona. "Officer Wright seems nice." he says, a little bit confused why Darcy seems a little put out Then again this was her friend her sister was dating. That was bound to get awkward.
Fiona looks happy for the distraction of Vincent and kisses him back, a tomato flavoured moment, before looking between the sisters.
Darcy sighs "OK, you're adults. I don't want details but do what you will. You know...he's not...monogamous right? Don't get in over your head Mari.."
Marianne waves her off "I know that. We're fine. It's fun. I know what I'm doing Darce....." She looks at Vincent "He is nice, and I'm going to go. But YOU Vinnie, have a fabulous birthday." She blows him and Fiona a little kiss and then waggles her fingers. "Don't wait up.."
Vincent arches his brows at the mention that Sam wasn't monogamous. He knew the word, of course, but he becomes concerned because even he knows Mari needs a one woman man. He waves at her. "Thank you Aunt Mari." he all but sings as she leaves, but looks after her with clear concern in his face and eyes.
Mari is out the door in no time and Darcy sighs "I really hope that doesn't blow up in her face......I'm not going to get involved.........ok cucumber now Fiona. You get it. You have brothers..."
Fiona sets aside the tomatoes and nods knowingly "Oh yes......same shit different pile. The youngest one's a bit of a wild card....but not with my friends so far....."
Vincent looks at the closed door, curious. "That could blow up something awful." he murmurs and turns towards the cooks ... hovering.
Darcy nods but then looks hopeful "Sam is nice. He won't hurt her on purpose. But I know Kitty comes first with him, and it's Valentine's Day...damn...I should have stopped her....but maybe she needs to hear it from him."
Fiona winces "Oh.....poor Mari...." She dices the cucumber.
Vincent arches his brows. "The lady that runs the condom shop, right?" he sounds amazed. Kitty got the attention of quite a few of the guys at school. He's never been in the shop, but he's seen her. She looked incredibly sophisticated to him.
Darcy nods as she arranges chicken on skewers now "Yeah....tall gorgeous...hair you could swim in....sorry....not that Mari's not .....is it selfish that i don't want a close male friend getting intimate with someone who basically has MY face?" She laughs "Even if Mari is fine with the whole many partners thing....I just feel like it will be weird at work. And I hope she's OK."
Fiona stops chopping and think about it "You do look different, but yeah the faces....."
Vincent goggles a bit. "Hair you can SWIM in?" he blinks and laughs a little. "But Mari' face..." he sighs. "All that .. make up." he blows out a breath and then smirks. "Well if she's dating Sam, maybe you can date Kitty." and then he covers his eyes with his hands. "OH my eyes! My eyes! Hysterical blindness!"
Darcy blushes and laughs "I like the way you think but not gonna happen....still too close to my buddy...and now my sister.....gawd. No bleaching of the eyeballs required...."
Fiona just laughs "You guys are hilarious. Cucumbers done, give me more to chop please."
Vincent drops the act. "As long as I don't see it on my favorite porn site." he smiles, innocently, still hovering.
Darcy winces "I'm going to pretend I Didn't just hear you say that kid....." She tosses an onion at Fiona gently so it's an easy catch.
Fiona elbows Vincent and laughs "If I talked that way to my parents....." She exhales..."Ok my dad....my mom would laugh." She catches the onion and combines the cucs with the tomato to clear a board.
Vincent leans on a counter. "Well .. a wince is ALMOST a smile." and he looks at Fiona. "Your dad would probably stroke out. Then again he wouldn't entertain thoughts of Kitty."
Darcy smiles "Sorry spoke my mind a little too much for you. Blame Mari..." She laughs a bit.
Fiona chops up the onion and looks at Vincent "Hey single parent means she's single and can look all she likes." She smiles at Darcy and Darcy laughs.
Vincent moves to hug Darcy. "That's OK ... now I have something for the therapy sessions I'm going to wind up in." he winks and nods. "I know that, but .. my mother and Kitty Carmichael." it took him all this time to remember her last name. "That's ... Freudian...."
Darcy hugs him back and laughs "Oh geez."
Fiona gestures in the air with the knife "Wait a minute....do YOU have the hots for Kitty?" She doesn't look jealous, just amused "Maybe I should start wearing taller boots and curling my hair..."
Vincent looks at Fiona, shaking his head. "No! Kitty is ... not my type." he shrugs. "I don't like all ..." he holds his hands far away from his chest. "That, for one. And she ... I don't know. I couldn't share like Sam does. I guess I'm just ... monogamous." he admits.
Fiona grins broadly "I know you are, I was just teasing Minstrel. And I couldn't pull off that rack without surgery..." She says laughing and then looks curiously at Darcy "OK I have to ask....your sister..."
Darcy finishes it for Fiona "Has implants, yep. It's messed up. She had three surgeries too....the body often rejects them so it was a stupid amount of money for vanity....and now she sees a chiropractor. Best not to over-analyze."
Vincent smiles at Fiona, but sighs once Darcy speaks. "They look painful. Why do women do that?" he asks and then backtracks. "Guys like Gino and Joey." he moves to the fridge and pulls out a yellow pepper, hefting it as if he were planning to eat it like an apple, which he often does.
Fiona rolls her eyes and nods "Yep....and the fashion industry, and movies. Women are bombarded with the idea that our bodies aren't good enough to meet some ridiculous standard. You should be underweight, but with huge boobs.....it's completely unrealistic. and i am glad you're nothing like that Vincent."
Darcy nods "Me too Fiona. Mari was always every affected by all that. She's been on a diet off an on since she was about 10 years old....She stuffed her bras through high school and then as soon as she could, she had surgery."
Vincent bites into the pepper as if he's starving. "I love your body, Fi." he comments. "And I wish Aunt Mari loved her own." he sighs a little and goes to the trash to pull out the top and seeds of the sweet pepper. "She can be happy then." he seems to remember something. "OH, by the way. I got a passing grade on my French test."
Darcy gives Vincent a curious look when he tells Fiona he loves her body, in front of her. Maybe his chaste stance on all things was shifting, they were that age after all. she replies about the test "Right on kid." And then dumps her spice rub on the kebabs.
Fiona feels her cheeks go hot but is amused by Vincent eating a pepper like an apple. "Thanks. Hopefully it all works out for her.
Vincent nods. "Danke." he teases Darcy by replying in German. He watches them a little bit and then wanders off to his harp, finishing the pepper as he does. Sitting on the stool, he tunes and plays a whole lot of beautiful nothing, occasionally glancing up and watching them cook. He's completely content.
Fiona enjoys Vincent's beautiful nothing. It relaxes her so much she works at a slower pace, but Darcy seems to slow too as there's really no hurry. She gets handed herbs next and chops them while Darcy puts on quinoa to cook and puts the kebabs in the oven.
Darcy smiles at Vincent, so grateful to have him in her life, to have this reason to celebrate him and them. She's happy to include Fiona. they're not the type of teens who shun adults from their lives but keep the dialogues happening and she's so glad.
Vincent doesn't think, he just plays. It is relaxing and beautiful and, even though random, reflects this day for him. he glances up watching Fiona and Darcy and is glad they are the only two people here. The two single most important people in his life, as far as he is concerned. Not a big party where he'd never be able to relax.
Soon the salad is made and set in the fridge. It's tabbouleh salad of course with quinoa. the kebabs are cooking and Darcy pours herself a glass of wine and Vincent and Fi each a coke and sits down on the couch to just listen.
Fiona gives Vincent a light kiss on the temple as she passes him to go join Darcy and do the same. She looks at the curtains, almost considering opening them, almost.
Vincent considers and then actually stops playing when they are on the couch. He moves into his room and comes out a minute later with his electric lyre, which until now neither of them has seen. he plugs it in and begins to play on it sort of pacing between them, letting the tunes reach them. Serenading them, but mostly Fiona.
Fiona smiles sweetly at Vincent playing with her as the focus and just watches him with absolute love.
Darcy enjoys the music and doesn't mind Fiona being the center of it. She's happy, so happy that her boy is this happy with anyone. It's a gift to his life and she knows it. She relaxes and listens and sips her wine.
Vincent does what he loves with the people he loves the most. He shows off a little bit, as he's experimented in private when is home totally alone. It isn't exactly like an electric guitar, but in some ways, he thinks it's better. He plays a favorite song of Fiona's, then one of Darcy's and then back to Fiona.
Fiona's so at ease right now with Vincent she starts to sing along to the ones that are for her. They combine well together of course and she gets to sort of serenade him back that way.
Darcy just floats away. It couldn't be a nicer night with music in their home and happy people. When the oven timer goes off, she frowns at it and then laughs to go check the kebabs. They're done of course so she starts puttering around and arranging plates.
Vincent plays happily while Fiona sings, loving their duet. She is more social than he is, but she can adapt, he feels to the hermit inside of him. He finishes the song the oven timer interrupts and then put the harp aside and waits for dinner to be served.
Darcy puts the plates on the table and says "OK come and eat food. Thank you for the music."
Fiona goes to sit and smiles "And thank you for the food Darcy." She beams at Vincent "I hope it was OK I just chimed in there with you?"
Vincent moves to the table eagerly and when Fiona sits he kisses her cheek. "It was perfect. The whole DAY has been perfect for me." and he sits, eager to eat.
Darcy smiled sweetly at Vincent and served up everyone before she sat "Don't be shy kids..." She said just before her first bite.
Fiona gave Vincent a loving look and dug in too and then pointed at the salad "Oh my god I LOVE this!"
Vincent digs in and moans. "Darcy Mom is a GREAT cook." he praises her, eating as if he missed lunch or something.
Darcy beams at the compliment "Thanks kid."
Fiona nods "Clearly we're all about the food."
Vincent chuckles. "Hey. Food is life." he points out between bites. "And if the food is good, even better." he shrugs. "I like well fed people." he nods.
Fiona picks up a kebab "Working on it Baby." She jokes before a big bite.
Darcy lets her eyes shift to Fiona and back to Vincent. Terms of endearment, cute and curious. She wondered if Fiona heard those between her parents at home.
Vincent grins and holds up a kebab. "Good. No fad diets and and ... none of that. No." he moves the kebab towards his mouth. "Why do I think our first fight will involve food?" he grins.
Fiona looks at Vincent sweetly and keeps eating. Technically they'd had their first fight, if the Kurt thing counted. But it had ended with I love you so it was also in the end one of the best things they'd been through or at least gotten to.
Darcy laughed "Don't fight over food. Just cut it in half if you need to if there's one of something."
Fiona scoffs "You didn't grow up with brothers. In my house you find something good, you eat it fast. Or it's gone."
Vincent remembers the fight, but didn't want to mention it. He's still very ashamed of his reaction. "We can do that, but I think between the two of us, we'll always have food. Maybe not exactly what we want but ... not going REALLY hungry." he looks over at Fiona and the at Darcy. "Yea. It's kind of frantic there come mealtime." he laughs.
Darcy laughs "I can imagine."
Fiona giggles "This is blessedly quiet."
Vincent happily eats and sits back after a while. "Best. Birthday. Ever." he sighs in contentment. "I even got socks." he teases.
Darcy grins "I still have a gift for you but it's sadly not more socks, and a little boring and practical."
Fiona smiles "Sometimes those are the most needed."
Vincent perks up a bit. "Boring and practical works for me." he grins. "Can I have it?" he sounds so young and eager.
Darcy sticks her tongue out at Vincent and laughs and then stands and walks into her room to bring back a small gift bag. She puts it on the table and sits back down.
Fiona looks curiously at it as she finishes her kebab.
Vincent takes the bag and opens it, then laughs. "SCORE!" he takes out harp strings and a loaded ferry path. "But I wouldn't call this boring. Igor needs strings and the pass ... more excitement off island with Fiona." he winks. "Unless your afraid of losing us on the mainland."
Darcy shakes her head and smiles "So far so good. You two seem to know how to venture off safely so I'm not worried."
Fiona nods "We do need to share our conversion of all the masses to do our bidding around. Alexandra's compliant now, and Cedar Point is under our mind control finally. they just don't know it yet. One more Halloween ought to do it." she smiles evilly.
Vincent laughs and looks at Darcy. "When I master the magic lyre, we will soon take over the whole of British Columbia. You will be mother to the King. I will give you a fine house and ... I may even buy Aunt Mari the body of her choice ...." he considers. "Or therapy. One of them."
Darcy mock frowns "That's it. Give me that ferry card...." she laughs."And definitely therapy. I'm a fan of it."
Fiona giggles "Noted. Ooooh Theta, we have to conquer that island too. All those old Greeks....we'll break ALL the dishes!!!" She thinks of dishes and looks at her plate like she wants to lick it and then asks "Is there any more salad?"
Darcy gets up, laughing "Don't break our dishes....I'll feed you more. There's more of everything. I'll bring it to the table." She walks around the counter and grabs the kebab pan and the salad bowl and sets then on the table.
Fiona heaps more tabbouleh onto her plate and digs in "Mmmmm!"
Vincent laughs, but holds his new ferry card to his chest like a beloved child. "MINE!" he mock pouts. "But yea .. therapy is okay." he looks at the door for a moment, thinking of his aunt and hoping her dinner went well. Not everyone liked surprises. But he is distracted by more kebabs. "Food!" he proclaims and takes two more.
Darcy smiles at the kids and then is about to reach for another kebab when her phone rings on the kitchen island and she gets up to grab it "Hey.....Mari....." She pauses and lets out a big sigh "Oh shit.....do you want me to come meet you?" Her face looks pained now "Ok, you're on it already....Mari I'm sorry. Do you want to call me when you get home?" She blows out another breath, running a hand through her hair which then drops to the back of her hip "No no it's fine, please call me. We're not going out....OK....I love you. Get home safe." She hangs up and just looks at her phone sadly.
Fiona was giggling at Vincent and then her smile falls as she overheard Darcy and Marianne's conversation from the one side. "Uh oh..." She says quietly to Vincent.
Vincent is happily chewing when the call comes in. Swallowing he sighs and looks at Darcy. "What happened?" he asks, concerned, setting the kebab down and preparing for the worst, as is his habit.
Darcy pockets the phone "She was surprising Sam, but he had other plans with Kitty. I kinda figured she would get Valentines Day...I guess now she knows..." She sighs and sits "Awkward and unfortunate."
Fiona nods sadly "Wouldn't be a lifestyle I could take on. Is she Ok?"
Darcy shrugs "She will be, eventually."
Vincent winces and sighs. "Hopefully ... maybe ... Aunt Mari won't go for someone who is ... what is it? Polyamorous or a swinger or whatever he is?" he sighs. "I like them both but ...." he looks over at Darcy. "I wish she felt better about herself." he finishes.
Darcy looks tiredly at Vincent "Me too. Sadly you can't just give someone confidence..."
Fiona nods "Yeah. It's like Daisy, but hopefully less fucked up in Marianne's case. I mean at least she has a loving family."
Vincent nods slowly in agreement with both of them. "And at least ...." he pauses and looks at Darcy, worried. "Sam uses protection, doesn't he? I mean Aunt Mari couldn't be ...." he doesn't finish the sentence.
Darcy shakes her head vigorously "I'm sure Sam's careful, and my sister is the birth control queen. She doesn't want any babies."
Fiona listens to Vincent's concern in his voice and realizes how deeply he cares for his new family. She hopes for the best for Marianne too of course but not as personally.
Vincent nods to himself. "But why? I mean .. she wants the one ...with a capitol T and O ... so .. why Sam." he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I just don't ... get it." he sighs and begins to pick at his food again.
Darcy thinks about it and then replies "She's lonely. He's charming. She may have settled because it was nice. We can't always predict the path of the heart. I'm sure he was nice about it. They just want different things. And if he wasn't nice, he'll hear about it from me." She wiggles an eyebrow.
Fiona looks sideways at Darcy and then back at Vincent.
Vincent nods. "And me." he isn't really in a position to do anything about Sam, even though they were both small, but that's how he felt about it. Then he sat up straighter. "Come on. We better eat. Eventually I'm going to have to take you home." he looks at Fiona, sounding like that is the last thing he really wants to do.
Fiona gives Vincent a little frown and eats more of her salad.
Darcy looks between them and smiles "It will be what it is. I may take the call in my room if she calls back so you two pick a movie or something if you want. I'm on dishes."
Vincent sees the frown and concentrates on finishing his food. He looks at her. "Movie?" he asks a little confused by the frown.
Darcy shrugs "I mean on iTunes on the TV? Or we can feed the laptop through and do Google play...if Fiona 's allowed to stay that late on a weeknight?"
Fiona nods "My parents know it's Vincent's birthday."
Vincent finished his food and nods. "I'm glad them make exceptions for me." he grins a little more confidently now, but waits on Fiona.
Fiona finishes and smiles "They like you Vincent. Don't worry. Darcy are you sure I can't help with dishes?"
Darcy waves her off "Nope....go...chill together. I've got this."
Vincent smiles. "I like them, too." he replies and stands to get his laptop and plug it into the television with the HDMI cable. He'll move to the couch with snuggling on his mind while they decide on something to watch.
Fiona watches Vincent tinker and then snuggles into him, happy to watch anything as long as she can just stay in his arms. She noses into his neckline and murmurs "Happy Valentines Birthday Minstrel."
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