Chapter Text
Vincent’s vision was blurred as the ringing in his ears was all he could feel while a man’s voice was a distant feeling. His eyes watched the blurred movements lazily, the sounds getting louder before he was snapped at causing him to flinch as he turned his face away quickly from the suddenness of it.
“Do you hear me bastard! I said who helped you compose these sheets, cause I know for a fact you cannot make music this distinct yourself!”
The man who was yelling threw the papers in Vincent’s face harshly as they fluttered to the ground. A soft breath escaped as Vincent leaned down to gather the pages, slowly taking them into his arms as the man was still complaining. He stepped on Vincent’s hand roughly as he let out a hiss from the pain, letting some of the papers go from his hands as he tried to pull his hand back for a moment.
“At least you’re good for something, knowing your place at my feet like the filthy thing you are.”
The man sneered as he lifted his foot while straightening the vest he had on, buttoning it up. He walked away to leave Vincent to handle the mess of papers, most the pages ruined from the foot prints on the pages smudging the notes. Rubbing his sore hand he looked to see he was alone before taking the pages with him to the back gardens for disposal. The long hallways familiar in their vast emptiness are silent except for the other servants who cleaned and kept the mansion tidy.
The garden doors opened with an easy push near the back of the mansion as he walked through the courtyard and maze-like hedges where near the heaps of dried leaves and twigs the fire pit was. Tossing the pages in he felt the many lost nights he had spent were worth nothing at all once more. He took an especially dry twig from the pile as he fidgeted with it and broke it into smaller pieces while walking back. He found himself near a few purple and blue pansy clusters. From their contrast the green foliage. He enjoyed the colors they came in throughout the years, their symbolism had him adoring them.
He held their petals a moment between his fingers before picking one of the flowers. The petals were soft and delicate as he put the small flower in his hair, a small pleasure in that moment as he hid the small smile he had while walking back.
The glass of the windows stretching from ceiling to floor was warm as he walked back inside once more. He went back to the piano in the ball room practicing, the mechanical movements memorized by specific pieces chosen by the man. He always tested how far Vincent’s “skill” could go on the complicated pieces. He paused as he heard one of the servants come in, the door creaking disrupting the tempo enough to make him soften the notes being played as he listened.
“Am I being requested once more.”
“Yes, in sir’s study, and he is saying of another ball this week…”
Vincent nodded with pain in his head remembering just a few days ago. The loud laughter, constant piano playing most the night, harsh handlings.
“Thank you for the warning.”
Vincent stated as he left the piano now, walking slower than usual to study. The murals along the walls felt hollow with the flickering light of candles from evening slowly creeping in and servants knowing the occasion happening tonight. He had his hands around himself, he didn’t want to think of a long night to be. All the guests would just chuckle at him playing the piano, calling him such a pretty “thing” the man had, and just ignoring his opinions if he and any at all. All he is, is just a product to be shown and paraded around, he lost the right to be human almost a decade ago.
Pushing the door to the study open softly he peered in to see the man sitting on the lounge couch near his neck as he read from the small bookshelf within the space.
“I thought I’d be waiting here all night, you’re really testing my patience these days.”
Swallowing softly, Vincent prepared himself for what was to come as he met the man’s eyes just for a moment before looking to the floor.
“I don’t want you playing tonight, you will stay in here and wait for my return and do what I say when I do.”
Shifting foot to foot he heard the rustle of standing up as the man came and walked up to Vincent, walking in a circle evaluating how he looked. The pansy in his hair caught an eye as it was taken out roughly with a few strands being pulled with it from the sudden pull.
“What is this in your hair? Did I let you put this here?”
“N-no bu-”
“But what? Think you can just dirty yourself with outside nature? I put so much work into making you appeal to others and you just act like an innocent thing with flowers in your hair while being so useless except for performances.”
Vincent moved to feel his head where the flower had been, shame falling over him as he had forgotten to take it out of his hair. He stiffened as he felt the man behind him, the crumpled flower in his hand as he was right up against Vincent.
“I’m going to have all these damn flowers removed from my gardens because I don’t need you ruining all the work I put into making you worth something other than meat and bones.”
Staring at the crumpled flower, Vincent just holds himself once more, tighter as he feels a hand on his shoulder slide to the middle of his back before pulling away with a quiet chuckle.
“Sit, I have an event to run tonight.”
Vincent did as he was told, his hands shaking a bit against himself as he looked to the window, the sunset beautiful with blues, pinks, purples, and oranges. A stark contrast to the tired and hurt he was feeling as he was left alone now, locked in the study as all he could see was from the window in the study or try and read the books in the study.