Work Text:
Adults say and do a lot of things around Vincent that they don't mean for him to know about. They even do it when he's in the same room if they think he's playing or watching TV or distracted by something. They never notice Vincent listening.
Like when he found out Mom made lentil soup again because she shouted, "It's all I can afford," at Sammy when he came home from Sebastian's house and complained. Vincent doesn't blame Sammy for complaining. Lentil soup is YUCKY! Vincent always wants to complain whenever Mom makes lentil soup but the last time he did that, Mom started crying and wouldn't let him have a cookie for dessert.
Later that night, Vincent decided to ask Sammy why lentil soup was all Mom could afford. He didn't want to ask Mom because he didn't want her to yell or cry again. He picked up his piggy bank with a few coins rattling around inside and took it with him to his brother's room.
"Hey, Vince," Sammy said as Vincent slipped inside and closed the door. "What's up?"
"Why is lentil soup all Mom can afford?" Vincent asked in a rush as he held his piggy bank out towards his brother. "Do you think I should give her my piggy bank? That way we won't have to eat yucky lentils all the time?"
His brother's smile looked sad and he said, "You can put your piggy bank away, Vince. It's a grown-up thing that you shouldn't have to worry about."
Sammy started working at JojaMart not long after that. Mom still made lentil soup sometimes, but not as often now.
Sometimes Vincent finds out things he's not supposed to know because other people don't realize he's nearby.
Like when he went outside to build a snowgoon in his backyard and heard Sammy loudly yelling from out front. "Morris is the worst! I wasn't even on the schedule to work when I left last night, but now I gotta go in because even though he put me on the schedule without asking or even telling me, it's my responsibility and I'll get fired if I don't!"
Following the sound of the shouting, Vincent crept along the narrow passage between the front and back of his house just in time to hear Sebastian reply, "It's okay, I get it."
"It's not okay!" Sammy yelled at Sebastian. "I hate this job but I have to work, Seb. I have to. They're counting on me. I need to step up!"
"You have stepped up," Vincent peeked around the corner just in time to watch Sebastian casually lean over to put the cigarette he was smoking out by dipping the end into the snow and then put the rest of it back into his pocket. "And I already said I understand, the same way you understand when I have to work."
"How can you be so cool about this?" Sammy said with a sniffle. "I just ruined your birthday. We were supposed to be halfway to the city by now, and if I don't get to work in the next fifteen minutes I won't even have a job."
Sebastian hugged Sammy and leaned their foreheads together as he reassured, "You didn't ruin my birthday. We can go to the city another time." Then he pulled away with a smirk and said, "Now hurry up and get to work already."
"You're a jerk and I hate you," Sammy said with a pout.
"No, you don't," Sebastian said confidently. "Now get moving."
"Why do you have to be right all the time?" Sammy shouted as he jogged past the path where Vincent was leaning against the wall of the house without seeing him.
"It's a talent," Sebastian called after him. Once Sammy darted around the corner of Emily and Haley's house though, Sebastian sighed and looked sad.
Vincent would be sad too if he had plans for his birthday and then they got changed so he decided to cheer Sebastian up. With a burst of speed he bolted around the corner and shouted, "Happy Birthday, Sebastian! Do you wanna build a snowgoon? There's a lot of snow in the backyard and I was going to build one, but if you're here we can make a much taller one!"
Sebastian smiled and reached out to catch Vincent as he slipped on the snow and nearly crashed into his legs. "Slow down, Vince. It's slippery out here."
"Okay," Vincent agreed easily. "But will you build a snowgoon with me… please?"
Sebastian shrugged but he was still smiling. "Sure, I don't have anything else to do."
"Yes!" Vincent cheered as he grabbed Sebastian's hand and quickly (but carefully) brought him around to the backyard. "This is gonna be the biggest and bestest snowgoon ever and we can show it to Sammy when he gets home!"
"Sounds like a plan, Vince."
The snowgoon was still standing proud and tall in the backyard a few days later when Vincent heard Miss Penny tell Mom that there was a Market at the Beach last night and that it was going to be there again tonight! Since Sammy hadn't let him give his piggy bank to Mom, Vincent still had it. He could sneak out tonight after dinner and get Winter Star presents to surprise Mom, and Sammy, and he'd get one for Dad too just in case he came home for Winter Star!
Even the yucky boiled beet Mom made for dinner didn't make Vincent any less excited. He just waited until Mom turned off the TV and headed to his room. He waited at his door, listening until Mom closed her own bedroom door then rushed to grab his piggy bank. Then he quietly left his room and slipped out the front door, being careful to leave it unlocked so he could get back in later.
Vincent ran down to the beach as fast as he could, only to stop short once he got there, looking around in awe at all the boats and the lights! He'd never seen anything like it before! He crept up towards the the beginning of the docks and tried to figure out where to start. There was an enormous armored boat off to the right side of the docks that Demetrius and Maru walked into that looked really cool. The whole thing was made out of metal and it even had a covered roof that was rounded and made the whole boat seem like it was one giant piece.
"Hey Vince," Sebastian said as he strolled past the boat and over towards him. "What are you doing down here by yourself?"
Vincent was about to answer when suddenly the cool armored boat made a loud hissing sound and sank down under the water with Demetrius and Maru inside! "Sebastian! The boat sank!"
Sebastian chuckled and didn't seem worried. "It's called a submarine, buddy. It's a special kind of boat that can swim underwater."
"Really?" Vincent asked excitedly. "I wanna ride the boat!"
"Unfortunately, it's going to be gone for a few hours and won't get back until really late tonight," Sebastian said.
"Oh…" Vincent said. He was disappointed, but then cheered up as he remembered, "That's okay. I wanted to get Winter Star presents anyway. I brought my piggy bank. See?"
Sebastian smiled as Vincent held up his piggy bank, "Sounds like you're on an important mission. Can I help?"
"Yeah!" Vincent cheered. "You're taller so maybe you could pick me up if I can't see up to the counters? I want to get something for Mom, and Sammy, and Dad!"
"Sure," Sebastian said as he offered a hand to Vincent.
Vincent took Sebastian's hand and together they walked down the dock past Willy's shop to where most of the market stalls were. There was a guy standing next to a picture of a mermaid and Vincent wrinkled his nose. He didn't think Mom would like that.
"This is probably the best vendor for what you're looking for, Vince," Sebastian said as he led them over to a cart at the edge of the dock.
The woman in the cart smiled and waved at them as they came closer and Vincent laughed when he saw there was a pig floating behind the cart in an inner tube. "I didn't know that pigs could swim! Isn't he cold, though?"
"He's fine," the woman said with a smile. "The pig likes to swim in the winter."
The pig oinked as if in response and Vincent giggled again. "Okay."
"Vincent is looking for some Winter Star presents for his family," Sebastian said to the woman.
"Yeah!" Vincent added. "For Mom, and Sammy, and Dad!"
"Let me show you a few things then," the woman said with a smile as she reached down below her and placed some things on the counter.
Sebastian reached down to pick Vincent up so he could see better. There was a small crystal, a rainbow shell, a decorative bowl, a model ship, and some cranberry candy!
"I think Mom would like the bowl," Vincent said as he considered the options. "The rainbow shell is cool. I'll give that to Sammy since he likes to take me to the beach in the summer and it reminds me of how he helps me build sandcastles. And then the model ship for Dad, just in case he comes home in time for Winter Star!"
Sebastian set Vincent back down on the ground and he uncorked his piggy bank to let all three of the gold coins that were inside fall out into his hand. He held them out to Sebastian. "Is this enough?"
The woman frowned, but Sebastian looked at her kinda funny and said suddenly, "Hey, Vince, why don't I get you the Cranberry Candy too? My treat."
"Really?" Vincent asked excitedly.
Sebastian nodded with a smile.
"Wow, thank you so much! This is terrific!" Vincent cheered.
Sebastian put Vincent's three coins on the counter and then pulled out his wallet and took out a bunch more coins and put them down next to them.
The woman nodded to Sebastian and smiled. "Let me wrap these presents up for you."
Sebastian took the Cranberry Candy off the counter and offered it to him. "Why don't I hold your piggy bank for you while you drink that, buddy? I think you're going to need both hands."
"Okay," Vincent agreed as he happily handed the piggy bank to Sebastian and took his treat carefully in both hands.
The woman came back while Vincent was drinking his Cranberry Candy and handed Sebastian a bag with the presents neatly wrapped inside. Then she collected most of the coins that were on the counter.
"Vince, you've got some change back," Sebastian said. "I'll just put it back into your piggy bank, okay?"
"Okay," Vincent said as he finished his drink.
Sebastian took the empty glass back and left it on the counter. Then he handed the piggy bank back to Vincent. "Ready to head home now? I can carry the bag for you."
"Okay, thanks, Sebastian." Vincent said. "This has been a lot of fun. I understand why Sammy wants to go over your house to play all the time now!"
"Thanks, Vince," Sebastian said quietly. "I had a lot of fun too. Maybe in the Spring, once it gets warmer, you can come over my house with Sam sometime. There's a lake over there and I can show you how to catch frogs."
"Really?" Vincent asked. "We can catch frogs?"
Sebastian shrugged, "Yeah. If you want."
"Yes, please!" Vincent cheered as he took Sebastian's hand again and they began walking down the docks back to the beach.
They were just getting closer to the entrance to the town when suddenly, Vincent heard Sammy calling his name. "Vince, Vincent!" He wondered why Sammy sounded scared.
"He's with me, Sam," Sebastian shouted back. "We're coming in from the Beach!"
A moment later, as they stepped onto the bridge, Sammy came racing towards them. Sammy's eyes looked wide and panicked until he reached them, fell to his knees, and grabbed Vincent in a very tight hug.
"Sammy," Vincent complained. "You're squishing me."
Sammy's hug got less tight and he pulled back enough for Vincent to see there were tears in his eyes as he said, "You scared me buddy. You can't wander off at night without asking or telling anyone where you're going. I thought something bad happened to you."
Vincent started crying too. He didn't mean to scare Sammy! "I'm sorry, Sammy! I won't do it again. I just heard Miss Penny tell Mom about the Market at the Beach so I snuck out to get Winter Star presents. I was coming right back! I didn't even get on the boat because Sebastian said it would be gone for hours and hours."
Sammy looked up at where Sebastian was standing next to Vincent. "Thanks for looking out for my little brother."
Sebastian shrugged. "I just came over when I saw he was by himself and helped him with his shopping." He held up the bag he was carrying and continued, "I didn't realize you guys didn't know he was out of the house, though."
"Yeah, Mom still doesn't know." Sammy said. "She was in bed and I peeked in on Vince when I got home and found his room empty. I might have panicked a bit."
"If she asks, just say I took Vince out Winter Star shopping," Sebastian suggested. "It's technically true and that way no one gets in trouble."
"Thanks, Seb," Sammy said gratefully. "Want a piggyback ride back to the house, Vince?"
"Yes!" Vincent cheered and he immediately handed Sammy his piggy bank so that he could climb up onto his brother's back.
"Hold on tight, buddy," Sammy said as he stood up.
"I'll follow along," Sebastian said. "I promised Vince I'd carry his bag home."
"Sebastian's a lot of fun, Sammy." Vincent said as the three of them traveled the short distance from the bridge back to Sammy and Vincent's house. "He built a snowgoon with me the other day, and tonight he bought me a Cranberry Candy, and he said in the Spring you can take me to his house and we can catch frogs in the lake!"
"Catching frogs, huh?" Sammy said as he grinned at Sebastian.
Sebastian shrugged again. "Yeah, if you guys want."
"You're right, Vince. That does sound like fun," Sammy said with a laugh. "Maybe I'll ask Haley if I can borrow her camera."
Sebastian snorted, "Yeah? Good luck with that."
"It could happen," Sammy insisted.
"Maybe in your dreams," Sebastian teased.
As they reached the house, Sammy knelt down to let Vincent climb off his back and then he handed him his piggy bank back. "You want to come in for a bit, Seb?"
Sebastian shook his head, "Nah, I gotta get back home. I still have a work project I need to finish up." He handed the bag of presents to Vincent with a smile.
"Why don't you take your stuff inside, Vince?" Sammy suggested. "I'm just gonna talk to Seb outside for a few minutes before he needs to go home."
"Okay," Vincent said as he turned towards the door. "Thanks Sebastian!"
Anytime, buddy," Sebastian said with a smile.
Vincent darted into the house and into his room as quietly as he could so he didn't wake Mom up. Then he put the bag of presents and his piggy bank on his bed. He was going to need to think of a good hiding spot for them until Winter Star so that Mom wouldn't find them. He grabbed his piggy bank first so that he could put it away but then he realized something strange. The sound of the coins dancing around inside sounded a lot louder than they were before.
He opened the bottom of the piggy bank and his eyes widened when he saw ten gold coins tumble out onto his blankets. He only had three coins in there to start with and he thought he gave them to the woman at the market! Sebastian must have made a mistake! He gathered all the coins in his fists and left his room quickly, hoping he could catch Sebastian before he left, but as he passed the window, falling snowflakes caught his eye and he paused to look outside.
Sammy and Sebastian were standing really close together with their arms around each other as the snow fell down around them. Their foreheads were pressed together like they were the day Vincent saw them on Sebastian's birthday, but this time their eyes were closed, and they moved even closer until they were kissing! On the mouth!
Vincent wrinkled his nose. He wasn't sure why Sammy and Sebastian were kissing but he wasn't going to go outside again after seeing that. He took the coins back into his room for now.
He'd ask Sammy about it later.